11am

The halls were quite apparently empty as the students had not fully returned from the holidays. She preferred it, actually, today with no noise. It calmed her nerves as she was easily making her way through the hallways. The leather duster allowed a slight warmth even as her boots clicked a few seconds while trying to get to Hildegard's office. She knew well to not be late, even if she had planned the event; she did not liked to be kept in waiting as Gabie knew from her earliest memory of Hilde. The end result led to a few words of encouragement that was the woman's "tough love" M.O.

Gabie shook her head to dismiss the thoughts and refocused to getting to the office. It had to be fifteen after the hour as she continued to scale the stairs, finally arriving to the room. The brown parchment package in one hand (strudels, of course!) were still warm, thankfully. Her free hand rapped twice and she spoke: "Hilde? ... Professor Austerlitz?" A grin found its way on her face - calling a mother figure 'professor' simply amused her to no end. These students probably didn't know the HALF of what this lady was capable of. Heh.

She was here on a personal occasion, rather than business. An owl was sent saying she had much to tell and a slight reprimand that she had turned down the holidays. Again. Thoughts of Gwydion returned to her mind as she stood there, waiting. Vlad would be irritational at best - would Hildegard be likewise? She hoped not.

11:20

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ooc: time was only used for this post only since gabie was getting anal about being on time

Hildegarde sat in her office, her finger gently guiding her eyesight along line after line of ancient Grecian text. She'd bought the book around Christmas time (a gift to herself, of sorts) and although it was ridiculously expensive, Professor Austerlitz had spent the majority of her winter break translating it. Getting to the very core of such an ancient tome was the best form of fun in Hildegarde's opinion, and as such, her Christmas had been a lot less lonely with things to keep her busy. Of course, she'd heard from Archer and Greyfriar, but Christmas Day itself was a time when Hildegarde often found herself alone.

This year, that fateful day had consisted of opening her Christmas cards and letters in the morning, sitting down to a full breakfast with her owl, Nemesis (suitably named after the Goddess of Vengeance), sending a few correspondance herself by midday and spending the rest of the afternoon unwrapping the small pile of gifts addressed to her. Evening came and another year, Hildegarde was in her armchair falling asleep after a hearty glass of Spanish red. Another uneventful Christmas day.

Her train of academic thought however was interrupted by a familiar voice behind her office door, and Hildegarde immediately got to her feet, a rarely warm smile falling onto her pinched features. Gabrielle - an old apprentice, and one of the lucky few to be taken under the dragon's wing. Opening the door briskly, Hildegarde immediately opened her arms, enveloping the much taller woman in a welcoming hug.
"Gabrielle - it's wonderful to see you," she replied in her hushed, well-spoken accent. Her words couldn't have been more genuine.

Life had prepared her over the years for many situations that could go in either direction, however, as Hildegarde opened the door and embraced her. Her body immediately tensed but then melted away as she returned the affection with a smile on her face. "Morgen, Hilde, love, it's so good to see you. Thank you for the card & I do hope you'll forgive me for being late. The baker was busy this mornin, but I have our strudel if you have the other bits for our brunch."

She soon let go of Hildegard & headed towards the nearest table that seemed to be only filled with some photographs at the moment. Her eyes glanced at them, noticing a few people (including a young looking Archer Radley, which caused her to chuckle) & a few she didn't. Her eyes soon saw a photo of Hilde & Bernie in the middle, then noticed an all too familiar picture. It was of her when she had completed her intership & joined the Ministry. Hilde was on one side, the department head at the time (Bartlett or was it Barnaby? she could not recall) on the other & herself right in the middle. Hilde wasn't smiling, in fact, it seemed she was more like smirking instead. A low chuckle escaped her lips as she turned around to face her mother figure.

She had achieved so much through so much over the past few years, hadn't she? A good sense of pride filled within her for a moment but was soon filled with a pang of sadness. Much had been fufilled without a partner to support her. Gabie had a hunch that the wisened old crone in front of her longed for Bernie, especially during these holidays.

Her feet soon returned back to Hildegard & clasped her hand, squeezing it ever so gently with a smile on her face as her eyes seemed to grow misty suddenly. "Sometimes I feel I've grown quicker than I ought & yet, I feel I haven't either." A pause left a silence of an uncomfortable nature. "I've something to tell you, but brunch first, if you wouldn't mind."

"You were always late, Gabrielle, even when you were doe-eyed and utterly useless in your early days at the Ministry," she said with an omniscient smirk, reminiscent of the photo her former apprentice eyed. "Some things even I can't change." Hildegarde had enjoyed watching Ms Harker grow over the years, and liked to think that she played a part in her transformation. She was a respected witch, and Hildegarde's iron-fisted tutelage undoubtedly had an effect upon that.

Taking a seat opposite, Hildegarde flicked her wand, two saucers, two plates, two teacups and a teapot levitating from a nearby cabinet and settling neatly on the table. Placing each strudel on each plate, Hildegarde instinctively poured Gabrielle a cup of tea, knowing just how she liked it.
"The strudel is a pleasant touch," she added, her voice still icy but more welcoming for a young woman that was practically family. "Reminds me of my childhood in Berlin. No matter where I search however, nothing beats authentic German strudel."

Listening to Gabrielle intently, Hildegarde tilted her head in thought. Waving her wand in a short circular motion, the logs settled in the fireplace rustled in a crimson flash; warm and comforting flames embracing the office in a cosy glow.
"Something on your mind, Gabrielle?"

Hildegard Austerlitz meant good & well for those she cared for but the way of showing it was too  often shown in a statement that one would believe to be offensive. "Hopefully I do not disappoint as I once did, love?" Gabie quipped all with a smile that meant the woman knew her mentor quite a bit better than in the past. So, the strudel had been a successful investment indeed. "Perhaps I wasn't a complete useless intern if I know your tastes, you ol' hawk. I have improved over the years; after all, you & Father have provided quite a pleasant challenge for ickle me. After all, you can't take a heritage out of a person." She winked as she picked up the teacup. Touche.

She could taste vanilla, rose...perhaps cinnamon? Goodness, perhaps Hilde knew more about her ever protege better than she did herself. "You must divulge where you got this. It's different than your usual Lady Earl or jasmine. An unrelated topic statement but... if you need Greek information for your classes, let me know or owl Elias Nanopolous. He recently returned here about three weeks ago."

She saw & heard the rekindling of the fiery logs. Hilde's expression of outward seriousness with an inner concern followed as Gabrielle was prepared to talk since the woman who sat before her was not one to sit & wait.

"I don't know how to really explain it, but...I must. Do you remember the boy I was dating when I met you at the Ministry for the beginning of my internship? His name was Gwydion...he also happens to be the toymaker the Ministry has had issues with in the past? Well...he's back." And I'm in love with him. Again.