It had been a while since Torquil apparated to the O Morain farm, what with his and Liadan’s schedule never crossing except with pureblood get-togethers, but he could still do it with ease, and the house-elves easily recognized him and welcomed him into the house.

Of course, his arrival was expected and seemed to be well-prepared for, since the house-elves did not seem as panic-stricken or critical as they were with unexpected guess when he was a child. It was probably due to him sending a detailed owl ahead of time concerning his exact business for visiting, which was that of the disease overcoming the farm, otherwise he was sure he would be doing a lot of waiting. And, to his pleasant surprise, Liadan was quite welcoming about the whole ordeal in the return letter, something that was rare for an employee of the Prophet to come by. It was also a large step in convincing Torquil of Liadan’s innocence in the whole affair. All in all, it was the beginning of a good visit.

While he waited, he simply looked around the house, cupped his black fedora off his head, fiddled with his scout canvas bag, and just preoccupied himself with his own thoughts. He did miss how it use to be more of a family, before Declan was disowned, but Torquil learned long ago that nothing would convince Liadan to notice her blood brother, less she detach herself from a conversation completely. The whole ordeal was painful, and the house felt rather empty, but he was content in the letters he sent her, the few times he saw her, and the gifts he’d send her while he was in Jamaica with his family.

Finally another house-elf came scampering around the corner and bowed, “Mistress O Morain will be down shortly, Mr. Foley.” Torquil nodded and then ceased his fidgeting, intending to give his younger cousin his full attention for the tour.

Liadán had been pleased to receive a letter from her (much older) cousin. Growing up she had always called him uncle, because to a child's mind a cousin ought to be her own age. She had owled him back, telling him that he was more than welcome to visit and have a look around. She could show him the devastation, and perhaps get some input on what she ought to do. Liadán knew that his wife was a voodoo woman, and had been wanting to ask her help but was wary. Perhaps Torquil would offer Delilah's services to her, so she wouldn't have to ask. So it wouldn't seem suspicious that she would be interested in voodoo. Most witches and wizards were wary of the practice, mostly because they associated all of voodoo with the single dark branch- though, admittedly, it was the darker areas of voodoo practices that genuinely interested her.

She had been in her room, looking for an appropriate dress and boots to wear to show him around the farm. It was days like these, when she knew that she was going to be outside for a while and getting some actual exercise that the witch wished she owned at least one pair of pants. But it wasn't ladylike for a woman of her breeding to wear pants, so she didn't do it. Instead she invested in a few simple dresses that were easier to navigate in.

Coming down the stairs, Liadán made her way to the sitting room, smiling when she saw Torquil. "I don't believe you have been here since my mother passed, that's been nearly four years now," she told him. "You're looking quite well. Come out the back way with me, I keep my cloaks and gloves there. I hope you're dressed warmly, if not I have some candies that are made with a warming potion that should help." Liadán led the way to the back of the estate, grabbing a fur lined cloak from a peg at the back door. One that the house elves and other employees used. A servant's entrance, really, if she were to have a staff of servants.

"We'll go by the hippogriff enclosures first, they were the ones first to go." And also, the ones closest to the estate proper. "Tell me, how is your family? I always was jealous that you had so many children. I intend to have at least three if I ever get married, but it seems that pickings are slim these days. Pureblood men just do not act as they used to- and the older ones who behave properly are either married, and if they aren't married, too steeped in scandal to warrant my affections."

Torquil returned a warm smile at Liadan once she greeted him, and followed her towards the back. “Oh I’m still getting over the tropics,” he said pulling snugging his coat closer to him and whipping on some gloves from his pockets, “I’ve got plenty of layers under this.” He patted his chest and then put his hat back on his head and slipped on his gloves.

“Oh,” he said a bit caught off guard, for some reason he hadn’t expected to talk about them, he was trying to balance his thoughts between business and family get-together, “Delilah’s doing well, she started working on physical therapy outside the hospital a while back—if you want to give it a technical definition.” He finished off, “Cavin’s off doing ministry business and Adric and Booker are off having fun with Quidditch or traveling, you know them,” he waved, knowing she grew up with them in Hogwarts, “You’ve gotten ahold of Naomi every so often, was a shame we couldn’t have rushed back sooner before school started and have visited.” Then he suddenly shifted his thoughts and remembered the large satin sheet that changed scenery and emitted smell and a bit of wind with the weather of Jamaica that he worked on with his sons, and the lotions that his daughter and wife made, “You got our gifts though, didn’t you?”

“And well, I’m sure many men are just going through a stage in their life,” Torquil started with a bit of a grunt, “they’re bound to come around dear. I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t for you,” he said rather nonchalantly after fixing up his clothing and then regarded the back door, “The Hippogriffs?” He lingered on the question before he continued, “They’re rather tough aren’t they? Think something’s close to the house, or maybe got in their food source?”

"I did get the gifts! They were quite lovely. Your wife has exquisite tastes. It is good that your children have successful lives, too. Naomi is going to be a brilliant witch some day. A lot of her traits remind me of myself," Liadan told him with a smile. "So ambitious and intelligent. She could really go far and do amazing things in her life. I hope that I can teach her a few things. I am sure Delilah is so pleased with that! I bet she teaches Naomi all kinds of magic!" Magic that Liadan would love to learn- she was fascinated by voodoo.

His comments on men were not lost- she knew that it was likely a topic he was not interested in. "Well, it's not that there happens to be a lack of men, just a lack of suitable ones..." She trailed off, shrugging slightly. Liadan found Christian quite suitable, but discussing her feelings for a halfblood with a fellow pureblood who might or might not be offended. Especially a family member who could shun her for it. No, she would not discuss Christian with her cousin. She discussed that situation with Cinaed- however tired he was of hearing it, he always indulged her.

"Hippogriffs are very tough. And I'm not sure. It all started close to the house and spread out- like a ripple effect. I have a few left from each herd, that is a blessing I suppose, but I cannot afford to keep losing creatures. The deaths seemed to have stopped at this point, but it has effected every creature that I farm. The only ones who have not been effected are my crups... Which is odd. They're in the house, though, so that might be a clue?" Liadan sighed. "I'm really at a loss, Torquil. I haven't so much as a suspicion."

"Although the food source sounds plausible- but they all eat different food, and I cannot think of a single ingredient in every food. Do you suppose that there is a chance someone poisoned them all? I can't imagine someone would be so methodical and place it out that much to make it seem contagious... And I do not have anyone who could hate me enough to do it. As far as I am aware, anyway. Enemies typically make themselves known."

Torquil was a bit flattered that Liadan was capable of drawing similarities between herself and his daughter, if only she was more restrained, but she was sure Liadan never saw that side of her daughter and therefore would be chided on it, “Ah yes, she is still learning,” he said proudly. “Naomi gets supplementary lessons, usually in the summer,” he paused and then proudly expanded upon that, “I don’t think she wishes to admit it, but I think she is starting to enjoy learning so much.” And he held up a gloved hand and proudly hummed, “I think she is proud of the responsibility, but doesn’t care to admit it. Like many teenagers,” He grumbled.

He considered her observation and then began his mindless rambling on, “It does sound like tampering, but from the home and moving outwards. Odd method of infection though, it would require a lot of labor,” he creeked curiously, “It would have to be of the staff then? Or someone with an handful of idle time on their hands and opportunity.” He stayed by Liadan’s side as he discarded the obvious idea with a tip of the head, “I could only think this would benefit and be accomplished by those with many deals and benefits with your company’s friendship—in dealings.” He nodded matter-of-factly.

“But why systematically start from near the house and then gradually move away? Unless their restraint on time is what caused it… but that would take many meetings,” He said turning to Liadan as if looking for an affirmative on that deduction. “A malicious spell or enchantment sounds like it would be the most convenient then, set off on the perimeter of the house and then gradually moving outwards.”

He stopped, doubting himself, and dug his hands securely into his pockets, “But managing to hit all of them would require excellent mastery, craft, and power—I am unsure if you keep such a person on your staff, or in your company on the estate so often?”

He quickly jerked it off and then stepped ahead, finding his hypothesis and questions many and useless without much proof, “Let’s take a look at the animals then? Perhaps there is a marking or leftover sign of something harmful—besides the disease.”

Liadan shrugged. She had no clue what was going on. Hence why it had not stopped. "The only staff I have are the elves," she told him. "It being just me, there is no need for any more. And I do not think we've had servants in this estate since before I was born- my parents don't even speak of having them. With small families it is unneeded. The elves do a wonderful job with everything as it is."

"And I keep no company at my estate. All business is done outside. The secrecy of my home is one dearly kept. We are not even connected by floo except to very few, select family friends. Of my friends and associates, I do not know of any with such power. It is unlike anything I have ever seen. Unless someone has been sneaking onto the grounds without my knowledge- but if anyone sets foot in the perimeter, magical wards and alarms let the household know of it..." She sighed again, opening the door and leading him outside.

"If you were able to find any hint or clue as to what is going on, I would be indebted to you forever! I've exhausted my efforts, and am ready to give up, and hope that it... goes away with time," Liadan made a dismissive gesture.

Liadan led the way in silence until they reached the first of the hippogriff enclosures. "We've just a few left. They have yet to be sick- so I think them safe. Though when I brought in a few to supplement the herd, they died off in less than a week. But this handful that is left, they are unaffected. They go on as though nothing is wrong. Each enclosure is like this. With each creature, there is but a handful left who seem immune-though I do not know why. What makes them difference? I haven't a clue."

“Then this is very baffling,” the man rasped ominously at all of Liadan’s answers. “Will have to rely on observations then,” he said taking in a breath as his niece-cousin opened the door, and made a final comment.

“One can only hope it does,” he said as they maid their silent walk to the hippogriff enclosure. However, as the silence loomed over them it pushed the prospect of this being some natural disaster into the back of Torquil’s head, and the idea that this was the result of tampering by an outside, but rather clever source, began to fill the now unoccupied spaces of his mind. The Irishman was sure there was no happy answer to this.

Once they arrived Torquil wandered around, barely within earshot of his cousin, trying to get a good look at the creatures. “Are they behaving normally still—“ he sucked in a short grunt as he turned back to his cousin, with a wide, hopeful, but controlled expression, “May I?”

He knew a little about creatures, from his time when he worked on a series about dangerous creatures, and hippogriffs, to him, were much simpler to come to terms with than an angry griffin or dragon.

Liadan nodded. "They behave as normally as a hippogriff can," she conceded. "They're always a bit finicky. And some people just don't know how to treat them properly to gain their respect. They haven't been abnormally passive or abnormally agressive." They were just typical, cranky, ugly Hippogriffs as far as she knew. But she rarely was out on the farm caring for them. None of her employees had reported anything out of the ordinary, though. They usually reported the slightest abnormalities, just to be safe and cover their asses. Good jobs were hard to come by after all.

"You certainly may, though you ought to be very careful. Have you been around hippogriffs before?" she asked. "Mine are not highly socialized. Be careful. If it attacks you, I'll not be held responsible for it." Liadan meant that, too. The last thing she needed was for her hippogriff to seriously maim her cousin and then she get the blame for it.

"I just wish I could put my finger on it. It's a serious financial blow to the company. Not that I am short on cash- my gringotts vaults are enough to last generations if managed well. It is just so inconvenient! It had taken long enough to try to remove the bad reputation that the farm got from my father's behavior and subsequent arrest. This is not helping to paint the picture I would like for my clients. One big upset and then in the future people will always wonder if it will happen again and whether or not they can trust the animal parts that come out of here."

She pulled her coat tighter around her, and sighed. "An American offered to purchase the farm," she told him. "His family runs potions business in America, and was wanting to open a branch to supply London with potions. Selling the farm would aid him greatly, and certainly relieve me of my constant headaches with it. But it's just been in the family for so long, and my poor mother and father would be most dissatisfied with such a decision if they were alive to witness it. But if I can't turn things around, I'll be losing more money than I am making with it."

Once Liadan gave her older cousin permission, he smiled gratefully before effortlessly hopping the fence into the enclosure, and plotted himself with controlled firmness to the ground on the other side.  He eyed the Hippogriffs, looking for one to approach, while turning back to listen to Liadan every-so-often.

He looked back at Liadan, “Oh, I’ve been attacked by worse Liadan,” he scolded himself, recalling a brief article about a Griffin, and slowly raised his head back, “wouldn’t surprise anyone,” Then he gave a curt nod, and turned back to look at the creatures, some wandering a ways off, giving him time to pick them out before he had to give himself into etiquette.

At Liadan’s next batch of concerns Torquil looked on at the hippogriffs with deep contemplation, rubbing his rusky beard. Liadan certainly didn’t NEED to make money or have a farm, but she had a point and Torquil wasn’t sure what to tell her about the American buying the farm. A smart move, indeed, but Liadan’s stubbornness stopped it—or a decision Cael and his wife would be unhappy with, “I doubt the effectiveness of the farm in someone else’s hands,” he said earnestly. It wasn’t so much a compliment really, as it was what Torquil thought, and he felt a bit partial to it from spending his younger years on the estate. “I doubt it will mean as much to anyone else, and therefore would not have as much care go into it,” his voice weakly lingered.

He was assuming Liadan’s position in the matter, he were sure if she got married or if she had children, that the duties of the farm would quickly be shared. He considered trying to expand on what he was saying, but just cut himself short. He was afraid that he’d bore her with a rambling monologue than interest her, so shrugged it off.

 “Hopefully, it will pass, possibly effect other farms,” Torquil chuckled and then guiltily looked back at her, “Not a sportsman-like thought though, eh?” then he started to turn back in a half-gesture at the flying creatures, “of course if done by an outsider, or brought in by one, or if there is a very specific root to this problem that can be outed, then I believe your reputation is also salvageable that way.” With a few stubborn thumps against the ground Torquil’s eyes darted towards the source of the sound, and then formally turned to meet the gaze of a hippogriff.

It had trotted towards him, with a rather grumpy demeanor, no less. And now that he was close enough Torquil could no longer break eye contact, and had to give the creature his full attention.  He did have a surprised look on his face though, and the Irishman had a chilling moment of stiffness before he straightened his arms at the side, and bowed, keeping his eyes focused on the beast.

It seemed to pace to his sides for a moment, as if it were trying to catch him off guard or change his expression, but Torquil just followed the creature with his gaze. He was sure that he would need to prepare himself to run, but snuffed the idea out with pure stubbornness. The hippogriff then stood up on its hind legs and just towered over Torquil for a moment, almost fooling the researcher into standing up to keep eye contact, but he just raised his head up and pulled his eyes back as far as he could look up and into the creature’s eyes.

He was sure that the next test would involve holding his breath, considering Torquil had barely exhaled since he met eyes with the hippogriff. Then it lowered itself back onto all fours and bowed its head back.

 Torquil huffed a smile, relieved to approach the creature without the nerve-wrecking suspense of a NEWT exam administered by a XXXX beast looming over him, and then pet him, flashing Liadan a toothy smile before returning his attention to the creature.

"Whether or not you've been attacked by worse hardly concerns me, Torquil. What concerns me is if you get attacked here it just gives the ministry another excuse to come poking around. And I can't have the committee deciding to put down one of my hippogriffs when I've only a handful left!" Liadan stomped a small foot on the ground for emphasis. It might be selfish of her- but she didn't care. Liadan had more important things to worry about than whether or not her hippogriffs decided that her cousin was a tasty snack.

"I doubt it as well. I wouldn't be satisfied knowing it was in someone else's hand. Besides, the land is attached to the estate- and I'll not lose my family's land so easily. I don't have any desire to buy a new house. I'll just give it a few more months and see if we can't get things resolved before I consider the offer seriously. If nothing else I can just close it down and work on starting up something else. I've a mind for busienss. Or I'll just marry into a family that has it's own inexhaustible fortune."

Liadan shook her head when he suggested it might effect other farms. "There aren't any near here. If it was going to pass it would need somewhere to spread. And it doesn't. Unless it affects the muggle's cows or something equally ridiculous. But I could care less if that happens."

Liadan watched as he approached the hippogriff, not at all surprised when it reared up on its legs as though it was going to stomp him to the ground. Liadan pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping that the worst didn't happen. But eventually it lowered and bowed, and she returned his smile witha  scowl. "That could have ended very badly. But feel free to poke around. If the RCMC hasn't found anything, I seriously doubt that you will anyway."

"But really you ought to come by more often. I should have you and Delilah for dinner one evening. I've a few books I wanted her to take a look at anyway, and let me know whether or not they were worth anything. I picked them up in Knockturn a couple of weeks ago. They're quite interesting, but I'm not sure if the information in it is accurate."

As Torquil pet the creature down and gave him a good look-over, he seemed perfectly healthy, and strong.  If there were any signs of sickness, then Torquil couldn’t find any, and if any of the other creatures had it then it must not have been contagious. But he finished petting down the hippogriff, “It’s surprising what a different set of eyes does.” He returned to the hippogriff’s front, still stroking its feathers, as the creature gave a scoffing grunt, “Sometimes you’re so trained into a method or a routine that you don’t open your eyes to anything.”

While it seemed that even the hippogriff doubted he would find something, Torquil kept himself convinced that he would find some clue, because if he didn’t, then he was sure he’d be completely useless otherwise. “Oh? Did you?” he turned towards Liadan, “You’ll get quite a history lesson beyond anything you expected, I’m sure—whether the book is accurate or not.” He eyed the rest of the herd with a furrowed brow, interested in their physical condition, but not being stupid enough to seek out the respect of all the hippogriffs, “Her knowledge is extensive—frighteningly so…”

His thoughts, had gone elsewhere and he absent-mindedly moved onto the hippogriffs, “Has he been mating? I don’t see very many young ones around.”

Liadan blinked at Torquil's question concerning mating, and then had a good laugh- most certainly at him and not with him. "Why Torquil! Where is your brain? They've only been sick a short amount of time. It takes quite a while for a hippogriff to carry a foal to term! It's not uncommon for them to stay pregnant for a full year before they give birth!  So of course he was mating- but you couldn't tell it now."

"But as far as I know I have two pregnant mares. The others died off. I can't know which hippogriff fathered which foal at this point. It's all topsy turvy. They're not due to birth for a few months yet, though. Really, I would think you could at least remember that much, couldn't you?"

"The ones who didn't die are perfectly healthy, though," Liadan said to her cousin. "I have had multiple professionals come and look them over. If they aren't dead, then they aren't sick. There is nothing- no clues at all. It's really a hopeless thing, Torquil. There's nothing at this point that can be done for it. I'll just have to wait until everything is re-born I suppose. Supplement from elsewhere when I'm certain the infection is out..."

"You are more than welcome to look at the other creatures if you want, though. I'm certain you'll find everything appears normal and unaffected though. It's all that anybody else has found so far at any rate."

Oh, he made Liadan laugh—well he at least managed to put her in some good spirits! Even if it was at his own expense, he was sure he’d remember her laugh for some time, “I’m afraid studying the mating habits of your hippogriffs is not at the top of my to-do list,” he smiled back, as the male he stood by seemed to calm into boredom. “I shall, however, remember to note that down in my letters to you, if I must be properly educated—and to make sure the mares are doing well.”

He shrugged off his more amused tone for something more serious and focused, “At least it’s not transmitted by bodily fluids—contagious for that matter. Really, this doesn’t sound like any normal thing a creature would catch.”

Once Torquil began to pay more attention to his niece, the hippogriff trotted back off into the enclosure, and the Irish man looked back at him and patted his hat before he jumped over the fence again, “Oh no, I’m fine,” he grunted as he hauled himself over, “I think my luck would only last me for one hippogriff encounter today.”

He steadied himself on the safer side of fence and brushed off his gloves, taking on the air of an attentive uncle, “What’s next, dear?”

"Next?" Liadan asked, gathering her skirt as she took a few steps away from the Hippogriff pen. "Oh- you could go just about anywhere, Uncle Torquil," she said. "Abraxen, Thestrals, Unicorns, Erumpents... They're all about the same. A handful of creatures, no outward signs of illness, seemingly in perfect shape..." Liadan gave a defeated shrug.

"There's nothing to see, I'm afraid. No signs. Nobody has figured it out..." Liadan paused, looking around, trying to decide exactly where to go next. There were just so many different animals, so many acres of land to cover- and she wasn't really prepared to give him a full tour of every single animal. (Liadan rarely walked over the entirety of her establishment- that was why she had employees.)

"If you want to see everything, I'm afraid I'll have to leave you with one of my employees- because I do have other business to attend to. If you're working on an article, I can answer some questions before you leave- I'll be in my office..." Liadan flagged down a passing farm-aid, and asked for him to find one of her higher-up employees.

Liadan gave Torquil a sympathetic smile then. "I really do hate to abandon you- but I'm not sure I have it in me to go all over the farm again, considering I already know exactly what you will find. I know it is terribly rude and far from hospitable, but Brendan can show you around just as well as I can. He supervises most of what goes on throughout the farm and reports back to me. Very knowledgeable, and equally flabbergasted as to what is going on."