Tell Me What I've Got To Lose.

[Mona-Lisa Carrozza]

Mona wasn't sure what he deal was lately. First getting jumped in Italy. She had made it out of there with just a few bruises. But today, she had been in a meeting with some unfavorable company on behalf of Roxie. And honestly...Mona wasn't sure what had happened.

One moment, there was discussions and a proposition made. Mona had assured the men that she would take the terms back to her boss and they would hear from them shortly. She hadn't even noticed the way the men had been slowly positioning themselves closer to the door. She hadn't noticed one of them grab their wand.

And next thing she knew, the building they were in was on fire. The men were gone. And she had been caught flatfooted again. This was twice now...and again, she made it out. But this time, she had suffered a rather large burn on her forearm. And while she knew exactly how to treat it, it was still an annoyance. Her attire did little to hide the burn but she didn't stress too much about it.

Most people would just assume she had burnt herself on a stove or something.

But she knew how to treat it. Mona had been a rather gifted potions student in school. She had been attentive and much like a sponge whenever Professor Avery had had something to say. And it served her well. It wasn't uncommon for her to bred up antidotes, salves, or pastes to fix up some of the men who worked the fields of the industry. Tommy was also rather gifted at potions and more than once, she had shared a space with him to brew.

But right now, she knew she didn't have the ingredients to whip up any burn healing paste.

But Diagon Alley was in between here and her home.

So Slug and Jigger's was her next stop. So as she pushed open the door, Mona wasted no time gathering the ingredients she would need. She was in her own world a bit...perusing the isles.

But as she turned the next isle, she paused...a small smirk crossing her features.

Professor Killian Avery had for sure been her first crush. He had always been the hot teacher. So gorgeous...borderline unapproachable. She was sucker for it. And she had been unnecessarily hung up on Gus as of late. So the feeling of finding another man attractive felt nice to her in the moment. She approached slowly as he was right near where she needed to be.

"Signor Avery," she greeted, reaching close to him for the root she needed.

[Killian Avery]

After all this time?

It was a quiet weekend and needed to upgrade his stores at the castle. Normally he went to Poppy's but this was a last-minute urgent matter. The class was on Monday and he decided to switch up his plan for the seventh years, they were getting too comfortable with the material and if Killian was anything...it was sadistic. Bells jingled above as he entered the shop

"Pitiful," he said aloud to himself as he wandered the aisles. Poppy's had fresh ingredients that were much more effective. These looked stale and while they would get the job done, the effects of the potion wouldn't be as potent as he hoped. As he was examining Asphodel roots he heard his name... well his last name, and then a delicate hand reaching across his front.

He'd know that Spanish accent anywhere. "Miss Carrozza. Quite the burn you've got there," he said as it crossed right into his field of vision. Killian was always pretty observant. "No need to guess what you're here for then," he added as he turned his attention back to the root.

Tagged;;Mona-Lisa Carrozza

[Mona-Lisa Carrozza]

Miss Carrozza.

Mona listened as he spoke, the faintest of little grins crossing over her features for just the slightest moment. No, there certainly was no need to guess why Mona was in the shop. Even if the burn wasn’t prevalent on her arm, her ingredients were pretty standard.

”Yes sir,” she said simply, turning the root she had picked up in her hand absentmindedly, not one hundred percent sure this was the one she wanted. The ingredients in this shop were nothing compared to some of the other smaller, local shops.

But one could make do. Especially if they knew what they were doing.

”Storage cabinets getting light?” she asked, setting the root back down and reaching for a different one.

If Killian were lowering his standards to this shop, things must have been pretty light in his stores. That…or he was switching something up last minute. Mona had rather enjoyed the unpredictability of Professor Avery’s class. One day you expect to be brewing Wiggenwelds…but just before you were dispatched to retrieve your ingredients, you found out you would be working on a cure for boils.

It kept one on their toes and ensured they were actually learning something…not just going through the motions. If there had been any professor that Mona had truly respected in her school days…Killian was it.

Despite his cold and uncaring demeanor. The man just was who he was. It didn’t make him any less of an educator. Besides…Mona kind of liked that he seemed to hate everyone. It was an attitude she had adopted through school herself. Kept the unnecessary distractions away from her…

[Killian Avery]

After all this time?

The sloth brains were slothing in the corner, Killian shot a side glance so some of the winged ingredients struggled against their restraints. Thomas would never treat him this way. "No. The sevenths years were getting too comfortable with the class," he said, turning a root over in his hand. "This way I can keep them on their toes and maybe weed out some of the slackers before the holidays." Killian always loved when kids dropped out of his class. Less morons who couldn't hack it.

There was a small handful of student he's had over the years that he actually could tolerate. Montes, Thomas and of course...Carrozza. She had a natural knack for potions and he was glad that she was pursuing her talent. Of course Killian had no idea what she did for a career but she had mentioned that it involved potions. 

"So, where did that mark on your arm come from then?" Killian wasn't really one for personal questions but in the possibility of a threat, he was all ears. The potions master was all about staying on top of information before it came to bite him in the ass. If there was a threat out there, he was going to find out about it. Carrozza was more than capable for it to be something dangerous and not something moronic like a stove.

Tagged;;Mona-Lisa Carrozza

[Mona-Lisa Carrozza]

The seventh years we’re getting too comfortable.

Mona smirked slightly, biting on her lower lip a moment to keep it in check. Professors like Barlowe had nothing on Killian. Barlowe cared too much about making sure the students excelled and got marks. Killian had a completely different way of running his class. One had to be a cut above the rest to do well in his classes.

It really separated the children from the big wigs.

So where did that mark on your arm come from then?

Mona turned the new root she had picked up in her hands as she paused on her words for a moment. Her eyes flicked up to look at her former teacher for a moment before she spoke.

”Occupational hazard,” she offered, rolling her eyes slightly. It truly floored her how much Roxie grabbing a piece of power in their industry was pissing men off. Mona had a feeling this wouldn’t be the end of people trying to kill her or Roxanne.

Satisfied with the root in her hand, Mona cast her eyes around the shop. She really should stock up her potion stores at the castle…more and more, people were coming back from jobs in need of antidotes and potions. But…the stock in this shop wasn’t exactly great…

”The selection in this shop is…dreary…”

She scrunched her nose slightly in disgust.

[Killian Avery]

After all this time?

Killian caught the smirk out of the corner of his eye. Carrozza had been one of his best students and he felt actually understood his methods. It was refreshing, to say the least. The pair picked through roots in silence. Thank gods, the potions master hated small talk but when you work at Hogwarts with a bunch of insufferable jolly nuts like Barlowe. You learn to deal with it. Granted, he says all this but Barlowe is one of his few acquaintances at the school, next to Davis...no not the kid.

An occupational hazard. Killian looked over at the witch with a raised brow. "Very well." once the roots had been picked and they had moved on to more undesirable options. It was just awful, it made his stomach turn.

The selection in this shop is…dreary

"It is. I usually never buy ingredients here, but as I am on a crunch for timing, there was no choice. It's reassuring that you also think this," the corner of his mouth twitching upwards. Not a smile, an involuntary muscle spasm. "Means maybe some people listen to my lessons."

Tagged;;Mona-Lisa Carrozza

[Mona-Lisa Carrozza]

Very well.

Mona was glad Killian never asked unnecessary questions. He let it lie as it was and they moved it along, each of them picking their roots out. Though not the quality that Mona would prefer…it would do for now.

She felt her nose slightly scrunched in disgust as she turned to eye some beazor stones…she didn’t plan on purchasing them here. None of them looked worth two knuts. Killian’s words pulled her eyes toward him and…if she hadn’t known him better, she might have thought he smiled.

But Killian didn’t smile. At least…she never saw him smile. And that was fine.

”Of course. They were good lessons.”

Mona used the skills and lessons that Killian had taught her in her day to day life. Healing wounds she got on the job. Working alongside Thomas to keep the potions and remedies stocked for staff that needed healing after jobs. Not to mention her personal stores.

Her eyes glanced at her former professor again before glancing into her basket. She had all she needed for the paste. But none of it looked great.

”I suppose this will do until I can acquire better,” she muttered to herself, but likely just loud enough for the potions master to hear as well.

[Killian Avery]

After all this time?

Grabbing a root here and a tonic there, Killian had acquired all of his ingredients. As abysmal as they were, they would suffice for his seventh years. The potions master seriously doubted that any would produce a potion worthy of fresh ingredients anyways. All of the good students had graduated so he was stuck with Halls kiss-assery and Valentine's know it all attitude, what he would give to have Thomas, Montes and Carrozza back in his classes to show these morons what a love for potions really looks like.

He nodded as she spoke of his lessons being good. Obviously, he knew that but it was still nice to hear... especially from a former student. 

I suppose this will do until I can acquire better

"If you have time. I must suggest Poppy's Apothecary. Freshest ingredients I've ever found." Killian said as he placed his hand on her back to move around her. "Why she ever married that mop headed boy will forever perplex me." 

Tagged;;Mona-Lisa Carrozza

[Mona-Lisa Carrozza]

Mona generally would have gone back to Italy to shop for ingredients. She knew a rather reputable and well stocked shop there. But after the day she had had, she just wanted to get home.

So this joke of a shop had been convenient.

She felt a hand against her back and her head instinctively turned to watch him as he inched past her. He spoke of Poppy’s shop and while Mona had never personally spoken to the woman…she knew of her. Mona had been in her seventh year when Poppy transferred in from America.

She was a talented witch and Mona was both surprised and not surprised to hear she had started her own apothecary. And if Killian was vouching for her shop, Mona was certain she would be pleased with the selection there.

Her former teacher muttered a quip about her having married someone and him not understanding it.

Mona didn’t know who the mop headed boy was that Killian was referring to. She herself didn’t really have any plans of getting married. Listening to your heart over logic often just proved to be an unnecessary distraction.

This point was really driven home to her more recently. The moment she had indulged her head into letting it realize her heart harbored feelings for Gus…she’d been distracted. She came home from a job with a burn on her arm.

Something she would have been able to avoid had she not been distracted. She knew she needed to get on with getting over the guy. For both personal and professional reasons. And for that, she rather envied Killian. She’d never known him to have a distraction like this. He was a man of purpose in Mona’s eyes.

She admired him and while she wasn’t the type to ever admit it out loud, she still looked up to him…even two and a half years after her own graduation.

”I will most certainly give that shop a visit. It would be nice to not have to run all the way to Italy to restock on fresh supplies.”

Her eyes lingered on the potions master a moment and then she nodded before taking a step or two towards the register.

[Killian Avery]

After all this time?

Mophead was a pariah, of course only Killian thought this and vocalized it. It sometimes eluded him that some people didn't know who he was talking about. That was fine, the one thing he disliked more than Mophead was explaining Mophead. Marriage was never in the cards for the Potions Professor, he had never even had an inkling of affection for anyone before. Friends, let alone anything more than that, just wasn't his forte. 

He moved toward the register, placing his ingredients on the table. "That's good to hear, I'm sure your Italian place is good too but local is convenient." Resting against the counter, the pair waited for the associate to ring them through. "I suppose this is goodbye until another two years?" Was that a joke? No Killian wasn't funny...or he never tried to be.

Tagged;;Mona-Lisa Carrozza

[Mona-Lisa Carrozza]

As much as Mona loved speaking with Killian Avery (she generally left knowing more than she did when the conversation began), her arm was truly bothering her and she needed to get home and prepare the paste. So as the duo waited for each of them to be properly checked out...and as Mona paid for her ingredients, she turned back to face Killian as he spoke.

"It doesn't have to be," she offered with a shrug.

She didn't know what circumstance would bring her around him again. She didn't particularly care. Killian Avery would always be welcome company. He was a man Mona respected...and she really was fond of the way she would often walk away knowing something she didn't before. Today, she had learned of a local, reputable apothecary. Tomorrow, who knew what it would be.

"Though I do know the schedule of a professor isn't always so forgiving," she offered as she pushed open the door to step outside. As the sun graced her skin, she did her best to shield her burn from it, not wanting to irritate it more than it was. "I should probably get home and tend to this...but it was nice to see you, sir."

She nodded her head, ready to take her leave and sure Killian would be on his way back to the school.