Third Wheel

"Madison?" he question, putting down the Chai tea, and turning to face the now crouching Eirina, who was staring intently at the cat. "That is a dumb name for a cat," he said not realizing what and who this cat is at the time. "And a person as well," he added, thinking about her made his blood to rise. Can he have just one day without thinking about the retched woman?

Finally the cat stopped moving and squirreling about making it easier to scratch the kitten behind her ears.

It was natural for Madison to want to appear as composed as possible in front of the Headmistress- her boss- but that was rather difficult whilst trapped in John's coat. It took every fiber of her being not to lash out as John once again treated her like a typical cat. At least he didn't jump right to conclusions. Perhaps she could still get out of this situation scot-free.

There wasn't really much she could do, until John decided to loosen his hold on her. She wondered just how blatantly Eirina would go about this situation. It was difficult to predict anything when it came to this woman.

Eirina's patients was a little thin whenever she encountered Madison, and when she hadn't decided to turn back after a few moments, Eirina found it rude, and did it for her. Taking out her wand, she cast the animagus reversal spell, and awaited for Madison to return to her normal self. Eirina wasn't really thinking of what she would say, but she found it to be very disrespectful for Madison to not reveal herself, but to hide herself from Eirina's presence. Was she doing something wrong? Because she sure made it seem like it.

A bit bipolar, as well, Eirina's emotions so quickly changed. Having before been calm and collected, she was now on edge and a bit angered. Of all things, Eirina had hated when she was disrespected, and that's how she viewed Madison's actions.

Madison tensed as Eirina drew her wand. One second, Madison was a cat, the next, she was herself once more, standing next to the Headmistress, back turned from John like he'd never been there in the first place. They never really did see eye to eye, Madison and Eirina. Perhaps because Madison was not very tactful with how she acted around Eirina, perhaps because Eirina disliked secrets, and Madison was fully wrapped within them.

After a deep breath- Madison's temper had risen as well, though it was inappropriate for her to act on it- she turned to Eirina, folding her hands together as she apologized, "Forgive me, Headmistress. I was in the midst of some delicate work." Delicate work that she knowingly put down for the sake of Headmistress Naer. Nothing came before what her boss wanted. she dropped it just like that, knowing John would put two and two together, and knowing Eirina would not be pleased with anything she said.

In the years since he been an Auror, he was rarely caught off guard, and surprised by such revelations unfolding. He was taught to expect surprises, and react to the any and all new conditions, in order for his survival. This just through him for a loop, seeing the black cat, which leapt out of his arms, in midflight transformed into Madison Reid.

With a loud screech, and a clatter behind the counter, John’s hand, which was quick, went straight for his wand, but seeing as how Madison paid little attention to John, he did not with draw it for Eirina sake. Madame Puddifoot, which in her elderly state could hardly take any revelation unfold before her, saw the whole Madison transformation unfold. She dropped whatever was in her hand, and clutched her chest in shock. John was at his elder’s side, holding up the woman before she fainted, and leading her to one of the clear tables and out from under the debris of shattered tea cups and hot spilt tea. “Don’t worried, Madam Puddifoot,” he said gently rubbing her back to calm her nerves. “I will clean up the mess, and then make you a strong cup of tea to calm your nerves.” She just nodded her head in agreement, still to shock to speak.

All John was thinking to himself as he clean the mess with one swish of his wand was how he berated himself for being so careless. Not only with Madison being an animagus, and how she could easily get so close to him without his knowledge, but not connecting Eirina to the title of the Headmistress. Was he that thick to make, which now seemed like obvious connections, or was he gone to long from Europe to be up to date with current events?

“Here is your tea, Madam Puddifort,” he said finally handing her a mug of strongly brewed common British tea. John walked back to where he left the two women carry three mugs also, one for each of them. One of the mugs contained Irish coffee, strong on the Irish. “Here you go Headmistress, Ms. Reid,” he said presenting them with the tray so they all could choose their own glass. Right at this moment, they had a trifecta. All of them hide secrets from the other. Especially, John to Eirina.

(headache=shitty post)

"Delicate work? Your job is as a professor, what kind of work would you be doing out here?"

She practically stared down Madison. Sometimes Eirina felt that Madison thought that she could overrule the things that herself, Eirina, had said simply because she was older. Eirina's position held little charge due to her age, and Madison was clearly older and experience. And, even though these were just thoughts, Eirina would be sure to not let the situation happen.

Eirina turned to John as he, seemingly abruptly, brought over some tea. She gladly took some, and was about to say thank you when she did not hear her name. She heard something else.

"Have you ever called me Headmistress before?"

"If it would put you at ease to discuss it, I would gladly give you the full explanation back at your office." Madison was very careful not to let her temper taint her words. She kept herself as calm and collected as possible, as Eirina continuously failed to read between the lines. It made this situation all the more difficult. It was also the reason that, despite Madison's office being so close to Eirina's tower, they failed to run into each other all that frequently. Conversations like these were an inconvenience.

She didn't want the drink, but she took the other cup of tea, and glanced at John as Eirina addressed him.

Both Eirina and Madison kept their voices civil, proper, but their tone in their voice was unmistakable. Both had a fierce gaze about them, restraining their rising anger, and holding back the edge as they spoke, and John was in the midst of it. The quirky, goofball that was John had vanished, but in his place was the calm, collected John. His demeanor which was playful at first, transform into a serious one, but still retaining his core-self.

Eirina, whose gaze was like lightning struck tower, turn her ferocious gaze onto John as if appalled at the comment John made. “Pardon my mistake, Eirina,” John said, trying to dissuade her by giving her his friendliest smile, before continuing the previous flow of “conversation.”

John could see Madison’s people skills where less than desirable. He hadn’t known Eirina for too long, but he was certain that telling her to do something or go somewhere else under these circumstances were the wrong move on Madison’s part. It would only lead to more hostility between them. His friendship with Eirina was on shaky ground, and he would not allow Madison to screw it up because of her obsessive need to be in control, but he couldn’t throw his colleague under the dragon also, even though she deserves it for what she did.

“Eirina, don’t be too harsh on Madison,” John said only taking a glance at Madison before continuing. John was trying to be delicate without informing the whole Tea shop about their involvement to the Order. “Madison and I are both… Well, in an Organization. ‘Thee Organization.’” Eirina was a very clever woman, and John knew that she knew which staff members were directly invested in the Order. “Unbeknownst to me, she has been keeping a watchful eye for my safety.”

Eirina just took a big heaving sigh and made her way over to the counter, where she finished her cup of tea and began to collect not only her bags, but also paying for and taking her boxes of tea that she had ordered. After today, Eirina was sure that she'd be through then by this upcoming evening.

She had little more to say to the pair who stood in the shop with her, and Eirina would rather avoid any further conflict. Her head had been pulsing and she no longer wished to deal with it. It was a bother, and she knew that it would only grow worse if she stayed. Her and Madison simply did not get along, and that would not change if Eirina had stayed. It would be as it had always been. She'd rather go.

"Have a good evening."

She spoke as she made her way toward the door, no longer on the topic of conversation and prepared to leave.

Once Eirina was gone, Madison set down her tea, along with the payment the drink would require, on the counter for Madam Puddyfoot to find. Now that the situation was toned down, she turned to John, arms crossed and gaze cold. She took a moment, before giving a brief, "Thank you."

She would just step out and run from the problem just as Eirina had, but that was also the reason why she wouldn't. If Eirina was going to run away, Madison was going to stay and face her problem. Now that she had been caught, she couldn't just simply brush it aside and continue childishly with her actions.

She glanced around the shop, taking into account the scene they had created, and how many were watching for that sake. She'd prefer moving this conversation elsewhere, if the conversation was to be addressed at all. But given the situation, that was entirely up to John.

"You must be furious." Madison finally added.

(Shitty post from a shitty phone! XD)

John stood stone still watching the situation diffused but not in the ways he expected. Maybe he also lacked in “people’s skills.” He watched as Eirina set her mug down on the cashier’s counter and march straight out of the tea shop. All the eyes in the room followed her as she left. Now, the attention of the owner and her customers were on John and Madison as if they were puppet pals putting on a show for the masses.

Madison broke the empty silence first. John took her kind words of Thanks as an apology, knowing full well she would never say those very two words: “I’m sorry!” It wasn’t in her nature, which John found appealing at times. Now wasn’t one of them. “Why should I? You were doing your job and I was doing mine.” John, which his voice sounded casual, was anything but.

Seeing as how everyone in the room was brink of falling out of their seats trying to lean in to hear their whispered conversation, John decided to not linger any longer in the midst of Madison’s folly. He set down his untouched Irish coffee on the counter. Only after he auditory his response, which was, “We are not through with this conversation,” he headed after Eirina.

Once out the door, he turned left towards Hogwarts’ castle in a frenzy jog. Where could she have gotten too? All the faces blended together in the busy streets as people moved about their business.

Madison exhaled, "Obviously," she stated clearly as she he stepped out the door. It certainly wasn't a conversation she would look forward to, but she could be under much worse circumstances. Like a room full of eyes burning into the back of her head, for instance. People really did need to learn some proper manners. With a sigh she also exited the Tea shop, providing no form of apologies as she was not at fault. The fresh air was a much welcomed change of pace, if only for the moment. Once she found her way into the nearest alleyway, she was off, back to the hideout with a quiet pop of disapparition. It was back to work for her.