like the days of old {Hogwarts Alumni}

[Professor Cole A. Halliwell]

Cole smiled.

It had been around five or six years, he thought, since he'd graduated. Since the boy, a Mihael according to the Sorting Hat, had scuttled into the school, timid and ful of anger. He had left a man, some might say a bit of a Casanova, and full of confidence and cheer. He'd gained a sister, lost a mother and locked up his father. He had gotten engaged, and later found himself divorced.

Yes, it had been five or six years, and though Cole had been back at the school many times, being made a Professor fairly speedily to follow in his footsteps as Prefect and Head Boy, he had also never quite felt the same at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, without the old crowd around to keep him company.

He was in the Room of Requirement, their old party spot, clad in his somewhat trademark slim-fit shirt, straight-cut jeans, skinny tie ensemble, his wand sticking out of his trousers (that wasn't a euphemism, you dirty-minded lout). Around him was a delicately decorated autumnal scene - trees had been charmed into the room that would slowly lose their leaves, a sad reminder of their ages, and a table with red, gold, orange and brown cocktails had been set up to one side. Across the ceiling, streamers; across the walls a series of house colours for visitors to gather around.

The Room of Requirement had also grown substantially in size again, a reminder of when the first batch of Hogwarts students since the school's reopening had partied in here all night along until being caught by one or other of the professors that liked to frequent the corridors on watch at night. There had been a jitteriness around the school back then, not helped by the attack by dark wizards that had so adversely affected the Potters' health.

Cole glanced at his watch for a moment, before smiling again. People should be here any moment. This was a reunion, a gathering of old faces - friendly or otherwise - and it was guaranteed to be a smash hit. Cole's parties had been famous throughout Hogwarts when he was a student, and he was determined to make that happen again tonight.

[/color][/blockquote]

[Kelly Evans]

The walk from Hogsmeade into the grounds of Hogwarts always made Kelly smile: a small, sad smile that echoed everything she'd ever felt in the years she'd spent there. They all had permission to be there on this day, but Kelly still walked quickly through the familiar halls, pausing only at the blank stretch of wall that would turn into the door to the Room of Requirement when she... well, required it. Dressed for the event in in a short black dress with three quarter sleeves and lace at the collar and elbows, Kelly tucked a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear from where it had come undone from the French knot at the nape of her neck.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. Despite the pretty dress and diamonds in her ears, Kelly couldn't help but feel like a fraud. She barely had the energy to stand, let alone to paste a smile on her face even though it didn't reach her pretty brown eyes, or talk to people she didn't know or like. But she knew that by the end of the night Kat would need her, or Straw would need her, and she figured it would be better to be alone in a room full of people than alone at home. So she took a breath and pushed open the door that had appeared in the blank stretch of wall, stepping into the past.

A wistful smile that she didn't need to fake uncurled on her mouth at the sight of the beautiful decorations Cole had cleverly put together. Kelly crossed the room and stopped in front of Cole, her dark eyes sparkling at the sight of him, the way they always did. She grinned cheekily, tugged the hem of her short black dress down a smidgen, before she threw her arms around her friend. "You always did know how to make a statement, Mr. Halliwell," she whispered in his ear, pressing a warm kiss to his cheek. She pulled away and laughed at the red lipstick smudge she left behind, and quickly wiped it away.

"It's been much too long, but I feel like I say this every time I see you."

[Logan Renly]

Word spreads fast in the Wizarding World almost as fast as Kat spreading her legs apparently. Hah. Sarcastic, passive aggressive thoughts mused in Logan's mind. None of his business? Yes no, well, they were his little niece and nephews being screwed over in the end not just a bored uninspired wife. His cousin and little new family deserved more than that. How weak she must be, but Logan couldn't help but feel that it was what it was because all the attention wasn't on her. Right? What she had always craved. So this was Logan's 2cents, directed at Cole as Kat didn't deserve the massive attention she desired. Logan planned on leaving the moment she appeared.

Logan walked into the room and approached the couple. Not particularly dressed to impress Logan was as he always was casually clad in jeans and a grey tee. Exchanging a causal nod to each in greetings he faced the man named Cole, Logan smiling his utmost smile. "And here you are the man who wrecks marriages!" Logan clapped the other man on the shoulder. "You are quite something now aren’t you? To be throwing this and being everyone's friend. What quaint notions. Where’s the banner to officially announce everything?'' his smile now dropping to a sympathetic one. "Well actually, it's quite cruel don't you think? That and really, a messy thing to get amongst. But I guess it shows your character as it is perfectly.."

Dishonest. Sad. Needy. Uncreative.

'..Rainne has spoken of you before but perhaps her kind words are too polite and generous.'' He paused, hands now casually pocketed. Logan didn't really talk to people much, was more of a listener these days but tonight he had been inspired. He felt to say it all as it was, he couldn’t stand there and smooch up to Cole like Kelly was. Goodness, was this not the man who had destroyed her two best friends chance at happiness finally?

"What games people still play at this age.." Logan trailed off now looking to Kelly giving her a small weary smile. "Good evening Ms Evans how are you this fine hour?" This event was pretty childish. To sleep with another man’s wife and then try to dance around it and throw it in his face, in front of all his peers. This wasn't a plot. It was a cheap hit, a twist you can't untwist.
Are we not adults now? Apparently not.

[Professor Cole A. Halliwell]

Smiling and hugging Kelly briefly, exchanging kisses and the like, Cole noticed another figure enter the room, and he ended his greetings to adequately welcome Logan to the fray. The man wasn't exactly one of Cole's friends, much less someone who he expected to actually show up. Merlin knows that the only reason Straw would be turning up would be to accompany his wife - the thought of Cole and the Buckett clan in one room was enough to fill most people with dread.

He sighed, looking down and taking in everything Logan had to say, a short smile creeping across his lips. Well, it was going to happen eventually - though Cole didn't really expect it to be quite so soon - that the rest of the world would find out, or at least notice what had happened between him and Kat. And quite frankly, he didn't care, he didn't really mind that they knew. What he minded was Logan's behaviour.

Cole glanced back up as Logan started to address Kelly, squaring his gaze firmly on the man's face, but taking a moment to size him up. It wasn't that Cole was preparing for a fight - he never planned them - but it would be good to know if he, built as Cole was, could actually take the man if it came to it. He happily confirmed that he thought he could, as he let Logan's words settle in and a response come forth. Anger was the response he wanted, of course, but Cole minded not if he was falling into the trap. He'd never liked his sister's

He laughed, as if he'd been congratulated and took a step towards Logan, turning him by the shoulder so they were facing. If the man's hands weren't in his pockets, Cole would have considered breaking an arm, but it really wasn't necessary. He glared straight into his eyes and smirked, before letting his face fall into deadly seriousness.

"Leave before I make you," he said quietly and firmly, not letting his eyes waver for a moment. "This may be our place of work but I'm not against breaking your nose."

He released Logan's shoulder and glanced at Kelly. "Well if you didn't know about all that already, Kels, you might as well have found out now."

[/font]

[Kelly Evans]

Kelly turned slightly away from Cole as Logan approached, and she crossed her arms over her chest. A frown on her face, she had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. It didn't surprise her that word had gotten around so quickly; everybody knew that the only way to have a secret was to well and truly take it to your grave, but she was a little surprised at the vicious bite in Logan's words. Only a little, they were cousins, but after all, it was nobody's business but theirs - Straw's, Kat's and Cole's.

"Logan, is that really necessary right now?" she asked, her voice low in her throat. She nodded in response to his polite question but didn't respond. She knew that he really didn't care how she was; his point in coming here was to confront either Cole or Kat, and now he had. Besides, if she remembered history correctly, Logan and herself had still been together when she found out that he and Rainne were in love, so Logan didn't really have a leg to stand on here.

As Cole squared up to Logan, Kelly laid a steadying hand on the small of his back. Of the two, she knew Cole to have the worse temper; they had that in common. She didn't respond to his comment with words, only shrugged her shoulders and looked pointedly away. What she knew didn't matter; it wasn't her place to throw around accusations or judgements. She was just bracing herself for the fallout, once it hit. "I think we should all just back off, and let the involved parties deal with it. It's none of my business," she said, flicking her dark eyes in Logan's direction at this point, "and it's none of yours, either."

[Logan Renly]

Logan was shocked in the realisation that Kelly knew but was totally fine with it. In fact she was actually being annoyed at him and obviously supportive of Cole ? This was all very strange indeed. That anyone hurting Straw 'supposably' one of her closest childhood friends this badly was fine. No, that couldn't be right.

It didn't sit well in Logan's mind and he felt momentarily mystified for thoughts or words. Briefly he looked at her questioningly, almost in amazement. Sure she was friends with Kat but they were all adults now, one couldn't merely choose sides like this could they? Or had Straw actually done something Logan wasn't aware of? Friendships from so long ago didn't just fizzle down like this. Surely not. Logan hadn't spoken to Kelly since their awkward break up years ago in fourth year and even from that point they had been civil. But now there was an edge to the way she was responding that had caught Logan off guard. Although to be completely honest he hadn't talked to her in so long that maybe she had evolve past the nice girl he once dated briefly so long ago. This was all very confusing...

“Wow. I didn’t realise this was a party in celebration of it all.” Logan raised his eyebrows now looking to Cole. “I don’t want to fight you?” He was stunned. This guy was getting really worked up, ”Well now that I know where the maturity level is I guess I should leave,” Logan sighed, with a little more of a push Cole would probably hulk out and make a juvenile decision.

A not uncommon thing for Mr Halliwell apparently.

Besides Logan would never fight Rainne’s brother, maybe with words but not physically. He was a bit more respectful than that. Besides Logan never intended to yield wands, fists and duel. An intriguing fancy but no sadly he wanted to keep his current employment more so than injure Cole and deal with all those ramifications.

“Hopefully I wont see you both any time soon... “ Logan smiled cheerily to them both and with that Logan left.