With a quick wave of his hand, he turned the stone planter into a bench. Meserimus seated himself beside the girl, although taking the low stone bench that sat along the hall, rather than the floor, he was 140 after all. He noted the averted eyes and avoidance of his gaze.

’You can speak to me with candor Miss Selwynn’ he noted to her, ’If you do not wish anything to go further than between us we can keep it that way.’ In his long life Meserimus had been the keeper of a lot of secrets, student and adult alike, ’But you are right’ he admitted at length. ’Those who truly know us have the tools to hurt us.’ it was very slytherin to fear the exposure of the soul, the weakness that others could exploit. ’But those who truly know us are also those that can truly love us.’

He understood that better than most, his wife was young, and beautiful, he was old – very old. And It was only Katerina’s knowledge of him, the colour and youth of his soul that formed the basis of their romance. ’Secrets form a wall between us and others, but a secret shared can bring people together.’

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