Dear Akane,
I know that we did not part on the best of terms, but honestly, when have we been on the best of terms? Honestly, I don't know what to say or write to you. I just know that I need to let you know what I'm feeling and thinking. I guess knowing that there's an entire continent between us helps.
You have to understand that I've lived my life on the road for the majority of my life, with only a few longer stops when I met Ryoga and Ukyo, and finally when Pops and I stopped in Nerima. The entire time I was in Nerima there was a part of me that expected that I would hit the road again, and not just for a brief training session. In that context, do you think that you would be happy living the same life as my mom?
I don't know how you felt in the time between the failed wedding and my leaving as we had little opportunity to talk. For my part, I did not know how to talk to you. We both know that we each have had problems with being honest with each other and with not being able to let our pride or ego get the best of us, and then there are the others who always seem to interrupt us. Hopefully we can get the chance to speak without those other factors getting in the way. If you would like to visit I could arrange for you to come out during the winter holidays and break so that we can be free of distractions.
Hogwarts is actually fun. I am enjoying the challenge of teaching and learning about my magic. While I am the youngest of the staff, my fellow professors do not look down on me for my relative inexperience. I am enjoying conversations with Professor Minerva McGonagall about transfiguration and the theory behind the Jusenkyo curses. Professor Filius Flitwick and Professor Severus Snape both provide excellent insights to Western magi and their dueling styles and techniques.
Plus, the students here respect me even though I'm only a few years older than some of them. They call me "Sir", or "Professor Saotome" and of course I'm respectful to them too. It's nice not having idiots spouting off and trying to take my head off for every infraction or slight, perceived or real.
Having come to terms with the fact that there is no cure for my curse has changed the way I see magic. There is good and bad, just as there is with anything else, but it is not a cure-all. I can see why many of the younger students from no-maj families are easily overwhelmed by everything as it does seem to be so fantastic and bewildering.
I sincerely hope that you consider my offer to visit. While I am gone I also hope that you consider your options for your future, be that with me or not. I honestly want you to be happy with whatever decision you make.
Sincerely,
Ranma Saotome
Ranma watched as the owl set off towards the already bright eastern sky. He'd purposely written it in English because he hoping that by forcing Akane to take the time and effort to translate the letter would be less inclined to throw a fit as well as giving her time for his words to get through to her. Perhaps they were just too physically inclined to let their fists and feet do the talking, though honestly neither one of them was very good at actually speaking face to face as they both tended to irritate each other.
When he had first discovered the method that the magi in the west used for mail delivery he had been skeptical, but the owls that he and Happosai had received while they were traveling west had quickly won him over. He'd quickly learned that some animals were more receptive of magi, thus their prominence in being chosen as familiars. Owls, toads/frogs, snakes, crocodiles, alligators, cats, foxes, weasels, martens, and apparently any animal that was either all white or all black, and those were just the "normal" animals.
His own familiar was not a normal animal, though it often disguised itself as its non-magical cousin. Its keen intelligence had helped Ranma expand his magical skill set to include illusions, school of magic that few in the west appeared to have a knack for. Ranma's own specialty, due to his curse, was transfiguration, though the wand that he had won favored charms. Unfortunately his familiar couldn't fly and none of the Hogwarts owls was willing to make such a long international delivery, thus forcing Ranma to head into Hogsmead on Saturday.
After having completed his first full week of classes Ranma was pleased with the results. With a better idea of what each year and the individual students were capable of he had decided that it would be best to break each class down into three parts. The first half hour was spent covering either spell theory or threat identification, then some practical applications of what was learned, and finally dueling. The difference between the last two parts of class involved what his students faced. For practical applications he (through his familiar) crafted an illusion/simulation and forced the students to deal with an attacker/creature to force the students to use what they'd learned. For dueling he paired the students up into even groups to have them work on their tactics, strategy and teamwork.
Only the first years would have a different schedule as most would not be able to cast even a low level jinx until the end of September. For them he spent the first half hour on lessons, then on stretches, then rigorous exercise, and finally review and treatment.
Ranma returned to the castle just in time for breakfast. The meals were wonderful, though not what he was used to. In the absence of his father he was actually able to eat at a normal speed and display some of the table manners that his mother had wanted him to use. As one of the staff members his attendance at the weekend meals was not mandatory, but Ranma could not resist free food. Only three staff needed to be present during the weekend meals and as Professor McGonagall, Professor Vector, and Professor Flitwick were already present Ranma knew that he did not need to stay the entire meal or to even eat at the head table.
"Professor Saotome," someone called out to him, "would you join us?"
It was George Weasley. Physically he was a near perfect match for his brother, only a few freckles were darker in color and in a slightly different position, though it was something most people would fail to notice.
Nodding, he took a seat at the Gryffindor table. Plates, a cup, and utensils appeared before him.
"Is it true that you have a rare curse that turns you into a girl?" George asked.
"Yeah," he replied. Word of his curse had apparently gotten out, though how Ranma was unsure as he'd only spoke with the Headmaster and some of the staff about it.
Immediately Parvati and Lavender inched closer to Ranma's position. Padma and Su, as well as a few Ravenclaws at the next table joined them.
"Fresh white rice, a raw egg, and some soy sauce on the side," another perk of being a teacher was that he could order simple foods. It took but a moment for the food to appear in his bowl and plate.
"Could you show us?" Fred asked a mix of skepticism and interest on his face.
Conjuring some water into his glass he waited for everyone who was interested to turn towards him. Splashing just a bit on his face, Ranma triggered the instant transformation.
"Blimy, you're gorgeous!" Dean Thomas blurted out.
"I think I'm pretty handsome normally," Ranma replied.
"Sorry Sir, um,"
"Sir is fine. I may have the body of a girl but I'm still me up here," he pointed to his head.
"The Jusenkyo Curse," Su muttered. "I'd heard of it, but I never thought I'd see it in person."
Many of the gathered students turned to her.
"It's a cursed valley in China filled with thousands of cursed springs, each bearing a tragic past and curse for whoever falls into the water. Cold water triggers the curse, hot water reverses it."
Ranma nodded as he scooped rice into his bowl then cracked the egg over the rice and added soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
"That's wicked!" someone added.
"Do you, you know, have the monthly visitor?" Lavender asked.
He shook his head. "I looked into the particular spring that I fell into. There are several hundred pools of drowned girls and a few of drowned men or boys, but mine was different. The girl who died some 1500 years ago drowned herself."
"Why would she do that?" Lavender asked. "She was beautiful."
"Because she couldn't have any children of her own. In an age when being able to have children to ensure the existence of one's bloodline, even a beautiful young girl could not find a husband."
For a few moments the students reflected on the girl's tragic fate.
"Is your curse the reason you can easily transfigure people?" Su asked as she tried to steer the conversation into lighter fare.
He nodded, "I studied the curse and the effects in hopes of curing it, but aside from locking myself in one form or another, there is no cure for the curse. At least I'm fortunate in that my cursed form is human."
"There are other curses?" George asked.
"Cursed piglet, kitten, panda, yeti riding an ox while holding an eel, dragon, monk, and duck are the ones I've seen firsthand, but there were thousands of cursed springs," he eyed George. "Perhaps we should turn you into a girl so that we can tell the two of you apart."
"You could do that?" Seamus asked.
"He did that to us," Parvati replied. "Well, we turned into boys for a bit, but yeah, he can do that."
"No wonder some blokes wear boxers," Lavender added while shaking her head.
Several girls blushed while some of the boys' mouths found their mouths had failed to operate.
With one hand Ranma finished eating his light breakfast (no one noticed that he'd consumed an entire bowl of rice and half a dozen eggs) and the other pulled out a piece of paper. He quickly wrote out the spell on the tag and placed it on George Weasley's hand. With a flick of his finger he splashed the tall Gryffindor to trigger the transformation.
"Bloody hell!" Fred exclaimed as he looked at his now twin sister.
"Get me a mirror!" George demanded as he began to pat himself down. "Oy!" he groped himself.
"That's so improper!" one of the girls protested.
"Woo… How long does this last?"
"Only until you are splashed with warm water," Padma explained as the professor was finishing the last of the rice. "It's a one-time change."
"Is that your newest prank?" another voice asked.
"We didn't do this," Fred said as he glanced at the newest arrivals to the table. "Professor Saotome did that."
"That can't be real," Gryffindor's resident genius stated.
"Feel for yourself," Fred said as he took Hermoine's hand and placed it on George's breast.
"Who's this?" Harry Potter asked as he glanced at the Ranma.
"That's Professor Saotome," Parvati explained. "He has a curse that turns him into a woman."
"Merlin's beard!" Hermione was clearly shocked by what she felt.
"Two points from Mr. Fred Weasley for inappropriate, um, touching," Professor McGonagall hissed as she approached the table. "Professor Saotome, you should know better."
"Sorry Professor McGonagall," Ranma shrugged. "That's the kind of thing most people do when they're first transformed like this."
She glowered at him, "I forgot that you have no feminine modesty, but do try to refrain from turning any more students, especially in front of others."
"Okay, okay." With a flick of his wrist he splashed George with some warm water, changing him back to his normal self.
"How did you do that?" Hermione demanded as she claimed as seat at the table.
"I figure it's like the transformation a werewolf goes through," he replied. "It's an ancient curse, but the effects can be duplicated but only temporarily." Reaching out he pulled the spent tag from George Weasley.
"Fascinating."
"Good thing you didn't turn us all into Draco for real," Ronald Weasley muttered as he speared some food with his fork. Several Gryffindors laughed.
He listened as Hermione and the Ravenclaws speculated about the limits and merits of the triggered spells and the other Gryffindors joked about how life might be easier or harder if they had been a boy or girl. Several Gryffindors and Ravenclaws joined the conversations though a few asked him about their earlier class with him.
Seeing that Harry had finished his food and was waiting on his friends, Ranma turned to him, "Are you ready?"
Harry nodded.
"You going somewhere, Sir?" Fred asked as he turned his attention back to the professor.
"Mr. Potter is taking me down to the Chamber of Secrets," he stated. Several students, mostly the Ravenclaws, gave Harry an appraising or skeptical look. "You guys don't believe him, do you?"
Several Ravenclaws averted their eyes.
"Sir," Padma finally spoke up, "don't you think that Dumbledore"
"Headmaster Dumbledore," Ranma corrected.
"Headmaster Dumbledore's claim that…"
"Voldemort," he chimed in, causing even a good number of Gryffindors to shudder.
"that he returned is believable, do you?"
"Before you met me did you think that someone could change their gender after being splashed with water?"
She reluctantly shook her head.
"I've fought wizards with powers and abilities that defy logic," Ranma stated. "I've learned that anything is possible, and when magic is involved well, all it needs is enough juice.
"If you think that Harry lied about the Chamber of Secrets and the basilisk, then come see for yourself."
Saturdays were meant to be spent relaxing, not trudging through the underground. When Professor Saotome had first told Harry that he wanted to see the Chamber of Secrets and the remains of the basilisk, Ron knew that his plans to secretly practice his flying were shot. It was supposed to be his final day of practice before the try-outs on Sunday (Slytherin had booked entire day for their try-outs). Still, it was what a friend was for.
What he hadn't expected was for two dozen students to accompany them into Moaning Myrtle's loo and the cavern underneath. Harry had initially been hesitant to take so many people down there, but Professor Saotome (in his female form) had convinced him that since the basilisk was dead there was no threat to anyone and if there were then he as the professor would protect everyone.
"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" Of course such a large group trouping through her bathroom had drawn Myrtle's attention. "You're so young! You probably got the position because you know plenty of positions."
Ron's ears were turning red. Most of the boys had taken note of how attractive and well endowed their professor was, but most of them tried to not pay any attention to it because they knew that she was actually a man.
"You're just jealous because I'm prettier than you." It was times like this that reminded them all that their professor was only a few years older than them. "I'd have hid in the loo too if I was as flat as a wall."
That was the final straw that sent Moaning Myrtle flying off raining down ghostly tears on the students in back as she retreated to the castle.
"I can't believe that you'd resort to such… petty methods," Hermione huffed indignantly.
Professor Saotome shrugged, "Ghosts aren't people any more. They're shades of people who were afraid to move on. They are trapped in their undeath, unable to grow or mature as a living human is capable of. That is not to say that they can't learn, just that emotionally and physically they do not change."
"This is where Lockhart took my wand," Ron announced, bringing the group to a standstill. "It's a tight fit."
"Yeah," Harry seconded. "I was a lot smaller back then."
"Stand back," Professor Saotome ordered them.
Rather than pulling out a wand, the buxom redhead gripped a boulder then lifted it as though it were but a feather. After a few minutes a path was cleared for them.
"Did she charm them to be lighter?" one of the Ravenclaws asked another.
"I didn't see her pull out a wand or those spell tags of hers."
"I'm still a guy!" Professor Saotome interjected. "I might have a female body, but I still identify as male. And I didn't need a spell to lift those boulders."
"But the larger boulders have to be over a hundred kilos at least," the Ravenclaw Prefect proclaimed.
"Train the body before you train the mind," he replied. "Your first class was to assess you; your next classes are going to be balancing physical training along with mental training. I know a guy who could shatter one of those babies by jabbing his finger into it. Unfortunately some of those boulders are load bearing so shattering the rocks would only create another cave-in."
The group cautiously made their way through the passage with Harry in the lead and Professor Saotome staying in the expanded tunnel to ensure that none of the students were left behind.
Ron only caught bits of the conversation as the some of the Ravenclaw girls chatted up the professor about the style of magic that he learned.
"I guess it translates to chi magic," Professor Saotome explained. "We don't use wands, and only a few of us use spell tags. Wands help you accomplish things faster and easier, but what are you going to do when you're disarmed?"
"Aren't you a bit young to be a master?" Ron finally asked.
Professor Saotome shrugged, "Probably. I've been groomed since I could walk to be the heir and successor of our school."
"I thought you said there weren't magical schools in Japan?" Hermione asked.
"I'm not talking about a school like Hogwarts, but like in a succession of the art," the shape-shifting professor explained. "The founder of my school had no master teaching him. He developed his own martial arts style by combining aspects of different martial arts and magic together, and then taught my father and another student. My father in turn taught me. My father and his friend were both appointed as 'Masters' of the school, but neither is the heir. The heir to the school learns everything that the Grandmaster and masters have to teach.
"As a master myself I can take on a student to learn all that I have learned, but the other masters do not have to teach my students if they do not wish to."
"But aren't you doing that here?" Again it was Padma.
Their professor shook his head. "I am teaching you just an aspect of magic. Masters teach their heir everything – potions, herbology, defense, charms, transfiguration, astronomy, - everything. If Hogwarts were a school like we have it, then the Headmaster would teach all of you everything that he knows, with the occasional consult from a master that specialized in an area that he was deficient in."
Finally they reached the door, ending that vein of the conversation. Again Harry gave the command for the door to open in parsletongue. Only Harry and Ginny had ventured into the Chamber of Secrets, neither of them appeared to be keen on having to return there.
"It's not as big as I thought it would be," Ron caught the flash of anger in Harry's eyes at the professor's supposed insult, "probably because it was underfed and malnourished. If it was here soon after Hogwarts was founded the basilisk should be nearly a thousand years old."
Carefully the professor removed all of the teeth, taking even more caution with the still venomous fangs. "Do you know if it was male or female?"
All eyes turned to Harry, "Well, I kind of wasn't looking at the head because, you know, their eyes can kill."
"Fair point," the professor shrugged. "Well, everyone, stick together. We might have a long day excavating the infamous Chamber of Secrets."
Ron and the others watched as the professor produced several torches then proceeded to hand them to every fifth student. "These torches will turn black if there is danger nearby."
"Black?" Hermione repeated.
"Black," Professor Saotome confirmed. "If the light goes black press the button on the torch – it will crow like a cock in the morning. Objects that suddenly take on a black glow are also dangerous, most-likely cursed items or magical traps – do not touch them. Call me over and I will deal with it."
Ronald accepted the offered torch, noting that it looked like a rooster. For a moment the redhead had the air of a serious, mature adult. "Too bad I chased away the ghost girl… she would have been perfect to lead us through the chamber."
"In my defense I had not thought that there would be that many students accompanying me into the Chamber of Secrets," Ranma said as he faced the Headmaster, the Minister of Magic, and several aurors. "I took all the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the students that accompanied me. Had I known that Delores Umbridge had descended into the Chamber could have provided her with the same tools and protections that I had supplied the students. It's fortunate that she did not look at them directly and is only petrified."
"Did you know that he was going down to the Chamber of Secrets?" the furious little wizard in the old bowler demanded of the Headmaster.
The sage wizard nodded once, "I knew."
"Why would you permit it?" a dark skinned mage asked as it was apparent that the Minister was far too worked up to annunciate his complaints.
"As I told you before Cornelius," the ancient wizard eyed the significantly younger wizard, "I know that Voldemort has returned and I agreed with my new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor that the Chamber of Secrets needed to be cleared out of any potential dangers to the students. Leaving a wizard's secret laboratory unchecked would have been a terrible folly. Had we not discovered the mother and the nest of hatchlings we would not have been able to eliminate the threat that they pose to the students."
For a moment the Minister and the Headmaster locked eyes. "And you are sure that all of the hatchlings have been accounted for?" the Minister finally said, his emotions contained.
"Yes," Ranma replied. "I cast a series of detection spells to locate the young once I dispatched of the mother. It is fortunate that they were all juveniles. Still, I have to say that a 'trained' and 'competent' ministry should have taken precautions when entering a known basilisk lair. She violated the two major rules of hunting basilisks – never go alone, and have the proper tools handy."
Turning to the Minister, Ranma eyed the man, "I realize that she's supposed to be the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, but she needs to know that her duties are just to assess, not to actually get out into the field, that's why you have aurors and hunters, right?"
The dark skinned auror nodded reluctantly while the other auror failed to meet Ranma's gaze.
"She probably went to assess your capabilities," Minister Fudge sputtered.
"Again, she shouldn't be in the field. It's one thing to assess me in the classroom, but I wasn't in the classroom. I had all the students sign consent forms and warded the bathroom so that other students wouldn't wander in."
"Be that as it may," Dumbledore cut in "it is because of Professor Saotome and his students that Delores is safe. The mandrake restorative draught that Professor Saotome had with him was able to restore her to her normal self, though it was not a fresh batch so she will need to stay in the infirmary for the remainder of the weekend for observation."
"What of the remains of the beasts?" Fudge demanded.
"As Professor Saotome was the one to kill them he has the right to do as he pleases with them," Dumbledore stated. "Of course it will be documented so that we can ensure that no laws will be broken."
"Quibbler?" Luna asked in her usual sing-song voice. The Ravenclaw outcast had always been a beacon of light for the Gryffindor outcast. Their friendship had started back in primary school as they had been the only girls in their class from a magical family. Though they had initially drifted apart in their first year at Hogwarts due to being placed in different houses, they had renewed their friendship over the past few years. It did not help that both were the odd person out in their respective dorms.
"Thanks," Ginny said as she took the magazine. "It's an early print, isn't it?"
"It is," the perpetually optimistic girl replied. "It's not every day that I get a scoop for father's print. Besides, I think that parents need to know that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is fully capable despite his apparent youth."
Glancing at the magazine Ginny fought the urge to drop the paper.
New Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor finds basilisks beneath Hogwarts
By Luna Lovegood
Though many in the ministry and on Hogwarts' board of governors questioned Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's recent hiring of Professor Ranma Saotome it is hard to make a case for his inexperience. Only a week after the start of the new school year Professor Saotome along with several capable students excavated Salazar Slytherin's famous Chamber of Secrets.
As most current and recent students and their families will recall, it was only a few years ago that Hogwarts was hit with a rash of attacks on the student body. Those attacks were ultimately foiled by one Harry Potter as he and Ronald Weasley along with then Professor Gildaroy Lockhart ventured into the Chamber of Secrets to kill the basilisk.
With assistance from Harry Potter, Professor Ranma Saotome was able to excavate the infamous Chamber of Secrets. The remains of an ancient basilisk believed to be created by Hogwarts founder Salazar Slytherin along with a nest of juvenile basilisks were discovered. Hogwarts High Inquisitor Delores Umbridge was petrified when she failed to follow Professor Saotome's advice and refused to equip herself with a rooster head torch which was created specifically to deal with basilisks. (More on Rooster Head Torches and basilisks on page 9.)
Professor Saotome's courage and foresight brought about the capture and eventual destruction of ten juvenile basilisks. While the juveniles are as deadly as an adult, they lack the reproductive organs needed to breed basilisks. Still, the presence of the nest suggests that Salazar Slytherin had managed to create more a breeding pair of basilisks.
Through the use of the Rooster Head Torches the presence of a female adult basilisk was detected along with the recently hatched nest.
I, along with a score of Hogwarts students witnessed the heroic Professor Saotome place himself between the beasts and the students. Encased in a sphere of darkness to keep us from falling victim to the basilisk's deadly gaze, we heard him battle the ferocious creature.
As we all survived to tell the tale of Professor Saotome's adventure into the Chamber of Secrets it is obvious that he prevailed. Only Hogwarts High Inquisitor Delores Umbridge was injured, though she was only petrified and received the Mandrake Restorative Draught.
Ginny did not need to read the rest as she had played a pivotal part in why Ron and Harry had gone down there in the first place, and had been amongst the number of students who had ventured down to the Chamber of Secrets with Professor Saotome today. No one had seen the actual battle, but it had been fierce. Still, no one knew how Professor Saotome had severed the head cleanly as they had not witnessed him carrying a sword.
It was the talk of the school, turning many of those who had gone down there into temporary celebrities. Given Ginny and Luna's reputation though few in their respective houses had approached either of them.
From the looks of things though Luna had been busy and managed to get her story out.
"I'm sure that father would love to have another student's take on the adventure we had," Luna added.
"How did you manage to get the article written so quickly?" Ginny asked.
"I had an enchanted quill. It's not like the cheap Quick-Quills that they use at the Prophet."
"Aren't those banned?"
"The Quick-Quills are, but mine is self-made," Luna explained. "And other than Harry, none of the students were mentioned by name. Because of the Ministry did not close the loop-hole about Harry from the Tri-Wizard tournament, I can mention that he was there as it is an established fact, but I cannot quote him without his express permission. Still, it was enough to allow daddy to write his editorial. Page two."
Ginny flipped the page to find the editorial.
Harry Potter Vindicated!
Editorial by Xenophilius Lovegood
For months the Daily Prophet has waged a mudslinging campaign against Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and student Harry Potter but word of the existence of the fabled Chamber of Secrets and the remains of a basilisk that measures over fifteen meters prove that one Harry Potter was not lying about the incident that occurred over two years ago.
The questions that need to be answered are why the Board of Governors chose to hide the fact that the students had been attacked by a basilisk and did it have anything to do with the sudden ouster of Lucius Malfoy who stepped down from the Board of Governors that same month? And why is the Ministry intent on belittling Albus Dumbledore and stripping any credibility from him?
I have it from a Ministry official who does not want to be named, that Mr. Potter had been accused of performing underage magic over the summer. Such actions are not uncommon, but few transgressions ever result in so much as a citation, much less a summons to the Wizengamot. Even more peculiar is that Mr. Potter was summoned before the entire Wizengamot where he was cleared of all charges. It is clear that Minister Fudge and his administration have grown corrupt.
As the Quibbler has previously reported, Minister Fudge and his administration have unfairly pressured the goblins of Gringotts, affecting the quarterly interest rates and inflation rates. Not too long ago one Galleon was worth 17 Sickles, 29 Knuts in a Sickle, and 493 Knuts to a Galleon, but as of the first of August the rates changed favoring the Galleon. Now a Galleon is 19 Sickles while there are still 29 Knuts in a Sickle. Why has only the value of the Galleon gone up and not the Sickle and Knut?
It is clear that Minister Fudge is abusing his authority for personal gain. I for one call for an inquiry into Minister Fudge.
Before she could finish the editorial Ginny had wandered away from the Gryffindor table. She had not even realized it herself until she found herself standing before Professor Saotome (in his male form).
"Is there something you need Miss Weasley?" he asked her. "Miss Lovegood, wonderful article. I don't believe that even the Prophet has mentioned today's events yet."
Swallowing hard, she looked up at him, "Sir, would you take me on as your student?"
She'd expected him to brush her off, laugh, or scoff at the proposal. Instead his bright blue eye locked with hers as though he were looking into her soul. "I plan to be in the courtyard Monday morning at 6 am for morning exercise. If you're really interested be there by the time I start."
A/N
I am aware that this Ranma is a bit OOC, and he is. This is fanfiction and I am trying to write a Ranma who while young, is trying to be mature, responsible, and respectable.
I hope that those of you who read this will enjoy it and please review.
On a side note –
My heart goes out to those in Paris.
Dreamingfox