Sixth Year - The Ties that Bind

[Orlando MacFoozle]

Tom took a few deep breaths and then stared reciting the three D's to himself, Destination. Determination. Deliberation. Destination. Determination. Deliberation. Finally Tom spun on the spot where he stood and then he suddenly felt like he was pressed very hard from all directions; he could not breathe, there were iron bands tightening around his chest; his eyeballs were being forced back into his head; his ear-drums were being pushed deeper into his skull. Crimson and Gold wisps of smoke, with twin streaks of Dark Blue and Yellow covered the spot where he stood and there was a loud pop. The wisps of smoke rematerialized inside the hoop. As the wisp faded, Tom screamed in pain. All eyes turned to Tom's hoop, where he was kneeling inside the hoop cradling the area where his left arm should have been. Red streaks of blood ran through the fingers that covered the wound. On the ground, in the original spot where Tom was, lay his arm.

Céilidh stopped her attempt and tried to run to her boyfriend, "Ach Tommy!"

Tommy watched Céilidh try to run toward him but it seemed the more she ran toward him, the further away she was. He looked down in horror as the blood flowed from his arm. It seemed like a river of blood was flowing from the hole where his arm was. He looked up at his father, but he stood there like a statue. Tom's eyes widened with fear. Why could no one get to him? Why wasn't anyone helping him? Tom's mouth opened to call out for help, but nothing would come out. The young Gryffindor screamed silently.

The scream became real as Tommy sat bolt upright in his bed. Beads of cold sweat ran down his face and trickled down his back. He panted for air, begging himself to catch his breath, willing calm onto himself. He could still feel the tremble of terror in the pit of his stomach as he sat there on his four poster, his curtains drawn praying that no one heard him. He slowly leaned back and pulled the curtain aside to grab his watch.

"Eight-thirty," Tom sighed. Apparently the rest of his room mates were up early, excited for the first Hogsmeade trip of the year, sadly Tommy wasn't all that happy about it. He, along with Cee and the gents, were supposed to head into Hogsmeade today to be tested for their appariation lessons. Sure he had apparated on his later attempts that day, but losing his arm was a little overwhelming.

Tom slid off his bed, his bare feet hitting the cold wood floor. He crossed the short distance to the window and looked out at the frost covered grounds. With a heavy sigh, Tommy turned and moved over to the trunk that lay at the foot of his bed.

Tom absent mindedly dug through his trunk looking for a stray sock to match the one he had already pulled out, when his hand hit something hard and metallic. Tom pulled the silver metal flask out of the trunk and looked it over. For the first time this morning he smiled as he thought of his two brothers gift they had given him for his birthday last year. Tom's thumb rubbed the embossed silver of the flask as the memories flooded back, including the memory of what was inside the flask. Tom's smile widened. This was just the trick. This was exactly what he needed, and just a sip should be enough.

---

Olrando MacFoozle yawned, letting it stretch his body out down to the toes. When his eyes opened, he stared up at the ceiling a moment, "Lillie." He smiled and sat up. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, the Hufflepuff could already feel a little spring in his step. That seemed a bit lucky, he thought as he hopped into a pair of loose fitting jeans and tugged on his trainers. A little extra spring could come in handy today.

A small song came to him, an idle little tune, as he looked out the little window that peeked from their mostly underground dormitory out onto the castle grounds. Reading the way the branches rustled in the wind, he wriggled into a hooded jumper. "Leuks like a guid day tae gae popping aboot Hogsmeade." Foozle grabbed his wand off his nightstand, tucking it into his belt.

The Hufflepuff jogged down through the common room and headed straight for the Great Hall where no doubt the others would be waiting. And in fact, they were. Slipping through the large wooden doors he found Danny and Cee seated at the Ravenclaw table.

"Guid mornin," he said an an almost sing-song tone as he saddled over the bench and reached for the carafe of coffee.

Céilidh looked over the edge of her steaming mug at the smiling face of her brother Scot. She arched an eyebrow, gulped down a mouthful of Jerti's special elixir of life, and cut her eyes to Danny. "Is thare a wey tae test someone fur polyjuice? A've ne'er known oor lad tae be a mornin' body."

"Och, aye," Danny said, a twinkle in his eye, "Ah kin think o' a couple questions ainlie he kin answer, bit thare ur prefects aboot." He reached for a muffin and a pot of marmalade. "Bit ah ken howfur he feels."

"Oan ma Honor," grinned the Scot as he filled his mug up, "Ahm the real MacFoozle." He knew what they were referring too. Orlando had never been known as an "early bird" and had infact been more known to "check eyelids for cracks" through early classes. His activities as a noted "night owl" certainly didn't do much to change that. "Canna help it thou. This is mair exciting than Christenmas."

Danny shot a glance to Cee. "Whaur's yer lad, Celidh?" the Ravenclaw asked with a chuckle. "He's ordinar the early bird. Unless ye kept him up tae late laist nicht..."

Céilidh's cheeks flushed, and it had nothing to do with the hot coffee she was sipping. She kicked Danny none to gently under the table. "Nocht likely. A nearby haed tae cairy him frae th' cave last nicht, sae deep in his cups he wis."

The two gents chuckled. "Ahmnno shuir hou the lad is gaun tae lie tae see the Honeymoon."

Orlando lifted his cup and gave a wink over the rim of his mug. "Practice."

It was at that precise moment that Tom walked up to the table. He leaned down to give Cee a kiss on the top of her head, then looked at them all. "Practice? Practice for what?"

The trio remained silent for all of three seconds before bursting with laughter that rang to the very top of the Great Hall and caused nearly everyone assembled for morning meal to look their way. Céilidh recovered first, pulling Tom down to the bench next to her and giving the other two boys a threatening look. "Nae a thing, lue. Nae a thing." She said.

"So," Tom grinned as he pulled the silver carafe of coffee toward him, "I am really confident about today."

Setting down his cup, Danny cocked an eyebrow. "Yuir jus' howpin' Cee loses the back o' her troosers again."

The Ravenclaw Gentleman received yet another kick to the shins. "Thare wull be na splinching," the redhead declared, "o' troosers, or anythin' else." The memory of Tommy losing his arm the last time they were together to work on their apparition skills was still as fresh in her mind as it was with the rest of them.

"Of course there won't,' Tom winked at Cee.

"Oh, aye," Danny said as he stood up, wincing slightly. "Sae lang as amurnay tae bruised tae donder."

"Weel if someone wouldna be a wee prat," The red headed Gryffindor smirked as she winked at Danny.

"Then he wouldna be oor man in Ravenclaw," Orlando chimed in as took another sip of coffee.

---

As the four sixth years wound their way down the streets towards the Hogsmeade train station, they chatted and laughed. There was a palpable energy of excitement between them. When they reached the station, they saw two familiar faces waiting on them.

"Lads, lady," Giles grinned as he threw his arms around Tom and Cee's shoulders, "How have classes been for you kids?"

"Good," all four said in unison.

"Ye been staying oot o' trouble," Rhane ruffled her son's hair.

"A coorse," Orlando smirked as he tried to get out from under his mother's grasp.

Danny smirked at his Aunt Rhane. "That's his story 'n' he're sticking tae it, oneywey."

Rhane MacFoozle chuckled. With her hand on the backs of the necks of the two boys she gave them a bit of a lead forward. "Weel, lets be aff than," she said. "Ahm shuir ye dinna want tae be late fer this exam."

As the group strolled along toward the field behind the courthouse, the two adults gave their brood a bit of a refresher. "I know it's been some time since you've been able to practice, but I have all the faith that you'll do fine." He gave his son's shoulder a squeeze as that fatherly smile passed over all the others. "Just remember your D's."

"Of course," Tom grinned.

"Aye."

"Good," Giles beamed.

"Juist remember tae stay calm an collected." Rhane said as she stuffed her hands in the pockets of her coat, bracing against the Scottish November cold. "Ye'll be fine."

They rounded the corner of the old brick building and found a gentleman waiting for them. "Efternoon, Mortimer." As he turned, she smiled at the man.

Mortimer Rooble was a tall and thin man with salt in his brown hair and horn rimmed spectacles that sat high on a nose that sat low on a bushy mustache. He held his long tweed overcoat against his chest with his fingers tucked behind the lapels. "Good afternoon, Rhane," a smile of large teeth split between his dangling mustache on his lower lip. He strolled over to meet the group, shaking hans with the pair of adults. "Afternoon, Giles."

Adjusting those glasses the older man turned his attention to the foursome of Hogwarts students. "So this is your brood, eh?" He smiled, looking over the yonger faces. His hand landed on Dany's shoulder. "You must be Jackson and Pinny's boy. Daniel?"

The Ravenclaw nodded. "Aye."

The man smiled and nodded, then cleared his throat. "Alright then." With a somewhat awkward change in his tenor and demeanor, Mortimer turned on his heel and drew his wand from his waist coat. A quick set flicks at the end of his wrist and several hoops appeared around the grass. "I'm sure you are all eager to get started."

Danny glanced at his friends and nodded. "Ah think we ur. Ah'm, anyway."

Mortimer nodded. "Very well. Please line up along the edge of the field." The Lady and Gents complied, standing in a row beside the Ministry man. "Right then, Miss MacAllister, being the first of the group to come of age, you get the honor of going first in the test."

"Ye cuid huv juist said, 'Ladies first,'" Céilidh muttered as she stepped forward. They hadn't had any opportunity to practice since before the school year had begun, but even after a few false starts they'd each managed some measure of success. Céilidh took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, focusing on the white hoop some ten meters away. She spun, and with a loud crack, disappeared in a puff of mutli-colored smoke.

At very nearly the same time, a puff of smoke and another crack signaled her arrival within the bounds of her target. She stumbled a bit, but recovered quickly. Almost by instinct, her hands went to the seat of her pants to ensure all of her clothing had arrived intact this time. She signaled everyone a thumbs-up as hoots and hollers carried across the field.

"Well done, Miss MacAllister! Well done, indeed!" Mortimer said. He turned to the Hufflepuff Gentleman, "Mister MacFoozle, you're up."

Orlando stepped forward from the line. His eyes focused on the hoop a moment then he turned to Tommy who stood behind him. With a wink and a crack of colored smoke Foole was gone, popping down into the center of the white hoop.

"Show off," Tom grinned.

"Mr. Llewelyn?" Mortimer looked down at his clipboard, "I remember when your brothers when they took this test," he shook his head, "neither of them passed the first time. We'll see how it goes."

Tom grinned as he took a step forward toward the line. He could feel a slight tug in the back of his head, almost like a whisper, telling him what the next step was. It was calming.

He looked up at his father, who was watching with a slightly worried look on his face. The right side of Tommy's lip curled up a little higher, and he winked as he turned on the spot. A moment later with another pop he appeared in the hoop. "How was that?"

"Well done," the old wizard spat as he ticked off a spot on the parchment in front of him.

Turning to Danny he nodded. "And Mr. DuMorne." Danny followed suit, vanishing and reappearing in the white ring. Mortimer nodded and added another check mark to his parchment.

Flourishing his wand, a small shack appeared on the field. "Your next test is blind apparation. This cabinet will obscure your line of sight to your next location, the gold ring."

Motioning to Danny, he added "We shall go in reverse order of birth this time." Danny stepped into the cabinet and after a moment appeared in the ring. Each of the others took their turn, executing the test without any problems.

"Well done. Well done." Mortimer Rooble's head bobbed up and down and he sketched a few notes across the paper on his clipboard. "Moving on. You're all four familiar with the Three Broomsticks?" He looked up over the nodding faces. "Good. On my mark you will apparate outside its front door. Mr. MacFoozle?" Mortimer tucked his clipboard under his arm. "If you're ready?"

Lando nodded, his thoughts weaving through the landscape they had walked here all the way to the Three Broomsticks. "Aye." As the Ministry examinier said "Go" Foozle popped from the grass in a flash as yellow and black smoke shot up through the air, thin trails of blue curling around the contrail.

The Hufflepuff felt himself slipping from the ground into that strange and wonderful lightness that carrened him through space. Almost as immediately as he felt his feel light from the ground he felt the image in his head of the Three Broomsticks ripping down around him. The Earth rose to catch his feet as he landed. He spun on his heel, with the rush of adrenaline, looking about.

Immediately in his wake dropped the brown smoke that revealed Mortimer Rooble. "Very nicely done, Orlando." He took a few notes down onto his paper.

"Ah ken the Bruimsticks verra weel," the boy replied with a chuckle.

The pair returned to the testing ground. As before, Mr. Rooble ran the whole group through the test. One by one they each completed the task required, popping back and forth from Madam Rosmerta's Three Broomsticks. And each time they did, the examiner wrote a few extra notes down in the margins of their scorecards.

Each student

Mr. Rooble selected Tommy to go first in the next test. "Next we will apparate to Zonko's Joke shop, then on to a second, random location you will be given at Zonkos. At that random location there will be a flag bearing your house crest. Retrieve it and return to this field. Begin."

First Tommy, then Cee, Danny and Lando took their turns running through the test. And in turn, they each appeared back at the field with their flags.

"So where did you all get to?" Tom twirled the Gryffindor flag between his fingers, "I ended up at Lando's."

Danny laughed. "An' Ah ne'er knew yer lassie liked Ravenclaws enough tae fly oor flag in her yard." he said, gently elbowing Tommy.

Céilidh laughed, swatting Danny with her Gryffindor pennant and handing each boy a warm brownie. "Yer mum says that she hopes everything is gaun weel th'day," the redhead declared. Then she looked at Tom, one brow arching up, "Och, 'n' ye 'n' A ur gaun tae huv a wee chat aboot they magazines ye keep tucked under yer mattress."

Tom blushed, "I don't have a clue what you're talking about luv, they are um..." he stuttered slightly, "Benny's."

Lando laughed, shaking his head a bit. He slung the yellow and black pennant over his shoulder. "Ah reck tha wis yuir hoose Ah wis sent tae, than?" He slung his arm around Danny. "It's been sae lang since Ah've seen it. Ah awmaist fergat whaur it wis!"

Rhane and Giles shared a smile. Seeing each of their own children and those of their extended family pass right down to the last side-along apparation tests so effortlessly made them both proud. The aurors began to walk toward the assembled sixth-years, but were taken aback when Mr. Rooble made a final announcement.

"Please line up for our final test," Mortimer said to the surprise of Giles and Rhane. Turning to the Aurors, he gave a reassuring nod. "Just part of the process."

"Ahm sairy," the auror replied, her brow furrowing just a little, "whit process is this?"

Giles nodded. He placed his hand on his son's shoulder. "I don't recall hearing any changes in the apparation testing."

"Nothing major, Rhane. I assure you. A new formality." The man seemed visibly nervous, his smile twitching just a little, but he held his cool. "The ministry is piloting an..." he paused an awkward beat, "addendum to the usual test. We're doing some random sampling of students, testing their speed and dexterity."

"The Ministry?" She gave Giles a rather suspicious look.

Mortimer Rooble's mouth opened, as if to speak, but he said nothing. He simply nodded. "Now," he flourished his wand and four hoops appeared, forming a square in the field: one red, one gold, one blue, and one black. "Ms MacAllister, you are gold. Mr. Llewelyn, red. Mr. DuMorne, blue and Mr. MacFoozle, black."

The four of them each took their places. Foozle's scarred brow rose a little as he muttered to Danny, "Are we gaun tae play Four Square?"

"Ah doubt it. Bit something is aff, keek at yer mom." Rhane MacFoozle's face had a look they had both seen before. One that they had both seen when she was trying to decipher one of their schemes.

Before Foozle could reply, Mr. Rooble continued. "Another ring of your color will appear on the field. When it does, you are to apparate into it. This process will repeat itself until the test is over."

Raising his wand, Mortimer quickly glanced at the two Aurors before returning his focus to the four students. As he lowered the wand, he said "Begin."

As he spoke the word, four more colored hoops appeared randomly across the field. The students all apparated to their own rings, triggering another quartet of rings to appear.

While the Lady and Gents bounced around the field, appearing and disappearing here and there, Giles and Rhane had moved to either side of Mortimer. "Mortimer Rooble," the sound of his name on her tongue sent a visible shiver up his spine, but the examiner kept watching as the whips of colored smoke popping around the grass. "This is practically a level ane auror exam."

Giles leaned in to the thin figure, "What is the Ministry playing at?" The emphasis he put on the word 'Ministry' implied that he was a bit more than suspicious about the lot of it.

While the adults were talking, the sixth-year students seemed to be enjoying themselves. Foozle and Danny appeared several feet above their rings, flipping through the air before touching down within their colored circles, while Tommy had jumped straight up in the air just as the other two boys were landing and apparating in mid-air. Céilidh had taken to starting a cartwheel in one ring and finishing in the next.

"Well, the Ministry is randomly testing people, er, students, for aptitude, speed and stamina to, uh, better assess the instruction process." Rooble looked back and forth between the two parents. "And this group of students were selected. Completely randomly."

"Thare is verra little completely random when it comes tae they four kids, Rooble. Ah want tae ken whit's gaun oan. Unner who's authority wis this test authorized?" The more Rhane pressed, the more uncomfortable Rooble looked. The man tugged at his collar, stumbling over his own words in an increasingly inept attempt at dodging Rhane's interrogation.

Giles, on the other hand, had turned most of his attention to the teens. He watched in amazement as they executed maneuvers that made the hair stand up on the back of his neck while simultaneously filling his chest with a sense of pride. His attention snapped back when he heard Rooble cry out, "Dumbledore!"

He turned to find Rhane standing over a cringing Rooble, the poor fellow was trying to shield himself with his clipboard. "Dumbledore contacted the Ministry. I was instructed to administer the additional testing, but not given much in the way of an explanation."

Giles reached out and laid a hand on Rhane's wrist, forcing her wand down. "Sounds like we need to have a talk with the Headmaster then," he said, trying to diffuse the situation. Rhane looked between the two men before finally nodding her agreement, though it took some extra time for Rooble to feel comfortable enough to lower the clipboard away from his chest. The elder Llewelyn pointed out to the field where their children were so casually hopping from hoop to hoop. "Look at them, Rhane. They don't even know that they shouldn't be able to do what they're doing right now."

Rhane's expression melted from the inquisitive auror to the admiring mother as she watched the four kids jump faster and faster. Beside her Rooble flicked his wand, and the hoops made their final appearance in front of the three adults. The rather drastic change in location threw them, but only for a second, and after that second the foursome appeared in a neat little row.

She threw her arms around Lando and Danny's necks, pulling them into a great big hug. "Wunnerful!"

"Well done, indeed!" Giles's arms picked Tommy and Céilidh up and squeezed them tight.

Mortimer Rooble made some last minute notes in his tests then fished a stamp and ink pad from his coat. "I rather quite agree," he said and stamped each of the tests. "You each passed. Very well done." Stuffing the stamp back away he reached into his inner coat pocket and revealed four small scrolls, balanced between his fingers. "Congratulations."

Eagerly, they all reached forward and took their prize. It was just a simple formality, a representation of what they had accomplished, but there was no denying it among any of the massive grins. It felt good. They threw their arms around eachother, hooting and hollering. Tommy and Lando high-fived, that little scroll cluched in their other hands. The Gryffindor winked. "Piece of cake."

[Céilidh MacAllister]

As Rhane and Giles led the four teenagers back toward a celebratory drink at the Three Broomsticks, Tom grabbed Céilidh's arm and pulled her into a near by alleyway.

"Tommy?!?" The ginger yelped "Whit th' hell urr ye doing?"

"Kidnapping you to have some alone time," Tom winked, "We've barely had two bloody minutes alone lately and I for one," Tom leaned in and kissed her, "could use it."

"Bit whit aboot yer da, 'n' th' others?" Céilidh eyed her boyfriend.

"I don't think they'll mind," Tom winked and then grabbed her by the hand, "Come on, let's go see what we can find."

---

The two sixth year walked hand in hand down the main street. "So where to first?"

Céilidh wrapped her arm around Tom's, "A dinnae ken, ye git ony steid in mynd?"

Tom gave a mockingly thoughtful face, "Hadn't really thought that far out."

The two stopped in front of Madam Puddifoots's. The place was practically teeming with teenage paramours. The two Gryffindors stared at the shop, and then at each other, and back at the shop.

"No." With that the two kept on walking.

Hand in hand, they meandered down Hogsmeade's main street. They made a quick dive into Honeydukes and back out sharing a tin of sugared butterfly wings. Wandering across the street, Céilidh stopped in front of another shop window. On display were a pair of mannequins, two women, posed in such a manner as to imitate the scene they'd passed up earlier at Madam Puddifoots.

At random intervals, the hair on one or both of the models would change. From one moment to the next they were presented with close-cropped and spiked raven colored hair, to heavily feathered brunette, then a wavy blonde bob, and most startlingly, a neon pink mohawk.

Céilidh nibbled a lacy wing as a hand passed over and through her almost ever-present red ponytail. "Tommy, whit wid ye think if Ah git a freish hairstyle?"

Tom blinked, "What do you have in mind?"

"Och, A dinnae ken..." She trailed off, balling her ponytail up and checking her reflection. The pixie-cut look was interesting, but she'd certainly have to do something about her bangs. "Mibbie change th' length," Cee shifted her feet so that her face was reflected in the window where the mannequin's face would be, but leaving the outline of the hairstyle, "or mibbie th' color? Or baith?"

Tom ducked his head to check the reflection just in time for the mannequin to sprout a bushy mass in a very unattractive shade of chartreuse.

Tom shuddered as he looked at the mannequin's new style, "It would be a scandal if you changed the color of your hair Ginger," he chuckled as he looked up at the next example of styles, "Personally I kinda like the ponytail." His voice trailed off as thoughts of watching his girlfriend's signature pony tail whip in the wind as she soared through the air on her broom. His lips parted into a wide grin, "It's up to you, but personally I wouldn't change a thing," he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

Céilidh smiled and shrugged deeper into the hug. "Howfur dae ye aye ken th' richt thing tae say?" Without waiting for a reply, Cee spun the both of them from the sidewalk and back out into the streets. "Ne'er mynd, juist as lang as ye keep saying them."

Tom still shrugged, "I grew up around my mum, Cissy, Rose and you. I learned and adapted quickly." He shot her a grin as they stopped at the shop window to Spintwitches. "You know," Tom peered in the window, "I could use a new pair of gloves. I was gonna get some last summer, but with the crowds there for the Nimbus 1700 I forgot."

"Och, aye," Cee nodded as the pair wandered into the shop, "A'm needin' tae keek fur a pair o' shin guards."

A half-hour had passed before the couple were back out on the street, carrying significantly more parcels than the pair of items they'd gone looking for.

"Did we really need all this?" Tom sighed his arms full of bags.

"Na, bit it certainly falls in th' nice-to-have category." Stepping out into the street once more, the redhead noticed a stooped figure enter Ollivander's local shop. "Awright, is that auld mon Ollivander ower thare? We shuid gang ask him aboot th' unicorn hair."

"I would think he stays in London," Tom nodded toward the shop, "but we can always give it a try."

The two crossed the muddy street and into the wand shop. It was much different from the shop in Diagon Alley. Where that one seemed to go on forever with shelves of wands, there was just a short selection of them behind the counter. Most of the shop was taken up by wand care supplies, such as oils, creams, polishes, and various cloths.

The two made their way to the main counter and rang the bell. From behind a door just behind the counter, a pimply faced wizard, no more than two years older than them poked his head out. He sighed and sluggishly dragged himself, his arms swinging loosely at his sides, to the counter, "Welcome to Ollivander's home of all your wand care needs," he recited in a lazy rehearsed voice that sounded like a five year old being made to say 'I'm sorry', "How can I help you this fine day?"

The Gryffindors exchanged a glance. Obviously this "apprentice" was used to dealing with Hogwarts students who were just browsing, or simply purchasing a wand care kit. "We were curious about wandlore and core materials like, for instance, unicorn hair."

The apprentice rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "Wandlore is a complex and mysterious branch of magic," the young wizard recited. "It requires years of study and more than a passing curiosity."

It was clear that the shop attendant thought himself above suffering the questions of a pair of sixth-years. "Unicorn tail hair is one of the more common materials used for wand cores. Ollivander's will graciously purchase any unicorn tail hair you have for ten galleons. Once we verify the hair's authenticity, that is."

"Whit aboot braided hair? Does that mak' ony difference?" Céilidh asked.

A huff and another lazy eye-roll brought the young man's condescending gaze to the redhead. "Young lady, there is no appreciable gain, or change in price for hair that had been braided together. One wand, one hair. That's how it works, simple-like, mind you."

Tom winced, expecting the full fiery fury that was occasionally his girlfriend to be unleashed upon this poor unsuspecting soul. Not that it wouldn't be justified, he thought, and it would certainly be fun to watch. He was genuinely surprised, however, to find his lass smiling sweetly and batting her eyelashes.

"Ah didnae say anything aboot braiding thaim myself." Céilidh explained with some obvious show of restraint. She looked past the wizard at the counter to the older gentleman who had poked his head from behind the corner of one massive floor to ceiling shelf. "Thay joined th'gither whin we found thaim. A' glowy-like, mynd ye."

"You say the unicorn hairs braided themselves together?" The old wizard's voice carried from his hiding place.

The older wizard stepped through the doorway, "Now that is very interesting indeed."

"Yes sir," Tom nodded, "We came upon two unicorns in the forest and when they left, we found it left behind."

"I remember you," the wand master nodded, "Mahogany 14", pliable, Unicorn tail hair. Perfect for Transfigurations. Michael Llewelyn correct?"

"Yes sir," Tom smiled and shook hands with Ollivander.

"And you," he turned his attention to the red head next to Tom, "Rowan with a Hippogriff crest-feather core, 10", pliable. Also really good for Transfigurations. Céilidh MacAllister," he held out his hand for the girl.

"Aye sir," Céilidh smiled, "Bit howfur dae ye mind that?"

"I remember every wand my dear," he gave both of them a wide grin, "may I see them?"

"Of course," Tom pulled his wand from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it to the older wizard.

Ollivander examined the wand, twirling, and rolling it in his fingers. After a few moments, the wand slid into a ready position and his wrist snapped. With a slight crack and a flash of green light, a box of wand polish changed into a rat that scurried off of the counter and into a hole in the wall, "Excellent, excellent. You have really kept this wand in excellent shape."

"Thank you sir," Tom smiled as he took back his wand.

Ollivander next stretched out his hand to Céilidh, "May I?"

"Certainly," Céilidh reached around and pulled her wand from her back pocket, handing it to the wand maker.

As with Tom's wand, Ollivander looked over the wand with a reverence the two teens would probably never understand. The old man held the wand out, giving it the barest of flicks. Half a dozen items jumped from the shelves, juggling in mid air a few moments before dropping back into place. Ollivander smiled as he passed the wand back to Céilidh. "Very nice. Very nice, indeed. It does me proud to see such care taken by someone so young."

Ollivander raised a hand to his mouth, regarding the two Gryffindors just as intently as he had their wands. After a moment of increasingly uncomfortable silence, the wand maker finally spoke. "Why don't you bring the hair to my shop sometime over the holiday break? I'm very curious, and would very much like the chance to have some time to study them."

The two Gryffindors looked at each other and then the Master Wandmaker. They both smiled and said in unison "Sure."

"Excellent," the older man rubbed his hands together, "I look forward to it." He turned to the now red faced intern, "Give these two each a free wand care kit." He turned back to Tom and Céilidh "I will see you two in December."

---

The young couple exited the wand shop with yet another package added to their pile, and laughter in the air. Tom shifted his parcels and threw an arm around his girlfriend, pulling her close and giving her a kiss on the head. "I have to hand it to you, Ginger," he said, "I really thought you were going to explode on that kid behind the counter."

"Aye, sae did A," Cee returned a kiss to the cheek, "Bit A clocked Ollivander skulking around in th' back 'n' figured we'd be better aff nae getting thrown oot fur A damaged th' help."

Before anything else could be said, the duo was brought up short by a very familiar clearing of the throat. "There you are." Tom's father said from behind them.

"A dinnae suppose running is an option?" Cee whispered devilishly.

Tommy actually considered the idea for about half a second until he saw Aunt Rhane step out of Sprintwitches a few doors down in front of them. "Yeah, probably not the best idea." Tom smiled at his father, "Hi Dad," Tom grinned.

"You know," the older man stroked his beard with his hand, "if you two had some shopping to do you could have just said so," his mouth curled into a smile.

"'Twas his idea," The redhead smirked at the boy next to her, "Ah wis kidnapped."

The Llewelyn patriarch roared with laughter as he through his arms around both teens, "Somehow I doubt it took much convincing."

"Thare ye twa ur," Orlando's mother echoed Tommy's dad as she made her way to meet the two teens and the elder Llewelyn. "Ye gave us ah bawherr o' ah stairt, skiving aff lik' that." The look on her face was clearly disapproving.

"No need to scowl at them, Rhane. They just shot off to do a little shopping is all."

"Tis nae th' shopping yi''ll need tae worry aboot, Giles," Rhane pointed out. "Or huv ye forgotten whit tis lik' tae be seventeen?"

Both Gryffindors shot each other sideways glances, "Should we tell them?"

"Tell thaim whit?" Cee's eyebrows raised. The red head gave Tom the have you lost your bloody mind look.

"You know," he grinned as he turned back to his father and the woman he loved like a mother.

Céilidh took a deep breath, casting her eyes to the ground, "Och, we micht as weel." She looked back up, only able to hold both adult's faces for a moment before looking at Tommy as though the sun rose and set on him, "We wur gaun tae wait 'til th' Yule fair whin we cuid git a' body th'gither..."

"But since you found us," Tom returned Céilidh's look. He placed his free hand on her stomach, "Cee's pregnant and we're eloping."

There was a long pause as the four stood there in the doorway of Ollivander's. Finally, the silence was broken by all four laughing.

"For about a half a second lad," Giles pinched his thumb and index finger together as he tried to talk through fits of laughter, "you almost had me."

"Aye," Rhane agreed, "Ah wis worried for a second."

"I had visions of Milly and Brina's heads both exploding," he laughed even harder as he wiped a tear from his eye.

Céilidh held up both hands, "Ah kin assure ye that thir's nae a thing lik' that tae worry aboot." Then she wrapped her arms around Tommy's neck and kissed him in a rare display of affection in front of their 'family.' "At least nae yet."

[Bobby Britto]

Outside of House Ravenclaw a young Gryffindor waited. He nodded and waved to a few friends as they passed by, but he kept his blue eyes focused. His blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail and his robes encompassed most of him. It wasn't until Ambrosia Sheridan appeared that Bobby Britto actually moved from his perch. A slow smile came to his lips as his blue eyes stared at her, "It's nice to see you again," he said in a friendly voice which was vastly different than the angry yells and tear-filled tones she last heard from him. "Do you have a few minutes? We could probably use a talk..."

The tiny prefect slowed her steps, letting her housemates pass her by on their way out of the tower. "Could we?" It was perhaps not the most encouraging way to respond to anyone, especially an ex-boyfriend. However, considering how most of her talks with Bobby had gone this year, Rose figured she was showing remarkable restraint by not throwing herself down the steps to avoid him.

"I'm not going to bite, I promise. No yelling, no screaming, just talking. I say some things, you say some things, and we work something positive out," he said calmly his blue eyes fixed on her. At the moment Bobby tried to look as inoffensive as possible, "We hurt each other in the past and I want to try and get past that today. I'm not going to say we'll be as good as we were before we started dating, but...I'd like to start on the foundation to something better." As he continued to stare at her he tried to keep his head up as memories of their last "talk" hit him, the time on the train, "God you were a jerk."

She knew him well enough to know that he really was trying. It wasn't making her want to punch him in the nose any less, but despite the way his words sounded, he really did want to move forward. "Well..." she began slowly. "Can you walk and talk? I don't plan on missing out on Hogsmeade." Looking around with a sigh, she realized that without her by his side to make him leave the castle, Cass had wriggled away and was probably happily back in the common room with a book by now. She'd have to make it up to him later. "So if you'd like to walk with me...."

He nodded, "Unless you're busy. I know I showed up out of the blue and very unannounced," Bobby said and looked at Rose for a few moments. "But if you can spare the time I can walk and talk with the best of them," the teen waited on the other blonde's lead.

She shrugged and started down the steps, curls bouncing around her shoulders. "Come on then." The tiny Ravenclaw knew she should probably feel guilty for making this so hard on him... but, after all, it was his idea.

Bobby started to step down the stairs and moved with her after a moment of catching up. He looked at her as they moved, "First off, I owe you a few apologies. I yelled at you like an ape and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for all the stress I added on you toward the end of our relationship." The comments pained him to say because they were true. Toward the end Bobby added a bit of stress and negativity to Rose's life and he felt guilty for that. "I know an 'I'm sorry' may not instantly fix things but I've had to do a lot of self-reflecting lately. I turned into something I wasn't happy with for the past few months and I'm learning to move past that. Part of that is fixing some bridges I may have damaged or burned." Another inward wince came as he realized the bridge with Snape wasn't going to be so easy to mend.

Rose gave a long sigh then turned to look over her shoulder at the Gryffindor, irritation sparking in her verdant eyes. "Did you practice that one in front of the mirror?" She paused, leaning back against the cool stone wall with her arms crossed over her chest. "I believe that you want to talk to me and that you really do feel bad... but if you don't knock off the patronizing rubbish, I'm going to have to throw you down the stairs."

"I'm not trying to be patronizing. I'm not trying to be anything but myself," he said and sighed. Perhaps the best approach was to level with her, "I got into some serious trouble a few weeks back. It brought a lot of things to light about how I've been to others. I'm moving past what I was step by step. It's not easy but I'm giving it my best." He stopped and stared at rose for a moment, "Even I don't know how bad it got. All I know is something likes me out there because if they didn't I'd probably be home right now."

"Professor McGonagall saved me from myself. I yelled at Snape during our latest Legilimency lesson and he expelled me as a student because of it. If I were to take a guess I'd say he probably moved to have me expelled from the school and not just his classroom. I'm not sure what happened but I was called to McGongagall's office the next day and my punishment was several lines of parchment talking about how I moved on. She said I was destroying myself with guilt from the past. I agreed. Afterward I talked to Cee and did a lot of reflecting, had a few more conversations. I realized what kind of person I've been and that's a bloody git. So if anything sounds rehearsed its because I just want this to go well and I've spent a few days trying to think of the right thing to say. I'm sorry I hurt you and for how miserable I made you feel. If I could think of a spell that could take it all back, I would have done it days ago. I want my friend back and one day I hope she forgives me..." all of his words were honest and true but he now feared how Rose may have taken such words.

It was a lot to take in all at once. So, rather than respond to his first words... or his last, the little blonde pushed off the wall and started down the stairs again. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure he was still with her, she couldn't help but shake her head. "You yelled at a teacher?"

His head lowered for a moment and he gave a solemn nod. These were not proud actions taken by him and he could have given another long rant as to how it happened. The Gryffindor thought one long rant per talk was probably more than enough.

"You don't have that little voice in the back of your head that tells us when something is a bad idea, do you?" A smile started to tug at the corners of her mouth as she looked at him.

That made Bobby smile for the first time during their conversation, "I think he only recently came back to me after an extensive vacation that began sometime last year. It was one of the dumbest things I'll ever do, especially since I proved Snape completely right about me and my progress. Which was what we were disagreeing about." He moved with rose and started to feel a little at ease when the smile came to her lips.

"I guess it's a good thing you weren't taking potions this year." They passed through the quiet hallways and down the main stairs. Thanks to the pauses in the conversation in tower, most of their classmates had already started out on the chilly walk to Hogsmeade. Breath steaming in the air, Rose pulled her purple knit hat down over her ears and tucked her hands into her pockets. "So what are you going to do without a teacher for your... you know..."

"I gotta fix myself a little more first. Once the assignment for McGonagall is done and I feel its truly done I figured I would hit the books. Relearn what I thought I learned over the summer. Make sure I grasped all of my summer assignment's properly," Bobby's breathe steamed as he talked. He pulled out a pair of charcoal gray gloves that were stashed in his pockets and kept on forward with Rose. Although it was chilly outside it was still great to get out of the castle, "I'm hoping the extra time apart may have given him sometime to cool off. Whatever you think I said to him, I guarantee you what actually happened was ten time worse. I really messed up. Deep down I feel I need to prove to him that I'm ready for the responsibility that comes with my skill first. Then maybe I can be his student again."

Her lips pursed to the side as she thought about that. Something in his logic felt wrong. "I'm not sure it works like that, Bobby. This isn't something extra like Tommy proving he was responsible enough to learn how to be an animagi. Responsible or not, you've got this thing. You need to do what it takes to make it safe."

"That's why I'm going over the Summer assignments. I felt I knew them when I probably didn't. Snape talked about the responsibility of the gift so many times and I used it so irresponsibly that night," he lowered his head for a moment again. "Either way I know I have the skill but I blatantly abused it that night for the first time. It's why I feel I have to run the extra mile with Snape just to be taught again. I'm sure someone would make him teach me again if it came down to it, but I'd rather have him accept me as a student again. So I'll do what it takes for that to happen."

Rose shrugged as they continued to walk. "So you've been soul searching and writing an essay for Professor McGonagall..."

"Mostly. I made an unexpected friend out of Dee and made a fool out of myself a few times before that which started the soul searching. How about you?"

"I've been fine." She prudently decided against talking about the Halloween incident or the first Quidditch game. "Keeping busy with classwork and studying and not insulting my teachers," she teased.


A soft glow of lights started to come into view as they made it closer to Hogsmeade. Bobby grinned, "That's teacher, singular. It was only one and I'm not about to add a second name to that list, thank you. Give me some credit," he joked back toward the Ravenclaw.

The blonde giggled softly then stopped, smiling as she realized this was the first time in a very long time she'd actually felt like laughing around him. "So I was planning on heading over to Tomes and Scrolls. There are a few out of print books that I'm hoping they may still have a copy of."

"Lead the way. I want to pick up a few books myself coin permitting. I was thinking of maybe looking into my family tree and figure out where the magic in the family came from. Afterward would you care to join me for a bite at Robusta's? he asked with a smile and began to walk with her. It had been too long since they spoke and even longer since they had a conversation that went so pleasantly. Even though the chill in the air had a sharp bite to it, Bobby felt warm on the inside thanks to this moment.

Rose pulled a curl to her lips as she thought it over. Beyond her continued quest for potions books, she hadn't really given much thought to her day. And, since Danny's cake had been chocolate free, a brownie and something warm to drink did sound good. "Sure. We can do that," she answered finally. "But books first."

He nodded in agreement, "Most certainty. So what text are you looking for this time? I can keep my eyes pealed as I look for my own books. Four eyes are better than two," the Gryffindor smiled which formed into a grin as they made it to the oh so familiar grounds of Hogsmeade. "It's pretty," he muttered softly as he stared at the village as if it were the first time. Yes, he had been there before but it felt like that was a lifetime ago.

"It's always pretty." The tiny prefect smiled, feeling a little more relaxed in Bobby's company. "Thanks for the offer to help... but I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for. Just some old potions books. You um... never know when you're going to find something helpful." Again, she decided to stay far away from the topic of Halloween.

"I getcha. I'm in a similar bind. I have an idea what I want to get but I'm not sure what exactly." Bobby's breathe steamed with each word and he started to feel normal again. The feeling was missed beyond words. Several houses gave a soft glow as shops were open and gave a warm welcome to cold shoppers out there today. [i[Tomes and Scrolls[/i] rested in the distance with its proud wooden walls, dark green painted plank roof, and the white bordered logo with a yellow font sprawled across nearly the entire front of the building made it stand out from all the other buildings nearby. Bobby moved with her and when they made it to the door he held it open for the prefect, "after you."

---

Leaning her chin on her hand, Rose looked around the fairly crowded little coffee shop. It was nice to be indoors. And, since the book shopping had been relatively painless, she felt no need to get up and flee the room. "I totally need a brownie," she told Bobby as they waited to give their orders.

Robusta's brownies would have been called "gourmet" in the muggle world, as they were made of a decadent chocolate that was light, airy, and made with no artificial ingredients. All of the fragrances from the kitchen moved through the air, and mingled with the smell of various coffees and drinks made in store. All of soft tones inside present a calming atmosphere, the smells were wonderful, and since this was a place that included warm drinks being made the insides were a pleasant few degrees warmer. Bobby waited in line and smiled when it was his turn ordered two brownies, two hot chocolates, and then he turned back toward the other blonde, "I'll pay this time, you have next time." He then paid for the order and smiled sweetly, that brownie sounded so good.

"So did you find anything good at the last stop?" he asked cheerily and unknowing as to why Rose wanted to go to Tomes and Scrolls. Rose was always the book worm and probably was always going to be a book worm so he credited the visit to some new project or subject of interest.

The blonde shrugged, running a finger through her curls now that they were free from the fuzzy warm hat. "I hope so. I'll just have to read and see." Of course, that was true for just about any book. "I'm just doing a little extra um... work for potions."

"Glutton for punishment?" he joked. Potions was one of his least favorite subjects and she knew that.

She smiled and led the way to a table near the window. "Something like that. I don't generally go looking for extra assignments. But sometimes..."

A knowing nod came from the other blonde that sat across from rose, "I know. I got some books that talk about different subjects including the book Famous Wizards of Yesteryear. For some reason I feel like trying to figure out my roots and I hope it can help."

Nodding, Rose leaned her chin on her hand, golden hair spilling around her shoulder as she cocked her head to the side. "I guess I can understand that. It's always nice to know where we came from."

"I've never known the magical side to my family. Where it started? Where it ended? I have to admit I've been a little curious over time. So hopefully this will give me something to work with," a nervous smile tugged at his lips. Cobalt blue eyes searched the room for a moment before looking at her.

"It makes sense," she agreed. While her own family history was fairly well documented, she could understand the need to know more. "But are you hoping to find... what... more magic in the family?"

A simple shrug was the first response the prefect got, "I think I am trying to figure out who i am a little bit. Sometimes that requires you to know where you come from. I really don't understand my magical roots."

Since she wasn't sure what to say to that, Rose just nodded. Her eyes brightened as a witch with a tray laden with exactly the right kind of treats appeared at their table. "Thank you," she told their server brightly. Wrapping her chilled fingers around the steaming mug, she gave a little sigh of happiness. "This is nice."

"Yeah...it really is," the blond said as everything was slowly taken in. Everything about Robusta's was serene. The place often felt like the way home should have felt, warm, inviting, and relaxing. Everything from the smell of the latest treats that were hard to ignore to the smiles that were given out by the stuff. Sure, they were told to do that but nothing felt too forced. Any and all of the staff never gave off the impression they didn't want to be there even though there were days the coffee shop was the last place they wanted to be. All of the sensations were slowly drunk, much like Bobby's mug of chocolate, "I forgot how much I missed this place."

Rose's smile faltered slightly but she quickly covered it with a bite of brownie. "Nothing is as good as my mom's brownies... but this might come close," she said after a moment. "I only wish I'd inherited her gift for cooking. As it turns out, I'm pretty horrible in the kitchen."

Memories of Rose's mothers cooking flashed in his mind and he had to admit, Mrs. Sheridan was gifted with a stove. Blue eyes stared at her, "Don't be hard on yourself Rose. Cooking is like any other skill out there, it just takes time to master. Think of it like your classes, remember how you were when you first came to Hogwarts?"

"I was perfectly brilliant. And adorable. Just like I am now," she told him with a self mocking little laugh. "But I'm sure I'll master cooking eventually. You know... once the alternative is dying of starvation. It's hard to be properly motivated when there's so much good food at school."

"Oh Please," read the expression that was plastered all over Bobby's face, "You were brilliant, adorable, but when it came to somethings you were clueless. I had to tell you what a toaster was...but at least you have the right attitude about cooking. You could starve or you could ask to spend a day with me, I could teach you a few of the recipes I know. This way you may not be so bad off the next night. I'm not as good as your mom, but my cooking's not bad if I do say so myself."

Taking a sip of her hot chocolate, she held up one finger for him to wait to be properly teased. "But I didn't need to know what a toaster was. Still don't. It's not like I'll be using one. That's more like.... good trivia."

A playful eye-roll was tossed toward Rose once she was done teasing, "Just wait until you're starving and begging for my help. You'll appreciate the toaster as if it was Gilderoy Lockhart himself," he teased back with a grin.

"At that point I'll be happy to enter the Bobby Britto School for Starving Geniuses," the blonde laughed. "But I'm not too worried. After all, I know how to grow things. I could always go on a raw-food diet."

A playful laugh rumbled from the Gryffindor's throat and off his mouth, "But without the Bobby Britto School for Starving Geniuses, you won't know to enjoy those grown foods properly grilled, sauteed, and even fried. This is in case you ever wanted to see what the hubub about fried green tomatoes or onion rings is about."

The tiny Ravenclaw laughed again. "You win. But I'm still not signing up anytime soon. I have more than enough to keep me busy right now."

"Enrollment doesn't begin until after seventh year, you're safe," he said with a chuckle and raised his glass, "Apparently I'm going to be teaching genius magic users how to cook after school. I think that merits a toast."

She raised her glass to his. "A toast to Professor Britto."

As the brownies rested on the table Bobby stared at them for a moment before he looked at her again, "First lesson will be brownies," and with that he drank his first sip of hot chocolate that was smooth, rich, creamy, and amazing.

"Good. I can totally live on brownies."

[Laun Orris-Whitmoor]

Laun walked hand and hand with Shelley through the hustle and bustle of Hogsmeade.

”Lovely day isn’t it?” Laun said wistfully.

Shelley muttered a response not really paying attention, she had her eye fixated on the new brooms being put on display.

“I’ll be right back.” She said with a squeeze of his hand.

“I’ll be waiting for you my little pudding bear!” Laun shouted as she started off.

“No Laun,” Shelley said turning back for a moment “I don’t like that one either.” Laun had been searching endlessly for a good romantic nickname for Shelley.

Laun wandered a bit as he waited. His thoughts turning to usual things; how to be the youngest Minister of Magic ever, conspiracies, and in general just the normal ponderings of someone whose imagination outreached their grasp on reality.

“She’s over here!” Laun heard someone whisper loudly. He turned to see 4th year Slytherin Grisham Welker and scamper down a back alley.

“Well that can’t be good...” Laun sighed, he glanced over at Shelley and saw her knee deep in a broomstick debate with someone who somehow cared about broomsticks as much as she did...she wasn’t going anywhere.

Laun ran down the back alley and was astonished at what waited for him there.

Two fourth year Slytherins stood smirking down at a dark brown haired girl who was on her knees in front of them, bound and gagged.

”See you filthy little muggle,” the boy laughed without any mirth. ”this is what happens when you stray too close to our world.”

Laun’s jaw dropped.

“What the bloody hell and a half!” Laun shouted loudly, so loudly an elderly man peeked down the alley but Laun did not see this.

”Look Grish,” the fourth year girl snarled at Laun, ”If it isn’t the fangless prefect.”

”Laun isn’t it?” Grisham’s eyes narrowed, ”Why don’t you prove you’re not a blood traitor prefect?” He waived his hand toward the sobbing girl, ”Care to play along?”

“Expelliarmus!” Laun shouted aiming Sasha as she was closest to the victim.

The fourth year girl was absolutely no match for the sixth year prefect and her wand flew effortlessly from her hand.

Grisham’s eyes leveled on Laun, ”Inflamarie!” A jet of flame shot from his wand toward Laun.

“Protego!” Laun said with one breath, “Expelliarmus!” His wand flying madly as the brilliant lights and near invisible shields burst forth.

The spell bounced harmlessly off Laun’s shield, while Laun’s own spell knocked Grisham’s wand from his hand.

“Rictusempra!” twin streams of light spiralled from Laun’s wand and hit the delinquents as they tried to run. It was Laun’s signature move for a reason, they fell to their knees in tortured laughter and passed out almost in unison.

Laun went over to the young muggle girl and untied her, took off her gag and helped her to her feet..

“What the Hell...is going on?” She asked looking at him wide-eyed.

“Um... Gosh I don’t know how to explain this...What’s the protocol?” Laun looked around.

“This is crazy...” She said backing up. Laun gently grabbed her hand.

“You know what...it is going to be okay.” He said sincerely, “I promise you.”

For a moment their eyes locked and her panic softened.

“I’m gonna find someone to help you.” He said as he guided her out of the alley. Suddenly he noticed Bill Weasley.

“BILL!” Laun waved frantically.

“Hey Laun... what’s up?” He looked confusedly at Laun and the muggle girl.

“Bill try to stay with me... This is not one of my things... I’m not crazy...this girl is a m-u-g-g-l-e, she was abducted by some housemates of mine who are now passed out down that alley,” He said pointing the way, “Could you watch them while I find a teacher?”

“...Yeah of course mate.” Bill said taking it all in, he quickly walked towards the alley patting Laun on his shoulder as he passed.

“Okay that’s one problem down.”

“I am so confused... listen you seem nice but I’m gonna find my way back to my class... we were ...” The girl rambled as she wiped her eyes.

“No, no, no, um... I’m sorry but we need to see one of my teachers first, any one of them really... Come on fate...” Laun was nearly breaking his neck looking around and he practically ran smack into Professor Mcgonagall.

---

The breeze wafted nicely through the trees as Laun, Professor Mcgonagall and Hagrid, carrying the muggle girl, walked into the clearing. Hagrid laid her down gently on the ground and the two wizards and the Gameskeeper stood back.

“Okay Mister Orris-Whitmoor, she should wake up any moment and the memory charm will have taken effect; we’ll let you take it from here as requested but do try and keep it short and sweet.” Professor McGonagall said as she pushed up her eyeglasses. She and Hagrid slipped back into the woods and Laun waited for the muggle girl to rouse.

“What happened?” She asked opening her eyes.

“Oh you got lost and fell, you’re going to be okay though, your class is just right over there.” Laun said pointing off into the distance.

“Oh, well thank you for helping me. How come you’re way out here?”

“Oh it’s just such a lovely day, I went for a hike.”

“It is lovely... thank you again.”

“No problem.” He winked. The girl sat up and fished through her pockets, she found a pen and wrote something on Laun’s hand, than with a wink of her own she was off.

“Heh.”

[Ambrosia Sheridan]

The pleasant fall weather seemed to have fled with the arrival of November. The day of Rose's third flying lesson dawned gray and altogether miserable looking. But at least it wasn't windy. That thought brought the tiny blonde very little comfort as she tromped out to the empty pitch. Wind might have meant a cancellation, or at least a delay. But then again, this was Cee. The redhead would probably continue these lessons even in the face of a hurricane.

Rubbing her mittened hands together, Rose looked around for her teacher. Céilidh was waiting of course, standing beside the evil broom of doom. "Good morning," she said as cheerfully as possible given the morning. "I was thinking we should get started right away. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can go back inside where it's warm." Her protests were more out of habit by this point. Flying wasn't such a horrible thing. She just wasn't ready to tell Cee that.

"Mornin' 'Brosia," the redheaded Gryffindor smiled sweetly.

Rose halted immediately with narrowed eyes. If the sugary tone of voice and toothy grin weren't indication enough that her coach was up to something, there were other less subtle clues. Like the fact that while Céilidh held her broom in one hand, the other, which was typically wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee, was tucked behind the redhead's back. She also noted that Cee was standing in such a way as to obscure whatever it was she was attempting to hide.

"Céilidh..." Rose began, tentatively, "what are you hiding?"

"Och 'Brosia, ye wound me." Céilidh feigned a hurt look even as she let her wand slide into the sleeve of her coat. There were times when silent spell-casting came in handy, and this happened to be one of them. She pulled her arm from behind her, revealing an gloved -but empty - hand. "How come wid ah be hiding anything?"

"Does that work on Tommy?" The blonde crossed her arms over her chest, deciding that an arm's length away might be safe enough. "Because I'm not buying it. What are you up to?"

"Och aye, Tommy's gey bonny, bit ye 'n' A baith ken he's nae aye quick oan th' uptake." Céilidh pointed out. Her gaze shifted to look up, behind Rose. "As tae whit A'm up tae... ye micht wantae duck."

The blonde's brow creased with confusion. "Wha...?" She tracked Cee's gaze over her shoulder just in time to catch sight of a broom bearing down on them. The tiny Ravenclaw jumped out of the way as the broom shot past, only to be caught by the deft hand of the Gryffindor girl.

"Are. You. INSANE?" Wild-eyed Rose shouted. "Nevermind, don't answer that. I'm pretty sure I already know."

Céilidh flipped the broom to Ambrosia who, to her credit, snatched it from the air... then promptly threw it right back. "No. No no. Absolutely not," she protested, knowing exactly where this was going.

"Time fur yer fairst solo flight, lass." Céilidh grinned, throwing a leg over her own broom.

"No. It's time for you to ride behind me again. We'll talk, I'll complain, I'll nearly crash... then we'll go eat breakfast. It's what we do." Starting to feel like running away might be a good option, Rose did her best to look determined. "I'm not ready for this."

Cee shouldered her own broom, picked Rose's off the ground and firmly placed it back in her hands. "Nae th'day," she said, a hint of steel creeping into her voice, "'n' aye. Ye ur."

Green eyes locked. Neither girl willing to give any ground, they stared at each other as the wind whipped around them. Finally, Céilidh spoke, her voice softer, "'Brosia, A ken th' rah-rah motivation disnae wirk wi' ye. Bit A ken flyin', 'n' A ken yer duin."

"You're the teacher." Though it sounded like she was giving in, the blonde Ravenclaw didn't move. "But I was thinking... how many adults, other than professional Quidditch players, even use brooms after they learn how to apparate?"

"A suppose," Cee's chest heaved in a sigh, "bit gif ye'll waint tae uise that excuse, A think ye'v missed the point. Apparition is nice, but ye miss sae much that ye cuid see frae ah broom. 'N' gif ye think riding a broom is uncomfortable..." She deliberately left that last bit to Ambrosia's imagination, knowing how much the blonde had complained about the discomfort of riding a broom.

"I'm not making an excuse." A hint of iron crept into that normally sunny tone. "I'm asking a serious question. My parents don't use brooms. As far as I can tell from my dad's old pictures, they never have. And I consider them to be fairly well-rounded wizards. So obviously the appeal of a broom isn't about the method of transportation..."

"Na. Tis aboot perspective."

Raising a brow, Rose waited for the redhead to go on. Though she made no move to get any closer to her broom, her shoulders relaxed slightly. She had wanted Céilidh to know she was taking this seriously, thinking things through and finding a real reason to continue... especially since she wasn't doing this for Bobby anymore. She wasn't doing it for anyone. Although, she had to admit, there were a few people she certainly wouldn't mind flying with.

"Whin yer doon 'ere oan th' ground," the Scot continued, "a' sorts o' hings kin block yer view. Bit up thare," Céilidh's face turned skyward with a look that bordered on reverence, "ye kin see a' th' different directions ye micht wantae go. 'N' howfur gey wee stands in yer wey."

Though she was relatively certain it would take more than a broom ride to really figure out where she wanted to go, she gave a little nod. During their last lesson she thought she'd found just a taste of that freedom Cee seemed to enjoy so much. "How are you going to keep me from crashing if we're on separate brooms?" she asked finally, a hint of a smile starting to show.

Cee reached out and patted Rose on the cheek while pressing the broom back in the blonde's hands with the other. "Ye'r nay gaun tae crash, lass. A'll be richt neist tae ye."

"'N' b'sides," she added, once again mounting her broom, "A'm teaching ye how tae fly. A dinnae ken how tae crash."

"You're awfully confident." In a perverse way, it was amost enjoyable to imagine that today might be the first time. But she mounted the broom anyway. "Do I even want to know where this extra broom came from?"

The redhead smiled as she kicked off the ground, rising up into the chilly air. "Tis mah auld yin. It disnae ken how tae crash either."

She pursed her lips to the side, looking down at the broom in her hands. "Yeah... but its rider does know how." Sitting on it all by herself, she suddenly found that she had forgotten everything Cee had tried so hard to teach her. "Maybe you should do a lap or two to encourage me."

"Alricht," Cee said, handing Rose her broom. The tiny blonde looked confused... at least until the Gryffindor shimmered into the form of the crimson-crested eagle. With two powerful beats of her golden brown wings she was airborn. A few more beats put her midfield of the pitch where it seemed as though she pivoted on a knut and shot straight up, not leveling off again until she was near the top edge of the stands. Dipping one wingtip towards the ground, the golden eagle cut a wide arc around the goalposts and dived directly at the blonde Ravenclaw.

Ambrosia didn't flinch. She didn't even so much as blink as the animagus pulled up sharply, executing an Immleman that would have made her grandfather proud. Winging her way through the goalposts one more time, Cee sped to the opposite end of the pitch in a tight corkscrew. She punched through the center hoop before arcing back down to where Rose stood watching the impromptu airshow.

Flaring out her wings, Cee shimmered back to normal just as she touched down. She took her broom back from Rose with a wink, "Wis that enouch frae ye?"

The blonde could only shake her head. "You're such a boy sometimes," she laughed. But the point was taken. Whatever it was that made flying so addictive to Céilidh, it was strong enough to have shown up in her animagus form. A form Rose knew from her limited knowledge on the subject, that the redhead had not gotten to choose.

"Well... let's get up there. I'm really looking forward to freezing my butt off with you today." Sticking her tongue out at her friend, she gathered up her courage for the hardest thing she'd ever had to do... kicking off the ground all on her own.

"Juist think o' howfur muckle better it will be tae ride whin the weather's nicer," Cee said as she scuffed at the hard ground and rose lazily into the air to wait for Ambrosia. Emerald eyes twinkled under an arched brow, "'N' howfur better it will be wi' whoever it wis ye git lost in th' maze wi'."

"Wait. What?" Caught off-guard, the tiny Ravenclaw's first solo flight lasted all of a second before she found herself back on the ground, tripping and nearly falling off the broom. Trying again, she managed to get herself into the air in record time as she hurried to catch up to the redhead.

"I wasn't lost in the maze," she tried to clarify, conveniently forgetting that she'd woken up in the Gryffindor common room on November first. "I was just... in there..."

"Riiicht." Amused skepticism painted Céilidh's face as she glanced over her shoulder at Rose. The blonde's denial was cute in a way, and since getting Rose on a broom by herself was enough stress at the moment, Céilidh decided not to press the issue. Well, not too much anyway. Having slowed enough for Rose to catch up, she side-slipped, giving the blonde a little bump. "Weel, whatever ye wer daein', 'n' whoever ye wer daein' it wi', tis certainly improved yer outlook. Ye'r nae meant tae be plodding aboot th' halls bein' a' maudlin 'n' such."

Her knuckles were already white from gripping the broom so tightly, being bumped certainly didn't help. Rose flashed her friend a quick, halfhearted glare. "When have I been plodding?" she protested. Most people seemed to think that her mood had actually improved without the weight of a struggling relationship on her shoulders. And it wasn't like she hadn't been having fun. Planning the party with Danny had been the highlight of her October.

"Sorry," Cee apologized, "mibbie plodding wisnae th' richt wird. Tis juist guid tae see ye really smiling again." They were halfway around the pitch when Céilidh increased her angle of ascent slightly to give them more altitude. "Aside frae Tommy's mask backfiring, th' pairtie wis grand. Ye 'n' Danny mak' a guid team."

The tiny blonde's face broke into a bright smile. Failing to even notice their climb, she nodded happily. "We do. And it was so much fun. And I know it's mean, but I almost wish I'd been there to see Tommy's mask."

"Och, nae, ye didnae wantae be thare," Céilidh shook her head. One lap complete and a little more altitude. Keeping Rose focused on something other than the fact that she was so high off the ground seemed to be working well. "He 'n' Lando cam near tae blows. Ah hud tae drag him aff juist tae calm him doon."

That part might have been a bit of an overstatement. If anyone was going to do violence upon her brother Scot, the most likely candidate would have been Céilidh herself. The prank crossed a line in her opinion, and though Tommy had recovered well enough - with her help of course - she was still slightly miffed at Orlando. If there was one thing the fire-haired girl could do, it was hold a grudge.

"Oh my goodness..." She shook her head, stray curls blowing across her face. "For a night that was supposed to be just a good time with friends... we sure had a lot of drama. Of course, I still win the prize since I'm the one who can't remember the last half of the night."

"We're weans 'Brosia. Ye cannae huv ah pairty wi'oot ah wee bit o' drama." They had reached the top wall of the pitch. Instead of circling around for another lap, Céilidh broke off and headed towards the castle, climbing higher in the sky as they went.

Rose stuck to Cee's side as though they were tethered together. Even though the day was a gray one, colors seemed to pop all around beneath them. Deep greens and rusty oranges mixed with blue-grays and lighter shades to paint a very impressionistic landscape below. The mottled patterns were reflected even in the clouds, giving the sky something of a white-washed reflection of the ground.

The redhead looked over to Ambrosia with a mischievous smile, "Sae... does this lack o' recollection huv anything tae dae wi' yer mystery laddy? Or crashing in th' Gryffindor tower that nicht?"

"Well if I could remember him he wouldn't be a mystery boy, now would he?" The blonde stuck her tongue out at her friend. "And it's not funny."

Céilidh tilted her head back in laughter. "Aye, tis. Looks lik' A've been a guid influence oan ye."

Those golden brows knit in a quizzical little frown. "How is this your influence? You don't make a habit of doing things you probably should remember with mystery boys. Or do you?" she teased.

"If A did, how wid A mynd?" the Gryffindor shot back. "'Sides, A hiv mah mystery lad, 'n' A prefer tae mynd whit we dae thgither." It was Céilidh's turn to stick her tongue out, and she did so with relish.

"Na, whit A meant wis takin' risks. Daein' hings oot o' yer comfort zone. Wid lest year's 'Brosia huv lost trak o' herself at a pairtie 'n' woken up in someone else's common room?"

It wasn't that she wanted to think she was the same as last year. But Rose knew she hadn't taken after Cee's example that much. "It doesn't count as taking risks if I wasn't in my right mind to know I was taking them. Someone spiked the punch or something and it hit me hard. It's not like I made a choice to go off in the maze with a boy."

That brought the redhead up short. So much so, that she jerked her broom to a sudden stop.

"Ye waur ah wee loopy whan Tommy 'n' A oxtert ye up tae oor common room but, urr ye saying ye didnae gang willingly?" Of Céilidh's many personality traits, fierce loyalty was very near the top. The very idea of something untoward happening to Ambrosia set her to flash boil.

"You think I'd really go that far out of my comfort zone?" The Ravenclaw came to a much slower stop and turned to face her friend. "I didn't set out to get 'loopy' or do things that I can't remember in the maze... with a boy I can't remember. And what's worse than not remembering is being afraid that someone else will remember for me. I think I'd have to die of embarrassment if someone else knew before I did. So I've been trying to think about other things, my studies and my friends. But it's hard." She paused and took a deep breath. Then a hint of a smile returned to her face as she changed the subject. "Kinda like trying not to think about how high we are right now."

The redhead wasn't quite ready to let the subject drop, however. "'Brosia, ye dinnae think... A mean naethin happened, richt? Efter a' ye wur acting ferr friendly..."

"Of course not!" she protested, but she couldn't quite meet her friend's eyes. "...I think."

A sense of relief, tempered though it was, washed over the Gryffindor. "Och, A think ye'd ken," she said absently.

"Huh?"

"Ne'er mynd," Cee drifted her broom over to Rose, leaned out and hugged her fiercely. "Gif thare's anything, anything ye need, A'll be thare."

Rose returned the hug with slightly less enthusiasm than she normally would. After all, hugging while on a broom was a brand new skill. "Thank you. I don't really need anything right now... but if I do you'll be the first one I call. I think I'm just gonna let this be a Halloween to forget." That wasn't entirely true. She was going to find out what happened to her. But she was going to do it alone. She had to. "I have more than enough good things to think about. We've got the tourney. And Danny invited me to some family dinner thing in November. And of course I'm still helping him keep the Ravenclaw team all organized."

Céilidh's look was a dubious one. "Ye'r sure ye'r okay?"

"Cross my heart," she promised. "If I didn't let last year get me down I'm certainly not going to let one night make me freak out."

"A'richt..." the redhead replied. Despite Ambrosia's assurances, her mind reeled with possibilities, none of them good. In Céilidh's mind there were far worse things for girls their age to worry about than what they went through at the end of last term. But, just the same as before this new revelation, Céilidh knew that pressing the issue wouldn't help.

She let out a sigh, then squared her shoulders, forcing herself back to the here and now. "A'richt," she said again, "here's the coorse: We tap th' astronomy tower, dive doon tae th' Black Loch, cut ah wide circle ower Hagrid's hut, grab ah leaf frae th' treetops o' th' Forbidden Forrest, then land midfield oan the Quiditch pitch. Hou's that sound?"

Since she wasn't willing to let go of the broom long enough to chew on a curl, Rose bit her lip. She was grateful that Cee had let the matter of Halloween drop. Not that she didn't appreciate the concern. In fact, she was going to give her friend a real hug once they were on solid ground. But it was time to focus on the lesson... or at least talk about Céilidh for a while. "I... okay. I can do that." She gave the redhead a quick, nervous smile. "You're not going to make me race you, are you?"

In spite the past few minutes, Céilidh laughed out loud. She covered her mouth with a hand, offering a muffled, "Sorry." The redhead drifted away slightly, increasing the gap between them. "Ye'r nae furr thare yet, luv. Ye ur gaun tae tak' th' lead, though."

Rose didn't find anything even remotely offensive in the redhead's laughter. "Cee... the day I'm ready to race you will be the day I decide to give up on boys entirely and start dating you."

Highly nervous about this whole 'taking the lead' thing, she set off on a course to the toward the astronomy tower. The air was cooler up here and found herself very thankful she'd remembered to wear her fuzzy knit hat. Though she fully intended to follow the course Cee had set out for her, the blonde stopped short as she reached the top of the tower. The view from up here was incredible. And somehow different now that she was on a broom by herself. Looking out, she could see all of her favorite spots, all the places she shared with her favorite people. And suddenly, she wanted to share this too.

"Wow..." was all she could say, still frozen in her flight.

"'N' thare it is," Céilidh said to herself with a note of pride. "Ur ye okay, 'Brosia?" she asked, already knowing the answer. For all the fussing and fighting, cajoling and complaining, Ambrosia finally understood.

Céilidh's words brought Rose back to reality. The delight in discovery faded slightly. She seeing something that nearly every single one of her friends had seen long before. There was no one she could share this with who couldn't say, "yes, I know". Sadly, with the possible exception of Nicolette, her friends had probably all enjoyed flights with a significant other.

But the flight wasn't over. With a small smile, she tilted the nose of the broom downward and began her very hesitant dive toward the lake. Again she found herself slowing down to enjoy the new perspective. "I bet I could totally feed Godric a ton of brownies from up here."

"Ye named th' squid Godric?" Céilidh asked from behind.

"I didn't name him anything. That's his name," the blonde replied loftily, well aware of what the majority of her friends thought about her obsession with Godric the Squid.

She'd heard the legend before, of course, but was not aware of Ambrosia's belief in it. Cee thought about it as they glided over the steel-gray surface of the lake and shrugged. With all the mysteries that Hogwarts held, why not? The image of the squid floating near the surface like a puppy waiting for a treat was absurdly heartwarming, and completely a Rose thing to do. "A didnae ken he liked brownies. Soond's fin, actually."

Rose stared at her friend, trying not to fall of the broom in shock. "I think it is." The smile on her face was nearly enough to warm the day. "Maybe you could come with me sometime. He's really fond of stale brownies. I guess because the fresh ones get too soggy in the water. But he's a great catch. Was he a Quidditch player back when he was all human?" she asked, forgetting once again that she should really be more concerned about being on such a precarious perch over the freezing cold lake.

Céilidh frowned. The question was more suited for Sam, really. Their Hufflepuff friend was more well versed in Quidditch history than just about anyone else she new. The redhead shrugged finally, "A dinnae ken aboot Gryffindor ever playing Quidditch... A dae ken he wis ah helluva duelist. A kin talk tae Gerti aboot gettin' oor hands oan some brownies."

The blonde nodded. "That would be wonderful. My mom hasn't had as much time to bake lately with that whole taking care of my sister thing and stuff." Her green eyes grew soft as she stared out over the murky waters. "I keep hoping that I'll really get to see him one of these days. You know, like before we're done with school. But maybe it'll always be a mystery."

"Aye, mebbe..." Maybe the legend was real, and maybe it wasn't, but it certainly planted the seed of an idea. Something for later, the redhead thought to herself, down the road...

Ambrosia peeled away from the lake and made for the cottage that was the home of the school's groundskeeper, Hagrid. From their vantage point the house looked every bit like an over-sized mushroom, squat with a cream-colored stalk and brown cap. The vast garden was still dotted here and there with orange, but no longer held its usual bounty of gigantic pumpkins, all but a few having been harvested for the Halloween festivities at the castle. A great bushy mass poked out from one of the windows, waving as they circled.

In a supreme act of bravery, Rose took one hand off the broom to wave back. Then, since she didn't automatically die, she did it again with a little more enthusiasm. Smiling broadly from the success of her first solo flight, the tiny blonde pressed on. The trees of the Forbidden Forest looked different from above, still massive but somehow less foreboding. It all made her want to see more... or at least complain less next time.

Remembering her assignment, she reached out one hand to grab a leaf as proof that she wasn't still in bed dreaming. Risking a look over her shoulder at Cee, she smiled at the redhead then began the short flight back to the pitch.

As they neared the oval of the stadium, Céilidh pulled up next to Ambrosia. For a long time the redhead simply watched her friend, a warm smile enhanced by cheeks reddened by the chilly air. Descending into the confines of the pitch, Rose looked over at her instructor. "What are you grinning at?"

"Nae ah thing, lass. Nae ah thing at aw."

"Mmmhmm..." Deciding to make it easy on her friend, Rose gave in and asked her next question. "So. When's our next lesson?" Even as the words left her lips, she caught herself glancing back up at the sky. The ride had been cold and she still wasn't entirely sure she wasn't going to crash and die... but, strangely enough, she was looking forward to more.

Cee raised an eyebrow as they neared the ground, "Really depends oan hou well ye land, lass..."

"Oh." She'd really been trying not to think about that part. She'd done the whole landing thing with Cee. And, of course, she'd seen it done many times. "Um... maybe we should just fly a little bit more. Just... for practice!" Her tone held a faint note of panic.

Céilidh pulled up, slowing to an abrupt stop within the small circle that marked midfield. Hopping from her broom, she called to Rose, who continued on towards the goal posts, "Gif ye'r wantin tae ditch, Ah'd suggest ye bide a wee til ye git tae th' sand aboot th' goals. Tis ah wee softer than th' grund, whit wi it bein' frozent an aw."

"I'm not going to ditch!" she snapped, biting her lip in concentration. Coming about in a slow circle, she focused on the midfield mark and pictured herself making a landing like her friend's. It looked good in her head. In reality, it was much less graceful. The stop was rough, to say the least, but at least she landed on her feet. Hands aching, Rose let go of the broom handle and flashed a shaky smile. "I'm on the ground, right? Please tell me I didn't just die."

It took Céilidh a moment to realize she'd been holding her breath watching Rose come in for her landing. She exhaled slowly, her breath condencing in a steady stream then rising past her face. It certainly wasn't a textbook landing, but as her Grandda always said, any landing you can walk away from...

"Nae, lass, ye didnae dee. In fact, Ah'd gie ye ah solit seven oot o' ten. Congrats lass!" Cee pulled Rose into a crushing hug, "Ye hiv successfully graduated frae th' MacAllister Schuil o' Flyin." Holding the blonde out at arms length, she then said, "Nou, tak aff yer coat 'n' fotch aboot."

Stunned by the hug, Rose could only laugh. "Graduated? What?" But she did as instruced and took off her warm coat, slowly turning her back on her friend.

Taking out her wand, Cee reached over and pulled up the back of Rose's sweater to reveal the undershirt below. "Diffindo!" she gave her wand a little flick and very neatly cut the back out of Rose's turtleneck. The flap of fabric fluttered towards the ground, but the redhead snatched it from the air, pulling Rose's sweater back down in the process. With the cloth clutched in her hand, Cee turned a wide-eyed Ambrosia around.

"Thar," she said, "nou tis official."

"What... why...?" The blonde was now incapable of completing a sentence. "What is?"

"Tis ah Muggle tradeetion amang aviators," Céilidh explained. "Ance ah flyer feenisht thair first solo flight, thair instructor wad cut th' tail o' thair shirt aff 'n' keep it as ah souvenir."

"You cut my shirt for a Muggle tradition? It's a good thing I love you." Feeling a little strange about her ripped shirt, she reached out and gave the redhead another hug. As she pulled away and reached for her coat there was a faint look of worry in her eyes. "So when you say graduated... do you mean like... we're done?"

"Whit A mean," Céilidh began, shouldering her broom, "is that ye hae th' basics nou. Th' rest tis up tae ye." The duo walked arm in arm, leaving the stadium behind them and heading back up to the castle. "Ye still need practeese, tae be shuir lass, 'n' A'll be mair than happy tae fly wit ye ony time ye want. Bit nae mair cauld mornin's gif ye dinnae want."

Rose walked in silence with her friend as she thought about it. "I like flying with you," she said finally. "It's been nice. We don't do a lot of things just us." Then, giving Cee's arm a little squeeze, she added, "Besides, I'm always gonna need to borrow your broom."

"Aye, tis guid tae hiv some girl time ance 'n' ah while," the redhead agreed with a nod. "Bit A dinnaken aboot borraein my bruim whan ye hae ah bruim o' yer own sittin richt oan yer shoulder."

"Wait. My... What...?" Stopping abruptly, the tiny prefect seemed to have lost her ability to walk, or form a complete sentence. "You're not serious."

Céilidh grinned. It was one of those surprises she was holding in reserve, and the effect it had on her friend was well worth it. "Oh aye," she nodded. "Win Tommy geid me th' Nimbus, A fand myself wit ah owerplus o' bruims. 'N' A cannae think o' onybody ilse wha wad gie it ah better hame."

The redhead's eyes fell to the broom pertched on Ambrosia's shoulder. Recalling every loop, roll, and twist, and many other moves that there weren't names for yet, she honestly couldn't think of a person more suited for it. A... A ken tis nae new an aw... But A want ye tae hiv it."

Since she wasn't done being speechless, Rose did the only thing she could in the moment. Still holding the broom in one hand, she threw her arms around Cee and hugged her tightly. "Ohmygosh Cee! This is the nicest thing..." Bouncing a little, the blonde hugged her friend again. "Thank you!"

Finally letting the Gryffindor girl breathe, the tiny prefect took a minute to really examine her new broom. It had personality. And it was beautiful! "I can't wait to fly with Danny. And Tommy! And you too, a lot!"

While Ambrosia looked over her broom, Céilidh eyed the little blonde speculatively. There was something in what Rose had just said that clicked into place in the back of her mind. Something from another conversation... She would have to see what Tommy thought.

"Mebbe we can mak ah date oot o' it? Juist th' fower o' us?"

Rather than pause to examine sudden rush of excitement that came with that one little word, Rose tried to laugh it off. "Let some boys in on our girl time? I'm not so sure..." She flashed the redhead a quick impish grin. "But as long as you're there to keep me from making a fool of myself I suppose it'll be okay."

"Dinnae cark, lue, e'en gif ye ur gawkie, th' baith o' thaim ur owert afeart o' me tae say onything aboot it." Céilidh gave Rose a reassuring squeeze.

"Well, that helps... a little," she giggled, nudging her friend with her shoulder. "But Tommy's not exactly afraid of you... it's more... not afraid... just..." She gave up and smiled at Cee. "Okay. Maybe he's afraid."

Absently running her fingers along the handle of her new broom, Rose caught herself wondering if it was against some serious Quidditchy rules to give it a name. "You know," she began suddenly. "I never did ask where you and your frightened boyfriend snuck away to on Halloween. I didn't see you for a long time."

If her cheeks hadn't already been flushed from the chill, Ambrosia would have experienced one of those rare moments when Céilidh actually blushed. They'd reached the castle by now and Cee used the opportunity to try and deflect the question. "We wis aboot," she said a little too evasively, then added, "Wit say we get something tae warm us up?"

"That sounds great. And a donut." But she wasn't about to be distracted so easily. "Then we can go someplace private and you can tell me more about this 'aboot'," she added with a wicked little grin.

[Céilidh MacAllister]

Céilidh was impressed as she looked around the small room. She'd always heard about the come and go room, but never bothered to actively search out the rumors. It was surprisingly girly, with a pair of comfortable looking chairs nestled close to a cheery fire that warmed the small space but not overly so. A pair of steaming mugs sat next to a pile of Ambrosia's favorite pink frosted donuts, all atop a delicate looking side table, its spindly legs sunk into the deep pile of plush carpeting that covered the floor.

"'Brosia, this room tis richt grand." The redhead sank into one of the chairs, pulling a small pillow into her lap and reaching for her mug.

"It didn't look like this last time," she confessed. "I was um... trying to make a cake for Danny's birthday and the room was a huge kitchen." Quicking hiding a blush behind a large bite of donut, she looked out at the warm room around them. It was amazing really... the perfect place to take a nap, or have a heart to heart talk. "This is much nicer though."

"Aye," Cee agreed. "A dinnaken aboot th' lace oan th' draperies, seems ah bit much." It was rare that Céilidh ever had to run a delaying tactic. In fact, it was generally always the opposite. It felt odd. Unnatural.

"Céilidh MacAllister! We did not come in here to talk a bout the draperies." Crossing her arms over her chest, the tiny Ravenclaw gave her friend a very stern look. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were stalling."

The redhead put on her most innocent face, only to be countered by the flaming blush that colored her cheeks and making her freckled nearly disappear, "A dinnaken whit ye'r talkin aboot, 'Brosia." She took a long drink, seeming to find the bottom of her mug the most interesting thing in the world at that moment.

Rose leaned forward eagerly, stopping just short of actually taking the cup from Cee's hands. "Okay, now I know something happened. You've got to tell me. Or I'll... trick it out of Tommy somehow." She wasn't exactly sure how she'd accomplish that... but she'd find a way. After all, whatever it was that had happened seemed to be a good thing.

"Weel..." Cee hesitated, her face nearly matching the color of her hair now, "A drew Tommy awa frae Fooze 'n' Danny. Tommy wis mair fasht frae th' mask joke than he'd let oan tae th' lads, sae A wantit tae help calm him doun." Céilidh could hardly believe she was telling Rose all this. For as much as she knew, Tommy hadn't spoken to anyone about it, and given the way Lando and Danny were, she was sure she'd have heard some joke at their expense by now. She hoped beyond hope that Ambrosia wouldn't tell anyone else...

"A suggested we tak tae wing, 'n' fly aboot. We baith teuk oor ither shapes 'n' flew up aroond th' pitch frae ah bit afore landing up in th' stands."

The little prefect smiled. It was a romantic picture already. But she knew there was more to it. "Céilidh... how did you calm him down?" she asked with almost genuine sounding innocence.

"A seem tae hae mynd o' ah certaint somebody that tellt me ah lass daesna kiss 'n' tell."

That was enough to give Rose's suspicions a shove in the right direction. "But you weren't just kissing," she prompted smugly.

"Nae... Ye mynd howfur A said earlier? Ye ken, that ye'd ken?" The redhead's eyes twinkled as the little blonde nodded, her eyes widening with the sudden realization of exactly what her friend was talking about. There was no point in hiding anymore. "Och, 'Brosia twas..."

"Like the books?"

"Nae..."

"Better?"

"Different."

"How?"

"Mair..."

"...windblown?"

"Nae, tho twas cauld... 'n' sweltrie aw at th' same time." Some of the flush was leaving Céilidh's face now as she recalled that night. "Twas aw that ye coud imagine, plus some."

Reaching around their now empty mugs, Rose pulled her friend into a hug. After all, there was only one important question left. "Are you going to do it again?"

Cee smiled sheepishly, "Aye. A mean, A'd like tae. Th' fairst time wis o'er sae swippert..." Céilidh paused, frowning when Rose giggled. "Nae like that... weel, aye, twas ah bit, but that's nae hou A meant it. A ween th' neist time willna be as pynefu aither."

"So it really did hurt?" Now it was Rose's turn to blush a little. Despite a vivid imagination about the subject --thanks to her collection of romance novels-- she had very little practical experience. Of course, she reminded herself with a small amount of envy, it wasn't like she had anyone to be experienced with at the moment.

Cee nodded. "Aye. But anely ah wee bit at th' stairt. Efter 'at, twas purty amazing."

Half relaxing, half melting into the corner of her chair, the blonde gave a dreamy little sigh. "I knew it would be." Then, realizing she just said that out loud, she straightened slightly and blushed again. "And I'm really happy for you guys. You're good for each other. And not just for that."

"Thanks, 'Brosia. A think we are tae." Céilidh agreed. She reached out for her mug, which had somehow managed to refill itself. The coffee was hot, but not overly so, and had just the right amount of cream and sugar to be to her liking. Obviously, it was another of the room's mysteries, along with the plate of donuts that, despite the few the girls had consumed, still held a baker's dozen.

Céilidh felt good, even though the revelation had been an awkward one. Tommy was the love of her life and Danny and Orlando were the closest she could get to having brothers; she knew there wasn't anything she couldn't tell them but... A very special bond was growing and it was nice to have someone who wasn't a boy to talk to.

She reached out and took Rose's hand in her own, "Nou we juist hivta find ye th' richt lad."

Rose smiled at her friend for a minute. Maybe it was the magic of the room. Or maybe it was just because she liked Cee... and not just as Tommy's girlfriend. The redhead was someone she could count on, someone she trusted to be compassionate and practical. So she was someone she didn't have to lie to. "That would be nice," Rose admitted with a sigh, abandoing her 'I'll just stay single' stance. "But the boys aren't exactly lining up to date me here..."

Cee nearly choked on her coffee. "Ur ye blind, lass?" She asked between coughing and hacking. Finally able to get herself under control, she eyed the blonde as though she was starting to sprout a second head. "Dae ye nae see th' way ivery lad in th' schuil watches ye as ye pass by?"

"Do we go to the same school?" Rose stared at her friend, wondering if there was something in that coffee that was making her a little crazy. "It doesn't matter anyway," she shrugged it off. "I don't want just any boy; I want the right one."

Ah, there it was, the real reason for myopia. Ambrosia, ever the romantic, wasn't just looking for a boy, she was looking for the boy. And until that boy - whoever the lucky lad was - crossed her path, all other suitors would be out of sight-out of mind. Cee smiled and gave a understanding nod. "A git that. A'm juist fond tae see wha th' lad micht be."

"Me too." The blonde gave a half smile. "But don't worry. He'll be someone good for me. Like you and Tommy are for each other." A thought hit her and she grinned in her friend in sudden understanding. "Except when you get each other sick by being naked outdoors. Ohmygosh, I can't believe we didn't suspect..."

"'N' A'd apprise it gif ye kept this 'tween us."

"Of course." Rose looked almost hurt that Cee even had to mention it. "I'm glad you told me. And I really hope I wasn't pushy about it. Because that was special, and between you guys, and no one else needs to know about it. You know?"

"A ken, A juist..." It was an awkward feeling. Cee knew that Rose wouldn't intentionally say anything, but having it verbalized rather than simply understood made her feel more comfortable about letting Rose in on the secret. "Tis juist that A ken Tommy's hasna telt ony ither body..."

In that moment it didn't matter that she hadn't met the right boy, or that she still had to figure out the mysteries of Halloween night. Right now she was with a friend who trusted her, who shared a private and beautiful moment with her. "My lips are totally sealed, Cee." She reached out to take the other girl's hand. "I promise I won't even bring it up again... unless you need to talk about it."

Céilidh smiled and gave the blonde's hand a squeeze. "Thank ye, lue. It means th' world tae me that ye understand." The smile turned mischeivious as she gave Rose an impish wink, "'N' wha kens? Neist time mebbe ye kin regale me whit tales o' yer own romantic adventures..."

"We'll see..." Though she wasn't feeling exactly hopeful on the subject, Rose couldn't help but smile. "But don't hold your..." Her words trailed off suddenly, a frown creasing her brow before she could hide it. The glowing cobwebs were back.

"Whit... Whit's th' maiter? Tae mony a th' donuts?"

Blinking somewhat exaggeratedly, Rose shook her head. "No," she said quickly. "I've just been having a problem with my eyes. It's nothing."

Concern was beginning to set in now. Céilidh slipped out of her chair and grabbed the cool glass of water that had appeared on the side table. She offered the glass to her friend, "It daesna luik like naething, hen." Near the fire there was a chaise that Cee was fairly certain had not been there when they came in. "Mebbe ye shuild lay doun."

"That doesn't help," she admitted before she could stop herself. She didn't look up at her friend, didn't move. "It just happens sometimes. I even asked Forster if he knew of any cases of like longterm effects of the Cruciatus Curse but he said he didn't know of anything." It felt weird to be talking about this. But Céilidh had shared a secret with her... so maybe it was time to share a little bit in return.

"'Brosia, ye'r stairtin' tae worry me. Whit's gaein on?"

"Promise not to tell!"

All things considered, Céilidh couldn't help but smile a little smile. "A promise."

The blonde took a deep breath then plunged in. "At first I thought it was just weird dreams but now I think it might be my eyes because they go funny sometimes and I see these light trail thingies but it usually just goes away so I'm sure it's nothing to freak out about too much, right?" Taking another breath, she risked a quick look at her friend.

Céilidh set the glass back down and pulled a small footstool over, sat down and took both of Ambrosia's hands in her own. "That aw went by ah wee bit fast, 'Brosia. Whit dae ye see, 'n' daes it hurt... or daes it juist frichten ye?"

Forcing herself to slow down, Rose clung to Cee's hands. "It doesn't hurt. It doesn't feel like anything at all really. Except when it makes me dizzy. It's just... seeing stuff..."

Cee nodded, "Okay... whit is it ye'r seein' exactly?"

"Light. Sorta. Kinda like strings, or spiderwebs, or cords or something," she sighed, knowing that was the least helpful explanation ever. "But they come and go."

"'N' that's whit ye'r seein' nou?" The little blonde nodded "'N' whit are they daein?"

For some reason the question made her laugh. Letting go of some of the tension in her tiny frame, Rose shook her head again. "They don't do anything. They just kinda hang there. Sometimes, if there are a lot of people around, they kinda move. But right now everything's still."

Céilidh relaxed slightly. The fact that her friend was seeing phantom strings was still a little unnerving, but since they didn't seem to be harmful - at least for the moment - it was something they could try to work through. "Tis thare onything specific aboot richt nou?"

She wasn't used to focusing on the lights. Usually it was quite the opposite. Biting her lip, the Ravenclaw looked down at her torso then followed the glowing cord out to where it seemed to pass into her friend. "Nope. Just hanging there."

Cee followed her friend's gaze, curiosity beating back the tiny surge of panic that she might be effected by whatever it was Rose saw. Her mind started working, "Thare's ane atween us richt nou? Tis different frae ony ither?"

"No. Well... kinda." Rose put a hand over her eyes, trying to force away the headace that threatened to spring if she kept staring at the lights. "It's just the most... prominent. There are others all over. But this one is kinda... noticeable."

Céilidh didn't want to cause Rose any discomfort, but she had the feeling that this was the first time the tiny blonde had talked her way through one of these... episodes this far. "Tis th' anely ane connectit tae ye or me?"

She didn't want to open her eyes again. But she had to if she was going to answer the question. "No," she said after a moment. "There are lots. It's like a crazy spiderweb. We just have the one between us... if that makes sense."

It was clear from the look on the redhead's face that it did not make sense. With a groan, Rose stared at the glowing strands she saw around her friend as she tried to make things at least somewhat understandable. "We have more than just one coming off of us. Everyone does... I think. But right now, this one..." She waved a hand between them, passing through the cord she knew Cee couldn't see. "This one is the really noticeable one."

"Okay..." The image of a great phantom spiderweb stretching across the castle with the students at the junctions formed in Céilidh's mind. The question was, "Nou whit?"

"It always goes away." Though she wasn't quite sure that one other time could count as 'always'. "I just have to wait for it to clear before I try to walk anywhere. But otherwise... what else can I do?"

"Weel... ye coud try talkin tae ane o' th' perfessers aboot it."

"If it starts getting bad or something, I will." Rose promised. "But right now it's just there. So nothing to worry about." She flashed her friend what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

Céilidh felt that not going to a professor immediately was a phenomenally bad idea, but she wouldn't pressure Rose. Nag her, perhaps, but no pressure. She shrugged, giving Rose's hands a squeeze, "If ye say sae, lass. Juist promise me that ye'll talk tae somebody if it gits ony worse."

"I promise." After all, 'worse' could mean so many things.

[Tom Llewelyn]

The sun was slowly sinking down behind the Forbidden Forrest and the chill of the Scotland evening seeped through the walls of the castle. Tom shuddered a little at the draft crept through the ancient castle. He liked sitting in the seventh-floor landing near the painting of Godric Gryffindor.

"Cee said she was going to come with me to visit him," Rose said, pointing up at the portrait. The little blonde's solution to the chill was to pack a blanket with her in the evenings. So, bundled up like a fuzzy yellow blob, she sat with her oldest friend as they continued their unofficial tradition of meeting to relax in each other's company and talk about the week.

"Oh yeah?" Tom looked up from his books and smiled, "When? I would love to see what happens."

"I'm not telling you," the tiny Ravenclaw answered with a toss of her curls. "This is super private girl time and you're a boy."

"Obviously you never heard about that duel between me and Nic," he said under his breath as he looked back down at his book.

Rose's green eyes sparkled with exaggerated innocence. "What was that, Tommy? I'm not sure I heard you. And I know you'd never keep things from me." Almost ashamed of the way she was pushing, she quickly looked back down at her novel.

Tom gave a cough, "Sorry was just clearing my throat. Still getting over that bloody cold."

"Oh right. That cough." If possible, the blonde looked even more innocent. "You both got that right after Halloween, right? It's funny though. We thought we did such a good job of keeping the maze warm enough."

"Yeah, I know..." his voice trailed off as he found a massive amount of interest in his trainers.

Once again, Rose felt a tiny bit guilty. After all, it really was a good thing that he wasn't talking about his night with Cee. It showed that it was very special to him. And maybe boys didn't really talk about this sort of thing with girls. But... she wasn't just any girl. So she was going to have to try harder. "I had a really nice talk with Cee the other day..."

"Yeah?" Tom looked back up at Rose, "That's good."

She resisted the urge to pout. "You two are really good together, you know. And you make her happy. Well... when you're not fighting. But that never lasts long, thank goodness."

"You're right on that luv," he laughed, "the making up is pretty nice though."

"Oh is it?" Leaning in closer, her elbows on her knees, Rose decided to try again. "I miss having somseone to make up with. The heart to heart talks... the kissing... and stuff..." Barely able to hold back a smile, she watched his face intently for any signs that he might be cracking.

Tom's eyebrows knitted together. "Rose, what are you on about? What did Cee..." Tom's eyes widened, "she didn't?"

"Didn't what?" she asked a little too sweetly.

"She did!"

The blonde giggled and reached out to pat his hand. "And you're a good boyfriend for not telling me. But since I know anyway..."

Tom turned a rather deep shade of red. His eyes fidgeted around the room. "It wasn't anything, like planned or anything."

Her tiny fingers remained curled around his. "Well it's not like I thought you were out to seduce her or something. Though that's kinda romantic too. But later."

"It was pretty..." Tom sighed, "intense." A smile grew on his lips as his thoughts went back. "And amazing."

The smile grew on her lips. "Of course it was. It was the two of you. And... in case you were wondering... that's pretty much what she said too."

Tom's smile grew wider for a moment then faded a little, "Pretty much?"

Now it was the blonde's turn to blush a little. "There might have been a few more details that I'm never ever going to share with you even when I finally find someone who I want to do... that with."

"Heh," Tom rubbed his face with the palm of his hand, "I'm not going to lie, it was a little..." he struggles with the right words, "weird."

"Mmm-hmm," Rose nodded, caught up in her own daydreams on the subject. Then, slowly, his actual words started to sink in. "Wait! Weird?" The blanket slipped from her shoulders as she forced him to look at her.

"What I mean is," grunted a little as he sat upright, "It wasn't what I was expecting. It was great," he said almost immediately, seeing the look on Rose's face, "but it wasn't what I expected."

"What do you mean?" In a heartbeat she was chewing on her hair, worrying that he was going to spoil all her romantic dreams.

"It was an amazing moment," Tom smiled brightly, "don't get me wrong. I think it brought Cee and I even closer, you know along with the cold thing," Tom laughed.

Rose wasn't going to let it go. "But what wasn't what you expected?"

Tom started laughing. The laughing roared into a snort, "I expected my mum to apparate in right in the middle, and..." he snorted again, "and strike me dead on the ruddy spot."

"Ohmygosh..." Giggling uncontrollably, she leaned against her friend as she couldn't help but imagine that scene. "Lucky for you, you're dating Cee. She'll kill anyone who even tries to strike you dead," she laughed.

Tom snorted again, still laughing uncontrollably. "Couldn't you just see that?"

She couldn't breathe. But it felt so good. "Ew. Well now I can." Beating him with the corner of her blanket, she gasped for air but couldn't stop laughing. "That is not something I want to picture."

Tom was laughing even harder now. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. "It would be so tragic," he wheezed still trying to catch his breath and calm down.

"To say the least." It was moments like these that reminded Rose that no matter how old they got, no matter what changed in their lives, Tommy would always be her closest friend. Reaching out with her blanket, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "But I guess you'd die happy."

"Yes Ambrosia," his laugh slowed for a moment, "I would most certainly die very happy," he roared with laughter again.

Since she was still hugging him, it made it so easy. Still laughing, Rose poked her fingers into his side, hitting the perfect spot on his ribs. "You are such a boy!"

Tom wriggled still laughing, "Hey stop that," he choked, "you know I'm ticklish there."

"You are? Really? Right there?" She punctuated each question with another poke to the ribs. Then, because her arms --blanket and all-- were wrapped around him and she was touching him in one of the spots she'd known about since childhood, a new thought struck her and she looked up at her friend. "Cee doesn't ever worry does she? That we're so close and stuff... I mean, I'd just hate to cause problems for you two."

Tom got a thoughtful look on his face, "You know, I don't think we've ever talked about it."

Rose let out a sigh of relief then poked him a few more times. "But you'd tell me if there was anything... right?"

"Of course," Tom gulped mid sentence, "as long as Cee's okay with it." He grinned, "She scares the hell out of me."

Pursing her lips to the side, she gave him just a stern enough look to make him worry... then grinned and nudged him with her elbow. "Good. As long as you keep the proper attitude of fear and worship, you'll be just fine."

Tom nodded, "That's what I pretty much figured."

The little blonde giggled again then leaned against him, listening to the somewhat distant sounds of life in the castle around them. "Tommy?" she asked after a long minute. "Do you think this year is turning out like last year?"

"I dunno," Tom shrugged as he put his arm around Rose, "It's starting to feel like that isn't it"

"Kinda," she admitted. "But kinda not. These weird things are so random. And so not even possible to blame on Orlando and Danny."

Tom nodded, "Thank Merlin for small favors."

"But Professor Qasim was comparing it to last year..."

"Yeah well," Tom squeezed Rose, "I think Professor Qasim is great, but he wasn't here last year, he doesn't know what really happened like we do."

She nodded. "Well, that's true. Of course, I guess it's not his fault that none of our professors last more than a year."

"Yeah," Tom laughed, "It's like it's cursed or something."

Rose giggled. "Getting pregnant is not a curse. Neither is being an old pervert... though it kinda felt like it to the girls," she laughed, listing off only two of their former professors. "Though it was kinda tragically curse-like to lose handsome Professor Sloan."

"Yeah," Tom left the Sloan comments alone, "so what did Professor Qasim say about the newest trick."

"He said I should be an auror," the tiny prefect grumbled through the lock of hair that had somehow made its way to her mouth.

Tom stared at Rose for a few moments, "He's got a point."

She stared back for a heartbeat or two before punching him in the arm. "Shut up. He does not."

"Rose," Tom said matter of factly, "did you see yourself at the end of term? You were fantastic!"

"That's not the way I remember it." Leaning her head on his shoulder, she decided that she wasn't going to go down the path of regret today. She'd brooded over last year for long enough. "And that's not the point. It's the way he said it. Like opening my flower shop was a waste or something," she pouted.

"With all due respect to the Professor, Tom squeezed, "but flowers are just as important as aurors."

With a little sigh, she snuggled in closer. "Why don't you have a twin? You're awfully sweet sometimes."

"Sorry none of those," Tom laughed, "Got a couple of older brothers," he shrugged, "one's spoken for though."

"Um no. That only leaves Benny... and that's just..." she giggled and shuddered.

"Yeah," Tom agreed, "I think the only person he could be with that would make him happy is himself."

"Ew!"

"Lest we forget the great Gwenog Jones disaster," Tom laughed again.

"He totally deserved that," Rose giggled, stretching her legs until her toes peaked out from under the edge of the blanket. "I mean, he didn't even lock the door."

"I know," Tom agreed, "remember mum was so mad, the laundry that was in her hands was stuck to the ceiling for a month."

"And Benny couldn't sit on his broom properly for a week," she added with another laugh.

"Nope and that wasn't cause of mum," Tom's eyebrows arched.

The tiny girl was laughing so hard, tears streamed down her face. "You've got to admit, the whole thing took him down a peg or two... for a little bit at least."

"Yep those two weeks were glorious!" The Gryffindor sighed.

"They so were. And it was kinda a public service. After all, no one who even heard the story second-hand is ever gonna think about doing that." Wiping her eyes on her blanket, Rose flashed a quick, impish grin. "Benny was just teaching the masses what not to do."

"Well he's a famous professional Quidditch player now," Tom started to laugh again, "maybe the WWN should have him do a public service announcement."

Just when she thought she was done giggling, he had to go and start her up again. "Well it is a serious issue. Though if you're ever that dumb I'm going to have to help Cee kill you."

"Benny and I have only two things in common luv," Tom held up his index finger, "One, we play Quidditch," his middle finger joined the index, "and two the last name Llewelyn. That thankfully is it."

Still laughing, she threw her arms around him. "And we're so lucky that it is. We've got the best Llewelyn right here."

"Too right."

"And the most modest," she added with another giggle.

"What, I'm second to youngest. I have be a bit of a braggart." Tom shrugged, "You oldest children are so full of yourselves." He stuck his tongue out for effect.

Rose stuck her tongue out right back. "Don't forget... I was an only child for a long time. That means I'm full of myself and bossy."

"Don't I know it," he rolled his eyes.

Her tiny fist collided with his shoulder. "You're not supposed to agree with me," she pouted.

"Blimey," Tom exclaimed, "Is that what I've been doing wrong all this bloody time?"

Leaning against him, the blonde chuckled innocently for a minute then, turning her head, she bit his arm.

"Ow." Tom rubbed his shoulder, "You really gotta stop that."

"You'd miss it if I did," she chuckled, kissing the spot gently to make it all better. "It's just one of the many things you love about me."

"You have a point there," he hugged her.

She let the quiet moment last for only second or two before laughing again. "You know... between our two families, it's a wonder we're such well adjusted children."

"I know," Tom laughed.

Green eyes wide with laughter and not entirely faked horror, Rose grinned up at her friend. "Ohmygosh, remember that time when your quaffle from your mini quidditch set rolled under the door of my parents' bedroom?"

Tom's laughter rattled the nearby suit of armor, "I had blissfully forgotten about that till just now."

The little blonde laughed with him, ceratin someone was going to come along and tell them to get back to their common rooms. "I've never wanted to go blind so badly in my entire life."

"The way your dad..."

"Ew! And my mom's..."

"Ewwwwwwwwww." Both shuddered.

"I mean honestly," Tom grumbled, "in the middle of the day?"

Though she was still shuddering, she couldn't resist the urge to tease him just a little. "You mean you'd turn Cee down in the middle of the day?"

"I don't believe I said that," Tom's eyebrows raised.

Rose giggled again then, without warning, her mood shifted and she hit him again. "I want a boyfriend again," she pouted. "But don't you dare tell anyone I said that."

"If you don't stop bloody hitting me," he rubbed his shoulder, "I will."

"Fine. No more hitting," she leaned against him. "Can I still bite you?"

"Sometimes Ambrosia," Tom leaned his head on her shoulder, "you really worry me."

She snuggled in closer, her golden curls falling down around his head. "I do not."

"I love you Rose." Tom squeezed the little blonde tightly.

"I know, Tommy." For all the years, all the silliness and sadness, no one would ever be able to replace him in her heart. He was her brother. Always. "And I love you too."

[Forster Barclay]

"Wingardium Leviosa"

Forster Barclay concentrated as he guided his Charms text book around for a few seconds before letting it gently fall to the ground and casting the spell again.

"Wingardium Leviosa"

He held the book in place as he paced around a corner of the Great Hall. His duel wasn’t until later, but he was feeling out of shape and so he was biding his time by working on his concentration.

A soft, but annoyed "Meow" alerted him to the presence of his cat. Brock cast a brief irritated glare at the Forster’s "exercise" before mewing again.

"Silence you. You act as if I’ve been neglecting you, and your plump little belly filled with tuna and milk knows that that is a lie. I’ll have plenty of time to play with you after I win, or while I’m recuperating in the Medical Wing."

"Alright Forster?" Tom clapped the Hufflepuff on the back, as he and Cee walked up hand in hand.

"Sure, I’m just talking to my cat. And trying to come up with a plan of action." He shot them both a grin as he turned around. "And now I’m hoping that I don’t sound like a bloody loony."

"Ye'r gaun tae dae sonsie Fors," Céilidh patted Fors on the shoulder.

"Cee’s right," Tom nodded, "You’re a good dueler Fors. If I remember right you and I have had quite a few great one in the past." Tom grinned.

"Yes, past as in not the present." He chuckled. "I’ve been a bit busy with the other obiligations I’ve saddled myself with and so I’m a bit out of practice."

Danny walked around a table with a grin. He jumped onto the bench and sat down on the table, looking at Forester. "Ur we talking aboot yuir duel? tis juist lik' riding a broom, mate. Ye git up oan that platform 'n' it'll a' come back tae ye."

"If you say so, but keep in mind who you’re talking to Danny. I overcomplicate these things." Forster let the book that he had absent mindedly levitated around fall back into place with his others. "I just wish that Michael was a jerk, then I wouldn’t feel bad about levitating a bench and smacking him upside the head with it."

"Well Michael is certainly not a jerk," Rose told him, coming to sit in the cheering section with her friends. "But I’m sure there’s someone who deserves that trick... somewhere."

"Aye, ah kin think o' a few fowk," the red head winked as she nudged Rose in the shoulder.

There was an audible squeaking cough as the Chams master called for attention from the dueling platform, "Very well done Miss Razorleaf," he called out over the din of applause coming from the Slytherin side of the Great Hall, "Next I need Mister Barclay and Mister Valerius to come up for their duel."

"Good luck Fors," Tom smiled as he again clapped Forster on the back, "I’m sure you’ll do great."

"Thanks, Tom." Forster shook his robes for a moment, dusted himself off and strode to the center with his wand in hand. He extended his free hand to his opponent. "Michael, how goes it?"

The Seventh Year Ravenclaw nodded, "Hello Forster," he smiled as he walked over and shook the younger boy’s hand, "are you ready for this?" He looked around the room.

Forster spent a split second deciding between two answers before settling on both. "Doesn’t matter if I’m ready or not, we’re here. But I suppose I’m as ready as I’m going to be. And you?"

Michael nodded, "I love dueling, so any chance I get to do it is fun," he gave another large grin, "shall we then?" He walked back to his starting position, and slid into a relaxed but ready dueling position.

"Are you ready Mister Barclay?"

Forster nodded and smiled, flicking an errant locke of hair behind his ear. "Yes, Professor, I do believe that I am."

"Then, begin."

Michael didn’t waste a second. His wand snapped toward Forster, "Stupify!"

The words left Forster’s mouth before he had the chance to think about them, "Protego!" He held the sheild in place until the red light of Michael’s spell abated before quickly swishing his wand. "Expelliarmus!"

At the last second, Michael ducked out of the way as the spell slammed against the wall. The seventh year twisted his body back toward the Hufflepuff and flicked his wand again, "Flipendo!" A green jet of light shot out of his wand toward Forster.

Forster realized that he was not going to get another shield spell up in time did his best to quickly twist out of the way, but the spell struck him in his free arm. As he found himself being forced back, he quickly retaliated, hoping to distract his opponent long enough to regain his footing. "Lumos Solem!

Michael was not expecting this. The bright flash of light hit the Ravenclaw prefect and he staggered backwards. His wand swished wildly toward Forster, "Impedimenta"

"Protego!" The shield charm went up on instinct. And Forster was silently grateful, having just got his feet set firmly beneath him, Michael’s hex would have left him wide open to a more devastating attack. His arm lashed out towards Michael, "Obscuro!"

Still rubbing his eyes, Saint Michael barely saw the flash of Forster’s wand. The only thing that saved him was his quick reflexes. The seventh year snapped his wand up quickly and a small wooden shield appeared in front of him as the blindfold wrapped harmlessly around it.

Taking the opportunity to attack again, Forster leveled his wand, pointing it directly at Michael’s shins. "Incarcerous!" The ropes shot out, binding his opponent’s legs together as quick as a Leg-locker Curse before they shot shot up Michael’s torso and made short work of tangling around his arms.

The Ravenclaw prefect fell to the ground with a thud, his wand plinking to the ground.

"Well done Mister Barclay," the Charms Professor squeaked, "well done indeed."

"Thank you, sir." Forster tucked his wand into his pockets and dusted himself off, rubbing his hands together before retrieving his wand again. "Though I suppose if the duel is officially over?"

He waited a moment until the Charms Professor nodded before leveling his wand on Michael once again, "Finite Incantatem. As the ropes dissipated he offered the elder Ravenclaw his hand.

"Well played Forster," Michael took Forster’s hand and stood up, "you did a hell of a job."

"Thanks you. That means a lot coming from 'Saint' Michael." Forster grinned, "I hope we get another chance to duel before you graduate."

Wincing a little at the use of his unwanted nickname, the Ravenclaw prefect smiled. "I'd like that."

[Bobby Britto]

Defense Against the Dark Arts was like any other class for Bobby. Everything was fine, normal, regular until the latest grade came in which made Bobby's spirit, mood, attitude, and stomach plummet to the floor like a lead weight. If this were his owl exam a big "T" would have been laid across it. Bobby's head fell into his hands and he tried to scramble thoughts into something tangible. Help was needed, that much was certain. "How'd things get so bad?" he thought to himself. Before today the Gryffindor teen thought everything was fine with classes, but now that looked doubtful. His mind reeled and his head slowly lifted. Blue eyes idly glanced about the room before they focused on one person, Orlando.

True, Bobby Britto and Orlando MacFoozle have never hung out much, but Bobby always respected Orlando. It was hard to be a current student of Hogwarts and not hear about a story of Orlando MacFoozle, especially when you were in the same year as him. Each thing Bobby heard told him that Orlando was crafty and pretty slick. Classes shared with the Hufflepuff told the Gryffindor teen that, appearances aside, he knew his stuff. A sudden thought struck Bobby and nearly knocked him out of his chair. As funny as it sounded in his head, Orlando had all the qualities anyone could have wanted in a DADA tutor.

After a few moments of controlled breathing Bobby rose from his seat, "It's now or never," he thought to himself as his feet carried him toward Orlando. It was hard for Bobby to admit that things had gotten so bad for him, but it would have been worse if grades like this continued. "Orlando," he said in a bright and cheery voice.

Foozle had been dropping a few things into his bag, his mind debating on remembering which class was next and foregoing that altogether and simply hitting the cave for a spot of shut eye and then a little more digging through the old Mauraders' journals. They were awful close to cracking that code. He could feel it.

His train of thought started shuffling through the pieces of the puzzle when that voice called his name. His eyes rose up and found Bobby Britto standing over him. "Mister Britto." The boy was smiling a bit and the Hufflepuff politely returned the gesture. "Whits up?"

Bobby rocked somewhat uncomfortably on his heels. "How'd did you do on yesterday's assignment?"

"Ah, uh..." Lando's brow knit together a little, "We hae an assignment?"

"Yeah," The Gryffindor looked down to the marked up paper in his hand. He read the words across the top. "Defending Against Offensive Black Spells"

"Riiiicht." Foozle dragged the word out, nodding a bit. It seemed to ring a bell of some sort. "Ah think Ah did tha ane"

An eyebrow raised, "How did you think it went for you? I'm just asking because I'm in a bit of a bind," apprehension lingered in bobby's voice for a moment before he had taken a moment to recompose, "I didn't do too well. And I was wondering if you could show me some pointers?"

The Hufflepuff Gentleman rummaged through his bag a little. While the topic rang a bell, he couldn't actually remember getting it back, but then again, Foozle rarely looked at his grades. "Uh..." His rooting about He gave up the search. If he'd tossed it in his bag without naming it it was lost, probably forever. Lost, but as far as the boy was concerned, no great loss.

He shook his head and closed the bag. "Pointers?" Standing up and slinging the strap over his shoulder, Foozle looked back to the sandy blonde Gryffindor. "Isnae Colette oor resident tutor?" He looked back over his shoulder but the classroom had been cleared out.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Bobby's eyes drifted away. "Yeah, she's..." He shifted his weight on from one foot to the other.

"A bit scary?"

Bobby nodded a little. "A bit." He looked back, wearing a small small that looked uncomfortably tight.

"Ah ken." Foozle laughed, clapping his classmate on the back. The laugh was probably a bit more than deserved, but he couldn't help it. There was something about that girl that just made him smile. And it felt good to laugh; Qasim's classes always seemed to have the added effect of putting him into a bit of a dark stupor.

Though he didn't know quite why he was laughing, Bobby seemed to find the levity a bit more relaxing. The two fell into step beside one another and left Qasim's classroom behind them. "I just need some form of help. Our last assignment, "Defending Against Offensive Black Spells", I didn't do so hot on. So anything you can help out with notes, teachings, rigging up some old cans on the Quidditch field for target practice, any of it I need and would be grateful for."

"Ah dinnaken, Bobby." His head lolled from side to side, as if the idea were rolling around there in his skull. Most of their classmates were genuinely shocked when they heard how well he pulled of his exams. If somebody wanted help in a class there were a plethora to chose from. Foozle was probably last on the list when it came to the idea of helping somebody in a class. And he would put himself there as well, far behind the likes of Nicolette and Rose or Tom, even Cee who would probably teach like running Quidditch drills. "Teaching fowk really isnae my forte. And ye'd need a decoder ring tae unnerstaund ma notes..."

He sighed a bit, resigned to the one idea that flickered though his head. "Hae ye talked tae Qasim."

A head shake came with the mention of Qasim, "No. I don't really want to picture outside lessons with another teacher on par with...Nevermind," the Gryffindor spoke and quickly tried to hide his private lessons with Snape. He liked Foozle but Bobby wasn't ready to admit to the entire body about his other skill set just yet.

"Maybe if his approach was a little different like Sprout is with the after school sessions, all hands on and barely any note taking. At this point I'd take any type of lesson someone could throw at me, be it notes or hands on. I asked you not because I'm desperate but you're actually really clever, and good in the class." With a small motion Bobby pushed back his long blonde hair and stared at Foozle, Nic would bombard me with notes and that would probably be it. I actually want to sink my teeth into something when it comes to learning. Don't tell me, show me, even if its small stuff, show me how it's done. That's been my approach to learning lately, and heck, like I said I'd be happy if you tied up tin cans on practice dummies and showed me out in the Quidditch field. Heck, Duel me until I get it. I need to be shown how to do it. I'll do whatever legwork I need to to understand the logistics and to make my own notes make sense that way. Can you show me how to do it, Orlando?"

The question wasn't meant to put Orlando on the spot, but the Gryffindor had meant all of his words. Orlando was clever and good in class, and Bobby wanted to be taught in a more hands on approach instead of merely talked to about the lessons. When it came to that Orlando was the best option.

"Ah reck Colette wad bombard ye wi mair than juist notes," he mumbled in thought, delaying an answer.

He folded his arms across his chest as he mulled it over. Foozle was somewhat surprised to find how seriously he was considering it. Between his Animagus lessons, fixing Wordsworth, the traveling map, the washboards, sneaking around with his secret girlfriend, and everything else he was doing besides school, taking on another endeavor was the last thing he should be considering. But he was.

Bobby always seemed a decent guy to Orlando. He'd found him to be a tad emotional, but to be fair that was always from a distance. His heart usually seemed to be in the right place at least, and he couldn't fault him for that. He may not have known the Gryffindor well, but the fact that he was friends with some of his closest friends said enough. And he had asked for help; turning him down didn't seem right. It wasn't the Hufflepuff thing to do.

"Ahm gauntae need a Time Turner," the teen muttered to himself.

His eyes picked up and he looked at Bobby. "Ah hae nae idea hou we're gauntae wirk this, Bobby," he held his hand out, "but Ah reck we'll feegur it oot."

Once they were in agreement Bobby met Foozel's hand with his own, "I figured as much, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you, Orlando."

"Dinnae thank me yet, mate," Foozle grinned with that tinge of mischief that seemed to suit him so well. "Ah canna promise it'll be pleasant."

[Dan DuMorne]

Rose was used to being attached to things. She loved her fuzzy pillows, many pairs of her shoes, and the ugly stuffed spider that Tommy had given her last Christmas. But she had to admit, she never expected to find a messy bunch of twigs attached to a stick to be at all lovable. But Barry, the sleekest, smoothest broom ever--in her mind--was surprisingly hard to resist.

Though she'd decided to keep him in the broom storage shed with all his friends, the tiny blonde felt the strange need to visit him... just to make sure he wasn't missing her. So, since she was relatively sure no one was around to catch her doing something so unRoselike, she tiptoed out into the crisp fall sunlight to go talk to her new broom.

Danny had been cooped up in the castle all day and was needing a bit of relaxing recreation. Grabbing his broom from under his bed, he made his way out of the castle and wandered down the path toward the Quidditch pitch. As he walked, the cook air and warm sunlight brightened his mood. But his smile widened even further when he saw who was sneaking into the broom shed.

"Ambrosia Inamorata Sheridan!" the Ravenclaw captain exclaimed. "Whit are ye doin' doun here? An' in the broom shed?"

"Danny!" Rose jumped into the air at the sound of another voice, turning around and stumbling back into the shed. "You scared me!"

Danny's eyebrow raised. "Again, whit are ye doin' in the broom shed?"

Her green eyes darted from her friend's face to the shed, trying to come up with a good reason that wouldn't make her sound totally foolish. "I... um..." Though he was the first person she'd wanted to fly with, she was suddenly positive that he was going to laugh at her. "I was just..."

"Yes?"

"I was kinda... outheretolookatmynewbroom," she explained in sudden rush of words.

As he leaned against the shed's wooden door frame, an amused look crossed Dan's face. "Ah didnae ken ye flew, hen. Ah wis juist aboot tae gang fur a hurl myself." He paused for a moment as if to think, even though the words were already fighting to get off the tip of his tongue. After an appropriate, if short, period of time he asked, "Hey Rose?"

Green eyes sparkling, Rose looked at her fellow Ravenclaw. "Yes Danny?"

"Care tae jyne me"

"Yes," she blurted before he could take it back. With an almost shy smile she reached into the shed to find Barry. Then, grinning from ear to ear, she held him out for Danny to admire. "Cee's been giving me flying lessons and she said I could keep him because she has that fancy new one from Tommy."

Danny nodded as he pushed off the door frame. "Tis a guid broom, aye haes a lot o' lee in it. A'm glad it found a guid hame." Pausing for a beat, the young man grinned at his housemate. "What'd ye name it?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "How'd you know I named it?"

"Ye'v named a' yer stuffed animals, ilka plant ye'v ever watered," Danny tucked his broom under his arm and began ticking the items off on his fingers, "even th' suits o' armor by th' astronomy tower. Sae ah figure ye named th' broom tae."

Though she blushed a little, Rose found it rather sweet that he'd been paying so much attention. "Well... his name is Barry," she told Danny, running her hands along the smooth handle.

"Guid as any name for the broom," the lad said with a smile. Holding his out for her inspection, he grinned. "Ah dinnae huv ony fancy name fur it, bit tis th' ainlie yin lik' it in Hogwarts. Da ordered it frae o'er th' pond fur me efter ah wis made captain. Git 'ere lest week. Tis th' Yankee Clipper 2000."

"It's nice." She wasn't exactly sure what she was looking for in a broom, but at least she knew it looked good. "That was really nice of your dad." Suddenly an impish little grin curled her lips. "And it goes perfectly with your new gloves."

Danny nodded. "Aye, da hud it detailed in Ravenclaw colours. He ran his hand along the blue line running down the side of the handle. "Ah've bin dying tae try it oot."

"You haven't ridden it yet?" It seemed almost too good to be true. A truly lovely scene was beginning to take shape in her mind. There was only one little problem. "Danny?" she began hesitantly, looking back and forth between their two brooms. "I've kinda only flown with Cee. Ever. And if I fall off in front of you I'm never gonna be able to look you in the eyes again."

Grinning, Danny began to gently herd Rose and her broom out of the shed. "Noo that's whaur ye'r wrong," Danny said to his friend. "If ye fall aff, A'll pick ye up 'n' pat ye back oan th' broom 'n' we'll fly some mair. Bit ye aren't gaun tae fall aff."

Her laughter echoed to the sunny sky. "How can I say no to an offer like that?" Broom in one hand, she linked her free arm through his and began to walk with him. "But if you laugh at me... I'll... do something."

"Ah'm shuir ye will." He set up his broom and tossed his leg over it, smiling at Rose the whole time. He began to hover just off the ground and asked, "Are ye ready?"

Biting her lip, she copied his movements, sitting down on Barry and breathing a sigh of relief when she lifted off the ground just like she was supposed to. "I think I'm ready. Where are we going?"

"Nowhere special. Juist around th' grounds." Danny drifted higher and Rose echoed his move. "A'll point oot some stuff ye micht nae ken about." With that, he shot forward before slowing to a near-hover a few dozen yards away.

"Wait. What stuff?" Rose took off after him, curious enough to forget to be overly nervous about her first flight without her teacher. "I've seen the grounds, you know," she told him with a smile as she pulled along side him.

"Fallae me," he said as he headed toward one of the shorter west towers. "That's th' tower Tommy 'n' ah aye used tae plot oor pranks against Foozle." Danny said, pointing out a spire. "He 'n' ah hud baith bin using it as a private hideout 'n' we sorta bumped intae ilk ither yin day. Sae that's oor nook in th' wall."

The little blonde giggled at that one, shaking her head to dislodge a curl that had managed to flop across her face in the wind. "Why did you plot against Orlando? I thought you guys were always in it together and stuff?" she asked, making sure to stick with Danny as they flew higher.

"We are. An' tha's why we always try tae get each ither. Niver hiv gotten oneythin' over on Foozle, either." He swung his broom around and swooped down into the clocktower courtyard, where he lazily circled around. "Ye prolly ken this ane."

She followed with slightly less confidence, noticing that she had a habit of gripping Barry very tightly anytime they dipped toward the ground. "I think I do... sorta. What did you guys do here again?"

"D'ye mind oor third year? Lando 'n' ah wur selling homing quills, if ye lose th' pen it'll meet ye at hame?" Danny pointed at the center of the courtyard and continued. "We stairted selling thaim doon thare, sold a couple hundred. Whin thay finally stopped homing, thay a' flew back tae whaur thay wur sold, 'n' thare wis a big pile o' thaim. They hings wur twitchy 'n' prone tae stabbing."

"I do remember!" The tiny prefect laughed loudly, grinning over at her friend. "I was so excited to have one... until it ran away. That was very disappointing. I almost came back here to dig through the pile just to find mine." She laughed again. "I hope mine did stab you."

"It likelie did. A've aye git a few wee scars." He glanced at his left wrist, where he still had a little puncture scar. Looking back at Rose, he asked, "Urr ye getting druthy? Ah mean thirsty."

Raising a brow, she tried to pout. "Are you tired of flying with me already?"

"Nae," he said as they swung around and spiraled up to near the top of the Astronomy Tower. Pushing a stone, it swung open and he pulled two bottles of butterbeer from it. "Stop three oan th' tour is th' fly-through butterbeer stash."

"Daniel Kieran DuMorne!" Rose could only stare at him in shock. "You have...? Up here...? But... You guys are crazy, you know that right?"

Danny's only reply was a grin. He took a pull from his bottle and headed for the stadium. She laughed and continued to follow the Quidditch captain as he pointed out several minor incidents, pranks and scams the Gentlemen and Ceilidh had pulled at the pitch over the years.

"You know," she began, catching up to him again so she wouldn't have to talk to his back. "You guys really don't deserve the bad reputation. You're not always troublemakers... at least not on purpose. Some of the things you do are really nice." She smiled at her housemate, remembering the happy paper she'd written with Orlando last year. "They make people feel good."

From the pitch, they cut across the grounds, and Danny began to drop down for a landing. "We're done already?" As she touched down for a landing that wasn't anywhere near as graceful as his, Rose immediately reached to chew on a lock of hair. Maybe she'd said the wrong thing. "Um... that was fun though."

"Tis nae sae muckle stopping as it's a bawherr intermission. Wanted tae shaw ye something, anither wee thing we pulled aff this year. Tis th' end o' th' tour, bit we kin fly a' efternoon if yi'll waant." Danny said as he dismounted. As he walked into the cave, he glanced back at his friend. "Ah ken yer memories o' this steid aren't th' best, bit ah hawp ye kin keek bygane that. Especially whin ye see oor furniture, courtesy o' th' Slytherin common room."

She paused at the entrance to the cave. "I want to see it..." But he was right, her memories of this place definitely weren't the best. As she hesitated she felt his fingers curl around hers. Exhaling softly, she let Danny lead her inside. "Oh... it's not too bad." A smile started to light her face at the sight of the furniture that belonged in a certain room of the castle. "Not bad at all."

"Ceilidh recolored it pretty well," he said with a laugh. "We did a lot o' wirk cleaning th' steid up. Tis gaun tae be hard tae lea it neist year."

"It's really... kinda... nice." Since the cave was really not at all scary anymore, Rose decided it was probably time to let go of Danny's hand. "So... are they comfortable? Or were the Slytherin couches stuffed with rocks and prickly sticks?"

The Ravenclaw lad didn't speak. Instead he vaulted the back of one of the couches, bounced once or twice and then sunk down into the soft couch. "Th' ane is th' hard ane. Th' blue, rid 'n' gold yin ower thare is softer."

Grinning at him, the little blonde decided to test it for herself. She ran to the other couch, threw herself into the cushions, and was promptly swallowed by their softness. It was probably not the most ladylike position her housemate had ever seen her in... but she was completley comfortable. "Danny? I may not be able to leave."

"Ah've been plotting tae tak' that yin wi' me efter we graduate." the lad said with a laugh.

"Well... you know what that means..."

Danny shot her a puzzled glance. "Whit?"

"If I'm stuck in the couch you're just going to have to take me too," she told him with a triumphant little smile.

Laughing, Danny threw a pillow at his housemate and stood up. "A'm sorry Rose, bit a'm gaun tae huv tae pull ye awa' frae yer wee paradise. We dae tae eventually git back tae th' castle."

Grabbing the pillow, Rose hugged it to her chest and closed her eyes. "No we don't."

"Ah dae ken levicorpus, ye ken." Danny said, twirling his wand between his fingers. "Sae come on."

Lower lip settling into what she thought was a very effective pout, the tiny blonde stared up at him. "You wouldn't..." But she wasn't entirely sure. Deciding not to risk it, she gave in and held out her hand to him. "Well you're going to have to help me up."

She managed to retain the innocent and slightly offended look on her face until she felt his hand clasp her wrist. Then, with a giggle, she pulled him forward, throwing him off balance and dragging him onto the most comfortable couch ever. "There. Now you're trapped."

"Ahmno as susceptible tae th' cushions as yer, hen. Ah kin git up muckle ony time. 'n' ye aye huv tae git up or be floated oot." He poked her in the rib with his wand. "Forby, Ah aye dinnae ken howfur fleet mah broom kin gang."

"Fine... if you can manage to resist the couch of ultimate softness I guess I'll have to give up," she laughed as he poked her. "And you know I'm not going to race you. But I am really good at cheering people on while they zoom past."

Nodding, Danny grabbed his broom. "Fair enough. Bit a wullnae dash aff tae far 'n' then A'll swoop back around 'n' we kin tak' a leisurely trip back tae th' castle." he held out his hand. " Deal?"

Her fingers closed around his once again. "Deal."

[Ambrosia Sheridan]

Patrolling the corridors of Hogwarts was one of the primary duties of a prefect. It helped ensure the safety of the younger students and, in theory, discouraged the more adventurous from straying too far from the set rules. It was also... rather boring.

Swinging her wand at her side in a completely non-intimidating manner, Rose passed by the doorway of the Charms classroom and paused for a minute to listen. Since she couldn’t hear the sounds of anyone using the room for non-studious reasons, she decided to continue on. After all, there were only so many snogging couples a person could break up before it got downright depressing.

creeeeaaak

It was like the soft sound of old rusty metal being moved with deliberate slowness. Or perhaps wood bending a little more than intended. Either way it sent a chill up the young Ravenclaw’s back in the way that made the hairs on the top of her blond head tingle.

Now she was holding her wand much more firmly. Biting her lip, the tiny prefect turned in a small circle peering out at the empty hallway around her. She didn’t see anything... but this was Hogwarts. Trying to listen for sounds over her pounding heartbeat, she waited in the dark for any sign that she needed to investigate further.

creeeeaaakrrrrrrrmm

The sound came again, longer this time. It’s softness felt so loud in the silence of the old castle. Her eyes closed tight listening to the eerie chirr. It crawled down he hallway like a shadow, leaving no echo behind it. The feeling of the sound stopped her cold in her tracks. As she held her breath she thought she heard the faint chittering that might be insects.

”It’s nothing,” she whispered to herself. ”Or the wind. Or something other than a disgustingly large monster that’s waiting to eat me.” It was so tempting to simply run down the hall to find a much less creepy place. But that wasn’t exactly a prefecty thought.

A tiny light glowing at the tip of her wand, she tiptoed down the hall in the direction of the blood-freezing sound, praying she wouldn’t find anything. What she did find were the stairs. And beyond them, more darkness.

creeeeaaak Came the echoless sound again followed by a dull series of dull thuds. Again they had that inexplicable chill. It was definitely coming from down the steps. As it repeated, faster this time Rose could practically feel the curtain of silence behind her, eating up all traces of noise once they reached her.

Mentally cursing everyone she could think of for making her patrol by herself tonight, the blonde did the only thing she could... she followed the sound down the stairs. At this time of night, there was no part of the castle that wasn’t at least a little bit creepy. So, even though her feet came to rest on the smooth stones of the main floor, Rose wasn’t feeling any less apprehensive.

She stopped again in the eerie silence. Maybe the sound had gone away while she was on the stairs.

click

Rose’s tightening shoulders told her she should be so lucky. As the soft scraping, which somehow never seemed to get any louder despite her getting closer to its mysterious source, came once more, Rose turned her head toward the door that lead to the garden. It sat there ajar, practically staring back at her, motionless.

rrrrsssszzzz

She whimpered softly as she stared at that waiting door. Technically she didn’t have to patrol the greenhouses. Prefects generally stayed inside the main castle building. But she’d never be able to live with herself if she ran away.

Even the doorknob seemed creepy as she reached out to put her hand on it. She could imagine all sorts of tiny little beasts scurrying away from her touch. Heart beating holes in her chest, Rose bit down on her lip and stepped through into the waiting darkness of the greenhouse.

There wasn’t a breeze in the stillness, but Rose found some small comfort in the gentle and familiar dripping from across the room. The comfort didn’t last as he heard that strange chittering once more deep inside and it cleared right out as that ghostly voice called out again. It was much clearer this time.

brhoooosszzziaaaah

Her legs turned to jelly on the spot. Light from the end of her wand shaking in the darkness as she held it up to look around, she tried to make her voice work. ”H...hello?” It took several tries to get any sound to come out at all. ”Is anyone here?” She bit her lip, praying for no response.

”BOOGIDDY-BOOGIDDY-BOO!” Orlando hopped out of the shadows behind her. His landing was as quiet as a cat but he more than made up for his arrival by tickling his fingers in right under her ribs.

Rose’s scream probably could have been heard down in the lowest dungeon. Jumping away from him, she fell over her own feet and landed on her backside in turf on the floor. Wand raised, she stared at him until the panic began to fade into a strange loving rage. ”Orlando!”

”Brosia!” he volleyed back with a forced mock surprise that could barely contain the laughing that was bubbling up inside. ”Whit are ye daein in here?”

”I... you...” The adrenaline fled from her body, leaving her breathless and unable to stand. But only for a moment. ”I’m going to kill you!”

Orlando’s lips finally split into that wide smile as he took a few steps back. ”Hehhehhehh...” A curse slipped from the blonde’s lips and some color came back to the cheeks that had so recently been as white as the knuckles gripping her wand. He took another few steps back, starting to laugh a little bit more.

His wand tapped to his throat, brhoooosszzziaaaah. Though he mouthed the word, the etherial voice came from some shadow deeper inside the glass house of the garden.

”You...” Her ‘I’m going to kill you face’ was spoiled by the laughter that kept trying to get out. Jumping to her feet, she stalked closer to him, trying to look at least a little bit threatening. ”Do you know how scared I was?”

”Och, aye,” nodded the Scot, dropping his wand. ”Ah wis richt ahint ye verra nearly the hail time, Brosia. And it wis priceless.” He gave the blond a teasing wink.

”Ah hae tae gie credit whar credit is dae,” he told her. ”Yuir a bonnie guid prefect tae gae and investigate such a thing.”

With a ‘hmph’, the Ravenclaw thumped her tiny fists against his chest. ”And you’re evil. Just plain evil.” Trying to regain some measure of dignity, she drew herself up to her full, and completely unimpressive, height. ”I should... do something... to you. Something mean.”

Foozle smirked. ”It’s verra likely that ye shoud.” His arms wrapped around her slender frame, pinning her arms to her sides. He squeezed her with a hug. ”But Ah cannae imagine ye daen such a thing.” With another little squeeze he let her go. ”Tho Ahm shuir A coud halp ye feegur oot something, gif ye like.”

It was awfully hard to pretend to be mad at him while he was hugging her. ”Oh I’ll get you. Someday. And it’ll be good. Just you wait and see.” Finally giving in, Rose laughed and ran a hand through her loose golden curls. ”What are you doing out so late anyway? It can’t have been just to scare the pants off me.”

The Hufflepuff shook his finger at her. ”Whit hae Ah telt ye, Brosia. The pants stay on.”

”Ah wis juist oot and aboot.Ye ken hou it is.” He smiled giving her a wink. His was the sort of expression that said ‘ask me nae questions and Ah’ll telt ye nae lies’. It even seemed to come complete with that little accent. ”Efter curfew the castle haes a nice lown feel tae it. Ah cannae halp but stravaig aboot. An whan Ah sae ye oan patrol and thoucht Ah shoud say hullo.”

”Hellos are nice. They’re usually not at all scary and don’t give people heart attacks. Hellos have hugs and good stuff like that. Not scary, pants-wettingly awful voices in the dark,” she scolded, unable to hold back her smile.

”Thare wis a hugs...” he reminded her.

”Were there?” she asked, twirling a golden curl around her finger. ”I must have forgotten. Maybe you should remind me.”

”Gif hugs wis money,” Orlando chuckled as he threw his am around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze, ”Ye’d be a goblin at Gringotts, Brosia.”

She squeezed him back this time, tilting her chin to grin up at him. ”I’m greedy. But you love it.”

”Somebody haes tae.” He gave the blonde a teasing wink.

”Well... I’m glad it’s you.” Linking her arm through his, she began to lead the way out of the greenhouse. ”And because you love it so much, I think it’s super generous of you to offer to finish patrolling with me.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

”Fair enouch.” The pair strolled back toward the castle. ”Ahm awreddies oot efter a wee bit later than some fowk prefer. Seems smairt tae accompany the prefect oan duty.”

The blonde shrugged, bumping against him with her shoulder. ”There are worse reasons to be out late.” Instead of teasing him about scaring her again she pulled him to a stop just short of the main doors. With a gentle tug, she turned them both around so they were staring out at the silent grounds. ”The castle is a little bit creepy after curfew. But this...” Emerald eyes reflected the moonlight as she let her gaze come to rest on the almost colorless scene before them. Though the pale light leeched away the greens and brows of late fall, there was a beauty in the sharp shadows that rose up around them. ”... is magic.”

Orlando stood, looking out across the grounds. Far in the distance, almost consumed by the craggy blackness of the Forbidden Forest was soft orange light from Hagrid’s Hut. The wind kicked up and carried with it the sounds of owls in their distant tower, or perhaps it was a few out on the hunt for a bite to eat. He smiled.

”Aye,” nodded Foozle, looking over to Rose. He gave her a little squeeze. ”Tha it is. And aw tha wioot a wand.”

”Mmm-hmmm.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. ”That’s some of the best magic there is.”

The pair stood there, quietly taking in the view for several moments. Eventually a grumbling sigh expelled from Rose’s lungs, which the Hufflepuff took to meaning that she was remembering that she still had patrolling to tend to. He left his arm across his shoulder, but a grin cracked across his face. ”Come oan, Brosia,” he said, addressing the inarticulate idea that they should go back inside, ”this is Hogwarts. Whit’s the worst tha coud happen the nicht?”

The tiny blonde nearly choked trying to hold back her laughter. ”You’re right. What was I thinking?” she giggled. ”Things are always perfectly calm around here.”

”Tha’s whit Ah keep sayin’,” said the Scot with a bit of an exaggerated groan. ”Ah jalouse Ahm juist accustomed tae a greater level o excitemen than maist fowk.”

”This is true. Just thinking about your normal level of excitement makes me tired,” she teased.

The Gentleman scowled playfully, letting Rose turn them about once more and guide them back toward the open door. ”And here Ah thoucht mebbes ye wis coming aroond tae ma exciting wey o livin.” With a small flick of the wand in his other hand, the door moved back open for them both. ”Acause Ah think it suits ye.”

She beamed at the compliment. ”I think you might be biased... but right. You and Danny are good bad influences on me.”

”Och, Ahm verra biased.” The boy’s chin turned to her and his mischievous expression far from inscrutable. That glimmer in those hazel eyes, the arch of his scarred brow - it was the face that had chatted its way out of countless dead-ends and launched a thousand schemes. ”Yuir in guid haunds thou. Danny an A are the best bad influences, lou.”

Those golden curls bobbed around her face as she nodded. ”Then I’m in the best hands.” For some reason she could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks. Quickly turning her head, the prefect made a show of looking down a nearby corridor. After all, she was on patrol.

The pair strolled up along the chilly marble corridor, finding it filled with the relative quiet that both of them had been accustomed to at this hour. There were none of the eerie noises that had led the blonde prefect down here in the first place. ”Speakin’ o bein in oor guid haunds, Brosia Sheridan,” Foozle said, giving a hipcheck to the Ravenclaw, ”whaur wis ma invite tae yuir little birthday party fer oor guid, nou auld, Maister DuMorne?” Those hazel eyes fell onto her, the scar bisected brow rising high over one while the other sank down low. It was very nearly a playful scowl. ”Ah haurd thar wis cake... Guid cake...”

He gave her another shunt with his hip. Thumbing to his chest he sounded positively wounded. ”Ah like cake. Wha disnae like cake?”

”Oh...” The tiny blonde stumbled then quickly recovered. Torn between the need to blush and the need to reassure him that she wasn’t trying to make him feel bad, she found a lock of hair to chew on. ”He didn’t share?” she asked. ”And it wasn’t a party. It was just a thing... for his birthday... you know... small and stuff...”

”Uh huh,” nodded Foozle. The boy was smirking. He was genuinely just giving her a hard time. After all, that’s what friends did; they teased each other. ”No a party,” repeated the Hufflepuff. Of course, if there were a book on “little private engagements” Orlando MacFoozle would probably be found somewhere in the bibliography. ”Juist a thing. Fer his birthday. Small an stuff. Awmaist picnic-like, ane micht say.”

She couldn’t quite look at him. ”I wanted it to be special...”

Orlando’s smirk pulled high into his cheek when he looked over. Her face was hidden in a curtain of golden curls. ”Ah see.” He nodded. ”Tha’s nice o ye, Brosia. Yer verra sweet.” He reached over and stretched his arm across her slender shoulders. A squeeze to him kept her from wandering too far. ”Ah mean, Ah didnae git a special picnic cake whan Ah turned 17...”

Rose opened her mouth to answer then quickly shut it again. Biting almost savagely on her hair, she let silence fall around them. ”But you’re not Danny, now are you?” Try as she might, her words didn’t quite have that lighthearted teasing tone she was going for.

The boy chuckled. ”Clearly no.” His head tilted to the side, looking up along the paintings of sleeping figures that took no notice of them nor their wand light.”Danny is terribly winsome an dounricht affable at times, smairt an devilishly cliver, descreetly studious, thouchtfu, handsome...” His brow knit together as his chin dropped down. ”Whit am Ah missin?”

”Sweet and... did you say handsome?” Her head was drifting toward his shoulder. She rested against him for a quick moment before pulling away quickly. ”And um... he’s really made a lot of progress in Herbology. He’s not going to need me for a tutor for much longer at all.”

The Scot nodded. ”Tha’s guid,” replied Fooze though his voice didn’t quite carry the cheeriness it should have. ”Ye’ll hae mair time tae yersel and whitno. Danny can focus on aw thaim ither things tha occupy his time, Quidditch and whit-hae ye.”

”Right. That’s... good...” she echoed, suddenly profoundly depressed. ”Orlando?” She teetered on the edge of indecision before finally stepping forward. ”Can I ask you something?”

”Acoorse.”

”Do you think... I mean... Is it crazy if... I mean... should I...?” The tiny Ravenclaw was saved from having to try to make sense by a sudden noise from up ahead, a soft eerie chittering that sounded all too familiar. ”Orlando!”

The Hufflepuff was a master of the deadpan, but when she looked at him he wore a blank expression. He blinked. ”That wisnae me...” His hands rose, showing empty palms stopping shoulder high.

[Orlando MacFoozle]

The noise continued and the sound stopped the pair completely, breath held the same as their feet. Foozle was tilting his head so his hear was listening up the long and dark hall. With closed eyes, he focused on the noise: a series of tapping or clicking that seemed to get louder and louder. It was almost like- He felt her fingers gripping his arm. ”Orlando!” Foozle’s eyes opened.

On eight legs, the creature awkwardly lumbered forward with somewhat alarming speed. It was easily a meter or so tall and a couple long. In fact, it looked very nearly like an acromantula, though the coloring was all off. It was easy to see the thick swashes of yellow that ran across its black abdomen toward its spinnerets. That was if you could look past the long fangs and myriad of black eyes.

”Uh..” He reached for his wand. ”Okay.” Behind the beast skidded another one. Easily as large but longer and with more spindly legs attached to its sectioned body. ”Definitely nae me.”

All things considered, Rose was rather proud that she didn’t scream. Her wand was raised, and though it shook slightly in her hand, she didn’t back away. ”That’s not... “ She wasn’t quite sure how to end that sentence. Normal? Right? Neither seemed quite strong enough. ”Where did they come from?” Her free hand clung to Orlando’s arm like a lifeline.

”Ah dinnaken.” A third creature joined the pack. ”Why dinnae ye ask ‘em?”

Since she didn’t have any better ideas, the tiny blonde did exactly what he suggested. ”Stop.” she commanded, trying to sound at least somewhat impressive. ”You don’t belong in here. What are you doing inside the castle?”

They did not stop, but in a surprising turn of events, which was saying something, the creatures seemed to reply. The foremost creature’s chelicerae parted and let loose a high-pitched chilling sound which felt almost like a scream as nails were raked down a chalkboard. As the sound echoed, the two behind it added to the chorus with their own shrieking.

Foozle winced at the sound. It tingled his nerves and all the hairs on his arms and neck stood on end. ”Och...” he shuddered, ”Ahmno sae shuir Ah like tha answer, luv.”

With the strange beasts moving ever closer, screams echoing down to them, Foozle quickly wrestled with their move: to attack or defend. He couldn’t help but notice some sense of panic in their motions. Fear was a nearly universal emotion. Having stared down a few dark beasts over the years he could see the fear, far from the bloodthirsty quintaped or redcap. But a beast mad with fear could be just as dangerous as an angry one. Possibly even more so.

Trying to make sure they had time to react, he stepped forward before they were in danger or being overrun. ”Micoaduro!” The blue flash popped exceptionally bright in the darkness of the hallway and blinded the giant spider, causing it to stumble and trip over its long, knobby legs.

”Lumos Maxima!” Rose’s spell was aimed at the darkness around them rather than the trio of spiders. She wanted to see, to understand. The creatures were terrifying, worse than regular spiders. But as she watched the two in the back awkwardly try to avoid falling over the leader, she caught herself feeling something more than fear. ”Orlando...” Pulling him back by his arm, her grip nearly cut off his circulation as the creatures began screaming again.

Foozle was dumbfounded. Rose was pulling on his arm, and he was rooted in place, mesmerised. ”Whit...” The creatures took a strange silvery glow that whirled around them. ”The..” The hard and slick color of their bodies peeled back, revealing hair and pink skin. The legs gave way to arms with fingers and feet. Those tiny black eyes coalesced into a single pair of bright and watery eyes each. ”Fu-”

”Orlando...” Rose’s voice was barely a whisper as she saw three young students gasping and rolling on the ground. That shrieking blended into voices crying for help. ”They’re... they’re kids!”

As the drive to help overrode the nerves that held them in place, they hurried forward. He recognized two of them from his house as a couple of third years: Ronald something and Stanley Tufteroot. The third was a girl the seemed to remember seeing in the common room now and then, Stanley’s younger sister Holly.

”We have to...” Even as she took a step forward to try to help, the silvery light suddenly flared in its brilliance. As one, the three kids cried out but their voices were already losing their humanity. ”Oh no. No no no...” Tears flooded her jade eyes as she watched those young faces contort in pain. The blonde looked away, hiding behind Orlando’s shoulder as three pairs of arms and legs split to form grotesque, spindly legs.

Fooze hugged Rose tight, wincing as he watched. ”Och...” It was like nothing he had ever seen, like no other transmogrification or hex or charm. It was harsh and raw and sounded wet and painful.

Three wholly new creatures scrambled up and scurried back down the way they had come, fleeing in panic. Orlando’s feet were already starting to carry him forward. One hand held his wand tight and the other hadn’t let go of Rose. They had to catch them. Rose was right they had to help them. He hadn’t quite worked out how they would manage the first part, let alone the second. ”C’mon,” he said, pulling her with him.

Whatever had happened to them didn’t matter yet, they were just students. This wouldn’t be like taking down any of those beasts from last year. ”Ah dinnae jalouse thare’s a guideline tae tackling beasties in the castle...” His mind started running down the lists of spells that would be the least harmful while still being strong enough to stop them.

”Unwritten rule number 53: all weird creatures in the castle go to Hagrid.” Her voice shook slightly as she ran along the hallway with her friend. ”But this is so far outside the rules...” Amazed at how fast these poor kids could move, she tried to speed up. But even though it might have meant running a little bit faster, the tiny blonde couldn’t bring herself to let go of Orlando’s hand.

The creatures turned a corner, seeming, in her mind at least, to be heading toward the lower levels of the castle. ”We can’t lose them.” She was sad, and angry for these kids, and already jumping to conclusions. ”Why do people keep getting hurt?”

Foozle squeezed her fingers, cursing to himself. He chanced a look to her, concern painted across his brow. ”A wis A ken..” Up ahead the saw more flashes of light as the poor kids morphed once more. The Scot cringed, but they never slowed their gait, keeping pace and gaining what ground they could. The inhuman cries sent shivers through his nerves like ice, right up to the lump forming in his throat.

The pair barreled down the steps after their quarries, stumbling as they skipped the last few steps and hit the landing hard. Orlando came up swinging his wand. ”Petrificus totalus!” The spell went straight on target, but the spidery figure crawled up the wall, letting his flash of light soar down the hallway without impact. A slew of Gaelic poured from the teen’s mouth.

Rose bit her lip, hesitating to add to the kids’ pain. But letting them get away just wasn’t an option. No one else needed to get hurt tonight. ”Glaci!” The creature fumbled then slid back to the stone floor as the wall in front of it iced over. Watching it struggle on its back, its many legs jerking in the air, the tiny Prefect felt a renewed sense of sadness. And disgust.

”Petrificus totalus!” This time the spell landed dead center. The creature’s writhing body stopped stone cold. The pair rushed up to it. It lay there like some grotesque statue. Feeling more of that chill Foozle swallowed his guilt down. Unable or unwilling to let himself stare at he looked away to the other two still scurrying down the hall to the next set of steps. One crawled up and over the banister. ”The ither twa...” He looked at Rose, her cheeks pink and her eyes red. ”We cannae stap here, lou.”

”I know... but...” She sent a shower of sparks up into the air, the light hovered over the enchanted body, pulsing with a pattern specific to the Ravenclaw prefect. A professor would find it soon. In the mean time... ”Come on!”

Lando looked back over his shoulder, watching that shimmer highlight the upturned figure. having been caught after curfew a few times, particularly in his earlier years, he’d been on the other end of the prefect’s “assistance required” spell once or twice before. ”Shoud we leave a note?” He caught his footing, falling in line beside her as he they hurried toward the stairs. It might have been a joke, but there was a worry about what a professor might do, not knowing there was a student hidden inside.

She hesitated again, glancing over her shoulder to the frozen body. ”Your tie.” She held out her hand, waiting while he took it off, then raced back to tie the Hufflepuff colors around one creepily skinny leg. ”Now go!” She was two steps behind him and the creatures seemed to have picked up speed on the stairs.

”Och,” Orlando reached back and yanked her up beside him by her hand, his feet carrying him faster and faster and pulling her along with. ”Ye dae realize ye juist tied pheesical evident o me tae a crime,” he groaned. ”Literally.” They skidded as they took the turn to shoot down the steps toward the dungeon. Foozle wondered if perhaps something was urging them back to the Hufflepuff common room, some sort of subconscious need to retreat someplace safe. ”Acause tha ayeweys ends weel...”

Despite everything, Rose couldn’t keep herself from chuckling. ”You’ve been with me all night. And I’ll swear to it.” It wasn’t every day that she offered to lie for someone but this was important. ”I’m not going to let you get in trouble for helping someone.”

”Yer sweet.”

The two of them dropped onto the dungeon floor. The Hufflepuff was grateful that they at least they were running out of places for them to run to. His heart was pounding in his chest from the chase and the anxiety and his lungs were starting to catch up. Adrenaline dulled the ache in his muscles and kept him focused.

Ahead to the left of the stairs one of the giant bugs chittered excitedly, rushing into the darkness of the hall past Professor Snape’s classroom. Just one. ”Whit...” He spun around, wand at the ready. ”Whaur’s the ither ane?”

Rose immediately looked up, afraid to see that grotesquely segmented body hovering on the ceiling above them. Thankfully there was nothing but darkness above their heads. ”They were sticking together. It can’t be far,” she panted. Although she was sweating from the chase, a sudden chill swept through her as they descended lower. The dungeons were creepy even during the daytime.

Foozle nodded. ”Aye.” She was probably right. ”Mebbes it gat aheid...”

Another flash of shimmering silver light reminded them both there was no time to dawdle now, even to catch their breath. Picking each other up, they rushed down in hot pursuit. Orlando felt his fingers tighten on his wand, sure that if he could just get close enough to get one good spell off, one clear shot, he could stop it. His eyes narrowed, focused on the creature large tail end as it zigged and zagged across the floor and up and down the wall. Drawing the bead as it scuttled toward the other wall, his wand cracked at the end of his wrist, adjusting for trajectory and, ”Icaro Pik-”

”Orland--” Rose’s voice was less his name and more just an inarticulate cry. Tiny, but surprisingly strong arms wrapped around his waist as she threw herself at him and knocked him to the hard floor. Her momentum skidded them across the cobbled stones, scraping her arms and bumping his head against the ground. ”I’msorryohmygoshlook!”

She got off of him just enough so he could turn his head to look at the hallway above them. Stretched across the entire width, filling the space they would have just stepped through, a broken cobweb swayed back and forth softly. Silvery light from creature in front of them seemed to reflect off the delicate strands, giving the impression that it was actually dripping toward the floor.

He looked up, eyes following Rose’s. ”Guid keekers, Brosia.” Foozle cringed, rubbing his skull where it had bounced off the floor. He’d nearly run right into that web, and it wasn’t much of stretch to suspect that if he had, she would be chasing after him too. His brow knit together, examining the silky web with something that bordered on fascination. ”A reck Ah owe ye ane.”

A clicking sound creeped toward them and the two students heads tilted apart, looking up the hall. Cornered, at the end of the corridor, the creature had creeped back toward them. It bent back, two of its legs rising high into the air. Its fangs parted with a hiss, each of them glistening with yellowish beads. It shuffled, humming with the sort of energy of a beast ready to pounce.

Orlando scrambled, the tangled pair fumbling. He realized how empty his hand felt. ”Bugger!” The impact had loosed his wand from his grip. His eyes wildly scanned the dark and latched onto the end pointing back at him between and the spider-thing. His chin rose, focusing on those dripping ponts. ”Dooble bugger...”

Rose still had her wand. Unfortunately her arm was pinned under Orlando’s shoulder. ”Get. Off.” She pulled, trying to get free and stay away from the glittering web. ”I so don’t want to be eaten.”

”Tha’ maks twa o ous, hen?” Orlando pushed himself across the floor very carefully, wary to startle the creature. He felt his back press against the wall, and looked back to makes sure he had stayed clear of any those dangerously swaying strands. Through their translucent silver weave he caught several little circles as shiny as polished onyx blink. ”Speaking of twa...” Orlando started feeling very uncomfortable with his situation. And sitting on the stone floor had very little to do with it.

On the floor, with the two spiders inching closer, Rose was beginning to feel horribly snack-sized. Orlando’s wand was still out of reach, nearly under the feet of the advancing creature. Almost mesmerized by the inky blackness of its multiple eyes, she began to extend her own wand ever so slowly. ”I’m not casting a spell on you. I’m just doing it near you,” she told it in the most soothing voice she could manage. She couldn't tell if it was listening. But it wasn’t biting. Yet.

”Accio Wand!” Orlando’s wand flew through the air, inches in front of the spider-creature who apparently had not been listening after all. It sprang forward, long pinchers spread wide.

The Hufflepuff’s stomach tightened. Catching that flash of black lunge toward the prone, Foozle rocketed off the wall. He wanted to close his eyes and look away, but he couldn’t. His fingers grabbed those long fangs, and he used all the weight and momentum behind him to jerk its head back and throw the thing off balance.

It’s polished black eyes looked panicked, legs wildly trying to grab him or anything as it was cast off the ground. It cried out with a reminder of that cry for help the they heard from the young students. A stab of guilt ran through Orlando as he slammed it against the wall, giving it an extra bit of force as they pair made impact. It wasn’t enough to kill the poor boy, or girl, just enough to feel it go slack in his grip. And feel awful about the whole thing.

The flurry of motion reared the other monstrous bug up on its legs. The halls echoed with unearthly shriek. It’s tail tucked under it’s legs and a thin strand of sticky almost tar-like black webbing sprayed from the spinnerets. Rose flattened against the cold marble, clutching a wand in both hands. Foolze felt it’s hot gluey trappings spread across his back, pinning both him and his friend tight against the stone wall.

Just when she thought nothing could be more horrifying than watching Orlando jump on that spider, Rose lifted her head from the smooth stone floor, peering out through disheveled curls to see him stuck to the wall like a nut in toffee... Just waiting to be eaten. ”Stupefy!” Lashing out with both wands, she hit the remaining creature with the first spell that came to mind. Scarlet light shot from the wand in each hand, striking that segmented body with enough force to flip it onto its back and send it bouncing back across the floor.

As it crashed into the far wall, the tiny girl lifted her wand again, firing off her ‘assistance needed’ spell for the second time that night. But she wasn’t going to sit there and wait. ”You’re insane. And amazing,” she told Orlando in a shaking voice, pushing herself off the floor to approach his pinned body.

Foozle’s heart was still racing. ”Ah reck maist wad caw tha insane an rackless,” he corrected her, trying to laugh. If there was any question why Orlando wasn’t in Ravenclaw with his brother Danny, he was pretty sure it was because more often than not he didn’t think think before doing. Those situations usually ended with him using his noggin for a cushion when he landed.

He wriggled, making a face at the inky black substance that held him tight. Struggling only seemed to make it tighter. He closed his eyes and took a breath, trying to keep his cool. Even breathing seemed to squeeze him more and more. ”Are ye alricht?” he asked, slowly opening his eyes.

”Perfectly fine. Thanks to you.” Heart pounding, she touched the black webs with the tip of her finger. They didn’t reach out to grab her... but they didn’t instantly let go either. ”Are they hurting you?” she asked, trying to think of the best spell to free him.

”Nae muckle...” He gave her the best reassuring smile he could manage. It took a great deal of restraint not to try and wriggle free. ”It’s like gittin a whappin hug frae somebody wha isnae verra fain o me.”

Leaning around him to examine where the inky webs held him to the wall, Rose flashed a quick ‘we’re not going to freak out about this’ smile. ”Well that’s just silly. Everybody likes you. Or at least they should.” Raising her wand, she tried for a quick little cut to set him free. ”Incidere...” The webs didn’t give. ”Incidere!” she cried with a little more force, hoping for a sharper cut. But again... nothing happened.

”Tak yer tyme, lou,” Orlando chuckled, that natural defense starting to kick back in. He looked over to the big black bug eye that was inches from his face. For a brief moment allowed himself to forget that that was a young classmate trapped in there. ”We’re nae gaen onywhaur.”

”Oh, yes you are. I’m getting you out of there.” Tucking the masses of golden curls behind her ears, the little prefect glared at the ugly webs. They couldn’t be cut... but maybe something else. ”Incendio Eructo!" The thin blue flame hovered at the tip of Rose’s wand, sparking slightly as she brought it into contact with the sticky mass that held Orlando in place. The smell that drifted up from the webs as her tightly controlled little fire began to burn away the mess made her eyes water. But at least it was working.

”Och...” Foozles face knit together as the smoke wafted. His chin craned up. ”Och whit a wunnerful smell ye discovered.”

”Mmm-hmmm.” She nodded absently, slowing down her cutting as she drew nearer to where his hand should be. The last thing she wanted to do was burn his clothes.... or any other parts. ”I’m thinking of bottling it. All I need is a catchy name.”

The Hufflepuff closed his eyes. He could feel the heat as the blue flame seared its way through his sticky situation. ”Whit aboot ‘Essence o Putrid’? Oor mebbes ‘Eude de Swamp Gas’?” His fingers flexed, feeling the looseness that began to open up over his frame. ”Ah cannae count as high as the nummer o showers Ahm gauntae want efter this...”

She’d managed to free one arm. That seemed like an enormous victory. ”A shower sounds perfect. Or a long scalding bath. Anything to help me forget that this stuff...” She knelt down, slowly working her way down one leg. ”... came out of the butt of a spider.”

Foozle shook his free arm, his fingers open and closing in a fist as he tried to get the blood to circulate once more. ”Ach,” he groaned, turning his head and looking anywhere but down at the thick gluey substance that was stuck to him. ”Thank ye fur the reminder, brosia...” He could finally feel the pressure easing off his ribs, letting him take full breaths. ”Mebbes next time ye kin tackle the bitey unbeastie an get suck tae the wall?”

Kneeling on the floor as she looked up at her friend still halfway covered in gooey black webs, Rose did the only thing she could do... she began to laugh. ”Deal. I’ll be sure to remember that for next time.” The blue flame wavered in her hand as she giggled. ”Quit making me laugh,” she scolded. ”This is scary serious stuff.” She continued to cut her way up his inseam. ”And you really don’t want me to slip.”

Orlando finally looked back over his shoulder. Crouched down, the blue light at the end of her wand was casting an azure halo over the Ravenclaw’s golden crown. ”Uh...” Even as his leg felt more and more free he felt his muscles tighten nervously as that warmth suddenly felt uncomfortably hot. ”Mebbe’s Ah’ll juist wheesht and lat ye tentie tae whit yuir daein” The Hufflepuff looked away, resting his forehead against the cool stone.

”Good plan,” the little prefect murmured. She continued cutting out her life-size Orlando doll in silence until she reached his other arm. Then, stopping near his armpit, she cocked her head to look up at him. ”Why do you suppose no one’s found us? I sent up two flares and we weren’t exactly quiet.” She bit her lip as a thousand new worries flooded her mind. ”You don’t think this is happening all over the school?”

Foozle maneuvered his head about to look the prefect in the eyes. ”Ah reck gif this wis happening aw ower the castle we’d hae fand mair than three-fower o thir poor lads. Oor heard something.” But they had only really run through a small part of the castle. His eyes rose past her shoulder to the shimmering web that swayed in the hall. If somebody was attacking the castle, perhaps they set one up around every one of the common rooms. The panic that would ensue would be devastating. ”Mebbes...”

She was cutting faster now that he was nearly free. With one hand she gently pushed his head to the side so she could bring her flame up around his shoulder. The stench so close to their faces was enough to make her gag. But finally the last strands gave way. ”But we’re way down here. Maybe everyone else is all goo-ed up like you are.”

Orlando stumbled forward, free of trappings, and the oversize bug-child swung loose behind him. Rose’s face twisted a little, quickly wrapping her palms in her sweater as she reached out to catch the falling creature. She flinched as it dropped into her cotton covered palms. Foozle caught what might have been it’s shoulders and together they carefully eased it to the ground.

He stood straight, his head looking down at the thing that was once a student, possibly a housemate. He’d lost track of who had been who. It had been several minutes now since thing changed, and a new worry started prickling through his brain. What if this was becoming permanent? ”Ah howp fer oor sake thay’re no...” He looked back to the web. ”Acause tha wad mak us pouerfuly oot nummerd...”

Despite the fact that he still smelled a little bit like spider-goo, Rose slipped her hand into his as she stared at the creatures body. There was a person somewhere in there. Someone, for all she knew, who had just happened to be unlucky enough to run into that web. It could have been anyone... even one of their friends. The thought was too horrible, and she suddenly moved a little closer to Orlando. ”I’m sure it’s not that bad. It can’t be...”

The Scot gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. He pushed aside the urge to pull his jumper off and burn it right there. Instead he tugged the Rose’s thin frame into his side. It was too easy to remember just how bad things could get. He tipped her chin up with the crook of a finger so she was looking at him, not the unfortunate student. ”Ahm shuir it’s fine.” He made the most encouraging smile he could. ”And gif it’s no, we’ll deal wi it. Acause tha’s whit we dae...”

Jade green eyes looking much darker in the feeble light of the dungeons, Rose held his gaze for a long moment. ”I guess it is.” Those soft words seemed to resonate somewhere deep inside her and she suddenly wrapped her arms very tightly around her friend. ”But Orlando... I’m kinda getting sick of this.”

The Hufflepuff’s arms closed gently around her shoulders. ”Ah ken hou ye feel, Brosia.”

Foozle’s body shook a little with a soft chuckle that bordered on nervous. ”Wha is it tha yer ayeweys aboot whan these things pap up?” He squeezed her frame a little. ”Yer no cursed tae are ye?” He let that chuckle drift into a laugh.

The little blonde opened her mouth to protest but found she had no response. Without even meaning to, she was laughing right along with him. ”Maybe I am,” she giggled, leaning against him. ”But at least I’m not alone.”

Foozle shook his head. ”No in the least.”

”Ms. Sheridan,” There was a feeling of urgency in the deep voice that called out down the dark hall. It called her name again. ”Ms. Sheridan, are you okay?” The light of his wand appeared bouncing toward them from the far side of the charmed webbing, illuminating the concerned face of their Defence against the Dark Arts professor, Amen Qasim.

”Professor! Watch out for that web!” Though she continued to be unsure of how she felt about the professor, Rose knew she didn’t want to see him change into some disgusting spider. Of course, the fact that he was ducking under it before she’d even finished speaking left her feeling a little foolish. ”Um... we’re okay though.”

He came close. His strong hands grasped them both on the shoulder. ”Good.” Even so, he stood back a moment and examined them to make sure. He squeezed them again and stood up straight. ”Good.”

He crouched down beside the unconscious would-be-student. ”What happened?” His wand switched hands and he gingerly turned its bulbous head. Those inquisitive black eyes examined the figure’s body with the intent of an expert investigator. ”What did you see?” He didn’t look up. Instead he looked over his shoulder to the mysterious glistening web.

Rose took a deep breath, probably a bad idea since she was still leaning against Orlando, and tried to answer as calmly as possible. ”They were so scared. As spiders and kids. And they had a silvery glow when they changed.” She pointed to the broken ends of the web. ”Kinda like that does. But when we cornered them they went from scared to scary. If Orlando hadn’t been here with me...” The little prefect left the thought hanging.

Amen shook his head with a grimace. ”We discovered your first signal. I’ve never seen a creature quite like them.” The large man had gotten to his feet. He delicately held his wand out. ”I feared it was a student.” He maneuvered one of the long silvery lines with the end of his wand, keeping a very arms length distance. ”You say you saw them change?”

”Aye,” nodded Foozle. ”Several times. It didnae soond pleisant.”

”Did you recognize them?”

”Twa o thaim wis wee Puffs. Mebbes third year.” The teen racked his brain trying to remember. Everything had happened so fast that the events were a blur. ”Stanley Tufteroot, an Ron...” his fingers snapped, trying to jog his memory. ”Bleaker. Ah didnae ken the ither. She leuked familiar, but she’s nae a Hufflepuff. Ah reck mebbes she wis Stan’s sister.”

”They didn’t stay in kid form for very long at all though. We were lucky to know who they were at all,” Rose added. ”Can you fix them?”

”I hope so.” The professor turned, he swung his wand toward the still bug-child. ”Fineta Incantatum” Nothing happened. Qasim seemed unsurprised. ”Aperio Naturelle.” Again nothing happened. His lips tightened, appearing a little unnerved. He cast another spell, a blue jet of light striking the prone figure. Foozle recognized it immediately as the spell that would revert any animagus. Still, the bug remained unchanged.

”Hrmm...” His discouragement was apparent. Amen tucked his wand away, crouching down beside the body once more. ”This may require our Professor McGonagall’s expertise.”

Having been present, or at least nearby, during some of the other unusual events of the year, Rose had begun to take for granted that Professor Qasim would be able to handle things. To see that look on his face... it was disheartening to say the least. ”Should we go get her? Or move them? Or... something?” Now that they weren’t trying to eat her, the tiny prefect felt really bad about leaving the
poor things there on the floor.

”MacFoozle...” The thin, dry sneer of the school’s resident Potions Master was heard before moments before he appeared on the scene. ”I almost suspected that the first creature was you,” He ducked carefully under the silvery webbing, it’s hanging strands very nearly grazing the crown of his long and greasy, black hair. Foozle’s tie hung loosely from his thin fingers. ”Of course you do take great care to assure that you are never part of your own collateral damage...”

”Thank goodness you found that, Professor.” Green eyes very wide, the prefect took a step forward and held out her hand for the tie. ”I put that on the spider so it wouldn’t be mistaken for some regular creature.” Well aware that she was very likely destroying any grace she might have earned from the Potions Master, she continued her defence of her friend. ”I hate to think of what might have happened to me, or these kids, if Orlando hadn’t been here tonight.”

Foozle slipped his arm across the Prefect’s shoulder. ”Thank ye, hen.” He looked up and found those deep black eyes of Professor Snape staring back.

Those long arms folded across his chest and his black robes. ”And just what was it you were doing here tonight?”

”I think for tonight we have more important things to worry about, Severus,” replied Professor McGonogall’s light brogue. She swept her way around the Slytherin house’s head and joined Qasim at the figure’s side.

”I gave it a sleeping charm,” he told her. She nodded, her expression grave as she looked on. ”Did you have any luck with the the figure upstairs?”

”Madam Hooch has moved the others to the Hospital wing for the moment. The Headmaster should be there now.” Orlando dropped a small glance Rose’s way. That was professor talk for “no”. ”Professor Flitwick is exploring the castle to make sure that this incident is an isolated one.”

She placed her hands on her knees and looked up to the two students. ”That was good thinking with the tie, Mrs. Sheridan. 20 points to Ravenclaw,” she said, though it was more than apparent that she felt less than enthusiastic about doling out points in that moment. ”I assume that you’ve given your account to Professor Qasim already?”

”Yes, Professor,” Rose answered. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she watched the adults in silence for a moment. Even in their confusion, they looked in-control. There was really very little help two sixth-years could offer them. ”May I...” She took a breath and tried again. ”I’d like to escort Orlando back to his common room now. At the very least, he deserves a shower and a chance to rest after everything he did for me tonight.”

”Ah didnae dae ony mair than ye did, Brosia.” The Scot shook his head. He smiled. ”Gif it wisnae fer this prefect Ah micht hae gaun aw buggy masel. But Ah wadna turn doun a shouer. Or fower.” Starting to grin a little he took a preemptive step away from the deceptively strong Ravenclaw. ”Tho Ah dae keep telling Brosia tha Ahmno tha kynda lad.”

Blushing bright red, the little blonde made a note to kill her friend later for teasing her about something like that in front of three professors. ”And it’s getting late and I could use a shower too. But not with him!” she added quickly.

”Uh huh..” Foozle started to snicker. His elbow jabbed her in the ribs.

”That’ll be quite enough, Orlando.” Rising to her feet, McGonagall rolled her eyes and gave a little shake of her head. Amen Qasim stood and joined Professor Snape in the examination of the webbing. ”I do agree that it would be best if you escorted our Mr. MacFoozle here back to his common room.”

She managed a thin smile, ”You both handled this situation very well. 20 points each.”

Almost as immediately as Professor McGonagall had spoken Professor Snape’s hiss chimed in. ”25 points from Hufflepuff for breaking curfew.” He looked back over his shoulder, those narrowed eyes gazing down that long nose. ”You will not be rewarded for breaking the rules of this castle.” His eyes flickered to Rose a moment. ”Regardless of the outcome.”

”But, Sir,” the tiny prefect was protesting almost immediately, ”it was...”

”Fair nuff.” Orlando shrugged, glancing to his blonde companion.

Though she looked like she wanted to say more, a lot more, Rose met Orlando’s eyes and sighed. Keeping her mouth shut on the subject of house points and all things fair and unfair, she bid the professors a quick goodnight then did her duty and escorted the Hufflepuff out of earshot. She didn’t speak again until they had several hallways between them and any form of adult authority.

”Orlando!” She hit him in his stinky arm. ”Why didn’t you let me talk to Professor Snape?”

”Ah dinnae hae ony problem lying tae a professer, Brosia, but tha’s no wha ye are.” He stopped, bending over as he finally pulled that completely ruined jumper off. Standing back up he looked at her, ”Ah ken ye wad hae, and tha means plenty.” He rolled the inside out destroyed cotton and tucked it under his arm.

Her lips pursed to the side in an unhappy little pout/grimace. ”But it’s not right.” Knowing that she would have didn’t seem like enough at all. ”You’re a hero.”

Foozle shook his head, laughing a bit despite the unpleasantness her face wore. ”Yuir aff yer head. Ye ken tha, richt?”

”I most certainly am not!” She did her best to look offended.

”Ye are,” he corrected her.

”I am not.” She paused and looked up at him, golden brow furrowed in confusion. ”Am I?”

Orlando’s arms took her shoulders. Those goldspecked hazel eyes looked deep into those soft grassy irises. ”In general? Nae. No a bit.” He smiled at her, that curl in his lips gentle and genuine. ”Aboot this in parteecular? Fer shuir.” Foozle leaned in and gently kissed her on the forehead, his arms closing around her and hugging her. ”But ye weir it verra weel.”

”Wait. I don’t... Why?” It didn’t help her confusion that he was being so sweet about whatever it was. Her arms wound around him, her head coming to rest against his chest. Even confused, she’d never turn down a hug. And with the hug came clarity. ”You’ll never convince me I’m wrong. If that... She let go just enough to wave one hand back down the hallway. ”...wasn’t heroic, I don’t know what is.”

Orlando shook his head. ”Ah dinnaeken.” The way his weight shifted on his feet and he chewed his lip, he looked the picture of uncomfortable. ”Richt place at the richt time tae dae the richt thing, A reck.” He gave up a small smile.

”You’re silly.” Her palms found their way up to his cheeks, warm hands drawing his head down to her level until they were nearly nose to nose. ”Now, don’t argue with me. I’m cuter and almost as devious as you are.” Lightly bumping her forehead against his, she paused a moment to make sure she had his full attention before continuing. ”Putting your body between your friend and a big scary spider-kid was certainly the right thing to do. And I personally find your timing perfect... but it doesn’t make it any less heroic.” She bumped her head against him again. ”Got it?”

His eyes closed. The Scot sighed a little, resigning himself that it was better not to argue with his persistent friend. ”Alricht, Brosia.” He nodded a little. ”Alricht.” He gave her forehead a soft knock in return. ”Ah reck ye was juist as heroic, onywey. It juist suits ye better.”

Golden brows lifted up toward her hairline. This conversation wasn’t over. But since he’d given in just a little, she’d let it go... for now. Instead of arguing, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him fiercely tight. They were drawing near to his common room; soon they’d part ways for the night. ”Just promise me that you’ll be safe until morning. Please.”

”Ah will,” Foozle gave her one last squeeze before letting her go. He looked back to the rounded door that would lead up to his common room. ”Ah wis juist gauntae ask gif ye’d like me tae walk ye back tae yuir touer, efter aw this flocht.Ah ken yuir the prefect an aw, but...” His shoulders gave a small shrug.

”Then I have to worry about you walking back all by yourself.” She grinned and held out her hand to him. ”But I really didn’t want to walk alone...”

Foolze closed his hand around hers. ”Ah’ll be fine. Ah hect. Ahm a perfaisional smook.” The Hufflepuff chuckled. ”And asides, Snape awreadies teuk ma hoose’s pynts. Micht as weel mak the maist o thaim.”

Despite herself, Rose giggled. ”I’m not sure that’s the best way to be looking at it. If any of the professors catch you out again tonight, they’ll take a lot more.” She shook her head, golden curls falling across her face. ”Not that I’m trying to talk you out of it. After tonight, even regular sized bugs are going to scare me.”

”Than it’s settled.” Orlanod nodded with certainty and formality. ”Ah’ll convoy ye back tae yuir touer, squish ony bogs alang the wey, and than snaik back doun here wioot Mrs. Norris batting a yellae ee.”

”Sounds perfect.” With another soft laugh, the blonde pulled her friend close. ”You know, minus the bugs and the terror, this is a pretty nice way to end the night.”

Foozle shifted, his arm instead crossing her shoulders. He gave her a little squeeze of a hug that kept them nice and tight as the trotted along. Aye. Tha it is.”

[NicoletteAinscough]

The long golden necklace looped around the neck of its caretaker three times, the soft metal clinked against itself as Nicolette twirled the thin chain between her fingers. The girl had been sitting in the library silently chiding herself for her impending misbehaviour. She was going to do it. She was going to use the powerful magic item she had been entrusted with for her own benefit. She was going to and she didn't care. More than half the reason she agreed to play quidditch was for this necklace, to be used for this reason.

The girl unwrapped the chain from around her thin index finger as she got fed up with waiting on the clock to set her free and gathered her books to her chest. She was scheduled for a tutoring session in thirty minutes but being early was just as good. She had nothing but time now.

She quickly made her way to the reserved classroom. Privacy that was guaranteed to be empty four hours before that moment. It was perfect for the little rendezvous she had waiting before her. Tossing her books into the corner of the desk at the front of the room, she whirled around excitedly to hop herself onto it. Her hands planted on either side of the desk and she stared a the shiny black shoes that dangled above the floor. Every second stretched out before her eternally and she wished the time turner would speed the clock forward as well.

Orlando trotted down the stairs with a little extra skip in his step and that smile on his face. He hit the landing and completely ignored the the way Peter Porsblat tried to knock him off his feet by shouldering his way past him. The snide comments rolled off him like water off a duck's back. The Hufflepuff just winked at the Head Boy as he continued about his way, whistling. Nothing could put a dent in his mood. Nothing.

Last night Nicolette had written in his book that she could see him today. All he had to do was find her at four o'clock in their old tutoring room from last year. That was it. Show up. No other instructions or hints as to what was on her mind. It was a very, well, was a very Foozle thing to do and that made the boy grin just a little bit more. And who was he to argue with the lady?

The Hufflepuff was grinning from ear to ear by the time he'd gotten to that classroom. He pulled the doorknob and slipped his head into the space. "Ah wis sent fer?"

Gray eyes pulled from her shoes to her boyfriend. He was early. He always seemed to show early for her. With a smile that only strengthened the intrigue of her mystery, Nic beckoned him near with a crook of her finger.

Foozle didn't even look back. He slipped into the room and shut the door behind him. He crossed the room to the table where she sat. His hands slid over the smooth wood and he leaned across, putting that grin awfully close to her curiously unresponsive face.

"I thought you could use some tutoring..." She shifted her hands, resting them over his with the lightest contact. Those lips remained still, fighting the smile that wanted to bubble up from inside her.

"Really nou," Foozle cut that small space between them and kissed her lightly. Still, that grin wasn't far behind that little kiss. "Whit sort?"

She pulled him back in by the front of his shirt, covering that grin with her own kiss. He felt her other hand slide over the back of his head and the weight left on his neck as they continued to his shoulders. This time, when she pulled back, he could see the golden loop that connected them and the delicate hourglass that hung from it. "Dinner Etiquette"

He looked down at the little golden figure, slowly swaying back and forth from the long threaded chain. The jagged scar that bisected Orlando's brow cropped up a little with intrigue. "Wha, Colette," he said with a mildly devious tone, "Ah dae believe yuir boyfriend's mischievous naitur seems tae be rubbing aff on ye..."

Sliding her hands into his, fingers interlocking as they reached palm to palm, Nicolette smiled at the scot. "He is infectious like that." Her smile turned into a teasing grin as she pulled her hands, somewhat mocking as if she were going to pull away. "However... if you are not interested..."

"Dinnae e'en think on it," he tugged her back to him and planted a kiss upon her teasing grin. With the fingers not curled into hers he reached up and gently touched the fragile hourglass that hung between them. "Ahm bubbling wi anticipation here."

"I have managed to arrange what we need." She glanced down and back up the boy before her. "Though I am unsure if I can teach you proper etiquette in four hours..."

"Gif me ma counda in seiventeen years, Ah reck even a giftit instructor such as yersel wad be hard pressit tae tuirn me aboot in fower oors." The Hufflepuff's lips curled a little at the edges. "But Ahm willin tae gie it a gae."

"Don't be so fast to doubt... I am sure I have teaching methods your mother never used." A hint of naughty touched those lips. "And I have no aversion to pressing hard either."

Orlando grimaced a little. "Ah think this is whaur we leave me ma frae the conversation." He slid his nose to hers and gave his girlfriend another kiss. "Gif yer willing tae press, Ahm willing tae be yuir able student, Colette."

Not taking her eyes from his, she reached up and touched the top of the golden hourglass. "What good tutor wouldn't?" With a gentle flick the hour glass spun four times, sending the pair back in time four hours to the same spot earlier that afternoon. "Shall we get started?" She squeezed his hand and pulled him towards the door.

The Hufflepuff looked about, still somewhat dizzied by the way the room had stayed exactly where it was, but everything else, people and house elves, even the ghosts drifting about, had spun and blurred their way about the room as if living life in reverse fast forward. His jaw hung loosely as everything settled and once again he and Nicolette were alone as if nothing had ever happened. "Wicked..." He grinned, catching her eye trotting along to catch up with her. "Is it like tha ivery time?"

"You get used to it." Letting go of him reluctantly, the girl peeked her head out the door and scanned across the hallway. "Turning back time for you was the easy part... it is getting down the hallway that will be hard." Just as every other aspect of their relationship was. The easy things were hard and the hard things were easy.

Chancing the risk and feeling the adrenaline it ran through him Foozle crept his head out below hers. The hall was empty, but his heart still drummed with excitement. "We've gotten thru iller, ye and me." He smiled up at her. "Micht help gif ye lat me in on whaur it is we're aff tae. Whan it comes tae smookin aboot the castle, Ahm ane o the best."

Looking down at his smiling face, she couldn't keep much from him. "Hogsmeade."

"Ye ken the statue o Grunhilda," he asked covering one eye with the palm of his hand to indicate the statue of the one-eyed witch, "on the third fluir?"

Nicolette nodded, eyeing the boy with curious interest. "Yes...." The escape abilities of 'The Gentlemen' were widely known around school and their ability to obtain things seemingly from nowhere was nearly as famous.

"Did ye hae a plan on hou tae get tae Hogsmeade?" She could tell he knew something, that much he couldn't keep hidden from her. Still, Foozle played it as coy as he could.

"Why do you think I set aside 4 hours for dinner?" She lifted her foot back at the knee to nudge him with her surprisingly sensible shoes, perfect for walking.

"Adorable, Colette." Foozle nudged her knee with the smack of a smooch. "But lats gae see the ane-ee'd witchy."

Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Nicolette replotted her course and slipped out the door, her hand gently shoving his head back in the room and holding until she was sure there was no one about. Giving that unkempt hair a ruffle, she stepped more into the open and walked quietly down the hall, keeping her ears, sensitive to the silence, tuned into any sound that may echo down the empty corridor.

Orlando casually backed out into the hallway. He turned on his heel and followed the Ravenclaw on soundless trainers, keeping just a few steps behind her. He let himself be distracted by the view ahead with a small curl of his lips until he saw Ford trot down the steps they were walking toward. It seemed harmless enough, until Orlando was struck by the thought that in five minutes from then, the 4 hours earlier Orlando would be running into that very same Ford on this very same floor. "Ach..." Orlando hissed...

"What?" Nic kept her tone short and clipped as she stopped, watching as her boyfriend's roommate approached. Quiet was key in not getting caught and she barely moved her lips so David would not know she was speaking to the boy behind her. Her face had developed a very annoyed look, a little at the obstacle before them, a little for show.

"Ford..." Foozle dropped his chin as he whispered, taking great care not to call any attention to himself, instead trying to look positively invisible. "Ah ran intae him, oh, aboot fower oors agae..."

Covering her own speech with her hand in a motion of pinching the bridge of her nose as if to ward off a headache, Nic replied. "And just where did you run into him?"

The Hufflepuff crossed to the other side of the hall, as if to get out of the way of the other student. "Juist passit yon steps." Ford had turned and was headed right for the pair, heading in the complete wrong direction for running into Past Orlando.

Taking the insinuated direction, Nicolette passed the oblivious Hufflepuff with the littlest snort of derision and continued down the hall quickly. She trusted her partner to handle the details of getting rid of his own roommate. The girl turned the first corner she saw and ran into what was likely the most unexpected sight. "O-orlando..." She stuttered.

"Now this is a pleasant surprise." The Hufflepuff smiled with a twinkle in those hazel eyes. "I wasn't expecting to see you till much later."

At that same time, back around the corner a much later Orlando was looking up instead to find Ford smiling at him. "Hey."

"Hey..." he replied as casually as he could. "Ah didnae think Ah'd see ye wandering the haws?"

"Yeah... I wasn't expecting to see you either." She glanced over her shoulder for a second. "What are you doing here?" Her question seemed a little more harsh than normal.

Ford shrugged. "On my way to see Flitwick about our latest assignment. Bugger hard this bit. Can't seem to suss it out and I thought I'd see if he'd help me figure out where I'm going wrong." A little light came behind the boy's eyes. "Actually, this is right in your wheelhouse, Mr. Charms. Can you give me a hand?"

"Uh..." Foozle shot a look over his bunkmate's shoulder and found his girlfriend talking with a rather familiar Hufflepuff. "Yeah... We'll sit doun the nicht and feegur it oot, yeah?"

"Sure..." Ford replied somewhat uncertainly. "You sure you're alright? You seem a little... off."

"Ahm juist heiding tae Filtch's office fer a wee bit of corporal punishment." His head tilted as he regarded his raven-haired girlfriend somewhat curiously. "Is iverything alrciht?"

She put on that smile he loved and relaxed her posture. "Not really. No... Just hoping no one comes around that corner unexpectedly..." She moved to aim him away from the other pair just beyond the stone.

"Richt," nodded Foozle, ducking back with a look over his shoulder. He grinned and whispered, "Saicret Saicret. Dinnae wirrie."

"Ahm fine. Juist tired is aw," the Hufflepuff told his friend, clapping him on the shoulder. "Ah'll see ye the nicht in the common room and we'll wirk oot whitever it is wi Flitwick's assigment. Cool?"

Ford nodded. "Thank's Fooze. Catch you later."

Orlando chuckled, shooting a glance back and finding that Nicolette had disappeared with his future self. He felt himself grinning with memory. "Ye gat tha richt."

Hearing steps behind her, she knew it was only seconds before the pair would come face to face. Flitwick had told her that her past self should never, under any circumstance, see her future self. With no other obvious option, the girl grabbed the unaware boy by his shoulders and pulled him into her, lips crushing against lips in a passionate distraction.

Orlando's brows rose... Both of them, but, aside from the surprise, each for very different reasons. The reasons for the boy being kissed were apparent enough, but for the one watching Nicolette kiss that boy, kiss himself... The feeling was absolutely bizarre. He felt the rush of warmth, and that soft tingle upon his lips. His jaw dropped loosely watching her fingers thread through the mess of sandy brown hair.

The boy set his jaw, taking the opportunity that she presented. Quiet as a mouse he skirted the long way around the embraced couple, keeping far from sight, though he well knew that Orlando never would see him. After all, four hours ago he hadn't. Orlando ducked down along the stairwell and hurried up and around the corner.

"Whit wis tha fer?" asked the Hufflepuff, a wide smile on his face as he looked back at his girlfriend.

"Just taking opportunity as it comes." She smiled and planted one last kiss on his lips before letting him go. "I'll see you soon." The girl's smile seemed to hide a little bit of the truth.

"I..." That surprise flushed his cheeks some. He watched as she withdrew, giving a quick look around. "Alricht," he nodded, mirroring her gaze. He heard Ford cursing around the corner and knew their time was short. She let go his hands and he knew she heard him too. "Ah'll see ye soon," Foozle repeated back to her in a whisper, stepping back.

Sooner than you think With that grin still on her face, the girl turned and walked off up the steps, turning the corner that had just seen her Orlando pass.

One Orlando looked back, watching her disappear around that banister before being run into by Ford. The other Orlando, the one she was currently more interested in, stood at the top of the the steps, slipping a folded map back into his pocket. "Ah ken that wis me, but..." Foozle shook his head, running a hand back through his mess of spiky hair.

She raised a brow at the somewhat distraught boy. "But what?" With her hand on the polished banister, she walked up the steps to join him. The way her smile sat on her lips told him she was less clueless than she put on.

"It's a wee bit," the Hufflepuff paused a beat, trying to find the right word and having little success, "unsettling tae see ye kissing anither lad." His brow wrinkled as it furrowed a little. That sense memory tingled on his lip, which he tugged with his teeth a bit. "Anley made weirder by the fact tha Ah coud kynda... feel it happen..."

"Aww." Her smile was only a little sarcastic as she took his hand in hers, that glance to check for witnesses still missing. "It's okay. I don't even like that guy... You're my only Orlando." She tugged him into a quick kiss that replaced the ghostly tingle.

"Hey," the boy smirked, squeezing her hand and leading her all the way onto the landing. He'd already given the Maurader's Map a quick look and knew the path to the one-eyed witch was pretty safe. "He's no a bad lad. And judging by tha kiss... Ah reck yuir lying gif ye say he disnae gat a wee bit o yuir hert."

She laughed as she followed him. "Nope, not a bit. Its all yours." She leaned into him and whispered conspiratorilly. "I swear, the whole time I was kissing him... I was thinking of you."

Foozle shook his head, laughing along. "Somehou, Ah believe tha's true." He gave an extra tug on her hand and linked their arms and leaving a kiss upon her porcelain cheek.

"Lo thare, Gunhilda," he said as they approached the statue.

Looking at the grotesque statue with a twinge of doubt, Nicolette let his fingers slip from hers as she peered close at the ugly face. "I'll never understand why people make such hideous art..."

"Tha's no juist art, hen. It's a memorial." Foozle chuckled. "Grunhida o Gorsemoor developed the cure fer Dragon Pox; sauft millions nae dout. Wis a Hufflepuff tae." He fished his wand out of his belt. She looked back at him with a surprised look that certainly flirted with being impressed. "Ye hae tae ken aw sorts things gif ye micht be caucht hangin aboot them," he said, answering the unasked but implied question. "Ye'd be surprised whit Ah ken aboot Barnabas the Barmy nou..."

The girl simply laughed. "I'm glad you were here for the History lesson. What would I do without you?" Despite her words she genuinely was impressed. "And the memorial to my Great Uncle Forcas." The girl shook her head. "The painting of him in my house memorializing his attack on a group of Muggles who were hunting witches shows him riding in on a horse and kinda shining... in reality he snuck in while invisible and slit their throats." She frowned at the statue. "If this statue is making her more attractive then I feel sorry for the people around her."

Orlando shook his head and chuckled softly. "Ah dinnae think Gunhilda wis the glory seeker sairt. Ah reck this is priddy accurate. And Ahm shuir the fowk aroond her wis gled tae hae her aboot." He tapped the oversize hump on the hunched witch's back with the end of his wand. "Dissendium"

Upon the incantation, the stone statue shuddered a bit and the hump swung out slowly revealing a dark opening and smooth, if steep descent into darkness. Foozle stepped back, setting his wand alight with a simple "Lumos." He turned to his girlfriend, gesturing to the opening with the light. "Hogsmeade awaits, my dear Colette."

"Why am I not surprised?" She peered into the darkness chewing her lower lip a little in thought. "Well, this certainly makes thing's easier." Looking back at him over her shoulder, she smiled. "More time for dinner."

"Aye," nodded the boy, smiling. He reached forward and gently held her elbow. Orlando liked the idea of sharing these secrets with her, letting her into those parts of his life that most people only suspected. "Step carefu. It's a wee bit steep o a drap tae get tae the bottom. Best uise some licht."

Nicolette withdrew her own wand from her boot and ignited it. With careful steps, the girl descended into the darkness. The claustrophobic surrounding swallowed her and the boy quickly after. Reaching behind her, her grasping hand found his quickly and she pulled him close.

The boy gave that hand a squeeze. "Ahm richt here." She could feel him at her shoulders. Even his soft words seemed to echo down the tight dark tunnel. Even with the light behind them it seemed endless. There was hiss as the doorway sealed shut behind them, leaving them only with the light of their wands. Foozle raised his up beside her, adding to her light on the gravel and dirt path. "It's aboot an oor walk. Comes up in the laich room o Hinniedukes."

"That explains a lot." She smiled into the darkness ahead, squeezing his hand back. With the boy following behind, Nicolette followed the long dark tunnel away from the school. The arrangement she had made for dinner had been complicated and pricy but the moments of privacy for them were so rare and hard to come by that she would have done even more to find a way to have an almost normal evening for the pair. True, she had to set up their evening at a place with a less than sparkling reputation and shroud the purpose and in secrecy... Given thought, it could be a very incriminating situation, but she was sure the proprietor would ensure their privacy. She had paid to see to it that noone would see her or her guest during their stay.

After some time, the tunnel began reaching upwards as they neared their destination, the majority of the trip spent in content silence. It was enough to be in each other's presence without worry that they had not felt the need to fill the empty space with talk. At the tunnels end was a ladder.

"And we're here." Foozle walked around the other side of the ladder, looking up at the round hatch up at the top. He grinned, feeling that thrill of the sneak, and looked back at his Raven haired girlfriend. "Ah'll juist gae and tak a gleek." He killed the light at the end of his wand and climbed up.

Slow and careful and silent, he unlatched the lock under the hatch and eased it up a crack. The cellar of Honeydukes was dark and empty. Just like it always was. With a grin, he pushed it open all the way open. He crawled out. "Aw clear..." he said, looking down to the low yellow light that illuminated Nicolette's face looking up at him.

Smiling at him, she snuffed the tip of her own wand with a gentle flick of her wrist. Nicolette replaced her wand and took the ladder rung by rung until she peeked out the floor of the shop. Raising her arms up, she open and closed her hands in a 'help me' gesture. "This was much quicker..."

Foozle reached in and pulled her up through. "Flume niver seems tae come doun here," he told her, whispering despite the fact. "Prolly magics his stock aboot." He swung the girl around and let her feet light onto the lower ground from the crate he stood on. "Sweetie-shap's usually sae busy tha naebody notices onybody coming in or oot o tha cellar." He stepped down to join her.

Tugging on his arms, she looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Do you know where The Dalal is?"

"The Dalal?" That scar that bisected Foozle's brow rose up a bit. The motion seemed to pull up that corner of his lip. "No exactly the place for a lesson in etiquette."

"I disagree..." Her fingers toyed with the device of their escape that hung loosely around her neck. "With the privacy I have ensured, I think it is the perfect place for some private tutoring.

"Ah see." Standing at the base of the steps, he leaned in over that delicate gold pendant and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Ah reck ye thoucht of iverything."

With a nod, Nicolette pulled from his grasp. "I certainly hope so." Taking a few steps, she put her hand on the door to the store and grinned. "The Red Table. I'll see you there."

---

Foozle strolled down the sidewalk, hands in his pockets and his eyes either down or glancing at the windows. He'd gotten rather good at being unassuming and unnoticed. In the reflection he caught the dark outline of The Dalal across the street and far behind it, the Shrieking Shack. A grin played upon his lips as he gave a casual look over his shoulder and headed to the other side walk.

It was a dark place of heavy grey stone with wood trimming so black it seemed charred. The leaded glass windows were frosted and draped with thick crimson curtains. From the outside, there was no seeing inside. Even the wooden door, which Orlando pushed open, was windowless.

Foozle gave a look about. Of course he knew of The Dalal, but for some reason he'd never been in it. It wasn't just dark inside, it was shadowy. The aisles were unlit, and the servers and busboys appeared to maneuver around by wand light and memory. The enchanted lamps over the tables seemed to keep everything under them hidden from the casual eyes around the room.

If ever there was a place to have a clandestine meeting, it was here.

The maitre d' looked at the boy, surprisingly unsurprised at the youth's presence. "Reservation?"

"Aye," nodded Fooze with a look about the dining room. "At the red table."

The thin man simply nodded, no hint of judgment or condescension in his posture or tone. "Down, to the right. In the corner. You've found it when you see the table cloth."

When he turned back to his stand, Orlando knew he wasn't going to be ushered to his seat. He strolled down and took the instructed right. Every table was dark. Many had people seated at them, but none of them were recognizable, and any conversation was too muffled to understand in passing.

In the corner he saw the red cloth hanging over the edge of the table. On one side was a the blacked out silhouette seated with its hands on the table. "Are ye waiting on somebody?" Foozle had to lean in over the red table top before he could actually see Nicolette.

With a pleased smile, she scooted over to give him room. "No...but since you're here..." The sound from outside the booth, what little there was, became completely muted as his head passed into the circle of enchanted light.

The boy grinned and slipped into that space she made for him. "This place is hyte awesome..." Looking back, the dining room had fallen behind a veil of grey shadows. "Ah wunner gif thay're hiring..." He reached out to touch the invisible curtain, and his hand faded as it passed through.

"You do not need a job!" She cosied up beside him, so pleased to be able to have dinner almost in public together. "Here, choose what you want to eat." She slid a red laminate menu to his side of the table.

Orlando stole a glance at the girl, almost forgetting that he could look at her as long as he wanted. "Ah dinnae? Ah thoucht jobs war jaloused tae make fowk mair..." his brow knit in thought before he said the word that came off his tongue with a rather foreign sound. "Responsible." The Hufflepuff chuckled as his eyes fell to the menu. He snaked his arm around her waist and leaned her into him.

"You've gotten it backwards." She wrote her order on the little red slip of paper and dropped it into the candle flame, the paper burning and whisping away to the kitchens. "Responsible people get jobs."

"Och..." Foozle overplayed the dejection in his voice. "Ah reck Ah'll niver git a job than." Looking over the menu he settled on a plate of kabobs and dill rice. Following his girlfriend's lead, he took the quill and red slip of paper and jotted it down. He couldn't help the grin that came as he watched the the smoke rise and the paper smolder out of his fingers.

"Don't worry," The girl didn't even flinch as a tray with drinks appeared in their little tent of privacy. A chilled glass of butter beer and an iced tea were placed carefully on the table top by the faceless waiter. "You don't need a job with me." Nicolette tugged the boy closer and pressed a little kiss to his lips.

Again that scar slipped up on his forehead. "Ah dinnae, eh?" He leaned back a bit to look at her, then fell in to kiss her back. He smiled as she fit neatly into his side. "Ahe dinnaken, hen. Can ye see me as a 'kept man'?" He took up the cool glass of butter beer from the table, chuckling a bit. "Whit aboot ma big plans fer the future?"

She looked up at him with a suspicious curiosity. "Big plans for the future?"

"Kynda." He nodded a bit, taking a sip of the ice cold beer. "Danny and me hae been talking aboot opening a pub up efter schuil's oot..."

"Ah" Laughing a bit, she resettled into his side. "Working and owning are two different things." The girl toyed with the fork infront of her. "I think you and Danny would make great pub owners."

"Yea?" He felt a flush of warmth at her approval. It meant a great deal to him. "Thanks." He slowly turned his glass on the table, his thumb running up and down cool side, wiping the frost away. "Ah howp sae. Ah canna see mysel pattin oan a tie an flooing tae the Ministry ivery mornin."

"And ye?" He turned, looking over to her soft, tilted profile. "Hou daes ma sugar momma plan tae tak such guid care o me?" His lips curled in that playful smile she'd grown so accustomed to.

Loosing interest in the fork, Nicolette turned her gray eyes on him again. "Now... surely you've heard of the Ainscough fortune?" Her tone was full of mock surprise as she laughed. The tray once again presented itself just inside the lamp's protective glow, laden with their exotic orders. Reaching over, Nicolette took the steaming plates and dropped a galleon on the tray before it withdrew and hurried off.

The boy laughed. "Nae," Foozle took the hot plate of kabobs from her, sliding it in front of him, "Ah canna say Ah hae." The mix of spices from the Middle East wafted up in the steam. It was heavenly. He looked over, finding those silvery irises. "Tho Ah dinnae imagine yuir mum and da sharing ee'en a wee bit o tha fortune wi the ilk o me." He chuckled a bit, playfully leaning his shoulder into hers. "Misfortune oan the ither haund..."

"Hmn... Well, maybe I can just hope they don't find out. At least until they die or get sent to Azkaban." She tapped her chin with the handle of her fork thoughtfully. "I am very good at keeping secrets... and they will probably get caught doing something horrendous before too long..."

Foozle nodded. "This is true." He grinned a bit, taking a hold of one of the skewers and pulling off a succulent piece of meat with his teeth. It was tender and juicy, perfectly prepared. Whatever elves or witchcraft they had going on in that kitchen, it was incredible. "Tha's alricht tho," the Hufflepuff said, a tinge of curry still lingering on his tastebuds. "Ah alreadies gat aw Ah want frae the Ainscough fortune."

"In that aspect, you lucked out. There is not much to be had there." She laughed, the muffled sound carrying just outside of the enchantment. "It is a bad tree to fruit from. You would be surprised at half the things my mother and father taught me." Nicolette picked up her fork and prodded her own dish before taking a bite of the spiced lamb.

The Hufflepuff smirked, nodding a bit. His fork pushed around the rice. Rice certainly made you work for your food. The small little dill speckled kernels kept slipping through the slats between the metal, but he persisted. "Still, ee'en a withered black tree can bear a luesome fruit." He ate as near to forkfull as he could manage. "But Ahm okay wi being lucky."

"That's good." She gestured with her fork. "Being lucky has saved your life on more than one occasion."

"Aye." The boy nodded, tugging free a couple triangles of red pepper and onion. "Gran ayweys sain a haen a rich feckful Aungel leuking ower ma shoulder makkin shuir Ah didnae come tae tae muckle hairm..." He chuckled softly and picked up his butter beer. "Acoorse, she also sain Ah haen Nickie-ben sittin' oan the ither."

"Sounds logical enough." The girl's smile was just a little teasing. She found the way he spoke about his grandmother endearing even if she didn't understand the closeness. "I have seen evidence of both."

The Scot nodded, setting his frosted glass down. "Sae are ye content tae juist bide aff o the family fortune?" That grin played on the corners of his lips. "Acause Ah bet Danny and Ah coud use a body tae wait tables at the pub. Ah reck ye'd leuk priddy guid in oan o thaim aprons..."

The look on Nicolette's face became considerably less amused. "Wait tables?"

As if maintaining some sort of cosmic balance, while her expression dropped his equally lifted. "Ye ken, takin drinks and fairn tae fowk." His snickering nearly broke through. "Ah think ye really coud shine a tha."

"I know what waiting tables is, Orlando..." She glanced at the obscured figures moving beyond the veil of privacy. "I just think I may be a bit... over qualified for the position," she answered flatly.

"Acoorse ye are." He kept that smirk, "but we'd be wirking taegither."

Her eyes narrowed playfully. "You're assuming I will still want you around." It was likely the most empty threat ever given, and the way she barely kept from laughing told so.

"Och, ye weel," Orlando replied, turning his attention back to his dinner. "Yuir stuck oan me, Colette."

Cutting into the ever shrinking bit of lamb on her plate, the girl laughed quietly. "Stuck, hmn?" She drug the meat across the plate, gathering sauce. "Either way, I don't see me waiting tables as a career." She punctuated her statement by sticking the bite in her mouth.

"Nae," he said as he pulled away another piece of the layered kabob, "Ah dinnae see tha fer ye either." He stuck it with his fork, but let it sit there on the end of its spear, his fingers twisting the flatware idly. "But Ah cannae imagine ye juist living aff the faimily monies. No the lass whit needs a tyme turner sic tha she can tak ivery class..." He popped the cut of lamb into his craw and chewed it down. "Tha's no ye ither, hen."

"I'm not taking every class..." She nudged him with her shoulder. "Danny is taking just as many classes as I am but apparently owning a pub when he gets out of school." She rested her fork on the edge of her plate, grateful that she can stop eating when she wanted to now that she was out of summer school. "I'm not taking classes becuase I want a certain job. I am taking them because some people actually enjoy class."

"Student fer life than?" Though Nicolette had contented her own appetite with very nearly half a plate left, her boyfriend continued to his last kabob undeterred. "Ah hear tha's actually raither common in the muggle warld."

"Maybe not a student for life..." She watched him eat rather amused, pushing her plate towards him. "Maybe I'll just do something I like, a hobby or something. I could pretty much have any job I wanted just as long as they don't look at my diciplinary record."

"Ah dinnae think muckle of a thouct is gien tae yuir schuil disciplinary record whan ye hunt fer a job. But whit dae Ah ken?"

His utensils crossed plates without a second thought, cutting away a piece of her lamb. It should have been strange, the pair of them seated to meal and enjoying each other's company... and a meal... during the day... at a restaurant. They had never done it before. The closest they had been to this was the picnic they shared last winter, and then he had even blindfolded himself so she could eat in comfort. And here they sat, side by side, as if they had done it every day. Not even a year had gone by and they had come so far.

"Gif ye wantit tae be a teacher, than mebbes." Foozle took that bite of lamb and ate it. He paused a moment, relishing the savory tastes of the meat, then his head cocked to the side the way it did when he thought. He looked at her completely serious. "Whit are the odds o Binns retiring? Ah ken he's a ghostie and all, but..."

"Likely the same odds as you taking his job when he does." The girl laughed, louder this time, and retrieved another little red slip of paper. "I don't know about teaching... I don't think I have the temperment for it." Her handwriting flowed across the paper and she dropped it into the candle's flame.

"Whit's differ in teaching than tutoring?"

"One student at a time." She smirked a little at him. "And, until one particular incident last year, I only turored people I was friends with, people I knew I could stand." She left it unsaid who that one student was, the insinuation clear.

"Hmmm..." Foozle slid the plate back. He propped his elbow onto the table and rested his chin in his palm. He looked over at her. "Weel, Ah dinnaken aboot that body, but this haes been ane o the best tutoring sessions Ahv haen."

The waiter came by once more, this time his tray containing one coffee, black, and a cup of tea and left with their plates. "Well, I take special interest in your education." Her smile was small and private as she pulled the single serve tea bag from the cup, catching it in the spoon and pressing the remainder of liquid out against the side of the porcelain.

"Mmmhmm," Foozle reached over and hooked the handle of the mug in the crook of his finger and dragged the coffee across the table. "Hou am A daein sae faur, teach?" He lifted the steaming white mug, covering that smirk as he took a sip. Half closed in the rising smokey whips of the coffee, those hazel eyes rolled over to steal a glimpse of her.

"Terribly. I am really disappointed. I may have to redouble my efforts..." The pair shared sideways glances across the tops of their cups. Nicolette let her unburdoned hand fall to the booth between them, resting against the plush upholstery.

"Ah see..." His fingers slipped in under hers; their fingers thread between one another. "Ah howp Ahm no a lost cause..."

The feel of his hand in hers drew a smile to those glossy lips. "Lucky for you I am far too stubborn to ever give up." Her shoulder leaned in, resting against his as she enjoyed the flowery oolong at her mouth.

"Tha's me," As his fingers closed over hers he ran his thumb over her knuckle. That MacFoozle smile curled at the edge of his lip and he took another pull from the mug's dark roast. He felt her weight tuck itself against him and he responded by giving her hand a squeeze. "Lucky."

[Laun Orris-Whitmoor]

Tom was buried in books at the library. He had dropped everything except the five classes he needed to be a healer, but the homework seemed just as voluminous. Tom swung his head back and gave a heavy sigh. He had finally finished the tenth foot of a twelve feet of parchment essay on the differences between Dementors and Lethifolds.

"Don't shake hands with a fish at midnight..." Came a voice from behind the stacks of books.

"What the hell are you playing at?" Tom half whispered, half grumbled at the disembodied voice of the sixth year Slytherin prefect.

"It's code!" Laun whispered as he scampered over to Tom, wildly looking around the room as he did so.

"I know I'm going to regret this..." Tom shut the book he was reading. "What are you on about?"

"You need to help me!"

Tom's eyes narrowed, "What exactly are you planning?"

"You know that book that kid got his hands on that everyone thinks is cursed?"

"Yeah,"Tom nodded as he kicked out a chair for Laun to sit down. "Rose said something.

"We need to get our hands on it! ...like NOW!" Laun snapped jumping into the seat.

"What?"

"Did Rose tell you where they put it?"

"I think Professor Qasim has it," Tom said hoping that would settle things.

"Good let's go sneak into his office and get it!" Laun jumped out of the seat and began pulling Tom's arm.

"Are you barking?" Tom pulled his arm from Laun's grasp. "First of all, we can't just steal something like that from a Professor's office. Second, he asked us to look into it for him. Why the sneaking around?"

"Because the two are not connected man, THINK! This is big...so much bigger than Kat and her secret cult of journalistic ink worshipers."

"You th..." Tom stopped mid-sentence, "Wait, what?"

"Oy Vey...Tommy this is the big show! This will be the moment we are forever remembered for! Now we need to stop all the explaining and get our hands on that book!"

"You're in a library, Laun. You can get your hands on just about any book you want." A tiny blonde figure approached their table, setting down several volumes of potion craft to emphasise her point. "But you really do need to keep your voice down in here."

"ROSE! Thank God! The witness!" Laun said definitively not keeping his voice down, "Please help me talk some sense into Tom, we need to get a hold of that so called cursed book that that first year you found had!" Laun waved his arms madly as he spoke.

"He's been like this all day," Tom sighed.

Shaking her head, Rose looked to her Slytherin friend, knowing she was going to regret asking, "Wait... why do you want to see the book?"

"Not just see...touch! I want to physically get my hands on it, since it's my idea I get to go first but you guys will be right after I swear!"

"Are you crazy?" But since that question could be asked at any given time in Laun's life, she paused to clarify. "Crazier than usual... That book was horrible. No one should ever touch it."

"Crazy like a Ravenclaw!"

"I've been trying to tell him we can't just sneak in and steal it." Tom leaned back in his chair, smiling at Rose.

"Oh please have you not kept up with our school careers? We're all about breaking the rules!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," his grin widened, as he winked at Rose.

"Well you're not going to break this one anyway." Crossing her arms over her chest, the little blonde took a seat and opened up the first book she could reach. "There's no reason for anyone else to touch that thing."

"Oh but you're wrong there my toe headed friend!" Laun rubbed his hands together fiendishly. "We are gonna be so famous!"

Turning to her oldest friend with a rather pained expression on her face, Rose reached for Tommy's hand... or something to throw at Laun. "Tommy, please make him make sense..."

"I've given up on that years ago," Tom shook his head defeatedly, "but I love him anyway."

"Thank you Tom, back at you, just for that you get first crack at the book after me!" Laun winked.

"Rose," Tom sighed, "I don't think we are gonna be able to talk him out of this."

"Well I'm not helping until I know what in the world he's talking about." She pulled a curl down from her ponytail and held it against her lips as she thought about the whole situation. "And even then I probably won't help... but at least I won't be confused."

Laun sat down again and once more wildly looked around the room the make sure they were not being listened to.

"Okay but try and stay calm." Laun was giggling with excitement, "We need that book. because someone is coming. That book is the key. You think it makes you spout gibberish but really it's a tool...it will allow us to speak to them when they get here...we will be the first to communicate with...the aliens!"

Tom's eyes widened. He looked at Rose, and then Laun, and then Rose again. "What?"

"Aliens man! They are a-comin! They sent that book so we'd be able to speak their language!" Laun practically tipped over as he clapped in excitement.

"Laun..." Rose began with a sigh. "That poor kid wasn't speaking in made-up languages. He was speaking in real foreign tongues. It wasn't aliens."

"You can't know that for sure until we try it!" Laun said losing his grin a little.

"Laun," Tom clapped his hand on Laun's back, "you don't think that is a bit much?"

"But if they come and we're not ready than they'll leave or attack or something!"

"There's no such thing as aliens," Tom leaned back again in his chair, "The council of extra planet affairs in nineteen seventy four concluded there was no such thing."

"Everybody is allowed to be wrong once! I mean come on, I've been wrong HUNDREDS of times! So they could be wrong once! Besides when I was eight and on my toy broom I could have sworn there was this light in the sky that followed me as I flew...and I know I just know I'm right about this!"

"I-I just don't know Laun," Tom shook his head.

"It doesn't matter," Rose said firmly, cutting into the debate. "You could be completely right about this, Laun, and I still wouldn't help you touch that book. In fact, if you try... I'll have to stop you."

"Ambrosia Inamorata Sheridan!"

She looked up at him with a sad little smile, shaking her head again. "I'm serious. Professor Qasim said that the book could have broken that boy's mind. There's no way I'm gonna let you risk that... not to prove some wild theory."

"But what if I'm right! This is the chance of a lifetime!"

"It's not worth it. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Laun paused, took a deep breath and shrugged.

"Well I suppose you have a point.

"Besides," Tom said nodding at Rose, "I am quite sure that the problems around here are terrestrial in nature."

"It might be nice if they were though." The little blonde leaned her chin on her hand. "At least then we'd know who was doing all this..."

"Heh, well me and Tom are hot on the trail."

"We got any other leads right now?" Tom leaned back in. He looked over at Rose, "Did Professor Qasim say anything to you?"

"Nothing helpful. Unless you count when he told me that I shouldn't waste my talents on just a flower shop," she answered, rolling her eyes as she remembered that particular part of the conversation.

"Well maybe he meant it in a good way?"

The tiny Ravenclaw shrugged. "Mmmhmmm." She knew better than to argue. "But it really seemed like he's a little confused by all this too."

"It's so unsettling to think of Amen Qasim being confused!" Laun said with a dreamy look in his eye.

"So if it's not someone after Kat," Tom said thoughtfully as he tapped his quill against the table, "What could it be?"

"I think I have an idea...I'll catch up with you two later, kay?" Laun smiled and turned to leave the room.

---

Laun crept towards Qasim's door.

"Those guys will thank me for this when I put in a good word for them with the galactic high commander!" Laun squealed.

He tugged at the dark cloak that he hoped hid him in the dark hall. With a squeak he made his way inside the office.

"Now if I were an alien translating device where would I be? Lumos." Laun's wand lit as he whirled around looking on every shelf.

"You wouldn't exist," came a stern voice from behind him. Standing in the doorway, hands on her hips, Rose shook her head as she looked at her Slytherin friend. "I can't believe you're doing this."

"Rose! I was just...well I can't think of a good lie right now but for darn sure I wasn't looking for the book!" Laun said turning to face with his hands in the air like a caught criminal.

"Laun," Tom stood behind Rose, mostly so she couldn't see him grinning, "I'm sorry mate but I think you've lost it this time."


"I most certainly have not!" Laun lowered his hands, "I'm just thinking outside the box...I..." Laun's words died in his throat.

"Okay." Laun stopped taking a step forward, "Say I'm wrong...

"You're wrong."

Laun rolled his eyes.

"That was a little much. I'm used to being wrong by now but what if...just what if I'm right? Could you imagine," Laun's eyes got wide.

"I'm willing to take that risk."

"Well I'm not," Rose told him, her normal sunny expression grayed by the iron in her voice. "You're breaking into a professor's office in an attempt to steal something you know is dangerous."

"Laun," the smile faded, "that thing damn near killed that kid Rose found. Do you honestly think Professor Qasim would lie to Rose?"

Laun didn't speak. He stood there and let the vision of him finding the book, getting the glory, shaking hands with an extraterristial being and more wash over him. Than he pictured himself sputtering another language against his will...drool falling as he flailed in horror...the look in his friends' faces as his utter wrongness...his stupidity... got him in the end as his mother always said it would.

He took a deep breath and sat down at the edge of the professor's desk.

"Okay...you win." he shrugged.

Finally entering the room, the tiny Ravenclaw came to sit beside him, placing an arm around his shoulders. "I need you to listen to me, Laun," she began, poking his cheek with her finger until his face turned toward hers. "You are brilliant. And crazy. Or brilliantly crazy. And we love that about you. But I would never ever forgive myself if I let you get hurt. Understand?"

"Yeah...I guess it will just have to be someone else who makes first contact...bloody lucky bastards..." Laun smiled at put his arm around her in return.

"It's for the best." A tiny smile worked its way across her face. "The guy who makes first contact is always the first to be eaten. The hero comes along later... to save the day."

"Save the day! Of course! What am I doing wasting time around here for? There's the Kat Tarbell case! Now I have some great ideas on that front!" Laun popped up from where he sat. "First: How well do you all speak Gobbledegook? Second: Does either of you own an enchanted goat? Third...well don't doddle!" He said as he made his way out the door, his voice getting quieter as he walked away.

"He's completely barking isn't he?" Tom said deadpan as he threw his arm around Rose.

The blonde snuggled in closer. "Completely. But he's ours." Looking around the now undisturbed office, she hopped off the desk and began to make her way to the door. "Come on. We better follow him. Laun needs lots of supervision."

"After you my dear," Tom waived his arm in front of him.

"ARE YOU GUYS COMING OR WHAT!?!?"

"Of course we are. We can't wait," Rose giggled as she led Tommy out into the hallway.

As the two sixth years left and shut the door behind, the dark black curtains that Professor Qasim used to cover his office, seemed to come alive as they flapped in the dark.

[Dan DuMorne]

With a shout, Danny let a book fly across the cave. The tome smacked the wall beside Wordsworth, who slammed his door indignantly.

Giving off a faint glow, the safe mused, "If aggravation this task does cause, mayhap you need to take a pause. Your animagus will be a mess, if you try it while under stress."

"You should take his advice," The Gryffindor co-captain said as he walked into the cave's "living space". "The more you try the harder it will be."

Danny turned to look at his brother. "Ah kin. But oot aboot o' a swithert change when we gat this plenishin, A havenae makkit oney progress." He pushed off of the couch and walked over to get the book he had flung. Patting the safe, he mumbled an apology.

"Well," Tom slumped onto the couch across from where Dan had been, "we know you can do it. What was the difference between then and now?"

"A was panicked." Danny walked the book back and tossed it on the low table between the couches. He returned to his seat. "A couldnae find a place tae hide an, wi' ye and Ceilidh changin', it jus' happened."

A grin grew on Tom's face, "Right, you changed because you weren't thinking about it." Tom picked up one of the books on the table and leafed through it, "One of the things I learned from the Professor is that you can't force it. You have to just relax."

Returning his fellow Gentleman's grin, Danny nodded. "Awricht, then what dae ye suggest, Perfesser Llewelyn?"

"Professor Llewelyn huh," Tom chuckled, "well then, the first thing I suggest is completely clear out your mind."

Nodding, the Ravenclaw closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Exhaling slowly, he let his world dissolve. He pushed aside Quidditch formations, schoolwork, even the mystery girl from Halloween. Another deep breath, and Danny let his mind drift in the nothingness. "Mkay," he said as he exhaled.

"Don't even think about trying to do it," Tom said as he closed his own eyes, "it needs to be reflexive, like bending your elbow."

Out of smart-alec instinct, Danny lifted his arm and bent the elbow back and forth. As he did, his form twisted and shrunk. Where Daniel DuMorne sat moments ago, now there was a squirrel.

"Brilliant lad," Tom clapped, "Now let's see you change back."

The squirrel's eyes popped open. He looked around the cave, surprised. This is where I got stuck last time, the squirrel-lad thought. He closed his eyes again and cleared his mind. Just to see what would happen, he bent his elbow again. Again, his form twisted and chagned, this time back into Danny.

"Wow."

"Well done."

Danny looked at Tom. "Sae, A was a squirrel again? Whit kind?"

"Looked like a flying one." Tom set the book that was in his lap back down on the table, "But what was this all about?" He duplicated Dan's flexing of his arm.

The Ravenclaw shrugged. "A dunno. Ye said it needs tae be like bendin' yuir elbae, so A jus' did it. A dinnaekin. Seemed tae werk."

"You know I didn't mean it litteraly," Tom chuckled, "Try it without the elbow."

"A kin it wasnae literal. Ah'm a smart-ass." Danny closed his eyes and cleared his mind again, then pictured the transformation in his mind's eye. When he opened his eyes once more, everything again appeared to be much larger. Climbing to the back of the couch, he jumped and spread his limbs. Danny glided over and made a four-point landing on the coffee table.

"Perfect,"Tom grinned as he looked down at the squirrel, "I think you've gotten it down."

Nodding, Danny-squirrel jumped off the coffe table. As his hind paws touched the floor, the transformation happened again and Danny stood in the cave once more. "That feels sae unco."

"It gets more natural," Tom said as he threw his arms around the back of the sofa, "pretty soon it'll just be second nature."

"A howp sae. A near bowkt th' first time." Danny flopped down on the couch that had been redecorated in his house's colors. "A cannae wait tae show R... th' rest o' the guys."

Tom's eyebrows knitted together for a moment, but then he let out a sigh, "Well lad," he kicked his feet up on the coffee table, "how's the Quidditch team coming along?"

Now it was Danny's turn to move his eyebrows. "Yuir team's captain spiert me the same thing nae too long ago. An' now she's sent the co-captain tae frain some mair?"

Tom's eyes narrowed, "I hate you."

A great grin broke across Danny's face. "Ye woud gif ye thocht A was serious, ye mean." the young man from Ravenclaw laughed. "An' Ah'm nae tellin' ye who my seeker is, either."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tom said innocently, "Cee never said anything about asking you who it was."

"Shuir. Ah'm surprised ye've nae interrogated Rose ower this."

"You kidding?" Tom grinned, "She scares the hell out of me."

Danny was taken aback by that. "Rose? M... Oor sweet little Rose? Why woud ye be ascared o' her?"

Tom laughed out loud, [/todd]"I've known her all my life mate,"[/todd] the laugh was replaced by a peaceful smile, "knowing that girl that long will give you a healthy fear of her."

"Ah've kint her nearly as long as ye hiv, brither. Mebbes nae as well..." He paused, examining the throw rug they liberated from beneath the lake. "Ye think on Rose like a sister, dinnae ye?"

"Absolutely," Tom smiled happily.

"Guid." he said, not sure if it was really good or not. "Ah've invited her an' her family tae Thanksgivin' this year. But ye prolly already kint tha'."

"Good," Tom nodded, "We should have done that years ago."

The Ravenclaw nodded. "A dinnaek really think aboot it. But, it seemed like the richt thing tae do."

"Absolutely," Tom nodded, "The more the merrier I always say."

Danny stood up and slowly walked around. Part of him wanted to talk to him about Rose, the other part wanted to ask about the mystery girl from Halloween. So he took the easy way out and transformed back into a squirrel.

"Looks like you're beginning to get it," Tom yawned as he leaned his head back against the sofa.

The squirrel nodded before returning to his Danny form. "Speakin' o' yuir partner in Quidditch Captaindom, hou are ye twa doin'?"

"Great," Tom nodded, "We have our moments of..." Tom stopped, "momentary insanity," he laughed, "but I love that girl, I really do."

Smiling, the Ravenclaw nodded again. "Ye better treat her richt. She's gat a pair o' vengeful brithers gif ye break her heart."

"But you guys are my brothers too," Tom's eyebrows knitted together.

"Ye kin... th' hens come first. Ah'd expect naethin' else gif Ah broke..." Danny's mind played back the events of seeing Tommy and Cecilia this summer. "Nevermind."

Tom laughed, "Hey at least you two are still friends," Tom got quiet, "What do you know about this Owen kid?"

"A dinnaekin." He said with a shrug. "He's a younger ane in th' hoose. A gat him guid his first year. An' there's saemthin' aboot him... A dinnaekin whit, but saemthin."

"Well I know he can't be that great," Tom's grin turned evil, Cecelia has horrible taste in guys."

The Ravelclaw opened his mouth, then stopped. Picking up a pillow, he gave it a fling at his brother.

The Gryffindor beater ducked at the last second as the pillow slammed against back of the sofa with a paff, "No wonder you are the captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team," Tom laughed, "You throw like a girl."

Danny laughed. "Considerin' who yuir captain is, co-captain Llewellyn, A take that as a compliment."

"Touché," Tom bowed his head to his brother as he chuckled. "have I ever told you how funny you are?"

"No," the Ravenclaw answered with a look on his face that said he knew what was coming.

"Good," Tom nodded, "I would have hated to have turned into a liar."

Again Danny laughed. "Ah'm shuir it woudnae hiv been the first. After all, ye've been oor inside man fer years..."

"That reminds me," Tom threw his arms behind his head, "we need to make a run to the kitchens. Cee and I are gonna run out of supplies soon."

The Ravenclaw captain furrowed his brow. "Whit sort o' supplies?"

"You know the usual," Tom stretched his arms above his head lazily, "more stores of butter beer, the usual snacks to hide in the usual places."

"Dinnae we jus' restock aw o' those last month? Hou quick are ye two gauin' through 'em?"

"Well when you actually win a Gryffindor match, you'll know a thing or two about throwing a party." Tom nodded.

Danny's eyes rolled. "Awthing ye kin aboot parties ye learnt frae Foozle an' me."

"Fair enough," Tom nodded.

Danny shifted into squirrel form, then back again. "Sae, whit dae we do next wi' this?"

"Well," Tom stood up and straighted his sweater, "I would say we should go see Professor McGonagall."

[Bobby Britto]

Bobby sat in the overstuffed leather chair across from Professor McGonagall. She looked down her spectacles at the Gryffindor Sixth year as he sat patiently waiting for her to read his essay. After a few moments, the Head of Gryffindor put the parchment aside with out reading it and folded her hands on her desk, "Well Robert," she said in a very even tone, "What have you learned?"

Well that was unexpected, the gryffindor teen that sat across from Professor McGonagall was caught somewhat off-guard. He expected her to read it and then ensure that his feelings were true. This more direct approach was out of left field for Bobby. "Well," he said after a pause so his thoughts gathered into one unified motion, "Snape was right. Cee was right. Tommy was right. Rose was right. And I was right. Somehow, someway I lost my way and turned into something I'm not proud to say I was. I disobeyed my teacher, alienated myself from friends, and remained too focused on the past for far too long. When I started my assignment I didn't think things got that bad, but they did. To fix it all, will take time, but its time I'm willing to give," the words flowed with confidence and twinges of sadness from time to time as Bobby hated what he was when he became aware of it.

The professor blinked, "That is a lot to learn," a half smile crept across her face, "but I think you have learned what I expected. Have you given thought to what I said about looking around you at the blessings you have rather than wishing they were different?"

He nodded slowly, "Yes. I think I am blessed in a lot of ways, especially with great friends. I've been able to enjoy it, but not as much as I would like to. Part of me feels guilty about the Snape situation. Being around friends made me realize how big of a jerk I had been to a few of them. That was nowhere near as bad as I acted toward Snape that night," he confessed with twinges of guilt and happiness that swirled in his words. Happiness came from hsi friends while the guilt of previous actions when it came to Snape still lingered.

"I believe you may have started down the path toward adulthood." She leaned back in her chair and folded her hands in front of her. "You still have much to learn however."

"I never said I knew everything. The experience really made me see how much of a student I really was, that was the most shocking part of all of this," a hand waived about as he said "this" referring to the lesson, situation, and everything else this conversation involved.

McGonagall nodded. "Well then," she sat forward again, "I think you need to start putting this wisdom into practice. I expect you to start acting more responsible. You have a bright future ahead of you. You wish to work in magical Law Enforcement after you leave here, you need to start truly focusing on your studies, what is truly important, and less time focusing on what is not."

Another nod came from the teenager, "It's why I've enlisted the help of a tutor for my Defense Against the Dark Arts class ma'am," he left the bit about who his tutor was out of the paper. Had McGonagall read it she would have seen his efforts to focus on what mattered when it came to his studies.

"Very well," The professor nodded, "now I think unfortunately you will need to speak with Professor Snape. This will not be a bridge that will be mended soon, if at all, but it is something that must be done."

"I know," he sighed and stood up, "as Rose said. I've got a gift that needs to be taught one way or another. There will be hoops to jump there and I'm sure there will be something painful to do the first day we have a lesson...Whenever that is. It won't be nice but I'll do it because this is the bed I made."

[Ambrosia Sheridan]

Another night of patrols, another night of breaking up couples...

Ambrosia rousted a pair of red-faced Hufflepuffs from their comfortable spot behind the statue of Lucrecia the Licentious and sent them on their way to their common room where they'd have to keep their snogging within the limits of acceptable public behavior. Maybe it was the onset of the colder weather that was driving her schoolmates to find creative ways to keep warm. Or maybe they were all just mocking her boyfriendlessness.

It was really a depressing turn of events, she decided as she continued down a hallway. She was Rose, the matchmaker, the one who should be helping couples... not stomping all over their fun. Scuffing her feet along the smooth stone floor, she couldn't help but sigh as sounds from an empty room up ahead reached her ears.

The words were indistinct, but she didn't need to hear them clearly. The tone said it all. The boy was persuading, laying on the charm and, judging by the heavy silence that followed, the girl had clearly bought it all. Praying that the pair was at least mostly clothed, Rose put on her best stern face, stepped into the doorway... then promptly turned right back around and began to run.

As always, her luck with the Gryffindor common room held true, and she only had to wait a few minutes for someone to arrive and let her in. Stalking to the overstuffed chair in the corner where the happy couple had cuddled together to read the Daily Prophet in peace, she put her hands on her hips and cleared her throat loudly. "What is it with you Llewelyns?" The look in her jade eyes made it very clear that whatever it was... it was all Tommy's fault. "I guess I can't complain... at least you two have your tongues in your own mouths."

Tom and Céilidh stared at their friend with a look of both shock and curiosity. Unblinking, they looked at each other and then back at the blonde, "What?"

"Do you know what your sister is doing?" Rose demanded, shaking her wand at the pair as though she was going to start cursing them at any moment.

Tom looked at his watch, and then back at Rose, "Well seeing as it's a school night and, she said she was going to the library, I would imagine studying?"

"Studying the inside of that boy's mouth!"

Céilidh blinked, "Daes this hae onything tae dae wi tha chapter on dentistry in Muggle Studies?"

"No!" The tiny blonde looked about ready to start pulling out her hair. "It has to do with his baby sister alone in a dark classroom with that boy Owen. They're gonna catch up to you two at this rate."

Tom blinked. "I thought she was done with Owen?"

She could have hit him for being so calm and rational when this was clearly an emergency. "They didn't look done to me." In her frustration she went to kick him in the leg but Tommy, aware of the danger signs when the blonde was in this sort of mood, moved his leg in time for her foot to collide with the chair.

"'Brosia, if tis gat ye aw wrocht up, why didnae ye brak it up richt then?" The one-time prefect asked, thankful that her legs were tucked under her.

"You remember what it was like." If there'd been one anywhere but under her friends' backsides, Rose would have hit the redhead with a pillow. "You break up a romantic moment and, at best, the couple waits until the next night to do it again. Some just run off to a new spot. Do you really want Cissy finding all the best snogging spots in the castle?"

"Dinnae ye ken aw thaes places awreadies?" The redhead asked pointedly.

"Cee's right, just becau..." Tom stopped mid-sentence. He gave Cee a quizzical look, "how do you know where they all are?"

Céilidh's eyes twinkled, "Tis no lik A'm ah nun, Tommy. 'N' A did hae th' map frae ah wee bit..." She leaned forward and gave him a little peck on the cheek. "If ye lik, A culd shaw ye some o' my favorite spots."

A sudden thought struck the redhead. "Ye ken, tis likely th' lass awready kens. Danny haed th' map a time or twa hissel..."

"He did not!" The little blonde's response was immediate and not entirely rational. Instead of trying to hit either of her friends, she blushed and tried to focus just a little. "I mean... that was last year. So unless you want your baby sister sneaking around with that Owen boy, showing him the spots, we need to do something about it."

"Owen is kind of an ass," Tom nodded, "okay so what should we do?"

Céilidh sighed and slipped out of her shared seat. Reaching out a hand, she helped Tom to his feet and waved to the portrait hole. "Lead oan, MacSherridan."

As the three sixth years turned to leave, the portrait hole swung open and Cecelia walked through, "Hi guys. Rose, what are you doing here?"

"Oh." Giving her best innocent smile, the blonde continued moving toward the portrait. Owen certainly was fast if Cissy was back here already. "I was just talking to Tom and Cee. But I'm supposed to be patrolling so I should really probably get back to that. But I'll um... see you guys later." She gave her friends a very meaningful look. "Like maybe for breakfast..."

---

Grumbling to herself was rarely considered polite, or attractive, behavior. But by the time she'd finished her nightly patrol, Rose found she wasn't really in the mood to do anything else. Owen wasn't right for Cissy--or anyone with standards, that much was obvious. And she really did want her almost-sister to have a boyfriend. Just... not Owen. And not...

Deciding it was really time to think about some studying, the grumpy blonde absently answered the riddle and entered the peace and quiet of her common room. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts about boys, and sisters, and school work, that she almost looked past the couple sitting on a sofa by the window.

It wasn't anything too out of the ordinary. Study-flirting happened all the time, even among the more serious students. And since the couple certainly wasn't being as inappropriate as some of the ones downstairs, Rose didn't intend to pay them any mind. She was going to study. She needed to.

There was just one little problem. That boy with the reddish-brown hair who was being so flirty and helpful... not too long ago he'd been downstairs, being even more flirty with a certain blonde Gryffindor.

"So you see," Owen slid even closer to the fourth year girl next to him, "Devil's Snare sneaks around you," like vines his arms slithered around the girl, "pull you close," his fingers curled around her hip, "and squeeze the life out of you."

All the girl next to him could do was giggle.

"Ugh," Rose groaned. "I think I'm gonna be sick." The couple paused and looked up at her. "Oh... it must have been something I ate." It was disgusting to see how non-guilty Owen looked, with his octopus-like arms all over this girl. "Um please... go back to... whatever it is you were doing."

Owen's eyes shot toward Rose and back to the girl next to him, "I know the perfect place where I can show you devil's snare first hand," he stood up and gave her a hand up, "come on."

The girl giggled once more and then stood and followed Owen out of the door. Rose waited until she was relatively sure they'd be about halfway down the tower stairs before silently following behind. It wasn't that she wanted to see any more of Owen's moves... she just wanted more proof of his ickiness to take back to Tommy and Cee.

---

"I'm gonna kill him," Tom's eyes bulged with anger. "I'm gonna hang the little toe rag from the Astronomy Tower."

Rose smiled and patted his leg at this not entirely surprising response. Tommy was, after all, a big brother. "That sounds good... but then Cissy would be mad at you. We need something a little more... sneaky."

Tom took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. He felt another hand caress his back as Céilidh sat down on the other side of him "Aye, but whit?"

The blonde's jade eyes sparkled with wickedness. "Well... if you really want to know..." Sitting cross legged on the floor in front of her friends, she let the moment drag out for as long as she could.

"Yeah?" Both Gryffindors leaned in close.

"You guys are so cute." Distracted for a moment, Rose could only grin at the couple.

"If you don't talk soon," Tom's eyes flashed, "I'll tickle you till your hair straightens."

Rose's laughter didn't sound at all scared. "Now that's just mean." Leaning her elbows on her knees, she made herself comfortable to begin her sneaky story. As disgusting as it had been to follow Owen around in his... conquests, she had learned quite a bit. "Well... after that boy finished making the moves on poor little..." She paused, feeling almost guilty that she didn't know the girl's name. "Whatshername for the night, they made a date to do it again. And I heard the whole thing."

"Yeah?" The two leaned in closer.

"Aww." But she wasn't going to risk tickling. "Tomorrow night after dinner in the Great Hall. So if someone else just happened to be there... or to come along and see him in action..."

Both the Gryffindors grinned.

---

"You, Charles Weasley, are full of dragon dung," Cecelia giggled as she and the Gryffindor seeker walked down the hall.

"No I'm serious," the red head said through laughter, "I swear my dad told me."

"You know I can't believe you right? I know when you're lying," Cecelia pinched the boy on the arm.

"Ow," he rubbed his arm, "how is that?"

"Your mouth is moving," she winked.

Poised for the grand moment when she would just happen to run into Cissy, Rose ducked back around the corner as she spotted the younger blonde approaching with Charlie. A smile crossed her lips as she watched the pair. It was so clear now. Owen wasn't just the wrong guy. He was the wrong guy... who was standing in the way of the right guy. But all that was about to change. As long as the little Ravenclaw didn't get too distracted.

"Well, hi guys!" she said with a grin as she 'casually' walked around the corner, narrowly avoiding running into them. "I haven't seen you in a while, Cissy. How've you been?"

The blonde Gryffindor smiled at the other girl who was practically her sister, "I know! But I guess Dan's been keeping you busy lately?"

"Oh... um..." Nearly tripping over her own feet, the tiny girl blushed and tried not to feel too guilty. "No. Why would he? We just study and stuff." Her words came tumbling out a little faster than normal.

"Manager of the Quidditch team?" Cecelia's eyebrow raised in that characteristic Llewelyn fashion.

Rose's face was flaming red by now. "Oh yeah. Quidditch. Yeah, that keeps me really busy too. So... how are you?"

"I'm good," she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "Charlie and I were just heading back to the common room for some studying before I went to go meet Owen for dinner."

The moment the name Owen was mentioned, the red head standing next to Cecelia's eyes dropped toward the stone floor, "I guess I'll see you guys later." Charlie turned and skulked away.

That settled it. Cissy and Charlie had to become a couple. He clearly adored her and as soon as she saw the truth about Owen, she'd be free to see it. This plan was getting better and better. "So what are you doing after dinner?"

"I dunno," Cecelia shook her head, "Owen has a big study session after dinner. I figured I would go back to the common room and do some reading."

Perfect. The Ravenclaw prefect beamed as things began to click into place. "Well... reading is a good thing to do. But so is spending time with one of your favorite big-sister figures."

"Sure" the younger girl beamed, "what do you have in mind?"

"I don't know yet." Rose gave a perfectly innocent shrug. "But I'm sure we'll figure something out."

---

"It's a good plan Rose," Tom folded his arms, "I still would like to just..."

"Tom..." Rose wrapped a gentle arm around his shoulders, leaning her head against him. "You're a good big brother. We all know there's nothing you wouldn't do for your sister. Or your friends." She nudged him slightly, explaining herself as gently and simply as possible. "But Cissy doesn't need you to go charging in there to turn Owen into a toad. You can do that later."

"I'd rather do it now," he said with a grunt.

Her fingers gently pushed at his cheek, turning his head until he was looking at her. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you," he said, "I've trusted you since we were in diapers."

"Then it's settled. We do this my way." She wrapped both arms around him in a tight hug, squeezing him.

"Why is it I can never say no to you?"

An impish grin spread across her sunny face. "Because you're smart. Not as smart as I am... but close."

"Blah blah blah," Tom grinned sarcastically as waved his hand dismissively, "Whatever you say."

"That's right." The tiny blonde dug her fingers into his ribs, poking until she found the right spots. "And I say you're going to listen to me and wait till later to turn Owen into something suitably icky."

"Alright, alright already," Tom wriggled under the evil Ravenclaw's attack, "I'll let you handle it."

"Of course you will. You're smart, remember?"

---

"So then," the fourth year giggled, "Dora looked right up at Professor Trelawney stone faced and said, I will not be marrying a dog thank you very much."

Rose couldn't stop laughing. "Ohmygosh, I wish I'd been there. What did she do? Did she kick Dora out?"

"No," Cecelia shook her head, "she just got this real annoyed expression on her face and said that the tea leaves don't lie. Sometimes I thing the Professor is completely mental."

The blonde Ravenclaw bit her lip then nodded her head. "Don't tell Cass I said so, but yeah... she's nuts." Casting a quick glance around to make sure their little walk would take them where they needed to be, she turned a 'random' corner as she continued to laugh. "I have to say, I'm really glad I didn't take that class. I've heard too much about divination to want to deal with anything even close to it."

"I would love to drop it," she laughed, "but it's gonna be an easy O.W.L."

"That's a good plan." The tiny prefect nodded approvingly. "It's never too early to start thinking about your O.W.L.s."

"Oh now you're just sounding like Tommy," she stuck her tongue out at Rose.

Giggling, Rose reached out to pull her friend into a hug. "Then you should be used to it," she laughed. Then, since they had finally reached the perfect Owen-viewing position, she suddenly noticed an untied shoelace. "Oh, hold on." She knelt down to tie her pink laces, hoping the sudden silence in their hallway would carry the sound of other voices to Cissy's ears.

It started with a giggle. Then subtle whispers rolled through the hall way toward them, "What's that?"

The tiny blonde reminded herself that this really did need to happen, then looked around. "Ugh. Another couple off doing who knows what. We should go around." She pulled her friend along, accidentally turning into another hallway that opened into the corridor outside the DADA classroom.

One of the voices from down the hall squeaked, "Oh Owen!"

"The hell?" Cecelia's eyebrows knitted together as she started toward the voices. The blonde fourth year disappeared behind the corner, "What..." her voice rang out, "you!"

There was a bright flash, and two yelps of pain.

Rose ran after her friend. Though she felt bad about causing any sort of hurt to Owen's latest fling, it certainly was satisfying to know that the boy was about to feel the wrath of Cecelia.

Cecelia stood with her back to Rose. Both Owen and his latest conquest were both on their knees, tears streaming down their cheeks. Their faces just inches away from each other. Their mouths were open wide and a large pink knot was in the place where their tongues usually would be.

The blonde Ravenclaw winced. As a prefect she really shouldn't be endorsing this sort of revenge behavior, but as Cissy's friend? The only thing better would have been seeing a knot tied in other parts of Owen's anatomy as well.

"You rotten, vile, loathsome..." she snarled.

For his part, Owen gurgled a plea for mercy.

"Shut it!" Cecelia barked. "You can go straight to hell. You even look at me again," her eyes flashed, "your tongue won't be the only thing tied in knots." The fourth year stormed away right past Rose like she wasn't even there.

There came a fluttering sound from overhead. After a moment, a fiery-haired, emerald-eyed Gryffindor stepped from the shadows and stood next to the equally emerald-eyed, blonde Ravenclaw. Her expression was less than pleased as she tapped her wand to her lips. She let out a sigh and turned to Rose, "Sae, sin ye'r th' Prefect, whit shoud we dae wi thaim?"

"Let them go, of course," the blonde replied a little too sweetly. She gave Cee a hard look, wondering who exactly she should be irritated with. But that could wait until later. "They haven't broken any rules. They're just..." Her expression took on a faintly disappointed look as she glanced at the girl who was still trying to pull away from Owen. "...stupid."

Céilidh pointed her wand at the tongue-tied pair, "Finite!" The charm washed over the two teens, slipping the knot apart. The girl and Owen fell to their backsides, still looking wild-eyed at the two sixth-years. "Ye," she said, flipping the tip of her wand to the young girl, "can gae."

Another flip of her wand pointed the way to the door. The young Ravenclaw nodded furiously as she ducked between the two older girls and out of the room. Owen had been smart enough - or to scared - to move. Cee knelt down, looking back over her shoulder to Rose, "Ur ye shuir aboot this yin, tho?" She poked him in the chest with her wand. "Mebbe we shoud bide a wee frae Tommy?"

"Tommy promised he'd let me handle it," the little blonde reminded her friend. A wicked and distinctly un-Roselike smile curled the corners of her lips. "Unless you think Owen would like to wait around for Cissy's big brother..."

An audible gulp came from Owen's general direction, drawing Céilidh's attention back to him. "Aye, mebbe he daes? Ye ken Tommy's richt guid wi transfigurations. Or he micht juist gae richt frae his beater's bat... Whit say ye, Owen? "

The boy swallowed hard once again. He opened his mouth, but it took a moment before any sound came out. "I'd really rather not, if it's at all possible?"

Though she found his sudden politeness highly amusing, Rose did her best not to laugh. "It is possible. If you find a way to make this right." Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked down at him sternly. "And it has to be good or we're going to slap a bow on you and deliver you to Tommy ourselves."

As if on cue, a large golden blond cat with piercing blue eyes came between the two girls. The cats head volleyed between the girls and then he walked between each girls' legs purring the whole time. Finally, the cat's eyes landed on Owen and the cat let out a loud hiss as he stared at the boy.

So much for trusting her to handle it on her own. Shaking her head, Rose bent down to scoop up the large cat. "Naughty kitty," she scolded in a sing-song voice. "You're so grumpy tonight." Shifting him around in her arms, she flipped him onto his back and cradled him like she would an infant. Then she turned her gaze to the boy on the floor. "Owen, I think you made my kitty unhappy. You're going to have to fix that too."

Rocking the large bundle of fur in her arms back and forth, she took a step closer to the boy. "You should make him feel better. Maybe if I set him on your..." She looked rather pointedly at Owen's body. "...lap."

The fifth-year winced visibly, staring at the sharp claws that came along with that large bundle of fur and teeth. "Uh... no. I can't. Um... allergies."

The cat looked up at the blonde, I'm beginning to think it was a bad idea," he squirmed a little trying to get himself free.

The blonde sighed, squeezing the cat in her arms a little tighter. "That's too bad. Kitty really needs to be cheered up. But I certainly wouldn't want him to make you sick." With a shrug, she flipped Tommy-cat around in her arms again, flopping him over her shoulder. "I guess if you can't make him feel better you're going to have to do something to make it up to the girls you've hurt."

"I should apologize," Owen offered quickly, clearly still worried that Rose was going to drop the cat on his crotch.

"Och, whit swith thinkin', ah credit tae yer hoose ye are."

Rose pretended to think it over while she ran her fingers through Tommy's soft fur. "You do need to apologize. To both of them." Her green eyes grew very wide as she suddenly thought of a problem. "Oh no. They're not in the same house. However will you manage to say you're sorry to both of them?"

"Tis ah problem, truelins," Céilidh said, tapping her wand against her lips once again. Her eyes rolled to the ceiling, then cut to the blonde standing beside her. "A think he shoud find ah wey tae git them baith thegither, dinnae ye?"

"Oh that's a great idea. Isn't she smart, kitty?" She gave the cat on her shoulder another squeeze. "I should let her pet you." Passing Tommy over to his girlfriend, she continued to think about what she intended to make Owen do. "Hmm... that means we need a place where we can find Cissy and... what was your other friend's name?"

"Lydia."

"Right, Lydia. So where might you see the two of them together, Owen?" But she wasn't going to stop to let him answer. "Oh I know... the Great Hall. In fact, they'll both be there for dinner tomorrow. That would be the perfect time. Don't you think so, Cee?"

The redhead looked up from where she was absently scratching her boyfriend under the chin. "Hmm? Och, aye. Th' Great Hall wad be th' perfit place." She turned her attention back to Tommy's fuzzy face. "Mey be ah guid time tae say ye'er sairy tae th' ither lassies tae," she added absently.

I could actually get used to this, Tommy purred as his girl friend's manicured hands ran through his fur

To his credit, Owen was at least smart enough not to ask how they knew about the other girls. He swallowed hard and nodded, looking like he was almost ready to try to get off the floor. But Rose stopped him with another deceptively sweet smile.

"And it's got to be a really good apology. Otherwise..." She draped an arm around both Cee and the now-purring cat. "I'm going to freeze you and let Cee drop the cat down your pants."

"An ye wadnae lik that, wad ye?" Céilidh cooed to the cat in her arms, "Nae ye wadnae, nae ye wadnae..."

Rose's grin could almost have been described as angelic... if it weren't for the light in her green eyes. "Why don't you run along now, Owen?" she told the boy. "My friend and I are going to play with the kitty. Unless, of course, you'd like to stay..."

The cat lazily turned his head to look at Owen once more. The cat's eyes hardened and he gave another loud hiss, that made the boy run away.

Once he was gone, Tom jumped out of Cee's arms and turned back to normal. "I'd say you all handled that rather well."

Now that he wasn't cute and furry anymore, Rose put her hands on her hips as she glared at her oldest friend. "You said you trusted me!"

"I totally did," he grinned, "I didn't get involved did I?"

"Did you send her here?" She pointed a finger at Cee, still trying to find a reason to be mad at him.

Céilidh smirked, "Dae Ah ever dae whit he says?"

She couldn't argue with that one. Giving in and flashing her most impish smile, the tiny blonde wrapped her arms around both Gryffindors with a sudden show of exuberance. "So... do you approve?"

"We approve." They both nodded.

---

Rose didn't linger after dinner. Despite a surprisingly sincere sounding apology speech from Owen made in front of nearly the entire student body, she still felt a lack of satisfaction about the whole thing. She slowly wandered up the steps to the Ravenclaw tower, absently wishing she had a furry-Tommy or any other furry body to cuddle with.

It didn't surprise her at all to find someone waiting for her in front of the door. "Hi Cissy," she greeted the younger blonde then quickly answered the riddle to let them both into the common room. Looking around at the not-entirely private space, she gave a little smile then took her friend's arm to lead her through the room. "Let's go sit on my bed."

"You set me up," Cecelia folded her arms across her chest, a smirk played across her face.

"Yes I did." Rose continued to drag the Gryffindor along until they were safely behind the walls of Rose's own bedroom. "And I did a really good job of it." She flopped down onto the bed and, after kicking several pillows aside, waited for Cissy to join her.

The other blonde gave in and sat down next to her, "How long?"

The prefect shook her head. "Only long enough to make sure you could see it for yourself. Your brother wanted to just kill him and be done with it. But some things," she reached out and took the younger girl's hand, "you just have to do more than hear about. I'm sorry though."

"First Danny, now Owen. I keep dating morons don't I?" Cecelia threw herself onto some of Rose's pillows.

"Danny is not a moron!" Feeling herself starting to blush again, Rose quickly tried to keep her friend talking. "Owen... well... I can't argue with that one. He really is stupid."

A muffled, "So now what?" came from the pillows.

Gathering up as many pillows as she could reach, Rose hugged them to her chest and stared up at the ceiling. It was a depressingly good question. But at least she had a good answer for Cissy. "Well, now that you're not distracted by the wrong guy..."

"There's a right guy?" Cecelia looked up.

She certainly hoped there was. "Mmm-hmm. Or at least one who's a better choice right now." She had to find the positive side for her friend. "Someone you have a lot of things in common with and already have a ton with. Someone who, I think, totally likes you."

Cecelia's eyebrows knitted together, "Yeah?"

Rose stared at the girl for a minute. "Wow... you're as bad as your brother sometimes." She tried dropping one more hint. "Someone who was totally crushed when you were talking about Owen today..."

"Bu..." she stopped dead, "noooooooo."

With a gentle smile, the blonde reached out to pat her friend on the head. "It's okay. It's easy to overlook someone when they're right under your nose."

"Charlie just seems so..." she struggled for the right word, "always there. He's a friend, how can a friend turn into more?"

Opening her mouth to answer, Rose found she had to shut it again and actually think about the question. "Look around us," she told her friend finally. "Which of the really good couples out there didn't start as friends? It just makes sense. You've got this solid friendship, someone you trust and like, and now you'd get to have romance as well." A sigh left her lips. She couldn't help it; it sounded so nice.

"Yeah," Cecelia nodded, "okay, so what now?"

Reminding herself that they were focused on Cissy's love life right now, not anything else, the Ravenclaw smiled again. "Well I'm sure he was in the Great Hall for Owen's little speech. So, because he's a nice boy, Charlie's going to be torn between wanting to comfort you and being really happy that Owen's not in the picture anymore."

A bright smile spread across Cecelia's "Okay, I'll go find him."

---

The sound of voices drew Rose down the hallway. It was tempting to turn around, after all, she was nearly done patrolling for the night. But she was a prefect... so she kept walking.

The couple seemed to be taking at least some of the time to talk, that was a mark in their favor. But those long pauses meant that the pair was doing a lot more than just talking. And that meant she needed to send them off to whatever house they belonged to.

Stepping around a corner into a really quite private alcove, the little blonde found herself smiling at the sight. "Well, I'm glad everything worked out so well," she laughed, deciding to interrupt them in a far nicer way than she usually did.

Both kids turned a nice shade of red, "Oh ummm hi Rose. We were just...uh," she stammered for the right words.

"I know what you were doing," the blonde giggled, flashing the younger girl an impish grin. "And I'm glad. But you still have to get back to your common room. It's okay to do a little snogging there. Tommy might even approve... a little. If you keep your mouths closed."

[Orlando MacFoozle]

Orlando’s head poked in through the heavy wooden doors that sealed the mighty Hogwarts library off from all sounds of the castle. He gave a casual look, spotting the tightly wound gray bun of the angry old witch that minded the shelves and their contents. She sat, engrossed in some large dusty tome behind her even larger wooden desk. Were it any one else deep into a book, Lando would have been sure that he could slip in and stroll through the room without notice. Unfortunately when it came to sound and disturbances in general, this woman seemed to have a six sense for these sorts of things.

The Hufflepuff scanned across the neatly arranged squares of tables and chairs. Of course he wasn’t looking for just anybody. He was looking for another bun. One much darker, black actually, and a tad bit looser. His eyes settled on the ball of black hair with a pair of wooden sticks poking out of it. She sat with her back straight, but that’s where the similarities between the girl and the cruel witch behind the big oak desk. A smile pulled along the boy’s face as it disappeared through the opening.

A few seconds later, a folded paper owl fluttered through the ajar door. It swooped down low, its quiet wings flapping it along as it zigged and zagged through the table legs to the one that Nicolette had set up at. The owl spread its wings, catching a charmed gust of wind that lifted it up and settled it down just past the head of her notebook.

Movement caught her eye and she looked up from her work. The Ravenclaw couldn’t help smiling at the origami creature. She knew without opening who it was from with its clever construction and its slightly wrinkled exterior. It was perfectly Orlando. With one gentle finger, she stroked the note between its peaked ears. She really didn’t have the heart to disassemble the poor creature so she simply packed up her books and scooped the thing gently into both hands before quietly walking to the doors of the library.

Upon exiting, she looked around for the sender, raising a still feared brow at a collection of third year students of varying houses that had been loitering in the hallway. She didn’t need witnesses complicating her little visit any more than it already had to be. Once they had left, Nicolette peered around the hallway for a familiar grin, a tell-tale spike of hair, perhaps an out of place raccoon, but the hallway was barren. With a bit of a frown, the girl looked down at her little note. ”Do you know where he is?” As if a magic password had been spoken, the owl hopped out of her hand and fluttered away, down the hall towards the door that led out of the castle.

Barely suppressing the giggle that bubbled up from within, Nic followed her guide. It hovered for a moment at the door, waiting for her to catch up and open the heavy wooden portal so it could continue its quest. The way it flew, bobbing and weaving, was terribly amusing to her as the pair made their way across the grounds. Past the lake and the whomping willow, she was fairly certain where this was leading. As the paper creature held its place at the entrance of the Forbidden Forest, Nicolette opened her bag. ”I know where to go from here. You deserve a rest.” The adorable owl tucked itself in between her things as bidden and Nicolette cast the shimmering blue spell that would lead her to her boyfriend. ”Hansgratella”

Following the winding path through the thinning forest, crunching her way across the brown leaves, Nicolette found Orlando exactly where she suspected. In the middle of a very familiar clearing. ”Ah see ye fand yuir wey.” He stood in the center, his fingers tucked deep in the pockets of that black pea coat. He slowly made his way toward her. ”Ahm gled ye still member hou,” chuckled the boy. ”The owl didnae hae the hail map...”

With a smile she crossed the open area to meet him in the middle. ”I’d imagine not. He was too full of stupidly cute.” With a light hearted laugh of her own, the girl wrapped her arms around his neck in a stolen embrace. ”I am glad you called for me.” She pressed a kiss to his cool cheek.

The boy smiled, that rosey cheek rubbing up against hers. His arms closed around her frame and he squeezed her. ”Sae,” he said, leaning back to catch her face but not letting her go, ”Ye want tae talk aboot it?”

”About what?” She frowned just a bit, unsure if there was something she was missing.

Orlando’s brow rolled in that inquisitive way it often did. He found those silvery eyes, like a pair of pensives looking back at him, and looked deep. ”Tha Ah dinnaken, tho Ah hae my suspicions.” His head cocked to he side as he watched her. One of his hands let her back go, instead cradling her chin in its fingers. ”Ye warna this anxious aboot yer OWLs laist year.”

She sighed softly. It was still taking some getting used to, having someone know what is going on inside of you without even telling them. ”I’m no athlete.” She knew avoiding the conversation or lying would do no good. He was just as stubborn as she.

An exaggerated furrow knit the boy’s brow together. ”Hmmm...” His hands fell to her shoulders and down her arms. He gave a little squeeze of her slender muscles. ”Ye mynd tha tyme tha we teuk doun tha quintaped in the forrest?”

”Yeah,” she grumbled begrudgingly. ”But that was spells and a life or death situation that didn’t take much time at all... this is a sport”

”That wisna life or death...” chuckled the boy, ”Ah wis there.”

She rolled her eyes playfully. ”Cause that didn’t make it more stressful... Your being there made it all the more important that we not die.” Her hands raised up to catch his, fingers interlacing. ”And that lasted only a few minutes... this could last hours.”

”Richt. Richt.” Foozle nodded, looking overly serious. ”Whit aboot chess? Ah’ve sufferit throu watching twa oor three o thaim games wi Danny. Thay can last oors tae...”

This earned Orlando a raised eyebrow. ”Did you really just compare a seated civilized game of chess to a flying game of Quidditch where balls will be hurtling at me and trying to knock me off my broom?”

The Hufflepuff seemed to consider her question a moment, then nodded. ”Mebbes.” Again his eyes looked upon her questioningly. ”Ye did say ye coud fly a bruim, richt?”

She sighed. ”Of course I can.”

”Ah’ve seen ye agains tha quintaped,” Orlando curled their writs, resting their knotted hands against his chest. ”tha teuk shairp keekers and a quick wit unner the warst o pressure, hen. An tae be as guid as thay say ye are, weel than ye muist be able tae focus fer the lang haul... And Danny says yuir a whiz oan a bruim which, like chess, is technically sitting. Ah reck tha’s the makins o a priddy guid, gif reluctant, athlete.”

Foozle smiled as he looked at his girlfriend, taking her cheek and stroking it with his thumb. He started to snicker. ”And we baith ken ye haes the stamina...”

A ruddy blush spread across those pale cheeks. ”You know nothing of the sort!” She pinched him lightly before giving him a serious regard. ”And what will you do if I get hurt?”

It was his turn to sigh softly. There was the rub. Orlando’s eyes fell a bit from those silvery pensives. They settled on her lips. Of course, he himself was rather accustomed to getting hurt. It had been a rather common thread in his life. The thought of her getting injured was a completely different story. And the truth of it was, people got hurt in Quidditch. And often.

Foozle had never been an expert in the game and his mind tried to piece together what had sunk in from him being around Tommy and Cee and Ford and Sam. ”Yuir the seeker. Yuir no the biggest target oan the pitch.” His eyes lifted back up, his thumb gently tracing the shadow of one of her lashes. ”Keep yuir wits aboot ye and ye’ll dae fine. Gif ye git a bump oan the noggin, Pomfrey’s as guid a witch as ye’ll find. Truist me, Ah ken.” He smiled a bit. ”And gif it’s worser than tha, weel...” the teen chuckled, ”It wadna be unheard o fer Orlando MacFoozle tae find himsel in the Infirmary richt aside ye.”

”You had better not! You can’t hurt yourself just to be near me!” She pulled one of her hands from his and thumped him lightly. ”Besides, you miss my point. I am asking what you will actually do. It would be awfully suspicious for you to get upset if I am hurt...” Her fingers grazed his cheek lightly. ”You have to act as if it were any other student. I am a bigger target than you think. The seeker ends the game and earns one hundred and fifty points. If the other team is less than one forty ahead, they will do anything to keep me from catching that little golden ball.”

Chewing on her lower lip, Nicolette paused before continuing. ”My first game is against Hufflepuff... I don’t have many fans in that house. I would be willing to bet some of them would take the chance to get in a shot under the guise of gameplay if they think they can get away with it. I might be paying for mistakes of my past.”

”Ah ken ivery ane oan tha team. The may play haurd, ee’en roch, but they winna play dirty.”

Orlando’s eyes closed, his cheek leaning into her brushing fingers. ”Dinnae wirrie aboot me. Juist use tha as extrae incentive tae stay sauf...”

She smiled softly, this boy in her hands was so precious to her. She probably really would try harder because of him. ”You know I’ll have to play Slytherin at some point...”

”Now, thaim,” Foozle’s eyes opened and that mischievous glint caught the gold in his irises, ”Thay cheat and play dirty.” He winked teasingly. ”But thay alsae seem tae like ye.”

Nicolette’s smile faded a little. ”Not as much anymore. Not since I stopped running with Mariella and that group... and Mariella is on the team so I am sure I’ll spend a lot of time dodging bludgers.”

”Hmmm,” Foozle was stroking his chin in thought again. ”Ye want Ah shoud mak thaim an offer they canna refuse?”

”And that won’t be the least bit suspicious!” She laughed again. He always had the power to make her smile, no matter how hard she tried to fight it. ”I may just have to curse them like i did Laun and you... I mean, oops.” She chuckled teasingly.

”And stairt dating the hail Slytherin Quidditch team?” Foozle laughed, ”Why, Colette... ye hae mair stamina than Ah thocht!”

Nicolette squealed and pinched Orlando again. ”That’s not what I meant! I just meant to get them to like me and you know it!”

The Hufflepuff jerked away from her assault, laughing even harder now. He skipped back a few steps as she carried on her fingered attack. ”Ah see,” He dodged side to side, but she was swift. Even jokingly her fingers in his ribs were sharp. He laughed harder, barely able to speak. ”And juist whit wis it aboot me tha made ye need me tae like ye sae muckle tha ye cast this powerfu black magick ower me?” He swatted her hands away, skirting around the side of her. ”Ma rouguish chairm? Ma disairming guid leuks?”

”Oh, you were an accident, I was aiming at Evan and missed!” The wicked witch giggled with the stinging blow from her lips that accompanied her fingers.

”Och,” he cried with an exaggerated pain, ”lou blow, Colette... Low blow...”

Her fingers caught the sides of his shirt and pulled him in close. ”The spell took to you so well, I just decided to keep you around.” Her silver eyes shimmered mischievously across the short distance between them.

”Och,” Foozle’s arms folded across the small of her back, hugging her in nice and close to him. His chin tipped up the little bit to adjust for her height, ”Ahm speelbund alricht.” His lips brushed her cheek with a soft kiss. ”Emphasis oan the ‘bund’ pairt.”

Her fingers tangled into his spiky hair, thumbs brushing his temples affectionately. ”Good... I’ve grown accustomed to having you.” She blushed lightly to such a statement of her need for him.

”Than we’re gree’d” He leaned in and brushed her lips with his. ”Ye’ll play. Ye’ll catch tha wee snich.” His thumb swept across her cheek.

She nodded a bit. ”I will... Danny needs me to.” She sighed a little, resigned to her immediate future.

”Carkfu, thou, hen.” his lips curled in that familiar grin, ”ye micht enjoy yersel. An Ah ken hou tragic tha wad be...”

With a quiet laugh, The Ravenclaw raised a dark brow. ”And what if I am enjoying myself right now?”

”Gif yer no,” his nose slipped in close alongside hers, ”than Ah’d be wirried yuir growen accustomt tae me in the wrang wey...”

”I think I am accustomed to you in just the right way.” She leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

[Dan DuMorne]

Danny stood in the locker room with the Ravenclaw team assembled before him. "All right, team. We've practiced hard and we've come a long way since tryouts, thanks in no small part to our both our manager," He nodded to Ambrosia, standing next to him with her clipboard at the ready, "and to our practice squad. You guys have improved your own game immensely, and in doing so forced the rest of us to keep pace." This time, the Ravenclaw captain nodded at a few players seated to his right.

"But the Hufflepuff team is going to be good, too. Samantha and her team are good, and let's face it, she's been at this game longer than I have." He grinned, as a couple of the team members chuckled, remembering Danny's performance on a broom in his early years at Hogwarts.

Rose, as team manager, opened her mouth to say something encouraging but found she couldn't think up anything that seemed good enough. For the first time in her school career, she found herself actually nervous about a Quidditch match. It was strange... but also exciting. Instead of talking, she just nudged Danny with her shoulder to get him to keep talking. He was good at it.

Danny decided it was time to wrap up quickly. "But we will win today. We've got the skill, the speed, the strength and best of all, our secret weapon -- Nicolette Ainscough. Nobody has seen her play seeker before, ever. This is the first game, this is where we start our march to the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup. Now let's go out there and win!"

Even though Danny doubted his own ability to fire up the team, his words seemed to have the desired effect as his team stood and cheered. As the rest of the Ravenclaws cleared the locker room, he grinned at Nicolette as he grabbed his broom. "Hou was tha?" he asked, his accent returning now that the pep talk was done.

With a soft chuckle, her own broom at her side, Nic patted her brother on the shoulder. "Best Quidditch speech I've ever heard," She winked at him and scruffled his hair.

Turning to Rose, Danny grinned. "D'ye kin we're ready, team manager?"

"Of course you are," the tiny blonde answered with a smile, dropping the lock of hair that she'd been chewing on. "Because the team captain is brilliant." As they started to follow the rest of the Ravenclaws out to pitch she suddenly grabbed Danny's arm. Pulling him back, she wrapped her arms around him in a fiercely tight hug. "Just... be careful. Please."

Breaking the hug, Danny grinned at the Ravenclaw team manager. "Hey, it's me."

Her lips settled into something of a pout. "I know. But do it anyway. You know... just to shock me or something."

"Ah'll see whit A can dae."

---

"This is gonna be our year for sure team," Sam grinned broadly as she lead her team and a few other members of her house toward the pitch.

"Gryffindor looked good," The pink haired beater said with a bit of worry in her voice, "Even with Tommy and Oliver out."

"Oh please," the Hufflepuff Captain laughed, "that team is a mess. When we face them, we're gonna beat um! I can guarantee that gang."

Near the back of the group of Hufflepuffs, Tatiana adjusted her broom on her shoulder, "Sam is sure optimistic this year."

Orlando strolled along with his house's team. He gave Tati a playful hip check. "Sam's optimistic ivery year." Of course that was a general observation from the Scot. When it came to the comings and goings and doings of his house's quidditch team, he was blissfully ignorant. He smirked, "It's part o her chairm."

"It's what makes her a good captain," added the team's keeper.

Lando shrugged. "Shuir."

Ford rolled his eyes, swapping his broom to his other hand to get a better look at his bunkmate. "Foozle, you don't give two sods about Quidditch." Foozle knew the keeper well enough to know he was joking, despite the groaning tone.

"Acoorse Ah dae," he protested.

"No, you don't."

The Scot over exaggerated his frown. "I give one." He added that hurt feeling to his words, but the expression on Ford's face indicated that he wasn't buying it in the least. A quick look to Tatiana found no support. She simply shook her head. "Well, Ah like ye guys..." He tossed his arms around both their necks. "Isnae tha enouch?"

"Fine day for a match," Tom grinned as he and Céilidh caught up with the Hufflepuff contingent.

"Aye," Céilidh agreed, hooking her arm in Tom's. "Oor anely problem is kennin wha tae cheer frae."

"Dae whit Ah dae..." He gave Ford and Tatiana one last hug around their necks and let go. "Cheer fer baith."

Ford shook his head. "Thanks, Fooze." Still he grinned a bit. He'd grown well accustomed to Orlando supporting his friends instead of just supporting his house. It was actually somewhat amusing, if less so when he was on the field and up against any house but Slytherin. Before Danny had taken to Quidditch he could at least have counted on two games a year.

Lando chuckled. "Ahm still rooting fer tha tie!"

"I keep telling you Lando," Tom placed his hands on Olrando's shoulders, "It's damn near impossible."

"And Ah keep telling ye, Tommy," Orlando's hand rested onto Tommy's shoulder, their arms crossing between them, "Damn near, isnae quite near enouch."

"Five Galleons says one doesn't happen by the time we leave this school," Tom said with a laugh.

Foozle narrowed his eyes, looking quite serious. "Ten says it daes."

"You're on," Tom nodded.

The Hufflepuff Scot chuckled. Cupping his palm to his cheek he called ahead to the rest of his housemates who were making their way down the grass to the pitch. "Guid luck!" And added with mutter and a wink to Tom. "Oor juist enouch..."

"I dunno Fooz," Tom shoved his hands into his pockets as a blast of cold November wind hit, "Other than Cass, Sean, Helena and Danny this team is pretty untested, and except for Dora, everyone on Hufflepuff has played for years."

"Aye," Céilidh nodded, "Danny still hasnae said wha thair seeker, be. Tha's an ill sign."

Foozle trotted up the steps into the stands with his Gryffindor family following suit close behind. The fall air was even more crisp up here. It kept nudging the three of them back with its cool hands. He'd kept his laugh and smile in check at Céilidh's commentary. Mostly. As much as he could help, anyway. "Dinnae forgit," he said, leading the other pair up through the bleechers to an open set of seats, "Danny's a cliver Gent. The lad haes a plan."

"Planning will anely get ye sae faur," the red head grinned as she plopped her self down between her boys, "aw three o us ken tha."

"This is true," Tom elbowed Cee, "let's not forget the Wortflower disaster from second year."

Orlando leaned forward on his knees, rubbing his hands together. "Whaur thare's a Gent, thare's a wey, brither."

As the trio settled into their seats, the Ravenclaw team took to the air over the Quidditch pitch. Cassidy pulled into place in front of the goal rings while Danny raced to the middle of the field flanked by Owen and Helena. Sean O'Reilly and Andi Langtry brandished their bats as they took their positions, but for a split second there was no Ravenclaw Seeker on the field.

Nicolette looked at the opening out into the sunlight and took a few calming breaths, letting the sounds from the stands die down. Tugging her ponytail for a moment, she finally mounted her Italian broom and burst from the entrance. Other seekers may have flipped or zigged or whirled for flourish but that wasn't the kind of seeker she was. She zipped up beside her brother and nodded a little, letting him know she was as ready as she would ever be.

"Nic?" Tom chuckled, "that's interesting."

A curl pulled up on Foozle's lip as he watched the raven haired girl cut through the sky up to Danny. "Witch leuks guid oan a bruim tae."

"Michael?"

Tom's eyebrows went up. It wasn't very often that Céilidh used his first name, and the even tone of her voice was an indication that should his reply not be sufficient, the rest of the day was not going to go well, no matter who won the match. Tom tried to keep his voice light, "Yes, dear?"

"Woud ye please expone tae me juist hou tis that yer cuisin is oot thare on ah bruim in ah Ravenclaw uniform?" The fiery-haired Scot had yet to take her eyes off of the newest Ravenclaw player.

Foozle could practically feel the air warming around the three of them. "Ah'd jalouse she passit the try-oots. Isna tha hou it wirks," offered the Scot. He didn't turn his head to look at his sister, but that smirk grew even wider on his face. "Acoorse, it coud juist be favoritism oan Danny's pairt. He's is awfu close wi the hen frae some reason..."

"Aye, bit..." Cee floundered. She really had no reason to be upset with Tommy, she just wasn't fond of surprises where quidditch was concerned. "A juist wisnae aware 'Colette wis ane tae speil, tis aw. An' whit's that bruim she's oan?"

Tom squinted, "It looks Italian," he said under his breath.

"Tis that e'en legal?" Céilidh frowned at herself. She knew very well it didn't matter where the broom came from. She also couldn't quite figure out where all the irrational thinking stemmed from, and that irritated her.

"It's a broom Cee," Tommy chuckled, "I don't think it matters. Danny's got a model from the States."

"Aye," Cee sighed. "Weel, lat's see hou th' lass haundles hersel'."

---

The Ravenclaw seeker looked out over the field as she wove lazily around the pitch. This was her first real game and she had underestimated exactly how bored she would get while her team mates busted their straw for points... even if it had only been five minutes. Leaning forward, her elbow rested in the crook of the broom's handle, her chin soon following into her palm.

Sharp silver eyes watched the field for that flicker of wing, the glint of gold, that... "No way." A tiny ball of shimmer floated in the air about a quarter of the way infield. Turning away from the snitch, Nicolette darted away. Her zigzag pattern in the opposite direction caught Aiden's attention and drug him with her.

Bracing her body low on the wooden support, Nicolette tightened her thighs and hooked her feet. In an unexpected move, the girl turned on a dime and shot straight up and left the boy behind. She didn't look to see if the snitch was still in the same spot as she arced around and dove right ontop of it, catching both the audience and the snitch by surprise as she plucked it right out of the air, winning the game before a single point was scored.

"Ho..."

"Lee..."

"Nice..."

There was shocked silence. Then suddenly the stadium exploded in a deafening roar. Foozle joined in the stunned cheering. He turned and looked at Cee. "Why dinnae ye catcht it tha fast?"

"Shut it, MacFoozle," Céilidh snapped. She whirled on Tommy, swatting him on the arm, "Why didnae ye tellt me Nicolette coud fly lik that?"

"I didn't..." he said as if he was under a spell.

Foozle was grinning. A warm pride had filled his chest, and he found it difficult to keep it under wraps. "Ah mean, Ah've seen ye play Quidditch yer hail life, ginger..."

"A said shut it, Orlando," Cee grabbed Tom by the hand and began to lead him from the stands. "Come oan."

"What? Where are we going? Don't you want to congratulate Danny on the win?"

"Later. We hiv plannin' tae dae."

"Planning for what?"

Céilidh stopped and looked at Tom as though he'd lost his mind. "Be ye blind, lad? We need tae wirk up ah game plan frae Ravenclaw."

The redhead turned and pushed her way through the crowd, leaving Tom blinking and Orlando grinning from ear to ear. Finally, Tom called out, "But... But we don't play Ravenclaw until like... May!"

The Hufflepuff was laughing harder. "Weel, Ah definitely cannae gae back tae my hoose nou." Among the sea of blue and copper, he turned to the girl beside him who had been diligently scribbling in a notepad the whole time. "And Ah reck a celebration is in order."

Lifting her head to watch as Cee disappeared from sight, Rose pursed her lips to the side, made one final note, then tucked her quill behind her ear. "What?" she said, slowly processing that Orlando was talking to her.

"Yuir boy wun!" He turned head to face the pitch where the Ravenclaw Team whizzed about in victorious laps. "An sae fest gif ye blinked ye coud hae missit it, Brosia. Dinnae telt me ye missit it!"

The tiny blonde nearly dropped her notepad. "My team won," she corrected, willing the blush away from her cheeks. She beamed as she watched her Ravenclaws fly past one more time. "Danny's 'secret weapon' plan worked perfectly!"

"Tha it did," he concurred. "An tha means celebrating!"

"Yes it does. In fact..." Her green eyes sparkled as she took his arm and began to lead him out of the stands. "You're going to join us as my special guest. Or Danny's. Whichever you prefer."

"Disnae matter tae me!

---

Danny led the team into the Ravenclaw common room where their friends and housemates had already assembled filling the space. Grinning, the team captain said, "Awricht, lat's get this horoyally stairted."

Danny walked through his cheering housemates and gave a nod to Orlando, who met him at one of the large arched windows facing the Forbidden Forest. Jabbing his wand out the window, Danny said "Accio supplies!" From the edge of the forest a large wooden crate rose up and flew to the window. Assisted by Foozle, Dan pulled the crate into the room and the Gentlemen cracked it open.

The pair of gents dug in with a clinking of glasses that added to the din of cheer around the lofty common room. Slipping the bottle necks between their fingers they started passing out drinks two per a hand. The sounds of celebration grew more raucous as the provisions made their way around, some classmates taking a swing before passing it to the next, others simply colliding their bottles together in a frothy toast.

Pulling out a bottle of butterbeer for himself and one last one, Danny stood two fisted and looked out over the merry faces that filled his common room. Of all of them there was one decidedly missing face.

He looked over his shoulder to Foozle, "Whaur is she?"

"Somewhaur far awey frae aw the embarrassin tent ye wis plannin tae poor ower her." The almost out of place Puff took a swig from his bottle. "Ye ken better than tha."

"Aw A wis gaun tae dae wis hae her sae a twa three wirds." his grin was positively devilish.

Turning to the crowd, Danny quieting down the din around the room. He raised the drink in his right hand and toasted the absent player, "Here's to oor seeker, Nicolette! The best Ravenclaw hae iver haed!" Immediately a cheer burst up from the assembled Ravenclaws, and even those from other houses applauded.

"When did our boy get so good at speeches?" Tommy came up behind Lando, throwing his arm around the Hufflepuff's shoulders.

"Probably about the time you started showing up to parties alone," Rose answered, coming up behind the Gryffindor to worm her way under his free arm.

"She wasn't..." Tommy searched for the right words, "let's just say up to it tonight."

The grin that had settled to Orlando's face turned to the Gentlemen's Man in Gryffindor. "Thay say tha happens efter a while." He lifted a bottle and jostled it into Tommy's hand with a little wink.

Danny walked through the crowd, shaking hands and exchanging high-fives with various house members. Walking over to his friends, he grinned. "A told ye an' Cee that we hid a saicret weapon, dinnae A, co-captain?" He wiggled his eyebrows to emphasise the last word.

"Yeah," Tom punched Danny in the arm, "you could have actually said something. Would have saved me a whole lot of grief."

Sairy, brither." the Ravenclaw Chaser replied. "We dinnae tell oneyane. D'ye want me tae talk tae her?"

Tommy waived Danny off. "You know Cee. She gets like this then she calms down."

"Oh we know." Rose flashed a positively evil grin. "In fact I even took notes about it."

"Really?" Tom pinched Rose, "Did you now?"

Danny shot his team manager a glance. "Why were ye takin' notes on Ceidilh?"

"Well," the little blonde said, smile beaming, "We have to play Gryffindor eventually, right?"

The three boys fell silent for a split second, before erupting in laughter. "What?" Rose demanded, rubbing the spot where Tommy had pinched her. "It's what I do."

"I love you; you know that, right?" Tommy kissed Rose on the forehead.

"Everyone loves me," she answered him, returning the pinch then quickly moving behind Orlando to be out of reach. "It's a rule."

Foozle looked back over her shoulder to the blond curls that swayed over Rose's face, "Ah reck tha's an ill caw tae mak ower three lads whit mak a habit o breakin' the rules." The Hufflepuff chuckled, moving around and slipping his arm across her waist. "Acoorse ye micht argue tha rule is a golden ane." He reached over and gave one of those long locks a little tug.

Rose leaned against him long enough to give him a sharp poke in the ribs. "You're a brat today."

The Scot's brow furrowed. "Juist the day?"

As the three gents and the blonde all laughed, an obnoxious but familiar voice cut through, "Oi, you!" The Ravenclaw beater cut through the crowd making a bee-line for Orlando, "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

Foozle's laugh dropped into a dry smile over a set jaw. "Celebrating." He rasied his bottle more in proof than any sort of a toast. "See?"

"Celebrate what?" Sean laughed. He shunted the bottle out of his face, causing it to froth over Orlando's knuckles and onto the floor. "The fastest loss in Hogwarts history?" There was a rather nasty pleasure in his laugh. "That's definitely something worth celebrating. Hufflepuff: losers at a whole new level."

"Oi," Tom stepped up next to Orlando. "That was a bit uncalled for mate."

"Aye," Danny flanked Orlando on the other side. "He's my brither, acoorse he's gaun ta be here."

"Please," Sean O'Reily groaned. "Of course he's going to. He just shouldn't."

"Sean," the tiny blonde's voice was deceptively mild. "You're being rude."

"This is our party," Sean's eyes locked onto Rose's. "Hell it's our common room! I don't understand how you as a prefect, can allow people from other houses into our common room." Sean's arms flapped overly dramatically. "I swear, it must have been your daddy's friendship with the Professor that got you that in the first place."

The prefect shook her head. "That may be," she answered in that same calm tone. "But the real mystery is how you ended up in Ravencalw to begin with." She took a step forward, placing herself between the angry Beater and Orlando. "So now it's time for you to use the brain that we all assume you have to realize that you are the one who shouldn't be here. You're a wretchedly bad sport and you're not welcome in this conversation. Please leave before I use my ill-gotten prefect badge to make you leave." Though she didn't move again, the message was clear: if he wanted to continue to fight with Orlando he was going to have to go through a girl half his size.

Sean stood in silence sizing up the small prefect. "I'm not leaving till they," he jabbed his finger towards Orlando and Tommy, "do."

Tommy leaned in towards Danny and Rose, "Look this is Ravenclaw's party. we can see you guys later."

"Nae way, Tommy," Orlando shook his head, "I am nae budging."

"This is my pairty," Danny stepped in front of all his friends. "An A decide wha bides an wha goes." It was Danny's turn to now point his finger, "An unless ya want me ta decide ya gae frae tha team insteid of juist the next game, A suggest ye move on."

Sean came nose to nose with Dan, "You think you can win without me, Captain?"

"A think A did earlier today," Danny smirked.

"You got bloody lucky that Nic was there." Sean spat. "And I don't think you have the authority to remove me from the team."

The team captain's eyes narrowed. "Alfie. Yuir up fer th' next game. Takin' Sean's place." Turning back to Sean, he smiled. "Yuir benched. An' gif ye want tae complain Ah'll make shuir yuir nae playin' at all. Ah'm shuir Perfesser Flitwick will trust my judgement." Danny suddenly became conscious of the silence in the room and the eyes on Sean and the Gentlemen. "Gae up tae yuir room, Sean. Cool aff. An' mebbes Ah'll reconsider yuir benching."

The Ravenclaw beater seethed. If daggers could have shot out of his eyes at Danny they would have. "Sometimes," he said through gritted teeth, "I really wonder if the Professor has lost his bloody mind. You'd rather take the side of a bloody Hufflepuff that taunts Nicolette, the girl you call your sister? She was obviously so uncomfortable that she left. And here you are," he waived his arms violently, "partying and having fun while she obviously can't."

Since Danny was handling the rational part of the conversation, Rose was free to take a step back to poke Orlando again. "See," she whispered. "You really are a brat. You should be ashamed."

Foozle's jaw set firm in his cheek. She had no idea how much he wanted to sock the rock head across his jaw in that moment, and he couldn't show it either. "Ah jalouse," he said, somehow managing to contain himself to only dry reply, "we cannae aw be as winsome as Danny and Tommy, lou."

Danny's eyes narrowed. Sean had crossed a line he didn't even know was there. "Brithers, the twa of us need tae talk withoot the audience."

Nearly simultaneously, Orlando and Tom raised their wands and said, "Obex privatus"

A membrane sprung up around Sean and Danny that stretched to the ceiling before becoming smoky and opaque. Inside, Dan paused a second before beginning. "Yuir done. Aff the team."

Sean's mouth opened, but for once he didn't say anything.

"'Colette kin take care o' herself." His manner was calm, but the anger was evident on his face. " And Ah cannae speak for why she chose tae nae be at the pairty, but it micht hiv hid saemthin' tae do wi' the way she was recruited for the team in the first place.

"A dinnae expect saemane like ye to understand, but Lando and Tommy, they're my brithers as much as 'Colette is my sister." Danny looked down, then back up at his housemate. "Oan the pitch, mebbes in House Cup standings, sure, where we were sorted may matter, but A kent them, they were family, afore oney of us hid the Sorting Hat on oor heads, and in a year an' a hauf, oot in the world, our House assignments winna mean a thing."

The Quidditch captain slid his wand out of his sleeve, prompting the former beater to pull his own wand and assume a defensive stance. But Danny simply tapped the membrane separating them from the party and said "Finite Incantatem"

Sliding his wand back into his sleeve, Danny added, "Asides, if A remember richt, Lando helped me save Nicolette from ye in the Halloween maze. Ah'd say she woud rather spend time wi' him lang afore she woud wi' ye."

Sean's face burned red. Sean turned on his heel and stormed up the stair case to his dorm room.

"You alright brother?" Tom put his hand on Dan's shoulder.

Danny nodded. "Aye. He hid it comin'." Turning back to the others, he looked at the faces until he spotted Alfie. "And Alfie, ye've gat Sean's place for the rest o' the year. Unless Brett gets better 'n ye."

The Hufflepuff stood rooted, watching the door up to the tower's dorms close behind Sean. Foozle sighed a little, tucking his wand away. His eyes fell to the bottleneck hooked in the crook of his knuckle. He tried to ignore the somewhat disappointing drain that had sapped his urge to celebrate and took a pull from the butterbeer. As the bottle lowered, he gave his Ravenclaw brother an apologetic smile.

Throwing his arm around Orlando, Danny grinned. "Yuir my guest. An' ye hiv as much a right tae be here as anyane else. Asides," he Ravenclaw said said, lightly punching Lando in the shoulder, "A was likely gauntae call Alfie up afore long. He's getting a lot better, an' Sean was only coasting. Things would've blown up sooner or later."

"Ye shoud hae lat him tak a swing," he gave his brother a less than enthusiastic wink. "He micht hae fand himsel aff the team oan medical leave."

Pulling his brother apart from the others just a bit, Dan lowered his voice. "Ye cannae wirry over it, mate. He isnae worth it, she is."

Orlando nodded. "Ah ken." He slid his arm across Danny's shoulder, shaking his head, "Ah ken, yuir richt. He juist... Gits unner ma skin. An he kens it."

He took a deep breath and let it go with a heavy sigh. "But tha disnae matter. This is jaloused tae be aboot yuir victory." His head picked up with a smile for his brother. "Ahm proud o ye." He raised his bottle to the Ravenclaw captain, leaning in and adding with a whisper, "The baith o ye."

Clapping Orlando on the back, Dan smiled. "Nae my victory. Ours." He looked at the team, mingling with their housemates. Spotting Kevin Britto laughing with a couple other members of the practice team, he added, "All o' oors."

Foozle chuckled. "Ah meant the royal ye..."

Walking with Lando back to Tommy and Rose, Danny grinned. "An' hou often are ye an' Tom in here, or us in Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff? Whit's a common room gif ye cannae hiv frirends around?"

"Amen to that," Tom threw his arms around his brothers, "and I say it's high time we start having fun."

[Tom Llewelyn]

Normally even on a Sunday Tom would be up as soon as the first streams of light came through the window of his dorm room, but with Cee's manic extra practice and the celebration that Orlando and Rose held for Ravenclaw's victory he had been exhausted and it was nearly eleven before he sleepily plodded down the stairs into the common room.

Tom yawned heavily as he it the last step. He was sure Céilidh was already awake and out on the pitch working out. He laughed to himself at the thought of her being so upset about Nicolette.

"Someone slept late." Curled up in a chair by the fire, Reagan looked up from her book as her housemate hit the landing. "Though, I have to admit, yesterday was a little bit crazy."

"Heh yeah," Tom stretched as he threw himself onto the couch. "Nothing like practicing till near dark and then staying up late with friends."

One smooth blonde eyebrow lifted ever so slightly. "But Cee was in our room all night..."

"Yeah," Tom sighed. "She wasn't really up to celebrating last night."

The American girl shook her head. "I don't really see what the big deal was."

"I think it was just the shock," Tom laid his head back against the back of the couch, "I don't know how well you know my cousin Nic, but she's never really been into quidditch, I didn't even know she could fly like that till yesterday."

Reagan shrugged, still clearly not understanding. "Yeah. She was impressive. But one good move doesn't mean the end of the world." She stretched out one long leg and bumped the couch, chuckling slightly. "Unless you're Céilidh of course."

"She takes quidditch seriously." Tommy sighed again. "I love her, but sometimes she just gets a little..."

"Don't look at me." The blonde held up her hands. "I'm not going to finish that sentence for you. I have to sleep near her, you know." She chuckled again, setting her book in her lap to give Tom her full attention. "I honestly don't know how you do it."

"What do you mean?" Tom's head curled back into an upright position, and looked over at Reagan.

Pushing the long hair back from her face, the blonde girl gave a half smile. "It just seems like you're always having to talk her down from some thing that she's overreacted to." She gave another shrug. "Maybe I just haven't known her as long as you have. I'm sure she's not always so high maintenance."

"She's not." Tom said matter of factly, "Céilidh is..." Tom laughed, "she is most definitely one of a kind, but that's her. She's impulsive, she's headstrong, but that is what I love most about her."

Reagan smiled. "That's very sweet. Almost too sweet," she laughed. "But I'm glad to hear it. You're a good guy, Tom. And I'd hate to think you were with someone who didn't appreciate that."

"What do you mean?" Tom's eyes narrowed.

"You know my stance on dating: it's just not worth the drama." Smiling, the blonde slowly began to move her feet to the floor. "But I'm sure Cee realizes that she's got a really good catch in you. She's impulsive and headstrong, not crazy."

"Not as far as I can tell," Tom laughed.

"I'm not sure that counts," she said, laughing with him. "You're not exactly an impartial judge."

"Touché," Tommy shrugged. "I'll admit she's not quite as crazy as my first girlfriend." Tom roared with laughter, "Let me clarify, Cee was my first girlfriend."

Forgetting that she'd been about to get out of her seat to go search for lunch, Reagan crossed her feet and leaned forward. "Oh, now this I have to hear."

"We went out for about a week, I was..." Tom shook his head, "A thirteen year old boy, and it let's just say it didn't end well."

"So that means she was a thirteen year old girl," the blonde laughed.

"A thirteen year old girl that was Céilidh," Tommy laughed, "Then there was Aeryn."

Reagan was still laughing, looking at him as though she might have to reevaluate her entire opinion of him. "You dated Aeryn? I can't imagine that went well either."

"It wasn't long," Tom shrugged, "we both decided that us together wasn't a good idea. Then there was Tati."

"Just how many girls have you dated anyway?"

"Just the three," Tom answered, "you make that sound bad."

The blonde shrugged it away. "It's three more than I've had. But you're pretty smart... most of the time," she added with a grin. "So I won't worry about you too much."

Tom laughed, "You were worried about me in the first place?"

"Of course not," she answered with a toss of her silken hair. "You've got Céilidh taking care of you. Just like you take care of her."

"Yeah," Tom put his arms behind his head, "somedays I don't know what I would do without her."

Tom stood up and held out his hand to Reagan, "Want some lunch? My treat?"

A smile blossoming on her lips, she reached out to take his hand. "How can I say no to an offer like that?" But as she let him help her out of the chair, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Though I'd love to know how lunch in the Great Hall can be anyone's treat."

"Are you trying to say that the House Elves can't cook?" Tom chuckled as they walked toward the portrait hole.

"No. Only that it's their treat, not yours."

"Ah," Tom winked, "but you forget, I taught those little elves how to cook."

Reagan laughed. "Then, please... lead on. I'm dying to taste a true Thomas Llewelyn original recipe."