"I personally do not wish to offend you, Prefect, and I hope you know that. You merely have been...snapping at Apedemak and I this visit a bit, and I wondered if anything was wrong. Obviously I overstepped my place, I apologize." she said in a clipped, polite tone, rolling her eyes inwardly. Just bloody fantastic.

Apedemak's golden eyes narrowed and something slithered behind them. "Of course Prefect Trelawney, it is good of you to think of the others present. If you have thoughts on anything that we have spoken of, I would hear them at a later time. Before you take your leaven though, I would like to assure that there was no ill pretense for this meeting. Further, I do not believe that there was any offense intended today; but, it would seem some was taken. For my part, you will forgive any misdeed or ill-spoken word."

Xana noticed the change in Apedemak's eyes and took a tenative step backward from the boy, her posture stiffening. The gash across her torso was a scar that still ached on cool, damp nights, and she felt momentarily afraid... that look seemed all too familiar.

"If you remove your memory of this event, you will notice that I didn't start snapping at you or at him, but I will accept your apology, as I have in the past." She gave her a nod.

"Of course there was no ill pretense, and there is no need to forgive," She said keeping eye contact with the boy, "as I was the one who seemed to offend. Or not, depending on who you are." she looked at Diabolica again, "I hope you all enjoy the rest of this gorgeous day, if you'll excuse me..." she said turning around and making her way towards the castle.

The Sudanese boy shut his eyes and breathed in deeply and let the air out in a slow controlled manner. Ritualistically he repeated this act three more times. With each breath some of the tension left his body and he seemed more at ease. When he opened his eyes again, he bowed his head penitently. "My apologize, I did not intend for this gathering to be confrontational."

Diabolica shook her head scathingly, watching the prefect walk towards the castle. Good riddance... she thought, sighing inwardly and squeezing Apedemak's hand gently. She felt partly guilty that Trelawney had been so rude to him... what if it was because Diabolica and he were so close? No... she shook her head. Even if that were so, she couldn't let that separate her from him.

Xana watched Apedemak as he seemed to calm himself. She relaxed a little, but still eyed him, nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. She dared not speak for fear she would offend the boy.

Apedemak wrapped his arms around Diabolica's waist, pulling her close, he rested his chin on her shoulder. Though it was not visible, Diabolica could feel him shaking ever so slightly. "I am sorry that I frighten you Xana." There was a mournful tone in his voice.

Xana felt terrible. She lowered her eyes and relaxed a bit more. "You don't..." she said in a hushed tone. "But I consider you a friend and I don't want to lie to you. Your curse scares me, and badly." She blushed, embarrassed to admit it.

Diabolica smiled in a very forlorn manner as she felt him trembling slightly. "Are you alright, my love?" she said softly, just loud enough for him to hear.

Xana did have a valid reason to fear Apedemak's constant companion, in Dia's mind. It wasn't just that she had a fear of it like some did other phobias, with no reason at all, but that she had actually been attacked...though she felt sympathy for both Xana and Apedemak. It probably was disheartening to be feared by your own friends....though it also wouldn't be the greatest to be slashed open by a pair of scythe-like talons, either.

Miles looked up at the sky. He was glad that it hadn't rained yet, although he was sure they were due some soon. He put his hands in his pockets.

Miles raised his eyebrow. "So .. everyone I've met is nervous?" He chuckled and shook his head. "I reckon most of them are just clumsy ... or I'm invisible." He rolled his eyes. "Were you nervous?" He asked suddenly.

Maya chuckled. "I'm saying it's just a possibility." She said, smiling. He was looking up at the sky - It hadn't rained, but it was long overdue. "You aren't invisible." No one at Hogwarts acted like they wanted to be invisible... Well, not counting Juniper, anyways.

She was surprised by the boy's question. "Sure, I guess. I had an evil half-sister to worry about, then there was the fact I knew nothing about magic before I came, and the other stuff little kids get worried about, I guess." She chuckled.

Miles smiled. "I know I'm not. But it would be a bit ridiculous if they were all walking around nervously." He shrugged, not really understanding.

"Was that in your first year then?" Miles asked At her next words he chuckled. "I meant were you in a nervous state when you tripped just a minute a go?"

"Good point." She chuckled. She shrugged at his first question. "Doesn't it sound like it?" she asked, then she laughed. "No, don't think so. Last I checked, I wasn't a nervous wreck." She chuckled, a smile escaping.

"Well, I don't think anyone else was. Just clumsy." Miles rolled his eyes at the the thought. "So how long have you been here?" He asked. "Sometimes I feel like I've missed most of the experience of Hogwarts." He chuckled.

Cassandra quickly made her way to the gardens with a lily of the valley pip in a hardkerchief. She knelt down and dug a hole with her wand, lifting the soil out of the ground and letting it hover beside her. She removed the handkerchief and planted the root and pip into the ground, sprinkling the levitated soil around the hole and patting it down with her hands.

She watered the plant a little with an aguamenti charm and then admired her handiwork. She stood and left the gardens quietly, hoping this little experiment would work.

"No." Apedemak whispered quietly. "But, I will be." The Sudanese boy reluctantly pulled away from Diabolica ever so slightly so that his golden eyes could meet her sapphire blue orbs. "My curse scares me too."

"I would hope so... is there anything I could do to help?" she asked softly, concerned. She sighed inwardly as he mentioned his curse frightened him. If only there was a way to cure it currently... though there had to be some type of cure out there, however temporary it would be.

"Umm.. Five." She nodded. 5 crazy years in which she had to avoid her sister, avoid pranks, avoid getting in trouble, avoid anything which she could cut house points with. "You don't need to think that. Every year, there's something real crazy going on." She rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't believe it. One year, people were like, going completely insane." Well, every year, everyone goes insane. She reminded herself, rolling her eyes again.

Xana nodded sympathetically, wondering what it must be like to have such a problem. She couldn't fathom it-- losing control of herself and then regaining consciousness to find you'd hurt people, or worse... Poor Apedemak.

"I'd be happy to help you too." Xana said. "I don't know what I can do, but we could try to research cures, perhaps?" She smiled at him, knowing it was likely fruitless-- adults had sought a cure to no avail, after all. Still, she was willing to try...

Kayla wandered through the gardens looking at all the flowers in bloom and remembered the last time she was in here...with Jace. That had been an eventful night, they never did get to see the sunrise though but she had been to afraid to come back here with him since Erikson...

She looked at her watch and wondered what was keeping Krissy, she hoped the girl wasn't still mad at her for the fight she had with Taylie but that girl always knew which of Kayla's buttons to push.

Krissy walked up behind Kayla and tapped her on the shoulder. "Sorry I'm late, I've been trying to finish me tapestry and lost track of time. What is it yeh wanted with me?" Krissy asked suspiciously. They hadn't spoken since the last incident and wanted to know hey Kayla had sent her the owl to meet her.

Kayla turned around and faced Krissy. "Oh there you are" she said with relief in her voice. "I just wanted to apologise for the other day...you know with Taylie and everything. The girl gets on my goat but that's no reason to rise to her comments" Kayla sighed heavily and kicked the ground with her foot. "Seems I'm always apologising to you about something doesn't it."

Krissy watched Kayla's foot disturbing the dirt. "Aye,seems we're always arguing as well. hardly seems worth it." Krissy mumbled. "I'm sorry I told Taylie about yer wand attached to yer leg. yeh have been so unpredictable lately I feared for her safety. I feel like one of these days yeh may take things too far and really harm someone." Krissy's words spilled out in a rush. If she didn't say it now she never would. "Yeh have changed since last summer Kay. Yeh have always had a hot temper, but lately... yeh have gotten scary."Refusing to make eye contact Krissy twirled her long blue hair around her fingers and looked off into the distance.

"Yeah I know" Kayla mumbled. "I'm actually starting to scare myself, it's just that the closer it gets to going home for summer the more apprehensive I feel. You know what I have to go home to...a dying father, a mother who hasn't got the time for me and a grandmother who's life ambition is to see me in pain" she choked. She shook her head, she refused to cry she'd been doing that too much lately.

"Even Jace has noticed it, we had our first fight today because I let my temper get the better of me. I feel like I've got the weight of the world on my shoulders and I can't get any help...that's why I lash out at everyone. It's no-one's fault, I'm just having trouble controlling it" Kayla knew that was a poor excuse but that's how things were for her right now and the future.