"Or...um...." Eddy thought fast. "Maybe we could distract it with something else...like let loose some creatures from the stables." Eddy had always really, really wanted to cause mayhem. There were surprisingly few opportunities to actually do so. Or perhaps his imagination wasn't nearly as fertile as he believed.

In any case, Eddy was envisioning horses, hippogryphs, kneazles and cruppies racing about the forest perimeter while the three of them snuck in undetected. Oh yes, it was a worthy scheme.

Valentine laughed at the image of the three of them, all letting the creatures loose, riding on the backs of hippogriffs and unicorns. Robin the honking daffodil had his own crup to ride on where Viola and Buddy flew about their heads rather epically. "Sorry to say, I don't think that would work Eddy." Valentine giggled. Although it would be an amusing sight.

"No!" Cale tossed his hands up knocking a piece of cheese onto the floor. "No letting animals loose." The last thing the school needed was another term with animals running amuck. The last one -albeit when it was children turned into animals - was horrible enough.

"I guess I could try to talk a professor or two into letting us in..." Cale scratched his chin as he got himself lost in thought.

It sounded as though Cale didn't agree too well on the animal plan that Eddie had either. (although it sounded completely wicked)

And then Cale had sad it, Valentine let out a small girlie shriek and dropped all the food that was in her hands, binding Cale in a suffocating grip. "Oh Cale I would just love you forever and ever if you did." She beamed as she held onto him as though her life depended on it. "You would be the greatest and most wonder and I would really really really really really..." She continued to go on and on.

Cale considering was much better than Cale refusing outright. Eddy nodded and was about to express his own commendation when Valentine hugged...HUGGED!...Cale!

Eddy gasped.

He was only recalled to his more immediate mission by his growling stomach. "What do you say we feast while you think?" Eddy jostled his armful of foodstuffs, trying not to glare at Cale.

Cale stiffened ever-so-slightly in Valey's arms as she took the boy off guard in her attack hug. He felt his nose squinching up and his throat starting to tickle and he blamed it only slightly on Valey's hair which was in his face. He very well couldn't do much at the moment in voicing a request for her to get off him because if he opened his mouth now, with the sneeze weaseling its way forward and the cough ready to spew.

And so - he wiggled his fingers in a way which he hoped would get Eddy's attention.

Only it didn't get Eddy's attention in the way Cale had hoped. Eddy was now glaring at him - in a very death-glaring kind of way. Cale was suddenly grateful that Eddy didn't have lasers for eyes.

Valentine giggled and then finally let go of Cale. "... Really really really really swell." She smiled at him, and then looked over at Eddy with the same smile. "A feast! We must eat before out great adventure." She giggled jumping over towards Eddy, as one would do telling a life altering plan for an up coming adventure.

"We need out grains and vegetables, meat for protein and engery. For if we have no energy we will not because to finish our journey." Valentine pointed at Eddy, her finger almost touching his nose and giggled before jumping away again. "Now, where will this feast be held good men?"

She didn't hug me and I brought the food for our adventure, Eddy noted with grave disappointment. His hazel eyes narrowed at the fresh-from-embracing Cale. Hm...shocked look and pale face notwithstanding, was that a touch of satisfaction lurking behind Cale's bewildered expression? Eddy shot Cale one more displeased look and turned to the effervescent Valentine.

"Let's eat it by the fountain in the courtyard, " Eddy suggested. It was unlikely the kitchen elfs would look for him there. Plus, he had it on good authority that fountains were romantic places, although Eddy couldn't fathom why. In any case, he was willing to pull out the big guns, prepared to flex some muscle (surely there was some hidden beneath the bulky sweater) if need be, to win back the heart of the fair gothic Valentine.

"Ah the fountains!" Valentine exalimed as she jumped onto a stair, swinging on one foot and holding herself with the hand she had on the railing. "What a fantastic idea Eddie! I couldn't have picked a better place myself." Still hanging about she pulled her wand out and waved it about, the food on the ground started to float around the three of them, ready to follow wherever Valentine would go.

"Mmm....the fountains...right - good idea." He followed quietly behind Valey. He remained quiet as he climbed back up the stairs lost in thought. He was busy trying to figure out which professor to go see and what lie tale he was going to spin to get said professor to give them permission to go into the forbidden forest. He hated to say it, but he sort of figured that whichever professors he went to would say no.

She was so hungry. Why had she thought skipping lunch would be a good idea? Ugh. She really hoped the house elves where there this time. She stopped in the middle of the corridor for a minute to put her hair up. It was driving her nuts. She put down her bag and bent over so that her hair pointed towards the floor, grabbed a scrunchy and wrapped it around her hair. There, much better.

The corridor echoed with the soft slap of sandals on stone. Exiting the kitchen, the boy smiled at the salad he had previously enjoyed, almost not noticing who he almost walked into.

Pretending he didn't, he attempted to pass her by.

Oh no. It was him...again. Why was she running into him so much lately. There was only one explanation she could think of. "Stalking me now, are you", she asked, eyebrow raised. She wouldn't be surprised if he was.

the boy grinned after finally giving Camira a good look over. "Ha! If I were stalking you..."

Sky blue eyes locked on the Slytherin beauty, sandaled feet carrying him in a slow circle around her. "You wouldn't see me coming until it's too late."

Oh my goodness. Why did she have to say anything? He might not of noticed her. "Is that right? Well, I'm pretty sure I would have." Okay, not the best answer, but the circling was making her nervous. She felt like cornered prey. Not good!

The prince laughed, part of him enjoying seeing her squirm.

"Not if I thought you were worth the effort." Turning his head aside, those sandals carrying him slowly away.

"I found you more enticing when you were not afraid of me."

What the hell did that mean? Was he saying she wasn't worth the effort? How rude. She was always worth the effort. She walked quickly to catch up with him and cut him off.

"I'll have you know that I'm not afraid of you. Not in the slightest", she said defiantly. "Just because I don't like you skulking around me doesn't mean anything...except that I don't like you." Really, who did he think he was.

"I'm sorry if that comes as a shock to you, Prince", she said mockingly. She wasn't sure why she was so annoyed, but she was.

Helios simply grinned, he wasn't going to let her get him riled. This time.

"As cute as you are when you are angry, I must point out that you could have walked away at any time. Ignored me, pretended I did not exist. But here you are, getting in my way when I try to leave you alone."

Half smiling, he attempted to side step her.


OOC: Taking a break. Try to be back soon.

"Oh, really. And who sat down next to me in the library without permission? Who was hassling me about my personal issues? I believe that was you", she said with a roll of her eyes. He could be so annoying sometimes...or rather, most of the time.

"Oh, and I'm cute all the time", she said, hoping to get on her nerves by saying something completely shallow and pointless. From what she knew, he was all deep and whatnot. She let him step away from her. She wanted to see if he was actually going to leave. She hoped not, just so she could prove her point.

She had no intention of submitting, and that bothered him greatly.

He wanted to scream, he wanted to shake her, he wanted to kiss her all at once. Instead, he did nothing but stare intensely.

"You..."

Dark clouds filled those blue eyes, a deep sigh rumbling from his chest.

"...goodbye."

It was weird. He seemed...upset by her. It was disconcerting. Usually she was the one getting upset and he was the one laughing about it. She wished she could laugh at him, but for some reason, she didn't find it funny.

She grabbed onto his arm so that he couldn't leave. "Look, what's going on. What is all this? You used to want to kill me and all of a sudden you've changed your mind and decided that you...ugh, I don't even know what you want. I don't like surprises, so just tell me." She was so confused as to what his motives were and it was driving her crazy. She just had to know.

Helios stared, his cloudy blue eyes begging to tell her all his secrets, but his pride kept his tongue in check.

A soft growl eminated from his chest. "No more games." For some reason, for once he couldn't maintain eye contact.

"Stay or go. Your choice."

He was serious. She could tell. It shocked her. She took a deep breath and sighed. There truly was no point in holding a grudge. They'd been 11 and she definitely hadn't been a delight back then.

"No more games", she agreed, holding out her hand for him to shake. She wanted to look into his eyes, to try to read him, but he wasn't looking at her. "I'll stay."

As if he knew, he pulled her close by her hand, his eyes meeting hers. "Our pride does not allow us to say what is inside us. Such things take time." The prince stood as cold as stone. Denying his urges, Helios stood strong despite wanting to run away.

She could understand that. She fought with herself for a minute, but ended up keeping her hand in his. "Of course. But this is a good start, I think", she said, giving him a real smile for the first time ever. She looked at him then and he looked...frozen. Like a statue or something. "You can relax a bit", she said, giving him a wry smile.