Anna happily handed the Agrippa card to Copernicus, glad to rid herself of an extra card that she already had way too many of. She laughed softly when Copernicus mentioned having thirty-five of the Agrippa card. She couldn't tell if he was serious, or if he was just trying to crack a joke, though. Either way, he was starting to lighten up a bit, and so was she, for that matter. She was glad they'd reached a point where she no longer had to worry about whether or not he really just wished she'd go away. "Well, I have a ton of Agrippa's at home. Had I known, I'd have brought them all for you," she said. "Why Agrippa, though?"

Anna just listened and nodded as Copernicus talked about how much his father had wished for him to be great in the art of dueling. Talk of his family, especially his mother, seemed to be a touchy subject, so Anna didn't want to pry too much. Maybe she should just change the subject. "Are you excited to arrive at the school?" she asked. There, that seemed innocent enough. She couldn't imagine this topic to be one that made Copernicus too uneasy.

Ella walked back into her compartment with an armful of candy. She sat down on the cushioned seat, nibbling happily on a pumpkin pastie.

"That's like saying 'why collect rocks?' Obviously, you collect them because there's no challenge to it. You happen along on a rock, and you put it in your pocket. The world is an ever increasing supply of tidbits for your collection. There are lots of Agrippa cards and no one wants them. So I'll take them all." Well. Merlin. Now he'd have to start collecting cards to go along with that charming little story. Plymouth was a bad influence.

"I think I'm excited about school, although I'm more concerned about classes and whether the professors are fair. I believe academics are very important."

Krissy nodded and sighed. "Aye more than a little I'd wager. figures yeh would focus on me breeding instead of me loss... Seems now that the matriarch of me family is gone I'm the leader of me clan... Means I'll have to marry me betrothed now." she whispered. Hadn't this been what she was trying to figure out her entire summer? Why was it so hard to close the door on falling in love? Why did she hate telling Helios so much? "I suppose tis time to stop pining for the life I could have had." she said with a glimmer of a smile. after all, Helios had done the same when he was born into royalty.

Anna nodded as Copernicus gave her a very in-depth answer to her question. It seemed to make sense to her. According to him, he was collecting them just...because. She guessed that was sort of like the way she saved every single homework assignment she'd ever turned in and gotten back. Part of her saved them because she thought she may need them again someday. Another part of her saved them just because. "I see. Well, I'm glad I happened to have offered you that particular card then," she commented.

"I think you'll be pleased with the professors and the classes," she said. "I've always found the professors to be really interesting, and they always try their hardest to make sure the classes are interesting and challenging. We're supposed to be getting some new professors, though. I haven't met any of them yet. Oh, and we're getting a new headmistress. Or headmaster. I obviously haven't met him or her yet either, though."

That sigh finally left him. What was he supposed to do with this girl?

"We are slaves to fate. As surely night shall follow day."

Wrestling the chocolate frog away from his little owl, he held his hand out to Krissy.

Krissy chuckled as she took the chocolate frog from her dear friend. "Aye, but as with chocolate, sometimes surprises come to us. Day and Night embrace for a moment's time... and you bite into a chocolate frog and alas! No meat." she giggled at herself as she made fun of the Prince and their first meeting.

"Why so many staff changes? And what happened to the old Head? My father knows her brother..." He sort of inadvertently fidgeted, which normally would have earned him a stern look if his etiquette professor caught him at it. Hogwarts probably didn't have one of those either. Still, he wasn't such a fan of Minister Cooper, and he was sure that man's sister was just the same.

Anna shrugged. She really didn't know what had happened to most of the staff. She'd only heard rumors over the summer about most of the staff changes. "Honestly? I have no idea why there's so many staff changes. As a matter of fact, besides the former headmistress, only one staff member, the former Herbology professor, actually told the students that he'd be leaving. I only heard rumors that several more had left after him. I'm guessing they went on to various other jobs," she replied. "The headmistress, who was actually our Defense professor, as well, made an announcement at the End-of-Term Feast. She's an Auror, and she's heading back into her field of work. If I remember correctly, our former History of Magic professor was going along on the journey. They're really good friends, you see." Anna ended her little story there. She felt like she was rambling, and she actually wondered whether or not Copernicus followed all of it. She hoped he did, though.

"He knows her...brother?" Anna asked, frowning a bit as she said the word brother. "Oh, well, I wouldn't anounce that too loudly when we get to Hogwarts. We're not exactly fond of the man, you see." Anna knew she sounded very rude, but she couldn't help but remember the torture that man had put everyone through not too long ago. Ugh.

"That is the magic of life, hmm?" Helios said with a small chuckle.

Casually, Helios brought himself to his feet and took a deep breath. Without further provocation or words, the young prince sat beside Ms.Moon and put an arm around her shoulders.

A bit shocked Krissy turned to look at Helios. "a bit affectionate today are we?" she tried to chuckled but sounded like she was choking. Certain he could feel her heart pounding beneath her robes she tried to look stern. "So yeh didn't trust me to get yer school supplies? Or was it because I didn't return yer owls?" instead of sounding ornery she just came off nervous. relishing the feeling of Helios so close she breathed deeply taking in his scent. She had to forget love, but she could allow herself this one moment in time.

"Well, I know him, but I'm not mates with him or anything," Copernicus made a bit of a face. Imagine being mates with the sort of prat who patted you on the head and asked your father if you wanted a lolly. When you were 13!

"I suppose we're well rid of her then. The old Head, I mean to say. Hopefully the new one isn't dodgy, right?"

Helios ignored her first comment, affection was a mystery to him, and what he was doing with his arm around her was more of a friendly comfort than something that involved...feelings.

Ew. That word made him visibly ill. No offense to Krissy. She was beautiful and charming, he just wasn't the type of prince found in romance novels or fairy tales.

"I assumed you were sick of dealing with me. Doing my shopping and all that."

Freya looked up from her book, she was still stretched across her seat with a large pillow behind her back. Anchor had made himself comfortable on the small windowsill, as he spotted Penelope he immediately hopped down and landed on Freya's knee. "No, I don't mind, why would I?" She gestured to the vacant seat across from her. "How did the rest of your summer go?"

Penelope smiled and sat down.
'Thanks, thought you might want some quiet whilst you read'. She turned and opend the bag she had and took out a small pillow, she placed it behind her neck.
'Yes, the rest of the summer went, alright, I would say, how about yours?'

"It went. That's all I can really say. Lot's of work and a few minor complications, but nothing serious." Freya raised a brow at Penelope, "Only alright eh? Hope nothing bad was due to my eagerness to help." She closed her heavy book quietly after making a correction within the text. "How did you and Jelly get along as roommates? I assume everything is still going alright." Freya made the point to use the 'alright' word again, just for added effect.

Penelope grinned.
'No, your help is greatly appreciated, thankyou'. She stopped and thought of Jelly, smilingas she did so.
'No, Jelly and me are better then ever, he is 'alright'' she chuckled, then stopped thinking about why the summer was only alright.
'About a week or so after I saw you last in Diagon Alley, I was visited by the two men who were in Diagon Alley, I;m sure you remember them? Well, they tried to take the potion you made me away, not sure why though, but uh Jelly stopped them before they could, so he can't leave the house anymore' she looked out the window, thinking of Jelly stuck in the house which they had charmed, now Penelope was Secret Keeper.
'But apart from that. it was Great' she smirked.

"Ah, I see," Anna replied. "I've never actually met him, but my father worked in his office for one entire week." Anna softly laughed at how that must sound. Copernicus probably thought her father had gotten fired or something. In fact, it had been something completely different. Something she could imagine only her father being capable of. She didn't want to come right out and admit that her father was a very rich man who didn't feel as if he needed to work. That would sound horrible. Hmm... "He got involved into some business deals with a few of his friends. I guess he prefers that line of work instead," she said. The business deal part was true. Anna wasn't exactly sure what her father did now, but she did know that he and a few of his other co-former Slytherins were always up to something.

Anna nodded when Copernicus mentioned being rid of the headmistress. "Unfortunately, though. She's quite unlike her brother. I actually found her to be very kind and very intelligent," Anna said. "I've been thinking, and I really hope the job goes to Professor Vindictus, our Flying instructor, or Professor Shackleton, our Arithmancy professor. The sort-of-new Potions professor would be good, too."

"I didn't mean to belittle a professor you liked. I apologize," Copernicus was starting to feel like he did nothing but apologize. "So the Flying instructor and the Arithmancy instructors are your favorite? I take it you like math and Quidditch?" And there went all semblance of conversational skills.

Chris had been walking outside the compartments when he heard Anna's voice. "Hey Anna i heard you talking about the new headmaster. Who do you think it will be?" he asked excited.


Chris then noticed the other boy in the compartment "Oh hello Im Chris Potter, second year Gryffie. Whats your name." he shook his hand

"Better than ever? That's good to hear." As good as it was, Freya began to feel that horrible, writhing sensation in the pit of her stomach that one gets after listening to dreadful news. It seemed that everyone except Freya was moving forward, and she was at a dead halt.
"Oh yes, I remember them." 'Idiots.' Freya nodded, then raised her brow again, "Did you take the potion with you? You should have taken it by now you know." 'Maybe she only drank half of it, maybe she doesn't entirely trust me...I wouldn't blame her.'
She thought for a moment, "You know...I could send Jelly the location of my mother's house. He can stay there. Nobody knows where it is except for me, and it's now pretty much vacant. Well, aside from another couple of guys living there for the time being, but they should be gone within a week or two." ''Course we'd probably have to find a safe way to communicate...maybe in person at Hogsmeade?' Freya looked at Penelope, "It's kind of like a boarding house now for a while I guess you could say."

Penelope thought for a second.
'Thank you, I think Jelly would like that actually, I think I might take you up on that offer'. She stopped and remembered the potion. She got the feeling that Freya thought Penelope didn't trust her, she smiled.
'I took the potion straight after the men left, I was glad it didn't taste foul' she grinned. She was quite worried about the taste.




ooc- gotta go sorry, seeya

Anna considered Copernicus' question for a moment. She wasn't really sure who her favorite professors were, she'd just thought those particular two were likely candidates. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "I've never really thought out about my favorite professors. Professors Shackleton and Vindictus are cousins, though. I helped both quite a bit at the end of last school year." Anna thought back to the time when she and Professor Shackleton had simply been sitting, talking, and eating cookies in her office. One minute they were discussing her health issues, and the next minute Professor Shackleton had passed out. Anna and Professor Vindictus had actually saved her life by feeding her large amounts of sugar. In the end, Anna had helped Professor Shackleton pack all her belongings on the off-chance she wouldn't be well enough to return to Hogwarts again. "She's really ill, you see," Anna added.

"Oh, don't apologize for belittling someone. You were probably basing your opinion on that brother of her's anyway," Anna replied. "As for my favorite subjects, I'm good at everything but Divination and Herbology. Oh, and dueling. I do well in those areas, but I struggle." Anna realized she'd been rambling on quite a bit about herself, but she actually didn't know too much about the boy she was currently talking to. "So tell me about the subjects you like to study. Which one do you think you'll like best at Hogwarts?" she asked.

Freya nodded and restrained her owl for a moment as he tried to lunge at Penelope. "Sorry, he's been a pest lately." She made Anchor sit on her knee again and turned back to Penelope. "I hope he likes it. It looks pretty shabby and average from the outside, but the interior is enormous. Two stories above ground and two below. But Jelly would probably prefer the second story on top, anything underground tends to be a lot colder and most unpleasant. You know, that normal, creepy basement-like vibe."
She couldn't help but grin, "Good to hear you didn't gag on the stuff, it took forever to get the potion to where it was effective and rather 'pleasant'." Freya looked around for a moment, "Hey, where is your owl? Did you leave him at home?"

"I would do well not to jump to conclusions about people I haven't met," Copernicus answered. "As for classes, it's hard to determine what I would be good at without having met the staff and seeing where they are at and their teaching philosophies. I'm of a mind that any subject is doable if the teacher approaches the class in an interactive and passionate way, and if they are knowledgeable in the subject themselves, of course." He always started to sound a bit stodgy when people showed up and made him nervous.

Speaking of people showing up... "Copernicus Kettleburn. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Potter."