"Cry baby! And they call me a firstie, well that will all end when they hear I made a third year drop to his knees and cry like a baby!" Divad was enjoying this, a total reversal of roles!

Irial nodded. "A walk around the castle seems like a good idea. I do like the outdoors." And he did too. He loved the outdoors and anything nature-related calmed him.

Thoughts ran through his mind, idly, of the nature. Trees, and the forest and lakes and hidden paths. He adored the outdoors. It was so peaceful and quiet. There were places that he went to avoid the world, though there was nowhere he could go here to escape anyone.

"The shadows don't bother me, Miss Karma," Irial said quietly, mimicking her motions and stepping closer. "I rather find them friendly to me. They're less betraying than people. And hide me when I don't want to be found." Indeed, he found the shadows more inviting than most people he knew.

Irial stepped closer to her, and when she said she didn't bite, he smirked. "Neither do I."

"Clark! You can't get the lolipops unless you ask my closest friend!" Divad mocked.

"I find the outdoors is where you can truly be yourself."

Not that she was hinting at anything, really. Just a place for them to let go, show who they are if they wanted, a place to just be open. There was nothing to hold you back when you were outside - anyone could be free. Where the thoughts captivated the mind to explore other realms of creativity, understanding, and whatever else came across the mind.

Shadows didn't bother him. Oh really now?

"If the shadows don't bother you, why are you retreating from them now? If they hide you, why are you stepping away from your comfort zone?"

She was challenging him. What really made him act the way he did? She knew he had a secret, and it wasn't going to be fed. Oh well, she might as well have fun along the way.

As he stepped closer, she did as well. Not too close, of course, but close enough to be in his shadow if she wanted. So, testing out her theory, she walked close enough to him as if to hug him, then stopped. She studied him up close, then walked to his side, and around to his back. Her head was by his shoulder, facing the same way he was.

"You put on this front as if I'm supposed to be scared of you. You're sadly mistaken, Mister Darkk. I am rarely frightened," she half whispered as she stood beside him to see what kind of comfort the shadows gave.

Irial turned his head slightly as she stood close to him. He could feel her body warmth, she was that close. He resisted the urge to move away, and merely looked at her. Studied her once more.

"I am not retreating from them," he stated simply. "Just enticing you to come to the shadows with me." His purple eyes glittered as he looked at her. "And it seems as though you were enticed indeed. Since you are now standing beside me."

There was a look of quiet triumph in his eyes for just a moment, then she spoke again. She thought he expected her to be frightened of him?

"I can be quite frightening if I choose, my dear girl," he whispered, his voice low and sultry now. It wrapped around her like a velvet shroud. "As it so happens, you haven't seen nearly the worst of me." Irial shifted so he was standing directly in front of her and he stepped closer, so they were nearly touching. He ignored the students who were shouting in the far end of the hall, his attention fully on Karma.

"Fortunately for you, and the rest of the students in this school, they'll not see the worst of me."

Damn it. Karma did exactly what Irial wanted her to do, which wasn't her plan at all. She merely wanted to see what was so hidden about these shadows. They didn't hide you completely, but enough to where if you didn't want to be seen, you didn't have to.

"Well it does seem to have worked," she admitted, tilting her head for a moment as she answered. Those purple eyes seemed to glitter at lot, didn't they? Hmm. "Care to tell me why you wanted to draw me in?"

He felt proud of himself. She did exactly what she wanted, which made her want to step away from him, rather than closer. What would that do to him now?

So, he COULD be scary. And his voice was enticing her, and she closed her eyes as he spoke. It was almost as if putting her into a trance, and he wasn't about to let her go. That was when he was right in front of her, close enough that Karma could feel him, and she opened her eyes.

"I was right about you. You have a secret, one that you don't want anyone to know about. Must be pretty dangerous, or something of the sort. Like I said earlier, we're not as we seem on the outside."

That includes not making her angry. She couldn't control that part of her when she was angry. But for some reason, she didn't move away from him. His voice wouldn't let her.

Irial shrugged nonchalantly. "I wanted to see if it would work," he said simply. "And it seems as though you're just as easy to entice as any other girl in this school." He sounded disappointed, but in reality, he was just amused. She was just like all the other girls. Oh well.

"So you think you've figured me out, Karma," he whispered, his eyes darkening. They looked almost dangerous now. He wasn't going to hurt her, he had no motive. Nor did he have the desire. "What is it that you think you know about me? What sort of secret do you think I hold dear to me?" He leaned closer, his voice low and dark.

"Am I in the mafia, as those students at the feast thought, or am I a vigilante? Or am I something completely different? Please, Karma," he paused, his hand now hovering over her left cheek. "Tell me what I am."

This was all so amusing, and he was sure he terrified her now. This wasn't normal of him, usually he wasn't purposefully terrifying, nor did he usually allow girls this close to him. It wasn't that he liked the girl, not particularly. He definitely had no romantic interest in her. He just wanted to scare her.

But if something happened, if they became friends in the process, well then, so be it.

Karma narrowed her left eye. He did not just go so far as to say that she was like all the other girls in the school. Because in all reality, if he knew her, she was far from that. And too bad he was solely judging her on this encounter. Shame, really.

No, she hadn't figured him out. She only knew exactly what he had told her, or hinted at, for the bare minimum. His eyes were darkening - a tactic to scare her, she supposed. Or to frighten.

"And you wonder why I believe you think I should be scared of you," she muttered.

He continued to get closer to her as he gave her suggestions. He was definitely in her personal space, but to prove him wrong, she didn't move.

"Let me tell you something Mister Darkk," she said, her voice lowering as well in her semi threatening tone, which still hypnotized most. "You may be different from the rest, and have some dark past that you do not want any to know about. But I guarantee you are not the only one in this school with a past, with a secret. You are not just a wizard, that much I know. And I am not just a witch."

She wasn't just a witch - perhaps something else that rhymed with 'witch'. And he was still close to her. It had to be some sort of trick he had up his sleeve. Either way, she wasn't moving.

"Tell me what you think I am."

Irial gazed at her, his expression dark, before leaning back and stepping away from her. His arms were once more crossed over his chest and he leaned against the wall, staring sideways at her. He was quickly losing interest in this girl. He tired of their games, and it was becoming irritating.

He listened to her assessment of him, and blinked slowly at her, his eyes showing the depiction of boredom. If she wanted to keep his attention further, she'd have to come up with something better than this.

Sighing slightly, he shifted his weight, and looked at her once more. She wanted to know what he thought she was. Honestly, he didn't give a damn what she was. But he would humor her, if only to humor himself as well.

"You're someone different," he said quietly, shoving his hands in his pockets, and looking up at the ceiling. "That much I know. I'm suspecting that you can read my feelings. You've either got a power that allows you to do such things, or you are very good at reading people. I suggest the latter of the two. In any case," and here, he glanced at her, his eyes boring into her.

"You intrigue me."

Ahh, so she was boring him. Well, if he didn't find her interesting, why was he still there? Even if he acted like he was bored with her, he certainly didn't seem to act like it.

He stepped away from her, and Karma leaned against the wall, resting her head against it. Watching him watch her was different. It was almost as if he was trying to look through her, into her mind, to see what was lying in there. He would definitely have to try harder to read her. So far, not everything had been right.

Karma smirked as he began to talk about how she was different. He was right about that she could read his feelings, because in all reality, she could read more than that. She just chose to not to do that, it was rude. He would be impressed with her other skills if he ever got the chance to experience them.

"If I intrigue you so much," she said. "Why are you bored with me already? Am I not entertaining enough? Or am I reading too much into you?"

She pushed off from the wall and walked closer to him as she spoke.

"I need to come up with something new for you, I bet. It bugs you, knowing that I can tell what you feel. You hate being read, being assessed. That's why you take run to the shadows, you don't want people to see who you really are. I assure you, being known isn't such a bad thing."

She stopped, then turned away from him, and walked to the wall on the other side of the hall. Hmph.

Irial gazed at her, surprised she hadn't just walked off. He blinked at her slowly, considering her words. "I believe you're reading too much into me," he said flatly. He pulled out the book he'd gotten from the library and absently flipped through it, not really reading the words in the book, not really looking at the pages. His eyes were trained on her. Every movement she made, he saw.

Suddenly, he was upon her. The book was back in his cloak, and he was standing in front of her, hovering. A stray strand of hair had fallen out of his ponytail and was hanging in his face but he paid it no mind.

"Would you like to know me, Karma?" he whispered dangerously. "Is this why you stick around?"

The tone that he was using with her was one that she was used to. Someone who was apathetic about what was going on around them. Someone who was only there to just be there, because they had to be. Well, it certainly seemed he was enjoying his part of being here, for most of it anyway. He did get entertainment out of talking to her, after all.

She was reading too much into him - not for her purposes, but for his own. Karma would pay attention just as much, but not admit to it. She watched him play with the book, but noticed how he was still watching her.

A sudden breeze swept across her, and he was right there. What the - She pushed her hair behind her ear, and was against the wall. Now that was something she didn't expect.

"I stick around to see what's so dangerous about you," she hissed, her eyes narrowing. "Magic tricks and swift movements aren't that impressive."

Irial nodded, leaning back once more. The tone she'd taken on was intriguing. She seemed to not like how fast he was with moving. Well then, to each his, or her, own. His eyes searched hers, searching for what, he did not know.

"Is this all?" he whispered, his hair now pooling around his face, covering half of it. "Would you not stick around if I wasn't as dangerous as you thought?" Though that was hardly possible. He was dangerous, he just chose not to reveal any of it at school. They'd hardly approve of him.

He truly wondered what it was she wanted from him. A friend? A lover? He laughed in his mind at the second possibility. That was highly unlikely. But still, an amusing thought. He was done playing silly little mind tricks with her, so he just asked her pointblank.

"What is it you want from me, Karma?" he whispered, his voice low and sultry once more. He wasn't attempting to be scary, nor was he trying to be seductive. It just came out that way.

Irial was searching for something again in her eyes. Even Karma wasn't sure what he was looking for, except maybe an answer of what she wanted. What did she want anyway?

If he was dangerous. After that little bit, who knew what he was capable of. She could see the power in his eyes, the way he came so fast. That was something that no normal wizard could do. She was right. Oh, was she ever right.

"Even if you weren't," she said, getting off of the wall. "I would still be here. Still trying to figure out what makes you tick."

Tempted to push the hair from his face, she raised her hand, then dropped it. That wouldn't be appropriate. He would probably get the wrong idea, as if she was looking for someone to be with. As a friend, sure. But more? She almost laughed at the thought.

He whispered again. That voice. It just drove her insane.

"What do I want from you?" she whispered rather loudly. "What do I want? Nothing. There is nothing I could gain from you. I merely wanted to know who you are, to silently prove to the others you're not some sort of demon as they seem to think you are."

Screw it, that hair was annoying her. She reached up and pushed it behind his ear. She could see his eyes again, and they seemed to be glittering again.

Irial allowed her to push his hair behind his ears. He almost shuddered at her touch. So she wanted nothing from him. Well good. Because that was what she was going to get. Absolutely nothing.

He stepped back, almost as quickly as he'd come forward, and he was soon standing, again, nearly ten feet away from her. The book was back out, and he was idly playing with the spine of it, fingering the leather and reveling in its texture.

It was a few minute before he spoke, and when he did, he did not look at her. "And what if I am the demon the others think I am, hmm? And if there is nothing you could possibly gain from me, then why, pray tell, why are you still here playing this little game of cat and mouse with me, my dear Karma?"

He was growing irritated. Why had she come up to him and started talking to him if she wanted nothing from him? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. "You want to know who I am," he repeated.

"I am Irial Darkk, eldest brother of the Darkk brothers."

Karma frowned, for the first time all night. Out of any reaction he had gotten from her, that one was the last she would have thought to come out. He wasn't going to give her anything, so why did he seem so upset about it?

She blinked, and he was across the hall again. So Mister Darkk wanted to play games, did he now? Might as well give it a shot.

"If you're so sick of this game I'm playing," she said, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "Then why are you still here? Outside, you don't care what others think. Inside, you do. Everyone does, and even don't think for a second that you don't. People think you're some sort of evil faerie. So what, you gonna pull magic pixie dust out of your pocket and fly away or something?"

Eww. 'My dear Karma'. She made a face at that for a moment. So he wanted to play an interesting game. Fine. She would give him that.

"You want to play a real game then? Look at me."

She needed eye connection. Maybe it wouldn't work with him. She should at least try.

Irial laughed openly. "I'm no faerie," he said. "Is there anything faerie-like that you see? Besides, aren't faeries minuscule in size? No, I'm simply a wizard. One with a story, no doubt, but I'm nothing more magical than a wizard." So that was the rumor going around. Quite interesting. No matter. It wasn't true anyways. So it didn't matter.

She wanted him to look at her. Why on earth would she want him to look at her? He'd look at her plenty of times the whole time they were talking. Why was now any different. "I'm still here," he paused, "because before you showed up, this was the only quiet place that I could be alone."

Irial looked at her though, his eyes suddenly sad. Emotions suddenly poured out through his eyes. He was sick of this. He wanted nothing more than to go home and be around those with whom he was familiar. He had his brother, sure, but it didn't count. He missed home.

"What is it that you want to play, Karma?" he asked, his voice flat and lifeless.

Of all things and of all days, Lyra couldn't help but make her way towards the library. There was so much homework and so little time to do it. She had a number of things to do to make herself up for the day and yet just so little time for real life school work. There were places to go, people to gossip about!

His stone cold exterior broke when he laughed at the rumor. It was rediculous, and she had to get it out of the way. He did look a little bit more girly, maybe it was because of the long hair. Karma thought about her textbook, and not all faeries had to be tiny. He could be denying it, especially with the powers.

The only place he could be alone. The Room of Requirement would be just as sufficient, she thought. She opened her mouth to say something, when suddenly, his eyes changed, and she snapped her jaw shut.

Sadness radiated around her as she looked into his eyes. He missed home, he wanted people who understood him. He was sick of everything that everyone was putting him through, and she realized she had been just like everyone else.

"I'm sorry Irial," she said quietly. "I'll let you be, if that's what you need. In all honesty, I know you just want people who understand you, and you can't get that here. I tried."

The game wasn't important now. His feelings were, and if he thought she was being dumb, she would leave.

Irial sighed and shook his head. "Don't be," he said quietly, his voice barely audible. He refused to look at her now. "You were curious, just like everyone else is. It's understandable." His crossed arms seemed to be holding up his composure now.

Sometimes he had fun in this school, other times, most times, he just wanted to leave. He stole a glance at Karma, wondering what was going through her mind right now. She was right though, she'd tried. But he played with her. In all honesty, she played with him too. But he played with her, like a predator playing with his food before he ate. He felt sickened with himself. He'd vowed never to do that again, and here he was playing with this girl like she was nothing but a plaything.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, pulling his hair back into his low ponytail and looking out the window. He hadn't noticed, but it had gotten dark. The moon was beautiful. It was alone in the world, but it still shone brightly every night, until the one night in the month where it was granted freedom, and was able to hide within itself. Irial wished he could do the same.

"Forgive me for what I did," he said, still staring at the moon. He wasn't sure whether he was apologizing to himself or Karma.

Karma didn't even bother looking up at him when he was speaking for the first time. She could feel his emotions, and looking might make it worse. Her eyes were down on the stone floor, looking at the patterns in the stones.

She tried to shut her mind off to what he was thinking and feeling, and the thinking worked. He was having fun at times, but not at others. Concentrate, Atkins. Let him be. She sighed, and it was almost as if she deflated slightly. There. No more being able to know how he was feeling, for she had blocked it out.

It was dark, and she stole a look out the window to see the moon. They had better get going before either got in trouble.

"I don't hold anything against anyone," she said simply. "We need to be heading off to our common rooms, we don't want to be getting in trouble. You can find me easily, and I'll know if you're looking for me."

She walked up to him and gently touched his arm, expecting him to cringe or to freeze or to do something. She did it anyway because she was bold.

"Goodnight, Irial," she said smoothly. Her voice flowed the way his did for that one time.

Turning towards the stairs, she began to head off. He was interesting, and she would definitely talk to him again. She just knew it.

Irial blinked at her slowly when she touched his arm. He didn't react in the slightest, trying to compose himself. He nodded, however, when she told him that he'd be able to find her easily. Well, that didn't end in complete disaster.

"Good night, Karma," he said quietly. He watched her walked off to her own common room before looking out the window for a moment longer. He felt like the moon did, wishing for once, that it was new moon. Then they both could slip into the shadows and finally be themselves.

It was a good ten minutes before he moved from that spot, and suddenly, he turned on his heel and headed up to his common room, his customary cloak fluttering behind him as he walked briskly through the corridor.

Clark paused and stood up. "Ya coming with me, buddy." he said as he hoisted the little kid on his shoulder, obviously annoyed. "C'mon, we going ta da trophy room."

Hadn't April, and more specifically April the first, passed by them EONS ago? What on earth then, was Evolette then pulling him leg and trying to pass him off the idea that him and Willow were stupid bosom buddies? The Ravenclaw simply didn't allow people into her life, didn't Evolette know that?

Before he could utter said scathing comment to Evolette, the very subject of her woes bounded up to them.

'HUGO!' His exclamation was half-filled with happiness at seeing their other best friend, and half-filled with sheer panic at being at a lack of breath in the blonde's death-grip.

Terry sobered immediately as his gaze trailed over Hugo's watery eyes standing stark against a white face. Dread flooded the pit of his stomach, and he reached a hand out to curl around Hugo's shoulder comfortingly. His gaze flickered to Evolette's slowly, only to rush back to Hugo's as his words tumbled out.

Terry snatched his hand back, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly. 'WHAT?' he spluttered aghast, shaking his head as if the mere act would force Hugo's words back. 'You're leaving Hogwarts? ...and Cressi's ill?' His blue eyes widened, his voice awfully tiny. 'Princess Cressi?' GADS.

Forcing his held breath in a loud rush, he pulled Hugo and Evolette in to a comforting hug, squeezing his eyes shut. 'Hugo, have you been keeping this quiet the past month and been worrying all over Cressi, by yourself?' Terry didn't even want to contemplate how terrible he'd have felt if he'd had to mull over something like this for so long by himself with no one to confide to.

'Are things really looking that bad for Princess Cressi, Hugo?' His voice trembled at the thought of his bright and bubbly Cressi, her tiny self on a white, impersonal bed in a huge clinical hospital, sickly pale. NO! Who else was he going to spend his time spoiling with chocolate after dinner, and horsey rides and dress-ups?! His hands involuntarily tightened around Hugo and Evolette's shoulders, 'You're really not ever coming to Hogwarts, Woods? Ever?' Impossible. Terry refused to believe it.

Evolette was skilled in hiding her emotions. Really, she was a chameleon, she could be whatever she thought she needed to be at the moment, and then, once alone in her bedroom, there she could fall apart. Hugo knew it. Miles knew it. And she was sure that by now, Terry knew it as well.

However, this time was different. Standing there with her two best friends, the only thing she could do for Hugo, was not to hide from him. "Oh Hugie." she said sadly, hugging him as tightly as she possibly could. He was leaving, and she felt that if she let go, he was going to disappear. She hated that feeling. It was the very same feeling that she had gotten when Terry broke up with her. But she had let go of Terry, and he was still there.

"Of course you need to go home." she said, her voice flowing evenly, in a soft soothing tone. Did she want Hugo to leave? Of course not. She never wanted him to leave her side. She would tie him to her if she could. She never wanted to let him go, but she was reminded of what Terry had said. They were all growing up. This was part of growing up. Letting go.

"Oh Hugie!" she squeaked, tossing her arms around his neck once more. "Send Cressi our love, and your Mum, and you can bet as soon as I get my parents to let me, I'll be there too." her voice was no longer even and calm, but everything sort of rushed out at once.

Pausing, she noticed that Terry had placed his hands on hers and Hugo's shoulders. And he was squeezing hard. Ouch. "Terry, sweetheart. You are hurting me." she said, reaching for his hand and removing it from her shoulder, but instead of letting it fall, she held onto it. Miles was leaving. Hugo was leaving. He was all that she had left.