"Well, I have to go. Talk to you sometime." James looked at his watch, and started walking. "See ya."

"See ya around," Kel replied, turning around as James walked off. Kel looked up and down the corridor, searching for anything that looked interesting. With a quiet sigh, he went off in the way of the stairs.

"Oh really? I would have never guessed something was up," Reese said sarcastically. The Fat Friar was looking for people, but couldn't seem to find them. That was weird. The Fat Friar also couldn't find Nurse Byron....very peculiar. "Where do you think Nurse Byron went off to, Jack? I mean, if the ghosts can't even find her, then something has the be up, right?" She asked him.

She was still looking up at the spot where The Fat Friar disappeared at while Jack went back to the conversation they had before. "Yeah, it will be hard to beat Anna. I mean, she's like a great student," she told Jack as she looked back at him. Oh, how she longed for a subject change now. She had a feeling that there was going to be a awkward silence coming up soon. She loathed awkward silences.

Shana got up and smiled at Em.Umm I'm gonna umm go ? Bye.She shrugged her shoulders and smiled.She waved and then began to walk away.She didn't mean to leave people that had been nice enough to come talk to her but it just happend!

Jack shrugged. "Well, the Grey Lady was looking for the Headmaster, so he seems to have up and disappeared too. I wonder if that's connected..." he said, tapping his stubbly chin in thought. The Headmaster was very--strange, so he didn't surprise him much that he had wandered off somewhere, but the Nurse? Maybe she quit--didn't they have a new Healer in Training up there? Luckily, he hadn't gone up there since term started cause he was in peak physical health.

After that, Jack realized that suddenly, they had nothing to talk about. What were they going to talk about, SCHOOL? Eww. Astronomy? No, no need to beat that into the ground. Well, whatever they were going to talk about, he had to think of something fast, cause no one had said anything in like, 20 seconds. 21. 22. 23. AHHHH!

"The Grey Lady was looking for the Headmaster? That's strange. That's very strange, indeed. So, Nurse Bryon is missing and the Headmaster..." Reese crossed her arms as she walked over to a nearby window. As she looked out the window, she asked, "Do you think it's possible more teachers can disappear, Jack?" It was possible, right?

Oh, no! Here comes the awkward silence moment. She turned around to face Jack, who didn't look like he was going to change the subject anytime soon. Well, she could just leave. That was always an opinion. But, this could be her and Jack's little time to get to know each other. Since, they really didn't get to know each other well on the train. "So, Jack, do you have anymore hobbies besides being an Astronomy nerd?" She asked him, smiling.

"Maybe" he said thoughtfully. "Although if it's Kazi I might not mind too much," he added with a playful grin. Still, where had those professors gone? And was this really the beginning of a bunch of disappearances? WHY was there always something weird going on at Hogwarts? Why couldn't life just be normal and boring and not so--dramaful?

Astronomy nerd? He couldn't tell if she was joking or not...he hoped so. That was kind of harsh. Yeah, she HAD to be joking. He grinned. "Well, erm...I told you about the Quidditch, and other than that...not really. Wow. I need some hobbies," he muttered to himself. "Erm--what about you?"

Reese nodded. "I would mind if Kazi disappeared either. That man is just full of pure evilness," she said. "Do you know what that evil man made me do in detention last year? He forced me and my best friend Lima to fight each other. Like, we had to use spells on each other and the spell had to be like a bad spell. Not a good one." She shook her head at the thought of that detention. Kazi haunted her dreams ever since that detention. That guy just scared her so much.

She shouldn't have said Astronomy nerd. That was kind of mean for her to say. "Jack, I was just kidding about the Astronomy nerd thing. I still find it cute that you like Astronomy so much. Usually, people like classes like Defense Against the Dark Arts or something. You're the first person I've met that has like Astronomy so much," she said, hoping that she didn't hurt Jack's feelings about the Astronomy nerd thing. It was just a joke.

She smirked slightly when Jack said that his only hobby was pretty much Quidditch. "Oh, me? Well, you already know that I'm in a band. So, my hobby is pretty much playing the guitar and singing. I mean- yeah, I don't have a lot of hobbies either," she told him, then she tried to think of another topic to talk about. Then, it just sort of hit her that she herself hasn't told Jack about her family. Or, did she? Gah. She couldn't remember. So, she could talk about her family, but- naaah.

Jack's mouth fell open in horror. "That's awful! I can't believe that! That's like--inhumane. It's not right," he said, shaking his head in disgust. That guy was like, a vampire or something.

He was just about to tell her that she didn't need to worry about hurting his feelings, when he heard her say something that made him stop dead in his tracks. I still find it cute that you like Astronomy so much. Cute? CUTE? That--that word did NOT belong in any sentence that related back to Jack Fritzera. Or, at least, it never had before. No one had ever said anything about Jack was CUTE.

Oh good Merlin, she didn't...she didn't LIKE him did she? Jack could suddenly feel his cheeks heating up and blushing, and his palms were getting sweaty. Gross. Anyways, she hadn't meant that by her little statement, had she? But oh lordy, what if she did? Did she think that HE was cute? No, that was impossible--he was tall and gangly and way too hairy for a fifth year--no, there was no way. Was there? No no no! This had never happened to him before, EVER. What if she really DID like him? Would she want him to be her boyfriend? Jack had never had a girlfriend before--cause duh, no one had been interested--so he had no idea what he was doing! He'd be a rubbish boyfriend!

Oh my god, Reese Upstead wanted Jack to be a her boyfriend. This was horrifying!

"You know, erm, I have to get going!" Jack exclaimed, his voice coming out WAY too high and unnatural. "I forgot that I have to uh--feed my frog. To my cat. NO, I mean, I have to feed my frog AND my cat! And then, uh...tutor...someone," he finished lamely.

He stood there staring at her for a few more seconds before finally giving her a quick wave. "Bye!" he exclaimed before turning and power walking down the corridor.

Reese just stood there as Jack looked like he was going to have a panic attack. Or, maybe he was having one right now. Who knew? His cheeks were getting really red and everything. What did she say? She tried to think back at what she said a second ago, but she couldn't think of what she had said that would have made Jack blush.

"Are...you okay?" She asked him, hoping that he wasn't going to pass out or anything. She really didn't want to drag him to the hospital wing or anything. Then, Jack said he had to go. Okay. Yeah, she was going to agree that this was the perfect time to leave.

She blinked a few times and just stared at Jack when he started stumbling over his own words. No, this boy was NOT okay. He was far from okay. She raised her eyebrow at him when he stayed where he was for a few more seconds... he was just staring at her! Seriously, what did she say to make him freak out like this?

Finally.

Jack said bye and headed down the corridor. She shook her head and called out, "I'll see you later." She turned around and headed in the opposite direction. Now, she was going to go down to the lake and enjoy the fresh air. She really needed some fresh air right now.

Copernicus was NOT feeling good as he crested the top of the stairs in the third floor corridor. His hand was throbbing now, and he felt sick to his stomach from the pain. He tried to keep a positive face, though, for the sake of Karma.

"You don't really want to hear about the things that motivate me to violence," Copernicus smiled ruefully. "I'll just leave it at... I was really mad. At myself."

Hmph. Karma was sooo not pleased with Copernicus' answer. Fake smiles too. Whaaaat was going on with this boy? Oh that's right! He was a GUY.

She did have to give him credit for being brave for her, because she absolutely believed she was about to pass out. She could smell the Hospital Wing. Okay not really smell it, but she could sense it.

"You boys and your tough guy attitudes," she said, still holding on to Cope for dear life. "Oh boy, I think I'm gonna be sick..."

Grow up grow up grow uuuuuup! she told herself. Seriously! Cope's hurt too... Deep breath. Okay. Getting there.

"But why the wall? I mean I'm sure there are other things to punch..."

"Because punching people isn't an option for me, and I was in the corridor at the time. Can you imagine how much trouble I'd be in if I punched a suit of armor?" He carefully slid his arm around her waist to support her weight in case she DID pass out.

"Karma, we can go slow," his voice was strained, but they were GOING to make it to the infirmary. "At least if you pass out now, we're just a few steps away."

Karma rolled her eyes. She would NEVER resort to punching someone else or telling someone to do the same, let alone a wall. True, she had hit her brother before, but not enough to hurt or do damage. She wasn't that strong.

"I didn't mean hitting someone else," she said. "Look. Next time you need to hit something, find me. No, you cannot hit me, don't even think about it. Ha, no but really. I'll conjure you up a punching bag or something like that. Or go to the Room of Requirement. That helps too."

She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She wanted to walk slower, yes. But he was in pain, and she wanted him to feel better. Wait - when did his arm get there? Now her face was turning red.

"I've never felt the urge to hit anything before," Copernicus admitted, sounding completely perplexed by his lapse in judgment earlier. He had been thinking, and then he'd suddenly been so ANGRY at how out of control his life was and how powerless he felt... sigh.

"What's the red thing about, Kar-ma?" he teased gently, referring to the question she'd asked him earlier when HE was the one blushing. And then he realized it was probably because she thought he was being so inappropriate. Bad Copey!

Karma shook her head. Woah, not a good idea. Her arm was killing her, man. Ugh. She had to focus on Cope again, or she'd pass out. There, she could see him again. That was a close one.

"Well, sooner or later, that kind of thing happens," she said, sighing. "I mean, it's only normal for us to get angry. It's the dragon in you coming out, my friend. I'm so proud of you."

Snicker. WAIT. Again, he was teasing her. What the heck? She wasn't complaining, no way. This was fun. Red thing... huh? Ooooh yeah, she had been blushing.

"I... don't know... what you're talking about?" she said, but it came out as a question. DOH!

"I have a dragon in me?" Copernicus gave her a comical look. "I rather think it's more like a... pygmy puff. I have a pygmy puff in me just dying to get out and snuggle someone to death. Completely non-threatening and non-dangerous."

Politely, Copernicus removed his arm. They were essentially hanging outside the infirmary at this point anyway, so she was safe from harm. "Well, I apologize if I embarrassed you."

Pygmy puff. A snuggly, non-threatening, pygmy puff. He really shouldn't have said that, for now she would have to call him by a new nickname.

Heehee. Oh dear. Karma needed to lay off the sugar.

"Pygmy puff," she muttered, still smirking. "You, Cope, are going to be the death of me."

Suddenly, there was no other support. She didn't realize she had even been using him to help her around until his arm wasn't there. She caught herself before she even moved a little bit. They. Were. There. AACK.

"No no," she said, getting nervous about the Hospital Wing. "It wasn't embarassing, I just didn't expect it."

"Don't die, Karma," he grinned unexpectedly at her while shoving open the door to the infirmary. "I won't let them do anything to you that you don't want, although fixing your shoulder might hurt a little. But we'll stick together." Karma was a comfort to him because she just always reacted to him in the same way - teasing but friendly. She was acting a bit out of the norm, which he found unsettling.

Karma grumbled again, defeated. He had opened the door with his unhurt hand, and she needed to get her shoulder fixed. Stupid water, stupid balance, stupid school...

GASP. She just called the school stupid. I take it back, I swear!

'We'll stick together'. Aww. Okay, she might as well just go then.

"Fiiiine," she said, stepping into the infirmary.

Ricco exited the Hospital wing shaking a little more now , he wasnt feeling good and his whole body was hurting, leaning against a wall he tried to stop it but it was no use he kept on shaking.

"Right Mr Santos, what is so important that you felt the need to follow me to the hospital wing?" He vaguely remembered him saying something about losing points and getting another detention. Marcus, leaned against the wall and folded his arms across his chest.

Ricco was shaking more violently now "I ...uh...i." I started but he couldn't seem to get it out properly, he was shaking too much, trying to calm himself down a little he managed to calm down enough that he could say a sentence, "I got detention and i lost points for what i see as helping" He said as he began to shake more.

Feeling the pain in his head he began to wonder what was wrong with him, maybe it was stress.

Marcus closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. "I suggest you start from the beginning Mr Santos and tell me exactly what happened?" He was unsure of exactly what he was supposed to do. There was no way he would be able to reverse the points loss or the detention and he was not stupid enough to even try. He was new here after all.

Ricco took a deep breath before telling him the story, "As you know the dungeons got.....flooded and if you didnt know well...now you do" He said feeling his legs still shaking " I was down there and i was trying to help them get people out". After i had a quick swim he thought deciding that it was best to leave it out. "Then Professor Truebridge gave me a detention" He said as he began to breath rapidly.