Lyddia jumped with excitement. Yes! She quickly grabbed a feather then looked around for the other things on her list.
As Lyddia looked she saw a brush with a couple hairs in it. Lyddia grabbed one and inspected it, then crossed the item off her list.
Lyddia felt the wind and saw the feathers, she grabbed one quickly and kept looking.
Aww, she missed the pheonix feathers, how else would she get them? As Lyddia pondered this she saw a pile of leaves outside the stables. Lyddia walked over and grabbed one. Well, at least she had something else, although she really would have liked the pheonix feather...

Taking the hand that was twirling in her hair, Marcus entwined her fingers with his and pulled her away from the Abraxan. "Too bad we didn't bring a picnic with us, seeing how the flying lesson is now a bust." He chuckled softly as they walked away from the winged horses, stopping in a small clearing. Marcus, pulled Iliana to stand in front of him and he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "All that's left to do now is to watch the sun set" he murmured in her ear as the sun began its descent into the horizon.

Without a word, Iliana allowed Marcus to lead her away. When his arms drew around her, she smiled and rested her cheek alongside his. His breath, warm against her neck, caught her off guard and she blushed. It was very distracting. Distracting in a way that made it almost impossible to think of much else.

She watched as the setting sun cast eerily romantic shadows around them and said, "You know this is the first sunset that we've been able to share since returning home. I'm starting to think that this was your plan all along."

A low chuckle escaped his lips as he watched the last rays of the sun dip behind the horizon and the first star sparkled high in the sky. "Ah you figured out my excuse to get you alone." Of course he really had been hoping to kill two birds with the one stone and get over his fear of flying as well.

Slowly he turned her in his arms to face him and he gave her a slow smile. "I know of something else we haven't done since returning either." Marcus, gave her a bow before placing one hand around her waist and the other taking her hand. "May I have this dance Iliana?"

Iliana smiled. "You don't need excuses," she said softly. She had wanted to see him too. As he spun her around she giggled. "Well it's not as nice as the last place we danced but I suppose it'll do," she said, stepping closer.

A moment or so into their dance Iliana heard a small noise that tore her eyes from his. It was only Trinity walking along the creekside but it made her think. "You know Marcus, we're not the only two people with abraxans around here. What if Copernicus or Celandine happen to fly over?" she asked, meeting his gaze again.

At the moment Iliana didn't care if the whole world saw them together. But she remembered what Marcus had said before coming back. That horrible gossip rag had done a number on him the term before and he was trying his best to protect her. As an afterthought, she added, "Though I do believe I'm the only one that knows about this place," before resting her head on his shoulder.

Tearing his gaze away from to her look up into the sky, Marcus gave a small shrug as he looked back at Iliana. "It's almost dark, so I don't think they're going to see too much anyway. Besides..."he spun Iliana away from him and then spinning her back into his arms where he lowered her into a dip..."what are they going to see? Two people dancing, no crime against that. Unless..."Marcus lowered his head so that his face was just inches from hers..."they see us doing something else." He gave her a wink and kissed her on the forehead before pulling her upright again.

He moved in time to the song that was playing in his head as he held Iliana close to him. "That gossip rag seems to have gone rather quiet this term anyway. So I don't think we have too much to worry about." Marcus, let go of her and bent down and picked a few flowers and presented them to her. "Who says the kids are the only ones who get to be in a relationship anyway?"

Iliana couldn't help but laugh as Marcus spun her around their foresty dance floor. What on earth had gotten into him?! When he lowered his head to hers, she felt her pulse quicken. Then he kissed her on the forehead. 'Really?!?' she thought, giving him a little pout. Such a tease.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as they continued to dance and listened to what he had to say with skepticism, wanting to believe it was true. She smiled as she took the flowers and she stepped forward. (close enough to kiss him) "Yes Marcus but I thought THIS... was supposed to be a secret," she said, a demure smile playing on her lips. "So why the sudden change of heart?" she asked softly.

As she took a step closer to him, Marcus reached up and caught the end of her hair in his fingers and he twirled the tendrils around his fingers for a moment as he gazed at her. Clearing his throat, he gave her a cocky smile. "Maybe I don't want to keep you a secret anymore. I mean I am not going to run around the castle flaunting our relationship. But..."he lent forward and gave her chaste kiss on the lips..."if we happen to be seen together. Then so be it." He let her hair slip from his fingers and gave her warm smile. "You really are beautiful, you know that?"

"Good," she said. There was no doubt that Iliana was a private person but secret keeping made her feel like a liar. She didn't like that feeling one bit.

When he kissed her, Iliana smiled. Now THERE was a feeling she definitely did like. At his compliment, Ili reached up and ran the back of her fingers along his jawline. "I've might have been told that a few times before," she answered. Most recently (and most often) by Marcus himself. He made her feel beautiful like no one else ever had.

Iliana shivered as a cool breeze blew across the field. She pushed her tousled curls away from her face and said, "We should head back, it's getting late."

"What can I say? I'm a true romantic at heart." And to prove his point, Marcus scooped her up into arms and walked back to the Abraxan's.

"So I received a letter from my brother Joshua, the other day telling me that if I don't invite you over for Christmas that he will personally hit me over the head with my guitar." Marcus, placed Ili gently onto the ground but did not let go of her. "Seems you've made quite the impression, usually Joshua doesn't have anything to say about my choices..."he trailed off and looked embarrassed for a moment. Not really a good idea to talk about past girlfriends.

"Um...so would you like to come over to my family's house for Christmas?" He pulled her closer to him, "I make an awesome eggnog" he murmured against her hair, hoping that was going to convince her.

Swept off her feet much? Iliana laughed and threw her arms around Marcus' neck. "Mmm, I guess you are," she said. "Marcus, really? What did he say?" she asked, blushing slightly as he put her down. She didn't know what kind of impression she could have made after only a few days but if it was anything like the way she felt about them, she'd be elated.

"Marcus, I'd love to. Your parents are amazing. But one question..." she said, eying him apprehensively. "Has Andrew forgiven me yet for playing that innocent, little joke on him or is he still hellbent on paying me back?" Best to be prepared, right?

He placed a finger to his lips and pretended to give the question some thoughtful consideration. "I think it went along the lines of something like, 'she's the best thing that's ever happened to you Marcus and you do anything to screw it up then i will personally kick your butt.'" He looked at Iliana and laughed, "Joshua is not the violent type so I guess he must be pretty serious" Marcus wrapped his arms around her tighter and lifted her so that he could give her a kiss on the cheek. "Like I would ever do anything to wreck what we have."

He let out a sigh of relief when she agreed to come over for Christmas, Joshua's threats aside he really wanted her to come. Marcus burst out laughing at the memory of the practical joke on Andrew. "I doubt that Andrew has the imagination to come up with any sort of payback. So I think you're safe and besides he'll have me and Josh to deal with if he does."

Laughing again, Iliana's eyes sparkled as she listened to the things Josh had said. "Alessia better watch out. I think Joshua might be on the fast track to becoming my new best friend," she teased. Blushing slightly at his next statement, Ili snuggled up against him. "I would hope not," she whispered back honestly.

"My heros," she said, holding her hand to her heart and batting her eyelashes playfully. "Though it would be worth it even so." Oh Andrew would forgive her soon enough. There wasn't a doubt in her mind. With a shiver, Iliana raised up on her toes and said, "I can't wait, Marcus. When will we leave?"

Several days later...

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Professor Morgan had finally come to the realization that without a wand, she simply needed help. What usually took up a few hours of her time each morning was now taking her an entire day to complete. Enough was enough.

Pulling out a large, hefty piece of parchment and her quill, wincing at the protests from her exhausted arms, Professor Morgan promptly scratched out the following notice.
When she was finished, Iliana laid her quill down and looked for something, ANYTHING, to affix the notice to the wall. She sighed. 'How nice a simple sticking charm would have been.'

Reaching up, she pulled a bobby pin from her hair and jabbed it into the parchment; securing it to the wall. Then the weary professor walked out into the cold night air with one singular thought on her mind. Her soft, warm bed.

Livvy's OFF to see the creatures! The wonderful creatures of Hogwarts. Because because because because BECAAAUUUUSEEE... because of the wonderful creatures they are!

... Snazzeh riiight?

Livvy skipped cheerfully out from the castle and as she made her way to Professor Morgan's hut. She wasn't going to pay a visit to the Professor, not that she wasn't an amazing, loving, beautiful, smart, and pleasant woman. But... but... the creatures were calling her name. So tea with Professor Morgan would have to wait for another day.

"Ohhhhh EEEELLLIIIOOOT!!!" Livvy yelled out in a sing-song voice. Just as she was about to make her way towards where her Augurey rested in his cage, she noticed a piece of parchment sticking to the wall. Huh. She walked over and studied what the notice said and - WHEEEE!!!

She wanted to do that! The more the experience the better! Livvy thought it was a wonderful idea, plus that gave her more time to interact with a variety of magical creatures and to spend some more time tending to Elliot. She grabbed the quill that had been set down and held it up against the parchment and wall as she signed her name.

Was there anything else that she needed to include? Shrugging, Livvy set the quill back down and skipped over to where Elliot's cage was and unlocked it. "Hey sweeetiiie," she cooed, gently as she picked up the Augurey and pulled him out from the cage, setting him down in her lap.

Destiny was mentally kicking herself the whole way to the sanctuary. She had seen the sign on the Slytherin board and thought she needed to do this. 'Why am I doing this? Turn back now!'
But she wouldn't turn back. She was going to sign up for this. Yes she was, even if she was terrified of all them creatures. Too late to turn back now. She had the quill in her hand leaning in to sign up.
Done and done.

Wandering around the castle and getting bored being a wanderer, Cedric decided to come out even if it's really cold outside. With his jacket and a scarf around his neck, he managed to come at the Magical creatures sanctuary, he heard from students-to-students that students are needed for the Sanctuary Aide program.

Cedric sign up with a smile across his face. He can definitely help and be a volunteer of the program, for the sake of the lovely magical creatures around.

After he'd sign up, he turned back and left cause it's too cold to stay outside these days.

Iris sighed happily as she walked down to the Magical Creatures Sanctuary, after seeing the notice that had been put up on the notice board by someone, she knew that she just haad to come and volenteer for it. Aaron and Fallon had Quidditch ... which just was not Iris's thing, at all. Magical Creatures however... She liked them. All of them, Since she was teeny.

Iris Looked around until she found the notice. She read the names of those that had already signed up to it. Only three people? She read the names ... Nope. I don't recognise any of them. She took her quill out of her ponytail and wrote her name under 'Cedric Leone's' note.

Iris looked at her note, suprised at how messy her handwriting was compared to the other peoples writing. She put her quill back in her pony and skipped out of the Sanctuary, carefully closing the gate behind her before running off to the library before the Quidditch game.

OOC = Up until December, I will only be able to participate on weekdays, because of RL stuff at the weekends, but from January, I should hopefully be able to hep out all the time (:

Evan couldnt believe himself that he was doing this. He really couldn't be doing this, but here he was, standing in front of the notice board. He felt his hand touch something, later understood it was the pen. Then his hand reached for something half-white, half-black with some familiar shapes, later he understood it was the paper. His hand drew some of those shapes quickly.
Just then he realised what he had just done. He had just agreed to work with magical creatures. A boy who was afraid of creatures had just assigned to work with them. Crazy? Pretty much. But there will be some other helpers right, who can save him? At that moment, his eyes dechiphered the shapes over his: Beaumont. Even more perfect. He wondered if Anderson would come too. They wouldn't bother him though, because there would be a professor. Hehe.

What was he thinking? Right. Besides, it was a good opportunity to break through his stupid fear. They were intelligent creatures, at least he hoped so. All in all, he was now a volunteer of animals. Yay. He could still drop out anytime if he wanted. Yup.

Way to go Evan!

OOC: And probably I won't be able to RP properly for 10 days, exam week. =/ But I hope I'll be able to come and check, and jot down some quick replies.

After seeing the notice that had pinned up in the Slytherin Common Room, Nikki had bundled up in her coat and made her way out to the Magical Creature Sanctuary. Sure Care of Magical Creature wasn't her strongest class (Arthimancy), but it wasn't her weakest (Astronomy). It was probably her second or third best class.

Anyways, there she was, standing in front of the clipboard, pen in hand. She scanned the names that had arleady been signed, reconigzing a couple here and there. They probably had nothing better to do. Nikki was only mostly signing up to fill up the time between Qudditch Games/Qudditch Practice. She was only a resevre, she probably qouldn't be playing much anyway.

Lifting her pen up, Nikki wrote her name under some Evan kid in purple ink.

There she was done, she could check that of her 'Things To Do List". Well, time to head back. She thought as she turned on her heel and began making her way back to the castle. Was it colder than usual? How did those creatures survive out her? It was freezing!

ooc: On weekdays (unless I have days off) I won't be on until around 5:30 P.M EST on most days, unless I uber busy. But on weekends if I'm free I'll be on all day starting at 1:00 P.M EST.

Celandine, after receiving an owl from Professor Morgan, was down at the sanctuary bright and early, hoping to catch the professor before classes started as well as get some quality time in with Tiberius and Cassiopeia. It wasn't too cold anymore, so Cela wasn't as bundled up as she had been the last time she'd visited the Abraxans.

She made her way into the stables and went straight to the stalls, giggling a little at the enthusiastic greeting the Abraxans gave her. She sorted out the feed first, the barley, corn and firewhiskey mixture that they liked best, and glanced over at the next stall where Abby Wright's Abraxan, Marmalade, made its home. Oh!

That was odd! Celandine frowned slightly, noting that the stall wasn't as well cleaned out as usual and Marmalade was looking restless. Cela gave Marmalade the firewhiskey mix too and while she was at it she made the rounds feeding in the rest of the big creatures in the stables.

Even that was tiring work but Cela didn't stop, she'd do most of the mucking out by magic, but a pitchfork and fresh hay were still good to have on hand. Once Tiberius and Cassiopeia had had their fill, Cela let them out, one at a time, leading them to the paddock and renewing their disillusionment charms deftly.

"Okay go stretch your wings." Celandine told them, giving the giant flying horses a smack on the butt. "I'll come fly later." She told Cassiopeia as her Abraxan gave her an affectionate nudge!nuzzle which almost knocked Cela from her feet.

She went back inside and started cleaning out the stalls. It was good thinking time.

Coming back from St. Mungo's, Iliana first stop just had to be the Creatures Sanctuary. She had had someone from the Ministry look after her babies during her absence but she missed them all desperately and couldn't wait to see them. After peeking in on each and every one of the cages, Iliana walked over to the bulletin board and smiled. It seemed like being wandless wasn't going to be so bad after all. She'd have help.

Taking a piece of parchment from the stack, she scribbled a quick letter of thanks and welcome to each of the volunteers and pulled out the borrowed wand she had been keeping in her robes. She would have to remember to return it to Jake when she next saw him but for now... she was glad she had it.

Taping each letter with the wand, she muttered the students' names –

"Nicolette Finn"
"Evan Cartwright"
"Iris Beaumont"
"Cedric Leone"
"Olivia Zhang"
"LouAnn Purple"

– and watched as they zoomed off to their respective recipients.

That finished, she stowed the wand back in her holster and headed off towards the stables. There was still plenty of work to be done there.
Approaching the stable doors, Iliana heard some faint noises coming from inside. Over the usual shuffling sounds of the Abraxans' hooves and their bold, boisterous whinnies, was something else. It sounded like someone... cleaning?!

"Cela!" she said, spotting her. "Just look at this place. It looks fantastic!" She walked over to her and gave her a quick hug. "Thank you," she said. "But honey, you didn't have to do this. That's not why I asked you to stop by."

OHMEGEEOHMEEGEE! This was so exciting!

Upon receiving an owl from Professor Morgan, Livvy had finished everything that needed to be done in a jiffy and had made her way towards the Magical Creatures Sanctuary. With some distractions here and there, she had made it, her cheeks just puffing slightly and a warm color filled her cheeks for the weather wasn't too bad and was quite a beautiful day. Livvy then marched up towards the Sanctuary and entered, noticing that there were already two people there.

There was Cela. And there was Professor Morgan. Hugging. Quickly, but long enough for Livvy to see. Ummm... awkward much? Maybe she should've stepped out to give more privacy but Livvy knew that she was just being silly and hugs were just hugs. She gave hugs to EEEVVERYBODEH.

"Hullo Professor Morgan. Hi Cela!" she said, cheerfully and waved at them as she walked over to them. The Abraxan stables looked REALLY... laik REALLY good. Cela was at it again.

So Brody had heard (from a very reliable source thank you very much) that the care of magical creatures teacher, Professor Morgan was looking for some help for a sanctuary Aide program, and it had kind of interested her. She adored animals, and although most people would probably disagree she thought that she'd be excellent to help with the animals.
Walking into the sanctuary, she was delighted to see that Professor Morgan was actually there, with another student. She approached them slowly, reconising the girl as Cela.
"Sorry to disturb you Professor Morgan." She spoke, before glancing at Cela and smiling. "I was just wanting to tell you that I wanted to help with the Sanctuary Aide Program."

Iris skipped down to the creatures sanctuary happily, still thinking about all of the good stuff that had happened since Christmas. Today she was dressed sensibly, ancient jeans, some greenand white polka-dot wellies, a wooly jumper and her scarf. Heehehe. She looked like a farmer girl. Iris had her wand in one pocket and the note from Professor Morgan in the other. As she approached the sanctuary, she saw that there was already some people there.

"Hullo, Everyone." She said brightly to them. She didn't know why she was in such a good mood today, she was going to be cleaning up unicorn poop ... Well, maybe not that today ... Simpler stuff thats equally as gross.

Iris looked around the stables. Wow. they're soo tidy! She stood there, nervously, not sure what to do, as the three people (minus Morgan) who were there already were practically strangers to her.