Nia raised an eyebrow. "Me striking off on my own? In what way?" She looked at him confused. "You plan sound like I had just announced I was going off trekking round the world or something!" She laughed.

"He's getting older now...slowly," she said, "At least in the physical looks department. Whether his mentally will catch up is anyone's guess." At his last words, Nia made a mental note. Do not call Elan cute. Well, not aloud near him, anyway. "I think that depends on how you define cute," she said quietly. "Though I can think of better words to describe some guys." And with that Nia gave a secretive smirk.

"I believe that's what I just said," Nia replied with a smile, hoping it didn't sound too...weird. "I enjoy spending time with you...so why wouldn't I?" she questioned further at the look on his face.

He nodded. "Yeah, sorry. I just see with your independence, the chance you might strike off on some exotic adventure somewhere." He grinned sheepishly. "It's not a bad thing, just something I could see you doing."

He listened and giggled when she commented about Theo's brain catching up to his body. Her next remark though caused him to ask a question. "And how would you define cute?"

He sat a little straighter and looked a little more proper when she said she liked spending time with him. He responded, "Well, I like spending time with you too." He said this in a bit of a whisper, but he thought it was a discernible statement.

"Exotic?" Nia laughed. "I like the sound of that!" She grinned, "Though, I'm guessing not in the short term. Money and school and time and all that." She eyes lit up though, as she thought of something. "I fancy the Quidditch World Cup next year though...wanna come along?"

She chuckled as Elan giggled. "Cute? Well's there's babyish like Theo cute...and then, well, boy next door with a nice smile and friendly cute," she said by way of explanation. "Some guys fall into the latter," Nia added with a shrug and a almost teasingly nonchalant look.

She smiled at his words, a nervous energy flowing through her. It was almost a daring energy, and it caused her next words to tumble out part unexpectedly. "We should do it more often," she whispered.

He was happy that he had seemed to catch on to something she found to her liking. "Well, of course I didn't think you'd be off today. But I kind of imagine when you've surpassed us all in school, you'll be doing some sort of interesting job, while I track down trees for a wandmaker." As her eyes twinkled, he focused on them and got lost for a minute. "Wha?!? oh...quidditch...?" He nodded. "I think I'd like that very much, though I don't know what my new family will say."

He listened with rapt attention as she described cute. He saw the look she finished with and asked, "Do I fit in one of those?" He hoped it wasn't the baby-ish one.

Her words came out quickly, like children released for holiday rush out of the building. He looked up at her, through eyes which alternately looked at her hand and then her face. "I think so too."

"You do?" Nia asked with a slight frown. "I'm not sure what I what to do. Pro Quidditch has always seemed a good option, but I guess I should think of something more academic. I'm not sure what though - there's too many options." She looked thoughtfully, before punching Elan lightly in the arm and laughing. "You make that sound almost boring!" she said with raised eyebrows. "I'd say that'd involve a bit of exciting travelling...and creativity."

She grinned. "Yeah, we'll definitely be going. But it'd be nice to be with friends rather than just Mum and Dad." It was obvious how excited she was. "You'll have to check, but we'd be camping and then I'm sure Dad would get good tickets...being an ex-player and all that." She was practically bouncing up and down, and really wasnted Elan to be able to enjoy watching the cup will here.

She bit her lip, before giggling. Her eyes twinkled. "Perhaps..." she answered softly.

And then Nia became momentarily lost for words. Partly because she just realised what she'd said, and secondly because she'd heard Elan's reply. She was also caught by his eyes, which seem to flicker between her face and hand. She followed his gaze down, wondering what was there. Apparently nothing. "More than just to go to the library and work..." she added, wide eyed.

"well, I'm sure whatever you choose, it will be something grand." He smiled as she spoke of the adventure in tree hunting. "Oh, yes. I can see it now, off in some dark forest,searching for just the perfect tree, just as I've found it...." he pauses a moment for effect and then simultaneously, reaching out and tickling her and shrieking a bit..." out comes an errant branch and taps me atop the head. Exciting indeed." He says with a smile.

he got excited at the thought. When she spoke of camping he wondered. "Would I need to bring my own tent and sleeping roll? I'd wouldn't think your father would want me to be too close to you."

He felt the blood rush into his face as she bit her lip and said perhaps. "Really? You think so? Which one?" now he was curious.

He nodded as he thought about it. "Yes. I agree. More than just that."

Nia shrieked and giggled as Elan tickled her. "Sounds a proper adventure to me..." she said, before tickling him back. Oh yes, she knew he was ticklish...

She shook her head. "I doubt it - well, perhaps a sleeping bag and mat. The tent itself should be quite big. And if others might be coming then my parents won't mind." She smiled, glad her parents were pretty easy going in their way. "I think it might have bunk beds in, I haven't used it in quite a while."

She saw his curiousity. It made her smile mysteriously. "Hmm, I wonder..." she said, holding it back a bit longer. "Which do you think..."

She nodded. "Maybe we could go for walks round the lake..." She bit her lip, as she decided not she mention that she had a picture of them holding hands as they did so in her head. "You know, to see the giant squid..."

He laughed as she did and because he was busy laughing, he was unprepared for her counter-attack. He laughed and jumped back as she began tickling him and felt himself go before he could catch himself. Before he knew it, he was on his back, looking up and laughing.

He nodded. "Ok. Well, it sounds like it will be rather fun then. I think I should be ok to go."

He looked up at her. "Umm...I don't think I'm babyish...so I'd go for the next door kinda thing, though I'd like to think I've got some bad boy good looks." He said this last part in jest with a twinkle in his eye and a wink for her.

He thought that was an excellent idea. "Why don't we go now? If you're done eating of course." He thought it would be fun. There's a bit of bite in the air, and it would help him spend more time with her and also keep his mind off of the trouble back home.

Nia wasn't quite sure how it happened, but suddenly she couldn't reach Elan to tickle him anymore. Somehow he was now on his back. With an expression that was both smiling with laughter and bemused, she offered him a hand. "You okay?" she asked, glad it seemed business as usual with their friendship now, and Elan had momentarily put his worries aside.

She stuck out her tongue at the 'bad boy looks' and laughed as he winked. "Oh yes...definitely," she added. "Its that extra...little, edge," she finished with her own wink,.

Finishing her muffin, Nia nodded. "Sure, sounds good." She took a glug of drink, and pulled her book towards her so she wouldn't forget to take it. "You ready?"

He was still laughing when he was able to look at her and she was offering him a hand. He nodded, grasped her arm at the wrist, ensuring that he had a good grip...and as he pulled, he pulled too hard and down she came on top of him. Rolling to his side, to allow her to be next to him, he continued laughing. "I guess the best question now is , are you ok?"

He giggled as she stuck out her tongue. "Be careful there, Ms. Nia, or I might be forced to hold that to teach you a lesson." He grinned with her wink and her comment about the edge. "Yeah, perhaps if I ate more, I could round some edges off.

He nodded as she finished her food. Standing, he waited for her.

As she started to pull Elan up, Nia realised that the weight balance was all wrong. A split second later she found herself also on the floor. "Well, that wasn't meant to happen!" she said with a giggle as she slid off sideways onto the floor. "But the good news is I'm fine," she added to answer his question.

"Really?" She stuck her tongue out again, just to test him. And then she half giggled and half snorted. "You don't need to round any kind of edges off! Though if ya feel like you want to, who am I to say anything?"

Getting up, Nia wrapped her scarf round her neck. She took a moment to check her bookmark was safely marking the page she'd reached, and tucked it into a robe pocket. With that, she stepped up next to her friend and smiled. And she might have just tried to slip her hand into his...(subconciously, of course).

Elan grinned at her in a form of weak apology. "Well, I'm glad you're fine." He scooted up so that he was sitting and gave her a hand to help her as well.

He only nodded grinning. "Yes, really." With that, he saw her tongue peeking out so he reached out to grab it. He giggled. "Well, I'm glad you think I'm round enough. I like you the way you are too."

As he walked beside her, he felt her hand brush into his and he smiled to himself as he covered hers with his. With that, they exited the hall on the way to the lake for a lovely stroll.

Counting scilently to herself, Arienna tapped her way to the Ravenclaw table. She held out her left hand, letting her fingertips barely brush people. Finally, when her hands felt nothing, eighty-four steps into the room, she sat at the table, collapsing her cane and sliding it into her vest pocket. Pushing her dark sunglasses closer to her eyes, she felt her place. The plate, the cup, the fork, knife, and spoon, and then she reached out in front of her until her hands found a large, warm bowl. She brought it very slightly toward her and was able to tell it was mashed potatoes and gravy. Dishing some out onto her plate, she set the bowl back down.

Emily walked into the great hall and saw someone she hadn't seen before, and they appeared to be blind, she was touching around trying to find the food. Emily slid in next to her "hello, I'm emily, I haven't seen you around before" she said to her.

Jason asked the RavenClaw students at the table. " Has anyone seen Victoria Jamieson?" Jason asked the RavenClaws eating at their table.

Emily looked up at the boy, " no i haven't seen her, sorry" emily said, she knew the name and the face, though she never met the girl.

"Well thank you miss" Jason told her. My name is Jason Potter Weasley and we are going out together" he said to the girl. "What is yoru name and how do you like HogWarts?' Jason asked the girl who told him about Victoria.

"I'm Emily, hogwarts is pretty cool, i can't wait to show my mum what i've learned." Emily told jason.

" Well, I like the name Emily" Jason told her. " I wish I woud have met you earlier in Hogwarts" Jason told Emily. " Unfortunately, I am graduating this term " he explained to her.