Lexi simply screeched something like gibberish she was so darn frustrated with the boy. She let more tears slide down her cheeks as he walked away.

Lexi shrugged out from under Rafe's hand and turned to say, "No offense but I think I'd rather not talk about this right now. I am going to go down by the lake and hang out for a bit. Sorry again if I offended you. You are really a nice guy, Rafe." She then gave Rafe a quick friendly hug and dashed off in the opposite direction of Lorcan.

Kylie walked onto the scene right about as everything fizzled out. She saw Rafe.. she'd never actually talked to him.. but she was good friends with both Lorcan and Alexandra. Maybe she should know so she could try to see what she could do later, if not immediately.
"Hey Rafe.. Um. I don't think we've ever been introduced. I'm Kylie." She stuck her hand out towards. him. "I'm good friends with Lorcan and friends with Alexandra... I'm sorry. I was just wondering if maybe you could tell me the gist of what just happened?" She was hoping he'd trust her and not think she was lying about her being friends with Alexandra or something, she wasn't trying to get in on the latest gossip. Just trying to help friends.

Rafe watched as both of them seemed to part ways. He shook his head. "Relationships!" he said under his breath as he finally but his wand away. Before he took off, he heard a voice coming from behind.

"Oh, hello Kylie, it's very nice to meet you," he said with a smile. "I think Lorcan got upset because Lexi is used to people hurting her...I think it's really a trust issue... I don't know exactly, I kind of got the end of it. There was some name calling and hexing back and forth and then they just stormed off." Rafe hoped he covered everything. He didn't know Kylie and hoped it didn't sound like he was spreading gossip or anything.

Kylie sighed. "Sounds a lot like the usual to me. With the adding of hexes. Not sure if they've ever actually shot hexes at each other before. It's unfortunate, you know? Cause they really both care about each other. And they're just so.. nervous. Both of them, it gets in the way." Kylie's head cleared quickly. Her gem-green eyes looking up at Rafe again, her brown hair which curled perfectly at the ends was in place, shining. As always, she looked magazine ready. "I'm really sorry you had to see that." She was, too. It wasn't like seeing two people who cared about each other fight wasn't hard. She realized this was her first impression to Rafe and laughed again.. she was awful with first impressions, this was just another story in the bag.

"I'm no good with first impressions, sorry." She laughed some more. "But thanks for keeping them from hexing each others noses off."

Damon wasn't on the seventh floor out of any coincidence, and it was actually growing pretty bothersome to walk up and down the hallway in an effort to 'casually' bump into a certain someone. He had left for awhile; his father drew him out of school so that he could witness a business deal firsthand (as if he was interested) so that he would be prepared later in life (as if he actually wanted to get into it). Upon his return, however, he had heard a couple things by word of mouth, and just needed to know if it was true that Alex was dating someone else. Then he groaned as he ran his hand through his hair and smoothed it back down. He should have assumed she wouldn't stay single, and he probably should have made his move before he left.

No use crying over spilled potions. He shouldn't have cared so much what she did with her life, but he had to at least try. And even if she was content with what she had, it wouldn't be within his nature to let things rest. He then saw a familiar figure exit from the Gryffindor common room, and he looked away, as if focused on the other end of the corridor. Casual... Right.

Alex walked out of her common room, her mind on Torin and his birthday presents, and the party she was supposed to get to when she spotted someone standing in the corridor. Alex froze in her steps, a look of shock on her pretty face. "Damon?" She asked softly, as her eyes went wide.

It WAS Damon! "Damon!" She cried as she sprinted toward him and hugged him. She didn't care if he did not want to be hugged. She had missed him, and she was going to tackle him! "Oh my goodness, I have missed you! Where have you been?" She asked him, a wide smile on her face.

Damon hadn't thought of an adequate, 'casual' response before Alex had tackled him. "Ooof!" Definitely not what he had been aiming for, but his arms were around her as he smiled. "Merlin, Alex, calm down," he said in a way that was not unfriendly. "I've missed you too. Sorry I never said good-bye. Didn't expect to be gone so long."

Her. Boyfriend. Right. He pulled away, still smiling a little, though not nearly as happily. "My father wanted me along on some business thing. I didn't pay attention, so don't ask for details." His smile turned to a smirk as he thought about it. In truth, he had paid more attention than he wanted to, but most of it was boring. Minus the illegal bits, but he wasn't about to flaunt that around. "So, how about you? What's been going on?"

Alex giggled a little as Damon spoke, "Calm down? I have missed you!" She said excitedly as she looked up at him. She really had missed him, alot in fact. She had sometimes gone wandering through the castle to find him, especially when Torin had broken her heart. "You missed me too? I am glad to hear that." She said softly. "Yes, that was rather sad that you left..But you are here now, so it doesn't matter!"

She watched as he pulled away,crossing her arms as he spoke. "Business deal huh? Is he trying to teach you to take over the world?" She asked him with a smile. What had been going on with her.. Ohhh... dear too much to say.. oh.. and how was she going to tell him about Torin? That he broke her heart, and so she kissed Torin, who then broke her heart, and then they wound up together? That was confusing to her!! And she was a girl..

"Well, I umm... have a boyfriend now.." Her voice was quiet. "That was.. an interesting time to say the least, had you shown up a month ago, you probably would not have recognized me." She said softly.

He cleared his throat as he bit back a reply. No, actually. For some reason, it didn't feel like it didn't matter anymore just because he was here now. In fact, it felt quite the opposite. He wasn't feeling much better upon stepping onto Hogwarts grounds, hearing that he'd missed his chance. On the bright side, school relationships didn't last too long, did they? Horrific images of weddings and happiness (obviously, where he was not involved) began filling up his head. No. He wouldn't let that happen.

He grinned at her, forgetting all the problems that arose in his absence for just a minute. He tilted his head to one side as he put his hands in his robes' pockets. "Maybe he is," he replied vaguely, a light spark in his eye as a bit of his old mischievousness came back.

Then she said it. Well, that's what he came for, even though he already knew. "Yeah. I heard." Though not directly. He had overheard another conversation, but who knew? Maybe it was just a coincidence. He let out a low sigh, smiling though his eyes seemed detached from the expression. "I guess I'll just have to reign over the world alone now." He paused. "Though don't worry," he teased. "I'll tell them to spare your life." Then the weight of what she said came through, and his expression softened. "Well I guess you're okay now then, huh?"

Alex watched Damon closely for a moment, something seemed a bit off about him. Perhaps it was just being back at Hogwarts after such a long absence? It couldn't have to do with her current relationship status could it? He had never hinted about any sort of feelings toward her. Of course they were going to rule the world together.. Perhaps???

Alex grinned a little as he spoke, and she could catch a hint of their old fun coming back. "Well if he is, could you let me in on it?" She asked him, a wide smile on her face as she leaned back against the wall. Her gray eyes on him.

She tilted her head to the side. Studying him. "You heard huh? Guess we just seem to be popular at the moment.." What with all the girls that wanted her position so badly.. They must be talked about.. Alex was surprised that there had been no assassination attempts on her life..

"Well, perhaps I could still help? Maybe as a high commander?" She asked a little sadly, "But thanks for sparing my life." She teased him back. "Yes, it was pretty hard on me, first you left than Torin..." Alex looked at the floor. "Things are better now though.." She raised her gaze to look back up at him..

He had begun absentmindedly tapping his foot on the floor as his blue eyes met her gray ones, his hands still in his pockets, just biding hist time for the right time to speak. He didn't really know what to say at this point, and when their familiar 'take over the world' banter popped back up, he clung to it and grinned. "Maybe I'll let you in on it... Maybe. But your boyfriend won't be so lucky. He'll just have to find out about our plot when the time comes." He feigned a serious expression, brushing his hair back carelessly in a rather pompous fashion. With a grin, he resumed his previous, casual stance. And yes, it was actually casual and not act casual.

He smirked and looked at his nails as if he was actually that vain, or as if he actually cared what his nails looked like. "Well, I suppose you could be useful as the High Commander. But don't think you'll be allowed to slack off. You'll be very busy making them all love you."

Great. Torin. Like he really wanted to hear that name. He offered a crooked smile as he put his hands back in his pockets, acting a little bit more normal. Well, if you would call it normal, because even if he wasn't feigning vanity or pompousness, he wasn't quite acting like himself. "You want to talk about what happened?" he asked, feeling like he ought to. It wasn't right that he just up and left without even saying good-bye.

Ella had gone up to the seventh floor with an increasing pain in her chest. Carter had been right. She just didn't want to see Nate's face. Ever.

Because she was mad. Super. Mad.

Yet all you could see from that face was a sad, hurt expression. She slumped down against the wall and shoved her head in her hands, and began to cry.

Kat walked up to the seventh floor with a couple of dungbombs in her hands. She was bored so she decided to throw them at someone. No one specifically. She threw them in different direction but didn't see Ella sitting on the floor the way one was going. 'Oops' She said to herself. "Heads up Ella" she said trying to get her to move over a bit so it wouldn't hit her.

Alex noticed that Damon was tapping his foot, and for a moment she got scared. What if since she had a boyfriend, he did not want to talk to her and be her friend anymore. She looked at him, her gray eyes wide. "Damon.." She began.. only to have him pop back up with their "take over the world routine" Okay.. well she could go with that. "Ohh just maybe? That is sad.. I had hoped too.." She trailed off.. "Well keeping something that big from him might be a chore.. but I suppose I could do it." She said softly.

Alex grinned a little. "So as Queen I would have been allowed to slack off huh? Well that is nice to know, but no worries My King!" She curtsied "I will not slack off, and I shall serve you faithfully." She pushed her hair behind her ear and continued to lean against the wall.

Alex shook her head a bit.. "I don't know.. I was confused.. I kissed him.. I liked him, he did not like me that way.. I got sick.. He likes me now.." Her words came out in a rush. "I.. I really liked you Damon, and then.. you left." She looked at the ground, her eyes examining the stones. "And Torin has all these girls after him, including his ex..I.." Alex sighed..

Damon thought that if she expressed some sort of doubt, that maybe that would be the silver lining. It wasn't. It did not make him feel better about anything, did not give him any sort of hope. It just made him hurt... for her. Because of him, she had obviously been hurt and confused. Then things seemed to look up and she began dating this other guy, Torin, but then there were other people who wanted them apart, and that was obviously causing her some despair.

"You can't tell," he finally said, a smirk hidden behind his expression. "Sorry. And if he finds out, you'll just have to make him help us. Or else. This is for the good of everyone. The world would be better with us in charge," he added with certainty, his words carried with a playful air. Him. Him in charge, it should have been. But he didn't bother correcting himself.

He nodded, smiling at her despite himself. "I definitely would have let you get away with more."

He didn't say anything for a moment. Then, "Well, are you happy?" It was mainly because he wasn't sure how to react. He was caught between protecting their relationship from whoever these girls might be, and conspiring with them. And with his personality, he was leaning towards the second, and would choose it at the drop of a hat.

But if she was happy, he would grit his teeth and deal with it. He guessed.

Nate had seen Ella's hurt expression over Kylie's shoulder. He slurred an apology to her(Kylie) as he picked up his bag and ran. He followed Ella all the way to the 7th floor.

When he finally caught up with her he stood a few feet away and wasn't sure what to say.

"Umm...Ella? What's going on?" Nate said with a worried and confused expression. He didn't want a repeat of Kylie with Ella. He was head over heels for Ella.

"If you thought Kylie and me were doing anything then I'm sorry. I was just telling her about my parents disaggring with our relationship. I was crying so she offered to give me a hug..." he tried to explain.

Nate sat down next to her and wasn't sure what to do next. He didn't want Carter to say "I told you so!" to him, or Ella.

Carter spent some time consoling Tori before taking off after Ella. "Ella?" he called all the way from the grounds until almost the portrait to the Gryffindor common room. He finally spotted her with Kat and Nate. He immediately rushed to her side.

Alex nodded a smile playing on her lips. "Okay, I won't tell him..And no worries, I will make him help us, I have my ways you know." She smiled at him. "Of course the world would be better off with us in charge! It would be such a beautiful happy place!" She smiled at him teasingly.. Sure the world would be great, until they were taken down, by.. someone.

"I would have gotten away with more? Merlin I want to be Queen again!" She said softly, a little shaken cause he hadn't reacted at all to her confessing her feelings to him. She shook her head and mentally chided herself. Come on Alex, you may be a Veela, but it doesn't mean you are irresistible to everyone, he probably just thought of you as a friend.. so knock it off with the sad thoughts.. You have Torin now who loves you.. Right? Despite her mental pep talk.. She still couldn't help but feel.. rejected. again..

And then came the million dollar question. Was she happy? Hadn't she just been crying in Torin's arms, unable to believe how happy she was? And yet, now that Damon was back in the picture, and Torin's ex was back at well.. the happiness had turned into confusion..

"At times." She responded. She looked up at him, her gray eyes wide. "There are time when I am very happy, but then I look at the five other girls who want my position and I feel incredibly pressured to be the best girlfriend around.. Torin says he loves me, but he also loved Brody.. Soo.." She trailed off and started to play with her hair, a sure sign she was nervous and upset.

He smiled, giving up on standing just on his two feet and leaning against the wall as well. "Of course it would be. And the ends would justify the means. There would be world peace and food and shelter for the homeless, and we'd give out free candy to kids. There wouldn't be any murder or theft because we'd make sure everyone was happy." Though in all honesty, he just wanted the power, but if it would make Alex happy to make the whole world happy, then he would do it. Not that he would tell her that, not at this point.

He grinned. "I bet you do. Unfortunately, I don't think Torin would like that very much," he teased, but he had difficulty saying his name and could not help but feel a little bit irked. He wondered if she could see it, but he also did not see the point in telling her how he felt at this point. That would surely only lead to more confusion, and he did not want the rejection.

He half-smiled at her, unsure of how he felt now. It was not Torin she was unhappy with, and that made Damon a little confused as to what he should do. It was what he wanted to know and now he was not so sure that he wanted to know after all. There may have been doubt at her last sentence, but he didn't want to cling to something that was only a guess. "Well, I'm sure you are the best girlfriend around," he replied softly, clenching his jaw and brushing his hair back. His eyes flicked away for a moment, then met hers again.

Then he cleared his throat, backing up. "You know, I should probably get going, Alex. Make sure I catch up on everything that I've missed." He didn't intend to actually do that. Maybe start it or give a little effort, just enough to get by, but he really didn't feel like doing more than he had to. After all, he was going to take over the world. What did he need this for? "I hope everything works out for you."

Ella coughed as the stinky dungbomb went off right next to her. KAT!! She wiped her silent tears fast as she heard other footsteps approaching, then got up. She could feel how red and puffy her face must be. Catching sight of Nate, Ella turned around to find Carter. She didn't, wouldn't speak to Nate. She caught some words he said to her, yet didn't stay long enough to listen to all of it.

Nate asked her what was going on? She grit her teeth fiercely. He had sat right next to her, so she got up and looked him in the eye. "Don't touch me."

She walked over and muttered the password to the Fat Lady. She crawled inside the portrait hole.

Ella must have been really mad. Nate was really upset. He hoped she would understand. He couldn't talk to her until she came out so he sat in front of the portrait all night until she came out. He had fallen asleep outside the door. In his sleep he was mumbling Ella's name over and over. He was moving sort of also. He was having a nightmare about him chasing Ella and she kept running further in further everytime he got close to her.

Kat noticed Ella was crying and she felt that her dungbomb incident probably made things worse. "Sorry" She yelled as she saw Ella leave the corridor. She shrugged and walked down teh corridor looking for some people to throw some more dung bombs at.

Alex watched as he leaned against the wall and described the perfect world. "Yes, that would be amazing, No murders, everyone happy.. and of course they would all be in love with me!" She teased him a bit as he spoke. That sounded like the world she wanted to live in..A world with.. No.. she wasn't going to go there.

Alex nodded as Damon spoke, and she could tell this was hard on him. She looked down, so confused, and she was hurt for him. She could tell that maybe he liked her more than a friend.. Even though he had left her.. without a word. She swallowed hard, a lump fixing in her throat. "Mmmm no, probably not. But he has his fangirls.. perhaps I can have.. this." She said softly.

She watched his jaw clench as he spoke and she knew for a fact then that he was hurting, it was proved even more when he said he had to go. She was devastated. She had hurt someone she cared about, and her heart flipped a little. She did not want him to leave like this.. Not like this.

"Damon.." She said softly as she advanced toward him. She wished she could make his pain go away, but how? "Please.. don't go.. I know this.." She trailed off. "I understand if it hurts,but please.. don't leave.. please?" She asked him, knowing that it would hurt alot to stay.. "I..I am so sorry.." She suddenly had an idea of how Torin felt when he had rejected her the first time.

Damon shook his head, a slight smirk tugging up a corner of his lips. "Sorry, no can do. You've been demoted to high commander. You won't have servants or loads of free time or me as a king. It will be terrible. Working all the time." He paused though, smiling briefly. "But at least it will be the world you want and everyone will love you." More than anything it hurt that she said that, expressed such doubt when she wasn't even available. And he added softly, "I'm sure it's not that bad. Who needs fan girls when they have you?" He needed to start biting his tongue. He was like a pathological ego-boost to her; he couldn't help it. All he was saying was what he thought was the truth.

And he needed to stop it.

He let out a slow breath. Plastering on a smile for her as he reached forward and playfully messed up her hair, pretending it was nothing to touch her. "Geeze, Alex. I'm going to walk around the school, not to join some league of dark wizards. Though now that I think about it...." He paused and grinned devilishly, then quickly added, "Kidding." Now that he saw her again, he couldn't tell her how he felt. He didn't want to be rejected, and more than anything, he didn't want to put her in that position. Not as long as the relationship with Torin gave her the tiniest bit of happiness.

But he didn't want her to be embarrassed or think she had a completely wrong idea, not when she was so dead on. "Yeah, Alex, it hurts. But it doesn't have to. Friends?" he offered, even though it was killing him to say it. It would be so much easier just to sabotage their relationship.

Alex's smile turned down. "Ahh I see, well that will be hard,not being able to live a life of luxury..And seeing whomever you get as your queen, But I guess I made my bed, and I have to lie in it?" She asked softly. She could feel tears pricking her eyes. "Hmmm who indeed?" She replied. Even though she knew Torin did. He was just so nice, they couldn't help it if they fell in love with him. And she had gotten him, the greatest guy in the world, so why was she so sad.. Why was her heart breaking? Why did timing have to play a role in everything?

She swallowed hard again as he reached forward and ruffled her hair. "I am sorry Damon I.." Her sad fact lit up for a moment as he smiled. "Well, as long as you are kidding.." She could feel the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over.

So she was right, Merlin she hadn't wanted to be. She wished that she had just been over thinking how beautiful she was.. But no.. She had hurt him, and hurt herself in the process. The tears that had been brimming up, spilled over, and her pretty face was soon a mask of sadness. Beautiful sadness.
She swallowed again, her eyes losing a bit of the light that they had as she cried more. "I am sorry.. Gah everything seems to wrong! The timing seems to be off on everything!" She cried more.. she wanted to launch herself into his arms, but she couldn't. She deserved this.. This heartache.. "Yes, Friends." She finally replied.. still crying.