Alexandra entered the owlery with Lorcan and the girl whose name she had already forgotten in tow. Blast she was so bad with names! She let go of Lorcan's hand and whistled loudly, calling Wasabi. She looked around for any sign of her. She began to worry that she was still not back and then the great bird came swooping down from high atop a perch and landed on her shoulder, hooting loudly. There was indeed a note tied around her ankle and she squealed in delight as she removed it and stroked her owl. Turning to Lorcan she said, "it's from Auntie Dora!" She was so ecstatic about the letter that she could barely stand it!

Lorcan watched as Lexi called for Wasabi. He smiled as her face lit up when the owl landed on her shoulder and watched her excitement build as she took the letter. He was struck by how pretty she looked when she was happy and smiled and then blushed furiously. "That's great!"

He dug in his pocket and found some owl nuts. He held his one on his palm for the spectacle owl. He clicked his tongue to try and attract Athena's attention and saw a ruffling of feathers as high above him, she turned her back on him.
"Hey, Athena, come down, now please." he said. His barn owl swooped down onto his arm and clicked her beak at him. "What's wrong with you?" He held out an owl nut for her and she took it.
He smiled, feeling very content.

Alexandra ripped the letter open and read intently. Turning to Lorcan with her face still alight she said, "Well, she is fine. I am so relieved to hear from her!"

She watched as Lorcan gave Wasabi some owl nuts and she smiled when Athena finally came down off of her perch. "I see Athena's not angry anymore. " she said with a giggle and reached over to stroke her feathers.

Lucille walked up to the owlery. She had kindof neglected Tiben, her owl, lately. It was taking longer to get settled back in than she had thought.

"Here boy," she called, and he fluttered down to her. She stroked it, fed it the occasional owl treat and he pecked her gratefully.

Lorcan wondered what had been wrong, but he didn't want to pry. If Lexi wanted him to know, she would tell him, he was sure. "I'm glad she's okay. Are you close to her?" Her happiness was infectious. He held out another owl nut for Wasabi and then one for Athena. He laughed. "Well, bribery never hurt, did it? She's a bit nervous around the dragon lady since Gran trapped her in the pantry. I found her hooting and almost pulling her feathers out. She doesn't like going home." He smiled at Lexi and held out a third nut for Wasabi and Athena. Athena nipped his finger affectionately. "I've got a job for you." He took a letter and the drawing that Larrisa had done, along with a leather strap and tied them to her leg. "They're for Mum, ok?" He carried Athena to the window and then watched as she soared off. He turned and looked at Lexi, looking happy and... "Beautiful. Umm, owls I mean. Aren't they?" The blushing beetroot was back.

Lexi beamed at Lorcan and said, "I hadn't heard from her since term began, we are really close. She's my favorite family member!" She laughed and then added, "You know, besides my parents." She stroked Wasabi's head absent mindedly as she looked through the windows of the Owlery. It was absolutely beautiful this time of year.

Lexi followed Lorcan with her eyes as he walked to the window to set Athena off on her mission. She spoiled her owl a bit more and then set her off out the windows to go hunt. "Auntie Dora just moved back from the United States recently. I had sensed that there was something wrong with her, but she wouldn't say. She is a Metamorphmagus, but she had been having problems with her transformations last I had seen her. It had me concerned. She seems to be back to usual bubbly self now though." Lexi said as she looked out over the grounds.

Lorcan was relieved that Lexi was too happy to have noticed his slip of the tongue. "A metamorphmagus? Wow, that means she can change her face and stuff doesn't it?" He was still completely clueless about some bits of magic. "She lived in America? Did she go on an aeroplane? I went to Cyprus on an aeroplane, but I didn't like it." Lorcan had no idea how wizards travelled, except by brooms and trains. He look at her and smiled. He wanted to reach out and take her hand again, but didn't, rubbing his face instead.

Figuring that they had forgotten she was even there, Larissa went over to a ledge away from them too. She was still a little upset from before but was mostly over it. She couldn't wait for Fallon to get here. She took out her sketch pad and drew Lorcan smiling while holding his bird. He was so cute when he looked longly at Lexi. She wished he would look at her like that. She sighed and went back to drawing.

"Yeah she can morph to look like whatever she wants. It is a real laugh! I love making her do funny faces and hair colors." Lexi said with a laugh. She loved her aunt Dora so much! "Yeah she worked inthe US Ministry for several years. Completed her training there. I doubt she traveled by aeroplane. She isn't one for Muggle transportation. I don't know if one can apparate overseas..." she said trailing off. How did she travel that far. She returned his smile with a blinding smile of her own.

Turning to face the other girl she said, "So, what did you say your name was again? I am dead forgetful." SHe offered her a little smile and pushed the long blonde locks out of her face.

Lorcan looked around at Larissa and his face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry, I've sent Athena off without introducing you to her. Mum will send her back quickly, she'll probably be back by breakfast." He felt very guilty.

Lexi's smile was making his knees go wobbly. "Umm, I don't think you can apparate very long distances, you might end up in bits or something. What do you think Larrisa? How did you get to England?" He tried to bring her into the conversation, at least to allow the feeling to come back to his legs.

Alexandra nodded thoughtfully and said,"Who knows, she is crazy, she may have flown her broom there. That sounds like something she would do." She chuckled to herself and looked to Larissa aqnd cocked her head to the side. She lloked back to Lorcan and pursed her lips before turning to walk back to the window. She spotted Wasabi fluttering around the grounds and smiled to herself.

Turning back to the others she said, to no one in particular, "I cannot wait until I am old enough to apparate! It will be so great to think of where you want to be and then..POOF.. be there, you know."

Lorcan looked at Lexi and laughed nervously. "Two thousand miles on a broom?" he gulped, feeling really sick suddenly. He backed into the wall as Lexi walked past him to the window, her lips pursed.

"Apparate? That sounds cool, yeah." Lorcan mumbled, trying to get his thoughts away from flying.

"My name is Larissa. It's ok." she said with a sweet small smile. She tied her hair back with a piece of string and went back to work

"That's fine. I would love to have an owl. Or meet yours." she smiled and walked over to them. "I agree, I think you would end up in bits an pieces. I flew here. On an airplane. My mom wouldn't let me do it any other way."

She noticed he was looking like he was slipping. "Are you okay? It looks like your about to fall." She stood very close to him and said " Why dont we go back down stairs? Since you have sent your owl off. Maybe to the nurse?" she said smirking.

Lorcan looked up at Larrisa. "I'm fine" he said gruffly. "I don't need to go near the nurse, that woman is scary." he pushed himself away from the wall and towards Lexi, grabbing for her blindly. His hand found her arm and he gripped it tightly, drawing strength from the fact that she was there.

Larissa was seriously irritated with Lorcan because he wasn't recognizing she was flirting with him. She picked up her bag and mumbled a quick good bye. She was on her way. (ooc: contd. in 7th floor coridoor)

Lexi felt like smacking herself in the forehead for mentioning flying around Lorcan. Gah what an idiot she smiled apologetically to him and let her head drop, her hair fanning out across her face.

She looked up when the girl spoke and all she did was give her a lopsided grin and look away. She didn't care much for her, but then again she never really cares much for any other females so it wasn't a big surprise.

Lexi let a little giggle escape her lips when Larissa mentioned the nurse. "Bloody crazy, she is." she said quietly. Looking up she smiled at Lorcan and when he came to grip her arm she lay her hand on top of his and squeezed it gently. "Sorry about that. I shouldn't have said anything about flying." she said in a whisper casting a glance at the girl.

Wow. That Larissa really had no tact. Wasn't it obvious that Nemean wasn't interested. Sheesh! She wasn't giving up though. Oh well. She threw her a little wave as she left the owlery muttering under her breath.

Lyddia ran up the Owlery steps anxious to get to her Dad's owl. It arrived just as she did.

She ran over to the owl as it flew over to her, she held out her arm and gave him some treats before untying the package of letters it had been lugging around.

'Thanks, Howie.' She said to the owl. It flew away from her after taking a couple more treats and picked a place to rest after the long trip.

Lyddia grinned with excitment, then ran off to her dorm to read the letters.

Lorcan looked up at Lexi when she touched his hand. His skin tingled under her fingers because her hand was warm and his was cold. He gulped several more times and tried to take a deep breath. He watched Larrissa leave, wondering vaguely what was wrong.

He turned to look out of the window, still holding on to Lexi. "It's ok. I can't be a wizard and get freaked out every time someone says fly or broomstick." he said, his voice low and raspy, "Sometimes I get taken by surprise, that's all." A rebellious tear ran down his cheek and he watched as an owl grew closer. He realised that it was Wasabi and stood back as she landed on the window ledge.

Lexi pretended not to notcie the tear but sqeezed his hand once more with her own. She said to him in a soft understanding voice, "It's understandable that it upset you, Nemean. I understand." Nothing more, nothing less needed be said. She did understand about fear.

She too stepped back a bit as Wasabi lit on the windowsill with a mouse in her beak. "Ugh, I can't stand when she does that! I know she is showing her love for me and all, but that is really gross." SHe said quietly careful not to let Wasabi hear her. It always made her mad when Lexi weas congraulatory. SHe looked at her owl and said, "Good job! Put the nice dead mouse down and I will give you another treat."

Larissa came back and slowly peaked her head in. "Sorry." she said. "I shouldn't have just left like that. I didn't understand what was going on. I will go to the common room or something if you don't want me here, I understand." She was talking to both of them but mostly Lexi. She didn't understand why he was scared of the word broomstick but she didn't want to pry. Larissa had thought he was sick. But she was also partically flirting. She had her eye on a new guy now so she just wanted to be friends.

Lorcan nodded and blinked, a few more tears spilling out of his his eyes. He didn't say anything but he just wanted to be near her.

When Wasabi landed with the mouse in her beak he smiled at Lexi's reaction. "Why do you think that Gran locked Athena in the pantry?"

Lorcan span around and looked at her, his eyes filled with fury. "Have you been eavesdropping? Have you been spying on me? Leave me alone! I'm sick of mental girls who don't say what they're thinking." He glared at her. "Lexi's my friend because she says what she's thinking!" he turned his back on her.

Alexandra giggled a bit when Lorcan revealed why his Gran had lockede Athena in the cupboard. "What a terrible old cow she sounds like!" she said.

Lexi spun on her heel when Larissa spoke and Lorcan began to yell at her. Looking from one to the other she was a bit shocked by the display. After floundering around in her mind for the correct thing to say all she came out with was, "How unbelievably rude that is. Weren't you taught better manners than that?!" She flushed a bit and turned to Nemean to see if he was okay and put her hand on his shoulder.

Lorcan gave a snort of laughter. "Well, I don't call her the dragon lady for nothing."

Lorcan's breathing was ragged and uneven as he stared out of the window. He wasn't sure if Larissa was still behind him. He didn't turn around to find out. He felt Lexi's hand on his shoulder and his breathing steadied. He leaned into her warmth and realised how cold he was. He reached into his pocket and fished out another owl nut for Wasabi. She nibbled it from his fingers. "That's the last one, so enjoy it." he muttered. He stroked her head gently. "Thanks Lexi." He murmured. I really don't deserve her, he thought, his nose tickled by a strand of her hair.

"Isn't that what friends are for, Nemean?" Lexi said quietly. She reached down and took his hand and gave it a squeeze, leaving it there. She smiled as Lorcan stroked Wasabi. "You know, she is so very tempermental that she typically doesn't allow people too near her that she doesn't know well. She must really get good vibes from you. She was instantly taken with you." she finished with a smile. All the while she was thinking, I was instantly taken with you too.

Lorcan tried to smile as she told him that she was his friend. It was exactly what he needed to hear at the moment. He'd lost control of his temper, again and she wasn't frightened of him. She took his hand and his skin tingled again. He returned the pressure and continued to pet Wasabi. "Oh, I don't know about that," he said looking at the owl. "It's just cupboard love." He rubbed his thumb back and forth over the back of her hand.