Heh. Well... no, Jake hadn't really seen Shackleton either... like at all.

Trying to stop his teeth from chattering, Jake shrugged his shoulders... though it probably wasn't evident, he was shaking so much.

"Tuhh-torin Kane is pppprefect and suhh-so is... Ssssarah... ssomething. They huhh-hang around everywhuhh-where... like the cccccommon room... and thuhh-they have bbbbadges," he explained, getting the urge to go over and kick the darned Gargoyle. He wanted UP.

"Prefect bbbbadges," Jake added, you know... in case she didn't... realise.

"Ohhh...I've probably seen them once. I love our common room. Prefect badges! Cool. I wish there was a design contest..I would have stripes on mine." Jenny laughed inside, contest? "And, what is your name?"

Shrugging, Jake glared over at the Gargoyle again. He wanted to point out that the badges probably had a traditional design and that their ties were striped in any case.

Instead, Jake rubbed his eyes. "Jake," he answered, looking over at her. Oops... he'd forgotten to mention that detail? "You a fuhh-first year?" he asked, wondering if she'd ask the same thing back to him. He was, after all, about 4'9" still, and had such a little boy face it was unreal. But that would be changing soon... hopefully.

Jenny was half off topic. She sure packs a mighty snowball..blech. He said something. "Well now I can say..HI JAKE!" She laughed. "Yeah. You?" Not to be rude, but she was sure he wasn't.

Sidney makes her way to the chairs by the stone gargoyles when she sees that boy again. I'm beginning to think he's my worse nightmare come to life. Everywhere I go he seems to already be there. Sidney points at the boy in the soaking robes (Jake of course). "Professor, who is that boy?" Sidney stares at him waiting for him to react. She doubts he will be giving her cryptic messages with Professor Lawson here.

"Nnnnope," Jake replied, shrugging his shoulders and still sooooo cold. "Fuhh-fouth..."

And that was when Sydney and Lawson showed up. Heh, Jake had a stalker.

Creeeeepy.

Looking furiously back to the gargoyle, Jake hammered uselessly on it's head.

He hated being stared at.

And was Lawson trying to rub it in that he had new favourites?

That didn't include Jake.

Sadness.

Sidney finds herself inching closer to Lawson as she watches the boy pounding at the Gargoyle's head. He frightens her. She doesn't know why, but the boy just does.

"Jake, what are you doing?" Okay, so Jenny KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. He was hitting a gargoyle. So..

"Kn-nnn-nocking," Jake muttered, keeping on hitting the thing as though he was knocking with the side of his fist, and then the palm of his hand.

...

If only, like last year, he'd just suddenly FIND himself in the office.

That'd be easier.

"Alright.." Jenny said. This is..weird. Jenny thought. I thought I wanted in badly!

Well it seemed that the Headmaster was a very busy man and it looked as though he was going to have to sit down here with the kids because Marcus couldn't recall ever being given the password to the man's office.

Shrugging, he moved forward to take a seat when he noticed Jake there and he stiffened slightly at the sight of the boy. Marcus wondered if the boy was here to complain about his swim in the lake at Lawson's hands? Well Marcus stood by that punishment.

He felt Sidney move closer to him and he looked down at her and smiled, "No need to be nervous Sidney, I'm sure the headmaster is a reasonable man."

Mmmhmm...no doubt in his mind.

Sidney doesn't budge an inch. "It's not him. It's the boy by the gargoyle. I think he may have threatened me." Sidney not sure if the boy threatened her or not. It wasn't a, if I ever see you again, you will be sorry threat. But what else could it be? "Professor Lawson was concerned about me and look what happened to him." Hardly sounds like they had tea and biscuits together.

Whirling around to face the younger girl, Jake looked outraged and downright shocked. His wet hair whipped his face and the drenched clothes sent lake water droplets in various directions.

"I duhh-did nnno such thuhh-thing!" he exclaimed, and then immediately looked worried. Not because Lawson was here and would probably take the girl's side... But because he would definitely remember threatening someone. The boy shook his head head slowly and span back to face the gargoyle, still dripping water everywhere.

If this was happening again, he was going home. And, again, the boy knocked on the gargoyle.

Jenny didn't know what to do. Either way, she was on Jake's side. She was his friend now, or acquaintance, or someone, and she wasn't going to let him get in trouble!

To her she sounds pathetic, but she's beginning to like Jake. She didn't want him to think she was with Lawson.

Sidney moves behind Professor Lawson. She's really done it now. I don't understand what I did wrong. I don't remember ofending the boy, but obviously he's angry at me again. Professor Lawson's going to think I did something terrible to the boy and am trying to cover my tracks. I should have kept my mouth shut.

Why was it always the Hufflepuffs?

Marcus had found himself asking that question on numerous occasions. They seemed to attract trouble like a moth to a flame and right now he did not feel like getting into any sort of argument which would no doubt happen if he opened his mouth around Jake.

So he merely stood there, waiting calmly for the Headmaster to tell them to come into his office. But he couldn't help turning slightly and giving Sidney a reassuring pat on the head.

Sidney doesn't really like Lawson patting her like a crup, but at this moment it feels comforting and re-assuring. She looks over at the boy. His expression has changed from one of anger to worry. Am I wrong about what he said to me. Not the words, but the meaning. Instead of threatening me, could he have been warning me? "Professor Lawson was concerned about me and look what happened to him." I wish I knew what had happened to Professor Lawson last term. Right now I'm not really sure if he was talking about the male Professor Lawson or the female one. Was that the reason for the boy's instant hostility towards me? Is he afraid if he becomes friends with me something bad will happen to me too? I wish I could just sit down with the boy and talk to him about it. Trying to interpret his intentions is giving me a headache.

Tate appeared at the bottom of the stairs and eyed the crew waiting for him. That Hufflepuff who wanted to take pictures of his office. The Hufflepuff who turned in Thomas.

And a professor.

"Plagued by badgers, I see," he smiled at all three. "Professor, why don't you come on up?"

Sidney tucks her head at Tate's comment. It figures he doesn't like Hufflepuff too. He's bossom buddies with Professor Duskurk. She clings to Professor Lawson not saying a word. Sidney hopes Lawson understands her meaning. Don't leave me here alone with that boy or Headmaster Tate... Please!!!!

Marcus looked up in surprise. "Uh...yeah...sure" he replied giving the kids waiting an apologetic look.

Why was he the only one being called in?

He bent down and spoke quietly to Sidney. "You'll be fine. There's nothing to worry about." He straightened up and gave Jake a quick look. He had better behave himself or...else.

DUDE!

SERIOUSLY?!

Jake growled in frustration as the Headmaster and Lawson left, venting his feelings by kicking out at a wall. Merlin knew that Sidney would call that a threat as well.

Soooo, instead of shouting and swearing at the gargoyle, Jake threw himself into the seat furthest away from the first year, hoping she wouldn't try and come closer.

Deeeeeep breaths, Jakers... Deeeeeep breaths.

Sidney wishes she could go with Professor Lawson, but finds a seat alone. She looks as Jake hits the wall with his foot. At least he's taking his anger out on something else besides me. Sidney smiles at the boy. Can't hurt to smile, can it.

Heaving a sigh and trying (yeah, he really was TRYING) to smile at Sidney, Jake tapped his fingers on his knees.

That did it. He'd come back another time or just leave or SOMETHING.

And with that thought, the still soaked boy got up and sprinted away without another word.

Grrrrr.

Sidney doesn't understand what is wrong with her. All I did was smile at him. My dad's always said my smile lights up a dark room. I guess he was just sparing my feeling. Sidney doesn't like being here all alone not knowing what might happen next. I should have told Professor Lawson no. I don't need my camera. I shouldn't have come here. I just don't fit in. I wonder, now that I have been accepted at a wizarding school, my parents might get me accepted at Drumstrung or the Australian School of Witchcraft and Wizardry- any place but here.

Lukus had been wondering the castle for a good hour now. Seeing that he had finished his potions class and now had a free period.
Walking with his hand in his pocket his shirt untucked and his tie hanging untied from around his neck he thought he take a peek into who was in trouble this time in the headmaster waiting room. He slowly pushed open the door and he saw Sidney talking to another student.

Smirking he lent against the door frame.
"Oi,Oi Sidney hows it going. Lecturing more students are we or just a friendly chat. He said in a laddish tone