Dylan beamed. She wanted to come to his house. Yay! Where did he live? Umm. "Nowhere exciting. Just Oxford. Its not like I live in Spain or anything. Though it would be nice to live in Spain." Yay. He could sleep on his sofa and stuff. They could camp in his theatre. Like a fort. Oh it would be such an adventure.

"Where do you live Goldilocks?"

"Thanks!" Twirling her wand she watched as he showed Ivory how to hold the wand.

Arya watched the box of ping pong balls as it came to Sir Lawson. Slowing the twirl of her wand she listened with intent as he talked about the shield charm and demenstrated before telling them of the ping pong balls purpose. It seemed easy enough, after all a minute was only like.....sixty seconds. She was sure that she could hold a shield for that long atleast. "Bring on the ping pong balls!" Looking up at him with a smile she stoped twirling and prepared to cast the charm.

Reese was very content with herself after she got a good look around the room. The room wasn't too complex, but it wasn't too simply either. It had two chairs in the middle of the room, and then it had a nice coffee table in front of the chairs that had two empty cups of coffee on it. In front of the coffee table, there was a box sitting there. The box had the words 'Shoots and Ladders' on it. On the right side of the room, there was a table with a coffee machine just in case they wanted more coffee for later. Yep, it was perfect.

"So, maybe I did say it? But there's a difference when you called me pretty, though. You called me pretty...which was a total LIE," she stated. Low self esteem much? Her self esteem hasn't changed that much over the years. "I wasn't lying when I called you gorgeous. You're not as gorgeous as Jack, but your up there on the gorgeous list," she told him. Shrugging her shoulders, she headed over to one of the red chairs and sat down.

"Professors?" She repeated. "What about Professors?" Was there a lot to talk about them? She didn't think there was.

Torin walked right up to one of the chairs and sat down in it. This would be an interesting meeting, he was sure. Especially if they started fighting at some point. And judging by their history, that was very possible.

"You are pretty. I'm not gorgeous." There, that was out of the way. But hold the phone... Jack was better looking than Torin? He might have thought he was a Troll, but there was no way Jack looked better than him. "That comment about Jack.. that right there proves to me that you have bad taste." 'cause Jack wasn't like a super Troll or anything, but Torin still looked better than him.

"So what's up with Bunz not being there? I so am tempted not to attend Herbology until she returns." He loved the Bunz. He really, really did.

Reese shook her head side to side. "Torin, Torin, Torin," she repeated. He was in denial, that was for sure. She wanted to hit him across the head until he came to his senses, but she knew that wouldn't be the nice thing to do. Plus, she was in a good mood at the moment. She usually didn't hit people when she was in a good mood. "I think you're mistaken," she told him. "I'm not pretty. And you're gorgeous." Torin Kane WAS the person that had a gazillion fangirls. Reese thought that she was the only person that didn't have a secret crush on the Hufflepuff. Her thoughts might actually be 99% true.

WHAT?

WHAAAAAT?

Her good mood just got flushed down the toilet. "I can't believe you just said that to my face," she commented. Correction: she COULD believe he just said that to her face. It was Torin 'Bloody' Kane. He was programed to say stuff like that to her. "I don't have bad taste," she told him. "And you just called my boyfriend ugly. I seriously cannot believe you just said that to my FACE." Jack was so going to hear about this, she thought. "You're not suppose to be mean to you're best friend. The last time I checked you and Jack were buddies," she added. Being mean to her was one thing; being mean to Jack in front of her was another thing.

"I don't know," she sighed. "I'm going to miss Bunbury." She shook her head at the mention of Torin not attending class. "I said the same thing about History of Magic when Truebridge was fired, but I had to attend because I'm Prefect. And, Torin, you're Prefect. It's your duty to attend. Bunbury or no Bunbury," she explained.

"Oh, stop it! You're talking like I'm the heartthrob of Hogwarts." Definite eye roll here. And this girl thought she was smart? Well, she was. But that was besides the point.

Yeah, she really wasn't so smart today.

"Reese, I never said he's ugly. I just said you have bad taste if you think he looks better than me. We're on the same level." Torin and Jack were both Trolls. Yet Jack wasn't ugly. Go figure.

"I can't do that. It would be like betraying her." Which made sense somehow in his mind.

SPOILER!!: Sir Lawson and Arya

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiegirl

Marcus walked over to the two girls and checked over their grips and gave a slight nod of his head. "Excellent Arya." He turned to Ivory and gave her a smile and placed his hand over hers. "You're holding yours just a little too tightly. Loosen your grip just a tad, you want it firm but not too firm. Grip it so that it won't fall out of your hand but it still has enough movement for when you cast."

He took a few steps back and 'accioed' the box of ping pong balls, "Okay we're going to practice the shield charm. Now as you probably know the incantation is 'Protego' and your wand movement is an upwards flick." Marcus gave the two girls a demonstration of flicking his wand upwards and his shield automatically went up in front of him.

"Now producing a shield charm is easy enough but you keeping it up takes some practice and lots and lots of concentration. You need to block everything else out and simply focus your mind on keeping the shield in place." he lent over and picked up a handful of ping pong balls, "Now I know these don't look very hard but they can still shatter a weak shield and since you two are just beginning, I wouldn't want to throw anything harder at you. So what we're going to do is, I want you both to put up your shields and I will throw some ping pong balls at you until the shield either shatters or you can sustain it for a full minute."

Marcus looked between the two with an expectant look, "You okay with that?"

Ooooh.

Nodding in understanding, Ivory paid intent attention as Sir Lawson guided her hand into the right motion. Well that made sense...she'd been so nervous she was probably almost choking her wand.

Wiping her hand on her robes, she tried to smoothly grip her wand. It took a few corrections to make sure it was strong enough to stay in her hands through flicks and flourishes and twirls... but eventually her grip was one that was a bit more confident but still flexible.

"Ah I see, yeah I was just choking the poor thing...thank you!"Smiling in gratitude at the Professor, she guided her hand through the shield motion a few times just to loosen her wrist and tried to visualize the ping-pong balls being deflected...a nice strong shield...an obstruction from danger...basically something that would keep her from getting hit.

Concentrating on her intent as much as possible, she tried to block out any other worries and stresses that were plaguing her mind.

Smiling at Arya's words, Ivory smiled at him hesitantly and took a defensive stance that did not involve cowering in a corner.

"Yup...bring 'em on!"

"You're very welcome Ivory" Marcus said as he juggled a few ping pong balls while the girls practiced their wand movements. He chuckled at the girls when they told him to bring it on.

He stopped juggling the balls and held them in his hands and he raised an eyebrow, "Then I hope you both have quick reflexes and can think fast on your feet."

Without giving them anymore warning than that, he began hurling the ping pong balls straight at them. He was going to rather enjoy this.

"I have the bes--Hey!"Before she could say more the girl was being pelted with ping pong balls.

Now ones first reaction to being pelted by anything is to catch the object or run from it. So that's what she first did, try to catch the many ping pong balls he was hitting her with.

This, however, proved to be impossible as there was just to many ping pong balls and not enough hands, especially when one hand possessed a wand. It was quite a sight though, her catching a ball then droping it to catch another only to be hit by many more.

After a few seconds of failed atempts, she pointed her wand in the air and said,"Protego!" And just like magic, the attacked stoped. She could feel the balls bouncing off her shield in many diffrent directions.

She watched them for another few seconds, concentrating hard on her shield before grining at Professor Lawson."Is that all you got Sir Lawson?" She said in a jocose tone before glancing around the room again.

Arya's eyes finally landed back on the box of ping pongs, and a thought crossed her mind. I wonder if he's gonna run out of balls or if there's a charm on the box? As she thought about this, her shield slowly began to weaken until it was no more. Her concentration had been fully on the box that she didn't realize the shield was had droped until she was hit with dozens of the little white balls.

Using one hand to shield her face from the balls,"Protego!" Arya flicked her wand in the air once again casting her shield. This time she kept her eyes on a dummy nearest to them in order to keep her concentration. Looking at Sir Lawson or the box full of ping pong balls was just to much distraction for the young girl.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiegirl

"You're very welcome Ivory" Marcus said as he juggled a few ping pong balls while the girls practiced their wand movements. He chuckled at the girls when they told him to bring it on.

He stopped juggling the balls and held them in his hands and he raised an eyebrow, "Then I hope you both have quick reflexes and can think fast on your feet."

Without giving them anymore warning than that, he began hurling the ping pong balls straight at them. He was going to rather enjoy this.

Ivory had been just about to speak when the attack of the balls commenced, straight at her face!

Catching on right in the mouth with her lips preventing it from choking her at the last minute, she turned her head and dropped it only to be hit on the ear and then everywhere!

Giggling because the whole situation was just ridiculous, she figured now was a good time as any to try out her shield charm before she drowned in them.

Twirling her wand, to make sure her wand grip was still loose but firm, she brought it up in a jerky upwards flick. "Protego!"

A small shield the size of a dinner plate appeared before her and she brought it up to her face to at least block those. Concentrating she tried to expand it but found it wasn't the easiest thing, so she settled for moving the shield to block each ball as it came. Every time a ball would hit it would simply fall to the floor. Although this worked for a bit eventually her shieldbegan to flicker out until once again she was being pelted by them.

Deciding to try for a larger shield now, she concentrated on walls on forcefields, on barriers, on old gladiator shields, and brought her wand in a more fluid upward flick. "Protego!" Smiling enthusiastically, she watched as a larger circle appeared that covered her entire torso and head.

Deciding maybe she'd count now, she stared at the fiery tip of her wand to keep her mind from wandering.
1...2...3...4...5...10...15...17...21...2-

Agh, and it was gone. Who would've thought holding it for a minute would be difficult.Rubbing her forehead after being hit with a well aimed ping pong ball, she tried to even her weight between her two feet, and brought up her wand again.

"Protego!" Hmm...well it seemed slightly bigger...sort of.

1....5....7...9...13...17...30...34..3-Ugh.

Ducking her head as she thought about what she could use to help her, she tried to change her intention. Instead of thinking of walls and barriers she thought about mirrors and reflection as well as deflection.

Mirrors...mirrors...mirrors "Protego!" This time her upward flick was more fluid and confident and although her shield was back to only torso size the pressure on her wand felt more substantial. Her eyes bright she watched as pingpong balls hit her shield only to go speeding back to Sir Lawson.

Unfortunately, it only lasted a few seconds but Ivory smiled widely anyway. Now she had something decent to work with.

Scrunching up her face, she concentrated on making a small shield last longer before moving on to a bigger one.

There were ping pong balls flying everywhere and Marcus was having the time of his life watching the girls try to produce a shield and then sustain it once they had it.

He grinned at them as he continued to throw the balls at them, "Not as easy as it looks eh?"

Their shields were good but both of them seemed to get distracted quite easily and he would go over that with them after he had finished pelting them with ping pong balls first.

Marcus chuckled at Arya's comment. Oh no he definitely had more and to show her, he flicked his wrist and his wand slid neatly into his hand and then with another quick movement he sent a very strong tickling charm her way, shattering her shield with ease.

Then turning to Ivory because it was only fair after all, he also sent a tickling charm towards her and breaking through her shield as well.

Fun and games!!

Reese spun her chair around in a circle as she listened to Torin talk about how she was making him sound like a heartthrob. Pfft, really? She stopped her chair to where she was able to lock eyes with the Hufflepuff Prefect, and then she placed her elbows on her knees and then she rested her head on in her hands as she stared at her friend. "If you were a heartthrob," she began. "I would probably - most likely - fangirl over you. But I don't, so I can't classify you as a heartthrob." If Reese Selena Upstead fangirled over you, it was official that you were a heartthrob. Mhmm.

"He does look better than you, though," she replied with a smirk. "I mean...well, comparing you and Jack is like comparing broccoli and cauliflower. They pretty much are the same thing - or, in your case, they are in the same level, yes? But one ALWAYS looks better than the other." Why did she have to compare them to food? That was making her hungry now! She straightened her posture and eyed Torin for a moment before adding, "Do I make sense?" She did; she knew she did!

"I'm sure Bunbury won't like you NOT attending her class in her absence," she pointed out. "She wants her students to graduate, and that involves attending classes. You're doing her a favor by attending the class."

Okay, now he had to laugh. Maybe Reese had suffered from brain damage when she got injured. Who knew if she was hit in the head by whatever had hurt her?

"First of all, you're not the judge of that. Brody is." As the unquestioned Queen of Hogwarts and a girl with amazing taste. "And second of all, where did broccoli and cauliflower even come from?" He blinked. Weird.

"But that guy isn't Bunbury." He wanted Bunbury.

Reese wrinkled her eyebrows at Torin. And would ever said SHE couldn't be a judge of that either? HMM? She thought her opinion matter just like Brody's opinion, but it didn't seem like Torin thought so. Leaning back into the chair, she crossed her arms, not even wanting to reply to that. It was mostly because she didn't know HOW to reply to it. She wanted to be a judge on how heartthrobish Torin was, but if he didn't want her to be, SO BE IT.

There was a long pause before the Slytherin decided to respond, "...I don't know. I think it's because I didn't get my serving of broccoli and cauliflower for Lunch." It seemed logical enough. She always found ways to bring chocolate frogs into conversations if she didn't eat them everyday at the right time.

"So what? Come on, Greek Boy. I attended History of Magic with Truebridge not here," she said. "So I think you can attend Herbology without Bunbury."

49...50...51....

"Eeeep!"

Ivory had been just about to near the minute mark with her torso sized shield when all of a sudden through the chaos of ping pong balls came a flash of light.

She pondered about it for a mere millisecond before she was overcome by loud gigglish laughter.

"Heeeheheteeehee...hahahahaha...oh ho ho...hee eheheeee it tickles!"

Oh it felt as if a gazillion feathers were running themselves around her sides and armpits and a million little fingers were digging into her ribs. The result being of course giggles upon giggles with a funny snort here and there.

Of course, due to the incessant laughing Ivory's shield collapsed almost immediately with her concentration so diverted. Turning and seeing Arya not that worse of then her, Ivory's giggles became genuine. Did she look and sound that funny too?

Holding her sides, Ivory looked up with small tears of mirth in her eyes. This was all Sir Lawson's fault...

"Heeeteeheeehaha...that....heehee...was...hahaHAHA haha...not...heh heh heh...very...oh ho ho...gentle-heeheheh-manly...teeheehee...of...HAheehee...yoooouuuuu.... " she was able to say between laughs before the giggling was just too much for her. She knew that in a real duel being gentlemanly counted for naught-Merlin she'd be lucky if the Tickling charm was all she was hit with.

By now Arya had lost count of how many time she had to recast her shield after it was repeatedly shattered by the ping pong balls. So far she had managed to hold the shield for a good thirty seconds but no more and sometimes less.

She was working on forty when Lawson. A smile threatened to cross her face at his comment as her shield began to weaken. It was hard enough to concentrate what with it raining ping pong balls, his talking was just adding to the distraction. Taking in a deep breath she turned her attention of a ping pong ball that was rolling on the floor trying to stay focused.

Because she was no longer facing Sir Lawson, she didn't see him draw out his wand and send a charm her way. It was a shame too really cause she had just reached forty seconds and was slowly making her way to fifty when it shattered her shield.

Droping her wand she fell to the floor laughing hysterically. She wraped her arms around her torso, twitching this way and that in a vain atempt to stop the invisible fingers that seemed to be tickling ever inch of her.

"Hahahahah..cchhe...hehehe.....cheateeerrrrr, hahahaha!!"

It was all she could get out before going back into a giggling fit. The invisible fingers were persestant little buggers, digging into her sides, poking her ribs and even running along her neck.

Her eyes shut tight she could feel them begin to water as she rolled on the floor giggling, another poor atempt to stop the tickling. As she rolled she sent any ping pong balls in her path rolling as well. Her rolling stoped when she ended up at Lawson's feet, though she didn't realize it for her eyes were still closed.

"Hehehehehe...make...hehehe..it......hahahahahaha. ..stop!"

Shear torture this was, yup.

Rex waits for Kay to arrive for their talk.

It was quite a sight to see and the girl's giggles were rather infectious and Marcus found himself having a little chuckle as he watched the girls rolling around the floor.

After a few minutes of entertainment, Marcus lifted the charm from the girls and allowed them to catch their breaths before continuing. "As you can see I was able to get through your shields."

He re-holstered his wand and then promptly sat down on the floor, "Well you both don't seem to have a problem conjuring a shield but you seem to have trouble sustaining it. Now what were you both thinking about when your shields were up?"

Walking into the room was a little scary. Kay was there to talk to Rex. She knew that it had to happen, but she was still scared. What if he doesn't like her after all was out in the open? She saw Rex standing there waiting and she smiled. "Umm..Hi. Have you been waiting long?" She asked. Kay had made up her mind that she would let him ask anything he wanted and she would answer. Anything. Even if it might that Rex would not want to stay with her. Marie had, as well as her grandmother, always told her she was crazy and unwanted. Maybe Rex would think the same thing? Moving over to stand by Rex, she took a deep breath and waited.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiegirl

It was quite a sight to see and the girl's giggles were rather infectious and Marcus found himself having a little chuckle as he watched the girls rolling around the floor.

After a few minutes of entertainment, Marcus lifted the charm from the girls and allowed them to catch their breaths before continuing. "As you can see I was able to get through your shields."

He re-holstered his wand and then promptly sat down on the floor, "Well you both don't seem to have a problem conjuring a shield but you seem to have trouble sustaining it. Now what were you both thinking about when your shields were up?"

Ivory's laughs and giggles eventually subsided as Sir Lawson lifted the charm and she sat up on the floor clutching her sides. She hadn't laughed that hard in...oooooo....such a long time. It felt good. Nodding her head at the the fact that yes he had broken right through them, she lay there for a minute between little chuckles and wheezes of air.

Once she felt like her lungs were properly inflated, she stopped being a lazy bum.

Smiling and bringing up her legs to sit down cross-legged Ivory decided she wasn't one to hold grudges and would let this one go since it was a lesson and the results had been very very entertaining after all.

Little giggles still escaping her lips as if her body wasn't used to being without laughter now, she brought up her hand and stroked her invisible thinking beard. Pretending to curl it and the roll it back up to her chin, squinting one eye in the air.

"Well first I was thinking of walls and barriers and.." she looked sheepish for a second. "..and forcefields. But then when I wanted the pingpong balls to not only stop at the shield but bounce back I thought about mirrors and things being reflected."

Big wide brown eyes looked intently to the Professor. Was there a secret ninja way of visualizing a proper shield? Would they be little grasshoppers to his teachings?

Twirling her wand between her fingertips, the small flame making little streaks in the air, she scrunched up her face in concentration for a better visualization technique.

A Gladiator shield? A cauldron lid? Graphorn hide? Manticore skin?

" not long dear" Rex told Kay. " Now why do you not tell me everything when you are feeling down?" Rex asked Kay. " It hurts me a lot when you keep me out of your life" Rex said to Kay. "Why do you try to start trouble and I always have to get you out of it and almost everytime get us detention?" Rex asked Kay. He waits for answers.

Arya let the last few giggles flow out of her as she lay on the floor motionless, all that laughing had taken alot out of her.

With one arm still clutching her side, in case he felt the need for more entertainment, she crawled over to were she had droped her wand and took a seat facing Sir Lawson.

A huge grin was plastered on her face as she twirled her wand with her free hand, running through her past thoughts. "Well...I was wondering if you were gonna run outta ping pong balls or if the box was charmed, how far I could stretch my shield, and a few other things I can't remember."

Her hand ran absently over her side as she continued to giggle sporadically, lungs still alittle sore from laughing. Now that she realized it, quite a few things had run through her mind as she atempted to hold her shield.

Still twirling her wand she looked to Sir Lawson curiously, tilting her head to the side. "What do you think of Sir Lawson?"

She stood there listening to Rex. Feeling bad that he felt this way. 'Why did she not tell him when she was down?' she thought looking into his eyes. She saw how much he care and really wanted to just fall into his eyes and never come out. "When I'm down or sad I just stop talking. I don't mean too I just do. The only person I had to talk to for a long time as my mum. well and my Dad. When they were killed I was 10. Know one would talk to me and no one would tell me how it happened. They were never found, so..." She was going to tell him but had to stop. She could feel the tears but didn't want to cry. Crying didn't help. "I..just stopped talking about it. My grandmother was mad at me and told me I wasn't important and that I would never go to Hogwarts and that I would never have friends again." She turned away from Rex as the tears started. "I had to stay in my room all the time everyday. She didn't talk to me and I never heard any more about my parnets. If it wasn't for Harry stepping in I wouldn't be here now." She sighed and thought about everything else he had said. "As to the trouble. I don't mean to. I just want to help and I get mad when there is know answer to whats happening." She turned back to Rex and wiped the tears off her face. "I think that about my parnets and not getting answers. I didn't mean for anyone else to get into trouble. I really didn't. I am sorry." She said finally not feeling any better about anything. "Next question, ask away." Kay said sadly looking back into his eyes. She knew that he would think she was crazy and that made her feel sadder then any thing.

" I love you dear" Rex hugged and kissed Kay on the cheek. " I finally know
all about you dear" Rex told Kay. " I know you are emotional about others and their problems but we have to know when to help a lot and when to steop back " Rex explained to Kay.I know Harry talks, did he ever talk to you about your problems with your grndmother and your parents who died?" Rex asked Kay.
about

When Rex kissed her and pulled her into a hug, she tighted around him. "Please don't let go." She said sadly. "I'm really sorry. I just feel things so deeply and I want to help. I'll try not to...." what was she? mean? pushy? nosey? She really didn't know what she was. "get in other people's busness so much." She was still holding on to Rex when he asked about Harry. "Harry and my grandmother had the biggest fight ever. I had never met him, but my mum talk about him all the time." Kay sighed but knew she had to go on. "After they got done fighting he came up to my room. I was a little afraid of him. But he smiled at me and gave me my Hogwarts letter. He told me about all the fun I would have and....then w..we...we talked about my parnets. Harry has been trying to find out what happened but nothing yet." She pulled away from Rex and looked at him. "Harry was great but I still couldn't tell him everything. About how sad I was or am and the not eating." she watched Rex for some sign that he understood and that he would be staying and help her maybe. "Rex, I love you, too. But, do you want to have to deal with all of this? I don't know if I can just change over night and I don't want you to be unhappy." She would wait for him to think about it and then deal with what happens.