"Ok! Thanks Keeley!" she didn't know what to say! "Well... um you could use my birthday! Or my sister's birthday! My dad gave up my sister for adoption, but he gave me to my uncle..." her uncle! The mean uncle! "So you could take her birthday! It's April 22nd!"

Keeley smiled, her gray hair turning brown. Choluna was all cheerful again, and the other boy had accepted her to join their practice. Without asking, she grabbed her friends hand and dragged her along toward the older kids. "Hey. I'm Keeley."

Carter knew Mina would be here. It's where she went to think. No doubt she was thinking about how much she was mad at him. But he had come armed for that. With his wand he cast "Orchideous" repeatedly. He was soon starting a garden of every blue flower he had ever seen. Blue irises, blue orchids, blue tinted roses, blue delphinium, blue hydrangea, blue tulips, and some kind of blue Hawaiian flower he had once seen in a picture. He stood back and admired his work. The little flower garden spelled out the words "I'm Sorry." He placed the little teddy bear he brought with him down in front of the garden. He cast a single "Papilio" and conjured a Gryffindor colored butterfly. He sent it flying over to Mina and hid behind a bush to see her reaction.

Did she really? Daphne didn't necessarily need other girls. She had her best friend, Celandine, and normally that was more than enough. Still, she didn't argue with him and offered Kate a smile. "Pleasure," she greeted and wiggled her fingers in the girl's direction.

Meeting new people was only slightly uncomfortable; only slightly. Daphne fixed Kellen with a pointed look. Was he insinuating that Raiden needed to get hurt? Kellen Boy-Creature was...

Daphne's almost murderous thoughts towards Kellen were distracted by the challenge he was presenting and his sudden desire to...appease her? Get on her good side? Flatter her? All the same, Daphne's expression softened up almost immediately at the mention of flowers.

She loved flowers. Had she said that before? "I--" she was cut short by a female voice. Oh, the girls he had called earlier. Wait, wasn't one of them...the one that had showed up at her house table and apologized and left just as quick? Hmm. "Hello, Keeley. I'm Daphne Hopton."

This time, there was no wiggling of the fingers. Instead, she turned her attention back on Kellen. "I'll follow your lead on the game thing," said the blond, tucking a strand of her hair behind one ear. "Boys should lead anyways."

In every situation, right? Unless she was feeling particularly bossy.

Mina could only read her notes so many times before she wanted to scream. She wished that the serenity of her special place was going to calm her, but she couldn't get that song out of her head for the life of her.
SALAGADOOLA MECHICKA BOOLA BIBBIDI-BOBBIDI-BOO. IT'S DO MAGIC BELIEVE IT OR NOT BIPPITIY-BOPPITY-BOO!
Covering her ears, she shook her head. How was she going to concentrate with it running amuck in her head. It was a happy song and it did make her smile, but she needed to clear her head and get to her transfiguration homework. Pulling her wand out, she tried again to clear her head. Thinking of pretty blue butterflies, she flicked her wand. "Papilio!" she recited firmly. From the tip of her wand, a blue butterfly emerged. It was cute, but not exactly what she was going for. Bitting her lip in thought, she tried it again. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the song but it was no use.
SALAGADOOLA MECHICKA BOOLA BIBBIDI-BOBBIDI-BOO. IT'S DO MAGIC BELIEVE IT OR NOT BIPPITIY-BOPPITY-BOO!
Well if she couldn't beat it, maybe it could help her. ..do magic believe it or not... Closing her eyes, she casted a single "Papilio" and conjured a Common Blue Butterfly. Now that was more of what she was looking for.

Her butterflies looked hungry though. Maybe it was time she worked on conjuring flowers. She though real hard about what she wanted and took a breath as she closed her eyes, envisioning the perfect flower. Bitting her lip in thought, she opened her eyes and made a circle in the air with her wand as she casted a "Orchideous" and conjured some daffodils. Really? That was far from what she wanted to conjure, but at least they had white in them. She did envision white after all. Shaking her head, she tried again as one of her butterflies flew toward the daffodils. She would need to just conjure another flower for her other butterfly. Again, she closed her eyes and envisioned a white flower. Holding her wand, she made a circle once again and casted a single "Orchideous". Opening her eyes to see her other butterfly fly to the single hibiscus flower, she smiled. Again not exactly want she had in mind, but she was getting closer.
As she watched her cute butterflies feasting on her flowers, she noticed another butterfly. It was very Gryffindor like and it made her think of Carter. She had been avoiding him as she was sure, he probably didn't want to talk to her after the whole detention thing. She was mad at herself still for not thinking, but she was slightly mad at him as well. She did miss him, but she didn't want to face him just yet. The Gryffindor butterfly fluttered over and landed on her nose. It was very cute and yes, it did really remind her of Carter. The butterfly soon flew off as she let her eyes follow it.

What?!?!

Were her eyes playing a trick on her. She stood up and followed the butterfly to the small garden of blue flowers. It was so beautiful and she couldn't help but blush at it. How could she be mad at him after something like that? Kneeling down she picked up the teddy bear and gave it a hug. She glanced around to see if she could see him. Where was he? Carter had to be the one responsible for it, he just had to be. She couldn't think of anyone else what would do this for her. The flowers were so pretty. She just wished she could conjure the flowers she wanted.

Looking around again, she had an idea. Smiling to herself, she pulled her wand out again. Making a circle with her wand, she started to cast a series of "Orchideous". Before long she had a small bed of delta blue pansies and white pansies that spelled out. "I'm Sorry too. Forgiven?".

Stepping back, she gave her new teddy bear a hug and looked at her work. Finally, the pansies she'd been envisioning.

Carter awaited behind the bush until Mina approached his flowers. She picked up the teddy bear. That was a good sign. He slowly began straightening himself out. She was looking around. For him? She then spelled something out in flowers. He came out of his hiding place and looked at her flowers. He smiled at what they said.

He slowly approached her hoping she wouldn't change her mind. "Hi." he said looking down at the ground for a few seconds. He then looked at her and ran a hand through his hair. After awhile he smiled. "I've missed you." he said.

What was that look from Daphne for? He was going to ask when the younger girl from earlier arrived and introduced herself, so he put it aside and smiled at the newcomer, "I'm Kellen."

He readied his wand, sparing an amused smile in Daphne's direction, "That's funny, I've always been told 'ladies first'. Okay, how about..." he thought of the colour in his mind and then gave his wand a swish, "papilio!"

A light orange butterfly shot out the end of his wand, and he turned to the others to watch them cast. Normally he'd be going for as many butterflies as he could, but this was about getting the colours right. Quantity could take a back seat for now.

Mina held on to the teddy bear tightly as she heard someone approaching. She knew that voice anyway, slowly she turned to him and looked at the ground and the teddy bear in her hands. How could she be mad at one of her best friends over something like detention. It was silly. Looking up at him, she caught his eyes and slowly started to smile. "I've missed you too." she nodded as she gave the bear another hug. "I'm really sorry about everything and avoiding you and stuff." She felt terrible after hearing he had missed try-outs. She knew how much he was looking forward to making the team again.

Raiden... had to do Transfiguration homework.

And he had to do it now.

Otherwise, he would never find a moment to do it. Between, you know, sulking and being all prefecty. The problem with this homework... was the fact that it was going to frustrate him, and he knew it.

Stupid... non-orange... butterflies.

So Raiden made his way down to the grounds; it seemed like the best place for Transfiguration ventures. He and Kiri had vanished rocks and ants and things down near the gates, and now he had to produce butterflies and flowers? What better place than the entranceway, make it look nice or something.

With, you know... all the colours he'd come up with besides the ones he wanted.

...there were already people here. Apparently he wasn't the only one with this idea. And one was Daphne, another was Kellen, which... made him feel a bit better. At least it wasn't... her.

He surely would've produced rainbows then. Without the single colour he wanted.

Approaching them slowly, his hands in his pockets, Raiden watched for a minute.

"Hey."

Kellen had an orange butterfly.

Stupid... orange... colour...

"It's alright..." Carter said. "That stuff doesn't matter." All that really mattered to him was that he and Mina were friends again and that they were putting this behind them. He couldn't resist. He stepped in close and gave her a hug.

Her right hand on her hip, Daphne swept Kellen with a sideways glance. Hmph. He was being...a smarty pants, wasn't he? Daphne could swear he was! HMPH! True Ravenclaw, though, he managed to conjure a rather pretty butterfly and make it look easy too.

While being a smarty pants. Hmph.

Tightening the grip she had on his wand, Daphne raised her left arm. Focusing on the butterfly, she wondered if she could get that same pale tone of orange. Except a drone voice made her blink and lose her concentration. WHO in the world sounded so PATHETICALLY bored?

Oh...Raiden Kururugi. "Raiden....what are you doing there?" she asked with a frown. And WHY did he have that face? That face that made Daphne Hopton worry.

Mina smiled and returned Carter's hug. She didn't like being mad at each other. Yes, last year, she did avoid him for a good few weeks and they didn't talk, but that was different. Last year was different and the friendship they had this year was not like it was the previous year, in fact everything was different now.

He was her best friend and they could get past his and move on. Plus, she didn't even want to think about not exploring the Forbidden Forest without him. They had a pact and she wouldn't rest until they fulfilled it, even if it took them up to their seventh year to accomplish.

She pulled away and smiled, glancing at her bear. "Thanks for the teddy bear. I haven't had one in years and I think your scarf would look great on him." she said with a smile.

Keeley smiled, pushing her staright brown hair aside. She pulled out her wand, and started to make some red and white butterflies, and they were pretty darn good. Well, Transfiguration was by far her favorite subject.

Carter laughed. "It can be your little Gryffin-bear." he said laughing harder. "Wow, I've been around my dad too much lately." he said still laughing. He cleared his throat. "Anyway. Anything new?"

"Hey Raiden."

Kellen, being Kellen, failed to notice anything unusual about Raiden, instead looking at the red and white butterflies that came from Keeley's wand. Did she want him to copy them? Wasn't he supposed to be the leader first? He compromised with, "We'll do those ones next, Keeley. Can you conjure orange butterflies first?"

He and Roma had seen things floating around from a far, but it had been too far to notice exactly what they were. He just knew that there were quite a few. A curiously alarming amount.

Now that he was close enough, he noticed that they were butterflies. Strange... "Are...we being attacked by butterflies," he asked, looking at the group of students while Roma scooted off and jumping up in the air, trying to catch them.

Mina laughed and shook her head. "That was cute, really it was." She couldn't help but to laugh with him. Laughter was always guaranteed when they were around each other. Hearing his question, she shrugged. "Not much. I have this happy song stuck in my head and I have like sooooo much homework to do, but I don't want to be locked up inside doing it." she tried to explain. She was being a slacker and did need to get a start on it, but she needed the fresh air to help her center.

"I have to do the Transfiguration homework." He gestured at the gates. "I figured outside was the best place to do it, considering. I guess that's what you guys are doing?"

There were people here that he didn't know. Raiden gave them a small smile and nod.

Couldn't be bothered to manage much more than that. Not when Kellen was conjuring orange butterflies. And Raiden couldn't. Stupid... orange... colour. Why did it even exist.

Ugh.

He should not still be bothered over this.

"It's... Transfiguration homework, sir," Raiden mumbled, jumping slightly in surprise when he realised that Mr. Masterson had... appeared. Hai Mr. Masterson.

Heh. Blushblushblush. "Oh, I didn't think we were all trying to do the same ones." Whoops. Keeley could be such an idiot sometimes, he probably thought she was trying to be some kind of leader or something. So, she tried to conjure some orange ones, but they turned out more like tangerine. Well, practice makes perfect.

Orange or red and white? Daphne was, by all means, no expert in games. She didn't play games, period. However, she did like to believe she knew how to follow instructions. At least, most of the time. Kellen...had not conjured red and white butterflies.

Frowning, she parted her pink lips to speak but was, once again, interrupted by Kellen. It was turning into a habit. Daphne crinkled her nose and concentrated on the task at hand. "Papilio!" she mumbled. From her wand oozed an pale orange butterfly...

Who had a bit of an issue with one wing. "She's crippled!" hissed Daphne, aghast at her own skills. She conjured a crippled butterfly. Was that warrant to a disqualification? "Not yet, sir," joked Daphne, turning her hazel eyes upon the Groundskeeper. "I suppose in a few days time it'll feel like it."

Although, didn't butterflies only have a life-span of 24 hours? She didn't know. She didn't even like butterflies.

Ahhh, transfiguration. Though, what purpose conjuring butterflies served in the real world was a mystery to him...until the Hopton made a joke. "Not yet, mm?" He chuckled, watching the crippled butterfly try it's hardest to stay in the air. Weren't too many of these things bad for the ecosystem? "At least....they look nice..." he shrugged. "It could have been worse...you all could have been conjuring bugs." Ugly things.

Kellen stared at Daphne's butterfly. Well, at least it was the right colour?

Then he noticed Mr. Masterson and tried not to sigh. Yes, he now knew how to find his way to the greenhouses, but still... that had been a bit of an embarrassing day. At least they had a reason to be conjuring butterflies, otherwise right now might be just as embarrassing.

It would be interesting to be conjuring other bugs right now, really. Visions of praying mantises bursting from his wand filled his head and he smiled. That would be awesome.

"Orange butterflies..." Raiden trailed off, rubbing one of his eyes with the palm of his hand. Itchy eye. "I couldn't... get an orange one."

Flicking his wrist to release his wand, he gave the spell a shot again.

...the resulting butterfly was green.

Green.

Why green.

"Stupid... colours..." Why could everyone get orange but him? "I must be doing it wrong."

Bugs and Butterflies weren't very different in Daphne's eyes. She did her best to smile at Neo though. In fact, the blond even threw in a nose crinkle. Just. For. Him. Handsomest Groundskeeper she had ever laid eyes on. Heh.

So, because he was pretty, Daphne was not going to point her displeasure with butterflies. Instead she focused her energy on her own crippled butterfly and then on Kellen...who was staring at it too.

Well! "I'll just try again," she mumbled. Raiden seemed like he needed more help than her though. Blinking at him, Daphne patted his arm. "Raiden, relax. Just concentrate on the butterfly Kellen conjured. Try magicking one like that."

Kellen watched the green butterfly flutter out of Raiden's wand, and finally realized that Raiden wasn't his normal self. Daphne seemed to be comforting him for whatever it was, which was good because Kellen was really not good for stuff like that.

He didn't know whether to conjure another butterfly or just move on to another colour, but eventually sent another one out of his wand. One that was distinctly a mix of orange and green.