Kel nodded as Emma answered him. Yeah, he could've just looked at the badge on her robes, and noticed what house she was in. But he was a bit preoccupied at the moment. It was understandable.

"I'm a seventh year," He answered, sounding a bit sad, "Turning eighteen at the end of this month. Oh, tell David good luck." he said with a small chuckle. So, there was a lot of people adding their names to the goblet. It would be crazy if Kel was the one chosen.

"Nuthin'." Eli mumbled. Then, because he was bursting to tell the secret, he whispered to the girl low where only she - and possibly the Malone girl - could hear. "The Slytherin Prefect, if you must know. Can you keep a secret?"

Ari's head jerked to the side ever so slightly when the boy spoke--Eli Jarod. Ravenclaw.--And she smiled very faintly. But she quickly wrestled with her smile and continued her rapt contemplation of the goblet.

"I know! Everyone would be staring at you all the time and talking about you and taking your picture..." Sam shook his head. That would be terrible. He wasn't shy by any means, but that didn't mean he wanted the attention on him all the time. "Oh... You're right. It seems to me like grabber poles would be dangerous in the hands of underage wizards. Maybe they should just have the stair-things too." He couldn't remember what they were called, but he'd seen a lady use one in a Muggle library once. It was soooo weirdddd.

Sam turned to see who was yelling his name. "Hey, Carson!" He grinned at her and waved back. He'd met her in the bookstore and thought she was pretty cool. It looked like she was already talking to someone where she was standing, but he figured she'd know she was welcome to join him and Destiny if she wanted to.

Emma smiled and giggled. "Ah. Will do." she added. He seemed sad.. was it because it was his last year at Hogwarts.. probably. "So what classes do you enjoy?" she asked changing the subject.

"What, about Raiden?" She frowned. She was already keeping one of his secrets. What else could there be? "Well, yeah. I'm used to keeping secrets." After all, she had quite a few of her own.

"Difficult?!" Nia answered, mouth slightly agape. "I'm sure I can count on just my fingers and toes those at Hogwarts who actually know me." Quidditch roster = 9, Raiden = 1, Couple of other Claws. Maybe some other Quidditch peeps from other teams? Yep, about twenty, max.

His emphasis made her smile. Not quite blushing yet though. But it made her feel...a bit more known. Outside the Ravens, at least. "You do," she said with a crooked grin. "And...I guess I'm a Prefect now. So that might add a bit more." She chuckled. It made her sound like she was desperate for popularity. She wasn't. She'd already said she wasn't in it for the glory. She just wanted the thrill and excitement. To finish her time at Hogwarts with a bang.

"Mmhmm. Perhaps," she said, eying the flames once more. She probably should have done a bit more research on the tournament, really. "I didn't mean to make is sound weird and scary. Just wondering. We've all got different qualities and reasons for entering. What makes one person better for the competition than another?"

And then he tapped his heart. Nia looked at him curiously for moment, trying to understand this odd sign language. He really was trying to vex her Ravenclaw brain. Heart could mean many-a-thing. Love, for instance. And then it clicked. Adrenaline, heart. He had heart problems. Adrenaline increased the heart rate, amongst other things (oh yes, Nia knew that from her heart pounding before matches) and that was gonna be dangerous for a bad heart. Aha.

Her thoughts were soon confirmed, and Nia nodded sympathetically. That...must have been so hard as a young boy. Not being able to run around and just be a kid. She wasn't quite sure what to say. She wasn't good with moving stories, as bad as that sounded. It wasn't that she was mean or heartless - she wasn't the emotional type. Or one to dwell on the past too much. Life was for living.

"I couldn't imagine no Quidditch," she said softly, after a moment's thought. "And it's great it's got better. Even more reason to compete, I'd say. Make up for lost excitement." If Nia didn't get in, she sure hoped Raiden did. "Hehe. Yeah. Longggg would be badddd. I want to know if I should protest to Vindictus." She winked with the last bit.

He leaned in, and Nia did too. "My lips are sealed," she said sincerely. Nia was not a gossiper by any stretch of the imagination, and she had no other reason to say it to anyone. Plus, it made her feel...a little special...that he'd confided in her.

Accidentally being called Salamander? Naaawww "A few times."he shrugs "That among other things... some have gotten a little too creative, specially those who somehow got my full name." and as an afterthought he added "And I may or may not have done something to correct that... accidentally of course." he grinned, winking at the Ravenclaw blond. Yeah dont scare her off pretty little thing...

He sighed, then started to search his pockets until something caught his eye at the Goblet of Fire....



What the dude?.... Salander stares at the Slytherin boy that crossed the age line-- and stops. He didnt approach the goblet, or have a piece of paper in his hand. Nothing. Part scowling, part smirking, Salander watched the event unfold as the boy was apprehended first by other students, then a teacher. He watched the poor lad grovelled at the teacher's feet. Oh boy, there goes your self-respect he smirked.

But then his eyes shifted to the apprehending faculty. "Muy caliente...". he whispered under his breath

At this point that teacher would have taken ALL of Salander's attention until the most ridiculous thing happened. The age-line crossing boy started changing shape-- and color. The boy shrunk and vanished until only his clothes were left on the floor. Where'd he go?... Salander wondered until one of the students fished something out of the pile and took out a little green bird. "Oookayyyyy. I guess we now have some idea of what happens when you're underage and try to crossing that line."

He nodded quickly a few times, smiling. "I like Charms, the most," he told her, "And Transfiguration... Care of Magical Creatures... Anything, really." he said, shrugging one shoulder. "Besides Ancient Runes, Arithmacy, and Divination." Those classes just confused him. Anyway. "What about you?"

Iris grinned at Leilani. "You really want to teach Jimbo this lesson, don't you?" Hehehe. Maybe he DID need that lesson... but Lafay was a bit harsh...

"But Lafay it is." She said with a little nod.

Iris grinned at Birdy!Jimbo. Tiiiime to go find Lafay and get you changed back, Feathers.

Iris laughed at Birdy!Jimbo as he tried to fly off. Pssht. He wouldn't be able to. But then, he started pecking at her hands.

OUCH! That really bloody hurt!

The girl frowned at the bird, because she'd nearly dropped him. GAAAAHHH. Even as a bird, Jimbo was incredibly shifty. Iris looked to Leilani, as Birdy!Jimbo rushed off down the corridor...

And learned how to fly. "LEILANI, C'MON!!!!!" Iris yelled, unecessarily, "WE NEED TO CATCH HIM!!"

And now RUUUUUUUUN after Birdy!Jimbo!! They neeeeeeded to catch the bird, so that they could get him changed back to Cute!Jim ... Uh... Normal!Jimbo.

Iris jogged off after the little green bird, and motioned to Leilani to get her to follow. The other slytherin probably would. No way would Leilani miss out on this.

"Persistently difficult." The prefect was trying his hardest to not laugh when she went on about counting those who knew her. "Much as you may think you're unknown, you're not. The prettiest girl at the ball last term turned heads, after all. They know who you are."

Whether they actually knew anything about her was a completely different story, but that was the same for most everyone. Raiden might have had a lot of people that knew his name, but were it not one that was difficult to mismatch with a face (Hello, ridiculously Asian name to match his features), he would be able to blend into a crowd easily.

"Well... If it's going by personality traits, then I guess there's a certain set that's better for the competition than others. Someone who's brave but stupid wouldn't be as good a choice as someone brave and intelligent."

Watching the levels her face went through when he told her his secret was... amusing.

"Believe it or not, I didn't miss it most of the time. Being outside, playing around with other kids. I didn't know many kids. Lots of adults. Healers, Healer assistants, tutors because my mum thought going to school would be stressful..." He shrugged. "Kinda like, you don't know what you're missing until later?"

Merlin, but Quidditch... his parents were so against him even thinking about trying that. But that had been his first real way of rebelling and doing what he wanted to do, despite the dangers to himself.

"I tried out anyway." He grinned widely. "It wasn't a smart choice, when looked at from a responsible point of view. But it was my choice. And I really loved playing. I wish I could've gotten on the team instead of being a stand-by, but I took what I could get." He hadn't died, and he was even better now thanks to it, so he counted it as a good decision. "But I've got a lot of time to make up for from before I started school."

Oh Merlin. Poor Vindictus was probably going to have Quidditch players and captains knocking down his door. The fact that the tournament had supplanted the entire Quidditch season... there were a lot of younger kids on the teams, that couldn't participate in the tournament, and now they had no quidditch. And then there were the hardcore Quidditch players like Nia, who probably weren't keen on the fact that it was their final year and they were being short-sticked.

"Don't go too hard on him," he mused, imagining the showdown between the Ravenclaw prefect and her Head of House. "Maybe go up and have a shout at Tate, too. Just for funsies."

He bit his lip and was quite glad that his face hadn't done that warm thing again.

"Thanks. Only a few people know about it, and they've all moved on. Graduated, left, you know? It's not really a big deal anymore, but it still makes people look at me funny."

Leilani squeeled as Jimbo pecked at Iris and then ran off. "OH THAT IS IT! YOU ARE SO GOING TO LAFAY NOW MISTER!" she yelled after him.

Oh!!! Where did he go, where did he goooo?! He needed a good smack in the beak right about now. Lani followed Iris as they ran after him. And then... FOUND HIM! She held back the yell forming in her throat as she lunged towards the moving fleck of green.

Her hand groped around on the floor until it felt something soft. THERE! She grabbed at it. Oh he was so in for it now.

Leilani hadn't realized she was on the floor. Or that there was a large, stinging scrape across her right knee. Crap. It hurt too. Jimbo's fault. All his fault. Lafay was going to EAT HIM... Served him right, at least a little.

Eli stepped closer to Ari and the Slytherin girl, his voice low. "Well... don't tell ANYBODY this..." he wished he could do a nobody-hears-this-but-us charm but he didn't know any. Ah, well. "But that guy?" He gestured with his head toward the Prefect.

"He's going to DIE. Really really soon." he nodded knowingly. He put his finger to his lips so they could eavesdrop as the Prefect spoke:

"See? He's dyin'. Only nobody's s'posed to know. He's got a terrible curse on him destroying his HEART. He could fall over dead - SPLAT! - at any moment." He nodded again. "And it's contagious, that is why he doesn't want any of his good friends to know." he whispered for good measure.

It probably WAS a curse on his heart, right? And that kind of thing could totally be contagious, that was just logic. Absolutely. If there was anything a Ravenclaw knew, it was LOGIC.

Pshaw! Destiny thought being talked about and having pictures taken of her would be the best part of being a champion! She would have to get used to that, seeing as she wanted to be an actress. Well, for now she wanted to be an actress. "I guess people stalking you wouldn't be good." She was already being stalked by a little Huffie girl, she didn't want to be stalked by an older Huffie! "You could always wear sunglasses and a hat! People wouldn't recognize you then." she shrugged. Of course she would know it was him, since she had given him the idea and all.

Hehehe. Sam had no idea how dangerous those grabber poles were, especially if it was in the hands of Destiny herself. "The grabber pole can be fun though. Especially when someone has a crazy old grandmother, and they can use it to HONK her nose with it when she is sleeping!" Experience, Destiny has with that! "Maybe people should just put everything in places where little people can reach it. No need for steps or grabber poles."

But then that would mean no more honking her grandmother's nose.

Hearing a girl call out to Sam, Destiny turned her head in that direction. She figured they knew eachother, or else they wouldn't be waving and saying eachother's name. Pffft! And people said Destiny wasn't smart! PSHAW!

Even though the girl wasn't waving to her, Destiny waved back. She was being niiiiiice!

Sweet Merlin, she was being nice!

It was that Beauxbatons guy..he was changing her!

!!!!

They were going to hurt him! He had to escape! Escape, escape!!!
PECK PECK PECK! He pecked at any piece of skin near him. And this time, he meant for it to hurt because the hands holding him obviously meant to harm him. And they were managing to pull out some of his feathers. And it hurt.

When he managed to peck the hands hard enough to let him go, he ran and flew again, going high enough so that they could NEVER reach him and he fllewwwww away, too fast to keep track of.

For a moment, she was worried. Really REALLY worried. Then he said something about Raiden's heart being cursed and she raised a brow. ... Erm, what? "A- are you sure about that?" She looked over to Raiden, and then to Eli. I mean, I've been with him for a while, and not only have I not... 'caught' it, but I thought he was all better. He hasn't shown any signs in a long time." But then... what if it was something experimental? He was going to be stronger and stuff, but in the end it would kill him early? She'd heard of that stuff for other things, but never for something like this. "And why wouldn't he tell me about this? I mean, his own sister!" Not that they looked anything alike... or were even related... but he was like a brother to her! And he knew it! Didn't he?

She frowned. If it was true, why wouldn't he tell her? "I should talk to him... Find out what's going on. I don't think he's going to drop dead at any minute... I mean, there would be some sign, wouldn't there? Like getting weak or something?" Then, determined, she turned toward Raiden. "I'm going to talk to him."

Iris rolled her eyes at Leilani. Jimbo was going to Lafay no matter what. Hehehe. She chased after Birdy!Jimbo and Leilani, guessing that it was going to be a looooong day.

As Leilani dived for the green bird, Iris figured it would be best not to. Besides.... Birdy!Jimbo wasn't staying in her grip for long...

Iris groaned as Birdy!Jimbo pecked his way away from Leilani and flew off.

Did he REALLY think that they were going to HURT him?! THEY weren't. Lafay probably would. But Leilani and herself most certainly werenot.

Great. She couldn't even see where the bird had flown of too. GAH. IF he got lost and was a bird forever, then... that would be horrible.

Iris looked down at Jimbo's robes, which she'd grabbed after he flew off, and then to Leilani on the floor. Grabbing Leilani's arm and helping her up, Iris sighed. "Great. Now what?"

She had an idea... it was a very sneaky and potentially emotionally hurtful... but she was going to save it until they could ACTUALLY see him.

She screamed quietly as Jimbo pecked at her hand. Great. Now her knee and her hand was bleeding. He was going to be dead. Bye bye birdie.

Leilani nodded as Iris helped her up. "Thanks." she saw a partially identifiable expression pass across Monty's face. "You look like you've got a plan." She was just good at reading faces like that.

And then-- mabey it was because she'd seen the look on Monty's face --Leilani thought of something. Mabey if they couldn't bring Jimbo to Lafay they could bring Lafay to Jimbo. Reasonable enough. The only problem with that was that they'd probobly lose about a zillion house points as soon as he tried to claw her eyes out.

Yeah, trash that idea then.

"Because he's loosing his legs, silly!" She pointed at the boy who had crossed the line that had lost his legs. Only he wasn't a boy anymore. He was a green bird. Yup, totally worth waiting for.

Arya grinned at Treyen before letting her eyes follow the bird!boy, oblivious to anything else that was going on around her that didn't involve the cup or said bird!boy. "I don't think he got out of trouble." He was a bird after all. And from the looks of it, he had lost all control of his human mind, which wasn't good because he could get himself into some serious trouble as a bird.

"You'll probably turn into a bird if you cross the line." She stated simply, eyes flicking towards the boy. "And I don't think it will be fun." Arya had been transformed into enough creatures involuntarily to last her the rest of her terms at Hogwarts.

So stop nudging her Kellen, cause she wasn't going to cross the line. "I'm not going, Kellen. I LIKE being human." She insisted, nudging him back. "Find someone else underage to be your guinea pig."

"...Not Treyen." Cause she liked him. Choose someone she doesn't know.

Iris looked at Leilani as she spoke. "I .... kinda have one." She said, with a small uncertain grin. "But... we need to find him first. And hope that he doesn't think I'm serious." Meh. Iris wasn't going to explain her idea to her... Leilani would probably think she's insane.

The girl just hurried off in the direction that Birdy!Jimbo had flown off into.

Leilani shrugged. "Okey doke." And continued looking for Mister Bird Brain.

She searched down on the floor where she had been and up above where she could see without any luck. Her height wasn't helping much in this situation either. Yeah, great.

Where was mister birdy anyways? He couldn't have flown off that far. Mabey she could ask the Proffesor Lady to stun him. That would make things a heck of alot easier.

Patroclus let out a huge laugh, Carter's attempt at Hello was hilarious, "Yep. thats is Bon-Door." they boy smiled gleefully

He could not wait to see Carter use that to impress the frenchies! He was sure to win them over!

A his friend made mention of the Prefect, Patroclus looked around the room and saw a number of them present, it was not much of a stretch to see them as champions. The qualities for a champion, were very much the same as those used in the Prefect selection process.

"I Hope I am a Prefect," Patroclus let slip, "But only if you are Captain,"he added! Patroclus and Carter, they would be a force to be reckoned with.

"Plus I am sure the Frenchies would love a Qudditch Captain Boyfriend!"

Carter smiled. "Brilliant." he said. Now he just had to wait for the girls to get a little closer.

His face lit up. "You're right. Maybe they'll settle for just a player." it had, after all, worked in the past. "Being able to play more than one position is impressive, right?" he asked.

He watched the girls again. "Here they come." he said elbowing Patroclus.

"BON-DOOR!" he exclaimed waving like an idiot.

Treyen nodded at Kellen. Yeah, sure, it's not like they needed the pompoms right away? Who were they going to cheer on? The Goblet? The pompoms could wait.

The bird!boy on the other hand, was the primary attraction at the moment.

"What? The bird? The bird's got its legs" he said motioning away, because it was already taking flight. Yeah, tiny little legs, or whatever they were called.

The boy tilted his head to one side, "Oh, I think he is" he nodded, and then proceeded to continue with his thoughts, "By the time he gets changed, if he ever does, then he'd be absolved of all crime" he nodded, not that this was a crime or anything of the sorts, but still. Who was going to remember what had happened once the Tournament begins?

Eh. Treyen froze.

And stepped away from the line. He didn't volunteer in class, and he wasn't going to change himself into an animal or bird by touching a silly line.

Shudder.

Then Arya said 'Not Treyen'. "Oh, no, I'm not doing that" yes, the curiosity vanished away as soon as he thought of being turned into a bird himself. "I wouldn't mind having invisible legs, is the bird thing I do mind" yeah, that. "It was pretty awesome, though" he smiled, and eyed the chalk line again.

Treyen smiled a bit, "I think it's supposed to sound more like Bonjour" he said, nodding at the boy. The Huffie had found it amusing somehow.

Kellen was on the point of making an encouraging speech to the younger boy when Arya added that last bit, and closed his mouth again. It only stayed shut for about a second, however, "Fair enough. I'm not forcing anyone." Because that... would get him in a world of trouble. And this term especially, he wanted a pristine record.

He noticed the Beauxbatons enter the room in one big block, and sent a friendly smile their way. He bet they weren't going to have a cheering section with vocal pompoms. Technically the Hogwarts Champions didn't yet either, but he had time to get it sorted. Especially if Arya was going to help and they talked to Professor Carlton about it.