Rhea chuckled at the face that Nikolai has made. Clearly he wasn't digging the idea of having brown stains on his teeth. And why should he, it would just spoil the whole' I'm perfect' appearance thing that he had going for him since the start of the year. Start well, end well, she supposed.

"Ahh, yes fruits are a good choice. No worries of any stains or funny smelling breath after you eat it." She added. Did she mention how much she hated funny smelling breath or food on teeth to him? Because she really did hate that. It was one of her pet peeves. She rolled her eyes and chuckled at his following statement." What if you don't like it? But you don't know if you won't like it because you have never tried it, so it's best that you try it and not like it, than it being really good, but you never know." She smiled confidently. That made sense right?

Rhea chuckled at Nikolai has he removed his hat and bowed, she in turn did a curtsy, playing along with him. Her cheeks warmed at his compliment, but then she smirked."You are quite welcomed kind sir." She was loving how the compliments were coming in this evening, first from Aiden, then jack, now Nikolai, oh yes she was most certainly on a roll.

The young man smiled, a bit mischievously.

"But see... most who would steal my will wouldn't bother to care if I tired of them. Because they could make me do whatever they pleased, they'd be entertained enough that it wouldn't matter how I felt about the situation." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Most would argue that those who steal my will wouldn't care how I feel in general, simply for the fact of them having done so. So I've no clue how it would work, should you command me to tire of you... though I suppose my immunity would win out. Can't change certain things about me."

She'd gone pink again. And had that air of unease, just for him being a little bit closer. He purposely shifted another few centimetres closer, expression behind the mask laced with curiosity. Because somehow, it was sorta starting to feel like it was spreading to him, but he couldn't figure out why.

"You can try, yes." His head tilted the opposite direction, considering. "Though who knows how effective your attempts could be."

She could always command he stop, or take a step back, or not read her mind. It would, after all, neutralise the character he was setting forth.

"Aye, there are. But I only took one." He bit the corner of his lip, the other drawing up in a half-smirk. "If you can't guess, then maybe it wasn't as important to you as you believed." What was his game? "My game? Why would I play with something so serious? This is one of the few defences I'm allowed, for being so easily robbed."

Yup. Easily dominated, but could read minds. That worked out wondrously. Heh. There always had to be something to balance out the bad, didn't there? Something to make up for the empty space that was left. He would never tire of her company, and he could know what she was thinking.

Well, that was an easy to answer question. How could she know when to go with which one? A disbelieving look took over his face.

"That's entirely up to you. If your head doesn't make sense, or you know your heart is right... you just have to weigh them against each other." One hand rubbed the back of his neck. "And in the end, do what makes you happy. If your head isn't making you happy, you go with your heart. Simple as that."

There really was no right answer to that question, in the end. It was completely arbitrary.

She caught that smile. It had a hint of something in it.

She should have known it would related to him teasing and testing her in his reply. She followed his argument carefully, nodding in understanding here and there. "And what about those who steal your will, perhaps without realising it or at least not doing it maliciously, and do care for you? What then?" She wasn't expecting an answer - more she was highlighting a missing case from those he'd suggested. Because there would be a discrepency between not realising about the will and then commanding him, with still caring. It wouldn't happen. "I'm not intending to try it out," she said after a moment, with a relaxed smile. "So no need to worry there. But I'm pretty honoured that you're immune to tiring of me." Because that meant she was more than just an annoyance. Which was a good thing.

Did he? Yes he did. Nia's eyes widened, and she tried not to go cross-eyed as he came even closer. They'd be nose to nose soon. And now he was this close, she couldn't focus on his eyes to see if they would give anything away. Her stomach twisted slightly, and her face grew warmer. He was now close enough for her to catch his scent, not that she could quite place what it was. The weirdest thing? The fact she felt the overwhelming need to step back, but had been rooted to the spot with a small jolt of her stomach.

Of course she could try. "Don't write me off just yet..." she said warningly. She might still be unsure over the legitimacy of his words, but she could still play along. And she trusted him, even in this character, to not truely betray her, her thoughts or her inner most feelings.

"Only the one?" She raised an eyebrow. "Why should I guess my own thought?" she asked him seriously, "Without any clue as to which one you took." She tilted her head sideways thoughtfully. "Is it a memory from when I was younger? Or something to do with the vague present?" She doubted it'd be to do with the future. That one should be well hidden. If he was being fraudalent, she could play along...and see quite how much he believed. If not, then it wouldn't matter - and he could still tell her what he'd stolen from her mind.

Defence? "It'd make an attack all too easy though, wouldn't it?" she questioned. "Not purely from a defensive stance. You'd always be one step ahead. Unless, it's not that accurate, of course."

She nodded slowly. "You make it sound so easy." She knew what he meant of course, and it had caused long periods of indecision in the past. She looked up at him, letting her gaze fall slightly away from his eyes. She didn't want to have to gaze into them right now, in case they gave her away. But maybe, since he seemed to be in a mood of wisdom, he could give her some advice. "Wh-what if your heart would make you happy, but your head knows in doing so you'd make at least one other unhappy?"

"I'm not stupid Destiny. I know that lakes are made up of water. And I didn't need to be in it to know it." Carter said. He then stuck his tongue out at her. Betcha detective!Destiny didn't see that one coming.

"Really?" Carter asked. "How do you know?" he asked. More importantly, how does someone figure that out. He raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever been a fish, Destiny?" he asked. Maybe she was, when she was little. That could explain a lot.

"What are you doing?" he asked watching Destiny hide behind him and Patroclus a little.

"Fine." Carter said grabbing another one. "But I feel bad wasting this one. You eat, you're the one that got it wet." he said holding the wet one out to her. He then took a bite out of the roll in his other hand.

"What then, indeed." She was talking about herself, now. It was easy enough to tell. She wouldn't be so cruel as to disregard his feelings, nor cold enough to forget he had them. They both knew what the outcome of such a situation would be; were the one pulling the strings gentle, then the puppet wouldn't be jerked around. He'd be a happy puppet, at least. Better than he'd been for previous puppetmasters.

Even with the slightest movement closer, her blushing grew more prominent, along with the feeling that she was really uneasy about his being here. Part of him wondered why; if she was uncomfortable, why didn't she push him away, or ask him to step back, or step back herself? She was just... standing there. Allowing it. The closeness was making him feel funny now, but he couldn't figure out exactly why.

Usually he was the first one to present uneasiness at people being so close.

"You think you can hide things from me." His voice was soft, laced with amusement. "How do you expect to do so?"

It was... odd. Being like this. It felt completely abnormal for him, albeit rather fun. If it hadn't been, he would've dropped the façade immediately, and who knew what they'd be doing at the moment. Certainly wouldn't be an angel trying to hide her thoughts from her puppet.

"Only one. I wouldn't take too much from you, really." One side of his mouth twitched, hitching up into a half-smile. "From the ever-foggy present, or very recent past, I should suppose. Not from terribly long ago. That's far too deep to dig for, and in places I wouldn't intrude."

Always ahead? Maybe.

"Unless I end up trailing behind due to surprise. It's a very precise thing, not something that's done at random. Can't just read your mind whenever I so wish, can I?"

Nope. He could only do it to those who had already taken possession of him. That made it fair, right?

"Never said it was easy," he said, one shoulder giving a careless shrug. Things rarely were. Especially in the scenario she'd just presented to him. Were he the one in it... he'd been in it. Wanted something with his heart, but let his head dictate that he shouldn't, couldn't. Wouldn't. Hadn't. And he'd hurt for it. "It's difficult. But... in the end, it's still up to you. If you're willing to believe that the good outweighs the bad, then go with your heart... if you go with your head without considering yourself at all, then you're the one that'll end up hurt."

He knew she'd been talking about her in that statement. Somehow, she could tell he knew. As much as she had taken his will...well, it hadn't necessarily been intentional. And she cared for him. A lot. The idea of controlling him was, admittedly, rather weird. But at the same time, if she could have some kind of control on him enjoying tonight, then that was a good thing. A very good thing. It'd prove she'd been right to convince him to come.

Nia let her fringe fall over her face, trying to hide the colour there. She could tell it was getting more obvious, and she fiddled with her skirt, screwing it up in her hands. Yet she still couldn't move. Something about him had caught her there. And she didn't know quite how to feel about it. Had he noticed? She swallowed slowly. Whatever she might be feeling right now, she couldn't let him realise something was up. Because it might ruin the whole evening for them both.

She rubbed her lips together, moistening them, and then took a deep breath. She could hide this awkwardness. Raiden didn't need to know, as long as he hadn't guessed already.

His voice brought a smile to her lips. "Do you forget, I have Ravenclaw brains? I'm sure I can find a way..." she answered. "Whether I have enough time to do so though, before you steal all my thoughts away is a different matter."

Here he was, the dark master of stealing thoughts, and he only took one from her. "I appreciate your kindness, then. Because, I would feel lost without my thoughts and dreams." She watched the smile, trying to work out if he was faking or not. She still couldn't tell. What was impressive though, was this character. "I had a number of thoughts in the present. So you still tease me over the one you stole. You riddle me, and yet do not leave enough clues." All she knew was that it was recent. And that he hadn't intruded too far. "And somehow, I guess it was more interesting than the NEWTs revision I've been doing over the last couple of days..."


"You can't?" she looked at him in surprise. This was turning out to be a very well thought out exercise. Which was slightly scary, because it might be starting to fool her. "So when do you know you can attempt to read my mind?"

She sighed. Of course it wasn't easy. He seemed to ponder her scenario for a bit, but his answer wasn't satisfying. If she did that, then the most likely thing would be everyone got hurt. Because, she'd be a bad person for making the others hurt. And the guilt would feel horrendous. "I get hurt. We all get hurt. One compared to many seems the better judgement." Not that he'd know how or who or why. And he didn't need to. That was a decision made.

When the slight movement set her fringe in her face, the young man bit his lip; he was overstepping, wasn't he. Gaze flickered down and caught her hands, gripping her skirt as if she were trying to not do something. Push him away, probably. Hmmm.

It didn't bother him as much as it should have. Her obvious discomfort.

"Ravenclaw brains can only do so much. And it's not an inborn skill, hiding things and blocking people out. Have you learned how?" If she had, then she knew he was messing with her. He assumed she knew, at least, because really... of all people to have the power to peek into others' minds, Raiden? Heh. It was still fun to play as if he could.

Hmm. Many thoughts?

"Well if I tell you any more, I might as well just give it back. That would be no fun at all for me." He shook his head, however. "I wouldn't steal your dreams away, though. I don't think I'm quite that capable."

Her question coaxed another mischievous smile to his lips, and he shifted stance so he was staring directly into her eyes again.

"After you've robbed me. Only then I can do this." One finger tapped the tip of her nose. "Why do you think I've never, before. I could've been tip-toeing around in your mind all I wanted."

Everyone would... everyone? He knew that situation well too. The smile faded slightly, lips drawing down into a light frown. She couldn't have whatever she wanted, because it would hurt other people, and hurt her?

"In the end, someone will end up hurt, and there's no way of knowing the outcome of everything. The only thing that's really for sure is that... well. Even if you hurt someone, it doesn't last forever." Unless it was physical injury, then it could. But he was pretty sure she wasn't talking about that. "Sometimes... good things can come from that hurt."

Oblivious. Completely and utterly oblivious.

She dropped her skirt, smoothing it down lightly. And then she gripped her hands together. Now sh'ed made the conscious decision to ignore whatever was making her feel this nervous and sick, she wasn't sure whether to hug Raiden to apologise for her odd behaviour, or simply to step back a bit. Instead, she took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. More for encouragement to herself, but it might be read as 'I hope you didn't notice the weird thing that just went on, but if you did...I'm sorry'. She wasn't sure she'd be able to verbalise quite what she was feeling at the moment, even if she really wanted too.

"Are you putting a limit on my knowledge?" Nia looked indignant. She didn't sit in the library reading textbooks for nothing! "I can apply what knowledge I have on the subject, and see if I can make it work." Because strictly speaking, no, she hadn't learnt how. One didn't assume they'd being subjected to mind reading by a masked man at a costume ball, afterall. Or fake mind reading. The more they talked, the more she became uncertain...or did she? Could she really believe Raiden had such an ability, and would reveal and use it?

Hmm.

"But it's fun making me guess?" Nia shook her head with a sigh. "I think you might be playing that game with a lost cause. Because, I have no idea what you might have taken." Might being the word. She was thinking he was playing with her. Could she play up back? Try and catch him out? "Unless, it was about...well, the thing hidden under..." She drifted off, looking up at his face to see if she could get any insights of a reaction to her words.

"So, you're ability is all down so me?" She raised an eyebrow. "How many have robbed you and allowed you to read their thoughts?" And he was looking straight at her eyes again. She was going to get lost in them soon, never to be pulled out again. At least she would if he stayed this close and kept looking at her like that. "Maybe you're usually too polite to do such as thing. And tonight, the temptation is just too great..."

"But I can guess. And from that I can deduce the most likely outcome. And it might not be forever, but if I am a friend, a small hurt is still way too much." Her mind was set. She could be strong enough. She had to be. "I'm not sure yo-" For a slightest of seconds, Nia's yes widened as she caught herself just in time. "I'm not sure they'd agree. Whatever, someone would get hurt. And a little bit of pain in me is better than seeing something else more valuable torn apart..."

Brant made his way to the food table he was starving, he had danced too much. He first picked up some pumpkin juice and chugged it down, then taking some pastries and stuffing them in his face. He wasn't the neatest of eaters.

The young man's eyes immediately went to his hand as she grabbed hold of it, and remained there for more than a moment. Somehow, that felt... just... odd. Not bad odd, just... different from how it had been any other time any person had taken his hand. His stomach gave a tiny little squirm, and were he actually paying attention to it, he might've noticed the familiarity of the sensation.

But he wasn't at all. Which was very good for Nia, really.

"Personal knowledge, no matter how much you have, is finite, Nia." Her indignant look caused him to immediately frown, just a little, and he might have pouted again, though only just the slightest bit. "There's always something that you don't know. When you figure out what you don't know, then you can learn it, but there's always going to be something past that."

That's why nobody ever stopped learning. Unless they were idiots. Idiots thought they knew everything and tried to learn nothing. Nia was not an idiot.

She also apparently didn't know how to block him out of her mind, if he had had the ability to sneak into it. Hehe.

Her wonderings drew no real reaction from him. The pouty expression disappeared, and his eyes reflected only amusement. The young man merely nodded in answer to her question. It was fun, making her guess.

"I won't give you any hints. You'll figure it out eventually, or..." he smirked. "Or it'll just be my secret now."

How many had allowed it? Raiden tapped his chin thoughtfully. How many people would have allowed it, were it true? Who would let him wander around in their minds, stealing thoughts and listening in on secrets?

"Well. Nobody's allowed me to do it," he said finally. His voice dropped a bit, to just above a whisper, and he leaned even closer, past her face, and put his mouth right next to her ear. "It's a secret. If I told everyone, they'd just make it difficult to do, wouldn't they." He paused. "What if I'm not as polite as you seem to think?"

It was possible. He'd seen people act one way around certain people, and then act completely differently around others. His father's behaviour certainly fluctuated whenever his girlfriend and her daughter were around.

He leaned back again, returning to where he'd been, and frowned. Frowned, Nia. Because surely whatever hurt she could inflict on a friend wouldn't be that horrible. She wouldn't do it intentionally, like Cela had done to him. She wouldn't try to hurt, thinking it was best.

yo-

Raiden's brain immediately froze the second that syllable passed Nia's lips.

yo-

When one plugged it into the rest of the sentence that she repeated with a different word... This situation suddenly became far less hypothetical and far more sticky.

Not letting his face show any sort of surprise or worry, he tried to focus on the rest of what she was saying.

"You think far too little of yourself sometimes." He should move. He should... step back or something. And were his feet responding, he would have, but they seemed to be stuck where they were, and he was stuck just... staring at Nia. His stomach gave another twist, demanding the slightest bit of his attention, which didn't help anything in this situation at all. "You're... you're worth a little bit of hurt, I'd think."

Oh Merlin, please let him be reading everything about this situation the wrong way.

He didn't react to her taking his hand. Not more than just looking at it. Should she continue to hold it? Or ignore it? She wasn't sure. She'd had an arm through his earlier, and had held his hand when they went to deal with the food fight, but now it felt different.

She left it there for the moment. It'd probably draw more attention to let go. Make him ask more questions. Instead, she just loosened her grip slightly. Enough so he could casually slide his hand away, if desired. And with that sorted, she turned her attention to what he was saying.

"Sure, I know that." But her finite knowledge was probably far vaster than some others. And it was always growing. "Why do you think I spend so much time in the library?" Because there was always something new and exciting to turn one's attention to. Surely he realised that though? She almost looked shocked at the idea he might not have done. If she didn't get her dream of playing Pro Quidditch, Nia would totally go into research of some sort. Any sort. As long as her brain kept busy.

He was playing with her. She'd seen the amusement in his eyes. She purposely let her shoulders droop and looked dejected. "I think then, the secret must be yours. Because, I can't start to think which of my memories you would steal and find interesting." She looked up at him, the slightlest hint of a wibble on her lips. "If you took one..."

She took his emphasis. Letting someone else see your thoughts was a scary business. Of course they wouldn't allow it. Not without safe guards. His whispering in her ear make Nia look up with a wry smile. "How mysterious," she replied softly. Not polite? "Then that's a risk I'm prepared to take." Especially now she knew she was just playing along, and not actually at risk.

He was frowning at her. Why? Because she was protecting someone. And not just any old someone. She looked back, almost a hint of defiance and confidence in the decision she'd made. He might not think it was good for her to get hurt - what friend would? She'd have been the same - but this was different.

Had he noticed her slip up?

Her stomach tied itself in knots, and she swallowed slowly to try and moisten her mouth. If he had, he wasn't showing it to her. A feeling of nauseousness swept over Nia, and she would have taken that moment to excuse herself to the bathroom if she hadn't have thought it would make things worse. Raiden wasn't stupid. Her disappearing at that particular time would be no use whatsoever. He'd put two and two together.

She was an idiot. Stupid mouth, giving herself away.

But she should reply. Yes. "Maybe I do...but better too little than too much." She gave a small shrug, as if it was nothing. Her mind was racing though. Figuring what to do. The most logical thing to do. Old habits died hard. "Thanks," she said softly. He probably didn't know quite what that comment meant. "It's not worth risking a friendship for though." Or this evening with him, for that matter. She looked distant for a moment. "It means something to me, it really does. I hope it does to someone else..."

And now...resume normal proceedings, before this evening turned from a dream to a nightmare? She could fight for that.

"Did you want to dance?"

She could focus her attention on that for a bit, yes.

Adam grabbed some chips and stuffed them into his mouth. It seemed the problem with Kurumi was being or had been resolved and he had been of no help. He sighed a little, wondering when they could get back to dancing, but that was all up to her. He wondered who else would be at the party, and began to think that Katie might be surrounded by thousands of boys...

Katie sat down not noticing that Adam was right next to her, she was bored, and hungry, she had no one to dance with and Katie thought thats how the whole night would be, pretty much all the boys had someone and so Katie was just left here alone, maybe she should change her ways? Back to how she used to be, but no one knows about that side of her, she wished to have kept that secret for the whole of hogwarts, but maybe she might have to show that side of her, she looked up from the table and there she finally noticed Adam, "Hey Adam" Katie said smiling at him.

"Oh hello."Adam said side hugging her. They hadn't talked in ages, and he began to wonder what had happened to Katie. They were first loves in a way, but just good friends now. She seemed lonely, or at least alone at the moment, and that wasn't really her, now was it?"Are you alright? Wanna talk about something?"He asked, offering her a cupcake he had taken from the food table.

Katie smiled as Adam gave her a side hug, she side hugged him back, it was good to see Adam again, as it had been awhile since she had seen him, they should really catch up more, but then again, the past few days she had been alone so it wasn't surprising that haven't seen each other, most of the days Katie had been hidden away in the Slytherin Common room alone. "I've been better" Katie said, and it was true, she had defiantly been better then today. "It depends, do you want to know whats on my mind?" Katie asked, and no, n=boys were not on her mind, it was the past. Katie took the cupcake and took a bite and smiled, she sallowed and said. "Thanks"

He didn't slip his hand away, even as her fingers loosened around his. It wasn't a point of concern right then. Even if he was starting to feel a weird buzzing in his fingertips, almost the same sensation that one would feel when a body part fell asleep. He ignored it dutifully, because if his hand hadn't fallen asleep, there were only a few things it could be, and the most likely was one that it definitely wasn't allowed to be.

It was hard to think about what she was saying when his mind was flickering and obsessing over other things.

"Because you're learning. But that still doesn't mean you know everything." His character had gone a little shaky, with his thoughts being elsewhere.

Merlin. Merlin.

The secret was his, then? Well, he'd accept that. Lips parting slightly with a grin, he looked away, then set his eyes back on her. She'd figured his game out, and wasn't willing to think he could read her mind. This was her way of calling him out, wasn't it?

"Then I'll keep it. Feel free to guess at it in the future, whenever you think you've any idea of what it could be." His surprise may have registered in his voice at the next comment, but only because he allowed it to. "You doubt me? I wonder why that is."

His lips pressed into a line, and he simply watched her as she spoke again. He would never understand her, really. All of his friends were amazing. Most were extremely confident in that fact, it seemed. But not Nia. Nia, who was pretty damn amazing in her own right, refused to accept that simple fact, or proudly believe it of herself.

"You could never think too much of yourself," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. His tone made it clear that the thought she believed herself capable of that was bothersome.

Her next comment made his stomach jerk uncomfortably. It wasn't worth risking a friendship over? He'd had this very conversation with Cela once, hadn't he? He hadn't said a word to her about his continued feelings, because she'd had Plymouth, and then Cope. He hadn't wanted to hurt either of them, or her, and he hadn't wanted to ruin their friendship.

And it had ended up almost getting completely ruined anyway.

"Not yet," he said flatly, in response to her comment about dancing. One hand gripped her upper arm, and he gave her a a gentle shake. "Nia. You and I have the same problem, you know?"

They both gave far too much precedence to others feelings over their own.

"Do what your heart wants. Do you think friendships can really work out if one person doesn't tell the other how they feel?" He was frowning, and fully Raiden again, and just all kinds of out of line and Merlin knew what he was even saying anymore, but this entire situation was far too familiar. "If you don't say anything... if you're just quiet and let it build up like that... it hurts everyone."

Because one day it would just violently explode.

"Stop caring so much about other people. Give a damn about yourself."

Adam thought he had never gotten to know the real Katie. Sure they had chatted, but it was nver nothing personal and that was the best way to get to know someone, right. He nodded his head, said"your Welcome, and yes I would like to know what is on your mind..."

Katie sighed and smiled, she took a sip of water from her handy dandy water bottle and looked into Adam's eyes, she hoped he would understand and wouldn't make fun of her, she trusted him, and it was no surprise that she did as they have known each other for quite sometime now. "Back at muggle school I was very shy and sensitive, I used to hide in the shadows and hardly say a word, I had no friends, that is until I met Brodie and Alice, but those were my only friends back then, I sometimes played soccer with the boys but even then I was shy so when people yelled at me I would just kick the ball, people yelled at me because of that so I stopped playing, since that I thought I needed a friend, so I got a diary and wrote in it everyday, my diary got lost upon the school and everyone was reading it, I was teased and bullied and so everytime I saw someone from my school I ran away, so I guess what I am thinking about right now is that ever since I got the letter I thought I might be able to change myself, hide away my past self, but these days it seems to be coming back, and so I wonder if that is just who I am and I shall always be like this" Katie said, yes it was more then Adam asked to hear but maybe at least one person would understand her for who she was, and let me get this straight, she was a great soccer player, just not good under pressure,

Wow, and Katie had always been the popular Slytherin girl. Adam sighed deeply, never imagining anything like this happening to Katie. It was somewhat like a other friend he knew. But he was a bit confused. "Umm, I'm a little lost, what letter did you just get???"Once she had explained that, perhaps Adam could piece together all the pieces and understand Katie just a bit better than before.

Katie sighed, she wasn't surprised that Adam was lost, she had been a bit lost herself when she had turned hyper, she thought she was a different person back then, but herself was showing so she knew she was herself, anyway back to the subject, "The letter to go to Hogwarts" Katie explained, since she was getting all of this of her chest maybe she should tell Adam the other secret she had? No, well, maybe, only if he could tell there was one more thing on her mind, but for now the other secret would never be told.

"Oh right... I thought you meant a letter from your parents or something..."Adam stared at all the people standing and chatting by the table, then noticed Katie being a bit thoughtful. "Is there more on your mind? I'm still listening...And I all ways will."He smiled.

"Thats alright thinking that" Katie said, she smiled when Adam asked to hear the rest, she was happy to get all of this off her chest, and she was happy that she was telling a person who wanted to hear her problems, at least now she had someone who understood her now, and that felt great, "Katie isn't my name" Katie said quietly so hardly anyone could hear, well technically Katie wasn't, but her real name was like Katie.

Adam leaned forward. Had a bug just zoomed by or did he really hear that. "Come again? Katie isn't you name, what do you mean???"Adam was bewildered and now hurt. He had called her Katie, dated her, was their whole relationship a lie, trust was most important to him in a relationship. Was she living two lives or just decided to have that name?

Katie's smiled faded, she felt bad that she had never told any of her friends her real name, not even when she was dating Adam had she told him, only her and her mother and father know, and the doctors of course know, she know realized that all her life ever since Hogwarts she had been living in a lie that she had made, she was starting to feel sick for some reason but she just ignored it, "My names Katelyn, but I have always said it was Katie" Katie admitted.

He didn't move his hand. Was that a good sign? She laced her fingers between his. It was something to do with them, that didn't involve screwing her dress up again. Or biting her finger nails. It seemed more natural, in a really rather odd kind of way.

"I'm learning. And learning how to apply that learning." She gave him a smile, as she started to get the sense of something being up. Not just anything, either. She knew it was because of her. Because she was hopeless at not showing stuff in her face. "And...I was wrong to imply I know everything. I don't. I never will do. And that's a sad fact of life."

She saw him look away, and stood there quietly, not sure what to do with herself. She swished from side to side, absentmindedly remembering how they'd met at the alumni ball. It'd worked better, with the skirt of her posh dress, and the light dancing on the diamante. A faint smile fell across her lips as she thought about it.

Returning from her brief thoughts, Nia nodded. "That, I might do. For when the right time comes, I might be able to deduce which memory I am missing. Just, keep it safe for me." And then, did she hear surprise in his voice? She looked at him steadily. "I wonder indeed. But I always have been a cynic with this kind of stuff..." Take divination for example. Even the Professor probably knew that she was doubtful on the topic area.

He looked a bit perplexed at her. The way he was rubbing the back of his neck like that. And the tone of his voice. Usually that sort of comment would have made her blush - but in this moment, she wasn't sure what to make of it. She let itt hang there, repeating it mentally. What exactly did he mean by it? And had he realised?

Now she was sure he had. She should have run to the bathroom, if he was going to realise with her here. Because, she could be awkward around him normally. Like this...was just going to end badly. The evening. The term. Her last year at Hogwarts. She didn't want it to turn sour. For Raiden either. And yet, it was all her fault. She needed that distraction. Focusing on her footwork would solve a part of it, she was sure.

She wasn't going to get that chance.

Her heart pounded as he gave a decidedly flat 'No'. Her face fell, unsure what to do. And then he took her arm. Nia's heart was in her mouth, unsure of what sort of problem they might share right at this moment. "We do?" she managed to squeak out.

"I can't do it." It wasn't a protest, it was a statement. But his words were having an effect on her, because soon that statement had turned to her trying to convinced herself it was true. "It's better this way. It has to be." A tear threatened to trickle down from the corner of her eye. She wasn't upset for any other reason than disappointment in herself. She was guilty as charged.

"I can't win..." she mumbled. "If I'm quiet it hurts everyone, if I'm not, it still hurts everyone. I can't let it happen." Her cheeks felt hot, and she let go of Raiden's hand to run her fingers roughly through her hair to get it back off her face.

He was telling her to go with her heart. And to do something for herself. It was the harshness of his last words that got her. They cut through everything else, leaving a raw tender bit trying to decide how to best fend for itself. She grinded her teeth, trying to hold it back.

"I mustn't..." she said softly, looking doubtfully up into his eyes. But she'd already started to wrap her arms round him, and lean in close. And after all they'd spoken about tonight, it was just too tempting. Tonight, he was the darkness to her light. And whether it was just the darkness calling to her, she wasn't sure. She didn't like to think about it. She was a bad angel, now.