Kellen watched Raiden go, glad to see that his friend wasn't staggering or slumping against any more walls. That was an improvement, to be sure. His attention shifted to Sabel, and he smacked a hand down on the boy's shoulder, leading him towards the kitchen, "High ho, high ho, it's off to food we go..."

Dignity. When shaking friends out of a funk, he had none.

A small nod of acknowledgement left him at Raiden's thanks, his eyes watching with concern as the boy disappeared to his common room. It was Kellen's hand to his shoulder that startled him out of thoughts and into a faint smile at the tune. Leave it to Stern to lighten the mood.

There was no harm in joining the fun however, and he placed a hand on Kellen's shoulder with a grin, falling in tune, "With hollow legs for poached-back eggs, high ho, high ho high ho high ho."

Lukas wandred the hallway. The picture had to be here somewhere. Klaudette had said it was a pear. A picture of a pear. It couldn't be that hard. His head bobbed left and right as he scrutinised each painting in turn. Thn on the right he came upon the fruit bowl. He smiled and approached the paiting. He reached out a finger to touch the painting. The pear squirmed out of the way of his finger but he was determined and tickled it in the tummy. Did pears have tummies?

The pear giggled and then gave up the disguise as a doorhandle emerged. He turned it and pulled the hidden door open. he stepped into the warm atmospher of the kitchen.

Making it out of the Slytherin common room, Evelyn decided that perhaps she should get something to eat, considering that she missed breakfast from sleeping in too late. And the fact that lunch in the great hall was just...

Well she craved something different. Not the usual stuff.

So, towards the kitchens she went!

Walking up to the corridor Skylic blinked her eyes several times. "bright lights are bad.." she said letting them adjust after leaving the common room. "Is it always this cheery and bright up in here? Is there anything else in here or just the kitchens? I still am not completely sure where stuff is at."

ACK!

Flinching slightly, the Slytherin whipped around, only to see Skylic. Huh. She had been silent till now. Evelyn had almost forgot about her.

With her expression unwavering from emotionless, the fourth year turned back around and continued on her way down the corridor, listening to the firstie rant about the lights. Evelyn couldn't help but giggle before clearing her throat. Giggling, did not happen. "I think it's the Huffies. Bright people...bright lights..."

Bleh. Huffies. "No it's just the kitchens. I think the Hufflepuff common room is around here too, though I'm not sure. You always see the Huffies here though, so I can only assume..."

Now, where was that stupid pear painting?

"ah that would be a good reason. Waite, I don't see any doors how do you get in?She asked quizzically looking to double check that she had not missed a door.

Doors? "To the kitchen?"

...

Obviously this girl was not very perceptive. Evelyn could help her with that though. "Hidden." she mumbled, continuing to walk down the corridor, looking from painting to painting. Like practically every other place in this castle.

Finally, she found the painting she was looking for. A rather nice still life picture painting of a pear. Why it was a pear, Evelyn had NO idea, but she didn't care. "This, is the door." Yup, right here. Raising up her hand towards a specific spot on the pear, she rubbed her finger against it, and just as she did so, the pear shuddered and shook as if...

It were being tickled! Mwaha! The portrait suddenly swung open slightly, just enough to get her hand around it and open it all the way. Smirking, she turned around and looked towards Skylic. "Got all that?"

Looking up in amazement and slight embarrassment of not realizing that there had to be a magical door. "Ok so a Pear is the door. Why a...I'm not going to ask and just go with it." Skylic looked on as she watched how Evelyn opened it. "Ticklish pear.. So I tickle the pear and it opens I think I got it." This was going to take some getting used to she realized.

"I guess I didn't bother to learn this one since I didn't think we were allowed into here. I thought all our meals were upstairs. What Mum said must be true then, you learn at least one new thing everyday"

Hmm…

Good. She wasn’t one of those girls that asked a million questions. Smirking just the slightest, Evelyn moved to open the portrait door all the way, but paused. Hmm, yes, that is what she did. Nodding, she opened the portrait and…

….

The girl may not ask a bunch of questions, but she sure did talk a lot. No questions is good. Talking a lot, not good. "Oh please…" she laughed, looking back to Skylic. "We’re allowed everywhere. You just need to be careful though about who, what, when, and where." And most specifically, why! "Who is going where, what your reasons are, when you are going, and where you are going." Take those all into account, and you can get into everywhere.

"Anymore questions?" Not giving Skylic the chance to ask any however, Evelyn moved into the kitchens and called behind her. "Close the portrait when you come in."

ooc: To the kitchens?

Vienna approached the painting of the pear unsure of how she was supposed to get into the kitchens she stood there trying to figure it out

"I see, so pretty much whatever is done goes depending on how it is done."She stated to thin air where Evelyn had been standing. Following her into the kitchen she turned and closed the door behind her.


ooc:Sure

Because, no, she was not spending too much time outdoors. Sure, the girl needed the sun a bit because she looked a little pale from all the time spent inside after the task, but, really, how much sun could one get in this winter months?

Exactly.

But she'd been wandering around the Castle itself, and she was growing quite fond of it. Danika still missed Durmstrang, but she was getting used to this, and her English was getting better.

With a muffin (yes, shocking, a muffin) in her hand, she kept on walking through the corridor. The elves in the Kitchen had been pretty helpful.

It wasn't that the young woman wasn't used to people staring at her, it was that she hated how they just stared. No speaking, no nothing. And the only ones brave enough to approach her where the younger ones.

Suffice to say, she was done eating in the dining area. Ambling down the corridor, she glanced at the portraits, unsure what she would have the house elves make her. Maybe some roast beef. Hm.

"Danika?" She was slightly surprised to see the girl. It had been a while since she had last seen her.....not since the first task. Her pace slowed as she approached the other woman.

Eyes glancing at the walls and portraits instead of the corridor, Danika didn't even notice the person approaching her. Or the person walking towards the opposite direction, whichever worked.

The girl stopped when she heard the name being called. Sandra.

Oh. She hadn't seen her since...hey, where was Vlad? Because the last time she'd seen her she was with Vladimir, after the first task. The only task, actually.

"Sandra!" she exclaimed, walking faster to her friend, "Vhere have you veen? I never had the chance of congratulating you" and please don't say you've been spending time outside.

"Congratulations, vy the vay" she smiled, and gave her friend a quick hug.

You know who else she hasn't seen? Zitnik.

"I've been around..." She said with a small shrug. Th young woman stopped walking when she reached the other woman who seemed to have just come from the kitchens. "Been doing a lot of running on the grounds to keep in shape."

Ah. Yes, the congratulations. She had left before her friend could get a chance to congratulate her. A small smile crept on her face as returned the hug. It was a bit awkward....hugging someone who wasn't a snogging partner, but at least it was her best friend, so she didn't have the strong urge to hex her for the action. "Thank you, Danika."

"I just vish ve both could have continued on." She knew how hard her friend had worked for the tournament. Shame it had to end so soon, but at least she got to stay at the school.

"Vhere have you been lately? Haven't seen you around either...." Hadn't been looking, but still, she had wondered where the other woman was.

Oh, that's why. The grounds.

She didn't feel like heading outside, surely Sandra would understand. That's right. They haven't spoken since the task, they haven't spoken about the task itself. This was rather odd, not that they shared absolutely everything, but considering how close they were and not commenting on the task or not seeing each other for a couple days was strange.

Oh? Danika cast 'Muffliato' around them, just in case there were eavesdroppers around. "That...I am not sure of it anymore, it vould have veen great, vut it does not matter anymore" she said, dismissing the not-being-able to continue on the tournament. It seemed only fair, she had nothing to prove, magic-wise. Perhaps Sandra would be surprised by her answer. Perhaps.

"Inside. I do not feel like going outside at the moment, you know?" the girl shook her head, and a hint of sadness could be seen on her face, while she missed the things outside (the snow was something she loved) there was something keeping her from stepping outside the Castle.

And, no, she was not scared.

The young woman didn't blink when her friend pulled out her wand and cast muffliato, watching the motions before allowing her eyes to return to Danika's own. That was......surprising? Sandra was unsure. It wasn't surprising in the sense that Danika wasn't as competitive as she was. But it was surprising in the sense that she wanted more than anything for a complement from their headmaster. So it was only mildly surprising.

"I do knov," She said with a small nod. "The task has given me a strong disliking for plants at the moment." Didn't want to see the damn things again. OR the cave. "But you should go outside. The fresh air vill do you some good." It did her good, but only because of the company she had.

"I spoke to Zitnik vhen visiting Hogsmeade." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "He suggested that ve attend more of the classes to relieve stress. He mentioned Flying and Muggle Studies." She eyed her friend to see her response.

*muffliato is on*

For whatever reason, Danika smiled and nodded, "Ve haven't spoken about the task" which was weird, "It vas all about the plants, vas it not?" she shuddered a bit when she remembered the one thing that was not a plant, but managed to guard one, "Either vay, I know it is not the same as in the cave, vith the snow and all vut I do not think I can at the moment..." eventually, yes, because she still was that outdoorsy type.

A sigh didn't let her finish off the sentence until a couple seconds passed, and even then it was to answer the Zitnik part. Well, Danika was not stressed anymore, odd, right? But this wasn't over for Sandra, she was still going through (and hopefully she'll win). "I have not spoken to him yet" and she said as if she didn't care, truthfully, she didn't, "Vut since I am not going out..." Herbology is out of the question, maybe, just maybe the Magical Creatures one could work, "...and Zitnik is right avout that..." but not about many other things, "...I may take part vhenever the Muggle Studies one starts" there was one time she'd said she wouldn't dare going to that particular class. And it was Sandra the one she'd mentioned that to, no?

She opened her mouth as if to say something else, and then her eyes were down to the floor and then to the muffin in her hand, "...I understood vhat my mother said avout veing reckless..." eyes were back on Sandra now, "...sometimes it vlinds you" where was she going with this? "I know you vill not have that kind of provlem vith the tournament..." but..please be careful? Yes, but she wouldn't say that. "If you need another research or practice friend, you know I am there" a smile widened, and there was a slight nod. Maybe Vladimir was helping her already?

"Now I know this is not as easy, the task must have been avful for you too, vithout your vand...I think I do not make the vest decisions vhen darkness is around, like that time in the Defense room" and the cast of 'Obscuro'.

But here comes the worst part, "That is my veakness, ve all have one Sandra" which means, her friend should be working on hers for the next task.

Now that she thought about it, Sandra hadn't spoken about the task to anyone. Maybe because she didn't really want to explain what was in the cave to anyone? But......her best friend had faced some of the same things, so there wouldn't be much explaining. Simultaneously she nodded her head and ran her hand through her long hair, letting it sweep over her shoulder. "Too many plants, it vasn't too bad at first, but tovards the end, after the lake, they got to be annoying." She suppressed a look. The woman didn't wanna work with another plant unless it was in potions.

She nodded her head again, completely understanding why her friend didn't want to be outside at the current moment. Had she not moved on to the next task, she wouldn't have gone outside again either.

"You should." She tried to reassure her friend that it would be fine to speak to the man, but she didn't know how to express that in words or actions, so instead it came out as a simple statement. "And I shall attend the lesson as vell, along vith a fev others I think...." She mused, except for Herbology. Wouldn't be going anywhere near that area of the grounds for a while.

And now the other woman was beginning to speak about her mother. Even though it didn't show, she felt slightly uncomfortable. But before it could become even more uncomfortable for the woman, the subject changed to her. Something she could talk about comfortably. Smiling at her friend, she nodded her head. "I could alvays use another research and practice friend." Even though Vlad was the one she went to when she needed to study, she would go to Danika as well. The girl was an excellent dueler and researcher.

Sandra made a face. "It vasn't fun, hated not knoving vhere my vand vas." She would have went made if she hadn't have found it so soon. She had run out of polish cleaning the wand, and had to pick up more in Hogsmeade. Who knew what those damn blowtruckles did to her wand.

Her eyes narrowed slightly in confusion, head tilting to the side. "I knov, Danika....." What was she getting at.

You know what? The plants hadn't been half bad, "The Bowtruckles were the worst" yes, because she failed to notice whatever could've served her in the future, and then decided not to go back. No.

She didn't do the going-back parts.

And Zitnik. "If I find him, I vill" it wasn't as if she was going to chase everyone around to find the man, if she found him...good, if not...good too. The girl shrugged, a very odd reaction, especially since it was Zitnik they were talking about. Ha. Sputnik.

Danika smiled, "Then I can help out" as long as she doesn't have to go outside. Not yet, anyway.

But, yes, Danika knew that, she knew Sandra couldn't think of the task as fun, actually, she was certain none of them thought of it fun. Perhaps when they're older. And even then, she doubted it. Danika hated the darkness, and Sandra hated being wand-less. It was not an easy task. The Durmstrang girl nodded.

The girl also knew what Sandra's reaction to the next bit would be, but she said it anyway. She had to, because it was that important. "You have to vork on yours" there, simple. Sandra had to work on her weakness, whichever hers was.

The blowtruckles had been the easiest part for her since she had grabbed the fairy eggs. But maybe her friend hadn't grabbed them, would have explained why her friend had so many scars when coming out of the cave.

"Good." Good. She had done her part in relaying the message to Danika. Whether or not she actually went to look for the Headmaster was another thing. Another not Sandra's problem thing. Though the shrug was odd.

Sandra smiled, glad that she would have her friend's help as well. "I'll send you a patronus vhen I need some help." Or when she just didn't want to study alone.

"I knov I have to vork on them..." Her brow was still slightly furrowed. If she was telling her to study more, then they both knew that she was wasting her time. All of her childhood had been dedicated to her studies, which increased when she attended Durmstrang.

Yes, she had to speak with Zitnik eventually, the sooner the better. She also had to speak with Vladimir as well, he pretty much disappeared after the first task, she couldn't blame him, knowing that he wanted to win this much more than she did.

"That sounds...yes, I vill ve vaiting for it" while doing other things, it's not like she was going to sit around waiting for a patronus, or any other sort of communication.

Yes. That's the answer, except, Danika wasn't expecting the 'them' part, it meant more than one. The girl decided not to comment on it or her friend's brows will be forever furrowed, not that it could happen, "And no, I do not mean 'more study', just in case" but Sandra knew what she meant, there was no point in clarifying that.

"Vere you heading somevhere in particular? I vas going upstairs..." her eyes fell to the muffin in her hand, that was all she wanted to get from this level, something to eat, and she'd gotten it.

Good. She was going to help when Sandra needed. And the girl would need it. She couldn't do all her studying alone. Well.....she could do it all alone, and had done it before. But her friends always made it more enjoyable.

Sandra was still slightly confused as to why her friend felt the need to mention anything that had to do with studying. Most of her time was spent doing that very thing that she was telling her to do. She gave a simple head nod in response.

"I vas heading to the kitchens for a snack..." Because the great hall was too crowded for her liking. Too many staring students.

All good things come to an end eventually.. or so Oliver's mum used say. The Snake knew this lesson in life perhaps better than anyone should at the young age of eighteen (just) years old. But that didn't make it any easier to deal with, and, although there was still a few weeks left, he was beginning to feel the impending unstoppable dread that the end was nigh...

The end of school that is... and boy, was it depressing.

But Oliver Greenwood wasn't good at being all mopey and depressed. His twitchy excitable personality would never allow him to just sit around feeling sorry for himself, so instead, when he felt blue, it would be replaced with an anxious, nervous, energy which escaped him in random, erratic outbursts of hyper obnoxiousness. When Oliver was in this sort of mood, he could be utterly unbearable to be around.

But there was no one around to channel the feeling onto, so instead he hovered outside the kitchens, nervously dancing from foot to foot looking like a small child who was desperate for the toilet, wondering whether stealing the tray of warm sugar filled chocolate chip cookies he could see through the slightly ajar kitchen door was a good idea when he was already unable to keep still.