"Uuhhh..." Max looked from the board to Ellie, back to the board, then up at the girl once again. "I've never played before," he told her honestly, "and it's kind of violent, isn't it?" He wasn't a big fan of that aspect of it. But also... what if she beat him?! The idea of that humiliation caused him to completely chicken out on the simple game of wizard's chess. "Unfortunately, I guess I'm not much of a knight in shining armor, either." He punctuated his point by scooting away ever so slightly, his cheeks a light shade of pink.

Ellie bit her lip and stared at the board. It was supposed to be violent. From what she knew. "I've never played before either, to be honest." She looked back at Max.

Awww. He scooted away. Heh. She smiled again.

"Oh, I guess not. Too bad." Sarcastic, it was. She busied herself putting the pieces away. She could play some other time, maybe. Maybe someone could teach her. But, she figured it wouldn't be much use. Seemed quite complicated.

Max gave Ellie a bashful smile, then scooted closer again to help her put the pieces away. When there were only a few pieces left to put away, he reached for the same pawn Ellie did and his hand brushed against hers. His eyebrows shot up and he instinctively grabbed for another piece, not making eye contact with the older girl. In an attempt to alleviate the situation, he asked, "So, uh, how have you been doing lately?" Kind of an open-ended question, but that was okay. She would roll with it.

Ellie smiled one of those small, knowing smiles. The kind that you smile when you don't necessarily want the person you're smiling at or because to know you're smiling? Like what a mom would smile if she saw her two kids actually playing nicely? That. She smiled in that way when she noticed him coming back, and then helping her.

What she didn't notice, or didn't really think about, however, was his reaction to grabbing the same piece. She only muttered a small 'Oh!' at the time, and continued on when he moved his hand. Things like that happened.

How had she been doing? Just trying to survive, really. Emotional rollercoaster of emotions she wasn't aware she was capable of feeling. Reacting to things she never thought she would react to. Like she didn't even know herself. Scary. "I've been good." she answered, untruthfully. He didn't need stuff she didn't understand herself dumped on him. Plus, she barely knew the kid. Though, she liked him quite a lot.

"How have you been?" she volleyed the question back to him.

A small frown crossed her face as she noticed his change in demeanor. Did he not want to be friends? She didn't think being friends was so bad. And it wasn't like they would stay friends forever. They wouldn't be in any sort of relationship, but they could defiantly be snogging partners.

Absently her hand drifted to his guitar when he placed it on the table. Fingers lightly strumming the strings, hazel eyes locked with his. "My school mates?" She shrugged her shoulders lightly. "They, like you, are my friends as vell." Noel was hot enough, and snoggable enough, to be put in the same category as her fellow Durmstrangers. "The other girl from my school, Danika, is my best friend."

Realizing where he was going with this, she added, "I'm close to both of the guys, but ve're just friends." Unlike him. Was he getting her subliminal message.

Tilting her head to the side, she considered him for a moment. "Vhat about you. Are the other Beauxbatons your...friends?"

Serena smiled at Skye as she sat down. "It is nice to meet you.". She looked at both girls enquiringly as she brushed away a stray bit of hair away from her face and asked.

"How has your day been thus far?"

Serena knew that it was kind of boring conversation but sometimes such conversations can be the start of great friendships.

Neptune Bott closed her eyes and let Kellen take care of her. If only he'd send her to bathe, warm her pajamas for bed, then braid her hair while telling her a bedtime story.... She'd be set.

It was possible Neptune missed her mother. Hmm.

She leaned into this forehead dabbling and took his other hand with both of hers. "What kind of flowers?"

Skye smiled at Serena. "Thanks. You too." She scooted over a little bit to allow Serena more room. She raked her hair back from her face with her hand.

"My day's been fine, I suppose. and yours?" she asked.

Max scrutinzed Ellie's face for a moment. After his brief pause, he simply replied, "Yeah? That's good." He helped her pack the last pieces back into the container then sat back, resting his book in his lap. "I've been all right. I don't get as lost as often anymore, so I think that's a fine accomplishment. The classes are interesting, and the teachers seem nice..." But he didn't really know many people yet. The only people he would classify as anything close to the term 'friend' would be Nia and Ellie.

He just didn't know who to befriend.

Ellie really smiled, the real kind, that was obvious, when he mentioned about getting lost. Heh. Not that she couldn't get lost anymore. She was sure she could manage it if she tried to take new shortcuts or passageways or something, but she stuck to the routes she became familiar with last year. "That's good. Most teachers ARE nice. Just look out for the Potions professor. She's dangerous." Word to the wise. "Do you have a favorite class?" The girl gave an inconspicuous glance at his book. Charms, eh?

Enya walked into the common room at a slow bored pace. She was having one of those days, everything was just so boring and she really couldn't be bothered. Sigh. Peeking around the common room she had just walked into she saw a free seat no one was sitting at. Brillient, she thought walking forward to claim it.

Smiling to herself she sat down and pulled out her notebook and pencil. Time to draw and see what the world gave her today.

occ; For Maura

Max made note of that: Stay away from the Potions professor. That was fine with him - it wasn't one of his most important classes anyway. It was one of those that was a moderate concern and he didn't completely loathe, but he had other favorites. "Care of Magical Creatures is my favorite for sure," he told Ellie, "and flying is fun, but I wish there was Quidditch." Really, though, who didn't? "Charms is fairly simple so far, so it's enjoyable, but I'm excited for the first Transfiguration class. I think I'll like that, too.

"What are your favorites?"

Ehh. This last COMC class wasn't Ellie's favorite. she wasn't the biggest fan of the buggish creatures.

She giggled when he was finished, though. "You sound like me." she said. "Animals, Flying, Charms, and Transfiguration." Her favorites. "What do you like least, then?"

Max grinned. She liked all the same things he did! They were destined to be great friends. "I'm not a fan of... Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Divination, all that stuff. It just doesn't interest me at all," he shrugged and began to fidget with the hem of his robes. "You?"

As mediocre as the conversation was, Max figured it was better than no conversation at all. After all, if Ellie hadn't summoned him over, he would've just been studying away. How unexciting.

Eli entered the common room and spotted his fire-red bestie talking to some guy, and a funny thing happened. His insides suddenly felt all twisted up, like being sick but also like all the air was gone from the room. It felt like he was... jealous?

Surely not! I mean, come on. It was just Ellie. Bestie Ellie. Why would he be jealous of Ellie talking to some pipsqueak kid?

Nevertheless, the squirmy feeling inside remained. Eli decided the best way to combat it was to spot their little tete-a-tete. Which was French for 'super private conversation that Ellie shouldn't be having with anybody but Eli Jarod', of course. He had read it in a book.

He caaasually walked over to Ellie and That Guy. "Hi there, Els. What's up?" Els? What the 'Els' was THAT about? He'd never nicknamed her in their lives. Still... he kind of liked it. It marked her as familiar to him, as belonging to him. Back off, That Guy. This bestie was already spoken for. He gave the boy a cursory nod, meant to nonchalantly acknowledge his existence without being inviting or inclusive.

My Ellie. Mine.

"Oh no. Arithmancy, Astronomy, Ancient Runes, I'm all terrible at. There's a bit too much thinking involved. I'm much better at practical things." Hence, why she liked Charms and Transfiguration. "Divination..." she chuckled. "Well, I can't SEE, so, I'm useless in that class. But I still go. The professor's really cool." He's FUN. And let's her release her sarcasm in derogatory taunts on the subject that he doesn't take personally. That's, like, the very definition of a cool professor. "Then there's potions. I really don't like it. My family, aside from my grandmother, doesn't use potions. So, I'm not too fond of them, either. I just go..." to be there in case the teacher snaps again. "to.. earn extra points." Yeah. No use scaring the poor kid.

Oh. Eli.

"Els?" Ellie raised her eyebrow at him. "That's a new one." Hah.

But, anyway. "My grandma gave me this chess set," she gestured towards it, "and I was going to try and play. But, of course, I didn't get very far. I met Max, here," another gesture, only towards the first year this time, "in Diagon Alley. He was reading, and I asked him if he could help. He's never played before, either, though. So we cleaned it up and now we're discussing what classes we like." And that, ladies and gentlemen, was what was up.

"So. Max," she looked at the boy, "Eli." Head nod. "Eli, Max." Intros done.

"Pleasure." Eli said in a dismissive cool tone to Max. "I know how to play wizard chess. Even muggle chess, but wizards chess is loads better." he said eagerly, pulling up a seat to join them. "I could teach you, if you want." he offered to Els. Yes, Els. Eli's Els. He looked at the poochy-lipped pretty boy and felt another twist of whatever-it-was in his gut. Also, the boy didn't have ridiculous purple hair. Ellie probably liked regular hair. Twist. "I'm really good at teaching." he added, his pulse increasing for no good reason. Because Eli Jarod was not jealous of That Guy Max. No way.

Skye looked up as someone sat down not too far from them. She looked out of intinct to see who it was, but quickly looked away as she recognized Enya.

Oooooooh.

She hadn't spoken to the girl since the Feast on the first day of school. Skye bit her lip, hesitated, then got up to go talk to her. "I'll be right back," she promised the other girls.

It was near the holidays, after all. Time for some spirit.

"E-Enya?" she said carefully. "Er...I wanted to apologize for g-getting you in trouble at the beginning of the year, and...er...I'm s-sitting over there if you want to join us." She went back to her seat. She felt better now.

"Sorry," she said to Izzy and Serena. "I'm back now."

"Yeah, yeah, me too!" He totally understood. The practical things. He understood the other stuff just fine, he just didn't like it. "What's not to like about Potions? I mean, it's not that hard. You just follow instructions. I just think it's... dull?" That was Max's downfall - he loved to learn, but if it was about something he didn't care about, he often struggled to keep some motivation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli Jarod

Eli entered the common room and spotted his fire-red bestie talking to some guy, and a funny thing happened. His insides suddenly felt all twisted up, like being sick but also like all the air was gone from the room. It felt like he was... jealous?

Surely not! I mean, come on. It was just Ellie. Bestie Ellie. Why would he be jealous of Ellie talking to some pipsqueak kid?

Nevertheless, the squirmy feeling inside remained. Eli decided the best way to combat it was to spot their little tete-a-tete. Which was French for 'super private conversation that Ellie shouldn't be having with anybody but Eli Jarod', of course. He had read it in a book.

He caaasually walked over to Ellie and That Guy. "Hi there, Els. What's up?" Els? What the 'Els' was THAT about? He'd never nicknamed her in their lives. Still... he kind of liked it. It marked her as familiar to him, as belonging to him. Back off, That Guy. This bestie was already spoken for. He gave the boy a cursory nod, meant to nonchalantly acknowledge his existence without being inviting or inclusive.

My Ellie. Mine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaRoHeGiNeLu

Oh. Eli.

"Els?" Ellie raised his eyebrow at him. "That's a new one." Hah.

But, anyway. "My grandma gave me this chess set," she gestured towards it, "and I was going to try and play. But, of course, I didn't get very far. I met Max, here," another gesture, only towards the first year this time, "in Diagon Alley. He was reading, and I asked him if he could help. He's never played before, either, though. So we cleaned it up and now we're discussing what classes we like." And that, ladies and gentlemen, was what was up.

"So. Max," she looked at the boy, "Eli." Head nod. "Eli, Max." Intros done.

And then... a boy came over, completely ignored him-... oh wait, then he gave Max the slightest head nod of acknowledgement.

How polite of him, no?

Max may have only been eleven, but he wasn't stupid. He knew when he wasn't welcomed anymore. Even though Ellie gave introductions, Eli made it very clear that Max was missing something. Was Ellie in a relationship with this rude kid? He couldn't imagine that it was so - she had better sense than that, right?

With his entire face and ears a deep shade of red, Max rose to his feet the moment Eli sat down. Without saying a word, he picked up his Charms book, gave a sheepish head nod to both Ravenclaws, and hurried for the boys' dormitory, his head hung low the whole way.

How embarrassing.

"Oh hey." Ellie eyed the boy. The one with purple hair. That was not very nice of him. Not very characteristic of him either. She'll. Yeah, she'll beat him up about that later.

He knew how to play? She figured he might. "Do you now? I'd love to learn sometime." If she could focus for long enough to learn.



She wrinkled her nose. "They just seem gory to me. There's all kinds of things in them you wouldn't normally put in your body. And they taste so foul." Her headache curing potion was the only one she drank, really. The only one she ever drank. And probably the only one she ever will. Hopefully.

Ellie looked curiously at Max and his reaction to Eli. Well...Eli was being rude, so that didn't surprise her. But she was concerned about the color his face was turning. "Are you al-" right? She was gonna ask. But he was gone. SIGH.

She shot a look back at Eli. Silently scolding him and his behavior. Her face was asking him just what that was all about.

Eli kept a straight face as he saw the boy leave, but his eyes sparkled happily and the twist in his stomach loosened with relief. That Guy was out of there.

He turned to look at Ellie and -- oh dear. The knot returned in his stomach as she gave him that look. "What?" he asked, raising his eyebrows innocently. "He must not have liked chess all that much." He lifted his feet, resting them up on That Guy's chair. "So do you want to play?"

"What was that all about?" Ellie gave him a shove. He was being mean. She liked Max. Poor Max.

Play? Well... Since Max was leaving. And, she would feel bad to NOT play with the set her grandma gave her for no reason. So, yeah. "I suppose..." She reached over and got the container they had just put the pieces back into, and dumped them out again, ignoring their little annoying cries.

Eli shrugged. "About? That guy decided to beat feet. Dunno why, maybe he had a class. You like him or something?" he tried to sound casual as he asked this Very Important Question. To look casual, he started setting up the pieces, enjoying the way they felt squirming in protest in his hands as he set them up. It made him feel powerful. "What color do you want to be?"

"He went to the dorms, he didn't have a class." Duh. And he was the more logical one? "You were being a jerk." Yes he was. "Yes, I like him." Or she wouldn't have been talking to him, inviting him to play with her, now would she? "He's sweet." And shy and ickle.

Uhm... "I'll be white." Ellie watched him set up the things. That was much quicker than it took her. He didn't need the letter at all...

Eli's face drained of color and the twist came back into his guts, worse than ever. "Y-you like him." he said quietly, looking at the board. Why was this freaking him out? It wasn't like he had a crush on her. She was just Ellie! His best buddy, but not like that.

"White." he said softly, turning the board so the white pieces were on her side.

"Why do you like him? I mean, he looked like an ordinary doofus to me. What's so special about him?" He wrinkled his nose with distaste, but kept his eyes down, hoping she wouldn't recognize that he was jealous. Because he wasn't jealous, not a bit, and if he was he wouldn't admit it, even to himself.