It had suddenly got a bit colder out. Either that, or Raiden hadn't noticed it setting in until just that moment. Or, it was possible that Sabel's sadness, and what was happening, had just sucked the warmth right out of the world.

Swallowing hard, Raiden looked away from his friend; doubtless, Sabel would hate himself for doing this in front of him, or anyone for that matter. It couldn't be helped, but that didn't mean that Raiden had to make it worse by staring.

"We... I'm sorry." The prefect stared very resolutely at the opposite wall. "...I don't know what to say, or what I can do to help."

He hated not being able to say that it would be okay.

The smile that had been fighting to get to the surface, to try and comfort the grief of his friend, broke through a little, despite the agony inside. It almost would have been better to be completely unfeeling. "Thank you..." Reaching up he weakly clasped the wrist that had him by the shoulder, his hand trembling with the restrained emotion. He wasn't entirely sure how to explain what it was he was thanking his friend for, so he clung to the feeling, a gratefullness, for the support, for not being completely alone. "...Thank you..."

Suddenly, the letter in his hand seemed so insignificant now. Raiden's eyes flickered down to it, and to the box that Sabel had given him. The box that Sabel's mum had given him. The relief he had felt after reading Truebridge's scrawl... no dragons.

What did dragons matter. He'd prefer the dragons to this. At least with dragons, he could do something. Whether it was facing them or hiding from them... he could do something.

But right now, he had no words to give to Dakest. That was so, so much worse than dragons.

"D'you want to go inside," he murmured, for lack of anything else to say. "It's getting chilly."

The cold didn't do his shoulder any favours. It did sadness even less.

It took him a good minute to register Raiden's questions through the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind, and another good minute to try and figure out the reasoning behind it. It was fall. Fall was cold. His eyes drifted about, around the dimming corridor before a slight nod left him. He could feel it now, the cold, clutching to bone and skin. Or had that been there all along?

Pushing himself gradually to his feet, he found his movements much slower than they usually were as he absently picked up his backpack and shifted it onto his shoulder. Light and almost empty. Heaviness weighted in the pit of his stomach this time. One gift left for Kellen and then there was only the picture. Christmas break couldn't come fast enough.

It didn't take Raiden as long as Sabel to get up. He pushed himself to his feet, folding Truebridge's letter up and stuffing it into his pocket, taking care to make sure it was in there all the way so it wouldn't somehow disappear. He needed that. He had to show it to Miles, so the guy would understand when Raiden decked him.

The box he held in his left hand, taking special care to not drop it or anything. This was... infinitely more important than it had been when Sabel handed it to him. The necklace was safely in his jacket pocket, as he hadn't yet had the mental coordination to consider putting it on.

Slinging his right arm around Sabel's shoulders, he gave a gentle tug and started toward the castle.

Though he didn't have the proper thought process at the moment to verbally admit it, the direction Raiden offered him with his arm was of great help. He had found himself going into another distant-stare trance, logical thought and purpose being wiped clean from the slate of his mind. But this, a grounding gesture, brought him back a little bit and he made no resistance or complaint to walk with the Slytherin Prefect back inside.

Perhaps now, Raiden understood why he couldn't entertain the thought of the Slytherin's life being on the line. And why, it hurt so much more to be so suddenly separated from his friendship with Arya. But that wasn't now. Now, he focussed on getting inside and then from there...he would have to figure that out when he got there.

Was that a tinge of pink coming up on her face? A blush perhaps? Or was she cold? "Not a lot of peop- If it iz your dream, zen everyone should be supporting you!" That was an outrage. Maybe it was just the way he grew up, having only his mother’s advice, but no one should be putting down anyone’s dreams. Even friends supposedly hadn’t been supportive? She did say not a lot of people. Noel could only assume. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly through his nose as he ran a hand through his hair, a chuckle suddenly escaping him. "You have a good guess. Charms…in fact." Smiling, he bumped her on the shoulder gently with his own. "See? You will be a fantastic in your career choice."

Laughing a bit louder this time, he crossed his legs by his feet and held onto the edge of the fountain, leaning back a bit so the steam could play off his back. That felt so much better! "Sounds like it would be worz a try." Riding a broomstick on the ground? Well he certainly enjoyed flying, so any other way to get the feeling of flying was something he’d do. "Alright. I will not hold back, if you teach me to ride a motorcycle." He’d seen others ride them of course, and never found them all that interesting. In fact, he found them quite annoying, but this new information had caught his attention. Hearing her pleasant laugh, soft to his ears, he couldn’t help to keep the charming smile off of his face. However, he had to turn his face away to keep her from really noticing that darn blush that kept appearing. Though he was pretty sure it was gone by now; just the cold wind possibly making his nose and ears red.

"Receiving help from a competing school?" he asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his blue eyes as he nodded his head here and then to show he was thinking about it. Of course she was previously from Beauxbatons, he knew that, but she was technically going to this school now. "Well zen…I suppose I will just have to take it." To decline help from someone like Cosette would be like not using ink when writing with a quill. It just did not make sense! Besides, he could use any help that was given to him. Just, hopefully it didn’t become some big thing and him ending up in trouble. Feeling a gentle touch on his hand, his gaze moved down to his hand, seeing her soft hand on top of his.

Getting past the first task was no problem in his mind. It was making it out of there with all his limbs intact that was the problem. "Je suis certain que vous avez raison." He said quietly, almost whispering while turning his hand over underneath hers, clasping them delicately. Just in case she felt like pulling her own hand back of course. Blinking a few times as he continued to stare, a grin finally appeared back onto his face as his eyes looked up to Cosette without moving his head. "But, you must go to ze dance. If zere iz one of course. Oui? Promesse?" One night away from studying wasn’t going to kill anyone.

Alright, it might him, but he was thinking of it like that. Nodding his head, a low laugh escaped him before turning to the side on the fountain’s ledge, slouching slightly since was a bit tired of sitting up straight all the time. "Oui, zat would be…nice." More then nice. Having Cosette as a dance partner, surely all the guys there would be jealous! "Zough, do you zink whoever your partner iz might be jealous if I asked for more zen one dance wiz you?"

Freya smiled when a girl approached her. "Hello there. Nice to meet you Ever.Is okay if I could you Ever?" she asked. "Oh.I'm Freya. Freya Salvatore and I'm Slytherin first year too. It seems we haven't met each other back in the common room" she said smiling and shook Ever's hand.

Now he was really getting to her. Cosette had never gotten so many compliments, even from guys she was fully wooing for her schemes. He was.. a breath of fresh air, one that she wish she got more often. Smiling, she looked down to her other hand that was still in her lap. It was getting a little more brisk outside. "I wish more people were as understanding as you, monsieur." She looked up at a sidelong glance from underneath her fringe. Although her hair always got in the way of her looking up at people, she always liked the sort of mysterious sheen that it made her feel. Clucking her tongue, she smiled a pearly white grin. She had a gift. "What can I say?" She shrugged her shoulders, rolling them back after for a stretch. "Perhaps you can help me, I was reading a Charms book. Have you head of the book Confronting the Faceless?" She nodded, remembering the title right. "I haven't quite mastered it, but maybe you can help me with the Supersensory Charm?" It was a tricky one and she was hoping he might be able to help her.

He made her feel.. playful. It was a strange feeling, one that she thought she would never really feel, at least, not from someone who wasn't her family. Should she shun the feeling? She didn't know. Putting on a coy smile, she nodded. One taker down for the motorcycle ride. "I must warn you, my bike is my bébé." Books and her Bike. Two things in the world she valued most. Along with her library of antiques as well, of course. Rolling her unoccupied hand in the air, she smiled. "Magnifique. Je vais vous tenir." She looked at him with a suspicious look before smiling and giving him a wink. Now she felt like she was doing the normal kind of flirting girls did. Nothing she ever really had done. Was she suddenly changing? No. She was just.. being normal. No Scheming Cosette. Just.. normal Cosette. She thought.

Seeing him turn his face away, she bit her lip before nodding her golden blond head. Hopefully she wouldn't get in trouble, let alone shunned by her school. She would help Fletcher out.. maybe. If came to her for help, that is. They were conspiring to help put Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff up in the ranks for House Cup, weren't they? "Of course. I may be a student at this school, but in my heart and spirit, I will always be a true Beauxbatons." She smiled genuinely. They had better weather, better teaching, better.. dare she say it? Better students and most definitely, better men. Feeling his hand roll over in hers, she looked down and smiled. His hands were warm, thus warming hers. She felt rather proud she was ballsy enough to take the leap and take his hand. She was now feeling a bit warmer now. "I will be in the stands cheering for you, don't worry. Je vais tenir un pendentif et tout."

She shrugged her shoulders, feeling herself almost want to slouch like him. Her proper manners were urging her not to, so she bit the inside of her cheek and stayed upright. If she hadn't set the fountain to steam, her back would be killing her. Feeling a blush rise under her cheeks once more, she noticed his red nose and cheeks too. Was he asking for a dance from her if they have a ball? "Oui, I will go. I will light up the room with my impecable dancing, as well." She joked, lightly chuckling. She was quite a good dancer, depending on the outfit.

Squeezing his hand, she smiled and looked over at him. "If I 'ave a partner, you mean." She had a feeling she wouldn't go with anyone, even if someone asked her. Unless.. it was him. She would probably say yes. He seemed to be the most un-self centered person here. Unlike every person she has met so far. "If I don't.. you can half me for ze whole evening." Smiling, she arched her back against the steam and looked up at the sky. It seemed to be getting a bit darker.

Trixie shuffled a little as she looked at Neptune. She seemed happy to see her, well guess she could stay then, she certainly had nothing better to do and she was quite good company, if not slightly random company.

Erm... Okaaaaay?

So they were linking arms, she'd go along with that. Aww she was glad she was here. Sweet. That was so....

Hang on? O_o

Ashamed of herself? Why on Earth would SHE be ashamed of herself. "Why have I been keeping up waiting?" she asked a little confused. Meh at least she was okay, couldn't be said for her though.

*Sigh*

"Eveeeeeer", Fee smiled as she saw her friend talking to one of her closest friends.
Oh this was going good.
"Whats uuuup?"
Fee then turned to Freya.
"Hey hun", she smiled.

Quote:

Originally Posted by feltbeatslover22

Trixie shuffled a little as she looked at Neptune. She seemed happy to see her, well guess she could stay then, she certainly had nothing better to do and she was quite good company, if not slightly random company.

Erm... Okaaaaay?

So they were linking arms, she'd go along with that. Aww she was glad she was here. Sweet. That was so....

Hang on? O_o

Ashamed of herself? Why on Earth would SHE be ashamed of herself. "Why have I been keeping up waiting?" she asked a little confused. Meh at least she was okay, couldn't be said for her though.

*Sigh*

Neptune batted the question right out of the air with dainty little hand motions. Didn't matter, stop dwelling on the past. Best foot forward, see?

"I'm tired of boys," she announced. And for some reason... Neptune Bott did not accumulate girls that were friends. Boys? Sure. She had a few of those in her right hand. Awww pretty boys for petting and snuggles.

No girls though.

But Trixie. Precious, simple Trixie. Neptune SNUGGED her again. "We should get pedicures. Do the House elves do that here?" NEptune made a face. She didn't really want those ... creatures.... touching her perfect toes.

Okaaaaaay then. Don't answer her question. Well she was here now wasn't she so no complaining. That is if she was complaining...

Now there was a statement that Trixie completely agreed with. Boys were just annoying, well a lot of them were. And they were heartbreaking *sniff* "I hear ya" she sighed. Though that statement was kind of, well extremely actually, random. "Did you know me and Jayce broke up?" she asked. Probably not. Why would she know? Although sad Trix had been popping up here and there a lot. It was a good job Trixie's best friend was male otherwise she'd probably hate boys altogether.

*Sigh*

Anyway what was it they were talking about again? The blonde looked a little confused as Neptune snugged her, she could be certain none of her friends had done that before, but she simply shrugged it off and looked instead over at the other side of the Courtyard.

Pedicure? Now that sounded appealing. Very in fact. "Unfortunately I don't think that's a speciality of the House Elves" she giggled a little. "Sounds great though" she grinned.

Oliver wandered out to the Courtyard, desperately in need of some fresh air. He'd been cooped up for far too long desperately trying to get his homework done in an attempt to look good as Head Boy. So far, it wasn't going all that well and his brain was hurting from all the thinking. Give him a broom over academic stuff any time – Oliver was much more the practice type.

As he made his way across the stone ground, he paused when he heard the oddest noise. Looking around in a confused sort of way, he strained to locate the sound.

As he scanned the area, his green eyes landed on a blonde girl with curly hair (not unlike his own – heh) he recognised from his own year.. though he didn't know her name. And there it was again. MEEEEEEEEEP! What the hell!? His gaze shifted to the creature on her shoulder. “What the heck is up with your Pygmy Puff?” He asked both amused and curiously, as he wandered over to get a better look.. his eyes on the fluffy creature rather than the rather striking blonde.

Kita smiled. Fee was such a great friend that it was unbelievable. If only they were in the same year! But age is only a number and that certainly didn't come between Fee and Kita when it came to their friendship.

She laughed. It wasn't a surprise really; Fee was the one person Kita knew she could go girly around. As well as crazy. So Fee's favourite colour being pink was something she knew all along even if Fee hadn't told her directly. "My favourite colour is baby blue," she said, "It's the colour i look best in, apparently."

Kita laughed again. "Yeah, that's totally true!" she said, "We're two girls who constantly go crazy around each other. It will be!" She could just imagine the two of them painting their nails somewhere around Hogwarts and not caring about anyone else who might just happen to pass them.

She started laughing again. It was as if she was doing that a lot lately. Not that she was complaining. "That's so true! It totally describes us!" she said, "Cool freaks that makes everyone happy! No wonder we're so loved!"

"Ah!" Kita said, "That's so true. It's why we love colour combo's so much. No one wants to be plain and you have to reflect your personality. So... seeing as we are two very different girls, we like to reflect that through our nails." And she was rambling again. It was almost inevitable in every conversation she had. Kita's eyes grew wide as she heard what Fee said. "Wow! Really?" she said, "And to think that i just cover my nails as much as possible. I hate it when the nail polish runs out! Especially when you need to put on nail varnish so much." Boy did she get frustrated whenever that happened. Which, thankfully, wasn't a lot of the time. She could understand the look of disgust she saw in Fee's eyes. Hard times!

"Oh yeah!" she said, nodding, "Everyone will be jealous because we will look unique and totally beautiful at the same time."

Kita laughed at the way Fee smiled sexily. "Everyone will think that! And it's because we're just so beautiful!" she said, nodding as a song played in the mental ipod she had that was jammed in her brain. She couldn't help thinking that Fee really could be a model if she wanted to. After all, she was slim, tall and beautiful. No one can deny that.

"Exactly!" she said, "They are the complicated ones and think that us girls are complicated which just makes everything so confusing."

"Oh yes!" she said, laughing, "There's nothing like having girly moments with your bestie! And the ball is the perfect excuse to go girly!" It was all true. She can imagine the two of them fussing over silly things and constantly asking whether they looked nice or not.

Kita shook her head as she heard what Fee had to say. She couldn't believe how modest Fee could be sometimes. "Fee... there's no way you are ordinary! No way! You are definitely extraordinary!" she said, smiling, "Thanks! I don't think i'm pretty but that's just me. You are definitely the most prettiest girl i've ever seen! No doubt about it."

"Aw! That's so sweet!" she said, "I love you too bestie!"

Kita looked down at her hands to see that Fee was holding one of them. That made her smile. "Course i don't mind you asking," she said befre taking a deep breath and diving into the story, "When i was 7, my father... um... hit me. A lot. So, that's why parents aren't together." It made her sad to think of things like that. She had caused this huge rift in her family and she didn't know how she lived with it. Smiling helped. And so did Fee. That was for sure.

"Aw! That's nice!" she said, "It's always good to be close to your family."

"Nice to meet you Freya" she smiled, "Yeah, most people do call me Ever. So, how's it going?"



Ever turned around and saw the first friend she met on the train. "Feeeeeee!!!" she smiled, "just chillin', ya know..." Wait a minute...
Fee had turned to Ever's new friend. Am I missing something?

"You two know eachother?" Ever giggled. This was so cool! "Small world!" She added. Hogwarts was so cool..

Fee giggled as Ever looked from Freya to her and back.
"Oh yes, our beds are next to eachothers at the dorms,and she is a Slytherin Firstie as well."
Maybe now they would become a quartet with Ever.
"She is one of my closest friends", she smiled.



Fee would never have thought she would feel thos comfortable around someone. It was as if the two girls had known eachother for their whole life.She could go crazy with her, but also talk about serious topics. Rare to find. And she loved the fact she had found someone like her.
"Ohhh baby blue?Thats sooo sweet", she smiled,"i've never seen you in something baby blue-ish. You need to ewar something soooon."
Oh yes she would love to say how that looked, she could only imagine the best.
"I am sure, you'll look good in any colour", she said sweetly.
There wasnt another way. Kita surely even looked cute in jer pj's.
"You probably know mine", Fee laughed.
It was so obvious that she was obsessed with pink.

"Oh glitter, yes but in a good way", she smiled,"everyone will be so jealous."
They made craziness look good. Hah!

Being happy around Kita was so easy. Everything was so easy with her.

"Cool,pretty freaks", Fee said giggling,"isnt everyone a freak?"

Ohhh colour combo's were just the best.
"So true, we dont only show how special we are with our general looks and character", she said,"we show it in every detail. I am so proud."
*laugh*
"Oh yes, when the nail polish runs out and you dont have another one and your nails need a refresh thats terrible", Fee said shaking her head," i'd rather stay at home than going out with ugly nails."

Yes, she was extrem in such things.

"Girls are just having hard times", she giggled,"boys have it sooo easy. Thats really unfair."
The Yule Ball was Kita & Fee's time. Fee was working on operation: get a date with an older boy for yule ball. So party is on.
"Oh yes, we would steal everyone the show.We do just in our school uniforms."

Oh yeah Boys. They were so stupid. But she met this really nice Gryffie today at the lake. Sometimes it was good to be clumsy.

"Yeah, its just like that because they are complicated and we arent and thats what makes us cunfusingn for them."
Oh did that made sense?!

"Did you know Rex wanted me to date a friend of mine?", she laighed remembering the talk at the Gryffie table.

"Girly moments are the best moments", Fee smiled,"you'll always remember them."
Fee could perfectly imagine the two in front of a mirro applying make-up, doing their hair whilst gossiping about other students.
Uh yeeees.
Fee blushed at Kita's comment.
"Thank you hun",she smiled sweetly,"but if i am extraordinary you are,too."
She raised her eyebrow at Kita.

"Hun , you are the mpst adorable girl i've ever seen. Look into a mirror", fee said taking her comapct out of her bag.
She opened it and held it before Kita's face.
"See, this beautiful eyes, this beautiful hair, this beautiful girl at all ?"

Suddenly Kita got sad. Oh noooo. Fee's smile dropped and she looked her bestie deep in the eyes.
As she heard what Kita was telling she got all angry. No one was going top hurt Kita.
"Hun , its the past and now is the future", she smiled warmly,"if i ever see this person i am gonna hit him,hit him so bad he cant walk or talk."
She held Kita's hand tighter.
"I am always there, always", she whispered in a low voice,"dont feel guilty. It wasnt your fault. Never."
Fee couldnt believe what Kita had been trough. They should've known eachother earlier so Fee could've helped her trough.
"Yes it is, and you are a part of my family."

"Awesome," Ever told Fee. "Sooo, met any cute boys yet?" Ever nudged her friend jokingly and giggled.

Fee giggled at Ever's question.
Well, i actually did", she smiled,"i met two."
Oh yes. The Ravie and Gryffie really had been cute.
"What about you?"

Hmmm...
"Yeah, I have...one." Well, she shouldn't have said that...she had only met one boy so far, but he was rather cute.
"Gotta get a boyfriend..." she said with a giggle.

There was MORE meeping. Did that thing EVER shut up? Savvy was beginning to that it didn't. Savvy sent the pygmy puff an annoyed look. She did know that thing probably couldn't tell she was peeved at it especially considering it KEPT meeping. Damn Squealing pygmy puff. It was really lucky it was cute or else Sav would have thrown in out the window by now. It was too cute to be destroyed! The blonde let out an annoyed sigh KNOWING the pygmy puff wasn't going to shut up.

She would just have to deal with it.

Her green eyes wandered to a boy, tall and with a head full of hair a bit like Savvy's. She had seen him a few times before but had never exactly spoken with him or knew his name for that matter. Her eyes wandered from his hair down to his robes landing on the head boy badge.

Aha. Waiiiiiiiiit...wasn't Cammy's Boyfriend the HeadBoy? Eh. Savvy couldn't remember, her memory always had been terrible. Plus it would be kind of creepy to be like "ZOMG! You're Cammy's BOYFRANDDDD!!!" Cause like, what if he WASN'T Cammy's boyfriend? Than she would just look dumb and be embarrassed.

Oh? AFRO!POOF!HAIR!boy was talking to her about her.....pygmy puff. Savannah chuckled, looking down at the pygmy puff. What was wrong with it? Eh, Sav didn't know."He likes attention."Sav said simply. Eh? It was a good reason right? An attention craving pygmy puff....

Vashti rasied an eyebrow. "You sure?" she asked. The way Eirian had said it made it sound, at least to Vashti, that she might not actually be alright. But maybe she didn't want to talk about whatever it was, or maybe she actually was alright and Vashti was just reading too much into things. (Hehe, reading.) Still, never hurt to make sure, right? Right. "I'm okay," she answered. "Just getting some homework done." Obviously. But at least that added sentence could cover up any possible hint that she wasn't okay.

It was time to leave the school seriously, Hailey was getting tired of being inside and it was beautiful weather so that could only mean one thing.. hockey practice! She carried her stick under her right arm and took out a ball from her pocket then tossed it on the ground, kicking it for a bit until she was in the middle of the courtyard. Moving her stick from underneath her arm, she started guiding the ball around the cobblestone and spun around a bit.

Tyler hadn't been expecting the note from his sister, but he was definitely willing to go along with her idea. How could he not? Strolling through the grounds, he soon caught sight of Hailey practicing with a small ball along the stone corridor.

He smirked slightly before quickening his pace. Once he reached the stones, he tapped his stick sharply. "Let's go."

"It is not," Eirian admitted. "But perhaps it will get better soon?" She hoped it would... She needed Jayce back, and she couldn't forsake Thiago to get it. Jayce was her England, Thiago was her Brazil. "That is not fun," she muttered. "Why are you doing that out here? It is too beautiful to ruin it with work! Come... let us have some fun!" She had no idea what that fun would be, but Eirian would find something!!!