She eyed him as he laughed smiling as he let her pull him away from the tree. Well not that they were near it in the first place. "Yeah, taking two steps away from a tree that we weren't near to will help me sleep cus y'know I wont be dead." so she could sleep.

"But what if the full thing was a lot then you'd have to do it in halves wouldn't you ?" Meh she didn't even know. Shrug. "You only have a certain amount of awesomeness to use. Spend it wisely." she winked.

She smiled letting go of his pinky and lowering her arm before it went all numb and blehy. "Oookay then if it makes you happy I promise to take more notice of you." She giggled as he turned. "Looking very hot today aren't we ?" She replied smirking.

Rubiey was so happy to see Saph. It had been forever, and she had missed her fellow geek! Releasing Saph, she looked over her outfit, and frowned. "Aren't you freezing?! Its so cold!" She laughed, indicating to her own waaaaaaarm outfit.

She laughed. "It's great. I love it. What about Hufflepuff? Hows it going?" She asked, sitting down on the cold (dry) grass.

Ginny smiled back at Courtney. "Maybe it's because we learn so much, we eat and sleep here", she repiled to Courtney. Ginny really had know idea why Courtney put her make-up in the bin but she wasn't going to ask her. "I know everyone would be proud of him", she said. "It's just hard to say how much I miss him", she whispered shortly after.

"Oh yes, the not-being-dead thing." It probably helped. James thrust his hands in his pockets to keep them warm. Gloves might have been smart today.

"I'd either do it properly or not do it all, pretty much." He admitted. Wouldn't waste his time with just a vague gesture at something. It was more about being awesome or holding back enough to make people wonder if he was able to accomplish anything at all.

"It'll make you happy too." James told her with a wink. Then he laughed. "Yeah, I mean, I try and all." Lies. He didn't try at all. He was just lucky to have been blessed with good genes.

Courtney shrugged. It never occured to her that she was going to make a lot of friends here and possibly change. Well the fact that she was changing was very obvious now. Just the fact that she was suddenly a tomboy and not wearing a lot of make-up was a sign of a change in her lifestyle but she loved the new he. The new Courtney Parker was better than the old feisty Courtney Parker and she loved her. "I think a lot of people have different reasons for seeing this place as a home really" she replied.

Court smiled at Ginny as she stood up and walked toward the bin that was nearby. Then she returned to Ginny. "If you're wondering why I did that it's because Bradin never liked me wearing that much make-up and I prefer my natural looks over being plastic anyways. And it's not me anymore" she told Ginny seeing the slightly questioning look on her features. Courtney was glad she'd ditched it all. It was sooooo not her. This was her. Next she got out some facial wipes and removed all of the make-up she was wearing. Then she took out purple eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara and a little foundation and reapplied it. Now she looked more natural and not like she'd put it on with a shovel.

"Everyone who loved him should be proud, if they're not then they obviously don't have a clue what he did and what he went through" she replied to Ginny still applying the make-up. She took out her mirror and looked at her almost natural reflection and smiled satisfyingly. That was better. She put the mirror and make-up away and put her hand on Ginny's shoulder. "We've got each other. None of us can accept that he's gone" she admitted. She herself still hadn't accepted it herself. She hated the idea of having to accept it.

"Yeah, the precious thing people like to call Living." Callie enjoyed living muchly, as she was sure most people did. It was a good thing, and it gave her chance to be pretty.

"But what if you have to do it and you can't do it properly. What if, if you didn't do it then you'd you'd have your hair shaved off and your eyebrows plucked." So that wasn't the worst punishment in the world but yeah it seemed pretty bad to Callie.

"Oh it will now will it ?" Callie raised her eyebrow smirking at James. She then laughed as he did. "Im sure you do, sweets." She winked.

Ginny could tell that Courtney was changing, completely. She didn't have any more make-up. Now she was different which, Ginny was glad about. She had only be at Hogwarts for a little while so she had to understand her. "Some people don't have any parents or family and they can just be an orphin", she told Courtney.

Ginny half-smiled at Courtney. "Well... I was going to ask you before but I didn't know if should of or not. I was waiting for you to tell me if you ever wanted too", she answered her. She now knew Courtney was different. It must of been something that Bradin could of told her.

"I'd be mad if people who knew him weren't proud of him. He was always a courageous and loving person and that's how I'll remember him", she repiled to Courtney. Ginny who was gazing at the Whomping Willow, felt Courtney out her shoulder on her's. "I'm glad that we've got each other because I don't know what I could of done without all of your support", she said.

Stuffing her hands in her pockets, Casey's head stayed down as she headed out to the Whomping Willow. She hadnt been here in two years. She remembered coming out here when she was a second year, all happy, playing around. Nothing bothered her. Then... everything broke. Her parents broke, her family broke, her life broke, her spirit broke.

Covering her face further, she tried hiding the tears as she pushed the button to the tree and sat down on the trunk. Just breathe... she told herself and closed her eyes. Images flashed across her face. NoNO! dont close your eyes.

She huddled closer to herself and bowed herself. The tears falling.

Courtney's attention was suddenly drawn to what Ginny was saying. Just the thought of it brought her to tears. Obviously Ginny didn't know that she was an orphan at one point. But her parents had taken her back again. Her life was horrible. But now it was different. Now she had friends. Now she wasn't a cast out. But she was still a castaway. Maybe not cast out from the rest but her parents frequently shipped her off somewhere else without them just to get rid of her. And that was an orphans life. She was still fragile from her past but she still had family members that cared. She was at Hogwarts because of her parents not wanting her at home and Uncle Marcus couldn't take care of her at the present time. "I know what those people feel like. Living a life like that is terrible, I've had my fair share of experiences and it's not pleasent to talk about. Anyone who can do that to a child is just sad" she said. Yes, she'd just called her own parents sad but she didn't care.

Court wiped away the tears that were falling from the memories that had just flooded back and half-smiled at Ginny. "If you ever want to know something, don't hesitate to ask. I won't bite" she told Ginny with a slight giggle. Maybe she wouldn't.

Her smile detetiorated a lot at the mention of people not being proud of her deceased cousin. It was horrible to think about. "There's only a few people that aren't proud of him. Uncle Alex, Aunt Lexi and my parents" she told Ginny. And she hated them all for it. Bradin was a success story in many ways if not his death. Alex was the success story in that. He'd successfully murdered Bradin Westerly and he didn't have a shred of respect for him. Court looked down at the floor as tears flowed even more this time at the distant memory of her cousin. She missed him so much. She was crying uncontrollably and was so not accepting that he was gone for good. "I'm sorry, it's just..........I really miss him" she told Ginny still looked at the floor and watching her tears form the pattern of a heart on the grass. And inside the heart was a message that she obviously wasn't writing. Neither was Ginny. It was a different type of magic. A type of magic she'd never encountered before. A type of magic she knew she'd grow to love.

It seem that Ginny had made Courtney cry a little bit. She didn't know what she had done but she had to find out. Maybe it was something to do with being an Orphan. Was she one? Ginny never made anyone cry but she had to ask the question this time she wanted to ask. "Are you an orphan?", she asked her quietly. Ginny looked up at her. "So you don't like your parents at all? Why are they so mean to you? They don't deserve to treat you like that", she told Courtney.

Ginny had a packet of small tissues which she hadn't use and pulled them out from her pocket and gave them to Courtney. "I'll ask, and you do the same for me", she smiled at her.

Ginny was feeling alirght now, more confident of what Courtney had jsut told her. She would have to ask something if she wanted to know about it. She was a Gryffindor so it was a basic thing to do if you have the courage. "That's not that many that aren't proud of you. Your other side of your family is", she said. Courtney started to cry again. Without thinking, Ginny had sat down with Courtney and hugged her. "I know you do, I miss him a lot as well", she repiled. She was the oldest so she had to take care of Courtney and she was willing to do that, what so ever. She looked at the ground, Courtney was doing some sort of magic that Ginny had never seen before. "Court, what's that magic your doing?", she asked pointing to the ground.

Courtney allowed the tear drops to hit her trouser leg. She didn't care right now. She looked up at Ginny when she asked the question. She closed her eyes and more tears fell. Then she opened them again. The truth was about to come out. She nodded slightly. "What a lot of poeple don't have a clue about is that I don't live a life like a normal 11 year old. My parents died in a car accident. I live in an orphanage in central London called Parker Manor. Don't ask why it's names after my family 'cos I have no idea but that's where I live" she explained.

She half-smiled very faintly as she took the tissues from Ginny. "Thank you" she murmered. She nodded. Deal"

Ok, the whole concept of people being proud of her was horrible. Nobody was ever proud of her. Mayber her parents were. They were looking down at her from above. But she had no parents on Earth to guide her at all. Instead she had an extremely strict mistress who was extremely mean to her and every other child that was living with her and never treated her like anyone else. Discriminated her. Segregated her. Everything to torture and destroy her. She wasn't a happy child anymore and Hogwart sort of felt like another orphanage at the start. Living in a dorm with 100s of other girls and going to classes with other students. But it was nicer now. "No Ginny. That's just a few of them. There's only a few who are proud of me and two of them are in heaven" she cried. She somehow managed a smile when Ginny hugged her. It was comforting. "He'd be proud of us for staying strong though" she said. Or at least they were trying to stay strong anyway. She looked at the message that was in the heart of tears and smiled. It must've been from her parents, and most likely Bradin too. It read 'We're all proud of you, Courtney. Stay strong. The three of us love you xxx'. It was sweet. She looked up at Ginny. "It's not me"

Ginny had started to comfort Courtney because she was just so sad at the moment and Ginny waited for an answer from her. "I'm so sorry to hear that", she said to her. "The last name Parker is a very common last name. It's just named like that, maybe, because they decided to call it Parker Manor", she continued.

Ginny smiled at Courtney. "It's alright, you needed them anyway", she repiled.

She didn't know that much about Courtney's past life and she could still find out loads more. Ginny didn't know what it was like to be an orphan but Courtney did know. She was only 11 years old and she could handle almost anything. "I know your parents would be very proud of new even if there dead", she told Courtney. Ginny kept on comforting Courtney. Hopefully she wouldn't cry that much anymore. "He would, always", she added to her. The heart on the ground was something. It had to be Courtney, wasn't it? "Who is it then?", she asked curiously.

Courtney shrugged. "I don't know and I don't wanna know" she replied. That was the truth.

"Thanks again"

Court eventually stopped crying. At least she had people to comfort her which was a good thing. "I know they're proud. And Bradin will be too" she responded. Then she looked down at the heart again and it gradually dissolved into the grass. She looked at Ginny then up at the sky. "It sounds wacky but they did it" she said.

Ginny put her hands in her pocket. "I understand if you don't want to know", she said to Courtney.

"It's fine, I don't need to be thanked", she told her.

It looked like Ginny had cheered up Court a bit, which was great. "Your parents and Bradin will always be proud of you", she repiled. The heart was now gone. It was some beautiful magic that she had ever seen. "Really? That's some of the most beautiful magic I've ever seen", she said truthfully.

Courtney wiped her eyes wiping away the stray tears. "At least I have one good thing in the doss hole I have to call my home" she said. Friends.

She smiled at Ginny. She was really understanding.

She half-smiled at Ginny again and crossed her legs. She took out a bag of candy. Liqourice wands to be precise. She sat them on the floor and ate one. "I just can't believe all three of them are gone. My parents are to blame for me not ever wanting to go near a car. Well the person who caused it" she said referring to how her parents died. But she didn't want to go to far into it. "It's a magic I've never encountered properly before. Well I have but never so strong. There's a strict no magic policy at the orphanage" she explained and took another liqourice wand out of her bag and ate it. "Want one?" she offered.

"You do", she said to Courtney. "Hogwarts will always be like a home to you and I really know that. You'll love to grow this place, just like I have", she added.

Ginny smiled back at Courtney feeling delighted.

She looked up at Courtney and stared at her for a few moments. "I know, you've been through so much, I just feel so so-rry for you", she repiled with a little bit of a struggle. "I've never seen it before, it looks so beautiful. So you know how to do it, right?", she asked. She looked at the liqourice wand and decided to take it. "Yeah, alright. Thanks", she answered.

Courtney listened to Ginny and cocked her head to one side. "I was referring to friends at the orphanage but yeah, Hogwarts is an advantage too" she replied. She then looked down at the floor and shook her head as memories came to her mind. Poisonous memories. 'Worthless, poor little orphan girl' She hated it. Why could she not control what jumped in her head and what stayed away? 'Life goes on. But yours doesn't'.......'No one loved you, No one wants you. You have no one'...........She eventually shook the memories away from her mind.

She looked back up at Ginny. She didn't wanna talk about this anymore. "Can we change the subject please?" she asked. She smiled as Ginny took a sweet. "Welcome"

Ginny looked at Courtney. "I'm sorry, I don't know if you like talking about the Orphanage that much but I'm sure you've got a lot of nice friends there", she said to her. Something strange and odd was happening to Courtney but Ginny didn't know what. Maybe some type of magic was happening to her. Looking back at memories, maybe.

Ginny nodded and didn't say anything about the topic. "What would you want to talk about?", she asked her.

Cass was seriously depressed, yet she didn't know why. She watched as the bare tree sway with the leaves and she started thinking about how her life was going.

People envy someone like me...yet why don't I feel happy?

She ran her hands through her thick blonde hair as she stood by the edge of the cliff, looking at nothing in particular. It was cold in here, but she needed to fix all of her issues before she could face anybody...

Courtney sniffled slightly. "It's the only good thing about the place. I despise of it" she explained and shook her head as more horrible memories flew into her head.

Court shrugged. She had no idea. "Is it true Lord Voldemort walked these halls once. And he started out in the same way as me?" she asked. Maybe the books were wrong but she doubted that very highly.

Ginny looked at Courtney curiously and ignoring what she was saying. "Er... Court... are you feeling alright?", she asked.

People these days could take the name Lord Voldemort. "Yes, it's true he did walk these halls before. I can't answer that second question", she answered her. Ginny had been in a family of Quidditch Players and Aurors. She knew a lot about Voldemort but she hardly ever wanted to talk about him. Her face turned slightly pink.

Courtney lifted her head to look at Ginny. "I'm fine. Just some bad memories getting in my head" she told her.

She listened to Ginny's answers to her questions. Well answer to her first one. [color=royalblue"]"Thought so. Being a bookworm has it's privellages"[/color] she replied. Teehee.

Adam was strolling along around the school when he saw yet another blonde haired girl. She looked familiar but Adam couldn't remember- quietly he walked up to her. "Hi there- are you ok? You look stressed..."Adam said to the girl, his hands in his jean pockets...

Cass looked up and saw a familiar boy talking to her "Hey." She said with a smile "Nah, I'm fine...just..yeah, stressed."

"I've handled stress before- not very well-but I can be a good listener..."Adam sat down on the grass, crossed legged and looked up at the girl. "You are the book and I am the audience- why won't you write me a story...?"