"It's not that scruff-"

That was all Jake managed before he was suddenly face-to-face with a book. Or rather just face-to-book.

For a moment, Jake stared at it, doing the reading trick which was getting to happen quicker in his mind.

Say. Feh. Tie. SayFehTie. Safetyyyyyyy.

And the word 'flying' which Jake knew be heart. Funny that he shouldn't know the word 'safety'.

"What's this for?" he asked, genuinely confused for a moment.

Shifty eyes --> rolly eyes.


"For YOU, Jacob Dale." DUHHHHH "So you'll be safe." Neptune leaned the book forward and gently rested the top part against Jake's nose.

...giggle.


"So you won't get hurt in the Championship."

"You're doing that thing with your eyes again," Jake said with a small, childish scowl, reaching forward and poking Neptune on the bridge of her nose. Rather than poking her eyes.

Because.

Well.

Safety.

"I'm always fine, Tune. What's the game without a few knocks, scrapes, concussions and bruises?" She was probably one of those people ready to make bludgers out of polystyrene. "I'm safe, never do anything stupid..."

And he looked where he was going.

"But if you insist..." ... he didn't have much of a say.

Jake tipped Neptune a wink and looked down at the book, crossing his eyes to see it.

Neptune lowered the book so he could SEE the GIANT pout. "You don't like it...."

He SOOOOOOOOO didn't like her gift.

POUT.

"I don't insist. Don't read it. I don't care." Hmph. She crossed her arms and had a POUTFEST. Neptune had thought it a GOOD gift. And she really only wanted him to be SAFE.

Jake wasn't falling for it.

"I never said that."

He knew where he stood on this.

"Don't you trust that I'm capable on a broom? I'm been flying since first year. I've been playing quidditch since first year," he said with a vague shrug, flipping through the books. People always fretted about the 'violence'.

He'd read it, mainly because it was a new book that he hadn't read. But QUIDDITCH was the daring thing he had... making it safe was like... giving a muggle a computer and then taking away the internet.

"I am a pretty okay quidditch player you know." He felt that she had no faith in him... which kind of hurt.

Neptune tightened her arms and looked AWAY AWAY. "You told me after the last game that you had fallen off your broom tons of times. That there was no need to worry about Jimmy because you had done what he had lots of times."

He HAD said that!


"And I just thought... I don't want you to get hurt. That's all. Your ribs were all bruised after the game and and...." She hadn't even gotten a chance to inspect his head.

"I know you're good."

The fact that Jake was reading that she thought him a BAD player from her CONCERN for his well being caused GIANT SULKS to happen. S U L K I N G.

"That's something that comes with the game, I'm afraid," Jake smiled slightly at Neptune, KNOWING that she was going into sulk mode. "But I'm fine, aren't I? I can move as well as I ever did before I played, I still have my intelligence and my impenetrable charm," he said matter of factly, still slowly flipping through the book.

And he hadn't said he'd done EXACTLY the same thing. Mainly because Jimmy was all distracted in the game and Jake never was, and Jimmy knocked himself out via stands, and Jake only killed his ribs via stands. And been knocked out other ways.

But he knew what she was getting at.

Anyway.

Jake looked at the true sulk and for a moment or two, he actually felt a little bit... angry, almost. Wronged, in a way.

"Neptune," he said firmly, and shut the book again, focusing on scratching Lolcat's ears, who seemed to sense Jake's slight upset. "The championship will be the last quidditch game I ever play. I mean, EVER ever. I'm not exactly happy about that, and I want to go out as I went in, which was always safe. But..."

He sighed and looked at the book.

"... if you really do want me to stay safe and all that, I will."

Try.

It was HARD to say out loud about that being his last game. He'd never thought about it before in that way. But he had no intentions to play professionally when he had the potential to like... rule the world.

Jake placed his hand on Neptune's shoulder and looked slightly apologetic in his facial expression. If she thought QUIDDITCH was unsafe, then he wouldn't tell her about his other hobby.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoerawrr

"That's something that comes with the game, I'm afraid," Jake smiled slightly at Neptune, KNOWING that she was going into sulk mode. "But I'm fine, aren't I? I can move as well as I ever did before I played, I still have my intelligence and my impenetrable charm," he said matter of factly, still slowly flipping through the book.

And he hadn't said he'd done EXACTLY the same thing. Mainly because Jimmy was all distracted in the game and Jake never was, and Jimmy knocked himself out via stands, and Jake only killed his ribs via stands. And been knocked out other ways.

But he knew what she was getting at.

Anyway.

Jake looked at the true sulk and for a moment or two, he actually felt a little bit... angry, almost. Wronged, in a way.

"Neptune," he said firmly, and shut the book again, focusing on scratching Lolcat's ears, who seemed to sense Jake's slight upset. "The championship will be the last quidditch game I ever play. I mean, EVER ever. I'm not exactly happy about that, and I want to go out as I went in, which was always safe. But..."

He sighed and looked at the book.

"... if you really do want me to stay safe and all that, I will."

Try.

It was HARD to say out loud about that being his last game. He'd never thought about it before in that way. But he had no intentions to play professionally when he had the potential to like... rule the world.

Jake placed his hand on Neptune's shoulder and looked slightly apologetic in his facial expression. If she thought QUIDDITCH was unsafe, then he wouldn't tell her about his other hobby.

"You act like I'm asking for something ridiculous," Neptune HUFFED and recrossed her arms HUFFILY. "So sorry for caring whether or not you get hurt. I don't want you to have it anymore."

Neptune held her hands out for the book. "I'll give it to Finny." HE wouldn't act like her gift was a plague.

She SIGHED and looked to the door. This was NOT at all ...how she thought this would go. Or wanted it to.

Jake actually held back from saying 'you are'. This was going badly, and his already fragile mood was being KILLED. He knew she was being sarcastic with the apology, and the young man frowned at this. Sarcasm was something that he just... didn't get and didn't like.

But oh well.

Finny? Who was Fi-... ohhhhh. Finny.

Well... that hurt.

Jake sat for a moment, LOOKING hurt, feeling the cat nudge his hand as he picked up the book. Once he had hold of it, the young man handed it back to Neptune silently.

Well... silently at first. He caught that look towards the door. He'd ventured out of the library to have a happy few minutes, or even talk about something that had been bothering him, but it had turned into Neptune sulking because there was ONE THING that Jake didn't agree with.

"You are acting as though I never agree with you on anything, Neptune," he said quietly, standing up, still looking hurt. He was so SO SO sure she'd mentioned Finn on purpose. Did she know about the history? He couldn't remember. Lolcat jumped to Jake's heel as his eyes started to really tear up, something he'd avoided. "Maybe I should go back to the library if you don't want to talk right now. It's probably best. This is something we won't agree on."

He glanced at the table. Eh... food. He should eat, but the idea of doing so made him feel sick. Or maybe that was something else.

Neptune's FEELINGS, which were already stung by the rejection of her gift, just shattered when he didn't put a fight to keep her gift. Neptune Bott did not just give GIFTS. She had put thought and effort into something that was for the betterment of another. She had sent for the book and asked for nothing for herself. It wasn't often Neptune was selfless and it had paid off .... before.

However, her mention of Finny was just that: a mention. He was a friend and she wasn't using that as a weapon against Jake. She wouldn't have ever thought to do that, wouldn't have known to. Neptune would PROBABLY just throw the book in the garbage on her way out and never want to see it again.

"I'm acting like I care whether or not ...." Neptune just bit it off. She wasn't going to SAY it AGAIN. The fact that she HAD to say it at all spoke loudly. "Fine. Bye."

Jake continued to look at Neptune. Just staaaaare. Sure, he'd acted weird about the whole thing, but Neptune was standing there making an enormous deal out of nothing.

He looked down at Neptune for a little longer. He didn't know how these arguments worked... how they were meant to go. All in all, he was monumentally confused. In the past... this hadn't really happened.

Shaking his head, Jake took a seat at the table again and leaned his elbows on the table, burying his face in his hands. His cat once again followed his movements, and stepped nimble into the gap. Jake let it happen. He had inexplicably collapsed into shuddery tears as soon as his face was hidden, and hoped that Neptune couldn't see. Jake was NOT a crier, and he'd never been anything other than happy around the girl, but now...

"I'm so tired," he whispered to his faithful feline companion, of whom was ducking down to get a good look at his face. Jake had no idea whether or nor Neptune was still there, but he was too scared to look and check.

Still nomming on her apple, Ellie continued to look around for Alex and Chandler. Hmph, where were they? Of course, Ellie was really looking forward to seeing one person in paricular... Not that she didn't like Chandler as much. But *blush* It was Alex Reed.

And speak of the devil, there he was. Ellie brightened when Alex walked up to her. "Hey there, stranger." She said with a wink. Now, they were only missing a third of the Three Musketeers. Where was that silly French boy, anyway?

Ellie laughed lightly and tucked a lock of brown waves behind her ear. When did teenagers at Hogwarts ever make sense? "So. How is Mr. Reed today?" She asked him with a smile back. Because she couldn't help but smile when he was near.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoerawrr

Jake continued to look at Neptune. Just staaaaare. Sure, he'd acted weird about the whole thing, but Neptune was standing there making an enormous deal out of nothing.

He looked down at Neptune for a little longer. He didn't know how these arguments worked... how they were meant to go. All in all, he was monumentally confused. In the past... this hadn't really happened.

Shaking his head, Jake took a seat at the table again and leaned his elbows on the table, burying his face in his hands. His cat once again followed his movements, and stepped nimble into the gap. Jake let it happen. He had inexplicably collapsed into shuddery tears as soon as his face was hidden, and hoped that Neptune couldn't see. Jake was NOT a crier, and he'd never been anything other than happy around the girl, but now...

"I'm so tired," he whispered to his faithful feline companion, of whom was ducking down to get a good look at his face. Jake had no idea whether or nor Neptune was still there, but he was too scared to look and check.

Neptune was there alright... but.....

....

Her lips pursed and her eyes squinted at the boy she'd just been craving attention from. The boy who also had just HATED her gift and made her feel bad.

Yeah, that boy was crying. Hard.

On top of making her feel bad - a crime, already - now he was making her feel WORSE. And confused. And just WORSE.

...why? Her arms crossed, then uncrossed, and recrossed.

AND uncrossed. She reached over to poke him. "Stop." Everyone knew it was Neptune's job to burst into tears when things didn't go her way. What was he doing? Stealing her number? WHY was HE crying? If anyone should be upset, Neptune figured it should be HER.

"Stop." For real.

Okay... so she was there. It was good that she poked him, because he would have not looked around until night fell.

Yeeeaaaahhhhhh...

"I'm... sorry," he mumbled leaning back and dragging the back of his hand across his eyes. "About the gift, I m- I mean." Jake left it at that and tried to compose himself.

Wow.

Breakdown much.

"And... for that. I'm sssorry."

OH he could kick himself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoerawrr

Okay... so she was there. It was good that she poked him, because he would have not looked around until night fell.

Yeeeaaaahhhhhh...

"I'm... sorry," he mumbled leaning back and dragging the back of his hand across his eyes. "About the gift, I m- I mean." Jake left it at that and tried to compose himself.

Wow.

Breakdown much.

"And... for that. I'm sssorry."

OH he could kick himself.

Neptune crossed her arms and sort of glared at Jake. She wasn't much sure what else to do. Was she supposed to feel guilty? She didn't. Just...

Bad. BAD bad. But not guilt. Not really sorry, either. Icky and bad nonetheless.

"You are mean," Neptune agreed. And not forgiven..... yet. She continued to STARE at the weepy, messy boy known as her boyfriend. "Did I do that?" Make him cry?

This not feeling guilt or world-ending sadness at tears was new and odd and maybe if it really WAS her fault, she could muster up the appropriate feelings. The last time she'd seen a boy cry, Neptune thought she was going to shrivel and die from the inside out...

Jake only shrugged. He wasn't looking for forgiveness and for once didn't care about his apologies not being acknowledged. The young man was in a state between absolute sadness, and pure apathy. His head was so messed up, and it had been well over a year since he'd properly cried like that. It was odd...

"Partly," he nodded, but didn't elaborate on what else caused that outburst. Mainly because he just didn't know.

With that, Jake wiped the last of the tears away and scooped up the cat, holding him in his arms. He didn't look at Neptune.

"I need to go. Need to write to my mum," he mumbled. THAT was particularly odd. Jake didn't speak to his mother much if he could avoid it, and Neptune knew that. He'd told her. However... she was always there when he needed to cry or rant about all this kind of stuff. Well... so was his dad, but Jake had bothered the man enough.

"I'll see you soon, maybe," Jake added, squeezing his eyes shut to stem the teariness. He needed to focus.

Focus on not crying. Focus on not running. Focus on NOT dropping out of school now.

Still, he didn't look at Neptune. She wasn't reacting in the way HE reacted when SHE cried, and if he looked at her, he knew he'd lose it somehow. No. He had to avoid this situation.

"Soon. Maybe," Jake repeated, and left with his head bowed over Lolcat, determined to keep it together.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoerawrr

Jake only shrugged. He wasn't looking for forgiveness and for once didn't care about his apologies not being acknowledged. The young man was in a state between absolute sadness, and pure apathy. His head was so messed up, and it had been well over a year since he'd properly cried like that. It was odd...

"Partly," he nodded, but didn't elaborate on what else caused that outburst. Mainly because he just didn't know.

With that, Jake wiped the last of the tears away and scooped up the cat, holding him in his arms. He didn't look at Neptune.

"I need to go. Need to write to my mum," he mumbled. THAT was particularly odd. Jake didn't speak to his mother much if he could avoid it, and Neptune knew that. He'd told her. However... she was always there when he needed to cry or rant about all this kind of stuff. Well... so was his dad, but Jake had bothered the man enough.

"I'll see you soon, maybe," Jake added, squeezing his eyes shut to stem the teariness. He needed to focus.

Focus on not crying. Focus on not running. Focus on NOT dropping out of school now.

Still, he didn't look at Neptune. She wasn't reacting in the way HE reacted when SHE cried, and if he looked at her, he knew he'd lose it somehow. No. He had to avoid this situation.

"Soon. Maybe," Jake repeated, and left with his head bowed over Lolcat, determined to keep it together.

Well.

Neptune opened her mouth to ask WHICH part of partly was her fault, but decided against it and closed her mouth with that decided-lip-pursed-ness again. All the good things about Jake, all the things that made Neptune happy and feel good that were Jake.... yeah they weren't present. All the easy going, caring, warmth. Gone.

So whatever. Right? Pretending not to care was a lot easier than focusing on what she PARTLY did to cause all of ....that.

"Yeah. Fine." .............."Maybe."

With that, Neptune swept the book into her bag and hurried from the Great Hall.

Kelley walked into the vast Great Hall, widening her eyes in awe. Since transferring here from the United States this morning, she had seen absolutely nothing like this room ever before. It then dawned on her that she had stopped walking and she shook her head clear and kept walking. She was apparently in Hufflepuff.... She saw a group of students wearing the same house colors as her, and sat down in a gap between strangers. She hoped they wouldn't mind.

Kelley looked all around the table for something to eat. Everything looked so delicious! Head buzzing with excitement and stomach rumbling with hunger, she selected some turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy, and some salad.... She eyed the desserts as she nibbled on the salad, trying to decide what she would have.

Kelley swallowed her bite of food. "Hello, I'm Kelley, I transferred here from the United States just this morning," she said very quickly to no one in particular. She just hoped someone would hear her so she wouldn't look crazy.

looking over to the girl " hey what do you know anouther Yank ,Well I am not really a yank I was born in Atlanta "setting down his glass of pumpkin juice " I am Michael White but every one calls me Mikey"putting out his hand for the girl

"Hi, Mikey," Kelley said, shaking the boy's hand and smiling. Wow, he was really cute. "Haha, I've been to Atlanta a lot, I love it there. I'm from around Boston." She took another bite of salad.

Excluding the Bott beans and a handful of grapes, the small Puff hadn't eaten much at the Ministry party. Mainly because she didn't have the appetite, but also because the food didn't begin to compare to what the house elves served here. Not much did compare to their cooking.

So it was with a clouded mind and still damp hair that she entered the great hall and flung herself onto the bench at her house's table. Ah. There was her appetite. Maybe she could eat so much that all thoughts and emotions the day had brought on would... go away.

The year was totally ending, and very soon, and there were like a million things to do, but...oh, that's right, he had them all done, he had not one thing to do. That was...strange.

Or maybe he felt like he had nothing to do because the one that always reminded him stuff was gone, on a kingdom far away, with a Lord or something.

Arya, yes, because Aaron was not around any Lords, nor Hogwarts.

However, she should be returning soon, and since he failed to see her last night, then today will be the day for news, whenever she...

...returned!

"Arya!" he exclaimed, walking faster and faster as he got to her seat, AND...hugged her. "I missed you very much, really, don't you ever dare on going away...for...a day." Yes, the boy was now holding a very confused expression, because he was listening to how stupid it all sounded. She was only gone for, like, half a day, yet, it seemed like so much more.

"Or, well, you can go, just...whatever." He shrugged and took a seat next to her, not before taking some sandwich from the oh-so-delicious meals the Elves got ready for them.

And then his eyes were on Arya, she looked THINNER, the girl didn't eat while she was away, right? He was being overly dramatic, probably.

"Tell me, how was the trip?" wasn't he the one to be making the trips to meet important people? Like, from all them three?

Preston had eventually found his way to the Great Hall after roaming around the castle for the better part of the day. He stretched his arms just slightly before he took a seat down at the Hufflepuff table. Looking down at the floor, Preston checked to see if his faithful cat-like pet raccoon was still at his feet, but the twelve year old knew that Ringo had left him long ago.

Reaching for the bowl of strawberries near him, Preston gave a warm smile to the girls sitting across from him. Only after placing several strawberries onto his plate, Preston contemplated whether or not to offer the girl some, she seemed deep in thought and Preston wasn't sure if he wanted to find out what would happen if he interrupted her thought process.

"W-w-would y-you l-l-l-like some?" Preston questioned the girl holding the bowl of strawberries across the table for her to take some if she wanted. He hoped she wasn't allergic to them or anything...that would be horrible if he got her sick by being nice and offering her strawberries to eat.

Arya was considering all the foods in front of her. It all looked SO appetizing, especially after seeing what they'd offered at the party. She heard Treyen first, his voice pulling her from her thoughts and her eyes moving over to him as she returned the hug with a warm one of her own. "Hey Treyen!"

Giggle. "I missed you too." Even though it'd only been a day, she'd missed her best friend. Arya made a slight face. "Trust me, you don't EVER have to worry about me going away." Not for that crazy fat man. She hoped to never see him again.

And if she did go... "I'll take you with me if I do leave again though." Pause. "And Tate." Sabel was leaving her, so she couldn't bring him, but she sure could meet him there.

With a big over dramatic huff, she turned her eyes back to the food, distractedly scanning the table for something to eat. "TERRIBLE. Absolutely horrific."

She was about to go into greater detail when a smaller Puff joined them...

...And offering her strawberries.

It was sweet... but she was done with fruit for the day. Smiling at the boy, she shook her head politely. "No thanks, I think I'll go with the pizza."

Which looked sooo good to her right now. Picking up a slice, she considered it before speaking to Treyen again. "The only reason he had us come was to sing to everyone." She glanced at her friend. "I didn't sing" Obviously. "But some of the Griffidors did." Cause they were GRIFFINDORS.

Okay, so, he knew he hadn't been at the table for long, but, come on Preston! "How come you don't offer me some?" and he was serious about it. Since...he was also sitting there, and...completely joking.

But Preston didn't know that, "I know I took a sandwich, but that doesn't mean I won't have any fruit with it," and he was on the verge of laughing, which is why (if he wanted to continue with the joke part) he took Arya interference much to his liking.



See? That's why they couldn't be apart for too long. The boy had no idea how Sabel will be dealing with it, but he better do it somehow. And if the three Badgers were together, well, sorry Sabel. The Gryffindor better bring Kellen along.

He grinned at finding out he was also missed, but he was certain that he'd missed Arya even more, because, well, there were little distractions at Hogwarts. AND, most importantly, she'd been away. Not him. It's only logical that he was the one missing her more when he got to stay and pretty much the Castle reminded him of her, no?

Er, maybe not.

"Good, I'm not too fond of worrying," yes, Arya, TRUST HIM about that. Because he'd been worrying for the past days about the most silly thing. But, yes, he'll talk about that later.

Then his eyes widened. "What? Really? That terrible?" but he waited until she'd answered Preston and then...kept on talking about the...WHAT?! Singing.

Well, yes, Treyen burst out laughing, "Singing?" yeah, good thing he was not invited, "What did they sing? Why didn't you sing? What's the Borr dude like?" Geez, Treyen, give the girl a break.