Ellie did NOT cower when the giganto bird came down. NOT. She so did

"Apparently," she said, forcing a believable laugh. She was SPOOKED. Laughs didn't come easily when you just had a heart attack.

She lifted up her camera as a prop. "I need my dad to get the pictures out." Or the shop in Diagon Alley, as it was most likely to be sent. "If I can find my owl.." Grr. He was NOT getting any owl treats if he kept that up.

Oh! Treats!

Ellie dug into her pocket and pulled out an owl treat. "Screech!" Come NOW, please? "Please?" Manners had worked with the other girl..

Ronnie smiled, when she saw the girl flinch at the bird. It was just an owl after all. Nothing to be scared about. "Is that a muggle camera?" She asked her, Ronnie had one at her mom's house, but she didn't bring it to Hogwarts, she didn't think it would work here.

The fact that she couldn't remember the girls name was driving her nuts. Elda, Ester, Ethel, Ellie..."ELLIE!" Ronnie shouted at the top of her lungs, she didn't realize she was being so loud and at least 100 birds starting flying around at once.

Hah! Yes! Screech.

A little bribery went a long way.

Or maybe it was the 'please'? Nah...it was the treat.

"Nooooooooooooo....." Why did everyone think that? "My dad got it in Diagon Alley." Which, she was pretty sure, was muggle free.

Ellie turned to Screech who had landed on the windowsill and was attempting to figure out how best to secure the camera onto him. She hadn't thought this all the way through and therefore had not packaged it. And it BETTER not fall. It was her most prized possession.

This was when the girl YELLED her name to the WHOLE UNIVERSE. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN'S EMBARRASSING RASH ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?! KNOCK THE SPIDERS DOWN FROM THE RAFTERS?!" Shudder, "I'm right here." Obviously. No need to shout.

And....fantastic, Screech flew out the window. Ellie dug into her pocket again to get another owl treat. HOPEFULLY she had another.

Ronnie blushed, she didn't meant to shout it. "I remembered your name..." Ronnie whispered then...she didn't mean for the birds to all fly out the window. "I have owl treats...I didn't know if I would need to bribe one of the school owls." Ronnie said digging into her pocket and pulling one out.

She walked over and gave one to Ellie, "I could'nt remember and then I did, and it was exciting for me." Ronnie said still blushing greatly.

Ellie gratefully took the owl treat as compensation.

"It's okay," she shrugged, "I do that too." Minus the SHOUTING.

Screech had come back to the sill on his own, though, thank Merlin. But Ellie still fed him the girl whose name she couldn't remember's owl treat. Compensation. "Err...You wouldn't have a means of allowing him to carry my camera, would you?" She didn't appear to have a box on her. But maybe she had something else suitable? Otherwise, Ellie'd have to....use her shoelaces, probably.

Ronnie, opened her bag and started to look through it. To try and see if she could find something for the camera. She pulled out a blue hair ribbon.
"This is all I have." She said wondering if the girl would want to use it or not.

"I'm sure Junie would love to see you again...do you want to go down to the Lake with me?" Ronnie asked, hoping because let's face it, she was bored out of her mind and didn't want to go back to the common room just sit and do homework. Homework was boring...she needs to do stuff for Herbology...but dirk was double yuck.

Ellie shook her head. The problem with ribbons was that they were slippery and could easily unknot mid-flight.

No,....

GASP!

Idea.

She took off her robes, knotted the sleeves, and spread it out on the disgusting floor. Then she placed her camera in it, and tied it up so it looked much like the bundle the storks carry babies in. Cuz that was totally real. And then she tied the bundle onto Screech's foot.

It might be a bit heavy but...oh well. He'll survive.

The lake? Hmm... It was still a bit cold out, being early March and everything...so it shouldn't be too, too crowded, right?

"Sure." Smile.

She should probably try and remember this girl's name now... Maybe it'll come up. That would be easiest. But Ellie wasn't really troubled by it.

Christopher launched himself up the stairs to the Owelry. He hadn't visited his own owl in awhile and figured he'd bring some little treats. He grinned at the snowy owl, looking up curiously at him with it's large, round, golden eyes. "Hey Baltimore, I brought you something." He let out a small laugh under his breath as the owl greedily snatched up the food, as if he hadn't eaten in days.

Helena walked into the Owlery to visit the most beloved creature she had ever known. Her baby eagle-like owl. "Hades?" The girl asked, looking around. And there he was! A tiny owl managed to make its way towards her, then she let her right arm down for it to jump on. She would have let her LEFT arm, but that one was hurting from that Herbology lesson. She knew she shouldn't have taken that class.

But anyway. Her adorable owl was there now, so everything was okay. She looked into that tiny yellow... ish eyes, then stroked him gently. "I missed you."

Aaaand then she noticed a familiar face next to her. She just didn't notice his presence. "Christopher!" Helena said happily, now approaching him, still with Hades on her arm. "I haven't seen you around for a while."

Christopher looked up at the sound of a girl's voice. "Huh? Oh, hello Helena! How've you been?" He glanced up at a little eagle owl perched on the young snake's arm. "Aw, and who might this little guy be?" He grinned and nodded at her owl. It seemed Baltimore might make a new friend this fine day.

Helena smiled. "Good," she said, taking a glimpse of her hurting left hand. But let's forget about that. "Even better with him around," she added, stroking Hades again. He was just sitting on her arm quietly. "How about you?"

Ah, he said 'little guy'. It's a good thing Hades wasn't a female. Helena wouldn't have enjoyed hearing her female owl being called a guy. Hehe. "Oh, and this is Hades." The girl looked at his owl as well. "Your owl is beautiful." Buuuut wait 'till Hades grows up and turns into a handsome owl... guy.

Christopher grinned. He thought it was really sweet how much she seemed to care for her owl. He was a huge animal lover himself, and couldn't live with out his own owl. "I'm just fine, thanks."

"Very nice to meet you, Hades," He joked and leaned forward into a bow, his arm still raised so Baltimore wouldn't fall off. He laughed lightly, and did so again when Baltimore chirped affectionately when he heard himself being called beautiful. "Thank you, my little sister picked him," Christopher said with a grin.

"We never really got to know one another, Helena. Tell me a bit about yourself!" Christopher was curious about the small girl, he'd never really gotten to know her at the lake, for the rink had melted away and they'd had classes to attend.

Helena giggled the moment Christopher bowed in front of Hades, then looked again at his owl. "What's your owl's name?" She smiled, still stroking Hades. He had an attempt of hooting, but the sounds were... well, baby owl-like. Squeaky maybe?

"Yes, we didn't," the girl agreed. But then... "Uhh... I don't really... like talking about me." She was blushiiiiing. "How about... you ask and I answer?" Well, if he really wanted to know something about her.

He lifted up his arm again and smiled. "This is Baltimore." At the sound of his name, Baltimore nipped Christopher's ear affectionately, then hooted back to Hades's squeak-hoots. It was actually really adorable. The snowy owl's big golden eyes were fixed on Hades. Christopher couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh come on, you can't tell me anything?" Christopher said jokingly. "How about your favourite colour? Mine is red. But also really like blue...." He grinned at the young snake, who was blushing tremendously. "That sounds fair to me."

Helena smiled kindly at the beautiful snowy owl. "It's a pleasure meeting you, Baltimore." That was a very nice name. She also noticed the way Baltimore was looking at Hades. Maybe they'll be friends. Or Hades could be Baltimore's little brother. That would be cute!

Still looking like a raddish, Helena looked up at Christopher and smiled. "Okay, favourite colour," she said thoughtfully. "It... depends on my mood, I guess," the girl shrugged. "But I usually like dark blue," juuust like her eyes.

"I feel the same way! Right now, it's red though. I really like dark blue, as well." He looked thoughtfully at her for a moment and smiled. "Like your eyes." His own eyes were bright; they were electric blue. They matched his father's eyes perfectly. That's where he and his sister got them. The only one who didn't have them were his mum... But he didn't like to think about her.

"Next question.... Favourite flavour of ice cream?"

"Red suits you," Helena giggled. Well, he was a Gryffindor, wasn't he? And... just when her face was finally turning back to its usual pale colour, it turned red once again, when he made that comment about her eyes. Nobody had actually said something before about her eyes. She got used to them being... well, just eyes.

Okay, another question. He's not going to like this answer, even though Helena never lies. "I don't like ice cream," she grinned. "How about your favourite flavour?"

Christopher turned slightly pink. "Thanks. It's probably due to the fact that I'm in Gryffindor house," he laughed. He noticed the Slytherin once again go red. "Sorry," Christopher said quietly. The first think he noticed about a person was their eyes. Sometimes he paid too much attention to people.

Christopher faked a shocked face. "This is a crime! Who doesn't like ice cream?" he said with a laugh. He pondered the question for a moment. "My favourite flavour would have to be...... strawberry."

"Hmmm?" The girl managed to say, looking curiously at Christopher. "Sorry for what?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. Her face was also slooooowly turning pale again. He's probably going to think she's a freak or something like that, with her face constantly turning from pale to red and back to pale and then red again and so on.

Helena giggled. "Everyone says that. But I guess I don't." Ooooh strawberry? "I love strawberries!" They were just soooo delicious!

"Erm, well, I was just sorry if I was, you know, over analyzing you." He felt super awkward. "Nevermind," he said quietly, blushing furiously. He was really glad when she changed the subject. "Yeah, my girlfriend is a Vegan, so I guess she probably feels the same way." He smiled at the thought of Violet staring longingly at a bowl of ice cream. "Same!" Christopher laughed. "Yeah, strawberries are one of my favourite fruits. I used to pick them with my dad when I was younger at my grandparents' farm."

... Over analyzing? Naaah.

Helena grinned. "Don't worry about it."

But then, their conversation was getting sliiiightly more interesting. "Oooh you have a girlfriend?" The girl asked curiously, her grin slowly turning into a smirk.

Christopher sighed in relief. "Thanks." Whew! That was a close one! He was so socially awkward. It was a wonder he had friends, though he did not really have many.

When Helena brought up his girlfriend, Christopher was still as red as a tomato. "Oh... ha, erm, yeah." She was smirking at him, and he could tell she would probably want him to elaborate. "Well, erm, her name is Violet Le Veela, she's in Hufflepuff, she's a first year, and she's really nice, and erm, yeah." He hadn't really wanted to go out with her in the first place. It wasn't that he didn't like her- he really did. But he just thought they were a bit young, but Violet's best friend had bullied him into asking her out. He only wished they'd been a bit older before they began to date. I mean, he was only twelve! He'd be thirteen soon, but still. He was merely a child for goodness sake!

Helena couldn't help but giggle, seeing Christopher as he was blushing. And when he mentioned his girlfriend's name... "Oh, I know her," she said, smiling. "I mean... not personally, but I've seen her around." To be more exact, Helena remembered her first flying lesson, when this Violet and a Slytherin friend of hers lost twenty points each. Or wasn't she the one?

Anyway, Helena didn't mention that part. It would've been... rude. But then... she started thinking that everyone seemed to have a boyfriend/girlfriend, no matter how young they were. Buuuut she was still very young and had plenty of time for that.

"Yeah, I didn't really want to date her in the first place. I like her and all, I like her a lot. I just think we're way too young. Her best friend Selina sort of threatend me. I wished we would've had more time to just be friends. I mean, I'll be thirteen in a month, but I'm still a child! I'm not ready for a relationship." Christopher heaved an exasperated sigh. It felt great to get that off his chest. The only person he would've been able to tell otherwise was Elyon, but that's only because she was family. He just wasn't ready for a girlfriend, not yet anyway.

"She... threatened you?" Helena asked, raising her eyebrows in amazement. "Isn't she... a first year as well?"

Uhh... This sounded pretty messed up. "But you know you don't have to be her boyfriend if you're not ready yet, don't you?" The girl asked hopefully, then gave him a smile. It just sounded awkward. Being threatened and everything.