After the feast had ended, Kurumi knew exactly where she wanted to stop by before she retired to the Gryffindor common room for the night. Thankfully, it wasn't too far from the Great Hall and she had been able to arrive in no time flat.

Slowly opening the door, Kurumi was wrapped in the musty smell of the room that most likely hadn't opened since she had last visited.

Taking a few timid steps, Kurumi's hands ran over the various brooms and she remember the mock sword fight her and Adam had had their first year. Over by the window was where he had held her as she had cried over her life and just generally being overwhelmed. To her right were the stools they had sat on during their long conversations.

As she walked, she heard a soft crunching noise. Kurumi looked down and saw a piece of paper that she recognized as being from the final gift she had ever given Adam.

She knelt down and picked it up and immediately felt her knees buckle under her and she collapsed to the ground. Gripping the piece of paper to her chest, she felt the ring under her robes and the tears began to trickle down her face like a fresh spring.

"...Adam..."

Peyton wanted to be alone. She didn't want anyone to see her cry because her eyes were all puffy and red and there were tear stains on her cheeks. As she ran with her head down she stopped at a door and briefly thought that she was lucky for not running into someone or worse...John. She didn't want to see him either. She was extremely mad with him to even glance at him.

She opened the door and sat in the corner, not even bothering to check if it was clean or not. She finally let her small sobs fill the confined space. The girl curled up, drawing her knees to her chest trying not too feel lonely.

Oh, how she wanted her daddy's hug right about now. She wanted to hear him say that everything was going to be okay and that her mom would just leave all the custody stuff alone. She wanted to be with her daddy, not her mom. A big sob escaped her at the thought of her daddy being worried. This was all her step-mom's fault.

She just knew it.

This is Silly, Heather thought, but she vowed to do all tasks accordingly. She did say it seemed fun, so there's no room for complaint. But she had to admit, talking to one's self i the mirror deemed crazy, even more so embarrassing in front of other people. Still, she knew such a method works as a power motivator in achieving one's goals to the end.

And now here she was, sneaking into the broom cupboard, a small mirror at hand and her journal at the other. Her animated panda doll was not with her this time for she thought the doll might just distract her train of thought.

After closing the door shut behind her, she took a seat on the floor and placed the journal on her lap, ready to write anything she thought would be important.

She looked at the mirror she held, seeing her reflection. She sighed. "hmmm...well, at this point, I'm supposed to talk about my goals and how I'll achieve them." She placed her chin on her hand, thinking. What was her goal? To graduate? To do good? what else?

Heather just realized she had never had any big goals in her life, maybe...some other things other than Edward Enticeler on her mind. "I have to be honest and make a goal that'll at least define me and my future." she said to herself, thinking that thinking of Ed would not exactly help her at all. What really is her goal?

"Well...i do would like to finish this tasks, obviously the only way to do that is to do all the tasks. now, i would like to be as strong as Kurumi and Connor is...so I'll just have to do my best in being more confident and to be more out going, as what I'd promised Rex." she said, taking down notes. She didn't want to forget what she realized as her goals today. "I'd like to pass everything and to graduate and I'll only be able to see that happen if I really work hard on ym homework and pay attention to my classes..." good, this is getting somewhere now.

Time to dig deep.

"I'd really like to travel with my dad once i graduate." she said, looking at her reflection. "I can achieve that if i graduate with good marks-and If i get better with my photography skills." She beamed now, feeling a little lighter with her mood at this activity. What do you know, it actually helps and works.

"hmmm...I don't have any other goals in life...but I would like to work at a job i know I'd love...I don't know for now, but I'll try to find out what I'd really like as much as i can." great, great. Her head was rushing with ideas. Good ideas.

then she stopped. Her ultimate goal. She wrote it down feverishly on her journal. "There is one goal I'd want to see through to happen soon." she sighed. "My growth spurt. I want to get tall...and i guess I'd achieve that if i drink my milk and get some sleep and have a balanced diet." which means she'll have to lessen her chocolate frog intake.

Seeing her journal somehow full with her goals and plans on how to achieve it (with the messy hand writing) she ripped the page off and decided to re write it back at the common room. At least she was done with her task. "That's it." she said, standing up and opening the door to let herself out of the cupboard."Another task down.."

Ariana saw Peyton in the broom closet, she had poked her head in looking for Slytherins. She decided that Peyton looked like she really needed a hug, so Ariana walked up, gave her a gentle hug, and asked softly, "Is everything okay?"

Peyton felt someone's arms around her and she sniffed a bit. When she pulled back she saw Ariana. Oh the shame of someone seeing her cry and then hugging her. Usually the girl didn't like people to just hug her, but right now it was really welcomed. The red head smiled as in saying thanks for the hug.

She was SO nice.

Peyton looked down at her hand and shook her head no. Things were horrible at the moment. "Not really," she sniffed again, but she didn't want to bore Ariana with her problems.

Ariana smiled, seeing Peyton needed some support. Now was not the time to go counting Slytherin hugs! Even though she did, in her mind, say 'Eight,' as she gave Peyton another hug. She was really glad Peyton wasn't just pushing her off, she always felt helpless when someone wasn't ok but just said they were.

"Is there anything I can do to help? Sometimes talking about stuff helps you figure it out." Ariana kept talking softly, not wanting to push Peyton into saying whatever was wrong, but wanting her to know Ariana was always there if she wanted to talk.

CeCe found herself in a cupboard. It had an odd, wet sweaty smell to it, that just made her nose wrinkle with disgust.Looking around slightly she saw two stools- why would anyone ever want to hang out in such a place?Just random stools placed in the corner of the cupboard.

"Weird, weird place...Who would want to be here?"

Peyton sniffed and nodded. Maybe talking will help her feel better. "W-Well, my mom wants to take me to France," she said. "But, I want to live with my dad in the US." It was horrible. She wanted to stay with her daddy not her mom.

Plus, living with her mom meant that she would be around her sisters and that was the last thing she wanted. Ugh.

Kurumi hurried into the broom cupboard, glad to find it empty, with a small bag that she had knitted over the summer with the help of her mother. She had intended to use it for something else, but since her situation had changed. Hands trembling, Kurumi closed the door and cast Colloportus on it before proceeding further. She didn't need anyone coming in. This was hard enough without having someone else observing and interrupting her.

Her heart pounded in her chest, Kurumi felt as though 50 kilogram weights had been attached to each of her legs as she made her way forwards towards the center of the room. To her right lay some old brooms, perhaps the same brooms that her and Adam had used in their first year to duel with each other before discussing more personal things. Over by the window is where Kurumi had made a sort of confession while discussing snowflakes. Over in the other corner was where they had exchanged their first gifts, a picture Adam had painted her and her cookies to him. Funnily enough, this had not been the place where he had...had...had kissed her, but it had been the place where they had been able to talk and get to know each other.

For two years this room had been their personal sanctuary. A place that seemed to have been kept a secret from everyone else, almost as if their relationship had cast a Disillusionment Charm on the room and only they knew the counter spell to finding it. It pained her to see other student entering and exiting the space. It felt almost as if her sanctuary had been violated. Her Eden had been corrupted.

But, that was selfish of her, wasn't it? Calling it HER Eden. Her name wasn't written anywhere on it. Well, no where for others to be able to see with their own eyes. Kurumi gripped her chest with her right hand while she reached into her pocket with her other hand for ring Adam had given her at the end of her first term. There were no promises attached to it. Nothing that heavy or serious. It had just been Adam's gesture of showing how he felt. She had worn it around her neck on a silver chain ever since - making sure that it was always close to her heart. Even after the six months of hearing nothing from him and knowing that they may never see each other again, she hadn't been able to take it off until moments earlier after speaking with Connor in the courtyard.

She felt its silver surface and the slightly engraved areas where the cherry blossoms had been painted on and she felt the tears forming in her eyes. Bringing the ring up to her lips, she kissed it softly as hot tears began streaming down her face. Yes, Adam had written her...but his response had come six months too late. A single tear fell onto the ring as she held it in the palm of her hand.


Whispering an almost silent farewell as she plopped the ring into the pouch and then pulled out a torn piece of parchment and pulled a quill from her bag. Taking a deep breath, Kurumi set her quill to the parchment and wrote a message to her future self.


Two thoughts, both very different from one another, but both were what Kurumi felt in her heart right now - although she didn't like using the word love. She was only thirteen years old, how was she supposed to know what it meant? Reading over what she had written, she hoped that her seventh year self would remember to come back and find this bag with the piece of parchment in it. Perhaps then she would know what she had truly been feeling in this moment where the world seemed to be both closing in on her and opening up to new possibilities.

Folding the paper in half, Kurumi added it to the woven bag and found a shelf that looked at though it had been undisturbed for centuries now. Pushing a few empty polish cans aside, Kurumi set it in the corner of the shelf and then returned everything to how it once had been. Tears streaming down her face like waterfalls, Kurumi stood back and examined the shelf for a few moments before finally turning her back to it. She then took her wand out.

"Alohomora," she whimpered to undo her spell work from earlier.

This was it. This really was the end. Or perhaps it was the beginning. Only time would tell how her decision would play out.

lily turned the corner to find the broom cupboard she didn't want anymore trouble from her 'bullies', she opened the door and tripped up over the mops and thiings sat down and curled up in a ball and cried, praying noone heard her.

Cassie's fingers immediately seized its reign of terror in Jim's hair as he finished speaking and she processed all that was coming out of his mouth. Travelling was definitely good, she had no problem with that, but did he say IF he comes back?

She wiggled off his back as they made it up to the ground floor. He was pulling her leg or something, wasn't he? She walked around him so she could face him and already she was sporting a deep frown.

" You don't plan on returning after your travels?" Yeah that kind of sucks James. " I mean...you're just going to up and leave....me?"

Hmmm?

He let her down and cocked his head at her.

"I don't not plan to come back. I just don't know where the world will take me. I'm thinking about a year away will be good, around Europe to start and then, who knows? India. I think I wanna go there."

... why was she frowning?

She definitely felt the pout coming on....pout. Had he been her dad she would have received a wad of cash and told to buy something nice and they would usually work for a little while, but she was sure if James did that at the moment she would cry?

Her shoulders slumped. She had no idea why this was affecting her so much, the boy wanted to travel, she ought to be thrilled for him.

"Europe is great...nice malls..." She smiled at him. What else was she supposed to do? She had never liked liked a boy before really so.." And India sounds exciting.."

Nice malls. Sure. Because Jimmy would clearly spend every waking moment in malls.

"It'll be good to just... I dunno. Be a bit free or something. I can't think straight and I have no idea what I'm gonna do with my life." There were too many options, but nothing had clicked in his head yet.

...

"... why are we in a broom closet?" Eyebrow waggle. Was she trying to have her way with him? HMMM?

Cassie nodded. Yeah she got that. The christmas of her fifth year had been rough and it wasant until she packed her bags and took off to Blossom's that she managed to clear her head. She supposed travelling had that effect on people, after all being caged in cages in your mind too and James was such a free spirit she felt silly for expecting him to stay in England.

"I'm sure by the time you hit India something will come to you." She reached up and smooth his hair down a bit. She had made quite a mess of it.

Cass snickered at his comment and looked around realising that they were indeed standing infront of an open broom closet. She smirked at him then looked around. No one was around so she pushed him in and locked the door behind them.

"Now we're in the broom closet." She giggled and then felt around for his face, she couldn't see a thing In front of her.

"Maybe. I can't mess around forever though, I do have to work for a living eventually." Because his parents were well off but... well, they worked full time. Jimmy had everything he wanted and needed growing up, except for their company. Not that they weren't loving.... just absent. Busy. Working. To give him everything.

Huh? He blinked as he got his footing, the sudden darkness was quite surprising.

"Oh, ha ha." He reached for the door handle and had to feel around a bit to find it.

He turned it so that he could open the door a crack for light....

... but it didn't open.

?!

Click.

He drew his wand and cast an unlocking spell then tried again.

Cliiiiick.

He tried another spell.

Cliiiiiiiiickclick.

And then rattled the door some.

ClickclickClickclick.

...

"Uh... Cassie?"

Yes she knew he had to work but he was only eighteen, he was still quite young and was sure his parents wouldn't push him out the nest until he was ready to do that. Still she knew that she would really miss him, they had and were still having a lot of fun and chill moments together. Him graduating and going off to travel would mean the end of that for her.

She giggled and stepped a little to the side, knocking over a mop in the process, to give James some room to get to the door handle.

She waited as she listened to him trying to open the door. But each failed attempt sent her panic meter up a little. She looked up to his face, or well where she thought his face was with a slightly worried expression on hers.

Not even magic was opening the door?? Definitely time for panic. She moved toward the door, stepping blindly unto something she supposed was his foot, she wasant certain but she murmured sorry any ways before grabbing the handle and twisting and shaking then eventually pounding.

"James....I think we're locked in." She stated unnecessarily.

"Lovely." Jimmy conjured a little ball of light to float near his shoulder. That helped a bit at least.

"Someone must have jinxed the door." Good thing he didn't have anywhere urgent to be, he supposed.

He grinned reassuringly at her, the light enough that he could see her expression now.

"Its all good. Could send a patronus to someone." No big.

Cassie leaned against the door and watched as James conjured up the ball of light. Good, she wasn't too fond of the dark even if she did have a big strong RavenClaw to protect her of whatever creepy crawlies that might be lurking around somewhere.

"I guess so...but...why?" She suppose they might have done it for a laugh but it was sooo not funny. What if she had gotten stuck in the cupboard alone?

Cassie relaxed when Jim grinned at her. If he was ok and not freaking out about it then she was sure they would be ok.

"Well then in that case, I guess we should find a umm..creative way to pass the time." She waggled her eyebrows at him.

Gwen came out the Great Hall and was ready to go in her common room. However, she didn’t have anything important to do, so she could kill some time around. While she went towards the stairs, she noticed a door. Hmm- now what could that be?, the girl asked herself. Only one way to find out…

She opened the door, making it squeak. When she entered the room, she heard someone crying. She looked around but only saw plenty of brooms, mops and stuff like that for cleaning. Then her eyes finally fell on a girl that was seating down. ‘A-are you all right?’, she finally asked. Ah, stupid question, Gwen! She’s crying, of course she’s NOT fine.

This time, not even willing to sound mean (an actual record for her!), she asked :’Mind if I stay with you?’ And pleeeease cheer up.

lily sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve she looked up to the girl standing in front of her ,nodded and gave a weak smile
"i'll be ok" and fiddled with her robes. she had seen this girl around school. 'she seems nice don't mess it up' she thought.

Gwen went closer to the girl and looked around. This place is so messy…full of dust. Meh, now it’s not the time to think of that, the red-haired told herself and ‘took a seat’ on the floor. Not really knowing what she should do, she looked at the girl, hoping some idea would come in her head. ‘What happened?’, she finally asked. Hopefully, that line seemed nice. Actually Gwen was more curious of why she was crying, rather than actually willing to make her cheer up. Whatever, the second variant is ok too…

How come I’m kind today? Hmm…good question, the young Ravenclaw thought. Maybe I did enough mean stuff today to that first year Gryffindor, she told herself, while grinning. Then, she turning her head back to the huffie and hoped she would start talking. I really want to know what happened!

lily smiled and shook her head, for she had found concern and maybe friendship in this young ravenclaw in stead she asked "what are you doing tomorrow after breakfast" and then she sneezed.

Gwen waited for the girl to say something, and when she did, the young ravvie looked puzzled. 'Eh... tomorrow after breakfast?', she repeated one more time, more to hereself, but lout enough for the girl to hear her. 'I'm not sure...', she started answering. I'll probably be at the library, or somewhere outside... at the lake, perhaps? 'Why do you ask?', Gwen said, hoping to hear some good reason. something other than 'meh, I was just wondering', the thing she would actually reply. You need to cheer up, the young Ravenclaw thought, looking at the girl.

'I'm Gwen, by the way', she finally decided to introduce herself.