Tayla walked towards the fireplace with a book in hand: The Standard Book of Spells Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk. If she wanted to learn that spell her grandmother invented, she had better start mastering the basics. She sat at an armchair opposite one that was already occupied. Tayla had only realized who it was when she had already sat down. It was the Slytherin girl she had met on the train and whose book she had found and returned at the Start of Term Feast.

Elizabeth Nyx Woods The girl's name popped into Tayla's head at once. She still remembered because of the number of times Tayla called and looked for her.

Tayla never made noise in libraries, but she felt an even greater pressure to keep silent now. Not wanting to get any attention, she didn't leave the seat and instead opened her book nonchalantly and tried to put it up so that it covered her face. She didn't think the girl would recognize her, but in case she did and was in a foul mood, Tayla didn't want to get in the way.

Oh great! Tayla thought as she felt the sudden urge to sneeze. No Tayla. Not now! No no n-no...

"Hachoo!!!"

She leaned back lower in the armchair and continued to hide her face from view. "Excuse me..." she muttered softly.

Jonathan walked into the library for the first time in this term. He seldom visits the library since he doesn't really read books plus it's too quiet. Students don't come often as much in the library as well.

To Jonathan, the library is quite boring but seeing as he really needs to study for the upcoming exam he decided to just try studying here.

After getting the books he wanted to borrow, he went and find himself a seat. READING!!! It's simple to look at the book and read but actually understanding every line and every page is like a kid trying to learn his alphabet.

He sat down in one of the chairs, placed all the borrowed books in one place. Took out his parchment, quill and journal and put them all in front of him. Jonathan is a bit OCD, so putting things in place is always a must to him. Opening the first book on top and shuffling through the first chapter he yawned.

Great. He hasn't even started to read yet and he's already yawning.

Wandering around to the comfy chairs, Thea dropped her bag down beside her and sat. Wriggling around, she relaised she was sitting on something.. Feeling underneath her, Thea brought out a quill.. *gulp* snapped in half. Looking up, Thea's eye sliterally turned to saucers as she saw an older boy sitting across from her.
'Oh myGod! I am so sorry.. is this your quill?' Thea chewed her lip and hoped he wouldn't curse her too much...

Jonathan was surprised by the voice he heard. He wasn't really studying, he was just making an excuse to snooze somewhere quiet. Funny how he thought of the library. Looking to the girl across him who was apologizing about getting his quill. He smiled at her. "It's alright" he said while fixing the bangs on his hair. yeah, it's getting longer and longer each day.

"I haven't..." he started. He didn't know how to start a real conversation so he just said anything that he was thinking "I'm Jonathan" gesturing his right hand to her for a hand shake. She's a first year, perhaps?

Thea was already rummaging in her bag for another quill. Face flushed, Thea held out the spare quill for him smiling a little. Oh.. hand not quill..... Dropping the quill Thea took his hand and shook it, grinning. She wasn't going to get back handed.. woooot!

'Nice to meet you Jonathan, I'm Thea.' ...And a first year. He could probably tell that anyway.. Merh!

The girl handed Jonathan a spare quill... really??? As soon as he shook her hand he said "Pleasure Thea and please, you can keep your quill" there was no harm done. "I have spares in my trunk back at the common room" he told her. See? No need to get all panicky about it. It's just a quill after all. Plus, he could certainly buy one at Hogsmeade if ever he doesn't have a spare one.

"I see... Gryffindor" he smiled at her. There has been a lot of first year Gryffindors nowadays, Slytherins too. Jonathan can only imagine the common room filled with first years roaming around and getting themselves lost. "How's school so far?" he can already tell she's a first year. First years usually have their own aura. You can really tell if they are.

Shrugging, Thea put her quill back in her bag. 'Okay..' She smiled. Breathing out, she flipped her dark hair behind her.

Yes.. Gryffindor....

....
Even though her brothers often said to her she should of been in Slytherin. She frowned.. she wouldn't of cared really. 'Mer- um it's okay, really..' Thea nodded. 'So.. what year are you in?' He looked at least a fifth year to her. Quickly she felt underneath her incase she was breaking anything else...

Cleo walked into the room, noticed a spare seat and sat in it. the peace and quite was good but she wished that at least one of her friends would be here!

Jim headed into the library with a few things to study, and quietly hummed one of his favourite Winged Horsemen tracks under his breath. So tragic. It was.

He found a seat, with a couple other empty seats around it and piled his books up. Textbooks, the lot of them. Jimmy stopped humming and put his glasses on.

He opened up a runes book and began to read.

“I don’t know if I would call it incredible,” she said as she brushed a few strands of silky black hair behind her ear. Although, she did wish that her brothers had shown signs of it. It certainly would have made her feel more comfortable in her own skin growing up. “I suppose it is like a recessive gene. You know, how one parent may have black hair and the other blonde, but the chances of a child being born with blonde hair isn’t as strong as black but there is the off chance that they will be.” She glanced up at Treyen for a brief moment suddenly feeling like this was also worth researching. Perhaps she could write a report on the genetic nature of Metamorphagi. “We all have black hair, in case you were wondering.” Lame attempt at a joke. Just let it slide.

Kurumi’s cheeks flushed again when he winked. Did he REALLY have to do that when she was trying to be serious? Then again, it did help her relax a bit, even if Treyen wasn’t aware of the effect. If he were, then they were probably both in serious trouble because it would most likely result in her turning into a puddle of Kurumi goo on the floor of the library. It WAS possible, after all. Metamorphagi were masters of disguise – not that she was anywhere near a master yet.

Kurumi looked over at what Treyen was looking at to see, well, a person that she hoped to never meet in an alleyway – dark or not. “Who is that?” she asked pointing to him. “And why does he look like he has a grudge against the world?”

Kurumi thought she saw Treyen’s cheeks flush, but she assumed it to be a trick of the light. He was never one to blush in front of her, while the latter was more of an every second situation. Her shoulders went a bit rigid at his next comment and the magenta tinge to the hair returned. Smiling…okay…she could probably do that. “My smile is nothing compared to yours though,” she mumbled as she chewed on her lower lip.

WOAH!

The chair she had been sitting in wobbled and Kurumi was sure they were going to fall over backwards perhaps she would be so luck as for him to catch her? Heart racing, Kurumi took several quick breaths to calm herself down so as not to squeak at a pitch that only dogs could her when she spoke. “A man I met this summer, a friend of Father’s, brought CDs from this band,” she said remembering the man who had constantly been flipping his hair around. “He…He mentioned that father and him used to play together starting when they were 5th years or so at Hogwarts…” She set the paper down on her lap and began to wish she had brought her other bag. The bag that had the still in its wrapper CD. “That band…the one they formed…was called the Winged Horsemen.”

Arya was in the library, but she wasn't necessarily there to study. Past terms have proven that her brand of studying in the library usually lead to a good nap. And considering how she was still under the weather, a good nap was welcomed.

Just in case the nap didn't occur on it's own, she grabbed a couple of random books on creatures. A bit counter productive, but she wasn't really thinking clearly when she picked them up. Arya didn't waste anytime finding a seat, plopping down into it, and placing her few books beside the stack near her small collection.

She eyed those books before eying the person who they belonged to. Hmm. "I didn't know you wear glasses."

Jimmy looked up, yes, through his glasses, and grinned suddenly upon recognizing Miss Puff prefect. "Now you do. Just for reading though." He answered.

He half closed his book in his lap, using his finger as a temporary bookmark. "I never really bothered with them when I was younger." Shrug.

Why? Did she find them horrible?

"And hi to you too." wink. Yeah, that was a greeting.

"Probably not, because we both know how believable it can be," he started to say, "But I only meant that those were amazing skills to have," once they were under control, of course, and he guessed Kurumi still wasn't. That ought to be awful for her, no? Not being able to control her hair from changing colors, for instance, because he noticed that, not just the color changing, but her reaction to that, as if she had to be ashamed of something.

She had nothing to be ashamed of, though, but knowing Kurumi...it was better if he didn't mention that, right?

Needless to say, he blinked three times at her explanation and, yeah, he sort of knew that, but Treyen was completely blown away. How could she know so much? He nodded...eventually. And then actually chuckled at her joke. "I wasn't, but it's nice to know," he smiled.

And why was she blushing now? He'd said absolutely nothing! Maybe she was reminded of something, or whatever.

Eh, who's who? OH, RIGHT! "Kazimeriz? Some ancient Professor and Potioneer. Scary one." Yet adored by his sister. "Maybe he does," he said, adding a chuckle at the end.

Then, he noticed the color changing thing. Magenta. Pretty. And then....WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?! His eyes widened and his cheeks were completely RED by now. Yeah, Kurumi has improved in speaking her mind, no? Still, he was biting his bottom lip as to not smile after that comment. And failing miserably!

"Eh, thanks," he wanted to add that it was probably not completely true, because, well, any girl looked the most beautiful whenever they smiled, right? Even Ellie, yet she managed to look as beautiful as always if she pretended to be mad at him.

They weren't going to fall, okay? Because Treyen wasn't falling from HIS chair, or...Kurumi's chair, that they were now sharing.

"Your father was in a band? That's very cool," totally, and he was now forgetting why it was so important all of the sudden...

...because Sir Awesome was in the Library.

And...he had no idea he wore glasses! He was even more awesome for that. Funny how he never wore them around the office.

But his attention turned back to Kurumi as soon as Arya joined Sir Awesome. "The woman never mentioned how he died?" her supposed father.

"Just for reading all on your lonesome." Cause he didn't wear them in class, not that she'd noticed at least, which wasn't saying too much. She pulled her legs into her chair under her. "I don't see why you didn't, they're nice glasses."

As nice as glasses could be she supposed.

Arya grinned. Heh. "Hi." Greetings. She knew she'd forgotten something. "Hooow are you?"

Treyen, and by extension that ickle Kurumi kid that Lexi liked to mother to an alarming extreme, got 'sup' nods.

"Pretty much." He agreed, leaning back in his seat and resting his arm across the top. "Just trying to avoid stereotypes, thats all." And because for so long he just did NOT want to be associated with his house. Gryffindor would have been SO much better.

"... And also a bit because since my... accident, I kind of can't see so well without them." He admitted. Yeah some seeker he was. Not even able to play at all this year, according to healer orders.

Why was he confessing that? To cover, Jim ran his fingers through his hair all cool like. Yep.

"I'm good I guess. Just... I dunno, studying." Pining for Finlay a bit "Trying to make sense of all this rubbish." He nudged the pile of books gently with his foot. "I'm supposed to figure out what I wanna do when I graduate and all." He eyed her little stack. "You studying or reading for pleasure?"

Kurumi giggled. Yep, nothing unbelievable about it. Although, if you would have asked her back when she was eleven years old she would have had an entirely different outlook on the situation. Walking around with a bottle of black spray paint jingling around in her bag had been a constant reminder that she was different from everyone else. A freak and a monster as some called her. At least now, in the wizarding world, Hogwarts, and more importantly in the eyes of Treyen those she was close to she wasn’t seen that way. Slowly but surely, she was coming out of her spray paint shell, so to speak.

And at least he had played along with her feeble attempt at humor. Although, her oldest brother did have a rather large red streak in his hair, so it being black wasn’t entirely true.

“Do you think it is because Potions is always in the dungeons?” she asked looking at the picture of scary man. “It is always so dark and scary, so Potioneers become rather frightening by extension.” Merlin knew that Dragon Lady clearly had a grudge against the world – especially when it came to Gryffindors.

“You’re welcome,” she chirped. This time she did notice that he was blushing a bit and felt oddly proud that she had been the one to accomplish this feat. She swore that she had read somewhere that Lockharts were not ones to blush easily. She should earn house points for this. It was probably harder than Potions homework.

“It seems like it,” she nodded. “Although, father seemed to be rather upset when this other man began going on and on about the band. Perhaps father is a bit shy about his younger years?” That was possible, until she reminded herself of the title she had just seen moments earlier.

Kurumi noticed when the Yearbook Head came walking into the library, humming a VERY familiar tune. Where had she heard it before? His version seemed a bit upbeat from the one that she knew, but the rhythm was the same. She snorted when she put two and two together. It was the lullaby that her father had often sung to her to put her to sleep. Well, the chorus at least.

Staring at the older boy with her mouth hanging open wide enough for a kneazle to prance his way through, she shook her head when she heard Treyen speak to her again. “Whaa…oh, um…she said that there was an attack involving his family,” she explained flicking her eyes down at the paper as she skimmed the description. “Said to have found the body of Charles Gaunt in Gaunt family home, it was deducted that the use of all three Unforgivable Curses had been used.” Kurumi paused for a moment, flicking her violet gaze at Treyen. “When Aurors arrived on site, it was already too late. The family was taken to Azkaban and the last words uttered by Mr. Gaunt senior are quoted as being ‘That’ll teach you to dirty the noblest of bloodlines.’ There was no official statement as to what he was referring to, however, another wand was discovered at the scene that had performed the Cruciatus Curse, but had not been used on the late singer.”

Kurumi’s eyes widened and she gripped the arm of the chair.

Alfie climbed a few more staircases up to the fourth floor, finding out the hard way that the staircases moved on their own. Because of this, it took her an extra ten minutes of frustration to get on an actual floor. Somehow, she was here. But where was here? She continued a little ways only to come upon a large doorway, entering through it just to find what appeared to be a library. Ah, so she had found where they kept their books. Mountains and mountains of books, by the looks of it. She took another step into the reading lounge, her blue eyes fixed on the seemingly endless bookshelves. Wow. So maybe this was where she could find a few books about this new school.

It was then, after a good minute or two of staring distractedly, that Alfie realized she had walked right into the middle of a group of people, scattered around doing various activities. She was standing right before a table held by two people, a boy and a girl, who were discussing something about...glasses? And here she was, standing awkwardly right beside them, only a couple feet away and obviously hovering without meaning to. "O-Oh...hi," Alfie said, blonde eyebrows raising as she placed her bookbag down on the table. "Sorry to...intrude." Her eyes quickly darted to the emblem on their robes, realizing that the guy was from this Ravenclaw-house-thing she also belonged to, and the girl's robes had a shade of yellow.

She'd seen Treyen and Kurumi when entering, but decided it best not to greet him just yet. He'd probably pick up on her whole being sick thing like Ivory had, and make her see their house head, like Ivory hadn't. Or at least suggest it.

Arya hadn't thought about it before, glasses and Ravenclaws, but now she was. And she honestly didn't know any that wore them. "I just... chose to ignore them." 'Cause it was a lost cause going out of her way to avoid them. Besides, she had other things like horrid nicknames to avoid.

Leaning back in her seat, she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "So you won't be able to play again?" Like ever? Not that she thought playing was a good thing. It wasn't. Quidditch was a terribly dangerous sport in her opinion.

Arya wasn't buying his whole 'cool act' either, or recognizing it as such. Though he had her attention, Jim was more interesting than a book.

She eyed his stack of books. "So you wanna..." She didn't know what he wanted to do, not going by his books. Shrug. "Neither really. I was looking for a place to rest." Her eyes returned to him and she grinned. "I don't do too much pleasure reading."

A 'sup' nod.

Sir Awesome got one as well.



Okay. If she didn't comment on it, then he'd won that discussion over, right? It was amazing that she was what she was, and nothing will change his mind.

But back to Kazimeriz, which was not a very good topic to discuss, by the way, Treyen shrugged, "I don't know, it could be," he said, while eying the picture once more and then letting go of the paper. Kazimeriz was too scary looking to be staring at him this long, "But then you'd have to think all Slytherins are similar, and it's not like we, Hufflepuffs, live too far away from the dungeons," he continued, "And...Lafay isn't too scary looking," so, basically, he was proving Kurumi wrong, right?

Never mind the fact that there were scary Slytherins, he still knew a couple that didn't fit that description. Like, Fallon, and Fee, and Justin, and Sierra...and Pierre. Pierre had never been scary. AT ALL.

The fifth year smiled again, and nodded. Kind of odd that she didn't bow her head or anything, right? Scotland was getting to her.

Er, say what? "There are some bands that don't get along and never make it all the way through," maybe something like that happened to the one where her father belonged to? Maybe the band DID get somewhere without her father. There was no way to know, because 'Winged Horsemen' didn't ring a bell.

Treyen's eyes widened a little as he listened to Kurumi. He hardly thought she should be reading or listening to anything remotely similar. Yes, he understood her want for knowing the past that was kept from her, but he really didn't like what he was hearing. Especially not after taking notice of her violet gaze. "Er, looks like you found the article, no?" he surely hoped she did, because if there was something more sinister to be read in the Prophet then he'll burn the entire stack of 2049.

Now, the next was bound to be awkward, because it appears Kurumi thought Treyen's arm was actually the arm of the chair, and her hold on it was rather tight. "Kurumi," he said, looking at her and placing his hand on top of hers, "I think I'm going to need my arm for Quidditch," he said, and there was no knowing if such a thing could be true or not, because the position he'll be playing wasn't precisely informed.

Hmmmm? Jim looked up at the blonde who spoke and offered his usual crooked grin in a friendly response.

"No intrusion." Not that he'd miiiind if there was something to intrude on. Arya got more than pretty over the summer and all.

"Good plan." Jimmy agreed. He tended to ignore unpleasant things too.... or at least he had in the past. These days he faced up to things a whole lot more.

"Nah I can play, but not for another ten months." He shrugged. "Means I won't get much chance to get scouted but thats okay, I wasn't convinced I wanted to play professionally anyway. It was just an option." One less to keep him up at nights? And maybe he was trying to pretend like he wasn't so bothered about not playing. He WAS bothered, but what could you do?

"Mmmm. I dunno." Grin. "What do YOU think I should do?" That would be interesting to hear, after all, she didn't know him very well yet.

"Well, you can rest here." He gestured grandly, like he was granting some HUGE favour. "I d... guess I do a fair bit." He admitted.

Jonathan was now certain that Thea is a Gryffindor and a first year. Well, it's not really that hard to guess. Half of the time back at the common room, he talks to the first years. Funny though how some first years tends to lose their way into the castle, not knowing which way is which but really, everyone had that stage and Hogwarts is to big for someone as little as them.

"Fourth year" Jonathan uttered. One more year and it's OWLs for him and then after that NEWTs. That's why Jonathan is enjoying his fourth year because he is sure that the moment he steps into the fifth year, he will be screwed if ever he plans on slacking off.

Thea raised her eyebrows, nodding. Maybe she should leave him alone now..? The guy looked.. thoughtful. Gathering up her books, Thea stood up.
'Well.. nice too meet you Jonathan.. Sorry about the quill and.. everything..' She waved her hand a bit. Biting her lip she nodded her head. 'See you in lessons... or something..' She waved her hand and hurried off

Oh wow. Being a first year was baaaad..

"But, Hufflepuffs live near the kitchens," she squeaked with a not-so-subtle hint of glee. "And nothing terrible ever comes out of the kitchens. Only sweet and savory things that bring smiles to others faces." She was talking about cookies, of course, but the slight flush in her cheeks may have suggested otherwise. "Dra---Professor Lafay frightens me," she whispered when Treyen said she wasn't that bad. "I find her presence rather...intimidating..." She had even said it to the Potions' Mistress' face once. Kurumi was sure that the woman was going to turn her into a newt on the spot.

Kurumi shook her head. "I don't think that was it," she sighed. "My father and the man with really nice hair still got on really well." The man DID have really nice hair. Kurumi wondered if her father had ever had hair like that. He had gone for a much more clean and business-like look recently.

Kurumi found herself speechless as she stared at the same sentence she had just read aloud to Treyen, too afraid to move onto the next. She certainly hadn't been expecting something this dark to be in her father's past. Slowly, her hair began changing colors to a sickly teal and sea foam green color. This was...too much for her to handle...and she almost wished that she hadn't found the article.

She tightened her grip on the arm of the chair when she heard Treyen speak.

o__________O

Her eyes widened and she squeaked loudly when she felt the Prefect's delicate yet strong hand on hers. Her cheeks resembled ripe peaches and she just stood there...staring at his hand...and feeling a warm and tingly feeling course through her overwhelmed lioness body.

"S-S-S-S-Sorry!" she squeaked flailing her other arm, but not removing the one that was on his. She did, however, loosen her grip. "I'm s-s-s-s-sorry!" She continued her stuttering apology and added several head bows in here and there. "I-I thought that...I thought I was grabbing the chair." Well, that much was obvious she supposed.

Then Treyen mentioned Quidditch and she froze midbow. WHAT IF SHE HAD SCRATCHED HIS ARM?! What if she had been holding on for so long that she had cut circulation off to his fingers and he would never be able to hold a bat again. Wait, was he even a Beater? Kurumi had no idea.

And....oh...MERLIN! Treyen was on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. She was going to have a hard time concentrating on the match even more now. Kurumi's arms became itchy. She reluctantly removed her hand from his and hugged her knees to her chest, make the chair they were sharing a little more snug as a result.

"Your not intruding." Arya agreed with a small head shake, offering the new face a smile. It wasn't as if they were doing anything productive anymore. Heh. "Hi."

Arya thought so. And most times it even worked. With the stereotypes, not with the nicknames. But she supposed they would go away too, eventually.

He had considering playing professionally? Wasn't it worse out there in the real world? Yeah it was. "There are better careers than playing Quidditch anyways." She offered offhandedly. "Safer ones that won't have everyone worrying about you." Like his other options. They HAD to be safer than the sport.

Heh. "I dunno." She shrugged. "I don't know you that well. But if I had to guess.... it wouldn't be something a stereotypical Ravenclaw would do. Nothing bookish or too intellectual." Hehe. Cause he seemed to be avoiding those type things, except for now. Hehe. "Something adventurous I'd say."

She grinned and shook her head. "Can't rest now. Not with you here." Not that she minded at all and it showed. "I can't always find the time to read for pleasure." She never really made time either.

Helena walked slowly towards the reading lounge in the library, still really close to Zara, ready to help her in case she needed something. But let's hope that Helena's help was not going to be needed. Not that she didn't want to help. She just wanted Zara to feel better.

She approached the nearest table and stopped, looking at Zara. "Is it alright if we sit here?" The girl asked, throwing a quick look at the table.