Carter blinked. What was Mia talking about? Act? He was pretty sure that was Destiny's normal face. Unless... she was a really good actress and acted all the time. And what was she covering her eyes from? He was completely confused on what this conversation was about. Was he or was he not currently supposed to be snogging something?

Armadillio Bile? Destiny had to be joking. Right? She was joking. Right?

There was no way Carter was putting that stuff in his hair. He'd much rather remain pink and hairy. The life of a giant pygmy puff couldn't be all bad, right?

"No." he insited. "Can't the potion have things like... peppermint?" Sweet Merlin. This was the last time he was going to put anything in his hair. It was awful to think about what kind of nastiness was in things.

He stiffled a laugh as their stories continued. "So. Did the moon answer back Des?" he asked with a smirk.

Right... he probably should check the cauldron. After a quick scourgify he nodded to Mia and took a seat.

He'd just have to think nice happy clean thoughts and he'd be able to handle what they were going to do to him, right? And then afterwards he was planning on locking himself in the Prefect bathroom and showering for days.

Ohh, Mia was just finding this all so amusing, wasn't she?

Destiny was trying to ignore her, she really was, but it became even more difficult than it already was when the Hufflepuff clapped her hands over her eyes. And..what was she doing? She just said that she wasn't going to look, but there she was, spreading her fingers and peeking. She scowled, "I can see you peeking!" Not that she was going to snog Carter. No way, no how.

Hopefully, since she really had no idea what she was making, she wouldn't accidentally brew her grandmother's love potion.

And why was Carter giving those looks to the ingredients? He wasn't going to put it on his head. He was going to drink it! "What is peppermint going to do? It'll probably just make the color change to red." And not that natural red either. It would be firetruck red. Whatever a firetruck is. She laughed as Mia mentioned him dumping water over his head and she wished she was there to witness that. Of course, if she was there, she would have suggested dumping gravy. That would have been even funnier.

It was her turn to burst out laughing at the blush that crept across Mia's face. It was so funny that she was able to ignore that look she was receiving. Except..she wasn't able to ignore what was said. She brought up the jungle juice? Why would she bring up the jungle juice!? "Mia!" she whined, and pulling out her wand, she had a sense to hex her friend into oblivion. But, she knew Lafay would get all Lafay on her, so instead she began filling up the cauldron with water. Pfft, Mia. And pfft, Carter. "No, the moon did not talk back. But you know what Mia did?" Glancing over at her friend, she raised her eyebrows at her as she began putting a few ingredients into the cauldron along with the water.

"Mia over here thought she could save all the animal sacrifices from the tribal leader! And then, after we were caught, she went on this long rambling spree, trying to tell them how wrong they were! And she said I almost got ourselves killed? Pfft. I'm pretty sure picking up a tribal spear and waving it around at everyone was alot worse than what I did!"

Now could they get this potion started? Gah, she was getting frustrated!

Ooops. She was so busted. Mia lowered her hands and shrugged her shoulders. "I was just gonna see if you did it right. I could have given you some pointers." Hehe. She was enjoying this. Carter's face was priceless but she had the feeling that Destiny knew what she was up to.

Peppermint?

Peppermint?

Who would want to put peppermint in their hair? She looked Carter over and couldn't help but giggle. "You'd be like peppermint flavoured candy floss." Mmm, the mention of candy floss suddenly made her hungry. "You got an potatoes left?"

Bwhaha! Take that Destiny Shepherd. Although she hadn't been expecting the Slytherin to draw her wand and Mia followed suit and took out hers. What she was going to do with, she had no idea. But, it seemed her friend was just starting the potion.

"At least I was still fully clothed when I did it." Were they done spilling each other's secrets now? Which reminded her. "If you ever meet Nikolai, don't say a word about our trip."

Moving over to the table, she lit the burner for the cauldron. "Is there anything else you need?" She gave Carter a pat on the head. "It'll be all over soon."

One way or the other.

Carter blinked. Repeatedly. "Is there... a way to do it wrong?" he asked. Eh. Nevermind. He didn't want to know. This conversation was awkward enough as it was.

Pft. What was peppermint going to do? What wasn't it going to do? "Well. Firstly. It'll make my hair smell good." Like peppermint. "And. Secondly. It's not armadillo bile." And that was another fantastic reason.

"Maybe I want to be like peppermint flavored candy floss." he said eyeing Mia. That was a much better option then being the world's worst bertie bott.

"Yeah. There's a few." he said putting the potato bowl and the table and sliding it toward Mia. Hopefully Destiny didn't want any. He wasn't okay with sharing with the snake. She'd take them all.

He smirked at Destiny's moon response. At least she recognized she was crazy. (Even if the realization was just this once.)

BWAHAHA! Carter was laughing so hard that he fell off the stool and ended up on the ground. Which... just made him laugh harder. "You two seriously need to invite me next time you go on vacation." Merlin. He'd pay for all of them to go on vacation for this kind of entertainment. And the fact that both girls drew their wands made it all the better. But... just in case they were seriously going to duel he'd remain on the floor... where it was nice and safe... and easier to roll under a table if necessary.

Plus... the longer he kept the girls talking the longer he'd be able to figure out a proper way to deal with his hair problem. Trusting the two girls just seemed like an awful choice the more he thought about it.

Mia was..just going to make sure they were doing it right?

What in the name of Merlin!? Did Mia really expect them to snog? If they were going to, which they were NOT, snogging anywhere near Professor Lafay would be a death wish. Destiny was not ready to die, and even if she was, she planned on dying in the most epic way possible. Being killed by Lafay was anything but epic. And..she was just going to ignore the fact that Carter had asked Mia that question. Hopefully the Hufflepuff wouldn't answer it.

Well, it was pretty obvious that Carter would rather have his hair smell nice than have his hair the normal color. Like anyone would notice the smell anyway. They would be too busy laughing at his pink hair! "You act like you won't be able to wash your hair after we're done." And why would he need to? Destiny thought he was going to drink whatever they made. Meh.

"I'd rather be a chocolate frog." Just sayin'.

Her eyebrows raised as Mia, too, drew her wand. Thankfully, though, she only used it to light the burner. Yeah, that was the last thing they needed. Lafay walking in and seeing them throwing hexes at eachother. "Why shouldn't I tell him?" Hmm? Hmm? HMM? "Did you lie--" her words were cut off by Carter..who fell to the floor. Laughing. "Our vacations are girls only, Carter. Although.." Leaning over the table, she eyed his hair and grinned. "With that hair, you'll make a very convincing girl."

And before he had a chance to see, Destiny quickly dumped the phial of armadillo bile into the cauldron.

Was there...?

Mia gave Carter a strange look. "If you need to ask that question Carter Phillips, then you have got serious problems." She looked over at Destiny and raised her eyebrows as if to say, 'was this guy serious?' "Perhaps you don't want to be snogging him D." she said in a stage whisper. No wonder the boy didn't have a girlfriend. Bwhaha!

Yes it was decided. The Gryffindor was just as weird as she and Destiny were. He wanted to be a peppermint flavoured candy floss. Of course he did. And the Slytherin wanted to be a chocolate frog. And these two didn't think they were perfect for each other. She picked up the bowl and took out a couple of potatoes while she eyed off her two friends. Maybe she should slip them both a love potion and watched what happened.

"I didn't lie..." she began but stopped when her attention was drawn back to Carter who had fallen on the floor from laughing so much. She was glad that he found their holiday amusing. She on the other hand had found it rather stressful. Well not all the time, they did have some good times.

"Oh I don't know D, weren't we going to try the Amazon jungle next?" Imagine the trouble they could get up to in there. She was only kidding of course because she and the Slytherin had made no such plans but Carter didn't know that. And as Destiny put in the Armadillo bile into the cauldron, Mia followed suit and put in some pickled slugs.

Let's see whose going to be laughing next, Phillips.

Minerva looked over at the three students making so much sound. She smiled seemed like they were having fun. Then she went back to her potion. She reduced the heat and let it simmer for five minutes. Then she began to stir 20 strokes clockwise and then 20 strokes counter clockwise.

"What? I was just asking. It's not like anyone has complained before." Carter replied. He was just curious. And he was also going to ignore Mia's very obvious whisper.

"Not only am I washing my hair after this. But I'm planning on flooding the Prefects bathroom with all the soap I can get out of it." He was pretty sure he'd never get clean enough to make today alright.

He frowned at Destiny from his spot under the table. "You're just jealous my hair is more awesome then yours." Even when his hair was pink and full of some kind of mucus he was still more awesome.

"Besides. Mia thinks its alright if I come." he said nodding to the badger. Why else would she mention their next vacation? It was because she wanted him to come of course! "And you're just in luck. Because I happen to know a few places there." Ehh... kinda. He did visit a few villages there when he was 6. Things couldn't have changed that much.

O_O

What in the name of Merlin was wrong with people!? Where did they get the idea that she, Destiny Shepard, wanted to kiss Carter? If she wanted to, which she did not, she would have already! But, deciding that saying that was not going to make the conversation any better, she simply stared at Mia, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Again. And she decided not to mention that she had complained about his kissing. It still wouldn't make things better.

She shook her head free of those thoughts and glanced at Carter. Who was still complaining about washing his hair. Finally, she just had to ask. "Why would you have to wash your hair? We're making a potion. A potion that you drink." She glanced at Mia for confirmation of this. She was sure the stuff Lafay gave to Marie to fix her hair was a potion she had to drink.

But of course, she could be wrong.

Right. Mia doesn't lie. Destiny knew Mia had lied to her before. She just couldn't remember when and what it was about. "Right." she drawled, cut off by 'I'm a Fwooper, hear me sing,' Carter once more, who received a glare. "Yeah, I am so jealous of your hair. It looks like it was cut by my grandmother." And she knew what those types of haircuts looked like. She had been on the opposite side of that old woman's wand quite a few times.

Wait. WHAT!?

They were going to go to the Amazon!? Her eyes widened in surprise, not having any idea that her friend was only kidding. She thought maybe, because she hadn't let her steal any animals from their Safari, that she was going to make it up to her by taking her to the Amazon. So excited she was, that she paid no attention to Carter. "I always wanted to go there! I want one of those giant anteaters. And a capybara. And a toucan!"

And through all her excitement, she threw a rat spleen into the cauldron. Along with a few Billywig stingers.

"Are you sure about that Carter? Destiny doesn't look to impressed." Especially with the way she was looking at the Hufflepuff. What did she say? Mia reached out and placed a finger underneath the Slytherin's chin and pushed her mouth closed. "You'll swallow flies if you're not careful."

Carter was being melodramatic. Anyone would think that she and Destiny were putting dragon dung in the potion. Hmmm. "What's the Prefects bathroom like? Does it really have a bath th size of a swimming pool and all different coloured soaps?" Mia caught Destiny's look about the potion having to be ingested and she nodded her head. To be honest she had no idea, she was more concerned about this bathroom. "Reckon you can sneak me and Destiny in there?"

And then the two of them were going on about the Amazon.

Crap!

Double crap even.

She had been kidding, but apparently Carter and Destiny didn't pick up on that and now they were all excited about going to the Amazon. Nik was going to kill her. "I was born there." Oh Merlin! That was really putting them off going there, wasn't it? Mia didn't have the heart to tell them that she had been kidding and that she already had other plans.

While Carter and Destiny were getting excited over a non existent trip to the Amazon, Mia made her way over to a younger Badger and looked inside her cauldron. "What you making?" Maybe she borrow a little bit for the potion that she and Destiny were making.

Carter stared at Mia. "I'm not responsible for how I behaved due to... that stuff." Which would be the only reason Destiny was unimpressed. If he were to kiss her right now that would be a completely different story.

Not that he was going to.

O___O

"You expect me to drink armadillo bile?" And whatever else they put in while he was hiding under the table. Sweet Merlin. Maybe he'd just let his hair stay pink. And he'd just ignore Destiny. She may pretend she wasn't jealous, but Carter knew better.

He then turned his attention to Mia. "Yeah. It's exactly like that." He then frowned. "Why would I sneak you two in? You can't even turn my hair normal without using bile." Now was really not a good time to be asking for favors.

Plus, Mia was the one that put him in this situation.

Although... if he were to be invited on this Amazon adventure he might change his mind.

He nodded enthusiastically after Destiny said she wanted a toucan. "One that has blue on its beak!" They were much more exciting than the orange and black beaked ones.

"Really? What part?" he asked Mia. Not that he'd know the difference from one village to the next...

Minerva got out her clean goblet and poured her clear potion into it. Then Minerva stuck the tip of her wand into the potion and said "COLORO" as she said this she thought about the color purple. Once she was done she tried to get Professor Lafay's attention. "Professor I'm done with my Potion could you please make sure it's ok before I try it on my hair?" Then Minerva realized someone was speaking to her. She looked at the older Hufflepuff and smiled. "I'm making a hair color changing potion."

If looks could kill, Mia would have been dead five minutes ago.

Not just with the looks she was giving her, but it seemed Carter was giving her looks as well. Not that neither of them could be blamed. Why did she keep bringing it up!? Destiny thought if she didn't say anything back to her, the topic would be dropped. But, it seemed, the less she answered, the more Mia brought it up. She blinked a few times as her mouth was pushed closed. "I swallowed a fly once. I got a galleon for it."

Jeez! Just because Carter had pink hair, didn't mean he could go around acting like a girl. So what he had to drink armadillo bile. If he didn't, it was just more proof that he'd rather have pink hair. She had just opened her mouth to tell him to man up, but Mia's question about the Prefect bathroom had her more interested in that. "I heard that there is a house elf that stands by the door and hands out fresh towels and chocolates. Is that true, too?" Oh, and just because they used bile in the potion, he wasn't going to sneak them in? "You know, you should be grateful we're helping you. We could have just taken your picture and sent you on your way."

Although..that didn't seem like a bad idea. They were in the dungeons. She could just summon her camera..

But that would have to wait. They were going to the Amazon! And if Carter went with them, Destiny was sure he'd be a GOOD friend and help her steal a giant anteater, a capybara AND a toucan. "And we can teach it tricks! Like..how to reach into people's pockets with their beaks and borrow galleons." Yes! They would have the best toucan ever. And it was going to be much easier for them to get to them, since Mia was born there.

And where was she going?

Watching the Hufflepuff as she moved over to another student, Destiny gave the potion a few clockwise stirs before dropping in a rat tail. Someone probably should be writing this stuff down..

Mia stared back at Carter. "I didn't know that taking a love potion would cause you to be a horrible kisser." If that was the case then she was never drinking one. Not that she needed to but just in case she ever felt like doing something reckless. But she had the feeling that the Gyrffindor was just making excuses for his kissing technique. Or lack of one. She ignored the look that Destiny was giving her, she had seen the look so many times when they were on that safari together. It wasn't scary anymore. The comment about the fly caused Mia to snort. "Of course you did. Seems to me you'll do just about anything for a galleon." She cast a sly glance in the Captain's direction.

Carter was being melodramatic again. How did he expect to have his hair return to normal if he was not going to drink the potion, regardless of its ingredients. Oh and now he wasn't going to sneak them into the bathroom because of the armadillo bile. Pfft..."Well if you're going to be like that Carter..." He could walk around for the rest of his life with pink hair for all she cared. And apparently Destiny agreed with her.

She rolled her eyes as they talked about getting a toucan. Like they would be able to catch one. But then again, this was Destiny we were talking about. Mia hadn't thought the girl would be able to catch a meerkat but she had managed it. Not only one but three of them and she probably would have gotten away with it too, if they hadn't of popped their heads out of her bag at the last moment. "You are obsessed with galleons, Destiny." Did her parents not give her any money or something? Actually the more she thought about it the more she came to realise that the girl was more obsessed with stealing things. Or borrowing, as Destiny called it. Mia looked at Carter and raised her eyebrows. "See the things I have to put up with." The girl was out of control. "And it was in Manaus, Brazil." She didn't remember any of it though. Her parents left there when she was six months old, but it sounded cool to say that she was born in the Amazon




"You don't say." Mia said, glancing over to her friends and then back to the first year. "Wouldn't happen to know how to reverse it, would you?" she asked in a whisper. She didn't want the Gryffindor knowing that this young girl was the solution to his problem because that would put an end hers and Destiny's little fun.

Minerva wasn't sure, but didn't want to disappoint the older student. She got the book out and scanned it. "Well it says here that the potion has to be used within 24 hours so I'm sorry, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure you want to use this one it will change hair to purple. I could make another one if you like."

Carter glared at Mia. "Of course it did. Destiny has been the only person to complain. If it would have happened properly she'd have been completely satistified."

He blinked. "Why would someone pay you for swallowing a galleon?" he asked Destiny. Unless it was one of those dares that she often talked about. "I know." he replied to Mia. "Except tie your shoes, so don't bother asking her to do that."

He chuckled at Destiny's question. "Oh yes. If you want him to be there. Or you can just have him run down and get you a snack. I usually take the towel, devour the chocolate and tell him to grab me a cheesecake." Is this the kind of stories Evelyn told her?

"Fine. Fine. I'll see what I can do, if you get my hair back to normal again." he said looking between the two girls.

He smirked at Destiny's suggestion about the toucan. "YES!" he exclaimed happily. "That would be brilliant!" Who, other than them, would be capable of having a pickpocketing toucan?

He then turned his attention to Mia. "I don't see what you mean put up with. I think her idea is brilliant." And he had no idea why Mia wouldn't want something so amazing.

"Manaus? That sounds familiar..." he said slowly. "I spent two years in Brazil. But we weren't in a big city..." Or in any city. They were in a little jungle village. And that was probably as much about the story that he was ever willing to tell.

He then glared at Mia talking to the younger Hufflepuff student. "You better not be asking her for advice on this potion." he said to Mia.

Hecate, who had been at her desk writing something on parchment, looked up. She went to the girl and nodded. "Yes, this is passable..."

She looked at boy's hair... what in Merlin's Beard!

She blinked a few time, "Uhmmm..." maybe it was the new style, who was she to say otherwise? "Yeah..." she shook her head "Ok," and returned to her desk.

"I'm over... here if you need... assistance." She said to no one in particular.

"Thank you professor I can't wait to try it out." Minerva said and went and poured the potion in a container. She cleaned up the cauldron and her work area. She was ready to turn her hair a nice purple well turn it purple with a potion she turned it purple many times with transfiguration.

As Sierra stepped foot into the Potions Lab, she breathed a sigh of relief. Between Quidditch and finals, she'd barely been able to breath, much less come into the lab and work on her own private research. She had no idea where Treyen was, or even if he'd done any private research of his own, but she wasn't going to wait around any longer.

She slid into the seat at the table she usually sat at, tossed her bag to the ground, and cracked open the journal she'd been keeping notes in since her first year. She even smiled a little as the journal opened. She'd thought she'd lost it forever, but her father had gotten it back just recently. Some of the pages were torn from the bag being tossed around, but at least she still had it in her possession.

Ahh, peace and quite in the form of a Potions lab. Yes, life could be good.

Just the other day, the thought had occurred to Tori that perhaps she should try giving Harry some sort of bath. She was in no pressure to make him hatch already, but she did want to see what he would do if he were submerged in water or a potion for any length of time.

So she found herself inside the potions lab one quiet afternoon. It looked empty, which was good, because Tori didn't want anyone running to report to Lafay if she made some sort of explosion or something. Eh. Tori sat down at a lab table without looking around much and promptly started rustling around in her bag for her egg.

Little did she know she had sat directly across from one Sierra Greengoblin.

Of course Sierra's good mood couldn't last for long. Not that she intended it to be that way, but when she heard the sound of somewhere sitting across from her, she just knew things were about to take a turn for the worse. Sierra just didn't get along with other people. They tended to annoy her, and when they did, well...that just never had a happy ending.

She chanced a look up at the intruder, and of course things not only went back but nearly devastating when she discovered just who this was. She rolled her eyes and looked down, hiding her face behind a layer of hair as she propped up on her elbow. Maybe if she didn't say anything at all, the girl would do what she had to do and then leave. She softly cleared her throat, dipped her quill in some ink, and jotted down a few thoughts she had.

Tori flicked her hair over her shoulder and produced little Harry Hatchling from her bag at last, settling him in his little golden egg chair in the center of the table. It was then that she noticed IT sitting directly across from her and the redheaded girl gasped dramatically.

"Youuuuuuu," she growled at Sierra Greengoblin. "What are youuuuuuu doing here?" Tori's tone indicated that she all but owned the place and Sierra was not worthy to even clean the potions supplies after she had used them.

Hmmph. She wasn't.

For the love of Merlin!

Were they ever going to get off this topic? Destiny had about a million things she could say back. To the both of them, but once again, she held her tongue. And if it would get them to shut up about snogging and love potions, then she would gladly hold her tongue for real. Maybe if she acted crazy they would shut up and be more concerned with that. Although, Mia and Carter were pretty crazy themselves. They would probably think it was just normal behavior. Meh. She glanced at Mia..who was looking at Carter.. "NO! I won't do just anything." At least Carter remembered that conversation. And she was going to ignore Carter's question. He should know that answer. "You want to know how a fly eats since it has no teeth?"

She bet he didn't know that answer, though!

Was Carter being serious here? The Prefects and Quidditch Captains had their very own bathroom AND their very own house elf? GAH! Why couldn't she have gotten to be a Prefect!? She could have just spent all her days in the bathroom! "Well, if he doesn't get us in." she began, turning to face Mia. "I could just steal his badge again." Their badges were like the keys to get in, right? "And I think you should get us in anyway. We are trying to help you." With that, she dangled a caterpillar in front of Carter's face before dropping it into the cauldron.

Stirring the things inside the cauldron, Destiny paid no attention to Carter as he said her suggestion was brilliant. What did he expect? She was the one who came up with the idea, she already knew it was brilliant. Mia's comment had her stop stirring and she staaaared at her friend. "Of course I am. Do you know how much chocolate I can buy with a galleon?" It all came down to the chocolate. Shaking her head in a non-believing type of way, she resumed her stirring while listening to those two talk about Brazil. She really didn't care about that, all she cared about was when they were leaving to get the toucan.

And in the mist of ignoring them, she tossed a few black beetle eyes into the cauldron and a paper clip.

Hearing the voice of Lafay, however, Destiny looked up from her potion masterpiece and stared at the woman for a moment. When did she get here? Was she there the whole time? Oh gosh, was that smell coming from her or the brewing potion?

Whatever it was, it was horrible.

Nodding her head, since they had everything under control and didn't need any assistance, she picked up some peppermint and tossed that into the cauldron. Hopefully it would get rid of that smell.

...and that was when she heard it--the most annoying sound on the entire Earth. Tori. Bunbury's. Voice. It rang through Sierra's ears like an ear-piercing scream. It was just that bad. Why, oh, why, did the girl have to speak? Sierra might be able to deal with her a little more if she just sat back and did nothing.

...and then she had the nerve to ask what Sierra was doing here? Sierra looked up at her with the most sarcastic expression she could give. "Baking cupcakes," she sarcastically mumbled. What did the girl think she was doing? "...as well as seeking peace and quiet."

She sighed. "I've been working on creating my own potion since I was a first year." Right. If she told the truth, maybe Bunny would just accept it and leave her to be. "I'm here taking notes on things I've recently discovered."

She looked at the girl for a second longer then got right back to her note-taking.

Tori almost, almost opened her mouth to ask if they really could bake cupcakes in there, especially since the kitchens were off limits these days, when she realized that Sierra was being her usual rude and sarcastic self.

Of course. Hmmph.

"What does your potion do?" Tori continued, obviously not going to let Sierra just have her peace and quiet. "I'm here to try to see if I can get my charms egg to hatch or do something if I put it in a potion."

So in other words, she was here out of boredom, mostly. Yup.