She did see him from the corner of her eye that he threw his arms in the air. And she almost shook with nervousness. He saw her and actually interact with her, even if it was in a passive way. Something made her feel sorry for him, or was it guilty? She shoved it deep down where her mind couldn't reach it and brought the sickening feeling she had for a whole week that month.

Yeah. That made it feel better.

She didn't touch her own mashed potatoes of course but drank the rest of the pumpkin juice, stuffed her mouth with something random and got up with her book in one hand - her wand hidden inside its pages - and paused giving Dal a blank look. She was chewing on the food that she randomly ate as her eyes scanned his face. Her heart gave a slight leap and right after swallowing she spoke, "You're seventeen, now." Umm... yeah, things weren't going as planned apparently. She should shoot him a dry comment and leave already, watch her hiccup sweets making their effect on him from afar and enjoying the scene.

Or not. "H-h-happy Birthday," she blurted out, cold stare and tone, and moved away as casually as possible. Once she got to the double doors, she was going to watch him from there. And that birthday wish? Louisa was getting used to her stupid tongue that worked on its own without consulting her brilliant head. That made things not only complicated but contradictory.

Unless he didn't eat the potatoes.

Oh, so she was talking to him again? Dallin stared at her, not responding to her 'you're seventeen' comment. Because even though just seconds before he had wanted her to wish him a happy birthday... now he didn't want her to. Because he had TRIED to fix things between them, and she shouldn't -

Hiccup.

- She shouldn't act all casual when she had turned down his attempt at friendship. A sorry would be nice, or something. Maybe just -

Hiccup.

- Maybe just saying that she forgave him for not knowing what he had done to her? Sighing, he put his head in his hands in his table. Just as -

Hiccup.

- She told him happy birthday. He lifted his head up again just as his body wracked with another hiccup. Where had they come from all of the sudden? Dallin watched Louisa walk to the doors before turning around and gulping down the rest of his pumpkin juice in an attempt to stop hiccuping.

... Hiccup.

So. It kind of worked. And she didn't expect to notice that from all the way to the doors. She wasn't standing there staring at him, jumping with each hiccup, but had stood her back to the wall next to the doors and stared blankly at the wall opposite of her.

One thought was going through her mind; she was a lousy prankster. First, she felt awful. Second, that evil giggle that was supposed to come didn't. Third, she was still thinking about why he wouldn't utter a word when she talked to him.

That last thought was the main theme in her head at the moment. Was he really angry about that day when she shouted at him? It was perfectly reasonable to her, the shouting part that is. Maybe because she was the shouter? B-b-but he never complained about it, it wasn't the first time she snapped or used harsh words with him. He seemed perfectly fine all the time. Why not that day, then?

"I'm going crazy." Saying to no one in particular, the girl peered around to take another look at him. If anything, she was getting sick of acting like this - bothering him and 'her', ruining the good thing she had with him, and consuming much time thinking about it. Yeah, that was either crazy or being malignant, Louisa preferred the former.

William trotted down the steps of the marble staircase, making sure not to trip on the hem of his robes again. He entered the great hall and made his way to the bustling Ravenclaw table. Starving, he piled his plate with an apple, a piece of gluten-free toast (which he had to have specially made upon request from the House-Elves in the kitchens), and a piece of chicken. He was highly allergic to pretty much everything else, minus a few other things. But Will had gotten used to his tragically minute diet, which would account for his scrawniness. Regardless, he began eating by taking a large bite out of his apple. A small squirt of apple-juice flew behind his glasses and into his eye. He groaned in pain and clutched his right eye.
"Ahh my eye! NOT AGAIN!" he rubbed his eye, which began a deep pink instantly. It took a few minutes before the burning went away, but, as usual, the discoloration did not. Sighing, he decided to not touch the apple and instead took a bite out of the toast.

Dallin was listening for the door to close. The Hall was quiet enough at the moment that he would be able to hear it... but it didn't come. Which meant *hiccup* that Louisa had to still be in the room.

Chancing a look behind him he saw that yes, she was still there. Standing against the wall just staring. What she was staring at, though, Dallin couldn't tell. *Hiccup* He turned back to the table, but suddenly his appetite was gone. He didn't think that he would be able to eat with hiccups like this anyway. So he just stood up and walked to the doors.

Without looking at Louisa as he passed, he muttered, "Thank-" *hiccup* "-you," and walked out. He couldn't help himself; he just had to say something to her. But he couldn't bring himself to actually stop and say it to her face.

...He had to go find something to get rid of his hiccups.

Scott walked into the Great Hall holding Chelsea's hand, and quickly rushed to the table, but pulling a chair out for her to sit on.
He took about 5 chicken drumsticks and loads of salad.
The plates were cleaner than the last time he came. He sipped some pumpkin juice and smiled at Chelsea. Hogwarts was amazing.

She smiled as he pulled a chair out for her. "Thanks"

She put chicken and salad on her plate and looked over at Scott. "Someone is hungry..." she said laughing.

Her owl came into the great hall and brought a Daily Prophet. Looking at the front page she saw her parents on the cover...again. Not what I want to read she thought. But she smiled when Scott smiled at her.
He seems to be a bit more cheerful now than he was earlier

"You'd better believe it!" he chuckled.
"Ignore it" he smiled "Enjoy yourself, read it later"

He wondered why they had muggle food here, but grabbed some pasta as a side dish. Mmmmm.

Chelsea had a lot of Owl visits, she was well informed, unlike Scott.

"Alright I will" she smiled at him. Putting the Daily Prophet aside along with the letters from her aunt and uncle, she grabbed a few sweets.

"So you seem to be in a better mood" she told him smiling. It was almost strange to see him this cheerful after how he was earlier.

"Good" he smiled "They aren't as good as the Muggle Studies sweets are they?"

"Well let's just say I had a realization" he smiled again. But..her parents, the letter!
Oh well he'd ask her later.

She smiled "I actually haven't tried any of the muggle sweets yet. I'm not quite sure what they are" she said.

A realization? "Really? What was it?" she asked smiling. She was glad he was in a good mood so she would just open the two letters later.

"Oh you must do!" he grinned "They're delicious" he was going off on a tangent, but they were so nice!

"That whatever I do, I have my friends and family to support me, to help me." he stopped for a moment.
"And although I may be stuck in the middle of a war I didn't know existed until yesterday, I still have love" he leaned in and kissed her.

"I guess I'll have to try some" she said while grabbing some muggle candy.

She smiled that was probably one of the sweetest kisses she ever received from him. "Thats true. You won't have to do this alone you have many people backing you up" she smiled. She would be there for him whenever he needed her.

She opened the letter from her aunt because she probably knew what it was about. And it wasn't about her parents or anything stressful...thankfully

He smiled at everything she said or did, whilst shoving pasta in his mouth.
"Sorry, I shouldn't be getting you involved, it's too dangerous" he withdrew again.
He saw the letter. "What's it say?" he said gently.

"Don't worry about it. I want to be there and help any way I can" she smiled at him. She could tell he cared about her but what he didn't know was she already was involved.

"I decided to tell my aunt that I'm with the most wonderful boy ever and she's happy" she said handing him the letter.

Dear Chelsea,
I knew it. I could tell from your last letter you started dating someone. I'm very happy for you and would love to meet him. By the way you have described him has made him sound like a very nice boy. I hope he is treating you right and not distracting you from your studies though...But I know you better than that so I'm just very happy for you. I know what your feeling I started dating your uncle my first year and now look at us. Love you and tell Scott I can't wait to meet him.
With love,
Aunt Astoria

"Really?" that was an incredibly brave thing to say, considering the seriousness of the situation.

He read the letter and a big smile spread across his face. "Your aunt sounds really nice, and nonjudgmental" he said quietly. "I'm really excited about meeting her!"

Wow, what a nice tone in that letter.

"Yes I want to help. I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing in such a serious situation. Your important to me and I want to help" she said smiled.

She smiled "She's very nice so is my uncle and yeah their very nonjudgemental. She's also just happy to see me happy"

"I'm just a bit nervous to meet your family considering the situation with my parents" Truthfully she was a bit nervous but she also believed everything would be fine.

"Thank you, that means a lot to me" he smiled warmly. "Don't worry, they won't judge you" he thought about this and confirmed "You're a completely different person to your parents, don't let them bring you down"

He thought about that Centaur in Divination, 7 house points taken away, just like that!

Skipping and leaping towards the Great Hall, Beatrice was feeling very light. She was happy. Really, she was. It was her birthday ! And even though no one in Hogwarts had greeted her, it was fine because she received a letter from her aunt and it was worth a hundred greetings.

She sat on one side of the Ravenclaw House Table and helped herself to some bacon and macaroni. She also couldn't resist the aroma of the blueberry muffins and she also took a full cup of Pumpkin Juice. She was grinning broadly but she also hoped that someone might actually greet her.

"Hey Beatrice" he smiled.He was becoming more casual with his greetings and less polite.
"This is Chelsea" he said gesturing to the girl sitting next to him. He choked a bit "My girlfriend"
Good idea? Maybe not, she probably hated him. He saw how she reacted to Harvey and that was NOT good.

Hey Beatrice, someone called out to her. Maybe to greet her perhaps ? But when she looked it was Scott. And he probably didn't know about it. "Ohaii there !" she greeted him back. At least now this guy was starting to notice her existence unlike a few months ago.

And then...Girlfriend ? Beatrice's eyes literally went O with surprise, she almost choked on her food but luckily grabbed the pumpkin juice before any vomit session. "Come again ? Your girlfriend ?" she asked, hardly believing. Merlin's beard, they were first years and they have girlfriends ? What's happening to this place ?

"Ok I won't worry then" she smiled.

"I won't. and I won't even have to worry about it once I find that letter. I just hope I find it before trials are over" she said. She wanted her parents to stay in Azkaban.

Scott smiled at her, she had been a bit touchy recently so it was nice to see her happy. "Yes, girlfriend" his face dropped, she was quite judgmental.
He smiled slightly, but it felt forced, he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"When you find it, you should send it to your uncle" he smiled again, happy as ever. "Either way, you're safe here" he added gently.
He then stopped and thought about this. He whispered in her ear "Maybe we should continue this conversation later" he smiled, he didn't want her to go, just stop talking about her parents or Azkaban, there were people watching.

She leaned in and whispered "Trust me I will" she smiled. The letter hadn't been in the Common Room so where could it be...Maybe she left it in the room of requirement.

Her arm started throbbing "I'm going to go back to the room of requirement for a while theres a few things I want to practice and something I need to look for" she wanted to tell him what happened but not here. So if he followed her she would say something maybe she just didn't want to worry him right now since he was in such a good mood. She kissed him and got up and left.

Besides that girl beezus had made Chelsea feel a bit uncomfortable with how judgmental her statement sounded.

He smiled at her warmly. He didn't want her to go, but he understood what she needed to do. "Okay, see you later" he said gently.
He watched her as she left the room.

It then dawned on him how much of a stupid name 'Beezus' was, he much preferred Beatrice, and that's why her called her that.