Melina sat down, carefully levitating a banana, a belgian waffle with chocolate, and a large cup of pumpkin juice. After sighing in relief that nothing had spilled, she peeled her banana and took a satisfying bite. She was absorbed in her own thoughts until she heard someone from across the table exclaim, "Ahh my eye! NOT AGAIN!"

She looked over in concern at the screaming boy, who was now sporting an eyeball with a lovely shade of magenta. Cringing, she asked, "Hey, are you okay? Can I get you something?" He was a first-year, she could tell, and she remembered all the uncertainty and desire to fit in from her own first-year, last term. Poor kid. He's so skinny. He needs to eat more than an apple, a tiny piece of chicken and one sad piece of toast.

Jez took a seat at the Ravenclaw house table, and quickly put a couple roast potatoes and a piece of chicken on her plate. The Hogwarts house-elves' cooking was so much better than at her own home - maybe because they were presumably a lot happier than her family's poor creatures, Kits and Tarry. She hated thinking of them back there, still slaving away to her mother's whim. Poor, poor creatures.
She glanced up and down the table. There wasn't too big a crowd ... she may as well ... at the dinner table?! Come on, Jez ...
She sighed, and tapped her head with her wand before she could change her mind. "Felintas." Another tap. "Ristaris." She winced as she looked in her little hand mirror. No, that was hideous. Absolutely hideous. Her hair had become shoulder-length and corkscrew-curly, coloured a horrid dark green. She quickly taped her head again twice. "Intaris." Never again would she practise those spells in a public place - never.

"Oh. Congratulations then." she said, no need to add any more comments. Beatrice knows that she isn't in the right place to judge her friends. Sure she has her opinions, but it's their life not hers. As friend, she just ought to support them. She gave Scott a smile.

Coming down from Charms lesson with polished silverware Louisa stopped at her house table and placed them on it. Then she plopped her body on the bench, yawning. "That was a long lesson." It was a double one, in fact, but she was too tired to choose her words well.

She was to wait for wither a house-elf to appear and take the spoon, knife, and fork away or for a friend to come and carry her help her to go aaaaaaall the way to the dormitories.

Or maybe she could just fall asleep right here and then.

Dallin was avoiding the common room. He needed some time to think about stuff, away from people and loud noise. The Great Hall was a good place for him, then, because it wasn't too full. And there was food, which was good too.

As he made his way to the Ravenclaw table, something caught his eye and he stopped dead in his tracks. Louisa. Why was she here? Of all places, why did she have to be here when Dallin wanted to spend some time thinking without inturruption?

Still staring at her back, Dallin started walking toward the table again. He had planned on sitting as far away from her as possible. His feet, though, had other ideas. They walked him right up next to her. And once he was there he realized maybe it would be a good idea to talk to her.

"A love potion?" he asked, speaking in a surprisingly normal tone. He folded his arms and raised his eyebrows at Louisa.

Staring down at her lap her eyes stung with tears from yawning too much she had heard a voice - a very familiar and pleasant one too. And it was talking to her, unless someone in this Great Hall had had a love potion stuffed in the folds of their bed's curtains. What was going on? Did her guilt surface from the subconscious of her mind and was now driving her crazy, mad and insane for lying and being horrible to both of her friends?

She didn't lift her head from the table's edge until she caught something by the corner of her eye. Someone was standing close enough that he'd be looking at her.

Suddenly her heart fell, her breathing stopped and her head tilted to the side to see the boy's face looking down at her. His arched eyebrows, surprising voice tone and folding arms suggested that he was shocked rather than mad or angry.

That didn't feel good. At all. For some reason she wanted him to be mad, he had the right to! He should shout, hex or even punch the left niceness out of her head! He should do it! It might make it easier on her than facing a surprised, nice version of him. That one always managed to turn on her butterflies which expressed a whole different emotion by now.

"My gosh.." She whispered, lifting her head at last and shifting on the bench to face him. It was inevitable she couldn't just run or ignore him. "I'm so so so sorry. I know it doesn't mean a thing to you." Her eyebrows were lifted a bit and with her eyes, they added the pleading feature to her young face. "I don't know what to say, I was awful, I did horrible things to you and I am really sorry. I didn't know. I was so silly I guess.." Gulp. "..Ellie was right. I was a lovestruck silly girl." It hurt a lot to say that.

It brought her feelings, fancies and diary entries to shame. Those words turned them into a bad thing that felt so good. She did not even know whether she believed that comment of Ellie or not, but she was going to say it.

It was one last thing she was to do for him.

As she was grabbing a cauldron cake, bowing and facing on the other direction to avoid more additional comments on her friend's status, she saw that girl and boy once again. Those two who was making a scene in their table. A scene that only a couple or an ex couple would do. Who cares, they were old enough to know what they are doing.

She sighed as the idea of undergoing a stage like that in her life was dawning upon her. Seriously, she won't even think of entering the ruins of relationships. Too much drama.

So she was apologizing. Dallin just looked down at her, not saying anything. He couldn't bring himself to say that he forgave her, because right now he wasn't sure if he did. She did seem genuinely sorry, though. Maybe that was a good thing, but at the moment it didn't make a big difference to Dal. She could be sorry all she wanted and it wouldn't change the fact that she had done it.

With a frustrated sigh, he sat down on the bench with his back to the table. "What did you expect to accomplish by that?" he asked suddenly, turning his head to look at the fourth year. "Have you ever given one to someone else? Did you realize that I had a girlfriend and that it might create problems for us?" Somehow his voice still hadn't been raised. It was like he was asking Louisa about anything - not about the fact that she'd given him a love potion.

He didn't say anything about the fact that she was an 'awful, love-struck silly girl.' He might've agreed with her; he didn't know. At the moment all he really cared about was her answer to his questions.

[QUOTEeatrice 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.][/QUOTE]

Severina sees Beatrice happy and she smile! Happy birthday Beatrice! I'm 12 in January, but they let me start my second year anyway! I'm glad to meet you. My parents are both muggles, vets, actually. I want to raise thestrals some day, have my own herd... I gotta get a new cat, mind got a bad virus and died during the summer. I think he was cursed to tell you the truth. I'm kind of quiet, and different like LUna LOvegood was so people laugh at me. I don't bother about it though? YOu breakfast looks good. Maybe I'll have the same!

He was still looking at her, almost casually and she felt like shouting at him! To do something! Why was he so reasonable about it? Louisa wasn't reasonable about anything to do with him. For four good months she'd adored, hated, and pulled a prank on him all together.Then he sat down and asked. She'd never thought of being asked those questions. They were so... well, not quite right. They didn't fit in her head-version of their first meet after the love potion. Why would he even ask them?

Her expectations were too awful to be spoken into words. In fact, it was silly of him to even ask. She looked down at the space between them, "It's a love potion, Dal, what do you think I wanted to accomplish?" Her cheeks gave the blush he should've gotten used to by now. "I did know you had a girlfriend. It's the main reason I did all.. those." Her eyes met his in a serious, shameless way before she added, "Problems between you two meant something else to me." He would run to seek her maybe?

With a desperate sigh, her shoulders slumped even more than they already were and Louisa opened her mouth again, "I'm so sorry again. You have every right to hate me. You can punish me if you want too. But.." Her frowning and wet eyes held Dal's, "I've never used it. Would never do it just like that." She wasn't casually slipping boys love potions - that was a whole new lowness she was not going to slip into. Her aunt Brown was another matter that no one had to know about though.

Her frown faded away as she spoke, "I know that you can't forgive me and I'm ready to do whatever you want to mend the.." Gulp, again. [/b]"..relationship with Ellie. I just want you to know one more thing,[/b]" the first thing being she never gave a love potion to someone else. "You're to blame too. Both of you. Why didn't you tell me about the curse Ellie's family had? Didn't it occur to you that it mattered? That a lot of things would've changed in me?!" The scolding tone was so obvious and the girl's guilt was easily forgotten then.

Okay, yeah, that was a really stupid question for him to ask. A love potion only does one thing, doesn't it?

... LOUISAWANTEDHIMTOFALLINLOVEWITHHER?

Suddenly, Dallin scooted away from her. He looked away as he did so, frowning at his hands. For some reason, that realization made him feel... weird. Sure, he knew she had a crush on him or whatever. But a love potion? To make him fall in love? That was... something totally different.

"So I'm special?" The words came out in a slightly bitter tone. Yeah, she didn't use the love potion on just anyone. He was the lucky guy that got to his girlfriend like he didn't care about her. Yay for him. He lifted his head to look at Louisa again, his jaw set and his lips in a small line. It was clear that he wasn't so calm anymore. She was ready to do whatever it took to mend the relationship, huh? "How about make me remember exactly what happened when I was under the influence of that potion. Maybe you can tell me exactly why Ellie was so upset with me afterward."

Okay, he was done with the guilt trip. That was it.

... Never mind.

"What?" HIS fault? Dallin turned toward Louisa sharply, his eyes widening. The curse? That had nothing to do with anything! "I didn't tell you because it's none of your business!" So much for keeping his voice level down. "What Ellie and I went through is private, and neither of us felt like we should parade the fact that we both almost died!" Though, he did just yell that for everyone in the Hall to hear... "Why should it change anything, Louisa? Just because you know that, you don't want to break us up? Was it not clear already that I love her?"

The scooting away gesture sent a thousand knife poking Louisa's chest and she watched the space between them widen. She saw him giving her that sarcastic look as if the obvious was just too ridiculous and far-fetched to be observed by him - that this was why he was so clueless about it all. Even after she'd told him she really liked him. That didn't sting any less from that time four months ago.

And she's just known that it wasn't her 'love' for him that made it painful, it was the fact that wasn't desirable. Not even by someone who'd known her as a friend - a close one. His sarcastic words about being special didn't hurt at all. The scooting away did it all. She gave a humorless bitter smile and nodded.

Then came his request. The one she promised not to turn down. Make him remember. "There's not much." She had to clear her throat because her voice came out croaked, "We..uh.. just talked for a few minutes. Maybe fifteen, I can't..remember." There started the lying, "I asked you about your stay at Ellie's and you told me her story." No mention of hand holding, grinning, sweet silly words he'd uttered to her. Those were to stay a secret even from him. She'd enjoyed them a lot at the time but now they just seemed so wrong. "I was shocked. I knew I shouldn't have sneaked Frog-Saliva soaps into her trunk, giving you hiccuping sweets or that potion." The words just flew out of her mouth. The confessions were dangerous but she didn't care anymore because really what would he do more than scooting away from her? "And I left right away." Maybe that was the only good thing she'd offered the couple - fleeing.

And he started to speak in a louder tone, anger not quite obvious, but she could hear that frustration and bitterness dripping from his words. She didn't flinch, wince or shout back as she used to do. She just listened, looked down at the space between them and let him ask questions, hiss his disapproval, she even expected him to jump at her and shook her hard. He didn't. He wouldn't. She knew it.

I love her... Louisa nodded once he finished. Her mouth pulled downward at the corners. "When you die for someone, you do love them." She was surprised at how calm and reasonable she sounded. But it was natural considering the times she thought about it and got used to the idea of them both belonging together. Besides, she did have a chance with Joao, didn't she?

She lifted her head to face him, awkwardly, and spoke, "I'm sorry. I know you don't want to hear this or maybe it doesn't matter to you but I have nothing else to say, Dal." Even his name sounded different at the moment. "I wanted you to feel the same way I did in the summer. That was what I wanted. I wanted you to feel what it was like for me and perhaps drop that sarcastic attitude you give me every time I speak of this with you. I didn't want anything more." That was the truth, too. She did consider him and Ellie fighting because of it but it was just a bonus, Louisa thought. That wasn't a goal.

So, this was new. Since when was Louisa the calm one. She wasn't yelling, she wasn't arguing with him. Dallin was the one getting all worked up. He tended to do that, though, when he talked about Ellie and the curse. It wasn't the best memory he had by far, and he didn't like the way Louisa brought it up. He made an effort to be silent, though, as the fourth year explained what had happened. Just that? And Ellie had been so mad -

Wait. "YOU messed with Ellie's soaps?" His unhappy tone was back. "YOU did that. And the hiccups, too? Now what was the point in doing that?" Yes, he was going to ask that. Deal with it. It made sense though. Ellie starts stinking so bad she has to use half a bottle of someone else's body wash, and Dallin gets a horrible case of the hiccups all in the same general time frame. Louisa wanted revenge, maybe, and decided to get it with immature joke products?

When you die for someone, you do love them. That one sentence made Dallin shake his head; he couldn't believe it. Did she really think that? "I loved her a long time before that." Just FYI, ya know.

With a sigh, he shook his head and looked away from her again. She wanted him to feel the way she felt. Okay. She wanted him to stop being sarcastic. "Did you ever think that maybe I don't understand any of this?" He asked, turning so that one leg was crossed over the bench and he was facing Louisa. "I don't get why you felt so... strongly for me. I didn't know I was doing something wrong. And I'm sorry, but I had a few things on my mind without adding you to the mix, too." Okay... that sounded harsh. Backtrack a bit... "Look. All I'm trying to get at is that I'm not the big, bad, mean person that you make me out to be. I never ever meant to hurt you, contrary to what you might think." And... he shut his mouth, not knowing what else to say.

She was bored. What. A. Surprise. And she was looking for Louisa the only person who'd actually spend time with her these days. Was there something wrong with her? She was a nice enough person. Sigh. But she didn't have time to think about them, they didn't deserve half a thought. Enya walked into the great hall, one of the first places she'd come to look at, that and she was hungry. Art made people hungry you know.

As she scanned the room she saw Louisa not far from her, with a boy. Meh maybe her boyfriend or something. Striding over she composed her face and stopped just behind the boy. "Oi Move" She said to the guy glaring at him. He foot began to tap impatiently but in the end she huffed and went to sit on the other side of Louisa. "I don't know why you hang round with these people Louisa. They're just so rude!" She said glaring over at the boy again.

Louisa blushed again at his surprise of her pranks. She'd said she did, didn't she? No need to repeat it. Her eyes found the space between them again and she stared at the wooden bench. And it was a perfect time to wince without being noticed - he loved her a long time before that? She didn't want to believe this. He was seventeen, how did he know about love? Why didn't she? The girl didn't answer this. It didn't matter, after all, when he loved Ellie. He did and that what mattered.

Then he spoke softer and shifted a bit. Her staring area was blocked by his leg and she was forced to look at him. He said he didn't understand why. He didn't have enough room for her - she blinked at that. With his next words she knew that he didn't want to hurt her, even after all of this. He just never wanted to.

"I never thought of you as a mean person, Dallin. I think everyone knows this. They know it maybe before you did." The same bitter smile played on her lips again, "And I don't know how to answer your questions. They're too hard for me. But.." A scoff, "..not having room for me - that I completely understand. You're not the first one." Her mom, her unknown father and sometimes her stepdad - all gave the same signs. "At least you're honest enough to say it."

Louisa spun on her butt so that her legs were out and her back was to the table. She was about to leave since he'd said it all and she didn't want to hear any more words that'd make her forced conviction of him being out of her league, to surface again. She'd promise him not to bother him or Ellie and just leave him alone if he wished.

Until...


..the last thing to ruin their nonverbal agreement happened. Enya came, shot some casual words at him and then sat on her other side. Louisa's eyes followed her friend, terrified. She should NOT let Dal's name slip out of her mouth in front of Enya! No way! Not after his tone was lighter and less bitter!

Swallowing hard Louisa forced a chuckle, "Hey Enya. H-h-how're you doing?" And no, she was not going to introduce them to each other. Not after the ranting Louisa did to her best friend at the beginning of the term about Dallin and Ellie. Not after Enya's silent plans being plotted against the boy.

Yet, Louisa was glad that she was here to... defend Dallin if needed. 'Defend' could be a too strong word to be said but with Enya you never knew.

Dallin was calming down. Taking deep breaths and counting to ten while he let Louisa think things over. If she was going to be level-headed about things, he should be too. Even though the hard part was over already and he was a little late on the get-go... but now was as good a time as any to start.

...Especially since she said that. Dallin's eyes widened and he shook his head forcefully. "That's not what I meant, okay! I just meant... I had a lot on my mind and some times things... slipped through." That happened to him at the best of times. But when his ex-girlfriend was dying and proclaiming her love for him? Things seemed to slip even more. Admittedly, it was a miracle that he'd even passed his OWLs.

He watched as she spun around, and was prepared to reach for her hand to get her to stay. He didn't want her to leave like this. Every time they talked in the past six months or so had she walked off. No closure for anything. No goodbye. Just gone.



Apparently, though, he didn't need to worry about it this time. Because of the girl that showed up. And very rude girl at that. Dallin stared at her when she told him to move and shook his head. "No." Normally he wouldn't be so flat-out rude to a girl like that, but she couldn't just barge over and tell Dallin to move. Especially not when he was having a very important conversation with Louisa.

He stared at her, almost-glaring as she sat on the other side of Louisa. "I'm rude?" He couldn't hold back the surprised tone. He pressed his lips together, though, not wanting to say anything something that might not be too good.

One, two, three... breathe in, breathe out. Ignore the new girl and pay attention to Louisa.

She was hungry, very much hungry. Enya turned away from Louisa and um....what was his name? She needed to find out his name, he was good looking and if he was single she'd very much enjoy this day. She'd even be nice, which was a long hull for her. BUT FIRST food. Enya scanned the table before pulling a plate of food towards her, she took a bite before turning slightly back towards Louisa.

Eyebrows raised, she was nervous, interesting. Enya shrugged. "Same old same old. You on the other hand seem to be picking up strays," She paused before adding, "At least they're better looking this time" Again she turned away from both of them.

Oh look he had a voice. Good, Enya thought turning back to him. She was unfazed by his somewhat tiny sentence. "Yes rude, as in your actions or words are offensive to someone" She explained to him politely. Seriously sometimes they could be so stupid.

"What's your name?"

Louisa turned to look at Dallin, apologetically. "No, she doesn't mean you're rude." Back to Enya, "Enya, stop it okay?" The blush returned when the girl mentioned the good-looking thing. "He's just a friend." One big fat lie that was about to be discovered when Enya asked his name. Louisa's hand almost smacked her chest in fear but she managed to just turn it into a fist.

"He was, actually, leaving." Louisa cut him off before he'd answer, "Right Da-" So much for saving the day. The fourth year's eyes widened as she stared at Enya and swallowed. Hopefully her friend wouldn't remember his name? She always had been forgetful when it came to names. If not... then Louisa had just ruined the day just as she did several times before.

Oh, and Dallin was being rude? The girl was the one saying that Louisa 'picked up strays.' And calling him good looking wasn't going to lessen the blow. In fact, it was even more rude.

"If you remember right," he said with exaggerated politeness, "I didn't say anything. You're the one that jumped right to the conclusion that I was rude because I didn't move at your command." The 'Oi.' "And I -" He looked sharply at Louisa, losing his train of thought. Just leaving? Nooo, she had been leaving, not Dallin. And he didn't want to, either.

After staring at her for a little longer, he turned back to Enya. "Dallin McKinley," he answered flatly. "Who're you?"

"Enya Mayberry, remember that" She half mumbled repeating what she had told so many others before him. She really wasn't paying attention she'd got bored and was now playing with her half eaten food. She even felt a little sleepy. Enya let the silence fill them all up for a moment before it clicked like a slow working clock. Did he say Dallin? THE Dallin she'd been meaning to meet for weeks but Louisa was too scared to introduce them? Well Well Well.

Dropping her folk she turned in her seat with a smile on her face. First he broke her best friends heart and now was rude to her? Well this should be interesting. Throwing Louisa a glance she said, "So your Dallin. The one i've heard so much about," She paused as she stood and too a step towards the guy, "The one that broke my best friends heart and still has the nerve to come over to talk to her?" Half a question there. Anyway Enya extended her hand and pulled Dallin from the table, "The guy I've been dying to meet for weeks" She last said facing him with a full on death glare on her face.

Louisa was going to jab Dallin in the side in an attempt of shutting him up. Did he really have to introduce himself oh so proudly? He was such a... whatever. Luckily, Enya seemed unimpressed by the name, she introduced herself back and went back to her food. That was Louisa's golden moment. She turned to face Dallin and made some facial gestures hoping he'd understand and leave already. Not that she had hope of him getting it since he barely got her crush on him after five months or so. But a girl can wish.

...and it was too late. Enya was up on her feet, Louisa cringed inside, and then grabbed the boy from his shirt.

O__o

Louisa jumped on her feet, bumping into the girl who stood right in front of her and as gently as possible pushed Enya away. Louisa stood between the two. Her back to Dallin and her arms raised in front of her trying to calm Enya down. "It's okay, Enya. We were just talking and working things out." Not that it mattered to her best friend. Tilting her head to Dallin, Louisa urged, "Please, go." He died once, Louisa wasn't going to tolerate being the reason behind his second death. O__O

...And then Dallin was standing up. He'd been pulled up, actually, by Enya Mayberry. Sure, he could have fought it... but this was much more fun. It's not like she really scared him anyway; he was taller and bigger than her. Of course he wouldn't do anything... but if she tried something, Dallin was sure he could handle it.

He stood right up close to her, looking straight into her eyes as she spoke. He didn't notice what she said except that she'd been dying to meet him for weeks. "Oh really?" he asked in a smooth, calm, quiet voice. Apparently she'd heard a lot about him, then?

Suddenly, Louisa was between them with her back to him. It was at that moment when Dallin registered what Enya had said before; broke her heart. Louisa's. Dallin shifted his gaze down to the top of her head and his anger evaporated from him. When she looked at him and told him to go, though, he shook his head slightly and tried to look as mad as he could when he didn't feel it anymore. "We weren't finished talking, Louisa." Granted, he couldn't remember what they'd been talking about... but he was too stubborn to leave just because some girl had it out for him.

Why did she always have to get in the way!? It was just so irritating. God! Enya turned her glaring eyes from Dallin to Louisa and extended her hands. "Get out of the way Louisa, this isn't between you anymore" And she pushed her sideways into the bench they had once used. Watching her best friend she turned back to Dallin and took a step forward so they were practically nose to nose.

"Oh yes really. Any objections?" She asked clearly mad. How could he have the guts to come over here to talk to Louisa, to open recently closed wounds. Did the guy have no idea of how much he was probably hurting her, he needed a lesson. Still glaring she raised her right hand saying, "Give me a reason why I should slap you right now?" She asked not caring that he was clearly older then her and would probably over power her somehow.

She was not going down without a fight.

Louisa wanted to roll her eyes and shout at the boy to just RUN AWAY! Yes, they didn't finish talking but Enya was here and this was no time for talking - not when someone as angry as Enya around. But she didn't have the chance to reply to him because she was pushed away, rather too strongly to fall on the bench. Her back hit the edge of the table and she flinched.

"Enya, please.. there's n-" Her voice pleading. It wasn't until Enya's hand was raised, threateningly, that Louisa gasped. "No! Stop it!" But she didn't dare to stand back up between them. Dallin was safe but not the other one. The fourth year, logically, worked on the boy, "Dallin, please, I'm begging you to just go!" It wasn't likely that a boy would just walk away when a younger girl raises her hand to hit him..

..hit him? The Ravenclaw didn't even tolerate such a possibility. If only she knew how to cast a perfect shield like Vashti. But there was no time for wishes, she prepared herself to launch herself between the two at any second - her hands on either sides of her, her body slightly off the bench.

When Enya pushed Lousia away and stepped up practically nose-to-nose with him, Dallin didn't even move a muscle. "A few," he said in a voice that was still low and calm. The calm before the storm, you could say. Hopefully the storm wouldn't actually come. As Enya threatened to slap him, Dallin watched her raise her hand out of the corner of his eye without breaking eye contact with Enya.

"How about," he started slowly, "you don't even know what's going on between me and Louisa?" There was a reason. "And that you aren't even listening to your best friend?" Okay, neither was Dallin. But that didn't really matter, did it? Because she was just telling him to leave. Nothing important.

Slowly, he reached back to rest a hand on his wand, just in case he needed it. He had no idea what Enya would do. "Now please," His voice got even lower and he glanced at Louisa for a fraction of a second before returning his gaze to Enya, "get away from me."