Stand below its head? What was it a baby? Louisa lifted her eyebrows at the boy, "Are you suggesting we crawl in there? Give him access to stomp us to death?" Riiiiiight. Not gonna happen. The girl looked at his hand holding the stall's door shut, what? Was he taking responsibility now? That's some improvement.

...or not.

Why was he looking at her like that? The Ravenclaw blinked once and stared back, half-defiantly half-enjoying the electricity threatening to light from the sharpness of their looks. "I always snap at people, and it never bothered you," she replied as calmly as his statement had been. He had other worries. Meaning he found himself another girl. Well, Hallelujah! Now she could live happily ever after!! GRRR.

Only why did it make her blood boil and her sight to shake?

Whatever.

"I guess that settles it then. I've got worries of my own and you got worries on your own." She broke this stupid gaze thing and walked closer to the stall's door, ignoring his arm stretched nearby to hold it close. "Let's concentrate on the Re'em for now."

Breath in [s]eew! gross smell![/b], breath out. She stared thoughtfully, silently at the shuffling creature inside.

"I think we should tie it up." she said after a few moments, "We can cover his eyes, make him temporarily deaf, and then tie his legs to the ground while we get in there and do the cleaning." Her voice was flat but not unfriendly. She turned to look at him again, expectantly.

Oh, Merlin's great wizarding help him! João rolled his eyes, almost ready to snap at her for her idiocy. "Not crawl in there. It's already our height anyway!" Nearly. "It's animal psychology, Louisa. If it thinks we are smaller both in strength and size than itself, it won't attack." Didn't she read about them?! She was the better one at CoMC!

"It's bothering me now," he said, getting calm immediately. And that was human psychology. She was more likely to answer a calm João than an angry one--

"You have worries?" Now he was CONCERNED! He still didn't let go of the door. He was determined to know what troubled her. "Like what?" About Adam? If they were about him, the boy was dea--

What was he thinking? Why couldn't he not care about Louisa? He shook his head to clear it and let go of the door. If she wanted to enter, she could.

Or not.

Grabbing the door quickly again, this time out of alarm, he talked quickly for her to understand quickly. "That's torture, Louisa, and you yourself said its blood is giving strength. We can never manage all those. Then it will struggle to break free and--" he shuddered at the thought of such a violence, "I want it to cooperate with us. I won't force it if it doesn't want to be washed." He closed his eyes momentarily in repulsion. He shook his head to clear it from any struggling animal images.

"I'm going in." He didn't say that to get her approval. It was more of an announcement. "You wait here and see how it is going. If you feel anything bad, go to Williamson directly." He was surprised at his calm tone, as if he was just going out to market. Turning around to look at the animal, he finally opened the stall door and stepped in, bending his neck to show he was weaker than it and took a few small steps forward.

Louisa let a looooooooooong exaggerated sigh, "Yes, I have worries. Like yours. Whatever you meant by worries, and rest assured they're not about Adam. Me and him are doing just great as always." And THAT was a snap, Joao Neves. Get off my shooooulderrs.

Torture? She frowned at him and moved her gaze toward the creature in the stall. Was it torture to make it feel nothing while they cleaned him up? Well maybe the tying up thing was a bit disturbing for the Re'em but she didn't suggest metal chains, DID SHE? Nope. She said ropes.

However, his plan was good too. Did he just get so courageous all of a sudden or what? She merely nodded though, better pretend she agreed with him since he was going in anyways. "You be careful any ways.." AND JUST SO HE KNEW WHY SHE SAID IT, "... blood makes me feel gross." Gulp.

With her wand clutched tightly in her hand, Louisa watched him get inside the stall... merlinmerlinmerlinmerlinmerlin

As always. João looked at her for a moment. He didn't know what he felt, exactly, but it wasn't anything good. He was hurt, mostly. He thought that as always was an allusion to their relationship, as in, how they were never 'always' great. He eyed her for a moment more and decided they'd continue this talk later. When they were done with the Re'em. He wasn't going to let go, though.

Chuckling lightly at her pathetic explanation, he muttered to himself "I'm sure it does," hoping she wouldn't hear. Then, his full focus was on the animal that was breathing heavily. He looked into its mouth mostly, because that was also lower than its eyes and kept walking to a distance close enough to touch it. It looked even more impressive up this close.

"Hello, there," he called out to it in his friendliest tone. The Re'em moved its head up and down, but it didn't look angry or alarmed... it was merely trying to get to know this intruder. João kept silent for a moment to let it smell him and eye him. Then, after a few more seconds, he went on.

"I'm João and this is Louisa," he indicated to her. Most magical animals could understand English, so why not start with introductions? Now it seemed to be examining Louisa with its eyes, getting a little closer to smell her as well. João kept his ground and tried to control his heartbeats. It was no use, but apparently the Re'em wasn't particularly interested in his fast heartbeats. "We were sent here by Professor William Williamson," it would know that name, right?!, "to clean you. We won't harm you." Good?

Good. It looked good and un-alarmed. At least João wanted to think that its heavy breathing was to get to know them, not because it was planning to bolt into him any time soon.

Keeping its gaze, he slowly raised his hand to pet the head of it between the horns. His heartbeats were frantic now and for a moment he thought he would suffocate because he couldn't breathe as fast. He slooooowly got closer to touch it... it snorted, moved its head up and down, but didn't seem uncomfortable or moody. At last, the boy's fingertips touched to its head and he was still alive.

Louisa could come any time she wished.

Louisa's hand instantly went up to her mouth as if on cue to start the fingernail biting as Joao turned away from her and started toward the Re'em which reacted almost instantly. The girl stood exactly by the open door, her wand lowered but her knuckles were so white from how strong she was squeezing it. She had no idea what exactly she should cast if the creature attacked Joao.

....but the Slytherin was now talking to it.

For real.

With introductions and everything.

Louisa's mouth started to twitch into a grin, no longer biting her fingernails, and then into a chuckle until finally she started laughing and shaking her head. He was already patting the animal on its head so everything was fine.

"If only you were this nice to people, you'd be adorable," she said tucking her wand in her waistband. She was joking with him.. and yes it was true. Well... to an extent. Louisa was impressed, however, by the way he handled the Re'em so far. She made sure to keep Joao's body between her and the magical bull though and peered around the boy to wave at the creature. "Hii there.. Remi.." she glanced at Joao when she said that with a smirk, "Keep it distracted while I set everything up. Loving the bromance between you two, by the way," she giggled, patting the boy's back before walking away from them.

The Ravenclaw headed for the bucket she'd previously plopped on the floor and moved it struggling a bit closer to where Joao was standing with the Re'em. She quickly got the rags and put them on the ground next to the bucket, the sandy ground wasn't that dirty, was it? You know so long she kept away from any poop.

Speaking of which, "Joao, you try first." She told him anxiously looking at the shuffling animal. Louisa was not going to try and see the Re'em's reaction to wet rags, thank you very much. Her idea was to tie it up, he was the one to consider being friends and whatnot. He tries first.

She was laughing! João's face broke into a grin too at how easily he managed this. There was still an excitement, of course, and anxiety, but it was going nearly perfect that he felt at ease. The animal seemed to be trusting them in a way, so he could laugh and be at ease.

To some point. To the point when he remembered in animals' world, showing teeth meant threat. And they were showing many teeth, thank Merlin! He closed his mouth, and rolled his eyes at Louisa. See? He didn't need her help at all.

"I am adorable already," he said, carefully moving his hand to its neck to see its reaction, "to those who deserve it." He eyed her for a moment before touching the neck... oh, it raised its head and snorted loudly. No touching neck, alright. "How do you know its name is Remi?" As far as he could see, he couldn't spot any Remi sign around. "I'd name it Hulk." Did she know that Muggle character, Hulk?

"Bromance, really funny," he said, rolling his eyes again as he patted the Re'em's head once more. See? They were developing a nice friendship here.

And she touched him. Not out of terror this time but because she wanted to. He lost track of his thoughts for a moment as his hand was frozen in the air. The Re'em, or Hulk, moved its head as if to get him out of his dream. He smiled half-heartedly at it and kept silent. Good thing she was busy moving the buckets and thus probably didn't notice his sudden silence... "It won't hurt you unless you hurt it, right?" he finally said, the last part directed at Hulk. It snorted as if to confirm him and he smiled genuinely once again. It was good. Everything was fine.

Eyeing the rags, he turned back at Hulk. "Now we will clean you with wet rags, don't worry," he said to its ear and bent down to grab a rag. Wetting it with the warm water she had put before, he squeezed it to get the excess water off and started rubbing its right rear with the rag softly as he hummed a soft Portuguese tune.

Animals liked music, right?

To those who deserve it? Yeah, like NO ONE. Except for whoever he had under his authority, such aaaaas his new mysterious girl friend or girlfriend?. Louisa didn't reply to that and merely got out of the stall, brought the other cleaning equipment and then back in. Joao had already patted the Re'em more and started making fun of her nickname. "I made it up." She didn't get the time to explain how she came up with it, though, since he was already suggesting another terrible name.

Louisa snorted, comically the Re'em snorted along, and she waved her wand at the bucket of heated water duplicating it before holding the copied one over to the other side of the creature. "Hulk is not a name. It sounds like an abbreviation of some organization. Hulk," she used her mocking ominous sound as she said it one last time. Grabbing a rag of the stack, she dropped it in the bucket and started getting it wet enough.

...was that... humming?!

Still squatted before the bucket, Louisa peered around the Re'em's huge body to try and steal a peek at Joao WHILE HE HUMMED! Geez. She smiled for a second before quickly wearing the nonchalant face again.

Squeeeeezing her rag and then getting up humming a totally different song on her own as she started patting the Re'em's body and wiping it with both hands at the same time. The creature snorting and shuffling every now and then, but never too aggressive.

Oh? She didn't like it? "I don't like your Reemi any more either," he replied back as sweetly as she was. "You call it Remi, I call him Hulk. We'll see to which it responds." Deal?

Deal.

And there, she was humming another song! Sure, João didn't expect her to know the Portuguese name, but... still, she could have asked. Or--or do something other than humming to herself in a totally different tone. He peered over just as she drew back and shook his head to himself. If Hulk got confused, it was her fault.

So, wetting the rags occasionally and wiping. It got boring after the third, comletely silent minute that he just had to say something.

"So, how has your previous month been?" When she wasn't acting up with him.

Louisa rolled her eyes. Fiiiiiine, he could call it whatever. The Re'em wasn't going to respond to either, Louisa suspected. Back to wiping the creature's huge body. By then the girl had gotten used to its snorting and shuffling and she just moved with it.

Her last month... Louisa fought the urge to snort at Joao's question. Weelll my ex-boyfriend, I tried a relationship with my best friend, it didn't work since obviously I'm emotionally corrupted, I got involved in an intense relationship that concerns one of my old rivals, I laid on someone who lost their mother recently, I am feeling attracted to things and people that I shouldn't be, aaaaand my mother is being oh-so-nice to me by sending letters and some cute packages.

"It's been adventurous," she replied neutrally before glancing up at him and asking the same, "How was yours?"

Moving to the back side of the creature's body, her foot pushing the bucket of water as she went.

Two years of relationship, and a simple 'adventurous' was the reply he got.

Fine. If that was how she wanted the things to be.

"Mine has been adventurous too." Had he said that quite sarcastically? If she wanted to take it that way. He wasn't the one to blame if she was touchy about it. She wanted it to be that way by refusing his good will about a million times.

He didn't even look up at her when answering her and just busied himself with cleaning of the water in the bucket. For all he cared, she could wipe its poop hole if she was going to be one. First, he vanished the water inside it by his wand ritualistically and then, after thinking it thoroughly he filled it with warm water, testing it with his elbow as if it was his baby's bath water. And of course, to reveal his elbow, he had to wrap the sleeves backwards and that took him some time, for he wanted them to be equal and well-wrapped. He tested the water, deemed it was warm enough, and only then did he look up at her as if he hadn't just left all the work to her.

"Now, what?"

Nerida had visisted the thestral once before, she had groomed it. This time the thestral didnt need to smell her hand. It knew her. Smiling as she entered its stall. She gave it a nice pat and rubed her hand over its skin feeling the bumps of his bones as she moved across. Looking down at his food bowls she said Oh your hungry. I will be right back. Where was the raw meat? Hmm...She looked everywhere in the barnyard until she found it. She reached inside and took a mighty piece and walked back over to his stall. She set down the piece of meat into his food spot and then looked over at his water bowl. Dipping a finger inside to feel if there was anything in there as it was hard to see with the thestral's shadow getting in the way. Nope none in there! Taking out her wand she pointed it at the water bowl and said Aguamenti. Immediatly after water squirted from her wand into the bowl giving her and the thestral tiny sprays of water. Stepping back so the thestral could get its food. She smiled as she saw him take a big helping of water. After he stepped back to let Nerida in she guessed, she took a peak down at the water bowl and laughed it was empty. She flipped her wand out once more and repeated the charm, Aguamenti. She gave the thestral another pat and then went to go feed some more of the animals.

Louisa frowned at him, half-hurt and half-annoyed at his sarcastic tone. She hesitated. "What are you expecting me to tell you, Joao? When you're not respecting my friends.." OOOPS. "..or my boyfriend and just treat them as trash..? How am I supposed to tell you anything when I already know that you'll just mock them." SPLASHing her rag into the bucket and causing a fountain of dirty hairy water to spill out of it. She was annoyed.

Speaking of dirty water... Louisa used her wand to empty the bucket, scourgify it and then fill it back with water. And JUST when she was about to do the warming spell, the creature's hoof was in the bucket and it started kicking and freaking out.

Quickly Louisa jumped away from it and raised her voice over the animal's snorts, "Oops! I think I put the bucket way too close to him!" So that Joao would know what happened. The girl looked back at its leg.

..did that answer his 'now what'?

That did it.

Raising his head from his ritual, João eyed her quite annoyedly. "Have you even tried to talk to me, Louisa?" he asked kind of rhetorically. Because they both knew she hadn't. "I'm trying to be nice and you just do everything in your power to push me away." He didn't even retreated when she splashed water everywhere. His trousers were a little wet but he ignored them.

"Never mind, though," he said after a moment, half broken and still angry. "I see that you are far better without me." That was just an observation. He didn't sound hurt. Just neutral. As if he was talking about a scientific research.

His face only twitched slightly into annoyance before he collected himself when she caused all the chaos. Patting the head of Hulk to calm it down, he said in an emotionless voice "Go to your friends and boyfriend who obviously don't view people as 'trash'. I can handle the rest by myself."

And of course, he avoided eye contact, hiding behind Hulk's great head and body.

Louisa didn't expect herself to sadly look down at her wet hands. Well.. he might be right. She had been pushing him away every since he punched Adam WHICH was highly unacceptable from him. Louisa couldn't just let herself feel sorry for Joao or try to reason with him when he hated her friends, well most of them, that much. She sighed faintly and watched Joao's hand on the Re'em's neck calming it down.

"I'm not leaving." That was first, "We still need to clean his stall." And no, that wasn't the only reason. The Ravenclaw sighed and started again, "I don't want to say I'm sorry because I'm not sorry for the... punishment I gave you all those months. I just hope that somehow you got to think about why I was doing this to you, after my attempts to stay friends." It was obvious, right? Joao wasn't a dumb boy. He got everything, even if he pretended not to. As for her being better off without him... Louisa did feel her chest tighten at this, and no the Re'em's poop smell had nothing to do with it. She shrugged, "You don't know how I've really been without you so... you can't just assume that." BUT SHE DIDN'T SAY A CLEAR NO OR YES, that was her conscious shouting.

She then moved to gather the dirty rags, scourgifying them and then levitate them back to where they were. Then she got a broom as well as a smaller version as a poop scooper.

"Maybe you could take it outside the stall as I do the floor quickly?" THEEEEEERE. She was actually cleaning POOP instead of doing the natural thing; Giving the dirty job to the boy.

João raised his eyebrows at her first announcement. I'm not leaving. He still didn't look at her though and his face twitched a little. That was their problem. None of them could leave. And frankly, he was tired of arguing all the time. But, of course, he also wondered what would follow that so he stayed motionless, all of his focus on her.

...

Of course she wasn't sorry about what she had done. None of the girls were. He wasn't sorry for he had done either. He just hoped Louisa got to think about him too and how Adam didn't even bother to do something back. He still kept silent though and merely kept petting the Re'em lightly. Even it seemed to sense they were having a serious talk, that it kept silent and as motionless as it could.

"Tell me something that I stop assuming, then," he said softly, not being nasty about it. He was really curious what that meant--how she had been with Adam.

"And I think that's a bad idea. We can lose its control." Hulk had been cooperative so far, but they didn't know. "We should just vanish them. No need to do it in Muggle way."

"I don't want to tell you." she sighed and walked over to the stall's door, leaning the brooms on it since they won't be doing it the 'muggle way' as he put it. "I'm doing fine, very fine. That's enough I think," she looked at him and wanted to offer a deal. That if he told her something about himself, she'd tell him something in return. Only she was afraid that he'd tell her everything, that he was really just going on in life cleanly and regularly and then she had to complete her side of the deal by confessing everything.

Nope. Better stay like this for now.

"I don't do the vanishing spell well yet, you do it, I'll take care of Remi," she said quietly moving to where Joao was standing and slowly stretched her hand to pet the Re'em that was now almost paying them no attention at all.

She didn't want to tell him?

João ignored what she had said for a moment and went ahead to vanish the poop. Drawing his wand from the holster it was in, he simply muttered "Evanesco," a few times so that they would be vanished. His mind didn't even register the part when she confessed she wasn't good with the spell. He was quite preoccupied by her pathetic lie. After done with the cleaning of the stall in a minute or two--and he hoped she had thought while he vanished the dirt--he put his wand away and stood right next to her, looking at her seriously and concerned. He still recognised her personal area, but he was close enough to reach out for her.

"That's not enough," he said simply and softly. "Because that's not true." He looked into her eyes almost pleadingly. "So Louisa, please. What's wrong?"

Louisa busied herself with the Re'em as Joao worked. She moved her hand slowly up and down its thick neck, she was glad their mission with the creature was over now. She could wear her jacket, take her basket from where the Kneazles were and just get away from him before she--

Oops. Here he came. The girl let him stare at her for a moment before dropping her gaze and starting to lead the Re'em deeper into its stall... well, try to lead it inside. "Nothing major, don't worry. I'm just not with Adam the way you thing we are." Her voice was bitter a bit but not unfriendly or snappy like before, "We're friends. I disappointed him obviously." Aaaand she let go of the creature to get out of the stall and start wearing her jacket, all the time avoiding Joao's eyes. "And please don't comment on it because I won't be accepting any gloating, smugness, or consolation." Not from him any ways. Paulie already gave her the after break up lecture.

"Did you figure out how to let the professor know it's you?" She didn't really care if Williamson knew it was her too or not. She was just curious about Joao's idea.

João was fully aware that she avoided his eyes, and he let her be. Apparently, it was hard to say it out lo--

She wasn't with Adam.

She had broken up with Adam.

They weren't dating anymore, Louisa and Adam.

And she wasn't even unfriedly to João. She was just bitter, quite understandibly.

She was single again. Not with Adam. Not with Adam.

His mouth twitched a little into a smile before he erased it. Of course she didn't want any of his comments. He was the ex-boyfriend to begin with. Sure she wanted him to shut up. And he did. He would go be happy somewhere else.

"Did he say in what way have you disappointed him?" he asked neutrally. That would be the only thing he would ask. Because frankly, he failed to see how Louisa might disappoint someone, let alone someone as phony as Adam.

Then, of course, it was time for them to depart.

He ran a hand through his hair out of indecision. "I don't know... I think I'll drop by his office..." He flickered his eyes at her as if he was sizing her up. "Will you come with me?" Please say yes, please say yes... He didn't want to be alone with him particulary after their little... chat.

Louisa started buttoning up her jacket, still avoiding his eyes. "You still don't know anything about Adam. Do you seriously think he'd tell me he was disappointed in me? He didn't say anything. But I'm not stupid not to see that I have." She finally glanced at him for a fraction of second before moving away to grab the basket of cat food that she'd brought with her.

Oh. He was going to stop by his office? Blehh.

But the look Joao was giving her made her hesitate, "Well.. if you want, we can stop by for a bit." She wasn't a big fan of the professor himself, he wasn't even professional enough! "Do you know that he's a bit... childish?" She whispered as they headed out of the barnyard.

João reached for his coat and sweater too as he gave her space while wearing them. He sighed. He would have snorted, but apparently Louisa was still not over Adam yet... As if the boy anything to be over with! So he sighed and contemplated what to say. At last, while patting the Re'em for the last time, he said "I won't lie about being happy with this if he thought you were disappointing," she certainly wasn't, "but I would still like to know what you think, at least?" He deserved that much of an explanation, didn't he?

Then, he smiled at Re'em and turned around for good. "Goodbye," he called out at the animal with a soft chuckle before closing its door. Now. Onto WWW's office.

"I think so... but I... have to." He looked at her worriedly. "I, uh, I might have called him a Muggle-hater." Better she knew before she was left in the middle of a dirty argument or encounter.

SIGH.

Who was the prying one here, huh?! Was Louisa this annoying when she asked a question after another after another after another in completely inappropriate situations? GEEZ. "No, Joao, I'm not answering that. Why do you even care? Just forget it. I'm through with this relationship drama." And she followed him toward the door of the barnyard.

Muggle-hater?!! Louisa laughed, "You did? Cool. I don't see how Williamson is one but... well, that's very brave of you." She laughed again. Good luck obtaining his friendly side once again, she added in her head. Louisa figured that unless Joao sleep with a bunch of Nuduus and survived the night, Williamson won't be impressed.

She didn't voice her cynical thoughts though... in case she turned out to be wrong.

João shrugged casually at that. He was disappointed that she didn't share it with him, of course, but he wasn't going to ask anymore. "If you are through with it, then I'm fine." He was MORE than fine, in fact. Adam hadn't even lasted for a year whereas she and he was together for 1,5 years. He just knew not to show his happiness.

He grinned uncertainly. Yeah yeah, only, WWW was a professor and saying such things wasn't brave or cool at all. It was silliness. Idiocy, even. "Thanks for coming," he said simply before they went outside to that coldness again to visit WWW.

Alyssa walked up to the Aethonan and stroked along its withers. "Hi ya there. Remember me? I cleaned up your stall earlier. Right now, I'm here to give you brushing so that your chestnut coat will gleam in the sunshine. Would you like that?:" Alyssa asked the winged horse.

The Aethonan seemed to understand her because it nudged her gently with his muzzle. Alyssa laughed. "I guess that's horse for affirmative."

So Alyssa first picked up the comb and slowly untangled the knots from the chestnut's mane and removed any dirt from it's hair. Then she slowly combed through the mane until it was nice and tangle free.

Then Alyssa walked to the back of the horse and gently picked up its tail making sure that she didn't make any sudden moves that would startle it. She did the same that she had done for the mane. She first untangled knots, removed any clumps of dirt and dung caught in the tail hairs and once she was done, slowly combed the tail with downward strokes.

"Okay boy, we're going to give you a nice brushing down now. But first let me wipe down your chest and your muzzle."Alyssa told the Aethonan. She took a wet towel and wiped down the Chestnut's chest and muzzle and once she was done, Alyssa picked up the brush and started brushing down the winged horse

She brushed with downward strokes, starting from the chest and all the way down to its forelegs. Then moved up to the neck and started brushing downward from its withers all across the horse's body ending up...or rather down....with its hindlegs.

She brushed and she brushed until the coat looked silky and smooth and shone. Once Alyssa was done, she stepped back and admired the Aethonan.

"You are such a handsome creature now." Alyssa patted the horse one more time before picking up her equipment and turned to see who would be the next horse she would be brushing.

She turned to see an empty stall and first thought that the winged horse may have wandered off, until she realized that it was the Thestral's stall.

"Great...now how am I going to brush you when I can't even see you." Alyssa said aloud trying to figure out the dilemma that she now faced.

High in the winter sky flew a parliament of owls, and at the head was of course, Waful, flying as if none of the other owls in the sky could compare to his awesomeness.

They couldn't.

The large Snowy Owl lead the group carrying large packages with letters attatched to each. He was of course searching for whom these deliveries were meant, and after flying the entire grounds, he lead them to the barnyard. For any other owl it would have been impossible, but for Waful it was easy to lead them all into the barn without harming their items.

"Hoo." He lead them all over to the young girl and landed them, carefully on a nearby bench. The awesome owl had no time to waste for treats. Not treats he would have to SHARE at least. He chewed off the packages and hooted once more before taking flight again, leading all the other owls out of the barn.