Hoorah!

"Exactly my thinking," Spike said, a small smile curling on his lips. "There's no point wasting her time when there's probably a queue of firsties trailing out of the door after having bludger incidents in their first tryout." Firsties who most likely just needed some bruise paste, but ho-hum. He watched her expectantly, as she decided there wasn't anything worse. Phew. He nodded, knowing he'd been right all along. "You had ME worried there," he said lightly. Maybe she hadn't noticed his scar afterall.

Over the years, Spike had become quite the expert in injuries. Bites, burns, bruises, breaks...he'd had them all. And more often than not, he could now treat them himself. With most of his surfaces injuries that meant doing it the Muggle way, and leaving well alone.

His heart fluttered his she took his hand, and he squeezed it lightly. And as she agreed to his plan, he gave her a reassuring smile. "Off to the Common Room then, I guess?" he said, turning away from the path he'd previously suggested, and up towards the castle. He swung her arm lightly, feeling awkward as to what to do with it now.

This was new territory; he'd never held a girl's hand before.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roselyn

"It does." It did make sense and Medea nodded before it started not to. She didn't know the pain of losing parents, but she did have a somewhat similar situation to go off of. Not that it'd help much. This wasn't her they were talking about.

Playing with the rocks a little, half aware that they were as warm as the water, she placed a small one upon Callie's shoulder, somewhat eyeing it as if daring it to fall. "Why the whole summer though?"

"Does it though?" Callie turned to look Medea in the face, her own sort of screwed up--whether in confusion or anguish it was unclear at the moment. "Why would I feel like I need to even go there anymore, they're dead Medea." She turned away again a few tears trickling down her cheeks; one hit the warm water below. "I wasn't able to save them."

She had never really told anyone that besides the Gryffindor Selina but that was because of other circumstances.

Oh right the whole summer. "I didn't really have anywhere else to go." Callie sniffed, feeling the warm rock being placed on her shoulder, it felt nice. Medea knew how to calm people it seemed. She lived alone and even though she knew that her relationship with Indigo would never work she still missed being a part of something. Siiiiiiigh.

Well, that was the first time anyone at Hogwarts had recognized her name for what it was, out loud anyway. "Yes, I am! Nice, to be specific. Are you French, too?" she asked, excitedly. Because that would be awesome. Very few of her fellow Hogwartains seemed to come from non-English speaking countries. In fact, she could count on one hand the number of people she had met that were English as a Second Language. Most of the people here seemed to come from Britain or the U.S

"No... I'm not..." Sutton answered, genuinely sad that she couldn't be of some comfort to her friend. "Well... not French in the sense that I am from France, but my dad's family... they're all French. We go there about once a year to visit them," she explained. "I was born in the United States... that is where my mother is from and where my parents live now," Sutton answered.

Adam laughed a little. "Whomping Willow, aye? Suits it nicely. Got a nice little battle scar just last week," he pointed to his arm, where a scar had developed. "But, hey, it'll be a nice story for the parties..." He laughed again. "I think that's almost everyone in our little group now... Am has that scar on her cheek, Mel's got those gashes... then there's me and Fergus." All that was left was Trench and Ash.

"You have nice hair too." West announced matter-of-factly, and then he snapped the chocolate frog in half -it still twitched feebly- and he offered half to her and immediately checked the card inside. Jocunda Sykes. He mentally went through his and Theo's supplies collection; they had one of those. Only one.

"It would be." West agreed. "I help Dylan out all the time." Sort of boasting here. "He teaches me lots about Quidditch and everything. And when he graduates I'll be old enough to be Captain. Just have to make sure that Professor Lafay figures that out too." And he was sure that if he played good and if Dylan said good things, then he was in with a chance. "If you were a captain too, we would be rivals and it would be hard to be friends. Maybe you better be a prefect instead. I think that'd be okay. Which do you like best? Loppy?" Yeah he was trying it out. West bit his frog and munched on it.

"I do?" He now the...second? person to say that recently. Penelope hadn't realized that many people thought her hair was nice. She smiled a little. "Thanks," she said, while also accepting the offered half of chocolate frog. So that was a "thanks" for the compliment and the chocolate. She took a bite of it as he looked at the card. "Which one is it?" She didn't really collect the cards - the chocolate was more important to her than a card - but they were kinda neat to look at and read sometimes. At least when it was one you hadn't gotten before.

Oh? So he kinda had a little bit of experience with what captains did, if he helped his captain. Maybe she ought to see if Selina would let her help with anything...although she had a feeling it would probably just be to continue help searching for Mortimer. That bat sure was good at hiding from her. Penelope raised an eyebrow slightly when he said it'd be hard to be friends if they were both captain and that she should be prefect instead. "It doesn't have to be hard if we don't make it so," she said. "We can be both rivals and friends. I mean, we're already kinda that now, aren't we? Since we're in different houses and on different teams?" So it wouldn't be THAT different if they both happened to be captains. Which wasn't guaranteed to happen anyway. But still.

Ladedaaaa.

Time to go to the hot spring-y thingie because she was BORED. Ever-so-bored. Blue skipped over, smiling just to smile because smiling was super pretty. And when she looked all pretty her friends called her Bluetiful. And Blue LOVED being called Bluetiful. She peered down a tree at the spring. Darn. Place was really busy. Sigh. She kinda just wanted a really nice-looking spot to herself. You know, so, if she was ever feeling sad, she could go there and HER place would be her ickle sanctuary. But obviously, the Hot Spring was out of the question. Too busy. No piece and quiet.

At least it meant she might find a friend or something.

Toeing off her shoes, she plucked her converse off the ground, holding them by their shoelaces and sat them on a low branch. Hopefully she'd find 'em later. But she had like a gazillion pairs anyway so....

She sat on the bank and stuck her feet into the water, realizing a little too-late she was still wearing socks.

....Oops.

Cassia so needed to go out and do something interesting after classes and stuff. And probably her mood was down because she Herbology lesson was such a looong one and she just loathes plants. Yes she does!

So a tour around the grounds was so required and necessary. Cassia bounced out of the castle deciding that she was going to visit the Hot Spring. She hadn't explored that part well and that was not acceptable. It was October and it was getting to chill a bit but Cassia enjoyed that weather and she had brought her scarf for that. Cassia stepped closer regarding the spring and made small steps towards it.

Taking off her sneakers and socks she dipped her fingers in the water. The corners of her lips twitched up in a smile from the nice sensation. Cassia looked around her for a place to place her shoes. She spotted a suitable place and as she strode there she spotted a familiar face. "HI Blue!" Cassia called out to the girl enthusiastically. Once her shoes were placed she headed to the Ravvie and sank in the spot next to her. "How're you?!" She hadn't spent time with the girl since like last year. Glancing down Cassia saw that Blue had wet her socks, "Oh I hate when this happen." She said shaking her head at the so many memories of this situation.

HI Blue.

MWUEHEHEHEHE. SUCCESS. Some had come over to talk to her. Blue looked up and BEAMed at Cassia. "HAI Cassia!" She was just about to pat the spot next to her when the She-Snake sat down already. Hehe. They were, like, telepathic or something. ....That would be so awesome. Like seriously. They could send messages to each other in their commons rooms or on different sides of the castle. Which was more or less the same thing but whatever. "I'm really good. Really good. You?" Cause she had to be polite and ask.

"Did ya try-out for Quidditch?"

Oh yeah. The socks thing. Blue grimaced and lifted her feet out of the water and peeled off the wet fabrics. "Yeah. Not exactly my brightest moment...." She tossed them over her shoulder, not paying attention to where they landed. Ah well. "Guess I'll have to walk back to my dorm barefoot." Siiiigh. She really did NOT want her poor, precious feet to get cut on stones and stuff.

...

"Ya don't happen to have a spare pair do you?"

Fingers crossed.

Cassia mirrored Blue's beaming immediately . the second year didn't need a reason to get hyper and excited. And it helped a lot being with a fellow second-year. It had its special effect. "I'm good too!" Cassia replied. Well, she became good after leaving the greenhouse and when sitting here before this magnificent view. Cassia shook her head dismissing the-not-welcome thought of plants

Quidditch. "Actually I didn't." Cassia answered. "I don't think I'm that good to join the team." But that of course wasn't the only reason. Thereal reason was that Cassia felt nervous and self-conscious in front of crowds and especially on a broom while SO many eyes watched. Guh..Cassia shuddered at the thought. But she wasn't going to admit it. "And we have enough good players at the team. So I'm not needed." She giggled. "What about you, did you?" She wondered.

A spare pair?

"Actually no I don't," She said apologetically. She doesn't usually bring extra shoes with her, does anyone.?"But I have my wand." Mm….so what. Blue couldn't wear it back to the castle. "Maybe we can duplicate my shoes or something." Though Cassia has no idea about how that spell is done. But surely they'll figure something out.

"So how're you feeling as second-year now!" Cassia winked at Blue. Was Blue enjoying being a year older. And finally getting rid of firstie title!

"Umm..." Theo scratched his head and found a nice tree along the way to stare at. Should he lie about this? Nah, Kurumi was too nice to lie to. "I have been having lessons all my life, cos my mum worries that I will fall in a lake one day 'cos I'm soooo clumsy'." His dad's words. Rude. "I just can't do it." Cos he was very afraid of the water. He didn't even like taking baths, so it was always a shower for Theodore. He shrugged his shoulders, "You can try and teach me, if you want." Though, unless she could transfigure him into the next surf-boarder, he didn't see much coming of the lessons.

OOooooh, magic. "Wow, you did that really quick. Do you think I'll be as good as you one day?" Cos Theo's track record with wand-sticking was quite tragic so far. It was a good thing that he could ride a broom, otherwise there would be no hope for him at all. He nodded, kind of understanding her reasons for worrying. It was HIS only wizarding experience, too. Would he be all depressed in his seventh year, too? MEEP. "At least you're not the only person graduating. Your pals will be, too, right?"

Theodore noticed her discomfort, so he asked. "Do you like Quidditch?" And what he meant by THAT was 'have you seen ME on the Quidditch pitch?' If she hadn't, he wouldn't be too upset. Theo's term was gonna be THIS term, seeing as his first Quidditch year didn't go exactly how he'd planned.

A humble prefect, too. Wow, Kurumi was definitely no Slytherin. Theo that when HE made it as a prefect, he'd milk it for all it was worth. It was an exciting prospect to look forward to.

"Okay..." Was he shaking? No, no... he told himself it was just cos he was in the presence of a pretty girl. But that made him want to shake even more. He took the floats from her and popped one on each of his arms. They made him look about six years younger already.

Theo sighed and tipped his foot over the edge. "G-Go first, please." It wasn't even a request.

"Jocunda Sykes. Kind of rare. Worth fifteen sickles." Paaaaause. "Me and Theo," West indicated the other side of the hot spring where Theodore was currently about to swim (West thought nothing of the floaties, it was prudent. Who knew how deep the spring reaaaally was?) with Rumi, Penelope's own prefect. "Me and Theo, we collect them and we sell the cards. We have almost every single one, even the rare ones, so if you're ever after one in particular or know someone that is, you can come to us. I'd give you a discount. You're cool."

It didn't have to be hard? West bit a frog leg off and munched it thoughtfully. What he didn't say was that he didn't think Gryffindor were rivals at all, not for Slytherin at least. But maybe if Penelope got to be a captain, then maybe they would be better. "I could cheer for you, when we're not playing each other." West decided. That'd be a good start, wouldn't it? "'Cept that I cheer for Blue when she plays." But he wouldn't cheer for Ravenclaw over all, since the team was like his team's archnemesis and stuff, but he was Loyal to a fault and for sure would cheer for Blue. He sort of waved at Blue, and Cassia cos she was there, on account of West was so friendly and all, but his attention mostly remained on Penelope and this rival talk.

"Okay. Rivals and friends." He put his hands out to shake on it. "Even if one day we are both captains."

Harvey nodded at the name as he wanted to confirm it, he looked at the scar that Adam was showing him. He nodded "Yeah it can be good stories to tell, about how you got beaten up by a tree." he chuckled as he listened some more "Ameliah has a scar? so thats what she was covering up when I came over the summer. How did she get that scar?" he asked.. she may not be his girlfriend anymore but he could still care even as a friend. "Wow thats alot of you to have scars" were they all those adventurous types that went after things and got injuries alot! It sure sounded like it.

Hold on a second. Scabior stood close enough to one end of the hot spring to probably jump right in. But he didn't. Instead he stared, more so at the water than the students and scratched his chin.

Hogwarts had a hot spring?

Hm.

He needed to get out more.

Not around the hot spring however. He had no time to waste trying to save some drowning student.

It was hard to push down the formation of tears in her own eyes after seeing Callie's, but after a deep breath and another moment of pushing around the warm rocks in the equally warm water, she got it mostly under control. There was only one thing she did in these situations, and that was to turn the frown upside down.

Which is exactly what she did.

Not a large smile mind you. One barely even graced her lips, but it was there as she gently nudged divination professor's shoulder with her own. "They're your parents, Callie." she said with a soft tone, smile hanging onto threads to stay alive. "It's okay to go back." She took a moments pause before continuing. "If you ever need somewhere to go though..."

Now there was a real smile. Still small, but not so forced. "You could always owl me."

"That's....good." BEAMBEAMBEAM. It was. Because feeling and being good was super important. Because feeling good made you SMILE. And wasn't the saying 'a smile a day keeps the doctor away'? ....Or was it an apple a day? Yeah...that sounded better. Ah well. A smile a day was so much better. Because apples were yucky. Too healthy for this little girl. Seriously.

Oh. Blue patted Cassia's back. "I'm sure you would've been! Slytherin has awesome players. I bet you'd make the team completely perfect. In fact, it's probably a good thing you didn't try-out! Wouldn't be fare on Ravenclaw." She couldn't care less about the other houses. If Slytherin was better than them it was THEIR problem. Not her's. "I did yeah. For chaser." Proud!Beam. "I tried out for beater last year and got on the reserve team. But swinging the bat HURT so I thought seeing as I had my luffly new broom, I'd try for chaser." Mhm.

"Oh." Pity. Blue's shoulders sagged and she eyed the pair of wet socks. Eh. The odds that Cassia carried socks around with her was pretty low anyway. The second-year perked up though at the mention of Cassia's wand. "D'ya think you could dry 'em with a charm?" And could you teach me? THAT would be a handy spell to have. In fact, Evelyn WAS supposed to teach her it....but then she graduated. Whatever.

"Second year? Tis AWESOME." BEAM. "It's-great-because-everyone-knows-us-now-and-we're-not-the-babies-of-the-school-any-more-and-we-know-our-way-around!" Yes. That was, in fact, one breath. Blue gasped for air and when she got it she BEAMed at Cassia again. Looking around, she saw West's wave and grinned back at him, returning his wave.

Haaaaai West!

Now probably was not the time to use those you can do anything you put your mind to lines that her father was always telling her. Some things, Kurumi had found, were just not one's forte and there was nothing wrong with that. It was like her and flying. She just couldn't do it. Or, well, she HAD done it at one point...but not anymore. Which really didn't apply to the current situation at all and she should just stop thinking about herself and focus on the second year in front of her. "Is there...something about swimming that makes you uncomfortable?" she asked. "I don't mind trying. I can be pretty patient when it comes to teaching." She had dealt with Laura enough in classes after all. That showed a lot.

Again, leave it to Kurumi Hollingberry to blush at the words of a second year. "I just practice a lot," she nodded. "I grew up nonmagical, so I sort of...threw myself into my studies to try and make up for never being around it." She quickly pocketed her wand and hugged her knees to her chest for a moment, the water trickling off her toes and back into the hot spring. "Just keep practicing and I am sure you can accomplish a lot....even swim."

And then they were back on the topic of graduation. Meh. "Yeah...but we all go our separate ways once we graduate. I'll probably end up in Romania for university. My best friend will still be at Hogwarts...other friends will stay in London or go back to America...it won't be the same." Which was probably exactly what Theo wanted to hear right now. Not.


"I...I don't hate it...exactly..." Kurumi said as she chewed down on her bottom lip rather furiously. She enjoyed watching it especially when Lewis was Keeper. "I enjoy watching it...just...playing it..." Cue more chewing on her lower lip. "I've seen you at tryouts though. You're brilliant." Because Selina made Kurumi sit with her in the stands and keep detailed records of everything the other teams did. Kurumi was sort of Selina's personal stat keeper.

Watching as he slipped the floaty things on his arms, Kurumi slid her feet back into the hot spring and continued to do so until she was in up to her thighs. Eeek....this felt weird...wearing her school uniform still and being submerged in water. Was sort of reminding her of their History of Magic trip to Atlantis. Eeek. She pushed herself the rest of the way in, water up to about her waist and then turned around. "Alright, you next."

Did she really just ask that? "Umm.... I have to say.... drowning is what scares me the most." He could manage in a kiddy pool, only cos his feet could touch the floor. It was very weird that he was worried about THAT, yet he could happily fly about 50 ft in the air. But then again, you can't suffocate from going under air. Theodore smiled at her. It was nice that she was going to try, really..

This was quite interesting. Kurumi's words were sort of... inspiring? "Really? I grew up non-magically, too..." But he sucked. It's not that he didn't try. Yes, Quidditch was his priority, but in classes, he tried soooo hard. But it was just the wand work. "Hopefully I can practice more when tryouts are over..." Cos he wanted to secure his place on that team before anything. It was bad really. Cos it was a hobby not a class.

Theodore scratched his head, and he did kind of feel bad for Kurumi when she put it like that. "If you're that worried about it, why don't you find a university closer to your friends?" He was sure she could work it out somehow.

"Oh. Aren't you very good at broomsticking?" Cos he didn't understand people that didn't enjoy tearing up the Quidditch pitch. It was ALL Theo ever thought about, and classes always came second to Quidditch. Awww...... he loved compliments on his flying. "Thank you." He knew that already, though. "I wasn't very good last term but that's cos I had to use a school broom." But he had a CUSTOM one now. A custom one that West's dad had hooked up for him. Yea, the terror twins were gonna own the pitch this term.

Okay.. she had actually gone in. Theo patted his floats, making sure they were robust. Oh, God. Why had he agreed to this? It's not like Kurumi was forcing him to jump in, cos he was the one who MADE her. He held his breath and very slowly lowered himself into the water. He went straight under, the floats stopping his head from going underwater.

He was just a bobbing head. And now he was breathing like a maniac. TERROR. TERROR. "I need another float. I NEED ANOTHER FLOAT." He needed SHOES that floated.

Cassia grinned at Blue when the girl praised the Slytherin Quidditch team. "Thanks! And the Eagles are good players as well." Well, she'd say this to Blue and ONLY to Blue. Because other Ravenclaws would just mock the Snakes for losing last term but Blue wouldn't. "And especially that now you'll be joining the team! "Cassia said cheerfully. Cassia now have many friends to cheer for at matches and that was great. Of course she will be cheering for the Slytherin team because it is natural but she will definitely cheer for Blue. "You will see me at the stands cheering for you," That she intended to do. "Well, you might be busy to look but I'll be there." Cassia giggled. Surely Blue wouldn't be in the mood to see who is among the crowds right?

With a charm. Now that was a good idea. A great idea actually that only a Ravvie would come up with. Because honestly duplicating? Pffft…like they would know how. "That's a better idea." Cassia nodded. "I do know a spell actually." Her grandmother uses it all the time. "But I'll need time to remember it," Cassia added quickly before Blue's expectations rise too much. She didn't want to disappoint the girl especially that Blue didn't know about Cassia's lousy memory. "You know my grandmother uses it a lot because my younger brother keeps spelling things." Well, she does too but she won't admit. Duh. And her brother isn't here to point that out so might as well enjoy acting like the big sister.


Cassia helped herself not to squeak….much. She was supposed to quit this habit , squeaking but she was still having trouble doing so. And Blue put the whole thing awesomely so squeaking was so required. "That's IT" Cover your ears!. Cassia had to admit Eagles were better at defining things. "And we don't get lost at the castle anymore nor do we act clueless at lessons." Cassia added. Well, sometimes she does but surely not like last year.

Seeing Blue waving at someone, Cassia looked to see who. It was West ,Cassia waved back at him. And not so far was Theo as well .What second years were having a meeting or so.

Turning back to Blue, "So. How do you like the new professors and the headmistress?" Cassia asked while splashing her feet lightly.

Adam grinned. "Nothing manlier than getting whaled on by a tree. I must say, it's a lot different here than Beauxbatons where you have to be silent and proper and a bunch of other crap." He rubbed his neck uncomfortably as Harvey asked how Am got the scar. "She... doesn't want people to know, but I'm telling anyways. You should know." He took a deep breath: "Am has a psycological disorder called Alternate Personality Disorder. It's kind of like a dark side that takes over her every thought and command if she ever gets to emotional. Every time "she"--Nevva apparently is what she calls herself--takes over, she gets in fights. Most of the time its with Fergus or something. She's a killer."

Adam took another shaky breath. "She beats the crap outta someone and leaves them to bleed. It's scary, but I think people should know, especially someone as close to her as you are." Now all Adam could do was wait for Am to find out he told someone and get yelled at.

Alec didn't know why but, a part of him really wanted to splash his feet around in the water. Maybe it was all the waffles he had in the morning. Or maybe... the comic books he was reading last night to try and fall asleep? Yeah... that could be it. He filled up his spoon with ice cream and ate it. Mmm... ice cream!

El or Ellie? This made the boy GRIN! He liked nicknames! Especially giving people nicknames! But El... sounded a lot like Ells and that wouldn't be very... unique to his friend, would it? No... "Can I call you Ellie then?" he asked grinning widely, "And... you can give me a nickname, if you want." Except Blakey. Rilez would get mad if anyone else called him Blakey.

Alec smiled as the girl took some ice cream. Maybe it was the Hufflepuff inside of him but he had always thought that sharing food, especially ice cream, was always so nice! "Yeah... yeah it is!" GRIN! And look! The girl was sloshing her legs in the water. Forgetting about being 'cool' and 'awesome', Alec started sloshing his legs as well. GRIN!

... Wait, WHAT?! The Hufflepuff turned his head and looked at Elise, an expression of complete and utter disbelief on his face. "You're allergic... to chocolate?! I... erm..." This was awkward. "Sorry! Erm... are you allergic to Oreos as well?" Because... well... that would be sad! No Oreos... nor Oreo ice cream... Shudder.

Elise sloshed her legs around, not really bothering to roll her jeans further up. Which resulted in them getting wet. Who cared, anyway?! She could just go dry them later. Slosh. Slosh.

Could he call her Ellie? Elise grinned. "Sure!" The whole point of telling him was so that he'd call her Ellie, wasn't it? "I'm really bad with nicknames." She confessed. Much worse with actual names, though. "But your name's cool enough without one!"

Elise caught the look of disbelief and burst out laughing. Giggling silently, she found herself on the grass, rolling. That probably gave ROFL a whole new meaning. Getting over herself, she sat up. "Yeah, but I've got a potion for it." she said. So it was okay. "Oreos have chocolate in them," she said bluntly.

But like she said. She had the potion. It was just in her trunk somewhere upstairs.

Savannah walk to the hot springs with a towel on her shoulder.She took off her shorts and tank top.Wearing her one piece swim suit she dipped into the water.Wow this is warm she said out loud to everyone she enjoyed the water.She began going to the deep end and started swimming like a puppy.

Taylor sank into the hot spring after a rough few days. Her head stopped pounding but a lot of the confusion was still there. Tay sighed and closed her eyes, relaxing.