"Spose that's an important lesson too," Mo offered with a shrug. There was a difference, after all, between experimentation and a death wish. The first was perfectly acceptable, and the other was... well. A wish for death. And Mo preferred living.

"Sierra is cool," Mo repeated, a grin stretching across his face. "Is she, then? You like her, hmm? Is she pretty?" It was said so non-nonchalantly, that Mo supposed it must mean something more than just actually that Sierra-person was cool. Most Hogwarts girls were cool... or the ones he'd met so far were.

As for grading the professors, that earned yet ANOTHER shrug. It sounded fun, but they both knew that Mo was going to give all the professors good marks. He was too blamed nice when it came to things like that, always willing to make excuses.

Taryn had made a plan with Milton to meet here after their classes for the day had finished, and when she arrived, she noted she was the first. No matter. She didn't mind waiting. Even though it was cold out and she was dressed rather warmly, she was delighted for a bit of fresh air. Besides that, the corridor was scarce of any other students, so it was nice and quiet.

She leaned against the wall and rubbed her hands together, mentally berating herself for forgetting to bring her gloves. It had only been when she got here and took her hands out of her pockets that she even noticed. Well, it wasn't likely she would lose a finger or two to frostbite, so long as Milton didn't take too long to show up, that is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colley

Taryn had made a plan with Milton to meet here after their classes for the day had finished, and when she arrived, she noted she was the first. No matter. She didn't mind waiting. Even though it was cold out and she was dressed rather warmly, she was delighted for a bit of fresh air. Besides that, the corridor was scarce of any other students, so it was nice and quiet.

She leaned against the wall and rubbed her hands together, mentally berating herself for forgetting to bring her gloves. It had only been when she got here and took her hands out of her pockets that she even noticed. Well, it wasn't likely she would lose a finger or two to frostbite, so long as Milton didn't take too long to show up, that is.

Milton was more than pleased to get out of the castle as soon as classes were over. He had homework to do, but he would sort that out later. He just needed some fresh air for now.

Walking down the corridor, Milton stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked over towards the familiar figure of Taryn Hayden. "Hey you," he said with a smile and a nudge to her arm. He leaned against the wall next to her and huffed out his breath, watching the cloud of it float away.

Grinning was immediate, and like all besties, no matter how often you actually get to see them (which in Milton's case was like... every day) she greeted him with a HUG. "Hi!" Yaaay hugs! Taryn pulled back again and tugged her hat down over her ears as a bit of wind came through and messed at her hair. "It's days like these that make me miss Miami even more than usual." Ahhh. Miami. Beaches. Pretty water. Le sigh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colley

Grinning was immediate, and like all besties, no matter how often you actually get to see them (which in Milton's case was like... every day) she greeted him with a HUG. "Hi!" Yaaay hugs! Taryn pulled back again and tugged her hat down over her ears as a bit of wind came through and messed at her hair. "It's days like these that make me miss Miami even more than usual." Ahhh. Miami. Beaches. Pretty water. Le sigh.

Milton grinned in response and gave Taryn a biiiig hug. She looked pretty cute with that hat. "How are you?" Pretty good, it seemed like. Oh, yeah... Miami. Milton sighed a little bit and nodded. "Yeah, I know. I kinda miss the sun and the sand. Maybe we can go back this summer." He nudged her again with a smile. Just for funsies?

"Got any plans for Christmas?"

Hehe. Taryn did like hugs.

"I'm good." She even smiled now, too. She was definitely doing much better than she had been at the beginning of the term. It was nice to be away from the world and be safe at Hogwarts for a while. Her face lit up when he mentioned going back to Miami over the summer. "I would LOVE that. I'm seriously considering just moving there altogether. She'd be out of school and all, so she could TOTALLY do that. Plus, that was where he JOB was. Hehe. "Evolette already has plans for me this summer." And she was so glad for it! "Have you thought more about... doing that again?" Modeling, that is. He was actually pretty good at it.

Taryn might have blushed a little, but she was going to pretend her cheeks were red from the cold and all. It seemed legit enough to her. "I plan on spending a great majority of it with August." That was pretty obvious though. "You?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colley

Hehe. Taryn did like hugs.

"I'm good." She even smiled now, too. She was definitely doing much better than she had been at the beginning of the term. It was nice to be away from the world and be safe at Hogwarts for a while. Her face lit up when he mentioned going back to Miami over the summer. "I would LOVE that. I'm seriously considering just moving there altogether. She'd be out of school and all, so she could TOTALLY do that. Plus, that was where he JOB was. Hehe. "Evolette already has plans for me this summer." And she was so glad for it! "Have you thought more about... doing that again?" Modeling, that is. He was actually pretty good at it.

Taryn might have blushed a little, but she was going to pretend her cheeks were red from the cold and all. It seemed legit enough to her. "I plan on spending a great majority of it with August." That was pretty obvious though. "You?"

Moving to Miami? Milton raised his eyebrows... but he could see it. Taryn seemed like a Miami girl. Plus, Evolette had plans for her already. "Or you could always just stay in that giant condo again. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than finding your own place." And it was amazing. Milton took a deep breath and shrugged. "Yeah, a little. I thought it was fun and stuff. I might do a little more if she wants me, but I want to work with my dad, too." So a little bit of both would be good. Plus, he didn't like Miami as much as he liked Dublin.

Milton was oblivious to the blush. "Of course," he said with a grin. "How are you two doing?" Probably writing sappy love letters everyday and babbling on and on about how much they miss each other. "I'm going home for a bit, and then my dad wants me over for at least a few days." Which reminded him of the weird letter he sent him. He just hoped everything was okay.

Taryn reached out and poked Milton's shoulder. "Will you come visit me? You know you loved Miami too." Even if he wasn't going to stay there, he could SO visit, yes? "Maybe she'll give us something together again, people really liked us." Which reminded her. Taryn started to rifle through her bag until she produced a shiny magazine. "Speaking of which, look at this." She opened to the appropriate page and handed it over. The magazine was dated September, but Taryn hadn't been in much of a reading mood then, she'd only just gotten back to it. "My cousin sent it to me."

Peering over, upside down, she could still make out what it said, though she mostly had it memorized. Taryn giggled at the article and glanced up again at the mention, or more, question about August. HEHE. "We're good." She shrugged, "Well, that's basically an understatement, but I won't make you listen to any details." Cause she was a good friend like that.

"Just take my word for it." GIGGLE.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colley

Taryn reached out and poked Milton's shoulder. "Will you come visit me? You know you loved Miami too." Even if he wasn't going to stay there, he could SO visit, yes? "Maybe she'll give us something together again, people really liked us." Which reminded her. Taryn started to rifle through her bag until she produced a shiny magazine. "Speaking of which, look at this." She opened to the appropriate page and handed it over. The magazine was dated September, but Taryn hadn't been in much of a reading mood then, she'd only just gotten back to it. "My cousin sent it to me."

Peering over, upside down, she could still make out what it said, though she mostly had it memorized. Taryn giggled at the article and glanced up again at the mention, or more, question about August. HEHE. "We're good." She shrugged, "Well, that's basically an understatement, but I won't make you listen to any details." Cause she was a good friend like that.

"Just take my word for it." GIGGLE.

When Taryn poked his shoulder, he poked her ribs. "Of course I will. I did love Miami." Not to mention the Miami girls... But the beach was nice, too. And of course, Taryn would be there and that was the whole reason he was going. Did people really like them? Milton hadn't really paid any attention to that after summer, since his mind had been totally elsewhere for the following months. Milton watched Taryn pull out the magazine and looked at the page she had opened up to. And it was them, being all modely and hot and stuff. Milton grinned. "Well, of course people liked us, we look awesome."

Milton chuckled. "That's fine with me. I don't feel like vomiting today." Hehe. He was kidding, but he just loved teasing Taryn. Especially when it came to looooooove.

Taryn giggled when Milton poked her ribs. Though she was wearing a pretty thick winter coat, she was just a bit ticklish and maybe she was more giggling by reflex than anything else. "I don't suppose I will be able to talk August into going there with me." Miami was pretty far from home and all, though they hadn't talked about it much just yet. There was still time for all that, right? "I'd like to be able to be with him, but I do think I might be there no matter what." She LOVED it. "Maybe I'll be one of those world travelers." GIGGLE. "Miami, London, Paris, everywhere."

THAT would be LOVELY.

"I think its funny how they're speculating about where we've been since summer." Silly Muggles, they had no idea where Milton and Taryn were right now.

Vomit? Taryn stuck out her tongue at that. "Come on, you know you two are the best of friends." Nope, not really at all, but they had... been able to relate a little, over the summer...

Sort of.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CandyHeart

Taryn giggled when Milton poked her ribs. Though she was wearing a pretty thick winter coat, she was just a bit ticklish and maybe she was more giggling by reflex than anything else. "I don't suppose I will be able to talk August into going there with me." Miami was pretty far from home and all, though they hadn't talked about it much just yet. There was still time for all that, right? "I'd like to be able to be with him, but I do think I might be there no matter what." She LOVED it. "Maybe I'll be one of those world travelers." GIGGLE. "Miami, London, Paris, everywhere."

THAT would be LOVELY.

"I think its funny how they're speculating about where we've been since summer." Silly Muggles, they had no idea where Milton and Taryn were right now.

Vomit? Taryn stuck out her tongue at that. "Come on, you know you two are the best of friends." Nope, not really at all, but they had... been able to relate a little, over the summer...

Sort of.

Milton grinned when she giggled. He did like that giggle of hers. "What's August doing after school?" he asked. Something that didn't involve Miami? "Will you guys still see each other?" Milton hoped so... He knew how much August meant to Taryn. He chuckled a little bit. "If you ever go to Germany, take me with you."

He looked at the part Taryn was referring to and chuckled again. "Hiding from the public. Getting our beauty sleep. Or maybe we got shipped off to Siberia. All reasonable explanations," he said. Siberia didn't sound too bad, actually.

"Ha ha," Milton said dryly and then stuck his tongue back out at her. He didn't dislike August, really, he was just... very cautious about him. Taryn was special to Milton and he wasn't going to let anyone else hurt her.

Abby wandered down to the grounds alone she did every single day for the past few weeks. She didn’t like hanging out with people much anymore... She just spent most of her time either swimming or reading for NEWT’s. Both were good distractions, really.

After a while, she sat down in an empty corridor, resting her head against the wall. At least, she was going to graduate soon…

His nose in a book, Jake made his way down the corridor. His destination was the courtyard, where he could get some fresh air. He'd spent the whole day inside with classes and studying in his dormitory.

The problem was, though, he had a schedule to stick to and he didn't want to waste any time. So he wasn't watching where he was going, his face was in his book, and he didn't see the girl sitting against the wall. He tripped on her foot, stumbling a few steps before catching his balance with a hand against the wall. Turning around, his face flushing, he picked up his dropped book and looked at the girl. "Sorry, I guess I- ...Abby?!"

He didn't know the girl very well, but he could recognize her. And he knew very well that she'd been kind of MIA for the past while. Ryan was Jake's friend. And Jake knew all about how Abby had been avoiding him. So to see the Hufflepuff was a surprise.

Jake took a seat on the ground by her and stretched out his leg, massaging the wrist of the hand he'd caught himself with. "How's it going?"

Ouch!

Frowning, Abby opened her eyes when she felt someone trip on her foot. Okay, people should seriously watch where they’re going. No, it wasn’t her fault for sitting in the middle of a corridor with her legs stretched out in front of her.

“Can’t you—“ She stopped talking when she saw who it was. “Oh. Jake.” She wasn’t sure why he seemed so surprised to see her. She smiled politely, waiting for him to leave so that she could just go back to doing nothing.. but, he sat down next to her. Awesome.

“Good, I suppose. How have you been?”

And this was his last poster. Well, the last Carter poster anyways. That was Carter Phillips. West tacked up his last one with the sticky gummy stuff he had for that very purpose and this time didn't bother about making it straight. Nope. His mind had already moved on. Now to go fly a few laps of the Quidditch Pitch!

That was FAR more exciting than homework! And really it was the poster's fault, since it was Quidditch themed, it had kind of inspired him and all of that stuff.

He gave it another cursory glance and then decided abruptly he was done and headed off to the pitch.

Aurora was taking a nice, well deserved break from all her NEWTs studying and had gone for a walk in the grounds. It had been forever since she'd actually been outside without revising for herbology or something. Anyway, yes, relaxing.

She wandered down from the castle, conjuring little stars as she walked - clearly her revision was paying off in incredibly useful ways - and wondering how she was supposed to be reacting to the whole... dying mother issue. Because recently that had been playing on her mind more and more. Hmm...

Hecate was making her way down the grounds, when she passed little Aurora Stewart-Quinn. She nodded to her as she passed by but her eyes fixed on something sparkley and shiney on her finger. She stopped and turned slowly towards the girl. "Miss Stewart-Quinn... hello. How are you...?"

Aurora was kind of lost in her own thoughts, but she nodded politely at her head of house as she passed, expecting the professor to just keep walking. She was a busy woman after all, surely she had better things to do than stand and make small talk?

But she stopped and turned... uh oh. Was Aurora in trouble or something? For once she was pretty sure she hadn't done anything wrong this term, apart from casting tarantallegra on that annoying hufflepuff girl at the beginning of the year. And she'd paid for that. "Hello Professor, I'm very well thank you. How are you?"

"Yeah, fine, fine..." She said waving off the answer to her question. "So..." She faked a smile. "What's this?" She said lifting the girl's left hand using her ring finger to guide it up.

Ah...

Right...

She'd already got her parents' permission for this. Not that they'd exactly been rooting for it... but after they knew they were planning to wait her parents had actually been pretty chilled about this.

"It's an engagement ring, professor." she said, willing her eyes not to glaze over like they did every time she thought about it - she got the feeling Professor Lafay wasn't about to approve of this. "I've been wearing it for six months..." she added.

Hecate dropped the girl's hand. "What. Were. You thinking!" She said to the girl. "What about your career? What about your future? There is plenty of time for a husband... and a family... why give yourself that headache now? Is it Turner?" She was going to put that boy in detention all year so he couldn't graduate!

Aurora blinked in surprise... "I'm still... still going to university Professor. We're not doing anything 'till I graduate there anyway..." she said, resisting the urge to back away. It wasn't going to affect her career. She wouldn't let it... and Richard knew that.

Is it Turner..? "Yes, professor." Of course it was. As far as she knew there wasn't any rumours about her lately, or him. They'd both been keeping their heads down... "And I'mnoteverplanningonafamilyanyway..." EVER. And if it ever happened she'd kill Richard. He knew how she felt about the idea and she was pretty sure that's how she'd always feel.

"Ok, I'm leaving family out of it... But Aurora. You are better than that. It's great that you and Turner are so..." she swallowed back and rolled her eyes, "... in love, but you shouldn't let him distract you from your future." WHY do these girls keep getting engaged in their last year and then marry soon after! RUIN YOUR LIFE WHY DON'T YOU!!!

Better than that? People kept saying that... and she really wasn't. At least she didn't think so. She knew what people said about Richard but she knew how sweet he really was... though it frustrated her sometimes that he wouldn't let her show the world how lovely he was. "I won't let him, Professor. He's going to be in my future... he's not going to be it." Why did nobody realise she knew what she was doing with her life? ...sort of. She was going to university for Merlin's sake. She was getting the qualifications she needed to teach music. She was... what was it her sister had said..? "Following her dream" or something along those lines. And it was going to be years until they actually got married. Which sucked, but they both had stuff to do before then, university and... whatever Richard ended up doing. Okay, brain, calm down. she thought to herself - it was mad enough with all the NEWTs work running around in there anyway. "Besides, if he tries to change what I want to do..." WHICH HE WOULDN'T. "My aim has improved a lot since..." Milton. Hehehe. She was still a little bit proud of that... "...you told me to practice."

Hecate couldn't help but smirk at the last sentence. "I'm glad about that... and I guess that's something." She shook her head. "You do not need to do this... you don't need to marry him right now. Why not wait then... why do you think you need to tie yourself down like this now?"