Isidora hadn't planned on going too far out into the grounds. She'd heard what had been going on, and she wasn't idiotic. The prefect just wanted to be outside in the cold, with the snow covering the grounds beautifully. And away from everyone crowded inside be it for fear or for their inability to handle temperatures she thought could always be worse.

A spot on the side of the fountain cleared off, she sat half facing the water, hazel-green eyes focused on it.

Frozen.

Unfrozen.

Frozen.

Unfrozen.

She was intent on repeatedly thawing out and freezing the water of the fountain, occasionally throwing in other spells just for the hell of it. Creating ice sculptures or changing the water's color. Less for spell practice and more for a distraction from her thoughts.

Leaving the castle was probably the only time she wasn't worrying about running into someone she didn't want to see or being asked something she didn't want to, and it appeared she wasn't on her own in avoiding the drab of people indoors. Putting her hands into her coat pockets, the other prefect stood a couple of feet behind, but to the left, of Dora and watched quietly.

She needed say anything.

It wasn't like they were friends, or made conversation.

It wasn't like she could come out with 'nice ice', and not sounds like an absolute weirdo and look infinitely strange and in need of a smack over the head. The latter of which she wished someone would give to her to take her away from the questions swarming around in her head constantly, but no such luck yet.

"That ice looks like my heart feels."

Frozen.

Dora could hear footsteps, but she was ignoring everyone, and so far everyone was wise enough to do the same back. Except for this person, whoever it was, that decided to speak to her.

Initially she had no intentions of turning around and responding, but the comment had curiosity getting the better of her and the prefect ending up turning her head just a fraction to see that it was Elodie. She was alright. Her eyes went back to the ice and she unfroze it once more. "It's just ice though, it can't feel anything." It just was.

She changed the water blood red and then froze it once more.

"Looking for stray badgers?"

As soon as she'd spoke, she took one of her hands from her pocket and pushed her hair back with a sigh. That was a verbal confirmation of which guy she wanted if she needed it. It just wasn't exactly going her way. He still didn't trust her, and rightly so. Hence the staying away from everyone. She'd told Connor already that she needed to think about giving them a try, but all she'd ever been able to think about was Coulson. And how hurt he'd looked, but how much she still wanted to kiss everything better for him and promise to not mess up again.

Her hand went back to her pocket when she moved a couple of steps closer and she shrugged. "Cold and not in control of what it's doing? My heart." She shrugged once more and cleared a space near Dora and sat herself down.

"Avoiding them, actually. They're squeaky, annoying and they talk too much. Why the red?"

See... she did pay attention.

Cold and not in control of what it was doing? Yeah, Dora was currently understanding of that. "Sounds a lot like my head." Not in control of what was going on. The heart just hurt. It seemed to be doing a lot of that this year, but not much she could do about it, was there?

She unfroze the water and made little waves.

"I believe you just described every incoming first year." Dora had only just managed to get away from all of them in her own house. "Red is my favorite color."

"Yeah?" Nice to know someone felt as inhuman as she did. Maybe not in the same scale or in the same league but a slight understanding was comforting in a sense. "Pretty tiring, right?" The seventh year rested her feet in front of her, and wrapped her arms around her knees, before running her hand through the little waves Dora was responsible for.

First years. She guessed so. They weren't that bad sometimes. If she was in an okay mood she could handle them. "You think they're yet aware that this place is only going to mess them up more?" Not the castle on purpose, but the people... Maybe the castle too.

She wasn't sure what had turned her into the person she was now. But she sure as heck didn't like it. Or herself.

"Yeah." Sigh. She wasn't glad to be sharing the feeling at all, Dora had much preferred not to feel anything, and lately she'd been feeling everything. It was exhausting for someone who already wasn't getting enough sleep. "Everything is exhausting this just... is ridiculously confusing." And Ravenclaws did not like being confused.

For a moment her eyes looked up at the castle surrounding them with disdain, and then after a second they turned thoughtful. "It's not this place that messes them up. It's everyone in it." She paused. "And everyone that's not." Distance sucked. Not knowing other things sucked. Not being able to leave when she wanted was even worse. "I don't think they know much of anything. Not very bright this bunch." Mostly eager and wanting friends. But sometimes those hurt too.

It was more so like Dora was describing Elodie's current status as opposed to her own and the Hufflepuff nodded, wiping her now wet fingers on her trousers. "And the more you think about it... the more confusing it gets..." It didn't strike her as odd that they weren't asking questions, and instead were just explaining...or something along those lines. Everything being exhausting and confusing was right though. If she wasn't getting twenty or thirty minutes sleep here or there, she was trying to study or hiding somewhere and crying.

There was no break from the things inside her head.

Els didn't follow Dora's look up at the castle, for she was too busy picking at the fabric of her trousers and adjusting her chin on her knees. She didn't even reply immediately, because the comment about people not being here got to her a little bit more than it should have and she found herself taking a deep breath and sucking in her cheek until the urge to cry had passed. "I hate being stuck here... in this bubble away from everything... Almost everything I need is outside.."

She however, didn't care too much for the children and ignored that part of the conversation.

"And when you try not to think about it something... happens. Someone says something, or does something, or you smell something and it just... all comes back." The waves were becoming more forceful, but not yet splashing them. It was interesting that they were talking without knowing the other's situation or questioning it. Nice actually, since Dora seemed not to mind talking about it without actually talking about it. It was properly talking about it that hurt.

And this made, what? The second Hufflepuff she seemed to have something of significance in common with? Weird. "Me too." She responded queitly, freezing the waves as they came up to splash. "Everything.... everyone I need is outside these boundaries." And even though she could get away for the weekends, it just wasn't enough.

Smell....

Now that was something she knew well enough to get choked up again. The smell of the one jumper she hadn't owled back was wearing off, but sometimes she found part of it where it was stronger than the rest and...it ruined everything for her. She was even sure her blankets smelled of home. Home being him and he being home. "People say to take a break and not think of things... but not thinking is worse than thinking... Not thinking..ends up with you thinking.." And it was a vicious cycle.

And she was done with it. Beyond over it.

Els looked from Dora to the once more frozen water and nodded. "Sometimes I think this place is like a prison.." But it let you do the damage whilst you were here and then when you were so ruined in every way possible... you could leave.

With nothing but the mess in your head.

Dora was trying not to notice that Eliodie was having these moments where she was on the verge of tears, part because she hated crying and also because she still didn't know how to handle crying when it wasn't someone close to her. "Distractions help." Not much, but the did. Enough to pass the time.

"It is a prison, but at least we only have three months left until freedom." Dora was still counting down the days. She already had her post-graduation travel plans for the year, and occasionally looked for apartments (even if she already knew where they'd probably end up staying). Knowing she was going to be leaving soon made it a fraction better.

Emmylou looked up at her really, very tall boyfriend. He was beautiful or well you're suppose to call boys handsome but Kace was far too good looking to be called handsome, beautiful was a far better word to explain to someone how good looking he was. The only thing that she had a problem with in their relationship was she was way to short, she wasn't even five foot tall yet BUT she was getting there, it was a slow journey but she's almost there. Emmylou beamed at him. "You don't have to tickle me for gummy worms." She said cheerfully. Emmylou giggled when he started to tickle her, some more gummy worms fell out of the bag. That was a waste of candy, Kace! "You're my boyfriend of course I'm gonna share them with you." Emmylou couldn't not share candy with Kace

"Well I will make a mental note.." he winked. He didn't have to tickle her for gummy worms. Uh oh...some fell out! He grinned and said, "Well your in luck. I have some with me. I needed sugar energy for a class today.." he grinned and held them out for her and kissed her. "Here you go.." OH! He needed to show her the present. "So I know it is Valentine's Day and all and I got you a gift to remember me by...this is a combo of my christmas and valentine's day gift. Since I wanna thank you for giving me the skateboard.." he said reaching into his pocket and pulled out a box. "Take a look." He grinned waiting to see her reaction.

Emmylou nodded, she hoped that he would remember that so that there would be no tickling. Tickling was evil! One of these days she would like pee her pants or dress or skirt from being tickled. Emmylou smiled brightly. "You have some? I have more candy in my bag." Emmylou took off her backpack, she opened it up and poured out the TONS of candy that she had with her. There was muggle and wizarding candy and lots of it. Emmylou kissed him back and gave him a confused look. Why was he giving her a present. "Kace, you really don't have to get me anything." He really didn't, just as long as she was hanging out with him and dating him that the only present that she wanted, him, Kace Lecium. The third year lioness opened up the present. Her jaw dropped when she saw what was inside of it. "Kace! It's beautiful."

Distractions.

Elodie frowned, and shrugged yet again. "Not if it's the wrong distraction. Boys are more problem than distraction." And if their name was Connor Jones then it was the easiest form of problem from a distraction. One moment of feeling lonely. One slip. One kiss and that was it. Everything else she'd known was right, wasn't. And she was left to travelling on her own because Coul couldn't trust her. And to think...she'd encouraged him to drop out of uni to travel with her...

There were two futures she'd ruined. Three if you counted theirs.

Three? She nodded, and pulled at the ends of her hair. "That's...scary..." Once the freedom was there, they had to actually be adults and supposedly know what they wanted to do. Know where they wanted to get. In a years time she'd be the age her mother had been when she'd started to date her father.. And she was already so much of a let down. "You think you'll miss it?"

"Using boys as a distraction... historically not wise in any sense of the word." Dora changed the water back to it's original color, and then let it be. Messing around with the water had lost it's appeal once this conversation started. It was no longer the distraction she needed, but surprisingly this conversation wasn't hurting. She was still remaining comfortably numb to everything.

Dora didn't get that. The whole scary bit. She'd been hearing it ever since she'd arrived to Hogwarts, that leaving would be terrifying and that she'd miss this place and she should enjoy it while she could. But they'd all been dead wrong. She wasn't afraid, she'd been on her own all her life. Always leaving when her time was up without so much as a glance back over her shoulder in hopes of something.... better. More. She was ready to leave Hogwarts.

"No...." She picked at her the hem of her cloak. "I miss people, not places." And since most everyone she was close with was graduating with her or already graduated, she would not be missing this place. "What about you? Gonna miss it?"

With the water properly back to its original state, Elodie skimmed her fingers over the top of it. "I know that now.." It was a little too late though, and finding a new distraction had proved harder than anything. Everything she'd ever used before had a connection to the problem. Knitting wasn't fun now. Reading had barely any impact like it had previously. The only thing that took her mind off of things was throwing apples at a wall and pretending they had enough feelings to feel themselves smash against it. To smash, break and be in her position.

Els raised an eyebrow at Dora's response, but nodded. She understood completely. "I thought I was the only one who wouldn't..." She wouldn't miss the place that had floor she knew her mother had once walked upon, classrooms she knew her father had once sat in and took notes. Although there was no physical evidence of them here, she knew they'd once been in her shoes yet...couldn't talk to them about it. It was like that with everything. She couldn't get boy advice from her mum, couldn't introduce one to her dad. She had her brother and sister, and even though she'd assumed they were practically her parents... they weren't.

They weren't even close.

"I'd go right now if I could."

"Me too..." She briefly wondered if they knew it in the same way, but it wasn't likely. Dora's situation wasn't exactly common, and for the little she knew about Elodie over the years, and if she were to assume, neither was hers. "Lesson learned the hard way I suppose." Always the hard way.

At that she smirked faintly, eyes flicking up towards the other girl. "I can't think of anyone in our class who will be weeping come closing feast. I think we're all ready to be out in the world." It couldn't bring on anything worse than her seventeen years of life already had.

"Where would you go?" Dora knew where she'd go.... half certain of it at least.

Kace eyebrows shot up. Woaahhh she did have a lot of candy. She had like a full backpack full. "Woah Emmy you must need a sugar rush for all your classes huh?" he said jokingly of course. "Yeah I have some more but it is in my dorm.." he shrugged innocently. "Pshh you say that all the time. But I always get you something.." he grinned when she started to open the box. The reaction from her was perfect. He smiled and was glad she loved it. "I mean it is something simple? Belle helped me pick it out.." he smiled brightly. "It is all for you...." he took the bracelet and helped put it on her wrist. "Now when you look down on it, you can always think of me." he smiled and kissed her softly. "Happy Anniversary my little Panda.." he said also with a kiss on her cheek. He had to get her back with the new skateboard he was using from his girlfriend.

Dora had a point. The hard way was apparently the only way that anything could be learnt though. "Are we even sure the 'easy way' is a thing?" She even did the air quotes with a hand, and went back to thinking about it. If there was an easy way...would anything actually be easy? Was what they deemed the hard way, actually the easy way? It was all pretty confusing when she thought about it and she stopped as soon as she realised that. Confusing wasn't what she wanted or needed.

She shook her head, borderline agreeing. "I suppose not." After Dora's comment about missing people and not places, it clicked. She would miss the people she was leaving behind and not the castle Like Charlie. Like Donny. Like Lux. But that was...actually it. Other people she cared about were going with her, or had already gone. But the ones she was leaving already had people here with them. Charlie had Delilah and Vinnie. Both who made the seventh year want to stab herself in the eyes with a fork.

Complete and utter idiots with stupid intentions, stupid faces, stupid personalities and stupid life choices.

She frowned and shrugged. "Anywhere that isn't here... Coul doesn't trust me so I can't go to him." So anywhere. Milan was hers after graduations and that was the only plan she had.

"I think they call that the safe way." She offered Elodie the faintest of sad smiles. That way hurt most though, Dora was figuring out, and most always impossible when one wasn't used to playing it safe.

If anyone did miss this place, she thought, they'd be fools. Nothing to miss here. Not unless they had friends who were underclassmen. Which Dora did but she wasn't as close to them as she was those in her own year.

"..... Sometimes traveling alone is best." She didn't really know what to say on her and Coul without getting too curious and asking question. And Dora often did it, less now than before but still sometimes she would take spontaneous trips to her favorite places to clear her head.

Lux had a date.

Not with her boyfriend, but with her Squire. It had been a little while since she had seen Louis, and she was missing him. After threatening to tickle him if he didn't get his butt over to see her, she made her way to the courtyard. It was definitely COLD outside, but she needed some fresh air.

Bundled up in about a million layers, she plopped herself down on a snow covered bench in order to wait. In the meantime, she used her wand to blow hot air on herself. Aaaaah, that was amazing.

Louis loved wintertime. The cold, the snow, the grey sky, even the rosy shade it brought to his cheeks; he loved all of it. But, that didn’t mean he wasn’t absolutely freezing to death as he walked through the snow in giant steps. The fluffy white material was deep enough to bury his feet after each step, and the cold easily made its way through his shoes and socks onto his frozen toes. Brrr.

Lou wrapped his Gryffindor scarf more tightly around his neck and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his coat as he scanned the courtyard with narrowed blue eyes.

Ah!
There she was. One little head of bright, red hair. Impossible to miss.
Smiling to himself, Louis quickly made his way over to the Hufflepuff girl. He decided to greet her in the same manner she often used with him - by covering her eyes with his gloved hands.

“Guess whoooo."

Ooooh, everything had gone dark. D:

Giggling, Lux knew who was covering her eyes, but she wanted to have some fun with him first. "Hmmm, is it Cinnamon?" Hehehe. She was saying he sounded like a girl which was funny. She was such a riot.

"Come sit down with me." Pleeeeeeeease?

"Best to be safe than sorry though." Or something like that. Sorry, upset, heartbroken. Whatever it was, she didn't have a proper thing for it. So sorry was what it was. Only really because that was something she was. Els returned the sort of smile, alongside a shrug and she rubbed at her cheek that was probably red from the cold.

Travelling alone? Best? Now that was something she struggled to believe. What about cuddling in cold places? What about having someone to take your photo in front of a land mark? How about having someone to hold your hair back if you got food poisoning and were being sick? "That sounds almost as fun as thinking about the person you love with someone else."

Clearly sarcastic.

Silly Robertser girl.