*POP!*

Tinka had been torn away from her whisk-y to go clean in Gryffindor Tower. Her arms were laden with a duster, rags, and other cleaning instruments. Ears twitching, she looked around. "This area be dusty dusty!" She began to swish the feather duster back and forth across the tables.

A... Aaa.... Aaaaaa-CHOO!

Arista made her way down from the Girls Dormitory with her bag better get started on all that homework. Not like she had a choice it was all due. Sigh why oh why were Professors so cruel! As she trotted through the common room she looked for the perfect spot to do the work that would soon be the death of her.

Spotting the study tables she nodded perfect! She walked over there and saw that none other than a house elf was there! Eeep! How cool!! Oh she sneezed... "Bless you!" she said as she reached the tables. "Need some help?" Because really she would do anything to get out of homework. "I am Arista by the way." she added with a small curtsy. Still polite even to the little worker bees elves.

Homework. Why did she always seem to put it off until the last minute. She was literally drowning in assignments, and she had no one to blame but herself. As she made her way down to the study hall, she plopped all of her books and supplies on the table.

Looking around she noticed her adventurous buddy. "Sup Arista!" It looked like she was in the same boat as she was. "Tons of homework to do too?"

Arista was just about to sit down when she heard a very familiar voice call her name. Oh look who it was AJ her adventure buddy! It sucked that their Forbidden Forest adventure had to wait until it heated up again because right now if they went ice cubes! It would be an awesome story though!!

"Sup AJ!" She gave her friend a mellow look and nodded, "Too much homework!" Which reminded her, the Ancient Runes homework required a test taster. "Hold on I need to go grab some stuff!" The first year raced up to the Girls' Dormitory and returned with a plate of apples, pink candy apples to be exact.

"Want to be my test taster?" She asked AJ holding out the plate knowing that on the left were the Workshop and on the right was the Kitchen apple.

"Tell me about it. I am so far behind." Really, really far behind. One of these days she would stay on top of it, but that wasn't today. She needed to grab some stuff? It looked like to her that Arista already had tons of stuff so she couldn't imagine what more she would need.

AJ stared at her homework assignments while Arista darted off. You would think that there would be some kind of spell that she could use that would do her homework for her. Why hadn't somebody thought of that before? Before she could contemplate over it too long her friend was back.

"Oooh candy apples. Don't mind if I do." Crap, she still needed to make something. Maybe her time would be better spent at the kitchen. AJ took the first apple which happened to be on the left and took a big bite. "Mmm... that one is good." Taking the second apple on the right she took another big bite. "That one is good too, but I think I like the first one the best. It tastes just a little bit sweeter." And that was what mattered to the first year.

Arista nodded totally understanding what AJ was talking about. She needed to stop procrastinating and just do it...The day that it was assigned...But for now it would be making up time.

She gave out a giggle as her friend grabbed a candy apple. She was happy that running into AJ reminded her that she still needed someone to taste the apples. She nervously waited how AJ would react to them. It was the first time she made something with no body's help so this was huge for her. Workshop one good. Okay and the kitchen one??? Good too!! She gave herself a little victory dance in her head before speaking to AJ. "Awesome! Now which one do you think is the Workshop apple and which one do you think is the Kitchen apple?" Oooo maybe she could get some help?? She quickly added, "And why!?"

Hmmm... AJ really didn't know. How exactly were you supposed to know which was which? Was that something that the professor had went over and she had just missed? Thinking about the different possibilities as to why the rune would stick out in her taste buds, she was coming up with a big fat nothing.

"I think the first one is the workshop apple because it tastes the best to me." Why? Errr.... "Because it tasted better." She shrugged. "I dunno." Yeah, AJ wasn't much help here.

Arista gave a small smile she didn't need a real answer but something to help her out at least she had no clue how to write how she knew it was different or what ever the assignment was...She should probably go read it again. She made a mental note before looking back over at AJ.

SHe gave a small giggle her friend was right! And she loved her response. "You are right!!!" She gave a smile. And grabbed one of the extras that she had made. "Now we can actually enjoy them!" Looking over at AJ she asked, "Have you made yours yet?"

She knew that she wasn't being much help really, but that was the only thing that really stood out to her. AJ still needed to get somebody to sample hers and to tell her what they thought.

Mmmm... more candy apple time. "I actually just finished mine. About the only thing I've done homework wise." She took another big bite of the apple. It made her think of Halloween. That was her favorite holiday after all. "Have you done your Arithmancy homework yet?" The lion was drawing a big fat blank on that one.

Arista nodded that was good. "Good." She was really tired of homework she just wanted to sleep and eat..And go adventuring! Now that was fun!! "Arithmany? Nooooo..." What was that assignment again?? She laughed queuing that she had no clue what the homework was. She took another bite out of her apple before pulling the assignment out. Ohhh. "Have you?"

"Nope. Arithmancy seriously confuses me." That was the understatement of the century. "Why do the numbers have to mean something?" They were just numbers.

"I don't know how I will make it through another one of those lessons." 4+4=8... 4 doesn't need to have any more meaning than that. "It seems like a lot of these professors think futures can be discovered in odd ways." It was freaking weird, and AJ was judging.

Looking through the list for the third time Zander let out a huge sigh. There was one huge Problem with all of this. Zander is a Capricorn. But Professor Bentley is a Cancer. There must be something wonky with this list. THEY HAVE TO BE COMPATIBLE! How else could the Gryffindor plan their marriage. Ahem, too far?

Either way, Zander was NOT a happy camper. He wanted Beautiful Bentley!! Not Professor.... Flailsteed. Gah. Why did HE out of all of them have to fall under his sun sign?! Well actually.. It could have been worse. It could have been Culloden. That man would probably just spit out his card. Flailsteed was nice enough.

BUT BENTLEY THOUGH. That would've been a dream. Or maybe a nightmare. THIS WAS HIS SIGN! Since that day at the lake with Lux, he knew that he needed to get over the beautiful Professor. Maybe this was a sign from Merlin himself!? Telling Zander that he had made the right decision!!

But still.

Getting Bentley would have been nice.

So the chair in the common room near the fireplace had not been the ideal place to make a crafty card so Kevin found himself wandering for the first time towards the Gryffindor study tables. A place he would rather avoid but ..it had tables...

He saw Zander there as well but didn't acknowledge him at the moment and sat down on one of the chairs. He opened his bag and took out some muggle pens that were colored red. Since this was a 'valentine's card' they were supposed to make he figured that red was a good color...plus it was for his Head of House so it made the color even better.

He then took out a pink colored card , which he found disgusting by the way cause PINK eww and then began to think. What were nice words? Kevin didn't know HOW to be nice to people... So he sat there for at least five minutes before he let out a gasp and began to write with the red pen. He checked his writing and it felt like it was missing something.

Oh! he knew! a message saying he hoped that she wouldn't be eaten by a flesh-eating plant ...that was a nice message right? He scribbled it on the card in a smaller handwriting and then held the card up in front of him. It still lacked something. Figures. He didn't want to make heart shapes cause that was just blegh so instead he drew on a couple of stars and when he was finished he looked over at Zander. "Who are you making a card for?!" he called from the other end of the table.

Okay, okay. So Beautiful Bentley wasn't an option? Maybe he could just go to Professor Morgan and you know ask if she'd let him bend the rules just a little? It didn't truly matter did it? As long as everyone got a card and whatnot. Plenty of people like Flailsteed. Just, this Gryffindor had his eye one someone else. Totally understandable.

Alright maybe he was being a little over dramatic. This could be an opportunity to get to know Flailsteed a little better? Although, Zander wasn't really sure if he wanted that... The guy was weird. He flailed and jumped and yeah.... Sigh. The things he does for house points. Zander was too busy moping about having to make a card for the Astronomy professor, that he totally missed Kevin walking over.

The Gryffindor quickly took out a red card from his bag, as well as some crayons like the ones he used in class. Hmph. He may be making Flamsteed a card, but he is not making it with extra love. See, his efforts would've been much better spent doing it for Bentley. Because he would've used ALL the love for her. Yup. As he started scribbling a small little message onto the card, he heard Kevin's voice.

Oh no. Zander was trying to avoid the second year. Not because he didn't like Kevin or anything... The Gryffindor actually did like Kevin now. Who knew, all it took was a bonding session over pillows and crying together in a corridor. Wow, that type of thing really sticks with a person. Anyways, it was because Kevin was going all 'detective' on Zander and he did not like the sound of that. Especially because now Lux knew and he didn't need anyone else finding out too. Especially Kevin, who would most definitely do something with this information. Ahem, anyways. "Oh... Hi Kevin." Who was he making the card for? WELL, he wanted to make it for Beautiful Bentley. Buuuut, "Professor Flamsteed." Annoying. Hmph. "What about you?"

Grabbing his school bag and putting it on the table, Kevin opened it and put the valentine's card inside. He would give the card to Bentley tomorrow at her office. Well, he wasn't planning on actually giving it to her face to face, that would be too embarrassing but he would place it infront of the door.

When he had cleaned up his table, he watched Zander as he was writing something with the crayons and wondered what he was doing. So he left his school bag on the study table and walked over to the older Gryffindor's table and sat down on the chair opposite of him.

Flamsteed eh? He cocked his head to the side to see the red card he was making. Oh, he wanted to know for who he had been making a card? "Bentley turned out to be my matching sign , or whatever that means" he said with a shrug of his shoulders. And now that he had him cornered, Kevin grinned. "Remember you told me you would talk about that ..thing..in the dormitory? i think its time you talk" There wasn't anyone else there so spill it.

Griiiiiin

The Gryffindor finished writing his name at the very bottom of the card and took one last look at the thing. Meh. Good enough. If it had been for Bentley it would've taken three times the amount of time, five times the amount of effort, and ten times the amount of love. But this was only for Flamsteed. So eh, it's whatever. Putting the card back into his bag, Zander looked up at Kevin curiously as the boy began to speak.

WHAT!? KEVIN GOT BENTLEY. KEVIN out of all people GOT BENTLEY!? And Zander just had to do stupid Flamsteed, not that the man was stupid, but he was no Bentley! "WHAT!?" The Gryffindor probably looked like one of those dear caught in headlights. But only for a few seconds. He sat there eyes wide open, mouth hanging ajar. Kevin got Bentley!? Why couldn't HE get Beautiful Bentley!? The boy had gotten Bentley and he didn't even appreciate it. 'or whatever that means' THIS IS BLASPHEMY, or whatever that means.

Yet, it had only taken a minute for Zander to realize what he was doing. In sudden realization, the boy immediately closed his mouth and tried to cover it up with a laugh. "Lucky." HA... ha... ha... HA. Was he convincing enough? "I wish I got Bentley because I know her so much better." HA....ha...ha..? Believing it yet Kev?"I didn't even know what to write for Flamsteed!" Ha... Ha... Triple ha? Was it working? His forced, rather nervous laughter, stopped immediately upon the mention of the dormitory the other day. Uh oh.

He had been avoiding Kevin for this very reason. He did remember what he told the second year. BUT HE WASN'T EXPECTING KEVIN TO REMEMBER!? Maybe he could play it off as if he didn't remember at all? As if he hadn't ever promised anything? Would that work? He hadn't even come up with his plan to see if he could trust Kevin yet. First he got Flamsteed instead of Bentley AND now this?! Dang. This day was turning out to be utterly disastrous. "What? Kevin... What are you even talking about?" Heh. Was he a good performer?

No.

Kevin had been leaning his chair back on two legs while Zander was busy with his card but at the sudden WHAT?! the Gryffindor jumped and fell backwards down on the floor. He groaned as his back hit the floor and looked up at the ceiling. "Dude! What was that for?!" He stood up from the floor and pushed the chair back up, turned it around and sat on it backwards.

Because he had fallen, he had missed the look of shock on Zander's face and raised his eyebrow when he began to laugh all of the sudden. See? He only mentioned Bentley and he was freaking out again! There was definitely something going on. "Well, at least you didn't get Culloden. I don't know what you think but he's CRAZY" and stupid. Yep.

Kevin narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he listened to the older Gryffindor saying that he had no idea what he was talking about. He leaned closer to him. "Wow you're a bad liar" he said with a smirk and then leaned back. "You have two options, either you tell me now or i'm gonna shout out for the others in the common room and tell them you have a speech" griiiin

Zander was still so super annoyed that Kevin got Beautiful Bentley, but he was mostly annoyed that he didn't even appreciate it. So much so, that he almost couldn't even appreciate the boy's fall. Almost. Because of course, it was pretty funny. Hehe. "Oops." Hehehe. Just because they were allies now, didn't mean that he couldn't laugh at the kid. Hehe. He was about to ask if Kevin was okay after that fall, but the boy got up without any trouble so meh. It wasn't anything big, NOT like that time where he almost killed Beautiful Bentley aka Zander's true love.

It was probably karma.

The Gryffindor's face softened as Kevin seemed to disregard his weird laugh. PHEW! The guy probably didn't even notice. Ha. One History of Magic lesson and the boy was already ready for Hollywood! At the mention of Culloden, Zander nodded in agreement. Actually, Kevin had a pretty good point. "That would have been AWFUL, I think the guy has got it out for me..." Then thinking back to that second lesson, "and you too." Just thinking about the Potion's Professor was giving him war flashbacks to the first lesson when he got yelled at for simply turning the heat down. GAH. The horror, the horror.

Zander Adair and Kevin Hirase, taking on the world, one angry potions professor at a time.

Uh oh. Maybe he wasn't cut out for Hollywood after all. Kevin. His eyes. They were doing that thing. THAT 'I DON'T BELIVE YOU' THING. Oh man. Oh Merlin. Tell the whole common room!? There was no way. There was no freaking way that Kevin would do that. Didn't the day in the dormitory mean ANYTHING? Or what about that time they cried together? DIDN'T ALLIES MEAN ANYTHING ANYMORE!? No. He wouldn't....

Would he?

"... I don't believe you... You-you're bluffing." Yet, Zander knew quite well what Kevin was capable of. He just didn't want to believe it. The common room wouldn't really care. Pft. Zander was just an irrelevant Gryffindor, no one would want to hear a speech by him. Or, he could just tell Kevin his secret.

Was he actually laughing when Kevin had fallen backwards off of the chair? He was wasn't he? the youngest Gryffindor of the two shot the oldest Gryffindor a glare. But then he went on as if it hadn't happened.

But at the mention of the Potions Professor , kevin was surprised that Zander had a mutual feeling about it. Someone else didn't like him either? THIS WAS AWESOME! "I know right! you know what he did during my detention?!" The boy started to talk a little faster than usual. "He TRASHED the whole classroom and said it had been an ACCIDENT! can you believe that?!" Chyeah, the boy held grudges apparently. "Professors are stupid anyways, last year Astronomy guy petrified me out of nowhere! And he too says it was an "ACCIDENT" ....Accidents don't just happen accidentally!" Maybe it was time to calm down now. He had to admit , it felt good to rant about this to someone else. "Bentley is actually the only one who defends me and sees great promise or something, she's cool" and it was very difficult to be cool in Kevin's mind.

Ah, there it was, the stutter. Stuttering usually meant that one was either nervous or uncomfortable about something and Zander looked like he was both. He looked back at the common room for a second , checking how many people there were and then looked back at him. "You wanna find out if i'm bluffing or not?" he grinned wickedly. "You have five seconds, you either tell me or " he pointed towards the common room behind him with his thumb.

"5.....4....3.."

Bay made his way down to his common room and turned to head into the study table area, he had to start on his Divination homework and he wasn't bothered by the homework at all.. it was awesome.. all he had to do was to pick a Professor and make them a card..

BUT…… The hardest part was to pick a professor… which one was compatible with his signs.. Browsing through the list he spotted a few that he could choose from.. He thought that they all deserve to get a card but his homework only stated one..

Which one to choose!!!!!!………………………..

He starred at the paper……..

The older Gryffindor listened as Kevin went on a mini little rant about the crazy Hogwarts professors. Hehe. See, Zander had thought that Kevin kinda deserved that detention. It was kind of much, but the boy was back-talking and all that. Even if Culloden may have deserved it. But messing up the room on purpose?!? Now that was uncalled for. "Wait, what the heck!?! THAT'S CRUEL!" Could they tell Beautiful Bentley and get the potions professor in trouble? That probably wouldn't help the getting on his good side thing though... So no. Maybe they'd keep this one on the down low. Anyways. Astronomy guy petrified Kevin!?! WHAT. Okay. Zander was right about that guy. He was insane. "Flailsteed... I mean Flamsteed, is weird!" Heh. Oops. He had never told anyone about his clever little nickname for the prancing professor.

Then, at the mention of Beautiful Bentley, Zander found himself frozen again. Why'd he have to go and bring her up again!? First the card. Now this. "Uh... uh-yeah-I-yeah" Whut. "Bentley is the best" Awh. And best she really was. Was it getting hot in here or was it just him???

.....

O______________O

Five seconds?!

Zander had five seconds to make a decision. 1) Tell Kevin the truth or 2) Wait it out and see if the kid was really bluffing, which Zander had hoped was the case, but highly doubted. Sigh, he'd have to go for option one and before he knew it the kid was counting!!

"WAIT KEVIN STOP!" So much for keeping the secret away from the second year. This was bad. This was way beyond bad. "OKAY,OKAY YOU WIN! Happy?" Zander gave the kid a look of defeat as he took in one deep breath. Oh merlin. "I-I was acting weird because I-I think I have a crush on... I think I like--" Hold up. If he actually told Kevin, the boy wouldn't let him live it down. So much for coming up with an alternative plan. He had to make sure Kevin wouldn't tell! Was there even a way to do that? Yo, Kevin be my secret keeper, yo. Nah. Okay. A pinky promise is the next best thing, yeah? "WAIT-- You have to pinky swear that you won't tell anyone!" Though, Zander knew quite well that a pinky swear wouldn't hold him back, it was worth the try, yeah?

Lucy had collected some sand, pebbles, twigs and shells from the shore of the lake and had pasted all thinghs over a piece of cardboard..
She had built a flowering tree in a little heart..
She had written these words under the heart:

Zander thought it was cruel as well!? This was beyond awesome and Kevin nodded his head vigorously. He wanted to rant on some more but then the other Gryffindor said something that made him stop, blink and then LAUGH OUT LOUD. "FLAILSTEED!" he laughed. "That's brilliant!" how did he come up with that? "You know who else is weird? Morgan...you know, the new Divination Professor?" he pointed his finger at the side of his face and twirled it around while whistling. "Completely loco if you ask me" And speaking of loco, that new Arithmancy woman was on his weirdo list as well. Woman dared to take ten points from him...mweh.

"...2...1..." Kevin grinned. He knew that the count down would work, a simple trick his parents used on him and he fell for it each and everytime. But it felt good to use it on someone else though. He stayed quiet, listening to Zander. He had a crush? ON WHO?! But before he came to the best part he stopped. Kevin narrowed his eyes again. Seriously? that was it? Oh nononono he was not getting away with THAT answer!

Kevin folded his arms over each other and glared at Zander....but then he heard the mention of a pinky swear and he stopped glaring. The third year did pinky swears as well? The young boy seemed confused for a second. He had thought that he had been the only one who did that since the people he had made a pinky swear with (Bentley and Airey) had both looked at him as if he had been crazy.

On the outside, he simply shrugged his shoulders and held his pink finger up. On the inside he was basically going in fanboy mode because he found someone who didn't think it was weird~! "Now tell!" he snapped.

Lex placed the sugar quills on the table as a sign of good faith and stared the First Year straight in the eyes. "You understand you gotta make this look legit, yeah? Add a few hearts, do whatever you want, don't bother adding a name, it doesn't matter." Her eyes narrowed as the kid reached for one. "No no. You don't get these until you're done and if I feel like it's rubbish I'm docking you two of them."

Was that clear enough? Hazel eyes remained locked on the now fidgety 11 year old--or was she 12 now? It was hard to keep track of all of them, especially the ones that didn't quite fit the minion category.

After a firm nod was given Lex relaxed a bit and flopped into the next seat over. This shouldn't take too long then she could go find a Professor, dump it in their hand and be done with this homework. She glanced over at the parchment as the kid got to work. She wouldn't be telling her how to do her work, of course not, just silent watching.

It might have been some 15 minutes later when she slid the parchment across to her. Lex could see the Firstie waiting for her approval which came in the form of Lex sliding the sugar quills across to her and snatching up the finished work. "Pleasure doing business with you, kid."

Now off to find a Professor.