Smiling, Esme was more than happy to take Hady up on the invitation. "I would love to." Nothing like spending some time with the Snakes. The only table she probably wasn't going to visit was the Gryffindor one. Nothing against them, she just didn't really know many of them well. ANYWAYS. She was wanting to catch up with her friend. "So how are you? Got any exciting plans for summer?"

Attentively she listened to the speech and wondered what was wrong with Professor Draper? Weird. Esme couldn't help but laugh though there was food to eat. EXCEPT SHE WAS NOW COVERED IN WHITE GOOO???

And here come the feathers...

"GET THESE THINGS OFF OF ME!" she exclaimed hysterically because these were FEATHERS. From BIRDS.

Hady offered up a light smile as Esme sat down beside her at the table. It was a good thing the younger girl didn't mind sitting here because honestly she wasn't entirely ready to get up just yet and go table hopping. Maybe after she had something in her stomach. The questions drew her attention and she shifted sideways before speaking so she could see the girl. "Much better now that I've gotten a good nights sleep and my OWLs are over." Studying day and night was normal for her but the last few weeks she had kicked things up a notch and did nothing but study. It was really good to be able to relax now. "I do. My dad is getting remarried next week so there's that and then I'm going away for an internship." Some really exciting stuff right there that she couldn't wait for! "How about you?"

During her complete cleaning of herself Hadleigh didn't miss the shrieks coming from right beside her. Glue and feathers were yucky sure but why was Esme screaming like that? And then she remembered. Her friends fear of the animal! Poor girl must be having a panic attack. Turning around on the bench and sitting completely sideways she aimed her wand at the third year. "It's okay, it's okay. I'll have you cleaned up in just a moment," she attempted to sooth her. Hady then spoke the cleaning charm once and then again to make sure. Was that any better?

Bastien was dressed in his full Slytherin attire. Hair neatly combed over to the side, everything down to his tie neatly in place. He wasn't always this neat with his uniform, and he was sure that sometime during the night his tie would come undone, but he still put himself together for this. His last Hogwarts feast. He didn't much care, not being a fan of the school itself, but he did enjoy the house.

More importantly, he was leaving behind some really good friends. Friends that would be sad about this being his last feast even though he had made multiple promises to visit them in the coming years AND invited them over to his house.

One such friend concerning him was Kelly. He spotted her almost instantly and slipped easily into the seat beside her, stealing her hand for his own with a grin. "Hey. Think it would be funny to stick those feathers to everyone the fall on?" He certainly did.

!!!!!

In her panic, Esme dropped to the floor and started rolling around in an attempt to get the feathers off of her. She may have already started crying. OKAY she was DEFINITELY crying now; something that she normally hated but didn't give a flying fig about in her current state.

It wasn't until Hady managed to get them off of her that she started to calm down. Her heart beat slowly returned to normal and she ceased crying. Wiping her eyes, she climbed back onto the bench. "Th-thanks," she said a little shakily before taking a deep breath to get her bearings back. Her appetite had all but vanished and she needed to focus on better things. "Congratulations to your father! What will your internship be?" Obviously with magical creatures, but there were so many different types and jobs that she could do with them.

"I'm planning to do some more volunteer work and have friends over. You can come over if you want!" It would be lovely.

Distracted by the feathers flying about everywhere Kelly didn't notice Bastien approaching. Where were all those feathers coming from?! Typically peeves would come up with a prank like this. It was kind of funny to see all those students covered in feathers. A hall full of Ravens. Kind of ironic for the Ravenclaws, wasn't it?! But the poor poor food....luckily there wasn't any pizza covered...yet.

The second she felt someone slip their hand into hers, the blonde's thoughts where interrupted. Lacing their fingers, she tilted her head to look at the boy next to her. "Hey you." The sight of him spreading a huge grin on her face she eyed him up and down a little. It wasn't often that she saw him this dapper. Usually he would be in his sweatpants and a Tshirt...not that she didn't like it. He looked nice in everything really.

"Yes", she laughed, " i mean one last sort of prank at Hogwarts? I am in." The slytherin couldn't wait to see her fellow students faces. That would be hilarious. "Where to start?" Even though the thought of saying goodbye really made her want to tear up she would not cry. Not right now. She would try to make it as easy as possible for him. Time to stick some feathers on people. Grin.

There were others arriving now, and soon the table was packed. Ariadne had already given waves to several of them, but she added in a little wave to Esme, Grace, Elsa, Colt, Bastien, and an older girl she didn't know that well (Kelly). Professor Myers was here, too, but he'd come and gone before she had time to say anything to him. Ariadne turned back to Jace. "You seem embarrassed about something, but...what?" she asked, deciding to call him out on it and make sure everything was okay. He kept smiling this sheepish grin, and his face was turning all sorts of shades or red. She had no idea what boys were thinking when they did things like this.

She nodded when he asked about her parents. "Both of them," she answered, "and my mom was even the Slytherin Head of House not too long ago. She taught Potions. She left a few years after I was born, just after my dad retired as Minister of Magic." To be twelve-years-old, she sure had parents who were somewhat up in age and already out of the work force. She guessed that was what happened when you were born kind of late in your parents lives. "Who's Papa? Is he your dad?" People had lots of different names for their parents. Ariadne, for example, called her parents Mama and Daddy.

Ariadne nodded. "I played Gobstones earlier in the year. I actually got Player of the Match once, too. I wasn't feeling well during the match with Raveclaw, so I sat that one out," she told him. That would have been her first and only time to play Jace this year, too. "I heard you played a really good game, too. Congrats!" What she really wished was that the school had Quidditch. She had been really disappointed when she'd gotten here just to have her dreams crushed. Maybe they'd reinstate it one day, though!

Her eyes widened at his next response. "You hid under the table, too?" she asked. "That makes me feel a lot better." She hadn't been the one and only person to do that after all! She hoped it wouldn't happen again, but it had kind of ruined things, but at least if it did, she knew she wouldn't be quite so scared. She might still hide under the table, but it'd only be to get away from the flying food. She smiled when he mentioned being excited about learning new magic. "No, it's not just a Ravenclaw thing to say. I'm excited, too! I need to brush up on my dueling skills. I only won one out of three duels," she explained.

Back to Azura. Was Jace interested in her? As a...possible girlfriend? Ariadne didn't know, but if he was, that made him a lot less cute, unfortunately. She wasn't into chasing guys, but if he wasn't too interested in Azura, she could see herself totally going for Jace next year. He had face-planted, which was actually probably a good thing, because the next thing she knew, there was glue and feathers EVERYWHERE. She glanced up to see the two poltergeists at it again. "Didn't we learn a spell for this?" she asked. "In one of the classes..."

She kind of thought it was time to get back under the house table. Maybe she should just start going under their by default at these feasts.

Bast could clean himself up when he wanted to, he just never had to incentive to while he was at Hogwarts.

"I don't know." He traced his thumb over the back of her hand, glancing around at everyone who had feathers covering them, amused and a little sad that he would miss the great prankster of the school. "Not the first years. Easy targets, and they've been through enough this year." Maybe the graduates. Hmm.

It felt nice, holding his hand. She had gotten so used to his touch that she did not hesitate to squeeze his hand a little. It was comforting to know that they were about to go an adventure before he left. At least their last Hogwarts memory would be a fun one to remember. Like when they went to swim in the lake. That was a great day.

"Hmmm...how about whe send the seventh years off with a few feathers?" What was a graduation without a prank? Everyone left school in fancy dresses and robes but who could say they left looking like a raven?!

SPOILER!!: Esme

!!!!!

In her panic, Esme dropped to the floor and started rolling around in an attempt to get the feathers off of her. She may have already started crying. OKAY she was DEFINITELY crying now; something that she normally hated but didn't give a flying fig about in her current state.

It wasn't until Hady managed to get them off of her that she started to calm down. Her heart beat slowly returned to normal and she ceased crying. Wiping her eyes, she climbed back onto the bench. "Th-thanks," she said a little shakily before taking a deep breath to get her bearings back. Her appetite had all but vanished and she needed to focus on better things. "Congratulations to your father! What will your internship be?" Obviously with magical creatures, but there were so many different types and jobs that she could do with them.

"I'm planning to do some more volunteer work and have friends over. You can come over if you want!" It would be lovely.

The younger girls panic nearly had the fifth year in her own panic. Hady knew that her friend had a fear of birds but she didn't quite understand how deep the fear ran until just now. Watching as she rolled about the floor to remove the feathers and the fact that she was also in tears was waaaaayyyy more then this girl wanted to ever see again.

Several cleaning charms later she had helped Esme back onto the bench, sliding an arm around her and patting her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Are you alright?" she asked quietly eyeing Esme closely even as she went ahead and pushed some stray feathers that were on the table far away from them. No sense in upsetting anyone more after just getting them to calm down. Hady also reached for some napkins passing them to her so she could wipe her tears away.

"Yeah, Katalin and her kids are really nice." She smiled softly nodding her head her eyes shining as she spoke about the internship. "It's at a rescue reserve in Ireland. I'll be getting to see and help out with all the creatures kept there." It was going to be amazing! Really it was the chance of a lifetime for her.

Volunteer work was always nice. "Sure! I'll owl you when I'm back home for a few days and we can work something out?" Esme was now added to the friends she wanted to see this break.

"Yeah, but which ones?" He was certain he could take any of the seventh years if they tried to retaliate, and the professors couldn't do anything to him since he wasn't coming back next term. But first they had to find the graduating students.

Kelly looked around to spot any seventh years they could prank. The ravenclaws where so covered already they were out of the game." Maybe we can the Hufflepuffs first? They seem pretty unfeathered so far." And that certainly was not allowed. Everyone had to get their fair amount.

She didn't really care if she got detention for this. Bastien was leaving and this was taking her mind off of it. Also she'd rather have him remember her as the fun girl she was than as the crying mess she'd be later.

Bastien actually laughed at that suggestion. "You want to do it to the Hufflepuffs? That doesn't seem fair, they're easier targets than the first years." He didn't like the easy target. "We might just have to settle for no pranking." He let out a feigned sad sigh, tugging her hand a little so they were touching shoulders. "The food any good?"

Kelly ccouldn't help but grin big when he started laughing. That definitely was her favourite sound....and she'd miss it a lot. "Really Bastien? You dont give them any credit do you?" Poor Hufflepuffs had it so hard, they never got credit for anything. "What about Gryffindors?" He was being incredibly unhelpful but it amused the blonde, cause he had come up with it. "Nope, you're leaving with a bang. I am not having this."

As he pulled her closer she immediately felt the urge to sit on his lap...but she didn't, that was hardly appropriate right now. Instead she scooted closer so their legs were touching as well and she could wrap her foot around his. "I don't know...i haven't tried yet since everything is covered in feathers."

"Not really, no." Why should he? In the ten months that he'd spent here they didn't do anything rather impressive. They also didn't annoy him as much as they Gryffindors did, which didn't say much but enough. Not without a bang? Bast looked her over, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. "What if I left with a girlfriend instead?" That would be loads better than a bang.

He made the bolder move to pull her legs into his lap, resting his free hand on her knees casually. "Wanna get food after then?" He coud make her pizza again.

Bastien's blunt answer made her laugh. One thing she really liked about him was how honest he was. He never sugar coated anything, sometimes that could be a little confusing but not in a good way. If that made sense. "Poor Hufflepuffs have not managed to impress you, have they?" Personally kelly did have some quite impressive huffie friends but that didn't say much about the house, it just showed how great her people skills were.

A girlfriend.

He wanted to ask someone to be his girlfriend. Wow okay. Kelly looked down at their hands and gulped. It was time to let go. "D-Don't you think....ummm...she would mind that you're holding someone else's hand? You should....go and talk to her. Before its to late....yeah. I'll be good." The blonde gulped and tried really hard to seem casual. He wasn't hers. he could like who ever he wanted...and if that person made him happy then she would have to deal with that.

And then he pulled her legs up to his lap....it was probably unintentionally but he really made this hard. So she had been right and he was just a cuddly person. Hopefully his soon to be girlfriend would be okay with that. "Maybe...you should get food with your girlfriend...? Use the time you have left...."

"I'm not easily impressed." He said with a dismissive shrug of his shoulders. Bast did like the puffers, he just wasn't overly impressed with them.

She was cute, did she know? Thinking that he liked anyone else in this school. He never let her hand go, and never turned his blue eyes away from her. "I think she would mind very much if I was holding someone else's hand. Good think I'm not." His thumb traced over the back of her hand again, waiting to see if she would pick up on the hints.

He wasn't worried about the pizza anymore (give it a few minutes until he was reminded of his hunger), just thinking about her and wondering if this sulking was because she really did want to be his girlfriend like he had thought, or if she was just impossibly confusing like most girls.

Kelly's thoughts were all over the place...she did NOT understand what he was saying. She was so caught up in her thoughts about him with another girl. She didn't want to let go. Without noticing she squeezed his hand, afraid that he might leave. Which was...what he should do...leave and talk to this girl he wanted to make his girlfriend....

....

WAIT!!!

"But....you're holding MY hand right now Bastien....", she whispered, looking into his eyes. Oh wow...they were beautiful...Sigh.

She would love to eat pizza with him and if she wasn't so occupied trying to figure out who this girl was, she would have gotten up already to have another sauce fight. But right now the blonde just looked at the boy that had stolen her heart, trying to find an answer to all her questions.

He kept tracing his thumb over the back of her hand, an amused eyebrow raising when her eyes finally found his own. She was overthinking a lot and it was really cute and a little funny. "Yeah, I am. So will you be my girlfriend?" Or was he going to leave here empty handed?

So will you be my girlfriend?

The words kept going through her head and ringing in her ears. Was this really happening??? Mouth wide open she blinked several times. The girl he was talking about was her?! Kelly Rose Flenagan?! Suddenly she felt a warm feeling spread through her. This time she didn't notice anything around her for a different reason. He wanted her to be his girlfriend. HER out of all people.


"Me? You're asking ME to be your girlfriend?!",she said a slow grin spreading on her face. The blonde felt like she was about to explode. " Obviously i want to be your girlfriend. There's nothing i want more...not even pizza."

Bastien waited patiently for realization to set in on what he had asked her, surprisingly calm for someone who was asking someone to be his girlfriend for the first time.

When she finally did realize he broke out into a grin. "Of course I'm asking you. Why wouldn't I? You're brilliant." And he wasn't going to lose her just because he was returning to his school. There was some overwhelming excitement when she said yes, his whole face lighting up. "Not even pizza?" He leaned his face in close to hers. "I must be really awesome." And then he kissed her.

Kelly just shook her head, grinning like an idiot. Brilliant? Her? This was crazy..."I am pretty sure this is like one of the first real compliments you made." Usually he was the master of half compliments, making her wonder if he liked her back. But now...it was sort of official wasn't it?!

As he leaned closer her heartbeat started picking up...they had been close a lot of times, but never in public and never as girlfriend and boyfriend. "You have to be awesome, if i want you to be my boyfriend." There was a lot of pizza out there, but only one Bastien.

....

and then it happened. What she had been waiting for, for so long happened. Finally their lips met and Kelly couldn't help but smile into the kiss.

Julien had been making his rounds to figure out this feather issue. He was really going to give it to peeves and his girlfriend this was not happening at the end of the year feast. The students deserved to have fun and enjoy themselves.... Well maybe not THAT much fun. "AHEM" he cleared his throat eyeing two Slytherins who were kissing. Clearly PDA wasn't something the feast needed either. Giving an eye to a brunette that was looking like she was going to flail off her seat watching the two he turned his attention back to the kissing couple.

"I know the feathers have changed focus from the food, but I don't think this is the time nor the place to be doing that." He knew some of the heads were a little soft when it came to students and their relationships, but he was sure the healer was not one of them. Glancing to the staff table he noticed she was not up there. "Before your head of house catches you, maybe you should go back to eating."

He shrugged, grinning boyishly. "That's not true. I gave the one about the constellations." His eyes briefly shifting to one of her visible freckles. Still his favorite. Just like her.

That kiss. How long had he been waiting to kiss her? It felt like ages, but being able to now made it all worth it.


It even made being caught by a professor. Not that he gave a damn. No, he wasn't breaking away from this kiss until he was good and ready. When he did, he looked up at the professor quite innocently, almost confused as to what the man was speaking of. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about professor. But regardless, I'm not really hungry."

Since this wasn't the time or place, he got up. "I think I'll go check on my belongings. Don't wanna leave anything behind." He actually didn't care what his absent head of house had to say since he was leaving, but he wasn't going to get Kelly in trouble.

He inclined his head at the professor, winked at his new girlfriend, and then turned and left.

The constellations. She still loved thinking back to that. It was her fave thing. When she looked into the mirror now, she always heard him say how her freckles were like stars. "True. That was the cutest thing you ever said....well until now." Now her fave thing about them was that they were together. As a couple. The blonde just couldn't control the grin on her face.

This was what a first kiss should feel like. Nothing around her really mattered and she wanted to tell the world how happy she was. Even though the fourth year had imagined what it would be like countless times...nothing could ever compare.

And then...they were interrupted by a professor?! Why so uptight...This was unfair. Did he not have anything else to deal with?! "Professor, i appreciate your concern for us, but i hardly think you should care so much about your students relationships."

She grinned at her boyfriend and demonstratively set down her cup, even though nothing was in it. "I think i am done. I should see if i have everything. See you next year Professor."

Did he not have anyone to kiss?!

He couldn't help but keep eyeing the two. It wasn't like he cared what they were doing, but since he was over near there and spotted them he would stop it before they were doing even more then what was going on now. Children... He could just shake his head at them for a bit. Though it didn't seem like they were going to kiss much longer.


Good Children....

"I'm pretty sure you do know what I'm talking about, but maybe it is a good time for you both to head up to the common room. It looks like the feast has changed with this issue." The rest of the student probably should be heading up as well. "Believe me Miss Flanagan I do not take interest in my students relationships, but I will not have Public affection going on during the feast. " They were lucky this was the last evening or they would be in detention more for the attitude they were giving then the kissing.

Once they were both gone he looked at the Slytherin table to see if anyone else needed assistance with the feather issues.