Genny finished her letter, licked the envelope shut and headed out of her common room to the Owlery. Her owl must've just woken up, he didn't do anything all day so the least he could do was deliver this very important, very secret letter at a time that she chose, okay?? Okay.

The thirteen years old climbed the stairs to the Owlery and entered the tower where the hooting of all owls made her body hairs stand. What a creepy place for something that was supposed to be cute. She started looking for her snowy owl.

June was also getting used to the idea of all these owls. They were kinda creepy. ALL birds were kinda creepy, but for some reason, wizards just LOVED owls. She supposed they were faster than a government post service. Anything was faster than the government.

She sealed up the letter to Maxon and went to go find a free owl. She didn't have one of her own, so she had to use a school owl. As she came up to one and tried to give it the letter, she suddenly snapped her hand back. "OW!" June whined and shook her fingers around. "Friggin' bird BIT me." She'd push it out the WINDOW if she didn't know it could just FLY to SAVE ITSELF.

RUDE BIRD.

All birds were creepy indeed, but Genny didn't like to voice those thoughts out because birds were basically defenseless against humans and she didn't like to dislike the weak. That totally made sense in her head.

Her head swiveled towards the other girl that was here when she heard her yell, and instinctively she ran up to her. You know, to save her. Or something. "Are you okay??" Genny directed judging looks to the nearest owl to them assuming this was the attacker. "School owls are rude. Don't worry about it, you can borrow mine. I got him food." So he wouldn't sass them and just deliver the thing.

The next thing that startled her was a small human charging toward her. Instinctively, June pulled back just in case the girl had a razor sharp BEAK attached to her face. But apparently she was just concerned about her well-being.

"I'm fine," June said with a frown, shaking her finger out again. Owls were gross. She looked back toward the girl when she offered to let her use her owl. June glanced at the envelope addressed to Maxon. "Aren't you using it?" Would the letters get mixed up? She had no idea how smart owls were.

Genny did not blame the girl for being jumpy, owls hooting still around them and all. But since she was fine, the Gryffindor's job here was done. No one needed helping or saving. "Yeah." She was using the owl. Her letter to her brother was in her hand, sealed and all. It was not a happy letter but one that Giuseppe should find entertaining... maybe a little worrying and he'll send a Howler to the offenders here in Hogwarts like Blaise's family did.

"But we live close, so the owl will be back in no time and you can use it then." Genny offered, not knowing whether an owl can deliver two letters at once and not wanting to risk it because hey hey hey her letter was NOT to be read by strangers. "Where's your letter sent to?" Scotland hopefully? Anyway, they both or either of them needed the owl to come over. So Genny fetched the small seeds from her pocket and lifted them up, "Come on, wheeeeeere are you?" She hooted a couple of times, too, before the white owl came flapping his wings towards the girls.

Obviously, she had not named the thing yet.

She occasionally glanced at her finger to make sure it wasn't gonna, like, swell up and explode or something. She didn't know if these owls had RABIES. Could owls even get rabies? That would be interesting to look up someday when she was avoiding homework (which was every day).

"I mean, yeah, sure, if you don't mind." June probably could coax a rabid owl into sending her letter, but if this girl's offer meant she didn't even have to try, then she'd take it. "Um.. London-ish," she said, glancing at her envelope. June looked up when a white owl flew over toward them. "Yours is a lot prettier than the school ones." FYI. Nice choice there, girl. But she still didn't want one.

It was almost night. Kitty was just finishing her final patrol (which were fun but so far she hadn't caught anyone misbehaving) when she decided to visit the Owlery. It had been weeks since she wrote to Penelope and she wanted to ask her advice for Aquinas.

The Owlery looked empty when she entered it and sat down to begin writing. As the darkness descended across the school grounds a slightly cool breeze could be felt. Kitty wrapped her black cape around her and pulled her hood up so that everything but her pale hand was covered as she scribbled away.

As she wrote she began to sing Oh come little children.

Genny looked at the girl's finger as well because she seemed deeply interested in it. "Looks fine to me." Just thought to give her valuable input on the matter.

"Thanks. He's nice... sometimes. I wanted a baby Phoenix for a pet though." Her sideways look at her owl should tell the other girl how Genny truly felt towards the owl. Attaching her owl letter to one of the owl's legs, the Gryffindor sent her bird flying through the window. "Mine is closer. Scotland, here. It's for my mom, I haven't sent her anything in two weeks and she'll get fussy if I'm more late." Her mom was not one to mess with. Genny would take her allegedly scary dad over mom any time. "But the owl will be back in a few minutes. Then we'll send yours. Who are you sending it to?" Might as well chat while waiting, right?

Rooney needed to get a last minute fabric order into his mother. Olivia Phillips and he were going to put on a SHOW and they were going to need costumes and they needed to get started making them right now. So he'd wrote a nice letter, apologising for his recent behaviour to the woman who had raised him and attached a list, as well as a letter from Brinlee. Might as well send them all in one swift swoop instead of ten thousand different deliveries. Their owl couldn't quite cope with that. Oh, it was nice to have an owl here now that Brin was around.

It was very helpful when everyone else was using the school owls.

Heading up to the owlery as a last minute thing before he was to go to bed, Rooney came into contact with his co-prefect. "Great dementor costume, Kitty!" Har har har.

Time to write a letter to the misses.

He needed to reassure her that he was fine. He was doing what he needed to do at school. I think having three letters asking him to give her a reply was more of enough incentive to assure her everything is fine. She wanted to know if there was Quidditch this term and he regretfully had to say no. He wished this school did but the scrimmage was sufficing. He even wrote about the teachers and how some of them were cool and some were alright. He even looked up and noticed how many owls there were. He was amazed at the wildlife here. He gazed at the open sky seeing the owls playing with each other. He grinned and continued to write.

Noelle held a very important letter in her hand. It was asking permission to stay most of Christmas break with Noah's family. She had spent hours working on it. Trying to get the right amount of charm and pleas into the letter to convince her mum to say yes. Her dad would say yes. She knew of it. He was the easy one to convince. It was her mum she was worried about.

So Noelle held the letter gently as she opened the owlery door and looked in. She was surprised to see someone else there. Colt. She gave him a hearty grin as she headed for one of the owls that usually did her biding for her. "Well hey Colt ." She said brightly, feeding the owl a treat before rolling the note up and putting it in the holder on it's legs. "Its a wonder why we havent figured something out better than owls yet." Seriously. Waiting for responses was agonizing sometimes.

Kitty was just finishing the letter when she heard footsteps of someone approaching. At first she tensed, wondering who it could be possibly be at this time. Then she saw her fellow prefect Rooney and relaxed.

"Ha ha ha," she laughed dryly at his joke. "Dementors aren't very stylish. I would prefer vampire, if you please."

She paused from her writing to stare at him, chin in hands. "Would it be too snoopy if I ask who you're writing to?"

Colt was deep into his writing when he heard footsteps. He looked up and noticed it was Noelle. He grinned and nodded to her. "Hey Noelle." He should feed his owl a treat too. He whistled for his owl to come down and he held out his arm and it landed. One of the few tricks he taught his owl. He got a treat from the owlery storage and his owl seemed happy. "I know right? I am surprised we haven't upgraded I mean the ministry has. They use memos, like note things. Probably the headmaster liked the old feeling using owls." Could be a possibility. "How have you been doing? I saw you on the practice pitch earlier, you play quidditch?" He was intrigued indeed.

Noelle loved up on the school owl. She really wished she had one of her one but alas.. she would use the one the school let her use. Blue. Which was funny because the owl didn't have and blue on it. It was a beautiful owl though.

"Hey Colt" Noelle said back happily and waited till Blue was out of sight before heading over to him and his owl. She petted its head. "Beautiful owl by the way." And it knew tricks! If Noelle had more time, she would probably teach Blue. She didn't have the time right now though.

Quidditch? Oh! Colt must have seen her practicing with Henry or Remy. "Oh, I've been practicing. My boyfriend plays for U17 and I wanted to surprise him with me knowing how to play.... but I'm no good at it. Are you?"

Colt grinned and said, "Yeah she thinks soo.." he rolled his eyes playfully. "She loves to show off that is for suree.." he recommended Noelle could do whatever she wanted. He finished his letter and tied to his owls leg. "Oh really? Who is your boyfriend?" He couldn't remember. The U17 was pretty impressive. "I am pretty good playing for my team back in Durmstrang. I prefer the chaser position though.." he told her. "I am not a fan of being seeker and keeper." Too much pressure on their part. "Which position do you prefer?" he said as he was getting his owl ready for flight.

Noelle laughed when Colt stated that the owl thinks she was beautiful. She believed it too. She was poised and sitting with Colt, almost as if to say, "yeah Im sexy". "I believe that too." She commented with a laugh.

Noelle didn't lean against the wall because owl feces. She preferred her robes be kept clean. "Noah Diggory." She told him brightly. She was surprised he didn't know. They had won cutest couple in the yearbook. "He plays keeper I believe..... but don't quote me." It was terrible she didn't know what position he played but then again, Quidditch wasn't her forte.

"When I practice, I play seeker most. But I'm not exceptionally good at it. I'm better at my training. Quidditch just isn't my thing." Noelle said, picking at the hem of her robe.

Colt heard Noelle say her boyfriends name and he thought about it. It did sound familiar. "You know his name sounds familiar. Must be in one of my classes and I heard his name or something..." he shrugged. He couldn't remember names too well but once he saw the face it clicked. "Ah well I play Chaser so maybe we could have versed each other in a scrimmage match." There is that possibility. He understood and asked, "Well what is your thing?" He looked her over and thought about it. "Lemme guess..you like to read, play gobstones or cooking?" He felt a nudge and he saw one of the stray owls come down and wanted to be petted. He began to pet him lightly.

Gaston was in better spirits than he'd been in days. His hair was back to its normal length, and his eyes were no longer shadowed and red-rimmed. Finally talking to Rosalyn had helped. He was still a little sad that he still didn't know whether or not she would ever give him a chance, but at least now he knew she wasn't angry or repulsed by him. He entered the owlery with a small package wrapped up in paper and string tucked under his arm. Attached to the front of the package was a letter in a sealed envelope addressed to one M. Lucien Chevallier of Paris, France.

SPOILER!!: The Letter

Dear Lucien.
Thank you for your last letter. It's been a comfort in these trying times. Maybe you're right about her, but I still have no idea what she could ever see in me. I suppose only time will tell now. You haven't told my father about any of this, have you? He'd never let me hear the end of it if he found out!

I've been thinking. Remember that recording contract we always talked about back in the day but never got? Well, maybe it's not too late. I'm sending you a book of new song lyrics I've written since... the incident. Put them to music and see what you can do with them. Maybe then some good can come from my broken heart.

- Gaston

Now all he had to do was decide on a owl to use. After a few moments of searching, he settled on a strong-looking barn owl. "Hello, pretty bird," he whispered, and the owl made soft contented noises as he stroked the feathers on its head. He held out a handful of owl treats, smiling slightly as the bird gobbled them up. "Eat up, you'll need your strength. It's an awfully long way to France."

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy

Gaston was in better spirits than he'd been in days. His hair was back to its normal length, and his eyes were no longer shadowed and red-rimmed. Finally talking to Rosalyn had helped. He was still a little sad that he still didn't know whether or not she would ever give him a chance, but at least now he knew she wasn't angry or repulsed by him. He entered the owlery with a small package wrapped up in paper and string tucked under his arm. Attached to the front of the package was a letter in a sealed envelope addressed to one M. Lucien Chevallier of Paris, France.

SPOILER!!: The Letter

Dear Lucien.
Thank you for your last letter. It's been a comfort in these trying times. Maybe you're right about her, but I still have no idea what she could ever see in me. I suppose only time will tell now. You haven't told my father about any of this, have you? He'd never let me hear the end of it if he found out!

I've been thinking. Remember that recording contract we always talked about back in the day but never got? Well, maybe it's not too late. I'm sending you a book of new song lyrics I've written since... the incident. Put them to music and see what you can do with them. Maybe then some good can come from my broken heart.

- Gaston

Now all he had to do was decide on a owl to use. After a few moments of searching, he settled on a strong-looking barn owl. "Hello, pretty bird," he whispered, and the owl made soft contented noises as he stroked the feathers on its head. He held out a handful of owl treats, smiling slightly as the bird gobbled them up. "Eat up, you'll need your strength. It's an awfully long way to France."

There was a letter that Rosalyn needed to send home, and she figured that now was as good a time as any to do so. It didn't contain much, but she DID like to keep in touch with her parents from time to time since she couldn't stop by and see them on a regular basis.

Making the trek from her office all the way up to the owlery, she was glad that she was in good shape because all that walking could be hard on a person! The stairs in themselves were bad enough. By the time that she had reached the top, she was slightly out of breath though it was nothing too bad. Now she just needed to send the letter off and she could go back to her office. Or not, because she wasn't alone.

"Hey, Gaston," she said as she saw him. He looked better now, and she was VERY glad to see it. It made her happier. Their last conversation had been too much to bear but now things had improved. "You remember what I said about waiting first, right?" Surely he hadn't forgotten that?

Gaston was busy trying to tie his package to the foot of a very wiggly owl. a sudden voice calling his name caused his head to jerk up. He knew that voice anywhere! "Hello, Rose," he replied. He smiled as he looked back at her, his brilliant blue eyes shining with adoration. A few moments passed, and he realized he was still looking at her and quickly dropped his gaze, silently berating himself for acting creepy.

"I... uh..." he stammered, but his voice trailed off before he could get any real words out; he decided it was probably better to hear what she had to say first before attempting small talk. He took a step back and accidentally bumped the branch the owl was sitting on. It flew up and gave a loud disgruntled WHOO! "Sorry, sorry..." he whispered, stroking the bird's feathers as he fed it a few more treats. Merlin, why did he always have to be so clumsy around Rosalyn?!

"Yes, of course." His smile faded a little at her next words, and there was a slight tinge of sadness in his eyes. He would wait a lifetime if she asked, but he couldn't help but wonder if he'd been wrong to hope she'd give him a chance after the term ended. "I-I just hoped-" he stammered, running a hand through his black hair. "M-maybe over the s-summer holiday you might..." Merlin, this was going nowhere!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy

Gaston was busy trying to tie his package to the foot of a very wiggly owl. a sudden voice calling his name caused his head to jerk up. He knew that voice anywhere! "Hello, Rose," he replied. He smiled as he looked back at her, his brilliant blue eyes shining with adoration. A few moments passed, and he realized he was still looking at her and quickly dropped his gaze, silently berating himself for acting creepy.

"I... uh..." he stammered, but his voice trailed off before he could get any real words out; he decided it was probably better to hear what she had to say first before attempting small talk. He took a step back and accidentally bumped the branch the owl was sitting on. It flew up and gave a loud disgruntled WHOO! "Sorry, sorry..." he whispered, stroking the bird's feathers as he fed it a few more treats. Merlin, why did he always have to be so clumsy around Rosalyn?!

"Yes, of course." His smile faded a little at her next words, and there was a slight tinge of sadness in his eyes. He would wait a lifetime if she asked, but he couldn't help but wonder if he'd been wrong to hope she'd give him a chance after the term ended. "I-I just hoped-" he stammered, running a hand through his black hair. "M-maybe over the s-summer holiday you might..." Merlin, this was going nowhere!

Rosalyn smiled at Gaston, but the hooting of owls momentarily distracted her. Right. She needed to find one to use so that she could send off her letter. Times like this she wondered why she didn't own one, but then she had never really had a pet of her own. Instead she had used the school owls and visited the creatures that were kept in the barn. Maybe she could buy herself a cat since they seemed to be easier to look after than a dog and she could actually take it to the school with her...

A moment later she was brought out of her thoughts by the loud hoot of an owl. Her eyes widened as she looked back to a rather unsettled Gaston. "Everything okay?" The owl hadn't scratched him, had it? She was worried until she saw that he seemed to be perfectly okay. Thank Merlin. If he had been hurt she wouldn't know what to do! Well, she'd have definitely taken him to see Joy, but she would have been very upset.

They finally had the chance to continue the conversation from Hogsmeade and she had been sure that he hadn't forgotten though a small part of her had worried that maybe he did. Rosalyn knew that she was being ridiculous but she couldn't help it. She kept smiling as Gaston spoke, encouraging him though he was stammering a lot and couldn't even finish the thought. "Of course I would," she said a moment later.

It took several minutes of Gaston petting the owl and whispering soothing words to it for the hooting and flapping to stop. Once the bird finally calmed down, it perched on the branch and gave his hand a firm peck. He winced slightly, drawing back, and immediately realized what the owl wanted. He held out another handful of treats and laughed to himself as the bird munched contentedly. "You're a hungry little thing, aren't you?" The bird eyed him expectantly. "No, no more. You'll be too full to fly!"

His attention was diverted from the owl by the sound of Rosalyn's voice. Great, now she must think you're an idiot, he thought. Merlin, why was it that every time he was around her, he ended up doing something dumb?! Couldn't he act normal just once? "I... I'm fine," he replied, dropping his gaze to hide the blush rising to his cheeks. Clumsy but fine... His heart sank at the sight of her widening eyes. He hadn't worried her, had he?

Gaston tried to ask Rosalyn if she'd give him a chance after the term ended, but he was stammering too hard to finish. He sighed as he turned away, dreading her answer. Deep down he knew there was no way she'd accept him; she was too good for him! "I understand," he said sadly, still avoiding her eyes.

But then her words sank in. Wait, was she saying...? All he could do was gape at Rosalyn in utter shock for a few moments. "y-you mean...?"he squeaked once he'd finally found his voice. "You'll give me a chance?" He looked back at her with pleading eyes. Please say yes...

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy

It took several minutes of Gaston petting the owl and whispering soothing words to it for the hooting and flapping to stop. Once the bird finally calmed down, it perched on the branch and gave his hand a firm peck. He winced slightly, drawing back, and immediately realized what the owl wanted. He held out another handful of treats and laughed to himself as the bird munched contentedly. "You're a hungry little thing, aren't you?" The bird eyed him expectantly. "No, no more. You'll be too full to fly!"

His attention was diverted from the owl by the sound of Rosalyn's voice. Great, now she must think you're an idiot, he thought. Merlin, why was it that every time he was around her, he ended up doing something dumb?! Couldn't he act normal just once? "I... I'm fine," he replied, dropping his gaze to hide the blush rising to his cheeks. Clumsy but fine... His heart sank at the sight of her widening eyes. He hadn't worried her, had he?

Gaston tried to ask Rosalyn if she'd give him a chance after the term ended, but he was stammering too hard to finish. He sighed as he turned away, dreading her answer. Deep down he knew there was no way she'd accept him; she was too good for him! "I understand," he said sadly, still avoiding her eyes.

But then her words sank in. Wait, was she saying...? All he could do was gape at Rosalyn in utter shock for a few moments. "y-you mean...?"he squeaked once he'd finally found his voice. "You'll give me a chance?" He looked back at her with pleading eyes. Please say yes...

Thank Merlin he was okay because owl bites and scratches were not nice at all and she didn't want Gaston to be hurt. Rosalyn sighed in relief and decided not to draw attention to the fact that he was blushing because there was no way that she would embarrass him further. There was no need for him to be embarrassed in the first place; she was just happy that he was okay.

There was no time to dwell on it further, because he had managed to work out what she was saying. Good thing too because she would hate for him to think that she was rejecting him AGAIN when she hadn't even in the first place. That had been absolutely terrible and she had hated seeing him so sad. "I would love to." Why wouldn't she? He was amazing.

For several moments Gaston was paralyzed by his roiling emotions. Once the initial shock had worn off, he thought his heart would burst from joy and deep love. He never ceased to be astounded by Rosalyn's kindness, and it touched his heart more than she would ever know. Not many people in his life had been kind to him; she was one of the rare exceptions. A sudden shadow of panic clouded his thoughts. What if it didn't last? What if she pushed him away once she saw just how damaged he really was? Just like every other woman...

He had to take several deep breaths and press a hand to his eyes as he fought to keep his emotions in line. He didn't want to upset her again! "Oh, Rose..." he whispered, but the words caught in his throat. "Thank you." But somehow those words alone seemed inadequate, and he forced himself on. "I promise I will do anything to be worthy of this chance..."

He looked at her, allowing the raw emotion in his eyes to underscore the sincerity of his words, and before he knew what was happening, he'd kissed her hand! Oh no, what had he done? He could hear his father's voice in the back of his mind, reprimanding him for an inappropriate display of affection. He took an automatic step back, his bright blue eyes widening in panic. "Oh my... I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have-! It's just..." His eyes lit up as he smiled. "you have no idea how happy you've made me!"