It's too bad being outside wasn't particularly enjoyable right now, what with the weird skies and the unpredictable weather. But the clock tower entrance was a good way to FEEL almost outside without actually BEING outside. Particularly when one stood behind the giant window, which still seemed quite pointless to her. But either way, she was enjoying the view of the courtyards as she leaned against the wall next to the window and stared outside.

It was often that she felt melancholy like she currently was. And honestly, she wasn't even sure WHY she felt the way she did. Perhaps it was her increasing transparency, her teenage angst on things outside of her control, or maybe she was just down right homesick. It was nice to feel those things for a moment, but even alone she quickly got uncomfortable and pasted a more neutral expression onto her face.

This was fine. She was fine.

Being outside was just crazy at this moment. Ilya was sitting up on the windowsill of their House tower. He didn't bother looking out the window at first, he was reading his new book. At least this was not affected by the no-magic phenomenon, which he kept emphasising did not really bother him. His face and other features did not change for the longest time in 3 years!

After a while, while he turned the page over, his eyes wandered out to the clock tower... and he saw someone there. Ilya squinted... was that, was that Kimberly? He stuck his face to the window to make sure. He couldn't see that far but without even thinking, he ran down to the clock tower where there was a chance she was there having a sombre moment to herself. He hadn't hung out with her in ages. He had his waterproof coat on (bright yellow, of course, it was no surprise Ilya loved bright colours), he always had it on him these days on the off-chance they had to walk outside. With no magic, you had to have EVERYTHING on you these days.

"Kim?" He called as soon as he walked out the entrance of the clock tower, approaching the Hufflepuff with a mellow face. If Ilya smiled often, he would've smiled at her. "Are you alright? What are you doing here?"

The more she stared outside, the more she wondered if she should just do her normal and shake off any amounts of feelings and go for a run, as her usual was when she wasn't feeling her best. Or maybe it had been awhile since she danced? She couldn't actually remember what she was doing on the day to day anymore, a thought which frustrated her immensely. She assumed she was spending the majority of her time with her siblings, Noah and Chloe, but she couldn't actually confirm.

Speaking of her siblings, maybe she should actually wander down to the Dungeons and force her company upon her younger brother. It had been awhile since she had had some quality time with Lucas, not that he had probably been missing that. She had nearly made the decision to go and do that and leave the clock tower entrance, when she heard her name and turned towards the sound.

Oh! There was a familiar face she hadn't seen outside of class for a minute. Her previous decided upon plans were forgotten as she smiled at the Ravenclaw. "Ilya! Hi!" She noted the vibrant yellow raincoat, nodding towards it. "Nice jacket. Yellow is a good look for you." Should have been a Puff! Hearing him ask if she was alright, she forced her smile to be a little brighter and nodded, not wanting to admit just how much she was missing her parents. "I'm okay. I was just here observing the outside world. It's a bit gloomy looking these days isn't it?" she gestured to the skies, which seemed always to be on the brink of changing odd sky colors. "What about you? It's been a minute." She'd seen him briefly in class, but that was about it.

Was that jacket compliment real or sarcastic? Sometimes it was hard distinguishing the tones because he was always so sarcastic. Was he ruined already? Ilya ignored the slightly warm feeling in his ears, what was this btw, and nodded nervously. "Thanks. I guess." He should NOT have been a 'Puff, either, he would be horrified by the thought. Merely because he was a smug cocky person who thought he was so intelligent.

Her forced smile was not unnoticed. He recognized that, because Kim had an easy nice smile usually. "Observing the outside? At this time, I would like to stay away from the outside." He countered attempting to joke. "Yeah, it is a lot gloomy." Ilya smiled a tiny bit, which was the biggest he smiled at people. "Uhm, I'm quite good actually. I know that losing magic in a Wizarding school should be a tragedy, but..." he hesitated, looking sideways at her, thinking whether he could trust her with his true reason why he wasn't suffering as much as the others. "...uhm. Nothing. Just, I don't feel everyone's woes about it." He decided against it, dropping his gaze to the lower part of the window.

It was stupid, and people generally didn't understand what he meant by it and then he'd have to explain it which would make it every more stupid.

She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from chuckling lightly at his response. The 'guess' part really didn't sound genuine, and for half a moment she was worried she had offended him. But then she realized it had been a compliment so why would that be offensive? Maybe he was just someone who didn't take compliments well. She understood that happening; however her own ego made her very quick to accept any attentions or compliments people wanted to give her. And because she thought her friends should enjoy that feeling too, she decided she'd have to find other times to slip in compliments to him so he got more used to it. "You're welcome."

She did allow a light laugh at his next words, giving a small nod at the truth of what he said. "I mean, if I was sane I'd probably be better at doing so as well but... All I ever want to do is go for a run by the lake." Too bad it didn't always feel SAFE to be able to do that now. She raised an eyebrow slightly when he said he was doing great, and actually sounded GENUINE about it. That was not an attitude she was used to hearing from people currently, although it allowed a more genuine smile to tug at her lips. "But that's good! It's nice to hear and see someone who is not miserable." She did notice he backed off of saying something, although she wasn't sure what that could be. And before she could push it, she got distracted by another thought. "Are you able to use your metamorphagus powers at all during all... This?" She knew magic didn't work, but she was curious how it affected those like himself. And she was almost positive he had mentioned having abilities on the train. Actually, maybe she'd seen it?

Merlin she hoped it wasn't someone else.

Run by the lake? Oh, so Kim was one of those active people who liked to sweat their worries away. Ilya usually didn't appreciate this, and would usually scrunch his nose up at the thought, but somehow it was acceptable when Kimberly said it. He nodded at her words, being empathetic and all. "Maybe it's because you can't do it that you want to do it so bad." He couldn't help but try to explain and rationalize everything. "Like, when I'm not supposed to go out after ten and all I want to do it go for ice cream at midnight. That sort of thing. Forbidden fruits." People liked living on the edge, it gave them a certain sort of excitement to their daily boring life.

Nope, he wasn't miserable at all. "I mean it is a drag having to get locked out of your common room, and getting stuck on the staircases, but not bad enough to make me miserable." Because of the subject that she intelligently brought up next. Ilya was secretly relieved he wasn't forced into admitting what he was hiding, he could now pretend that this subject wasn't a touchy one for him. "No. My... face has been the same since everything got broken." He smiled, "It doesn't make sense since this is something more to do with genetics than anything else but I'm sort of... glad? It feels peaceful to be stable." Did that make sense to her? Probably not, but she asked so she must be interested.

"Maybe. But being insane about running and dance is pretty common for me." She liked to move, to exert herself until she was exhausted and couldn't think anymore. And she liked to not dwell on negative emotions, so the fact she could easily push it down by sheer physically exhaustion and an endorphin high was pretty much her favorite thing in the world. "Are you a runner or anything by the way?" Because she always liked to drag people along with her for physical exercise. It was best done in a group activity! Also, she was competitive beyond belief, so a friendly competition was always fun. "Mmm, but is it really just that it's a forbidden fruit or is because ice cream is delicious and when do you realistically not want it?" Because for her, the answer was 24/7 on ice cream.

She couldn't help the small bubble of laughter at his next words, nodding in agreement. "The common room part is horrible. But I've found I'm studying more sitting outside the portrait hoping it'll magically open." Even if the studying also felt useless since she probably wouldn't be able to remember any of the information five minutes later but.... ANYWAYS. And then he actually gave a genuine smile and the Hufflepuff couldn't help but return it. She wasn't sure if she'd seen such a real one from him before. "You have a nice smile, y'know." So of course she ended up drawing attention to it. "I remember you mentioned on the train briefly it can be difficult to control until you've had more practice, so while I can't relate first hand I can understand why you'd be relieved. It's nice you've gotten a bit of a reprieve from having to worry about it."