Seventh year.. here we go. Darius thought as he took a spot at his table. Leaving U17 behind, he had N.E.W.Ts to 'look forward' to and then hopefully getting recruited by some Quidditch Scouts. But that was later, right now in the moment was him and the table. Seeing who returned and who was new this year.

Leaning against one of his closed palms, he stared ahead at the staff table spotting the new staff. Waiting on the food and whatever else will happen this year.

Her fourth Start of Term feast here at Hogwarts.

What did that make Aria feel?

Bored. Very bored.

For that reason, she sat with her elbows on the Slytherin table as she let her gaze trail over the staff members. What was she observing? Their outfits, of course. One could tell a lot by what others wore, and also their postures. Ms. McLeod rested one elegant chin on her fingers which were interlocked as her elbows rested more firmly on the table.

She could hardly wait to properly size up the new professors. Aria smiled shrewdly in anticipation.

"Trying to gauge what the new professors are like, Potter?" Aria spoke up in her fine, very fine feminine voice.

Fourth year.

Time travelled fast in the magical world. Slipping into an empty seat at the snake table Bella pushed a few black strands of hair behind her ears as she greeted the other present snakes. "Hi Darius, Hi Aria! Did you guys have good summers?" Hers certainley had had it's ups and downs with the U-17 gobstones training being one of the highlights. Which reminded her, was things back to normal between her and Apollo? Casting a glance over at the lion table for her BFF's familiar head Bella wondered if she should send him an owl later to meet after classes tomorrow to sort things out? She hated that she didn't know if they were fine or not.

Victoria had tried to find Lisa as they exited the train but had lost her in the hustle and bustle of the crowd of students. So she third year made her way through the Entrance Hall and right for the Slytherin table. She was feeling contemplative after that conversation. Had she called Daniel cute? Had she admitted to being terrible sometimes? Had she almost shown how disappointed she was in her lack of suitable crushes? Maybe.

She took a seat, quietly, nodding at both of the fourth years already at the table. Bella and Aria. Darius didn’t get much of an acknowledgement from her because she hardly talked to the really old students.

Hmmm.

Maybe she would just go sit with Lisa. Who knew. It depended on if Serena got here soon or not.

Okay so the FIRST thing she had to do at the Start of Term Feast was find V. She had SO MANY QUESTIONS after seeing Daniel and her share a compartment together. Like when did they become friends? How did it happen? The list of questions kept going on and on! Like… were they dating? And why in Merlin’s Mice had Daniel nor V not told her??????? She felt kinda upset… not that they were friends but that they didn’t tell her.

Honestly… with those two being friends.. that meant things would be easier in organizing group hang outs.

But anywho- Lisa just HAD to find V to understand what was up. She was curious and she hated being confused. Fortunately Atlas had come to her rescue. He was soooooooooo nice. And she had also seen Jasper on the train. Serena and Stewie too. Daniel when he awkwardly walked in and wiggled his eyebrows. Heh. What an EVENTFUL train ride.

She nodded to a couple of the Slytherins present. Excuse me. Official business. She didn’t have time to stop and make small talk cause she needed answers. aha! There was V. Better yet, there was an open seat next to her. Plopping in the available seat, she smiled at her friend and cut to the chase. “Okay girl I have so many questions…. Did I see you and Daniel in a compartment together?? I’m so confused.”

Speaking of Lisa….there she was. She was about to get up to meet her but Lisa was marching over to the snake table on a MISSION apparently. Because she was like…stomping over. V raised an eyebrow, but nodded at Lisa’s sudden presence at her table.

“….yes? He looked a bit lonely. You were with Atlas in a compartment, and Serena and Jasper next to you…so…I decided I’d give Daniel some company. He’s not THAT bad anymore. I really think he grew up,” she said with a smirk, not at all mentioning the fact that she believed herself to have grown as well. “And you have more questions, then? Because that was only one,” she pointed out.

With his soppy romance book firmly in his pocket, Alfie walked into the Start-of-Term feast for his third time. It was nice to be back - and as far away from his parents as he could be. A warm sense of welcome washed over him as he entered the hall, and he plopped down into an available seat at the Slytherin table.

A polite nod was given towards the older students seated just a small distance away from him, but he chose to leave Lisa and V be for now, although he raised an eyebrow at Lisa, a Ravenclaw, making an appearance at this table. He couldn't help eavesdropping though, and he soon shuffled over to them. "Daniel and V weren't at each other's necks for once? Now that's a surprise." Guess he was just too consumed by his book to notice.

Okay, now he was seriously confused. V was being nice? And to Daniel, who she hated? "Wow, you're actually capable of being a nice person. What a surprise, honestly." That sounded slightly mean, but who was he to care? Him and V weren't exactly ever on good terms with each other.

After delivering her little cousin to the Hufflepuff table a disappointment, Serena made her way towards her table, [i]Slytherin[/]. She was close enough to hear the mention of her name coming from Lisa and V. As she made her way to them, she nodded at her fellow Slytherins in greeting.

"What about me?" she asked as she took a seat. "And Jasper." Inner eyeroll at the thought AND mention of his name. Did her friends hear them in the compartment? Serena had made such terrible sounds it'd embarrass her if someone else got a hold of that information.

She also heard what Alfred Demaret said. She scowled and raised an eyebrow. "Wow, and you're a poor judge of character," Serena said. V is one of her closest friends and this guy didn't know her. Besides, wasn't Alfred that kid no one liked? Eh. Serena only cared about her friends.

Didn't take long for the hustle and bustle take place. Lots of underclassmates were not too far from him. Whoever happened to catch his eye got the physical type of greeting. Darius gave one of his nods to Aria who sat near him, a hint of a smile showed as his gaze remained at the table. "Yeah, I wanna know who has the most valuables," Slight tease there, not that anyone else besides them would catch his meaning.

"..You think Kazmi would make a decent Headmaster?" Darius partially asked, whilst wondering aloud himself. He had certain thoughts on previous Headmaster Trent, mostly neutral, as his only reference on what a Headmaster could be like. Kazmi going from Flying to the Head chair was a curious change.

Guess who else joined, but Bella. "Hey," Darius greeted at her arrival, "Was fun, played with U17 and helped my Dad with some work." It was fun time with Hippogriffs, minus the cleaning, he hated doing the cleaning. "Not as thrilling as yours I'm guessing?" Hint hint, he wanted the scoop as the elder snake.

Had someone slipped V a potion or put her under a spell? She never thought the V, her FRIEND, would say this about HER friend, Daniel. The girl who had literally thrown a tantrum in Diagon Alley the first time she and Daniel met who was the same girl that was crying because of Daniel.... She hoped that both V and Daniel had grown up. And it seemed like it had. While both had gotten better, Lisa was HIGHLY skeptical that one summer would have changed such a thing... unless something happened. “...Riiiiight...” she nodded slowly. She was unconvinced by this sudden change in their dynamic. She had always hoped they would get along. Truly hoped. It just seemed odd and quicker than she anticipated. There had to be some reason behind it? She had, after all, given up on the thought of those two finally seeing eye to eye but perhaps they grew up a tiny bit over the summer. Perrrrhaps. She’d wait until the lessons began to make such a judgement or later in term for something to happen. “Daniel had stopped by but... He didn’t stay because he and Atlas don’t get along... It’s nice that you joined him so he wasn’t alone. You’re kind.” She would have assumed V to have just kept walking... but now... She went to cheer him up. It was kind. Very kind. “I guess.... I was just surprised to see you two together... based on your history. But... I’m glad then that you’re getting along.” It would make her life easier.

She had more questions but they were interrupted by an eavesdropper. It was Alfred (Alfie) whom had interrupted their important discussion. Alfie! Lisa was glad to see him. She was reminded when she saw him that they still had to continue their side-project with Daniel that they had started during their first year. But the reason he was here because he was asking a question about V and Daniel... Oh. So he had overheard her and V’s discussion and naturally - he was just as shocked as she was. She could understand THAT reaction. Lisa shot him a look in agreement, silently conveying her thought of ‘I know right!! Sooooo So so Weird’. That’s why she had started going mildly loopy on the train. Her brain couldn’t process the information at first. It was just too strange.

And then Serena joined them. A bright smile crossed her lips when she saw her friend but slowly dropped when her friend asked her the question about herself ... and Jasper. Oh yeah... She had wanted to find Serena too about that interesting scenario... Jasper and Serena being in a compartment was also perplexing to the Ravenclaw. “You guys were in a compartment together and you both survived! I didn’t know you were... friends?” Perhaps not friends but it seemed like they were having fun. It was nice to see. Last time, she thought Serena didn’t like Jasper because of how Serena had reacted to her confession to her last year.

Lisa did wince at Alfie’s harsh comment. She knew that neither V or Alfie got a long... “They’re both capable of being nice, Alfie...” In their own ways... That was the most neutral thing that she could say because she was friends with BOTH V and Alfie. Oh Merlin... Not again... And then Serena’s comment was... valid.

“Anyway I have loads of questions, V.... Did you guys hang out over the summer? How did you become on slightly decent - maybe decent is too much - but decent terms with each other?” she asked. Other questions that she wanted to ask were: Did they like each other? Did something happen? Was this a running prank that they were doing?? What was their relationship exactly?

POOPED. That’s what Dia was as she sat at the Slytherin table. Pooped and ready for this stupid feast to be over and done with so she could go to the dorm and go to bed. And yes, the thought crossed her mind that she should take in this feast because it was her last one here at Hogwarts, but honestly, the chocolate was wearing off by now. She couldn’t even bring herself to care what the Small Ones were yammering on about, not that she usually did anyway. But she did find herself getting slightly irritated by the sound of their little voices, bless them. It wasn’t their faults she’d ate too much chocolate and was now suffering the after effects. So, instead of yelling at them to can it for awhile, she did the decent thing and took herself to the other end of the table and put her head down, after moving the place setting out of her way, of course.

Finish quickly please, new Headmaster?

They had TWO interrupters to their conversation, one being Alfie, who V didn’t have a HUGE problem with, so why was he over here running his yap, and the other her FRIEND, Serena. Hmph.

“It IS surprising, isn’t it?” She commented to Alfie coolly before snorting at his RUDE comment. “Serena, Lisa, ladies, it’s okay. Alfie thinks I care about his opinion,” she said as she faked a sad face and put a hand over her heart. “I am capable, though. You just haven’t peeled that layer back yet. Maybe you’ll get lucky this term and I’ll grace you with my niceties,” she pulled a goblet of pumpkin juice toward her so she’d have something to do with her hands as she yammered on and on.

And if that older girl had an issue with their yammering, yes, she could totally move. V hardly paid her mind.

She DID however listen to Lisa saying something about Serena and Jasper. “Wait, you DON’T like Jasper?! How?! He is such a GENTLEMAN,” she said in surprised, her eyes switching to glance at Alfie as if to say TAKE NOTE, PEASANT. “And as for me and Daniel, we had a bit of a nice chat in the owlery right before term ended. I was mad at my parents for…not explaining girl things to me,” she said mystically. Lisa had honestly been more of a help about the girl things in question, and V was still very much a stranger to the growing pains of lady hood. So. SO.

“And anyway. Daniel and YOU seem pretty close, Lisa…..are you two…like…a THING?” She asked with wiggly eyebrows.

Her gaze had still been affixed on the members of the Staff when Connolly arrived. Aria did nothing to avert her gaze as she was studying Kazmi. In her heart, the fourth year was thrilled he had taken up the mantle as Headmaster. The School was in very, very capable hands. Not that Trent had been incapable. Kazmi… well, he had a way of making Aria feel safe. “Connolly. It was reasonable.” The girl was not in the habit of revealing too much about her life. “Yours? I heard you had training with professional Gobstones players. How was that?’’ Had Aria read that in the papers. Not exactly but she had connections.

Finally peeling her attention from the Staff, Aria gazed around carefully at the Slytherin table. Darius was like her in some ways. It was difficult for her not to notice the way his eyes remained fixed on the Dias even when he was speaking. That and he was probably as calculating as she was. Aria leaned back a tad so that she could snugly fit her folded arms against her chest. She didn’t even bother hiding the smirk on her face. “I hear you. Who have you got your eyes on?”

There was some silence from her as she put her words together. “I do. Underneath all of that understanding and friendly Flying instructor is someone rather authoritative. I’ve yet to see any lesson of his which has been chaotic. In my opinion, that means he knows how to keep situations in check. We saw, or know, how he handled the group taking on the vines last term.”

She nodded back to Gellar, someone who’s attitude she liked but never bothered to make it verbally known. The fourth year couldn’t help but also eavesdrop, though it was difficult given all the chatter going on. What was that Demaret said? Gellar could be nice? Aria had always thought so but ever so often wondered why Gellar chose to hide that side of her. And after that musing, Aria zoned out on the group. Clearly they were going to be boring if they were talking of crushes and what not.

He eyed EVERY single Slytherin face (and even one Ravenclaw face… weird) as he made his way to his new house table, getting this overwhelming feeling that each of them were watching his every move. Which, obviously, they weren’t. Unbeknownst to Amos, not everyone cared about the Sorting Ceremony and the fresh meat it produced. Still, the anxiety was excruciating.

He sat where the first years were supposed to sit, but having the courage to speak to anyone was proving difficult, only made worse by the amount of noise already coming from the table.

Conversations flowing ALL around him.

How do y’all just make friends just like that?!

Amos hid his hands inside his large robe sleeves and could feel himself getting a little panicked. Which sucked because he was just SO excited to be here.

Yes, it definitely is surprising." He answered V's rhetorical question coolly, with a fake smile. Choosing to ignore Serena, Alfie turned to Lisa when she intervened. "Hm. Daniel, I'm aware but V... I suppose." He raised an eyebrow when V claimed she didn't care about his opinion. It was less an opinion and more an honest observation, really. "Oh, no need to bother with that. I'm sure I'll be just fine without your 'niceties'."

Alfie smiled at the little first year that sat just a few seats away from him. Hopefully the kid wouldn't have to deal with people like V, because it was genuinely quite annoying. He pulled a goblet of pumpkin juice close to him as he turned back to the group. He took a small sip but almost spat it back out when V glanced at him as if he was supposed to take notes on how to be nice. The AUDACITY. Alfie could be a perfect gentleman, thank you very much.

Another year back at Hogwarts. This term, Maya could honestly say she wasn't dreading it as much. Perhaps it was true what people said about being another year older, another year wiser. The fourth year (fourth!) had made her way to the Slytherin table, not surprised her younger sister had already found her way over.

As she went to grab herself a seat, she gave her housemates a nod and a smile of acknowledgement as she passed them. While she would still prefer to be sitting at the Ravenclaw table with her brother and maybe her sister later, she didn't hate it here anymore. For her fellow fourth years, Aria and Bella she gave them a quiet "Hi", not wanting to disturb their conversations. Finally in a seat, she tucked her short brown hair behind her ear and watched the staff table and the sorting - curious as to what this term would bring.

Maya glanced over as a newly sorted Slytherin (Amos) found his way over to the table. Giving him a warm smile, Maya waved. "Welcome to Slytherin house."

The Alfred situation quickly went out the window as Serena's attention went solely on what Lisa was telling V. Why was Lisa so preoccupied with V and Daniel and their new budding friendship? Did Lisa have feelings for Daniel? Merlin, did she have a CRUSH on him???

Serena's stomach dropped. Maybe it was the frigid heart that pumped in her chest that crash landed. Maybe it was the sweets Jasper had given her that were giving her gas. Whatever it was, the feeling wasn't pleasant. All of the sudden her brain wished it was back on the train, stupidly laughing with Jasper. Feeling light as a feather.

Lisa wasn't ever going to see her the way Serena saw her, was she? Or feel the same way.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Lisa spoke to her. Then V joined in about Jasper. The mask of cool and collected continued firmly on. She had to will herself not to roll her eyes. "Considering we've survived more than a train ride together in the past three years, I'd say we're..."On good terms? Friendly terms? Were they friends? Serena honestly didn't know. At one point during the train ride Jasper was staring at her and it made her feel weird. "...okay teammate," she finished. They were awesome out on the Quidditch pitch, so yeah. That works. "And no, I don't like him on some days," she admitted to V. Jasper knew that though, so it wasn't anything new.

WAIIIIIIIT?!?!?

Serena's face grew pale and she almost threw up when she heard what came out of V's mouth. "You and Daniel are a thing?"

Her eyes shot towards the Hufflepuff table where Percy and Daniel were sitting together. Catching Daniel's gaze when he shot her a glare, Serena scowled at him before turning her attention back on her friends. Somehow it wasn't the same like when Lisa told her about her crush on Jasper. Serena couldn't bring herself to dislike Daniel or want to punch or jinx him. That was odd. So, so odd.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING?????

Lisa winced at the Alfie and V interaction. “C’mon guys… Start of term feast.. let’s keep it light, y’know?” she pleaded hoping that this could cut off the animosity that she was witnessing between two friends.

She genuinely smiled when Serena mentioned that her and Jasper were teammates. “I’m going to have to cheer on your next match,” she nodded. She couldn’t wait to cheer on her two friends. Quidditch outfits were so stylish and Jasper was cute. Serena was beautiful… Erm…

Oh. So Daniel and her had a nice chat last term… ohoho how cuteeeee. “Oh cool… and you didn’t tell us that you and Daniel were okay?” she asked curiously. Why had V hidden it? Hmmmmmmm?

Before she could ask MORE questions, her interrogation had backfired.

Okay so…. SO how exactly did the turntables turn against her?? She was INTERROGATING V but NOW she felt like they were interrogating her.

Ahshsjshhdhabxbkqjvdkqjd

Lisa turned BRIGHT PINK at V’s question. Were she and Daniel a THING? Merlin’s KNICKERS!! The sheer AUDACITY of such an outlandish thing. She didn’t know why she was blushing when V asked her this but she was. Darn chemical/biological reactions. Her eyes flicked over to the Hufflepuff table to search for Jasper but she found Daniel staring instead. She frowned. This wasn’t helping… And then Serena piled on.

“ME AND DANIEL?? Really?? What. What makes you say that? Crush? Uhh… we’re …. We’re friends..” she began and looked at Alfie to back her up on this one.

WHY was Alfie being the worst right now???? V just scoffed at him, dipped her finger in her pumpkin juice, and then FLICKED it at him. “Lighten UP, Alfie,” she said before turning her attention back to her GIRLS to try to begin to even decipher just what in the HECKLE was going on.

Because it was, like, a lot.

“I genuinely didn’t know you and Jasper had..beef,” she said with a shrug to Serena. “Jasper is so cute. Such a gentleman,” again, she repeated herself, because that seemed like the only characteristic a boy needed on have to be CUTE in her book. Besides Daniel, who she had admitted was cute back on the train. And like, not like she LIKED any of them. She liked no one. Victoria Gellar liked no one.

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think it was a huge deal. If I had known you and Daniel were CLOSER than I thought, then I would have mentioned —“ she stopped talking when Serena seemed like, devastated or mad or whatever. “Are you okay? Do you need to use the loo?” She asked in a concerned way. “Too many snacks on the train, huh?” She shook her head sadly at Serena. Her eyes, too, trailed over to the Hufflepuff table. DANIEL WAS SO STARING AT THEM. Victoria turned pink and cleared her throat to look back at Lisa. “You seem stuttery. Are you sure…you’re just….friends?”

"Hey! What was that for?!" He felt in his pockets for a tissue but couldn't find anything. That was strange. He always had tissues. He searched more thoroughly and hurriedly. As he pulled his hand out of his right pocket, his book slipped out and fell to the floor. Its cover, which easily revealed that it was a soppy, lovey-dovey romance book, was in full view and anyone who looked down at it could definitely notice it. His face turned bright pink, and he hastily picked it up and stuffed it back in his pocket. Hopefully no one saw that. Especially not V. That would be the single most embarrassing thing that could ever happen to him. "Does anyone have a tissue?" He quickly turned the subject away from the book.

"Daniel and Lisa? No way you two could be a thing. You're just friends... Right?" He gave a confused look to Serena when she turned pale at the conversation, and his eyes soon followed her and V's to the Hufflepuff table, where Daniel seemed to be staring at them. After giving him a small smile, Alfie turned his attention back to Lisa. "Well... I guess you two would be kinda cute together." It was true, they really would be. Alfie soon set his mind to finding a good ship name for the two. Danisa? Liniel?

Could she call her therapist? Or could someone fly her out there? She had to tell her that Lisa likes Daniel, too, and that it was making her feel some type of way. It hurt, but she didn't know where it hurt exactly. It was stuck in her throat and maybe even in her chest. Were her lungs failing her? Did she need a healer?

Thank Merlin her composure was still standing. Her emotions on the other hand, they were stuck in a whirlwind.

It was okay. Her mum says crushes pass. Serena was still waiting on this one to pass, but it was hard when the person she was crushing on was radiant Lisa.

"Yeah...that'd be lovely," she replied to Lisa. That was the first time she's ever lied to Lisa. In this present state of mind Serena didn't want her at Quidditch matches. She'd fall off her broomstick or crash into another player. Or get knocked out by a bludger.

This time...this TIME Serena rolled her eyes at the mention of Jasper being cute and gentleman. "He has a huge ego," she snapped a little at V. It was getting harder to keep her emotions at bay. BREATHE.

Lisa STUTTERED. Was she being honest? Serena felt bad for putting her on the spot, but she had to know. The first time she found out Lisa had a crush on Jasper it had deflated her. She felt rejected even though it wasn't a rejection. Lisa didn't know about her feelings. This wasn't fair, Serena knew it. Not knowing was the worse.

BREATHE.

Then Alfred mentioned Lisa and Daniel would be cute together, and Serena knew she couldn't be around them anymore. Her cold little heart was practically on the floor where Alfred had dropped his romance novel. Except, Serena didn't want to pick it up. It could stay there so she won't hurt anymore.

As her eyes began to sting, she glanced at the Hufflepuff table, where three dumb boys were gawking at them and frowned. She was done. "Here," she said to Alfred, bringing out a handkerchief from her robes, her initials stitched it in silver thread, and tossed it to him. If she didn't have a handkerchief then she wasn't allowed to cry. "I...I have to," she trying hard to keep her voice steady. "Loo." With that, she stood up and quickly made her way towards the door and out. DUMB FEELINGS.

Jasper was cute. That’s something V and her agreed on.

Her smile dropped when he mentioned that she and Daniel would look cute. Eyes to the Hufflepuff table, she was NOW PELADING for Daniel or Jasper to come over and rescue her. She gave both boys a small wave accompanied with a cute smile. It wasn’t clear who she was smiling too. It didn’t look like much was gonna happen so she poured again. “Cute? REALLY?” she asked Alfie. Well if he thought something was going on… then maybe there was something… Okay DANIEL .. she did find him attractive in looks and personality was sweet…. But did she have a crush on him… not per sey…

Lisa looked forward to watching the match especially after Serena said she did too. But she didn’t know that Serena didn’t particularly want her there at this moment.

And then things seemed to reach their peak further when V mentioned that she hadn’t told her because she didn’t know how close she and Daniel were. “We went to the bookstore… that’s not a date.” The only person she had gone on a date with was Stewie and she wasn’t bringing that up NOW with all this Daniel business. Hands flailing, words moving a mile a minute. “No, no, no…! I don’t like Daniel like that… or so I think… He DEF doesn’t like me like that or at least I think. We are GOOD friends!” she clarified, hoping that was correct. Sure, Daniel was cute and all but could she date him? ……MAYBE. But NOT THE PONT! She turned to Alfie. “Really? You think that he and I could be cutest couple???” she inquired. She had to come back to this again.

Alfie needed tissues! Well she had those. They were just somewhere in her robe pockets.. she began fishing around for those and when she found them, she raised them up. “Here… .” Lisa began to hand him a packet of tissues but stopped as she saw Serena had given him her handkerchief. AND THEN SERENA WAS LEAVING. “Serena.. wait!” she frowned, looking to Alfie and then V to see if they knew what was wrong. The Loo? Umm… “Do you want me to go with you?” she began to ask but her voice disappeared into the noise around them.

She did notice the book that slipped out of Alfie’s control. She didn’t know Alfie liked romance. Her cheeks flushed, reminding her of how Atlas almost saw the book she was reading on the train but THANKFULLY she had navigated that…. “Is it good?” she asked him, trying to move forward the conversation.

Definitely.

It was definitely that easy to make friends. Aria had also had her pretty brown eyes on the Sorting. As always, she was surveying the firsties, particularly the baby Snakes. One that interested her was Forrstrom, and she watched him keenly to observe his nervous demeanor. It entertained her because she could not recall being nervous even the slightest during her first Feast. Her daddies had prepared her well when they aided her with self confidence. Aria lifted a hand to wave as elegantly as she possibly could at Forrstrom. She was practicing to be a model and hoped to have her first modeling job next summer so this was good practice. "Welcome."

“Hi, Maya.” Aria smiled warmly at her fellow fourth year. “Did you go home for the summer? Home home I mean.” As in South Korea. Even though that had been Aria’s birth place, she had no recent memories of the place. For some reason, she never was keen to return there.

Alfie was SO freakin’ dramallama, wasn’t he? V had hardly flicked ANY juice at him, and look! He was asking for a handkerchief?! Pfffft. She ignored his plea for a tissue to pay MORE attention to Serena and Lisa.

Which…

Things were getting weird.

Serena looked visibly weird. Like, upset, but maybe not, like maybe her stomach was more hurting or something. Because she snipped at V, something V wasn’t used to from Serena, and then she was off marching away. HMM. She didn’t see Alfie’s book because she was too busy watching Serena, biting her lip. Something felt..off.

She would check on her roommate later, after the feast. “If she’s not back in a little bit, I’ll go get her. You should go back to your table, Lisa, before the headmaster says his speech,” she said quickly as she waved at both Jasper and Daniel again.