Max was bummed. He had to play a sly little game on his way out of the dormitory this morning - despite his late hour, he was the first up and ready this morning. He had left the dorm before any of the other fifth year Ravenclaw males had rolled out of bed. Though he spent much of his morning out on the grounds, collecting his thoughts, Max had adventured back inside, attended a class, and was now quite tired of walking around. He figured it was good conditioning for Quidditch - how, exactly, he wasn't sure - but he was very, very tired.

As Max reached the fourth floor staircase, he decided he needed a break. With the library nearby, he contemplated stopping off there to take his rest, but as he went along, he glanced down an adjacent corridor. Intrigued, he turned down the hallway and stood face-to-face with what he knew to be the Mysterious Tapestry from so long ago, ten years before he was even born. Now, it was just very grand and interesting to look at, but knowing its history sent a chill down Max's spine.

Though it creeped him out a bit, Max decided to sit against the wall across from the tapestry. His feet flat on the ground and his knees pulled toward him, he leaned his head against the wall and viewed the length of the tapestry. It was very aesthetically pleasing to view. Still trying to catch his breath from all of his adventuring, he did his best to take slow, deep breaths.

Even as he tried to zone out and find a state of peace, his problem that kept him up all night still haunted his thoughts: Ellie.

The morning of classes had been pretty epic. Indiana really did enjoy her studies, a lot more now because she actually knew what she was doing. All that extra work last year had really paid off. And now...like the nerd she was, she was heading over to the library. It wasn't really for studying for this time, she wanted something fun to read, and where else to get an epic book from? Hopefully there might be something fun, history maybe? Muggle history would be fun, because they didn't learn about that. Even though she didn't exactly want to look like she was studying, it might be fun to read something that would make her more clever. Indy would like that, she totally wanted to beat Spike at something this year. He would hate that, and it would be so funny.

But as the second year wandered a lot the fourth floor, walking towards the library, she spotted someone sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. That was an unusual position. It really was. Indy frowned, as she walked closer to the person. Wait. Was that..."Max?" What was he doing there?

Max closed his eyes and let out a quiet sigh. He struggled to make his thoughts of the tapestry override his thoughts of Ellie, but when he opened his eyes, he could have sworn the tapestry moved a bit. Of course, it was probably his imagination and fear of something happening to him, but it still freaked him out all the same.

As his eyes traced the perimeter of the tapestry once again, footsteps interrupted his thoughts on whether or not he was about to die. He turned to look down the hallway he came from to see little Indy go by - or, she was - until she saw Max. He turned his head to look back at the tapestry, anticipating her approach. Though he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, he gave himself a five-second, mental pep talk and forced on a smile. He looked up at Indy when she said his name.

"Hi, Indy," he greeted, almost sticking out his hand to greet her but his instincts told him he would've been trying a little too hard to seem happy. "It's... nice to see you." Awkward pause. He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, trying to seem casual. "You okay? Second term going well? Is everything... good?"

It didn't look like Max wanted to talk to anyone really. Which made her feel a bit bad. Maybe she shouldnt have bothered him? She didn't want her house mates to be annoyed at her. But she had stopped now, so well she did kind of need to talk to him. Maybe he'd feel better after having a little chat? Indy smiled at him. She felt bad being really happy, when he didn't look to happy. But that didn't matter. She was allowed to be happy, she was back at Hogwarts and was having a really good time. If Max didn't really want to talk too much, she'd make some excuses and then just go away. That'd work.

"Its nice to see you too..." This seemed a bit awkward. And here she was thinking that Max and herself were quite good friends maybe not. She tugged at the bottom of her jumper a little, glancing around. "Yeah...it's really good." She really did love Hogwarts. So much.

Max, though his thoughts lingered on previous ideas, studied Indy's expressions and raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's good, really good!" Though he sensed that she was uncomfortable, she still seemed pretty cheerful. He was happy for her. His first few terms he had lived with an overwhelming intimidation of everyone. It was nice to see that Indy was coping much better than he had.

"You... pumped for a week of tryouts? Excited? Nervous?" He quickly realized he had assumed that she would try out. Well, it was a reasonable bet, wasn't it? He scooted himself up from his slouched against-the-wall position, feeling kind of silly talking to her from the ground. He almost stood up, but he didn't know if she intended to stick around and talk or if it was merely a 'passing conversation' kind of situation. Since he wouldn't have minded talking to her more, he remained sitting on the ground for the time being. It would be up to her to stick around, if she wanted.

When Max moved the subject onto quidditch, Indiana felt a bit more comfortable. She smiled. Indy loved quidditch. So much. She'd only been a reserve last year, but that had been good. She'd been able to get her skill level up, without actually doing any proper games. So hopefully this year she'd be able to get some games in this year. She was buzzing to play. It would be a good feeling. She loved being up in the air so much. It would really suck to lose though. She wasn't looking at that, so hopefully they'd not win. and they'd look really cool, and awesome. Like that already were. "I really am." Indy nodded with a big smile. Max would understand why, he'd been on the team too after all.

Indy pondered his place on the floor for a second, and then sat down next to him. Well, if theye were going to have a chat they couldn't really have her standing up there. "I'm kinda nervous too..." She mused, leaning her head on her knees. "I really wanna make the proper team this year." But she still wasn't too sure if she was good enough. Reserve would do too.

New day. End of classes. A pile of homework to do before starting her study-ahead thing. Luckily, her coursework was not as messed up as her social life. Dallin and Ellie's stupid and childish acts were getting on her nerves, she promised herself not to care about the whole thing anymore. Even if she wanted to slap the boy for kissing VASHTI! Hmph.

Not to mention Adam's breaking up with Rubiey. Louisa's scandalous detention in Lovers' Lair with no other than Paulie the Gryffindork. The series of messed up teenage life continues with her boyfriend hanging out with a BEAUTIFUL and older girl than herself. With more curves and everything. This was basically why he let her call him 'Marcelo'. THE IDIOT.

Walking with determination to leave all those negative thoughts behind and get into the lib-

SNAP!

Her bag's strand was cut off and all of her books, parchments and a couple of quills were on the floor. "Really?" snapping at no one but her pathetic luck.

Humming a pleasant Portuguese song softly to himself, João climbed the stairs with ease, almost with enthusiasm that he barely had before when going to the upper parts of the castle. This time though, he was going to the library to study nothing but transfiguration itself, his by far his favourite subject. Reaching up the fourth floor, he glanced over casually to the tapestry and was going to go on with his way, but for a loud noise and a girl voice coming from there. Turning his way fully to see what exactly had happened, he saw that the girl's bag had broken and all her stuff was on the floor.

"Let me help--"

The girl was Louisa. He stood awkwardly for a moment, face hardening as soon as he saw it was her. Nevertheless, he had already offered his help and was not going to cower now. With a stern look, he made his way to where she was and started collecting her books carefully.

He was not going to say another word before she spoke.

Bending now with a huff and murmuring something about cheap merchendise, Louisa's face snapped up toward the boy offering his help.

Oh. It wasn't a boy. It was THE boy. She saw him approaching and helping already. Yeah, right. SCOFF. "Don't bother yourself," she snatched the books he'd managed to lift and without looking at him again, she continued to collect the other stuff. It was really hard to balance everything into your lap when you were squatting down like this but she was not going to get help from him before telling him that he was a jerk.

Quickly, or rather nervously, she stood up with a big pile awkwardly balanced in her arms. The loose bag lying on the floor uselessly. She kicked it to the side, "Move aside, Marcy." BAHAHAHAHA. It wasn't funny, actually, but she wanted to jab him. Her arms were full so her tongue did it.

João raised his eyebrows in surprise but shrugged and took a step back. If she didn't want his help, he wasn't going to insist. Watching her with slight amusement as she struggled to balance her books, he decided to turn away and go on with his way. He had to study, after all. As soon as he turned away with another shrug, he froze on his way, a mad look coming on his face.

"What have you just called me?" he said in a threateningly low voice through narrowed eyes. He'd heard perfectly, but he just wanted her to repeat it so that he could let his wrath on her without any suspicions on any side.

Gulp. Whoopsie. She miiiight've made him... furious? Yeah, that'd be the least to say about his flaring nostrils. The girl didn't let her fear mirror in her face, though. She just glared at him for a second before talking, "I think you heard me. And I think you know exactly who came up with such a silly name for you." That strange hand-holding boyfriend THIEF. And because the pile she was holding was getting too heavy to stand still with it, Louisa moved to the side of the corridor where she leaned it against the wall, with her wand she levitated the stuff and continued, "Care to tell me who is she?" And why were you so blushing and oh so happy to be with her? Not to mention holding her hand in that CHEATING way.

Her eyes left the levitated pile and risked staring at the boy before her. Now hopefully her charm wouldn't break and point out how pathetic Louisa's magic was.

Her words had perfectly confirmed that she'd been spying on him. She even dared talking in an accusing way as if what he had done was the wrong thing.

Talk about 'Go away'. Look now who wasn't letting go.

"Have you been spying on me, Louisa?" he asked in a barely restrained tone, ignoring her question and her condition. He had done NOTHING wrong, and he was not going to do any explanations.

...huh? She frowned, refusing to let his accusation phase her. Yes. She'd been spying on him and it was all by accident that she saw him with that stupid girl. A hufflepuff she was? Yeah, she had her tie on... in a fashionable way. Girls these days.

Her concentration, however, was completely lost and the pile fell down to the floor with a loud thud that made her jump for a second before giving up on it and focusing on Marcy here. "No, I haven't. I beg your pardon but I have valuable things to spend my time on," she spoke in the most snobbish way she mustered, "Like walking out of the library every few hours to get fresh air. That is when I saw you with a she, being all swoony and holding her hand." She paused staring at him for a moment.

"Are you done with me and looking for someone else already? I thought you were going to wait to at least get away from Hogwarts," she said sarcastically folding her arms across her chest. Wasn't that what he told her last time? That he couldn't promise to stay with her because he might leave any time? Yeah.

João didn't flinch, unlike her, when her pile fell down. He'd been expecting that. He considered collecting them alright with one flicker of his wand, but she'd made it clear that she didn't want his help. She wouldn't get it. He wouldn't let her think that he was still under her effect.

At her first sentence, he actually laughed.

"I thought you were fifteen, Louisa, and way over such stupid excuses." He laughed again, a little mockingly. "That you have more important things to spend your time on? I've last used that phrase when I was ten." Yeah, when he was TEN. It wasn't convincing at all, and he could say that she had at least spied on them once she saw them. To say that she'd been following them would have been a bit of an exaggeration though, still.

"And I'd still like to think that you're far more clever than that, Louisa. I've not given up on you," he spoke softly now, as if he almost yearned. "But you've made yourself quite clear that you wanted me no more unless I made absurd promises, so I'm not disturbing you." Made sense, right?

See? It was right there! He was already mocking her about being fifteen and all. WELL. In case he forgot she was getting to sixteen in a couple of months! So that stupid older girl would be evaporated by then, hopefully.

... well, Louisa did not even know if she was an older student or just an overgrown third year. Oh well. Either way. Being sixteen definitely meant that she was turning into a lady to be noticed and cherished.

"Do no mock me. You're not in that position mister Neves," she spoke threateningly, her tone failing to match his tone a minute ago. "If you think I'm that childish, why are you wasting your valuable time talking to me? You have substitutes." Waving her wand angrily at the stinking pile of books and study tools, two tiny flames escaped the end of it making a sharp cracking sound. GRRR. She shook the wand angrily as he went on speaking.

What? He did not want to disturb her? She stopped torturing her wand and glared at him, a hint of a hurt look in her eyes. "Disturb me?" Taking two steps closer, to make him feel intimidated and all, she went on, "That is the most insulting thing you've ever told me so far. You don't tell your girlfriend that you stayed away from her because she asked you to promise her something that you think is absurd!" Seriously! He needed a tutor in social relationships. It's not that his so important mother couldn't get. Heh. Although it was the proof that she was his first long-term relationship. It was satisfying to know this. "You are beating yourself by sticking your foot in your mouth more and more, every time I try to talk to you." He knew that saying, right? He wasn't going to hex her thinking that she meant it literally... right? O__o

João gave her a long look with a barely supressed snort of annoyance. His hand ran through his hair while he looked away as if looking for some relief. When that relief didn't come, he turned his eyes at her again and now he looked hurt and seemed to be debating something inside. In fact, he wondered the same question. Why was he there really, talking to her, while he could easily be happy with India or Evelyn? They were both beautiful enough, and he was sure they wouldn't stick onto him and make him promise stupid things.

"I'm now Neves, is it?" he said coldly, folding his arms, ignoring all the questions in his head. "And don't you ever condescend to Evelyn." He talked pretty calmly, but it was a threatening calmness. For any matter, he wouldn't let anyone make fun of Evelyn or India, or give them some certain degrading adjectives. No one was that perfect.

Time to take a step back just in case she aimed her wand at him? Yeah, only if she wasn't approaching him. He didn't take any step back but stood firmly where he was, and was not intimidated by her at all. If only she'd just put away that wand she obviously didn't know how to use.

It took all his will not to laugh at the saying, but the situation required to be serious and serious he would be, his face betraying none of his amusement this time.

"What would you have me say, then?" he shot back with a frown on his face. "Your words were 'Go away', Louisa. And frankly, if you haven't figured out yet, I'm not someone to beg or make you repeat such a... wish."

How did that sound now, Miss Know-it-all?

Blink. Blink.

Was he... protecting her? Louisa's mouth hanged slightly open and her eyes stung again. No tears whatsoever. He confessed the girl's name, anyways. Evelyn. Well, she'd tend to her later... when she was done with him. "Do you get mad at people when they talk about me, too? How many times have you gotten angry 'for me' instead of 'at me'?" She didn't want an answer, she was just thinking out loud.

His next words, however, made her face flush with anger and disappointment. "What a blatant jerk! You're telling me that you're not going to at least convince me of your silly point of view and just be away?! You're not going to even struggle for it?!" That was said in a thick tone, one that was on the verge of yelling. She knew he was going to snap back at her, maybe surprise her even more with his coldness but she didn't want to make him lose a limb. So she quickly turned her back attempting to move over to her pile of belongings on the floor. She had enough of this today.

João pondered her question for a moment, before saying "They know better than talking foully about you around me." And at that next question, he was just going to ignore it. Because he didn't trust himself that he yet had the strength to keep his voice steady and kind. She was such a--such a--cry baby and ungrateful. She forgot things quite easily it seemed. No, he wasn't going to answer to any provocation, because it wouldn't end well.

But she was really trying him.

Maybe he deserved the swear though. Maaaaybe. But he had already bloody explained himself at that day! He sighed and looked away for a moment in annoyance. When he looked back, she was there no more but instead, was getting ready to leave.

"Struggle for it?! You say that I didn't struggle for it?!" He was MAD. Catching her arm, he turned her around fiercefully, forcing her to face him for a moment before letting go. "Do you know that when a rich and respectful mother wants back her child from the father, the father has a little chance of keeping him even though he is wealthy as well?! But here, you are bold enough to make me promise for something that I am sure will be broken some time, that I know because I didn't keep it you'll be angry or sad and I will be even more broken! I am staying here this year only because I practically begged my mother not to re-open the guardianship case. But of course, I didn't struggle for it! And sure enough, I can change the mind of the officials up there if they decide to appoint my father somewhere else, because you know, I've bloody promised!" He took a deep breath to calm himself down, cheeks flushed. No, he was still MAD, and looking at her for a moment, he shook his head to himself.

"We're done here," he said and flickering his wand as he muttered something in Portuguese, the books were neatly collected in a small tower, before he turned aside and walking to the stairs.

Now he could hold the hand of whoever he wanted without any reproachful eyes.

"Ouch.." because the fierce clutch to her arm jarred her, but she did turn around and stayed there even after he'd let go. And finally he'd cracked down. The wall he kept safely up in the faces of everyone- even herself sometimes, was finally cracking down. The girl was torn between smiling smugly at this or furrow her eyebrows at the complicated situation he was in.

... no, depressing and awfully sad situation. Her eyes teared up for him, her touchy mood quickly changing to sympathy. Or was it the puppy love again?

Either way, when he fixed her pile of stuff and turned around leaving, she strode over to him. "No, we're not," Louisa murmured with shaky voice before holding his face and kissing him full on the mouth.

Good. At least she hadn't interrupted or anything. At least now he could leave in peace, knowing she had listened to it all.

...or maybe he wasn't allowed to leave yet.

Turning towards her, he was surprised for a moment to find her so close to himself before her lips touched his. With his hand travelling to her cheek as well, he kissed her back, a little angrily for he was still MAD, but putting his love as well. He broke the kiss at last, and studying her face, he said "No promises, eh?"

Juuuust to be sure.

Pulling away from him, while still wrapping her arms around his neck, Louisa gave a crooked smile. "I thrive on promises." But they could lower the expectations? Yes? "For example, I want a promise that you'll never build up that wall between us again." You know, when he kept all things to himself and pushed her away as she tried to move closer? Yep. DESTROY it.

Leaning in again for another quick kiss, she untangled her arms and sighed, "Also, how did you manage to arrange that stubborn pile?" She shot a pointed look at the perfectly neat tower of books and parchments.

João raised his eyebrows at that. He couldn't decide whether he should fear what it was to come afterwards or whether he should be amused that this was a joke. Then, as she revealed what she wanted; it elicited a small, dry chuckle.

"Yes, okay, that I can promise." He paused, hands wrapped around her belly. He wondered if the 'close friend' both of his parents referred to who would be a support to him was Louisa or not. That argument had been pretty close though, and it was too early to make any predictions.

Looking at the pile as she referred to them, he smiled now genuinely. With a shrug, he said "I'm a Brazilian, Louisa. I guess I'm more stubborn with my Latin blood." She shrould try some spells in Portuguese. Then she'd know. Hehe.

With a victorious smile, she held on to his arm and leaned on him in a spoiled-lil-girl gesture. The pile and the spell he'd used was no more important to her. "So that's a confession that you are the stubborn one. I like that." Her smile widened at her made-up conclusion.

"However," flicking her wand to levitate the perfect tower of books in the air, "Who is Evelyn? And was it a friendly hand-holding or... something else?" It didn't mean that she wasn't going to stalk him and interrogate about his female friends, ok?

João chuckled again as he placed another soft kiss on her cheek. "And I like the outcome of your logic." So she was still as clever as one week ago, if she wasn't even wiser now. He liked that, because he wasn't dating anyone below his IQ level.

He wondered for a moment whether he should answer that or no. He knew perfectly that he didn't have anything to prove, yet, for the sake of avoiding another argument...

"She's a friend. This is her first year at school, so I showed her around." Satisfied?