Cinna was still crouched down some. Since when did Norah get so intimating? Since when is Cinna a sissy? Stupid potion. Stupid potion making her feel like a helpless little scared girl. She hated this. She hated this so bad. She wasn't used to this feeling of fear. Fear that this girl was going to hurt her. "Y-yes. I..I am sssorry." blinking in terror. This girl was going to get her.

She was being glared at. Was she this mean when she was angry? No wonder why Cinna had just a few friends. Continuing to blink at the younger girl. The Gryffindor started to shake a little. "M-m-me?" She was stuttering like a fool. "I-I didn't take your c-c-chocolate f-frog." She promised why would she when she had a bunch of her own in her dorm. She just might cry because she was so scared of this girl.

Norah glared at Cinna, narrowing her eyes because if she hadn't stolen her chocolate frogs then why was she so mad at Cinna in the first place? That didn't even make SENSE. She had to be lying. "Lying is MEAN," she shouted sitting down on the floor with a thump. She didn't even have time to enjoy the thumpy noise because EVERYTHING STUNK. RAHHH. The fourth year laid down fully now, arms crossed and glaring at the ceiling. "Mean people make me SO MAD. Who said they were allowed to be mean? WHO?!" It was probably another dumb Gryffindor thing.

Sitting up slowly, Norah's eyebrows crept together even more. Was she being mean? She didn't MEAN to be MEAN, okay? This was SO UNFAIR. It wasn't her fault she was mad, it was the dumb butt potion or SOMETHING. Why did Cinna have to make the angry kind of potion, huh? HUH? "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" she yelled again, before flopping down onto the floor and hitting her head with a muffled thump this time. Aw man. She kicked the floor with the heel of her purple trainer. "You'd better apologize, you meanie floor."

Oh, uh. Uh-oh. Toby... knew the signs of someone trying not to cry. Knew them WELL. And he also knew that when someone was trying so hard to hide their emotions like that, it was best to totally make out like you didn't notice anything. Anything at all. He focused for a moment instead on casually straightening out Pebbles' missing poster, de-creasing it by flattening it against his leg (makeshift iron; he'd be a perfect househusband one day) and everything, until it felt safe to look up again.

And WHEW. That proper smile was a good sign, and it, along with Airey's words, elicited a grin from Toby. "You're not in my debt or anything, Professor. It's, like, no worries. Just wanna help, is all." Nodding lots of nodding. Toby had already planned half the article in his head by this point, and he was QUITE glad that Airey was cool with it.

HAND. For a handshake, like sealing the deal, like with Dakest, yes. Toby took Airey's hand to shake it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Oh, uh. Uh-oh. Toby... knew the signs of someone trying not to cry. Knew them WELL. And he also knew that when someone was trying so hard to hide their emotions like that, it was best to totally make out like you didn't notice anything. Anything at all. He focused for a moment instead on casually straightening out Pebbles' missing poster, de-creasing it by flattening it against his leg (makeshift iron; he'd be a perfect househusband one day) and everything, until it felt safe to look up again.

And WHEW. That proper smile was a good sign, and it, along with Airey's words, elicited a grin from Toby. "You're not in my debt or anything, Professor. It's, like, no worries. Just wanna help, is all." Nodding lots of nodding. Toby had already planned half the article in his head by this point, and he was QUITE glad that Airey was cool with it.

HAND. For a handshake, like sealing the deal, like with Dakest, yes. Toby took Airey's hand to shake it.

Pretending not to hear what Mr. Toby just said - because no matter what the Hufflepuff said the man WAS in his debt - the astronomer turned his attention to the hand that he now held and gave it two firm shakes before pulling the Hufflepuff a bit closer to bump their forearms. "Not to worry, Mr. Toby," he reassured with a boyish grin. "I have not completely lost my marbles here and forgotten what a handshake is."

Although, given the way he had been walking about the corridor it would not be all that far fetched to believe that he had.

"I am simply encouraging an eons old tradition of greeting and special identification. You see, Mr. Toby, you and I are going to create our own secret handshake," he explained as he looked down at their arms. This was something he had not done with any other student EVER. In fact, the last time he had created one of these properly had been when he and his flight crew were still in training...before the accident. "Two shakes and an elbow bump...where would you like to take this next?"

Okay.

So.

Toby had just been expecting one of your usual, every day, run of the mill handshakes. But this... was not that. He blinked as their forearms bumped, wondering vaguely if he'd missed some sort of... memo about handshakes were done these days. But Airey was explainaing and oh... OH. OH THAT WAS SO COOL. Toby's expression went from confusion to delight at the revelation and he perked up at once.

"A secret handshake?" he repeated in an almost hushed tone, visibly very okay with the endeavour. "Aaaaawesome." This was important. A big thing. He could totally tell. Srs business. Next step, c'mon Toby, focus. Head in the game. "Uh... how about..." he straightened their arms out again and, after leaning down and carefully setting the 'missing' poster aside on the floor, held up his now free hand "... uhh..." Toby held that hand over their handshake like he was going for a double handshake, gesturing that Airey should high five it or shake that hand too or... or... or...

He didn't know.

Toby had never made up a secret handshake before. The pressure to do it right was very real.

"... We need a space reference." At the end maybe. Like BLAST OFF or something.

Ahhhhh. That big meany face. There was more glaring from Norah and even more blinking from Cinna. "I-I am not lying." Try to be brave little fearful one. This was just part of your homework. Honestly she really wasn't lying. The shouting caused the sixth year to jump again. She covered her head with her arm. Ekkkk. She was even fearful of the girl who was now laying down in the floor. Angry much? Cinna still didn't dare move from her spot crouched down in the floor. "Y-y-your the m-m-mean one, y-y-yelling at m l-Iike this." Over a chocolate frog that she didn't have she had her own.

OH MY MERLIN. Cinna was really scared now. No really she was. Norah sitting up slowly like that was almost as scary as Chuckie. Cinna let out as scream."AHHHHHHH." Yes she was screaming it was loud. Norah was plotting her murder and she knew it. Anger? Why did she pick Anger. She really should've gone with excitement, Yep. Note to self pick the happy, good, positive stuff next time. "I-I am sorry." She didn't know what else to say. How much longer before this potion wore off? She was so ready to get this fear out of her system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Okay.

So.

Toby had just been expecting one of your usual, every day, run of the mill handshakes. But this... was not that. He blinked as their forearms bumped, wondering vaguely if he'd missed some sort of... memo about handshakes were done these days. But Airey was explainaing and oh... OH. OH THAT WAS SO COOL. Toby's expression went from confusion to delight at the revelation and he perked up at once.

"A secret handshake?" he repeated in an almost hushed tone, visibly very okay with the endeavour. "Aaaaawesome." This was important. A big thing. He could totally tell. Srs business. Next step, c'mon Toby, focus. Head in the game. "Uh... how about..." he straightened their arms out again and, after leaning down and carefully setting the 'missing' poster aside on the floor, held up his now free hand "... uhh..." Toby held that hand over their handshake like he was going for a double handshake, gesturing that Airey should high five it or shake that hand too or... or... or...

He didn't know.

Toby had never made up a secret handshake before. The pressure to do it right was very real.

"... We need a space reference." At the end maybe. Like BLAST OFF or something.

While he had expected it, the astronomer was still pleased that the Hufflepuff was more than willing to go along with the gesture. He was even more pleased with himself that all this hand holding was not causing his insides to somersault and knot as well. He had always said that seventh years could be a mild exception to the standards he set on professor-student relationships, within reason, so he was still working within that framework. Especially meaningful as he had taught Mr. Toby since he was a first year struggling to remove the hose of a vacuum from his face.

Watching the Hufflepuff's movements, Airey lifted his free hand towards Mr. Toby's and waited for instructions...that apparently were not coming. But a SPACE reference sounded STELLAR!

Creative impulses firing on all cylinders - VERY welcomed distraction from all the 'woe is he' he had been feeling in recent days - he eyed their hands for a few moments until he had one of those light bulb moments. "COMBUSTION!" he suddenly erupted. "Our fingers can represent the flames that burn the fuel that generates the huge amount of thrust necessary for a rocket to escape the Earth's gravity. Our HANDS can serve as the rockets...therefore..." he explained as he began to wiggle his fingers excitedly against the seventh year's. "3...2...1...SCHOOOOOOM!"

Airey pulled his hand that had had its fingers wiggling back high over his head and swung his arm around slowly like a windmill.

Airey seemed to have suddenly perked right up at the prospect of creating a secret handshake, and so Toby was quite happy to let him take the reins with it; creativity had never really been one of his own strengths, despite the wild imagination. He'd also stared at their hands for a good few moments in thought, thinking of a next step, so the professor's sudden exclamation made him jump.

Merlin. That never really got old, did it? Toby grinned again as Airey totally nerded out about rockets and space and stuff. It made him happy, okay? To see the guy getting enthusiastic given the circumstances with the missing Pebbles and all. Toby nodded along eagerly at the explanation, and copied the Starman's movements.

WIGGLY FINGERS. WIGGLEWIGGLEWIGGLEWIGGLEWIGGLE.

He even made a noise that was close to what he thought a rocket getting ready to launch sounded like, barely realising what he was doing. A kind of... low 'wssssshhhssschhhhhhhh...'. And lift-off. Toby chimed in a second after Airey's lead, copying his, uh... windmilling? Okay. Yeah. Copying that, too.

"SCHOOOOOOOM!" Still grinning, Toby bounced juuuuust a little on his toes and looked at the hands they still hand in handshake-position. "How about this? You ever heard of Thumb War?" he asked, manoeuvring their hands into the start position for that and just randomly dancing his thumb around for a few moments. Not a real GAME, but Y'KNOW. "And..." he looked at their other hands. "A high five? Fist bump?"

Ah yes. Nice and complicated. Toby didn't care, though, 'cause it was fun. He'd worry about remembering it later. The more complicated, the better the SECRET. 'Cause secret handshake.

SPOILER!!: the Tobster!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Airey seemed to have suddenly perked right up at the prospect of creating a secret handshake, and so Toby was quite happy to let him take the reins with it; creativity had never really been one of his own strengths, despite the wild imagination. He'd also stared at their hands for a good few moments in thought, thinking of a next step, so the professor's sudden exclamation made him jump.

Merlin. That never really got old, did it? Toby grinned again as Airey totally nerded out about rockets and space and stuff. It made him happy, okay? To see the guy getting enthusiastic given the circumstances with the missing Pebbles and all. Toby nodded along eagerly at the explanation, and copied the Starman's movements.

WIGGLY FINGERS. WIGGLEWIGGLEWIGGLEWIGGLEWIGGLE.

He even made a noise that was close to what he thought a rocket getting ready to launch sounded like, barely realising what he was doing. A kind of... low 'wssssshhhssschhhhhhhh...'. And lift-off. Toby chimed in a second after Airey's lead, copying his, uh... windmilling? Okay. Yeah. Copying that, too.

"SCHOOOOOOOM!" Still grinning, Toby bounced juuuuust a little on his toes and looked at the hands they still hand in handshake-position. "How about this? You ever heard of Thumb War?" he asked, manoeuvring their hands into the start position for that and just randomly dancing his thumb around for a few moments. Not a real GAME, but Y'KNOW. "And..." he looked at their other hands. "A high five? Fist bump?"

Ah yes. Nice and complicated. Toby didn't care, though, 'cause it was fun. He'd worry about remembering it later. The more complicated, the better the SECRET. 'Cause secret handshake.

"Stellar, Mr. Toby," the astronomer cheered as his left hand came to a rest at his side after making a full circle round after his rocket noise making. "You are quite good at this."

Sincerely hoping that his right have was not becoming too sweaty - this was some of the longest hand holding he had ever done with another person, save for Medea, ever and it was starting to hit him just how long it HAD been - the Astronomy professor began to press his toes firmly against the bottoms of his shoes. "Thumb war? Oh yes I am quite familiar with it," he nodded while his thumb danced with the Hufflepuff's for a few rounds. "How about...a double high five," he suggested, mostly because he was desperate to stop holding hands now. "Just here at chest level and then...we do this for the grand finale."

Squatting down so that his bum hovered just barely over the floor and hugged his knees to his chest. Glancing upwards - which gave him a prime view up Mr. Toby's nostrils - he waved the boy down to join him in this position. "On the count of three, we jump vertically as high as we can while extending our legs and arms fully out to the sides at the same time in midair and shout I'M A STAR!"

Jumping. To signify all the times he had leaped onto the young man's desk as well as their shared interest in pogo sticks.

Oh sweet solstice that was far too sentimental a thought for his delicate persona right now.

Did anyone hear that? No? ... Probably a good thing as this was a secret handshake and all, but Toby still felt pretty proud of himself at the compliment from Airey. A few words went a long way with this kid at the moment, it seemed. He grinned. "Thanks. You too, though." It was a partly automatic response, but still true. Airey was way better at this stuff.

Completely oblivious to Flamsteed's discomfort - 'oblivious' did seem to be his default setting - Toby nodded at the suggestion for the next step, let go of Airey's hand at last, and went along with the double high five. Slightly sweaty palms, unavoidable. Toby wasn't dwelling on it.

But oh... er... what was...? Okay... Toby blinked at Airey, wondering for just a split second if maybe he was having a sudden attack of the sads and about to go all 'fetal position' on him, but no. Soon enough, it alllllll made sense.

"Hey, yeah! I love it!"

Toby did the same, crouching down and mirroring Airey's position, not a care in the world as to what any students or staff passing by might make of this sight. "On three then," Toby said, nodding once again, bobbing up and down a little as he bounced very gently in place, prepping himself for the ultimate 'star jump' oh ho ho. "One... two... three..."

And he did just that. Sprang himself up into the air in the most explosive move he could muster, arms and legs splayed out in the air.

"I'M A STAR!"

SPOILER!!: good ol' soccer camp tradition, that one XD

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Did anyone hear that? No? ... Probably a good thing as this was a secret handshake and all, but Toby still felt pretty proud of himself at the compliment from Airey. A few words went a long way with this kid at the moment, it seemed. He grinned. "Thanks. You too, though." It was a partly automatic response, but still true. Airey was way better at this stuff.

Completely oblivious to Flamsteed's discomfort - 'oblivious' did seem to be his default setting - Toby nodded at the suggestion for the next step, let go of Airey's hand at last, and went along with the double high five. Slightly sweaty palms, unavoidable. Toby wasn't dwelling on it.

But oh... er... what was...? Okay... Toby blinked at Airey, wondering for just a split second if maybe he was having a sudden attack of the sads and about to go all 'fetal position' on him, but no. Soon enough, it alllllll made sense.

"Hey, yeah! I love it!"

Toby did the same, crouching down and mirroring Airey's position, not a care in the world as to what any students or staff passing by might make of this sight. "On three then," Toby said, nodding once again, bobbing up and down a little as he bounced very gently in place, prepping himself for the ultimate 'star jump' oh ho ho. "One... two... three..."

And he did just that. Sprang himself up into the air in the most explosive move he could muster, arms and legs splayed out in the air.

"I'M A STAR!"

Feet back on the ground after the star jump, Airey felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. However temporary the feeling may be, he was grateful for it.

Using his fingers to count the steps to their secret handshake - which landed on an odd number according to his meticulous counting skills - he gave it a stamp of approval in his mind and looked towards the Hufflepuff with a nostalgic smile on his face. Nostalgic in the fact that it had been a while since he had smiled about much of anything. Since November, really, after the letter from Medea had been delivered.

"I think that will do," he nodded, giving the young man a double thumbs up. "Be sure you commit it all to memory. Consider it your unofficial homework to be graded some time in the not so distant future."

That had been wild. Not something Toby had been expecting to happen when he woke up that morning, but it put a smile on his face, and apparently on Airey's too, which made him smile a little more. These were the best kind of things. Things that made sad says unexpectedly happier. Toby always liked to have a hand in that; it dragged him even out of his own moping.

Committing it to memory was... a big ask. Perhaps the fact that they'd already had had a run-through would help. Maybe.

... Perhaps he would write it down somewhere.

"Got it, Professor," Toby replied, still with a smile. "I'll do my best." And, of course, he gave the man a firm salute. "Won't let you down, Starman." Hopefully.

SPOILER!!: ha...hahahahaha :| although he does/did play quidditch :|

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

That had been wild. Not something Toby had been expecting to happen when he woke up that morning, but it put a smile on his face, and apparently on Airey's too, which made him smile a little more. These were the best kind of things. Things that made sad says unexpectedly happier. Toby always liked to have a hand in that; it dragged him even out of his own moping.

Committing it to memory was... a big ask. Perhaps the fact that they'd already had had a run-through would help. Maybe.

... Perhaps he would write it down somewhere.

"Got it, Professor," Toby replied, still with a smile. "I'll do my best." And, of course, he gave the man a firm salute. "Won't let you down, Starman." Hopefully.

Chuckling, the astronomer shoved his hands into his trouser pocket while boyishly rocking back on his heels. "I know you won't, Mr. Toby," he replied with a shy smile.

Giving one last grateful bow of the head - because of the article the Hufflepuff would soon write - Airey decided that he ought to head back to his office to try and catch up on all the research he had fallen behind on.

"Until next time then. Live long and prosper."

And then, after delivering a proper Vulcan salute, the man made his way back towards the Astronomy Tower.

Toby smiled again at Airey, and nodded at him, reaching down to pick up the missing poster he'd set aside while they saw to secret handshake business. He looked and watched the astronomer make his exit, before turning his attention to straightening out the poster again, uncreasing it by 'ironing' it against his leg. Okay, so. He'd need to talk to Gabriel about that article, and obviously write it.

And he needed to find a way to remember the handshake, too. In fact, as Toby headed across the Great Hall and out the front doors, intending to check the grounds again for Pebbles, he began practicing each of the steps with an imaginary Airey. It probably looked pretty strange. But then, he thought, as he stepped out onto the grounds, stranger things had happened.

Abby was making her way back up to the common room but she stopped and got thinking about what was going on with the lack of cleaning going on in the castle but she knew that she couldnt figure it out on her own and probably she wasnt the only student who was lost as to what was happening

In a hurry to get back to the warmth of the castle, Alfie ran into the Entrance Hall, misjudged how wet his shoes were and how slippery the floor was... and WHAM!

"Ouch!" he groaned from the floor, his limbs tangled with a Ravenclaw's, "I'm sorry!"

Abby smiled at the boy and said "Hey no harm done, do you want a hand up" Abby was sure that it was a complete accident but she knew that anything could happen at Hogwarts

"Yeah," he looked up and saw that he'd crashed into a fourth year girl, "I'm really sorry about that..." he took the offered hand and hauled himself to his feet. "Anyway," he brushed his cloak off, avoiding eye contact with the older girl, "why were you standing around?"

Abby smiled as the boy who looked like a first year brushed himself off and said "Well i was thinking about something" Abby saw the boy was avoiding eye contact and said "I am Abby" Abby held her hand out for the boy to take if he wanted to introduce himself

"I'm Alfred," he smiled shyly up at Abby as he shook her hand, "everyone calls me Alfie, though."

He clasped his hands behind his back, and looked around at the high ceilings of the Entrance Hall, "Anything in particular you were thinking about?"

Robe pockets filled with some bread from lunch, because Tia might need the grain to get through her studying, the fifth year left the great hall and was just readjusting her bag when she noticed Abby and another student who seemed to have collided.

She shouldn't interfere, because everyone seemed unharmed, even as they were introducing each other.

But then, what if they needed some bread to recover so they wouldn't pass out?

"Hey Abby!" Tia exclaimed, nodding at her housemate and then a nod to the young boy in acknowledgment. "Hey, I'm Tia. You alright there? Did you need something to eat?"

Abby smiled at Alife and said "It is a pleasure to meet you Alfie and well i was thinking about the lake of cleaning that seems to be going on in this castle" Abby smiled at her fellow housemate and said "Hey Tia"

FOOD.

"Hi, Tia..." Alfie greeted the older Ravenclaw shyly, he looked up at her and nodded as his stomach let out a growl, "Yeah... it's been ages since breakfast and I skipped lunch and I was just wondering if there might be..." he looked towards the Great Hall with hope in his eyes, "I dunno, some warm food or something..."

Then he looked back at Abby, "But then I ran into Abby here," he winced, "I'm sorry again about that..."

He trailed off, as the offending stomach made itself known with yet another ferocious sounding growl.

What was with this castle? George von Rheticus had seen many corridors and rooms over the years, but this was horrible. He tried to look at through his portrait but it was hard. So much dirt and cobwebs.


AAAaaachhhoooooo


AAAaaachhoooo


Even for a portrait the site of the cobwebs made his nose tickle and he couldn't help the sneezing.

From somewhere near by a loud pounding as on wood echos about the hall. A boy voice shouts.

"HELP! LET ME OUT!"