It was cold everywhere in the castle these days, and even more so outside of it. The slytherin girl was bundled up in a pair of warm leggings, a sweater, and a pair of loooong socks that were visible over the top of her boots. She didn’t care that she was technically inside of the castle most of that day, it was cold enough at night that this was needed.

A basket was tucked into the crook of her elbow as she made her way to the tower patch. With each breath she took a puff of hot air floated away from her lips. It was fun, the cold steam circles. Still, the basket that was what was important. Setting it down next to the edge of one of the frozen fountains she simply sat down and opened the lid.

Pulling out a warm travel mug she just smiled to herself as she took a sip of the hot tea. There was more of course, and actual food as well. After all, she was rather hungry. Now? What was she here to do again?

Oh merlin was it cold, setting down the thermos of tea Beth quickly set to work. Reaching into her bag she pulled out a jar and with a wave of her wand and a muttered spell the jar seemed to fill with a warm blue flame. Brilliant, that made things warmer than they had been earlier.

wait what was that noise? Setting the jar down Beth turned toward the clatter of – whatever it was and instantly began to smile. ”hey Dusty,” she waved over to him ”were you using this spot for astronomy?...I was going to try and do some star-gazing and whatnot…” she wouldn’t mind the company, he was what her gran would have called a good egg.

”if you want I’ve got tea, and food…I was hungry and asked Toddles for a bit of help in the kitchens earlier,” after all Toddles did love them for saving his hide from the wrath of Algamus. Why did he look nervous? Had…had something happened? Was it her? Wait, no…why would it have been her – he just likely was cursing the fact that wherever Beth was Quinn wasn’t far behind…to point out that they were snogging – which they weren’t. ”if you’re nervous ‘cause of Quinn I think she’s busy spending time with Reese…y’know, them dating makes it far less likely for her to claim we’re snogging when we very obviously aren’t” really, if she somehow showed up now making that claim it would have been a feat…just look how much space they had between them?

Even without the blanket of darkness that the night sky brought, Beth wouldn’t have suspected a thing. It was cold, flushed cheeks winter kissed skin were a common occurrence with colder weather. ”really? It seems like a great spot to do it,” she smiled softly, even though he likely couldn’t see it despite the glow from the jarred cold-fire. Her lips curled into a small smile at the quiet way Daehyun spoke about never saying no to food. ”so would you be a good victim them?” she asked with a soft laugh, ”y’know…to try food I’ve made? I still don’t trust myself with anything but cheese toast – and a few potions.” Potions, that wasn’t cooking.

There was a science to it, it wasn’t like cooking. Potions and food were nothing alike, not really. Food tended to need to taste good, potions didn’t need to taste good or even be edible to be a potion.

Reaching into the basket she pulled out a rather strange looking thing. ”I made U N I C O R N food,” she explained a smile, ”it’s just cheese toast really, I just put food coloring in with the cheese, it was fun” she admitted with a grin as she handed one over toward him. Beth simply shrugged her shoulder at his question, ”sss’probably cause of Reese” she mumbled and turned to glance at him just as he mentioned Aurora? Who was aurora. ”Beth…” she corrected for a second before turning away realizing he was talking about the assignment.

”I’m not, I don’t know? Maybe but I know I’m more partial to the green ones…its one of my favorite colors” she admitted and pulling her knees closer to. her own chest just dropped her chin onto her knee, turning her head ever so slightly and looking toward him. She wasn’t staring or anything, just looking.

Yes, he was going to be a wonderful lab rat. Beth was sure of that from the moment he’d suggested it, he really should have never suggested it. ”hey, it could have been worse…there are even sandwich things out there made only from bread and toast?” she’d seen it while traveling with her mother to one of those digs she had manned in the past. ”or mushrooms…I mean, I’d never make those ‘cause…I rather don’t like them” she shrugged and watched as him as he ate a bit of it.

”oh! Really, you don’t hate it?...i mean…at least its not also sparkly right? Glittering food is hard to eat,” she admitted with a sigh, as truly she would eat it if she could. Right, the assignment that was what she had thought he had meant. Looking over toward him she just beamed, ”really? That’s brilliant…!”

Looking up at the night sky she practically flailed as she thrust her arm over to his shoulder, her other hand pointing at the sky. ”LOOK I THINK I SEE IT!” she beamed, if he could see the look on her face he’d have noticed just how happy she was in that moment.

Beth simply nodded as Daniel questioned her about the toast-which…which, yknow made sense. It sounded like something she had made up on a whim – and that, that was entirely something she would do. ”you would?...” taking another bite of the toast she just grinned for a moment, before commenting again, on the glitter. ”don’t worry, I won’t make you eat it, its…not my thing it’s more Cord’s thing” she paused for a moment as her eyes soaked in the color of the Aurora.

”…I sometimes miss her, Cordelia that is…She’s my twin – fraternal twin.” she added as clarification, ”she’s the pretty one but that could be because of the fact she tripped into the Flamel Fountain when we visited there as kids – and again on her first day.” she added with a laugh – really, she wouldn’t put it past her to have tripped purposefully.

Had she even told anyone that she had a twin – maybe the Black’s but they were her dormmates and…and it hurt, almost seeing them be so close and together when Cord wasn’t here. ”we’re nothing alike – honestly, if we weren’t sister we’d likely have never gotten on well…and I still secretly think that she and Quinn were switched at birth even though the dates don’t match.” maybe she just thought that because she wanted deep down to have a closer deeper connection to her friend? Maybe it was just because Cordelia had always been obsessed with image and Beth, Beth wasn’t like that. She hadn’t cared really if she looked weird after playing sports where Cordelia would throw a fit if the helmet she had to wear for equestrian jumping even moved a lick of hair out of place. "i've never asked - do you have siblings?" she asked still looking at the night's sky. Inching closer the blonde simply leaned her head on his shoulder for support as the angle was well, not quite fun at all.

Beth’s cheeks warmed slightly at that comment I don’t think you need to trip into any fountains that, that was the sweetest thing that anyone had ever said to her…well, at least it ranked in the top five. ”thanks Daniel, you’re really great. I just thought that you should know that” Beth smiled to herself more than anything as she tipped her chin down into the warmth of her robes.

Oh, right…why had she gone somewhere else – that was always a tough question to answer. ”oh…well, our mum gave us the option to go to a different school if we wanted to – she taught here one term and apparently things got a little dangerous that term?” she shrugged smiling over to him. ”I guess – Cord always felt more attached to our dad’s side of the family…the French side” really, that just fit her.

Cordelia had always been somewhat persnickety and uppity about things. That was their biggest difference – their temperaments one was up for anything and the other was materialistic and wanted to live a life of luxury. His shoulder was nice, comfy really. ”just you? is that lonely?” she asked even though she had had her fair share of lonely moments even with having her one sibling. ”well…from now on you have to promise me to visit me over summer if you get bored or lonely – mmm’sure my mum’d be fine with it.” she nodded – heck, she was fine with most of her antics or at least that was what Beth had chosen to believe.

”ooh maybe we can take you on an archeology dig sometime? She went on one last month in Asia last year – I really wanted to go…” she explained with a grin. ”are you a fan of history? I am…I mean, I don’t really tell people that but I am – because of her…especially the history of currency and even salt.” she was babbling - why was she babbling?