Fia sat down next to Miles whether he wanted her to or not. She had something to say and she was going to say it now. "Miles, I'm sorry," she began as she looked down to the table. "I...don't think you are like Ivan, which is one of the reasons I like you...a lot." Probably more than she should, certainly more than she understood. She wanted to hold his hand or just...anything to be close to him again. "I don't like being away from you and I certainly can't handle you being angry with me."

Miles looked at Fia as she sat down not waiting for him to say she could. He listened to what she said and he sighed, "If you didn't think I was like Ivan you wouldn't let the fact that I'm friends with Brody bother you so much." He turned his head and went back to twirling the fork by magic. "She broke up with her boyfriend that night.... I'd like to think it wasn't my fault. The two of us arguing making her realize that she didn't like Torin that way..." He sighed and started raising the fork up and down with his magic, "It seems like everything I'm involved with messes up in some way." Lifting his head up he looked at her, "I'm not angry at you...I'm...irritated at myself."

Fia looked towards Miles and sighed. "Maybe it wasn't you I was worried about," she spoke as it really wasn't Miles she was worried about. "I...just didn't think she knew that we were together. She didn't seem to be around her boyfriend...guess that's why." She certainly didn't feel sorry for Brody. "And I didn't come here to talk about her. She is the least of my worries. I came here because..." Why did she come here?

She turned to look at him with a painful look on her face. The last thing she wanted what happened between Brody and her boyfriend. "She's a very pretty girl." She would NEVER admit that to anyone else and well, she knew that Brody thought she was ugly. "Why are you irritated with yourself?" Now that she didn't like because he did nothing wrong. "You actually did the right thing, and it took you leaving for me to realize that."

Miles sighed and looked toward Fia, "She knew. That day...down at Hogsmeade...I had told her I liked you." Stopping the twirling of his fingers making the fork fall once more. "Alright. So what did you come here for?"

And then they were talking about Brody again. He didn't understand anymore. "Yes...she is...and a FRIEND. Nothing more." Didn't Fia understand that? He didn't like anyone else. "To realize what? That the two of you fighting was pointless?" Sigh. Lifting his head up he looked at her fully, "Look...I like you...and I wasn't lying before when I said I wanted relationships. If you can't trust me in one...." Well he didn't know where that was going. He just knew she didn't like Ivan. She didn't like Ivan because he was the spitting image of a womanizer.

Why did this hurt? Why did she want to cry? Why....why why WHYYYYYYYYYYYY? She closed her eyes and looked away. She was not mad she just...her eyes were watering and she didn't want anyone to see. Disappointing Miles hit her harder than she truly thought and the way he stopped at his very last statement was the hardest to hit her.

Her head shot in his direction she realized he stopped speaking. Was he telling her a reason for bringing up that Hufflepuff's name and her boyfriend breaking up? One tear fell down one cheek as all it took from the other side was a blink, and then the tear would fall. "I trust you. I really do." She was not a girl to cry but this was slowly tearing her apart. Knowing that in just the blink of an eye she could loose her best friend and her boyfriend all because of some crazy PUFF!

Miles looked at Fia as she went quiet and saw her looking away. Next thing he knew she was looking back at him with tears in her eyes and one down her cheek. Swallowing he pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. "Hey now....enough of that." Leaning his head against hers he kissed her softly. "Fi...shhh...I'm not going to leave you. We're a team," he said with a chuckle trying to get her to laugh a bit. He cared for her too much to do that. Pulling back a bit he looked at her and wiped the tears off of her cheeks.

Fia was silent but her tears were known. There were very few things in this world that made her cry and she knew at this very moment that Miles was one of them. He meant more to her than she ever really realized. She leaned her head against his shoulder, loving it when he called her Fi. He was the only one. She nodded her head, afraid to speak because if she did, others around them would know she was crying and well...no one else needed to know that.

Miles held Fia as she cried. He felt horrible about being the one to make her cry. He could count on one hand how many times he'd seen her cry. "I'm sorry, Fi. Don't cry," he whispered so no one else could hear. "I just...I don't know...I don't want one of those relationships like Brody has or those relationships like Ivan has. Those ones that you never know how the other one is feeling." He wasn't really sure what love was but if it was what he felt for Fi he never wanted to let her go.

"I don't want to be like that either," she spoke softly into his neck and sniffed. "That is my greatest fear. It's not that I think you are like Ivan it's just...well...he's the very reason women do not trust men, no matter how sweet and innocent they are."

She wrapped her arms around his waist as she knew deep down inside, he was not that man. He was the one person that molded to her better than anyone else ever would. They had fun together. They laughed and now cried and...she knew there was another emotion that they were sharing but dare she say it? She couldn't. They were too young for that, but she did know, she loved him. He was her best friend in so many ways.

"Like I've said before, I hate to disappoint you." She knew it was going to happen but if it made them stronger, then it was something they were just goin gto deal with.

Miles sighed and nuzzled his head against Fia's. "Yes well Ivan isn't exactly the best example for anything. Resting his head against Fia's he listened to her breathing with a small smile on his face. Yes he loved her but that would just make things complicated. Did he love her as a friend? As more? Yes too complicated.

"Fi...I've known you for a long time. We might have arguments but that's just something we have to work through. I won't leave you cause you disappointed me. Trust me. I won't leave you cause I'm mad either. And if I did and mum found out you can bet i'd get a talking to."

"I promise I will not leave when I'm mad," Fia said as she closed her eyes. Miles brought her so much happiness, which was one reason she loved to be around him. "Okay. Too much sappiness. We need happy laughter." She leaned her head up and wiped her eyes. She was acting too much like a girl at that very point, not that it was a bad thing but...it just wasn't her.

"Well that's a good thing to know," he said with a smirk. He laughed as she seemed to want to recollect herself and spoke, "Aww and here I was just getting comfortable." Smiling as she sat up and wiped her eyes he kissed her. "There all better."

Fia laughed gently, feeling even better as Miles kissed her. "Yes! All better. And you are the only one who will ever witness this side of me." She leaned over and grabbed a roll as her appetite was coming back, which meant she was feeling better. She knew exactly where she stood in Miles' life and well, she was not going to worry about such things any more. He was with her and that was that!

Next thing she knew, Kiri's head was popping up over the piles of boxes surrounding her and, by virtue of her location at the table, Ainsley. She simply gazed back at the Slytherin as she heard the question, knowing there wasn't really a need to answer. It was obviously the second batch, since the first one was safely hidden. She nodded as the younger girl said she'd help them transport the boxes up to the towers, although a faint curiosity popped into her head. "Should they be hidden in our common rooms, or should we maybe use somewhere else?," she asked in an undertone just loud enough for the other two to hear.

A glint appeared in her eyes as Kiri spoke again after some thought, glancing up at the staff table with a faint scowl on her pretty features. "I'm in," she muttered, before turning back to the group. Standing up, she gathered her schoolbag up, then hefted a few of the boxes as Kiri did the same. "We need to figure out a time. So the strike can be synchronized, make a bigger impact and all," she commented in a low voice before her gaze went to the door to the Great Hall. They simply needed to make their voices heard, that's it. And then Copernicus could instigate the second wave, like the plan.

Miles laughed and released one of his arms from around her. "Your secrets safe with me," he said with a grin as she leaned over and grabbed a roll. He still wasn't hungry and hoped he wasn't getting ill....that would be horrible. At least things between him and Fia were settled.

Then he noticed a girl walked in carrying a ton of boxes and was talking to...shoe girl? Their hushed whispers and secretiveness intrigued him. What was in the big boxes? Whatever it was he wanted to know!

As Shoe Girl stood up with the boxes and headed over toward the door he grabbed his own bag quickly and Fia's hand. "Come on!" he said in a whisper and headed out of the Great Hall behind them. Well what was so uncommon about a Ravenclaw headed up to, he guess the common room if it was secretive, anyway. What were they up to...AND WHY WASN'T HE TOLD??? He loved a secret plan. Pulling Fia along they followed Shoe Girl to wherever she was going like....SPIES!!

Fia just finished her roll when Miles seemed to grab her hand and whisper for her to come. Where were they going? It was a good thing that...hey! Who and what were those boxes? She remembered what she told Miles at Christmas and grinned. Perfect! She kept quiet behind him as her fingers wrapped around his hand. She felt sooooo much better since they'd talked and she felt closer to him. Take that...IVAN! HA!

Elan knew that his behavior was really getting a bit on the dramatic side and so he attempted to gather himself into a more presentable manner. He lifted his head from her shoulder and wiped his tears with the sleeve of his coat. "Well, I've had a bit o' trouble at home and I'm....." he didn't know how to tell her all the horrible things that had happened and he was just grateful for the company.

Slowly swallowing the mouthful of stew, Nia looked firstly across the Great Hall, and then down at Elan. Her stomach had twisted up, and even the thought of dumplings wasn't tempting. She gave a small sigh, when she felt some of Elan's weight shift.

She gave a soft smile as he wiped away his tears, and reached into her bag to offer him a tissue. As he spoke, Nia gave an understanding nod, and subconsciously reached for his hand - perhaps for her own reassurance as much as his, even if she couldn't say why.

As he drifted off, Nia gave that same hand a small squeeze. "It's okay, take your time," she said gently, hoping that it would encourage him to open up a little more. It was sure to help, and he had sparked her curiousity. What could have happened that was so bad? She immediately wished she hadn't thought of that, as her stomach seemed to give a lurch as she worried about her friend. (Was he still just a friend? A year later and she wasn't sure...) "Whenever you're ready, I'm here..."

Jason Potter Weasley left his Gyffindor table. "Anyone seen Victoria Jamieson?" He asked them. Victoria is Jason's girlfreind.

Elan gratefully accepted the tissue and wiped at his face. He knew he must look so weak right now, but for some reason, it didn't bother him with Nia. He just felt like it was ok and she wouldn't think poorly of him.

He looked at her, feeling her soft hand around his and gave a weak smile. "Well, umm..." he wasn't sure the best way to tell her what had happened at home, so he just launched in. "Well, mum's dead and dad's in the jail for killing her. So now, I've no home in Italy anymore and I've got to live with my mum's family here, who I hardly know and so I'm...well, feeling a little......" he struggled to find the right word. Finally, he settled on it, "...alone."

At Elan's weak attempt at a smile, Nia squeezed his hand again. It seemed to be having the right affect, and she wasn't sure what to do or say otherwise. And despite her last mouthful of stew, Nia's mouth had gone dry too.

And then he started to speak. Whatever Nia might have been expecting him to say, wasn't what Elan said. It was far worse than she could have imagined. It seemed intensified by the way the words tumbled out, and Nia immediately reached out to give Elan a tight hug. It was a necessary thing to do - for her and for Elan. To support him. To show him she cared - possibly more than he knew. It also hid the tears starting to trickle from the corners of her eyes - she wasn't sure Elan needed to see those just yet.

It was as Elan managed to come across the correct word Nia's eyes became properly wet. Rocking him gently, the way her mum would have done with her if she'd been sad as a child, Nia rubbed the back of his shoulders. "You're never alone," she said softly. "I'll always be here for you. You - no, we - will get through this together." She gave him a tight squeeze, and tried to blink away her tears before sitting back to look him in the eye. "You'll always be welcomed at mine if its too much in the holidays, and I'll always be at your side to support you." She nodded sincerely, before pausing thoughtfully. There was a question in her head, that would need to be answered sooner or later - maybe it was better to get it over and done with now...

"Do you know how...or why?" she asked softly, still holding his hand.

Elan felt more comforted by Nia's gentle touches than he could have imagined. He was a little surprised when she gathered him in her arms and he could feel a sense of need to hold him. It felt odd. He would have thought that as the boy, he should be the strong one, but perhaps this is the way it needed to be, one comforting the other. this was a growth time for him, though he wouldn't likely realize it until much later. He only knew right now, that she was making him feel better.

As she rocked him when he whispered out the word alone, he felt a connection, a stirring inside his chest that he really hadn't before. It wasn't like she was being motherly, like it might have seemed to someone who might be looking on. She was being a partner, sharing his grief and loneliness and pain. It was as if by her actions, she was trying to shoulder his burdens not from him, but with him. It was a good feeling, one he only knew as relief. Her kind words gave him the first sense of hope that he had felt since the owl had arrived. He could only nod.

Her last question gave him pause. Could he answer it? Well, how could he not when she had decided that she would give herself to him in this way. "Well..." he began quietly. "...the note I received from the Italian ministry of magic was brief, but it appears that mum had begun practicing magic. She had become more open with it since I began to attend here. One day, dad came home and apparently, because things were going poorly at work, he blamed her and her witchy ways. They began to fight and mum was trying to defend herself, in the muggle way. There was a struggle...and..." he couldn't continue, but he thought she would understand. He began to look at his hands, as if embarrassed by his father's actions and that she would think poorly of him because of his father.

Nia really hoped she was helping. She'd never had to deal with something this big, and almost scary, before. But she wanted to get Elan through this. It'd be hard - but she was getting older now, and had always had a strong will and maturity, and Elan needed someone like that now. Someone that knew him, that he was comfortable with. Nia wasn't certain she was the only person that came into that category, but she was a person who could help, and that was all that mattered. It hurt her to see him so down, and she'd do all she could to help him through these times.

As he nodded in response to her words, Nia gave a reassuring smile. Mentally she was trying to find ideas that might lift him up - give him a boost so that he could find exactly where he stood. And maybe even where she stood. Did she feel the connection still? She thought she did, but they hadn't mentioned it since last year. And, well, this could affect things greatly. Not that she she be worrying about that now. She wasn't the one who mattered.

She sat quietly during that pause, not wanting to rush Elan. She guessed how hard it was. She swallowed slowly, and almost felt a sense of pride in Elan as he told the story. Despite his loss, he'd managed to kind of accept it, and that Nia could see as a positive thing in terms of grief. And then he looked down and away from her, as if trying to shy away from her - maybe embarrassed. She couldn't think what to say, what would be right...but she know Elan need not worry about her thoughts. Even if it was his father's fault, he was still family, right?

"It's okay," she said softly, cupping his chin in her free hand and lifting it gently. "Do you think that's what happened?"

He slid just a bit closer to her, as she was comforting him. The closeness was nice and comfortable. He felt like it was something he should do and he felt like it was something she might like. They hadn't really talked about them in a long time, and granted, this wasn't the best time for that chat, it was still their time.

As he told his story, he watched for any hint of revulsion or recoiling. She didn't do any of that, even when he looked down, he didn't feel like she looked poorly at him, he was just embarrassed none the less.

He nodded in response to her question. "I do. Each year, Dad became more and more angry as I would visit and mum would ask about Hogwarts, and lessons and magic in general. He even forbad me speak of it last holiday. He said he would have no such rubbish in his house. He spoke of being fearful of the neighbors and their reaction. We live in a really traditional village, very religious, very superstitious. He was afraid he would be in danger."

She felt him move that little bit closer. Not much, but enough to notice. Enough to make a few butterflies flutter in her stomach like they'd done last year. That nervous energy that she didn't understand, but had sometimes when she thought of Elan. She couldn't have placed why it happened now, but it did, and she knew immediately she'd been doing something right with her comforting.

It was now too, that Nia sensed the embarrassment. Only a few small hints, but as a close friend it was enough to notice. She wondered why Elan felt that way - he had nothing to worry about with her afterall. She squeezed his hand once more.

It was as he nodded Nia had to try and hide a frown. Something had struck her as slightly strange about the whole thing, but for some reason she'd expected, well...a less definite response, she supposed. As he spoke, Nia felt a guilt inside - how had she not managed to understand quite so fully Elan's background? She knew his father was muggle, and about his life in Italy, but she had no idea it could get...so extreme.

She moistened her dry lips slowly with her tongue. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to comment on what her friend had said. Would it help or hinder the healing process? Their friendship? At the same time, she wanted to know more, to understnad herself. She felt some of Elan's pain, and Nia was the type of person that always wanted to find the root of a problem beofre solving it. Mainly in her classwork, but it could be applied to other areas too.

"It seems, well, so drastic," she said slowly after a moment's thought. "I mean, I guess I can see it from both perspectives...but still..." And she leaving that hanging there, hoping she'd not over stepped the mark.