"Well next time we'll just have to have a real race outside! Around the lake or something" Avery was excited about feeding the giant squid. This was deffinately something she hadn't done before and was glad to be out of the common room. She had spend WAY to much time in there and had grown to resent it. Avery heard Nymphy ask for the turkeys and hens, she decided to had at the last second "And maybe a few pastries for ourselves?"

Marilyn seen the hurt flash across Rafe's face and bit at her lip more fiercely. He really didn't understand how much she cared for him. His doubt in her was still there, clearly painted beneath his beautiful dark eyes. While it should have made her sad, all she felt was amusement. "While I do love kissing you...more than you probably believe...This isn't the time or the place." She gave him a knowing look before leaning in to kiss his cheek, the smirk never leaving her face. "And it isn't fair that I have to ask now. What if I suddenly become shy? I'll never get any more special Rafe-kisses." She pouted, not really that convincingly. "I hope you know that Im terribly sad now."

She winked at him before turning to her fruit bowl. Her body was feeling much better and the urge to faint had receded. After a few more bites, Marilyn yawned widely. Resting against Rafe again, her eyes fluttered. "Im guessing lunch in February is fine then?"

Rafe understood her, it was just hard hearing. "Well, all my kisses are just for you love," he said he that special warmth swept over him as she kissed his cheek. "Well, how 'bout I promise that our next kiss will only be when you ask it of me and never before?" He grinned ear to ear. "And after that there will be plenty of those special Rafe-kisses as you like to call them." Rafe had a wild look in his eyes. "You never have to be sad with Marilyn...I can wait, and then it will be really special between us. No more hiding, no more games...just us."

Rafe put his arm around her slightly cautious, he didn't want to cross any line with her. But, this was simply out of...well, he didn't really have a reason, he just liked having her close. "February sounds great, I can't wait." Rafe gave her one tight squeeze then jumped off the counter. "It's late Marilyn, I think," Rafe shrugged, he didn't actually see any windows around. "Would you like be to escort you back to the Dungeon? And perhaps we can have lunch or something tomorrow?

Kiri suddenly found herself in complete agreement with everything Mina was saying again. "Yeees," she said slowly, tapping her fingernails against the empty glass, "I bet it was Peeves... Mean old poltergeist." She swivelled around on her chair, brushing against Mina's knees as she did so, and looked around. The kitchen still looked just as before - no ghost was visible anywhere. The house-elves' bustle was slowing down now, so it looked like dinner was well and over.

"Whatever it was, I hope it doesn't do much more than give people a headache," she said, turning around. "Although... I mean, he couldn't do anything, you know, dangerous, could he? The headmaster would kick him out!" Or hand him over to Professor Kazimeriz. Kiri was still thirsty. She got up and grabbed the milk jug. She hesitated. Was it possible that Peeves had tampered with that as well? It had tasted normally, and he probably wasn't allowed to go around poisoning everyone's drinks. She sniffed it carefully, then shrugged and poured herself another glass.

As she was taking the first sip - still deliciously cold and refreshing - another thought occurred to her. It was a fairly obvious one, and Kiri wondered why it had taken her so long to realise it. Even if Peeves had put something in the orange juice, why was it only Kiri who'd experienced the effects? Mina, apart from that persistently worried look on her face, seemed just fine. Ugh. Was she allergic to something in... whatever it was Peeves had slipped into the juice? But she'd never been allergic to any magical ingredient ever!

Too strange... Well, she'd been too busy worrying about Mina and hoping she was alright to really think about this. Maybe it was because the three doses of Pepperup Potion plus no dinner and a ton of chocolate chip cookies that had contributed to her little episode.

"Oh yes! Wonderful idea. I'm starving after that race...." To be truthful, he was always starving and ate a lot. If it wasn't for the killer matabolism he had inherited from his mother, he would be quite obese. "and if we're having pastries, we'll need a flagon of pumpkin jiuce!" Mmmmmmmmm.....he loved pumpkin jiuce.

"Pumkin juice sounds great as well!" Avery couldn't wait to get out there by the lake. She had only been out there once before at the begining of the term with another random person she had just met. But at least this time she was with her best friend. Nymphy had some how managed to sneak up into that spot. "I don't know what I would do with out you Nymph!" Avery giggled and was ready to eat the wonderful pastries.

"Probably get into a deul casue your so bored and get explelled." he said truthfully. "But now we get to throw giant turkeys and hens at a huge squid. Can't beat that!" he said, taking the large rutsake of poultry. "Let's go. I'd race you, but this giant sack of turkeys is preventing me from moving any faster than a giant slug." He laughed and began to walk from the kitchens.

"Well I still might get in a duel!" Avery stuck her tongue out at him! Nymphy was carrying the huge sack of poltury and Avery was carrying the pastries and the pumpkin juice. "It makes me hungry smelling all this good food!" Avery quickened her pace to keep up with Nymphy, and away they went toward the lake.

Mina nodded in agreement. Peeves was a mean old poltergeist and was very capable of playing some dirty tricks on the students. Glancing around as Kiri spun in the chair, Mina felt a little guilty about planting the idea of Peeves being to blame. But what was she to really do now. Feeling her robe pocket, she made sure the little bottle was still there and hidden.

"Maybe it was something he found in the potions storeroom or took from a student," she answered as she set her hands back on the table. "If it was a student's potion or something, it can't be all that dangerous, right?" The potion was supposed to be harmless, but still she was a bit concerned. She would hate to see Kiri turn into a kneazle like how Raiden in class. It was funny and all but Mina did prefer her friends, new ones and old ones, to be human.

"I was in potions, so maybe he took someone's homework and is trying to be silly." she said as she reached for her bag and pulled out her Potions' journal. Opening it, she showed Kiri what they had worked on. Looking back up, she shrugged. "Does that sound that dangerous?"

Her conscience was starting to act up again. She was technically telling Kiri what she was slipped, so that was at least doing the right thing. She just was failing to mention it was herself that did the slipping. It would have been better if Mina had just told Kiri about it before, but what could she possible do now. At least, she was telling Kiri what potion was used and maybe that piece of information would help soften the blow when Kiri found out it wasn't Peeves that did it.

Kay walked into the kitchen and sat at a table. She put her tea on it and waved to and house-elf. "Could we have some cake to go with our tea please." Kay said nicely. She knew not to be mean to house-elves. Her aunt would be very upset with her if she was. Kay would wait for her friends to show up. "Oh, and three cups if you please, thank you very much." Kay wondered if any of them were related to Dobby. Harry loved Dobby.

Ginny followed Kay into in the Kitchen and sat down. "Wow this is a nice part of the castle", said Ginny as she was looking around and she had never been in the Kitchen before.

Marilyn gave him a brilliant smile. "That's what you better say. I'd hate to hurt someone...if I seen them trying anything with you." She yawned again, quickly moving her hand to cover her mouth. "I didn't realize how very tired I am."

She stood, stretching her arms over her head. Hopefully sleep would come to her tonight. "You wouldn't mind escorting me?"

"Well, they might try, but I'm already bewitched by you," Rafe said as he smiled back. He extended his arm for her to take. "It would be my honor to escort you Milady!" He was kind of tired himself, he had a big day coming up and definitely needed his rest, and he was sure Marilyn needed the same.

(ooc: do you want to meet somewhere like it's after the game?)

Marilyn stood and took Rafe's proffered arm. "I just hope Im able to sleep tonight. Thank you for walking me back." She smiled up at him lazily, before exiting the kitchens.

ooc: Let's do it! Where, though?

"Can't see how it could be," Kiri said with a shrug. "Peeves is a troublemaker, but I don't think he would do anything that was actually, you know, dangerous. Playing an embarrassing prank or something on someone sounds more like him. Maybe he thought this potion would make people's ears grow or something." Just to make sure, she checked her own, but they were still their usual size.

"Let's see, then," she said, taking the notebook from Mina's hands. Their hands touched lightly as she did so, and Kiri felt a spark run up her arm that she associated with Raiden. Huh. But they weren't... Kiri wasn't... They weren't that close friends (is what she settled for), were they?
Momentarily confused, it took her a moment to realise that she was holding the notebook upside down. Ears (standard size!) reddening, she turned it around and skimmed the notes Mina had taken.

They seemed to be about the last Potions lesson. The students had apparently brewed something called a... Camaraderie Concoction that was supposed to evoke friendly feelings in the person who drank it towards to person who'd made the potion. "Mhmm," Kiri said slowly, "you know, this does sound like the stuff in the orange juice was this Concoction thing!" She checked the list of side effects quickly, but as she was still her normal self, this potion seemed more or less perfect.

While that was good, it did leave one remaining question... "Hold on, though," she said, handing the book back to Mina, "but wouldn't that mean I should be feeling, er, camaraderie for Peeves? Because I don't. I don't really feel like joining him in a spot of mayhem or destruction, for example." Unless it only depended on who had brewed the potion, not who administered it. There was an important insight here somewhere...

Taking her journal back, Mina slid it back into her bag and looked back at Kiri. At least they were both aware it was the Camaraderie Concoction they were dealing with and Mina's conscience was at ease, if for the moment. "I think it's more the person who brewed it, but there was kind of a mix up in the lesson." she said as she gave a meek smile. It was basically true though, the lesson was a huge mix up.

Again, she subconsciously felt for the bottle in her pocket. She needed to make sure it was there still. A sinking feeling that someone else might take it scared her slightly. She wasn't actually lacking in the friend department, but she didn't want to find herself with a group of new friends that would normally never be friends with her; all due to some concoction.

"That lesson was crazy. Peeves was there and then there was an explosion," she explained with a nod. Yes, there was a lot of things that happened between the two events, but she left those details out. "Slime was like everywhere and people were turning into kneazle and crup-like humans. It was kind of cute, but it was like mass confusion. Maybe somewhere in there, something happened?" She was seriously grasping for straws but she didn't want to look bad to Kiri. She actually enjoyed being friendly with the girl. Very strange considering, Mina had the worst luck with trying to friend Slytherins.

Thinking about all the craziness of the lesson, Mina laughed a little. "You know, I actually got slime on myself and started turning into a kneazle too. I wasn't as cute as other kneazles, but the ears and tail were entertaining for the first few minutes." she said with a grin. Maybe if she strayed away from talk about the how the concoction happened to get in the juice, she could altogether avoid blame for it. She would stick to blaming Peeves for it all. Surely, his appearance in the classroom that day, should have signalled that anything involved with that lesson had bad written all over it.

"Wow," said Kiri, looking suitably impressed. "That does sound like a crazy lesson. Wait... I actually did see a few people with those Kneazle ears and stuff!" Raiden, for example. How could she have forgotten? This Camaraderie Concoction - now that she knew what it was - really messed with her head.

Kiri poked her cheek with a finger as she watched Mina put the notebook away. The girl was constantly grabbing something hidden in the pocket of her robe. Odd nervous tick to have, Kiri thought, but maybe the Camaraderie Concoction in her glass had a different effect from the one in Kiri's glass. "So it sounds like everything to all mixed up and stuff," she concluded.

She shrugged. "As long as nothing bad happened, I guess." No sense getting all excited about it now. Kiri considered briefly proposing to warn people that Peeves was going around slipping potions into people's glasses, but then decided against it. They weren't dangerous, after all, and she didn't feel like running around all over the school in the evening and telling people - and they might well think she was the one playing a prank on them.

With a yawn, Kiri picked up another chocolate chip cookie so that they didn't think they were all lonely and forgotten. "Anyway," she said, taking a bite, "I think I'll be getting back to the co-..." She stopped. Something had just occurred to her. It was an obvious thought now that it was in her mind, but something - the Concoction, most likely - had successfully stopped it from appearing. "Hey!" she said loudly. "This stuff Peeves put in my glass, that was your potion, wasn't it?"

Mina shrugged and thought about how some of her fellow classmates actually still were sporting kneazle ears. Raiden did look kind of adorable as a knealze, but she would never tell him that for sure. "Never really a dull moment in potions, I keep telling myself."

Moving her hands before her on the table, Mina reached for a glass of milk and another cookie. She seriously had to keep herself busy and take attention away from her constant checking of her pockets. Nomming on the cookie, she nodded slightly. "I like to think of it was a hot mess, but it was kind of fun at the same time. There is a slight bit of excitement you can get from some pure chaos." she smiled as she wiped the crumbles from her face.

Tilting her head to the side, Mina thought about it. Really, nothing too terrible had happened and there wouldn't be a real need to get others involved over something that would eventually wear off in time. "I doubt anything bad will happen. I mean it's just a simple potion some students made, the worst that could happen is maybe some kneazle-kittens and crup-pups or maybe a small group of random devotees or something," she said as she thought back at all the possible side effects of an incorrectly brewed concoction.

Reaching for another cookie, Mina stopped mid-reach as Kiri put two and two together. Her eyes got larger and she made a slight face. Well, it was time to just face the music, wasn't it? "It's very possible...yeah, maybe." she rambled. She knew it was hers but she didn't want to admit it. "My bottle from class is missing some, so....." Oh how was she really going to talk herself out of this one?

Kiri sank back in her chair. That certainly explained things. Her sudden and rather profound feeling of friendship for Mina, the even stranger feelings when their hands had touched, asking her to go into Hogsmeade... It was due to the Camaraderie Concoction! Quite a coincidence, really, that Peeves should have scooped up Mina's potion and then slip it into Kiri's glass while she was talking to Mina.

Of course, maybe Peeves had pilfered several people's potions. It was just like him to float around waiting for an opportunity that would create the most confusion. That Mina herself was responsible didn't even cross Kiri's mind, either because she was still under the influence, however slightly, of the Concoction or because it simply did not occur to her to attribute such actions to people - least of all small Ravenclaws.

This was a slight dilemma, however. Kiri wasn't sure how much of this was because of the potion, but she liked Mina! Bit young, maybe, but she was a nice person and fun to talk to. With that in mind, maybe it would be best to just forget about the Camaraderie Concoction incident - or just take it as a great opportunity to make a new friend. Kiri had a feeling that the potion had more or less worn off completely by now, and she still didn't feel bored or annoyed.

"Weeell, Peeves might just have done us a favour, then!" she said brightly, offering the bag of cookies to Mina once more.

Evelyn dropped her things off in the Hufflepuff dormitory and skipped into the nearby kitchen. She spotted Ginny and Kay sitting down and went to join them. "Good day to you," Evelyn smiled at a passing elf, with squinty eyes, and carrying a plate of pies. The elves here seemed the happiest Evelyn had ever met.

"It is, isn't Ginny?" Evelyn said looking around, "I really like it here. And it's nice and close to our common room, isn't it, Kay?"

Evelyn didn't really know Kay, but she wanted to get to know her. She wanted to have more friends in Hufflepuff. There were just so many questions she could ask her, she didn't know where to start! "So, Kay, where are you from?"

Kay pour out the tea that they had need when she answered. "Yes I really like it here. It's warm and reminds me for home." Kay said smiling "Yes , it's very close to our common room which is great. I can come over here to get snacked any time I like." she said pasting the cookies round to all of them. "Well I grow up in Fulham. Outside of London until two years ago. When my parents were killed I moved into London with my grandmother." Kay answered Evelyn. "So, Where are you guys from?" Kay asked drinking some of her tea.

Mina happily accepted another cookie and smiled. Maybe she was worrying over nothing. Kiri seemed calm about Mina's concoction being the one she had been slipped and hadn't shown any anger over it. She would hate to have angered her new friend over the start of their new friendship. The whole making friends thing was still a bit new to the young Ravenclaw and she was just getting used to it. "Yeah, maybe Peeves does come in handy from time to time," she grinned as she nommed on her cookie.

Seeing as nothing bad had really happen and Kiri wasn't upset with Mina, she decided it was for the best to just forget about the concoction altogether. It appeared to work as it should and she had gained another friend, so she was doing quite well for herself. The concoction had surely ran its course and was through Kiri's system by now, so maybe their friendship was actually genuine.

The thought of having a new friend in Slytherin was kind of comforting to Mina. She was beginning to think that all girls in that house hated her for some strange reason. It wasn't like she had gone out of her way to anger them or anything. Maybe she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and was an easy target. SHe had thought her earlier encounters with the younger Slytherins were okay and they could be civil and what not, but what a difference a year made.

Shaking her mind of those thoughts, Mina continued to nom on another cookie. She was actually really enjoying herself and felt at ease just sitting there having cookies and milk.

"It's so lucky for you two", said Ginny.

"I'm so sorry about your parents", said Ginny as she did know what to say.
"Well I was born in London then I moved to Australia because my father got a job there. Then I came back here when I was 9".

"Thanks. It was hard at first, but now it's ok. So how was Australia? I haven't been there before." Kay said smiling. "I would love to go there. So do you like Hogwarts and all your classes?" Kay asked glad that she had new friends.

"Australia was beautiful", said Ginny simling. "The beaches there and the weather are heaps nice expect for summer when it is very hot. Hogwarts is awesome! I just don't really know anyone from my own house", said Ginny looking a bit unhappy.