Oh crap.

Jake closed his eyes tight in an attempt to try and imagine himself away. Change the scene, like in books.

There was obviously no such luck.

Opening his eyes again, Jake was about to go ahead with the ice explosion story, but he knew by now that it was just stupid.

"I… d-d-don't knnnow what you mmmean," he mumbled, avoiding eye contact. He was still ready for the last resort story about himself attacking Tibi, but he hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Jake stood, biting his lip as he waited to see what Lawson had to say.

Why did this boy always have to make life so complicated for himself? Marcus could always tell when he was lying and right now Jake was spinning him a big fat one.

"Jake, kids are getting hurt. Yourself included" he said quietly and staring at Jake with an imploring look.

"Look me in the eye Jake and tell me what you know." He raised his hand before the boy could speak, "And I will KNOW if you are lying to me." He dropped his hand and nodded at the boy to continue.

"I dddon't know whhhat you muhh-mean," Jake repeated, only this time his voice was more worried. He didn't want to admit that he couldn't remember anything. Admitting THAT would be earning himself a one way ticket to St. Mungo's, in his opinion.

"Nnnobody has bbbeen injured. Yyyou're imahh-immmahh-imagining it!"

Yeah, because that was totally going to work.

"Yeah I think alot of people are having a tough time with the home, Im doing terrible in Arthimancy thats for sure, me and math not so good." Brant told Miranda. Man math was his worst subject before he came to Hogwarts so for sure he was going to do bad in that Lesson.

A couple of mintues had passed and the cookies seemed nice a cool but still warm, where the chocolate would melt in their mouths. "I believe that we can eat those cookies now" while getting up he grabbed two plates and put a couple of the cookies on each plate and he passed one to her and he kept one for himself.

"Ohhhh... These are great.." he said muching on them.

Miranda asked Brant about if he wish he had any siblings. "Well, sometimes I do, but I do have loads of cousins so they kind of fill that void ya know. Some of them think im their big brother but I do like how my parents always have time for me, Its great loads of gifts on my birthday and for christmas." he said laughing, because it was true Brant always got loads of gifts during those times.

"You have an older brother, thats cool. Where you guys ever at Hogwarts together?" he said. WoW he was in sweden, thats great He has always wanted to go there. "Maybe one of these days I'd like to go to Sweden for I've always heard great things about the country side.." he said mater-of-factly.

"Naw, My parents are busy with with and when I come home for the holidays we just spend it with our family. We don't really travel much for I'd love to." he said. He wanted to see everywhere. Plus he wanted to go see the other wizarding school around the world and see how they work. He bet that not alot of them are like Hogwarts.

"I wonder what the other Wizarding schools, are like. I mean do they have the same lesson's as us. It would be great to do a tour of all of them around the world and see what they learn. Im always so curious." he said laughing while enjoying his cookies.

Mina laughed softly at the thought. "Yeah, Peeve probably wouldn't be please at all, but boo on him." Things were turning out so much better than she expected. She had worried for no reason at all. She could finally breath a sigh of relief. She hadn't angered yet another Slytherin and she wouldn't have to worry about explaining that to her father. Very bad to anger anyone in his old house, he kept telling her.

Nomming on her final cookie, she brushed off the crumbs and looked over to her newest friend. "Yes, I should get be bed myself. Lots to do in the morning." she replied. She did have a mountain of homework to finish up. "Nice to meet you too! See you around later." She watched as Kiri waves and returned a wave of her own. That really went better than she had expected.

Watching as Kiri disappeared out the entrance, Mina pulled the bottle out of her pocket and places it back in her bag. It was so much more safer there with her journal. Cleaning up after herself, she got up and headed for the entrance as well. She really did need to get some rest before tackling everything she needed to get done.

Sometimes Marcus just wanted to throttle the boy. Was it so hard for him to just come right and tell the truth for once?

"Jake for Merlin sakes, this is serious. I was there in the hospital wing. I saw all of you covered in blood and dirt and I wasn't the only one." Marcus gripped the edge of the counter and took a few deep breaths, this had been a very stressful day and he was very close to snapping.

"I know you claim that you can't remember what happened, along with the others. But I was hoping to speak to you and maybe see if we could go back to what your were doing before the incident and maybe we can get to the bottom of this problem."

Jake flinched a little when Lawson snapped at him. He stared wide-eyed and stood stock still. How was he supposed to do this? This was insane. He HATED this place.

"Nnnothing hhhappened!" he exclaimed, looking worried. "I wasn't thuhh-there. Nobody wwwas there. Nobody was huhh-hurt. You ddddreamt it. You all ddddid," Jake insisted, looking tearful. And then, totally without meaning to, he lost it. "I'm nuhh-n-n-NOT losing ttttime again," he shouted, looking very upset. "I'm nnnot!"

Shaking his head and looking down at his feet, Jake took another breath. "I t-t-told you I'd ssstick around for one mmmore t-t-term. Give it anuhh-another ch-ch-chance."

And that chance had just been blown.

"I'm nnnot losing ttttime."

Ugh! "Oh, Arithmancy is a pain..." Miranda wrinkled her nose and shook her head. She totally knew what Brant was talking about. Those lessons always gave her a headache. "I hear ya...Maybe there's a handbook, like 'Arithmancy for Dummies' or something."

But now the cookies were ready to be eaten!!! SQUeeeeeeeeeeee! Miranda smiled and watched with anticipation as Brant bustled about, putting the cookies on the plates. He was sweet to be so courteous and she smiled at him when he offered her the plate with COOKIE. "Thankyou." She watched Brant take a bite and couldn't wait herself to shove it into her mouth... And she did. "Omygooof..." She chewed. Hehe, she sometimes had no manners. "They are sho goood," her eyes widened as she tasted the sweet chocolaty taste. Divine!

She swallowed and eyed the other cookies, but quickly turned to the Gryffindor. "You're a really good baker." She smirked at him. Wonder if he can do a CHOCOLATE CAAAAAKE!

Ahem.
Aw, he had a big family, so one couldn't say he was alone, ofcourse not. "Ooh, that's nice. Do you all get together on holidays and stuff?" Miranda laughed when he told her about the presents. Brant was different, she noticed, all the other kids who were the only child seemed a bit...selfish. But not Brant. He was caring and obviously liked to share things with his friends.

"Oh, no we weren't. That would've been fun though. He's seven years older than me, so we didn't get the chance to." She said, playing with the crumbs on her plate. "Well you should go somewhere... It's awfully beautiful out there." She smiled.

Other schools. Hm, like Durmstrang? Heh. "Well I hear Durmstrang is somewhere around Sweden...and that it's not such a nice place like Hogwarts. But it would be interesting to see." Yes, it toally would.

"Hahaha, yeah I would so love the person who would write a "Arthimancy for dummies" that would be so great" Brant said to Miranda, while they started to finish their cookies Miranda started speaking with her mouth full and this only made him even happier. "Im, glad you like them, But that wasn't the only surprise I have up my sleeves for today" he said while giving her yet another one of Brant's famous winks.

"Aww, thanks Bel, I love to bake I know its kinda girly but I like to see the faces of the people who eats what I bake. Like yours ahah" he said while mimicking her own face of eating the cookies. "Oh, thats to bad that you guys weren't at school together, But I guess thats kind of okay for Im happy that I have no siblings here for If I get into trouble, I know they would go running to mom and dad and say "Guess what Brant did" type of thing yeah know." he started to laugh.

"Oh, man Drumstrang would be soo cool to visit. I would maybe want to go invisable if its like everyone is saying." thinking about walking around all invisable made him shiver. Gah he would hate it if no one could see him. "I know theres some like over seas in Canada or the United States, those would be cool to see aswell." Brant made sure to make a mental note of after school he would go see the rest of the Wizarding Schools.

"Okay, I think your ready for this surprise. But you have to close your eyes" he said while going over futher into the kitchens. "Keep your eyes closed, no peaking Bel" he said while whispering with a house elf he was talking to earlier. While the house elf went to grab what Brant made eariler, he kept watch to make sure she was keeping her eyes closed.

The house elf walked upto him and handed Brant a big box with Yellow Ribbon on it. Walking back over to Miranda, he placed the box infront of her and said "Okay, you can open your eyes now" She opened her eyes and noticed the box with the ribbon on it, and started to open it.

The yellow Ribbon slowly fell off the box, and she opened the box, inside that box was a big two level chocolate cake, with Yellow roses on it. Nothing else just a lovely chocolate cake with many little yellow roses, that seemed to shimmer. Brant just looked at her for he didn't know what she was going to say. He started to Smirk yet again.

Cesar paced down the hall of the kitchen corridor famished and searching for a snack. He tickled the pear and entered the kitchen watching as all the elves scurried around and then his eyes slowly laid on the one thing that did not fit in the picture. Jude. "oh, Hey Jude. Hows it going?" said Cesar with emotionless eyes.

Jude looked up at the sound of his name. He rolled his eyes seeing who it was, and replied, "Hello Cesar. I'm doing alright, and yourself?" Jude finally looked over to look at the boy and noticed something funny. He didn't seem to have the normal mischievous glint as before.

She smiled at the boy and his liking for the book. It totally would be helpful. Hehe. But- what? He had a surprise for her? She wanted to ask what, but his little wink made her blink and she was sure he was not going to tell her. So instead she bit her lower lip and just gathered all her patience... Trickseh.

"Oh, no, it's not girly at all. I can't bake... " She shrugged, as if that totally made her point that his baking was cool. And impressive. She blushed a little as he imitated her when she ate. And then she wrinkled her nose... "Weeeell, they were goooood!" It's not her fault he made awesome cookies that she got all crazy for. But she knew he was teasing and she playfully slapped him on the arm.

Oh, the sibling annoyance. "Yep, I get what you mean... I can't remember that ever happening with my brother - not that it probably didn't - but I guess it's part of the sibling thing. Y'know?" She tilted her head and looked at the boy to see if he agreed.

Hmmm, visiting Durmstrang would indeed be cool... and that would be both the awesome and chilly meaning to it. As far as when Miranda's pal Oliver mentioned it, it wasn't pleasant. Come to think about it, he didn't actually talk much about it - and she had learned not to ask since their 'little' fight. Not a pleasant memory. "Beauxbatons would be cool to visit. Oh oh oh, and WATCH ONE OF THEIR GAMES!" Her eyes widened and an excited grin plastered over her face.

Oh! SURPRISE! What could it beeeeeeeee-

Close her eyes? Miranda raised an eyebrow and then squinted at him. "mmmMkay." She said and closed her eyes. She brought her thumb nail up to her mouth and began to gnaw on it.
But soon enough, Brant spoke up and she opened her eyes to find a box with some yellow ribbon. BADGEEEEEEEEEEEEERS! Hehe!

Not being able to hide her grin, she looked up at Brant and then down at the box. "What is this?" She asked curiously. But then began to open the boxy and BEHOLD there was a SUPERBAD CHOCOLATE CAKE.

Her jaw dropped and she stared at the boy. "A cake?" And it had flowers on it. Flowers. That was nice! "Did you make this??" Seriously... That was like... HE'S A CHOCOLATE BAKERRR!

"Well to be quite honest Jude... I'm bored..." His lip began to pout slightly as he realized this. And as a result of some weird mental concoction said... "i think its time for me to wreck havoc..." Cesar smiled as he thought of all the things he might do... "Wreck havoc and romance the ladies.... Care to join?" his smile became more larger because of what he just said. It was amusing because of the fact that Jude was indeed taken already and probably not up to the challenge of romancing ladies and wrecking havoc. "Oh.. never mind.. i forgot you were settled down." with this said he cocked his head back and let out a gasping chuckle.

Jude arched his brow at Cesar's suggestion. "Well...why the heck not." he said with a shrug of his shoulders. 'Might as well have a bit of fun right?' Jude thought with a fond smile.

He had always been the goody-two-shoes, and now it's time to change that image.

Cesar lowered his head with eyes wide and stared. O_O "Did.... you-just-say-yes?" Cesar wasn't sure he heard the words correctly. Jude the prude wants to go romance ladies? How could this be? thought Cesar. "Okay! lets go!" He smiled as he thought of how he really was going to wreck havoc considering he had Jude as his co-star now. "Cool, I've always really wanted to try that wing man thing.. lets go test out the skills at the lake. There's lots of lovely ladies over there."

Jude chuckled at what Cesar had to say. He was just trying to have a few more friends and if it meant hanging out with Cesar and acting out of character, then why not do it? He had nothing to lose..or so he thought.

"Alright let's get going then." Jude said walking towards the exit of the kitchens.

Lina breathed a sigh of relief when they got to the kitchen and finally eased a little, though she still looked pretty shaken. She got them each a cup of coffee and found somewhere to sit. She curled up in the chair, biting her lip uneasily. "Well, have a seat, I guess... You probably want an explanation, huh?" He was the prefect, after all.

"You weren't where?" Marcus asked in a calm voice. It was amazing how Jake's tantrums always seemed to calm him down and he let go of the bench and stood up from the stool. He headed over to the cupboards and cool room and began to pull out ingredients. He would make his own pie. Cooking was therapeutic.

Deciding to just ignore the comment about dreaming seeing six students in the hospital all with varying degrees of magical injuries, Marcus began to chop up some vegetables. "What was the last thing you remember?" he asked deciding to also ignore the 'losing time' comment. "Is vegetable pie alright for you?"

With a flick of his wand, Raiden cooled his own coffee down a little, so he could... well guzzle it.

That caffeine needed to be in his brain. RIGHT. NOW.

Handing the cup off to a house elf, who promptly refilled it and handed it back, Raiden looked at Lina expectantly. With his panda-bear like eyes, kneazle ears, and crup tail... Raiden was fairly sure anyone who saw him at this point would think he was some strange species of undiscovered creature.

Facepalm.

"What did you do?" You know, that thing that wasn't necessarily bad. "Why are you hiding from girls?"

She took a deep breath. "Let me start by saying I did everything perfectly within the bounds that I was given and I took full responsibility for all of my actions, okay?" It was really hard when the only person you knew was a prefect. She didn't want him to feel conflicted or anything. "I'd finished a potion, and I know, not the best way to start a story. Well, I went up to the dorms to see if anyone wanted to test it. I figured it was better up there than in the common room where everyone was. And a girl volunteered. So I measured out a dose and told her what it was for. It was an energy potion... You know, like the one that I made last year? Well, you seemed pretty alert from the study potion, so I decided to tweak it a bit to give a person a little more energy. You know, like being alert enough for sports or play or something, instead of just studying. And... she took it."

She sipped a little bit of her coffee and glanced at him for his reaction.

Processing... please wait.

Processing...

...so she'd tested something on a girl. Possibly one of the two she was now hiding from. Sipping his coffee, eyes on the table, Raiden found himself wondering exactly why she had to hide from these girls.

"And what did it do to her?" he asked patiently, one hand reaching up to scratch his ear. "Apparently not what you'd hoped for, considering... she's probably one that you asked me to stall?"

... "One of them, yes." She looked into her coffee cup. "It was fun at first. It gave her energy all right, a lot of it. I need to tone down the potion. But she was really hyper. I figured it could be for cheerleaders or something, right? And I got her name. Violet Riddle. Well... with her hyperness, she wound up falling off her bed. And when she did, she suddenly got upset. There was me and two other girls in the room. She only recognized one of them. Apparently that was Marie. And then she was afraid of me for some reason. Memory loss, confusion... she was also stumbling. I grew up in St Mungo's, you know? So I could see the signs of a concussion. I was worried, so I said she should go to the hospital wing or take a healing potion. I make them all the time, so I usually have them on me. Then... everything really started turning bad."

She sipped the coffee again, thinking of how to continue. "Of course, she didn't know me at that point, and she didn't trust me. She kept messing around and falling over, and I tried to tell her that it was really dangerous with a concussion. The other girls just said she had to quiet down or leave. So... she left. And she fell down the stairs before I could catch her. And she got worse. I figured if I couldn't get her to listen to me and go to the hospital wing, I should at least keep an eye on her, you know? I found her here, in the kitchen." She pointed. "Over there. Acting even stranger. She started seeing bright lights and hallucinating, and then she saw me and panicked. She couldn't get up, couldn't walk, so she tried to crawl away. I knew it was really bad. Possibly even a Grade III concussion. And I knew it would be bad if she ran off somewhere and fell asleep. You're supposed to keep them awake and watch them, you know? But I couldn't do anything, so I paralyzed her so I could take her to the hospital wing. She was really pale, but I knew I had to get her there..."

Tears started coming to her eyes as she remembered. She was too engrossed in what was happening then, but now, thinking back on it, she had nothing to keep her from breaking down.

Owwwww. Raiden winced several times as Lina told her story, especially at the falling down the stairs part. He'd been lucky enough in his life to have never fallen down the stairs... that wasn't to say he'd never fallen on the stairs. But down them? Just... owie.

"I assume you got her to the Healer, then, right?" She was getting all upset... biting his bottom lip, he reached toward her and patted her arm awkwardly. "Calm down, it's... okay. She's feeling better now, I assume, if she's after you, so it's all okay. And Healer Ashford is really competent and stuff."

Yup. So... calm down and don't make faces like that. Raiden couldn't take the sadfaces. At all. Sigh.

"Well, that's the thing... I got her there and the place was full. The healer was busy with other people. I undid the spells so I could check her vitals, and she wasn't breathing at all! I mean really at all! And her pulse was really faint. Her heart was barely beating. I did CPR and everything, and she woke up, but then she couldn't remember anything at all. Then we found out she was bleeding. I checked and her hair was all matted in the back, and there was so much blood... I even noticed it on the floor. I didn't notice it before though because I was just so worried about making sure she was alive, you know? I healed what I could, but I'm not a healer... I've seen it, and I have some memory of the spells, but I had no idea what to do. Then I had to keep her from panicking, and she asked about who I was and who she was, and how long I knew her and how we met... And I only told her enough... because I didn't want to scare her and I didn't want her to run away from me again or remember how much she hated me after she hit her head the first time."

She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I managed to get her to wait there until she was seen, and she was okay after that but really confused and still didn't remember a lot. Got her back to the dorm, tried to help her remember a little more, and Marie woke up and started asking questions. She started remembering more and stuff... and Marie kept accusing me... And when they started fighting I just snuck out. When I was sure they hadn't noticed, I just ran. Before Violet could remember that she hated me, and before Marie could ask me any more questions about what happened."

She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "Raiden... I almost killed someone! She doesn't know, they don't know how close she came, but... but..."

Merlin, Morgana and Mordred SHE WAS CRYING. Lina was sitting here in front of him CRYING he had NO experience with this kind of thing. What was he meant to do?!

"You didn't almost kill her, Lina. She's alive and perfectly fine." At least he assumed, since she was in the dorm fighting with someone else. He patted her arm some more, not knowing what else to do. He hugged other people when they were upset but... well what if Lina didn't want hugs when she was upset? Impulsive hugging was not a good thing all the time. "She just.... well. Next time you test something, it might be a good idea to restrain your subject?"

Possibly lock the door? That way they couldn't... run away and hurt themselves.

"Calming draught would've... probably been a good idea to have in hand while testing something like that." He gave her a little smile. "So don't get upset, okay? Just... be a bit more cautious in the future. She's fine, and surely she doesn't hate you. How could she?"