"He is," Nia said with a smile. "Shame he doesn't see that though." She chuckled as Ellie tried to work out what she'd done.

"Sort of," she answered after pausing a moment to think about her reasons. She'd admit it hadn't quite gone according to plan. "I was hoping he'd stand up to me and tell me he wasn't any of those things...but it seems he doesn't know his own standard of playing. And is letting his head rule his heart." She perched on the arm of the sofa behind her. "Overthinking can be a bad thing in Quidditch..." She sighed. "I was hoping to shock him a bit...but it seemed my plan kinda backfired." She wasn't ashamed to admit it. "In the short term at least..."

Ellie nodded. Soooo much better!

"Oh, yeah. He needs a confidence boost." she said.

She looked over to where he had been with that other girl. "Maybe.... maybe he just needs more people to knock some sense into him... I mean, he can't just not play. If someone he trusted told him what we've all been telling him, maybe then he'd listen... Or... He just can't not play because he doesn't want to.. or says he doesn't... he does! He's got to! You can tell when he flies, he loves it... Why is he doing this to himself!" Ellie laughed. She had no idea what she was saying. She was just so frustrated. He was good! Good quidditch players play quidditch! It's as simple as that! "He's only making it worse for himself by doubting himself!" she finished her thought out loud.

Emilia Moon walked into the common room, hoping to find someone to spy on. She finally a saw a girl talking about quidditch. She listened to their conversation.

Nia looked relieved that she'd now convinced Ellie of her true intentions. She really didn't want to appear the scary Captain type. She'd ditched the attitude of her younger years in maturing into someone she hoped that poeple both looked up to but could also considered approachable with any problems. As Captain this year, that was even more important.

"More?" Nia raised her eyebrows. "Well, I think all of the teams and Captains so far have tried - so that's three years worth." She took a knowing deep breath. "I know, you can see the passion. Especially when he's upside down." She smiled. "He said he loves flying upside down - I reckon we could make a good tactic of it...you know, fool the other teams." She straightened her robes. "I don't even think its down to nerves. Just self doubt." She shrugged. "But if we all try to show our support, it can only be a good thing."

She shook her hair back. "So how did you find tryouts? As you expected?"

Anya walked into the commonroom, tired from a long day at the lake with Selena, Justin, and Maddie. She hadn't seen JD all day, though. She curled up by the fire with her Herbology homework and hoped he'd show up soon.

Ellie nodded vigorously.

"That would be awesome! I didn't know he could fly upside down... That's soo...." she searched for the right word... "Wicked?" yeah, that was a good enough word... "But he has to play! If he makes the team that is..." which Ellie had no doubt he would, but she couldn't say that in front of the captain... "He has my support at least... and yours, I can see... And he should have anyone's whose ever seen him fly.." And once again, she was rambling on.

"I liked them." she said, a bit confused at the change of subject. Or not really, since it was still quidditch related, "Chaser was a bit harder than I thought... But I'd love to play beater... Beater was fun." She wished she just knew if she made it! It was so weird talking 'what ifs' with the person who decided if she'd make it or not.

Jacob listened to Mina intently. Sure you can't turn then off, but he never said you could. People just let their emotions run wild, why could be more calm. "I'm telling you this place is Mad, there's just too much drama here." He heaved a great sigh, and just stared at the stars. "You're right, no one can turn off emotions, but dont let them get the better of you." Though jacob was close to turning off emotions. He could feel little happiness now. Just a lot of pain... which isn't good. Pain is something everyone can live without.

Jacob finally looked away from the ceiling. Then something went through his mind. "I always wonder what makes me return to this school every year, no matter how much it bothers me. I think its because every day of every term, something else happens. And each day my perspective of the world changes" he thought what it would be like to this school. "If I werent here everything would feel the same every day. It would get boring."

Nia laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised if he said he preferred being upside down, actually," she said with a wink. "As for who makes the team...I've nearly decided. But no trying to get it out of me. Strictly confidential, til Prof V officially releases the line ups." At that, she looked both excited and mysterious as she raised her eyebrows.

"That's good to hear," Nia replied. "You certainly looked at home with the beater's bat in your hand. A good clean confident shot." She looked at Ellie curiously. "Which is your natural hand?"

Ellie was happy the conversation was much less tense... Or at least, she felt it had been tense up until now.

She clapped her hands together and held her own hands... if that makes sense, "I'd love to see him upside down! That would be an amazing tactic to use!" She could just imagine it: JD catching the quaffle, going forward, then, just as Slytherin's were about to knock it out, whoosh! he went upside down....

"Thanks!" Ellie blushed. "It surprised my father when he first let me try beater at home." She almost knocked her godfather off his broom that time. "It's my right hand." she said, waving her right hand, "But I can hit with my left... just my aim's a bit off when I do." Yeah... try a lot...

Anya walked over to the fire where she had left her homework, half done. Sitting down, she began to finish it. When she was finished, she would head down to the Wishing Fountain. Yet still no sign of JD anywhere..

Walking into the common room, JD spots Anya in her usual place, smiling that small smile that he always had with his eyes twinkling, whenever he saw her. She was back, and he was happier than he'd been in a long time.

No matter what happened now, he knew they were together once again.

"Well that would be awesome....thanks so much!" Timothy pondered for a moment, "You and your boyfriend should visit my uncle's residence in Russia! He could teach us all some interesting magic...."

"I would love to go to Russia, I love snow!" she told Timothy, she knew that Jason would love to visit somewhere new and Jason knew that Timothy was just a friend.

Anya saw a flicker of movement from the corner of her eye. Glancing sideways, she saw JD looking at her, smiling. She smiled back, and motioned for him to come over by the fire with her.

Grinning at her, he walks over to where she was, and sits down next to her. Taking her hand in his, he looks into the fire. "How was your day?" he asks her quietly.

Did he just say that? Whoa, his dad did that every day he came home from fishing!

"Okay," she answered softly. "I'm tired." she said, and yawned. Leaning her head on his shoulder and squeezing his hand, she asked, "How was yours?"

Absently, she wondered what JD stood for, and if he would tell her. She made a mental note to ask later.

Nia nodded with a grin. "Like a Ravenclaw adapted version of the Sloth Grip Roll - but not only for avoiding bludgers. For attacking and shooting too." She winked. How Nia would love to have a strategy or tactic named after her. What an honour - a Quidditch legacy. Ahem...perhaps dreaming a tad much there.

"You're welcome," Nia replied, noting the girl's blush. "I bet!" She said with a laugh. Nia thought she'd had a fairly strong shot at that age, but Ellie's looked like it was going to be a whole lot more accurate than that. "You practice much at home?" It'd be interesting to know how much she'd been 'trained' and how much was raw talent. It was rather excitng actually.

"Thought so," Nia said at the answer of the right hand. "We could work on the left hand though...always useful if you get blocked in on your natural side. Or the back hand of course." Both were a good idea, really.

"It's getting better." he says with a grin. Laying the side of his head onto of hers, he sighs contentedly.

Thinking about the fun that Simon, Mina and he had on the train coming here, he wonders if by chance Anya would like to get in on it... No...probably not. Chuckling, a little he realizes she probably would never do that. Too sweet!

Ellie nodded with enthusiasm. "That would be awesome! We'd have such an edge!" It was true. She'd bet Galleons the other teams didn't have upside-down-flying players.

Ellie laughed with Nia. She could remember that time well... She was, what? Like seven? When she'd finally convinced him to have a go with the bat... She nodded her head, yes. "Well, sort of. I mean, I've been flying since I can remember, but I've never played a full game... Just small ones with my family. And there was never a snitch... And I've played with the bludger since I was seven, I think." She nodded again. That seemed about right. About a year after her brother was born. Because she'd shown 'responsibility' helping out...

"Oh, yes! That makes perfect sense. And it would be nice to hit with both" she looked at her right hand, then left, studying them. "Maybe I'd eventually get to use them equally. That's a real advantage, I'm sure..."

Mina sighed as her mind processed everything Jacob was saying. Most of it was easier said then done, but it was worth thought though. If she was in her right mind, it would have been easier for her to not let her feelings and emotions get in her way, but with all that had happened and was happening in her mind, it was a task that was more difficult than it should have been. "Mad? I'm thinking more insane at best." This place was probably was definitely insane and the people there just acted to the insanity.

Mina looked back from the stars and sighed a little. "You know, I ask myself that all the time. Why do I keep coming back?" she replied. In the back of her mind, she knew things would be a little easier if she didn't come back each term, but what fun was in things being easier. "True, at least here it's never a dull moment. Keeps us on our toes, doesn't?" Thinking about that, kind of made her smile thought. Even if the place was mad, she couldn't really not return. This place was part of her now.

"Well your boyfriend and you are quite welcome there! Though you would have to be prepared for the harsh climate....yeah"

Tmothy grinned. He was just fine being friends with Victoria, just fine.

((Sorry, I have very limited internet connection where I am right now....so there might be a delay!))

"So I will need alot of warm clothes then" she asked Timothy, she knew that it can be freezing cold in Russia. She thought it would be a great getaway for her and Jason.

OOC: I am getting a new laptop tomorrow, so I might be later online than normal.

"Well that should work quite well, the spells we will learn to survive will sustain us quite well....."

Timothy looked around the common-room, and saw that it was slowly clearing out....

((Nice, hope it works out alright!))

She saw that everyone was going, "Is it time for lessons or dinner?" she asked Timothy, "I love snow anyway!"

OOC: I am on it now!

"It must be time for dinner...it is getting rather late.....do you want to go to dinner?"

Timothy grinned and opened the door.