"That sounds.. Exciting!" To Rae it actually sounded dreadfully boring, but she wouldn't let him know that because it was something he was doing and she wasn't going to be one to ruin anything. "So, this Alumni Ball is a pretty big deal then? Even though Alumni doesn't even mean people here now... Though you will be alumni pretty soon." Rae slightly frowned then returned back to how she was.

"Really?" Xylon asked. It had actually been pretty boring. Except for the designing which had been the sole creative bit in the whole thing. But he wasn't going to say that. If she thought it was exciting then she could.

"I think a lot of people are going to turn up," he shrugged again. "People who have kids now and are like a billion years old." The corners of his mouth turned up into a slight smile. Okay so he was exaggerating. But some of the alumni would be oldddddd now. Way older than him at any rate. Not that he actually cared you know? "Yeah I will. Because they apparently don't allow seventh years to stay after they've graduated."

Smirk.

Apollo bent down to tie his right shoe. He hadn't been on a run in ages, and really needed to clear his head. OWL's were coming up and he was studying extra hard for all his exams. At the moment his brain felt like mush...and it was only January.

But that was Apollo. Always trying to achieve the best, and highest grades he could. He had to be the best. He put all the pressure on himself though. It didnt come from his parents. Of course they wanted him to do his best, but they also wanted him to be happy and do what was best for him.

At the moment...he wasn't happy. He didn't know when he would be happy again. He had never been broken like he was in Italy. Gianna had ripped his heart out.

He stood up, and did a couple of stretches before starting his jog. He took a slow and steady pace. He wasn't trying to win an imaginary race. He just wanted to take a slow jog...in the snow...with jeans, a t-shirt, and a huge sweatshirt on.

Yeah...great day for a jog.

Rae rolled her eyes at the comment about seventh years. She was really smiling inside but didn't show it. "Heh, yeah apparently.."

"So you guys are doing all the work for this ball thing and you don't even get to go?" Wow, that was a ripoff! Even if he didn't want to go, he still should be able to for doing the work... Right?

Eh? Xylon shook his head. "Of course we get to go," he said. "Everyone gets to go, alumni or not." Unless he was missing something here. Though he was pretty sure he wasn't. The ball was for everyone.

It would just have the added effect of alumni too.

"I'll re-check with a professor though." In case he was wrong. "Can we sit down?" He took her hand without waiting for a response and led her to the nearest bench. "Ladies first."

Diana was walking absent-mindedly, reading a book. She was thinking about Sam. He had been her life always since childhood, when she lived in the Muggle World. They knew each other for 6 years. He was the one she had loved truly. Then why did he betray her? He was, is and will always be her life.

She wanted to meet him, talk to him badly. But he kept on ignoring her letters. She racked her mind furiously, groping to find one reason for Sam's strange behaviour. They had been the best of chums always. "He loved me", muttered Diana," But why Sam, why do you avoid me?!"

Before Diana realised, hot tears trickled down her cheeks. Her eyes were already red with crying. She took a deep breath to calm herself down, when she suddenly collided with someone, bending over his feet. That someone was certainly athletic and big. Although she collided hard, it was she who fell down and not him. She lifted her tear-sodden eyes and merely looked at the Fifth-Year, tear tracks glittering on the face.

The guy looked troubled, Diana noticed. She tried to get, yelped miserably and fell down again. "Ouch!!" She muttered. Her left-ankle hurt badly..... Oh God!! Now she was in a real fix!

Oh, maybe Rae was wrong, she was just guessing after all. "Oh you're probably right. so after working on it then it'd make sense that you're going right?" Rae sat down careful not to put more pressure on her wrist. she made that mistake the first time she broke it. Wont do that again...

Xylon shrugged. "It would." Personally he wasn't sure if he wanted to go. Helping was okay, but he was only going to go if she was. He had yet to ask her to the ball. But he would.

He leaned back against the back of the bench and looked at her. "You have any plans to attend?"

Plans? For what? She was already there! "Now? I'm already with you so why would i have other plans?" Rae was totally oblivious to the fact that he might be asking her to the ball. She had a confused look on her face and the wind was still blowing her hair in her face making it extremely messy.

Xylon placed his hand on top of hers. It was amazing, how good such a tiny action could feel. "Plans to go to the ball I mean," he said. "I can't be sure you want to go unless you tell me, can I?" He could guess, but then guesses can be wrong.

Ohhhh! Rae felt like slapping her forehead. "Well i wouldn't go without you..." At this moment she remembered what happens when you go to a ball... "So i'd have to dress up?" Rae didn't think she would ever be wearing those dressrobes she thought she bought on mistake... Then Xylon would dress upp too... Wow, he already looked perfect, she would be like the ugly duckling next to him. Still.. She couldn't possibly say no to him. "You'd still love me if i looked horrible next to every other girl there right?" She was half playing but half was totally serious.

Oliver was sat under a tree, head back and his eyes closed. Maan, it was a nice day and the twitchy boy, very unusually, felt the need to relax before Quidditch practice later on.

Mrs Spider was sitting on his leg, almost as relaxed as him. He sighed. It was nice to feel like this – Oliver rarely experienced it with his condition. He opened his eyes and blinked when he sensed someone approaching and smiled when he saw Torin attempting to climb a nearby tree. Now that looked like fun. “Hey, mate.” He said friendlily. Torin was a cool dude – even more so when Brody wasn't around.

Must he always be the one to trip, be tripped over, be ran into or anything else that has to do with falling and girls? Apollo sighed, and looked at the girl. It seemed she was really hurt, and had been crying way before she hurt herself. He sighed, and walked over to her. "You alright?" He asked, gently feeling her left-ankle to see if it was broken. It didnt feel broken to him, but might be sprained. He wasn't for sure. "I don't think its broken, But you will need to go to the hospital wing."

And he thought he was going to get to run today.

Oh. That was easy. He didn't even have to ask her. "You don't have to dress up," Xylon said seriously. "Wear whatever you like, I honestly don't have a problem." Because she was perfect and it didn't actually matter whether she tried to look pretty or not. She just did, looked it without even trying. WHY did she have to be this beautiful?

The innocence of her question made him smile though. "Rae ---" He gently placed his arms round her shoulders. "You don't think I can possibly compare you to any other girl, do you?"

"So we're going together then?" Rae didn't even know how these ball things really worked. Rae would probably wear those dress robes anyways, even if she looked horrible in them, because she would be noticed more if she wore jeans or something.

Merlin, he loved this boy. He could not possibly be any more perfect. "You never know, there could be tons of beautiful girls there waiting for you to go off with them or something." She knew he wouldn't just leave like that, but it was an expression of how he could have someone prettier than Rae.

Diana rubbed her face with the back of her hand and said quietly," I'm really sorry for colliding. Do'nt bother for me, no one has ever did that. Carry on." She tried to get up, winced and held on to a nearby tree for support.

He had just managed to swing himself on top of a low-hanging branch when suddenly he heard someone talking to him.

Looking down, he saw a bunch of curly hair that had to belong to Oliver Greenwood. Who was a pretty decent guy... When he wasn't making goo goo eyes at his girlfriend.

"Wanna join me up here?" he called down even though he wasn't that far above Oliver. Oh well. hehe.

Amy walked down the pathway and stole down into one of the passages off, she sat and stared at the wall, fingering her new locket, feeling the numbness wash over her, she didn't even feel anger or sadness and that was what frightened her

Lissa felt like she was behind. On everything mostly. That sucked, she catch up but it felt like more things were added to stop that. She was still a little tired since she had tryouts, the fact that practices were coming up. Ouch. She didn't want to fall asleep on her broom, she didn't want Miranda to catch her doing that. She would need to explain but explaining to Miranda that she was tired, that wouldn't be pretty. So she walked down the pathways, fresh air could always clear her mind. Huh, she looked around for a moment spotting Amy, she was staring at a wall. Something bothering her? Well Lissa will find out. "Hey," she spoke, walking up to her.

Hmm, Amy sat up, hey Lissa, she said clearing any depressing thoughts and smiling at her, how you?

Lissa watched Amy as sat up. She nodded and smiled at her when she responded. "Er, good. Tired still. I feel like this school is going just too fast!" she chuckled. Yeah it was what was it. It was winter for sure, but what month? She couldn't remember. "You?" She asked back. Now she could find out.

Aww we all are, don't worry, but your right, I mean, so quick Amy said calculating the months, she shook her head we've only got a few months left probably, Amy said shocked, but yeah, I'm fine Liar, really great, hows Quiditch? she said, trying to distract Lissa and changed the subject

"Yeah I know. I mean Torin, god I think he is going to collapse one of these days," that worried Lissa slightly at the thought of Torin, hopefully he could get some sleep, she needed sleep too. Lots of it. "Yeah I know, and the ball...it's gone really fast," she let out a deep breathe. This term went just too fast. "Right," she spoke distracted. Amy didn't look alright. "Quidditch is...blimey, I've got practices soon too, it feels just too much but you know I'll make it." She nodded, yeah she just needed to catch up on her sleep too.

I'll tell you what my psycologist brain tells me, you need sleep deary Amy said, patronisingly, you'll fall asleep on your broom if your not careful Amy warned her, early night tonight methinks?

Lissa raised an eyebrow at Amy and rolled her eyes. Of course she did, she didn't want to but she did. "I know I will. Miranda will loveee that!" she groaned. She didn't want to fall asleep on her broom, or fall off. Sigh. "Of course," she smiled weakly. Nope.