Lori did this, on a daily basis.

She tickled the pair, came into the kitchens, and sat munching on food for a while, sometimes even talking to the House Elves. Today, was no different, she had tickled the pair and gone in, before having a small conversation with two House Elves. They were cute, and really nice even, they loved this school as much as she did.

On a mission, she wanted cake. And she could smell cake anyway, the kitchens always smelled of cake to her.

Was that?! CAMMY?!

"Chocolate isn't good for you, Camelot." The brunette giggled as she sat down next to her.

Brunette.

Glittery.

*noms a little more*

OHAI! Twas Lori. Cammy giggled. "Shurrup, Lolly." Through a mouthful of chocolate.

Lady like.

hehe. "Fine. No chocolate for you then, if you're so concerned about your.. pimples or whatever." Chocolate was a food source. Food was needed to survive. By Cameron's calculations that meant chocolate was needed for survival. Simple arithmetic.. or something.

Turning around on the bench, she set down her buttons and enveloped Lolly in a hug. "Missed you," She mumbled honestly and eyed her. "Where have you BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN chikkkka?" Like honestly. Cam hadn't seen her in eons - not that she'd seen anyone really. She'd seen Sav for like two seconds before she'd had to go do 'Prefecty stuff' and then Oliver.. she hadn't seen him in DAYS *pout*

Louisa watched Enya taking a plate and filling it, "Well, it's not that hard I know but I never used an owl! You could tell me how do I tell her where to go!" She was getting annoyed at how little help Enya would do to a friend. Grr.

She saw her leaving without even waiting for her. UH! She followed her anyway and continued pleading, "Pleaaaaase... I've told another friend to meet us there. She's really nice and a firstie! Come on!"

Louisa stumbled behind Enya holding the two cakes and saw that Enya had one cake in her plate, "It might be something really eccentric for you but the other cake I had was for you." She said half-teasing and half-hurt. It was obvious that Enya wasn't accostumed to being around many peers.

Sneaking off to the kitchens was one of his favorite things to do as a student, and it was something that an adult Vindictus still enjoyed. The House Elves knew him too well and had a platter of cold cuts, cheese, onions, lettuce, and tomato ready for him along with some fresh wheat bread. Whistling to himself, he took his time creating a sandwich monstrosity and immediately tucked in.

Eating in peace.

Without students hunting him down with questions about Quidditch and flying and other trivial matters.

How long could the moment last?

Miles practically ran down to the kitchen in search of something sweet since he'd gotten rid of all his chocolate. He was having a basic melt down, his hair a mess, his clothes not straight, and muttering to himself about dragons. Merlin help the student that bothered him now he needed CHOCOLATE.

Entering the kitchen he made a beeline straight for the freezer and pulled out some chocolate ice cream and looked at the counter were a spoon sat probably placed there by a house elf seeing him come in. Before he had a chance to dip his spoon in and relax a bit he spotted the one person he NEEDED to see. Setting the ice cream and spoon on the counter he ran over to him and grabbed his robes

"Professor V, I can't do this. I can't. I'm going crazy. The dragons are going to barbeque me and eat me and...and...and...I withdraw. I don't want to do this anymore." He was frantic about the dragons. They were going to make him dinner and that was just not acceptable.

"Whaf?" Vindictus asked with a full mouth. He chewed quickly and swallowed.

"Dragons. What dragons, Miles?"

Pulling back from Vindi he stared at him like he had two, or maybe even three heads. What dragons? WHAT DRAGONS?! Did he really just say that. He slipped his hands through his messed up hair and tugged.

"The DRAGONS!" He yelled, flipping out. "The one's in the Quidditch Pitch. The one's YOU talked about. The one's Jacob said was going to EAT ME!!!!" How could he not mean what dragons? It didn't make sense. "Everyone says I'm going to die and...I can't die. Fi and I haven't even gotten married yet..." Now he was pacing back and forth and talking to himself very much like a mad man.

Vindictus took another bite and amusedly chewed while Miles frantically spoke.

"You have to compete, Miles. Your name was picked. It's binding . . . kinda like an Unbreakable Vow," he answered rather matter-of-factly. "Your imagination is running in hyperdrive. It's no secret that I have an affinity for dragon dung to fertilize the Pitch, but do you honestly think I'd let the critters destroy my grass?"

Miles looked at Vindictus as he ate. How could he be eating at a time like this?! He could DIE! Then he said the one thing Miles had been afraid of though he had known the whole time...there was no withdrawing. He had to compete. What if he got sick? What if he broke his arm? Could he get out then? Hmmm...

He stopped his pacing as Vindi continued to speak and thought for a moment. He had a point. There was no way he'd allow that but...surely there'd be a way around that. "So....so they're in the Forest!" Yup that was it. He knew dragons had been used before after all. He did look it up.

"The Forest? Why, the centaurs won't allow it!" Vindictus replied and took another large bite of his sandwich. He chewed silently and swallowed.

"Seriously, Miles. You're freaking out about being picked. Just relax and enjoy the extra attention you're getting."

Centaurs...what did the centaurs have to do with...oh never mind. He watched as the man took another bite of his sandwich and then through his hands up in the air in frustration like he'd seen his Aunt do a thousand times because of him. His eyes widening he looked at his hands and shoved them in his pocket. Oh nooooooooooooo...I'm turning into my Aunt.

Taking a deep breath he looked at Vindictus in disbelief. How could he be so...so...cavalier about it?! "I. Could. DIE!!!!" Didn't he realize the ramifications of that? Death was permanent. "People have died before. I read it. Died from dragons...died in the tournament..." Though to be fair he hadn't read of anyone dying From dragons In the tournament together.

"Sure dragons can be dangerous as they try to roast you like a marshmallow, but the tournament is about you using all of the skills you've learned to get past whatever the challenges are. Do you honestly think that Headmaster Tate or I would allow any student to face extreme danger?"

Vindictus took another large bite of sandwich and chewed.

"I...um..." Hmmm...well that needed thought. Tate probably, after all he did let Hectate back in. But when put that way..."No?" Well he hoped Vindi liked him enough not to kill him at least. "But people keep saying I'm going to die..." he walked over to the counter and took a big spoonful of chocolate ice cream.

What Fia said came to his mind and he frowned. He did NOT give up. Looking at Vindictus he took a deep breath and jumped up on the counter with his ice cream. He never said there weren't going to be dragons though and that didn't escape him.

"Tell me one thing, Miles - is your wand in perfect working order?" Vindictus asked. "If it isn't, then you might not make it through tomorrow."

"I am glad you are loving it," Patroclus smiled as he took up a knife and began to cut the cake into slices, his mouth drooling as he went, he wanted to eat this cake so bad, but his manners came first, so he served Mia her slice.

"Here you go," he grinned placing the cake on plate, "I have been great, the school is buzzing with the all these new students and talk of the Tournament, it feels like its going to be a great year." Spooning a chuck of cake into his mouth, the boy was in hreaven "ummmm YUM!"he cried!

Seeing Mia twirl, Patroclus smiled realising she was wearing his robes, "bay book -" swallowing, he began again, "Sorry, they look great! The yellow suits you!" Patroclus still had no regrets in buying the robes for Mia, the fact that she still loved them, confirmed the fact that it was money well spent!

"Making lot's of friends?"

Miles was in another scoop of ice cream when he heard Professor V's question, "My wand...yes...." What was he...Oh that's what he was getting at. Wait...what?! "But I thought you just said we wouldn't be put in extreme danger!"

"Nothing! I just want to make sure that your wand is working," Vindictus exclaimed and pushed his now-empty plate to one side. "So, um, what are you doing to prepare for this thing aside from totally freaking out?"

Now he didn't know what to believe. What'd he mean by that last statement.... Stupid man not making any sense at all. "I'm not freaking...." ok so maybe he was freaking out. "I've been reading up on some stuff. Challenges from other tournaments and stuff." It was a little hard to judge by what to study when you didn't know what you were heading into.

"Now that isn't going to help you with anything. The last thing you should be worried about is what happened in the past," Vindictus replied. "You should be practing your spells and stuff as well as reviewing what you've already learned since day one."

Mia watched as he cut the cake and she had to admit that it looked mighty delicious and she was starting to salivate a little herself. "Thank you." She said as she took the plate from him and placed it in front of her. Must remember her manners and cutlery as well. "Ah yes. The new students." Mia picked up a fork and did her best not to pull a face. She had only met one of the new students so she shouldn't hold that against the others. "But the tournament does sound exciting albeit a little dangerous."

She almost fell off the stool when he yelled out and then laughed. Obviously the cake was good and she quickly speared herself some and popped it into her mouth. And it was indeed very yummy.

Swinging her legs back and forth, Mia beamed over at Pat. "Well I have you to thank for that. And I will always remember the kindness you showed me that day." Hopefully one day she would be able to repay him for his kindness.

Her face brightened at his question and she nodded her head eagerly, "Oh yes. Apart from you, there is Finn, Carter, Matthias, Sal, Jimmy, Callie, Kay, Hailey and um Destiny and Marie." Although she wasn't too sure that Destiny was a friend but she had met her.

"Sorry!" Patroclus laughed as Mia jumped in reaction to his cry, "It seems we keep catching each other off guard!" Mia had after all sppoked him with here sudden appearence, "But seriously this cake is so yummy!" He added, before diving back into his plate, shovelling the moist chocolate into his mouth.

"What's life if not a little dangerous!" Patroclus smirked, as he cut another two slices of cake, dishing them up. "I just can't wait to see what the challenges are going to be.....I have heard rumours.....but nothing is certain in this place." That was for sure.

Patroclus blushed, "Don't mention it Mia, seriously, I am happy I was able to help! I said it then and I will say it again, you deserved new robes for a new school!" The boy contiuned to inhale the cake off his plate as Mia listed her new friends.

"Mia!" he swallowed, "That is more friends than I have!" He smiled, proud of his friend, "Someone's popular!" He didn't even know half of those people.

Biting on her lip to keep from laughing, Mia picked up a napkin and held it out to him. "I can see that. You're wearing most of it all over your face." She was going to point out that there was a whole cake there and that he didn't need to gorge himself but obviously the boy was hungry.

Spooning another piece of cake into her mouth, she let out a small giggle and then quickly swallowed the cake. "Oh spoken like a true Gryffindor." Mia pushed her plate away, having had her fill of cake she gave Pat an excited look. "Oh really? What have you heard? Tell me." She hoped there was something really disgusting as part of the tasks because she knew that pretty boy Nikoli wouldn't want to get himself dirty and then Hogwarts would win and he would have to eat flobberworms.

Mia dismissed the blush on his face, she was getting used to boys blushing around her now. "Well thank you Pat. But still that was an incredibly nice thing to do for someone you had just met. And well I have been trying to think -" She stopped mid sentence as she watched Pat eat his cake. "You really are hungry aren't you?"

Now it was her turn to blush a little. "Oh well, I wouldn't say I am popular exactly. I just like meeting new people and hanging out and stuff."

Hehe.

Cammy was so cute.

"So very attractive of you, Camelot. Hurry up and bloody swallow the chocolate, it's worse than Adam and his bloody bacon sandwiches." Now, THAT was a sight for sore eyes, with mushed up bread and ick, and gross.

PIMPLES?! "Wait.. WHAT!? Pimples? I don't HAVE pimples! And chocolate ONLY makes you get fat, moderation, my dear Camelot. You eat a little bit a week, and you're satisfied, you eat LOTS a week, and you just get fat. And, lovely, i'm too pretty and important to get fat." Which was her philosophy on many things. Too pretty and important to die, to lift things, to babysit, to ... clean up after people. And of course, to be fat.

Fat wasn't attractive.

Oh... blimey! Giggling as she was hugged, Lori placed her arms around the redhead tightly, and nodded. "Missed you more." Complete honesty there. Oh. Er. "I've been around, and stuff.... listening out for things that might help with stuff. I heard whispers of a first year dealing CHOCOLATE! I have yet to find them." Most of all, she was listening out -the most- for anything that might help Cammy with this Tournament thing.

"What can I say," Patroclus laughed, not at all embrassed, "I love ma food!" he cried in a loud fat-man's voice! However he did take the napkin, and gently wiped away the cake crumbs from his mouth.

Patroclus was not at all pleased to see Mia push her plate away, Oh well more for me, he smiled on the inside. Swallowing, the boy stilled his face, this was serious now, "One word......well its more of a noun than a word, but then again a noun is a word.....anyway" Wow tangent, "One word......Dragons!" Patroclus nodded, his eyes as wide as the plate from which he ate his cake, "Yep!" He had heard it from a realiable source.....well heard is a stretch and so too was relaible, "I heard my mate Jacob screaming about it at the Champions selections!"

Shoveling more cake into his mouth, he stopped mid chew, - "Heck yeah I do!" He was a growing boy after all!

"Well I can see why you are so popular and lovable.....isn't it obvious, its the robes I got you!" HEHEHE

Placing her hand back on the plate she had just pushed away, Mia poked her tongue out at Pat. "Don't be getting any ideas Pat. I'm saving this for later." She was not one to waste food. But there were times when she just couldn't fit it all in on one sitting. Apparently Pat did not have that problem.

What on earth was the boy going on about? Words? Nouns? Mia was perplexed as to what he was on about until he finally spilled the beans and her mouth dropped open.

She staaaaaared at him for a long time and then stabbed her fork into a piece of cake. "Dragons? They're going to be using dragons in one of the tasks? Doing what exactly?" Yes she could feel her activist side coming on. Mia was already thinking up plaques to make and what kind of protest she could make.

No one was going to be cruel to any sort of creature while she was around.

If she wasn't so busy seething about the use of dragons in the Tournament then she probably would have found Pat's last comment funny but as it was....

"You're sure that they're having dragons in the tournament?"