Christopher stared out the window, his head in the clouds. Sometimes it was remarkable how similar he was to his sister, and yet they were still so different. He idly spun his wand in his hand as if it were the needle to a compass. He couldn't stop thinking about why his owl hadn't been able to deliver his message to Violet. Normally, Baltimore could get anything anywhere! This year it was as if he'd had his memory modified, unsure where to go. He knew nothing was wrong with his owl, he worked at animal shelters all the time during his summers and knew nearly everything there was to know about caring for an owl. Something was wrong and it worried him. He had enough on his mind with Cass, and Violet, and Nathan, and Levi, his parents, all of it. Third year, Christopher decided, was not going to go as smoothly as he had hoped.

Selina stormed down the corridor and tried desperatley to contain her screams. Who did Nathan think he was putting her on the spot like that? Sure, they were family and she loved him, but she was not going to help him get a date with Violet because "they were family". Besides she liked Chris, except when his thoughts strayed to Cass, and she would not help Nathan go out with Violet, unless Chris did something dumb like act on his feelings for Cass. But why would he even ask her to help? She wanted to stay out of this. And her fifteen year old cousin was making it very difficult.

Christopher was suddenly snapped back to Earth when an angry ginger stormed by. Oh Selina.... That fiery little girl amused him, she really did. He tossed his bag over his shoulder and jogged to keep up with her. He slowed when he was finally at her side and he stepped in front of her. He grinned wryly and asked, "And may I ask what's gotten you in such a sour mood? You've been stomping around muttering to yourself, I'm taking someone has angered you?" He wondered who had made her this upset. Certainly it couldn't have been Adam, who always set her off last year, but it must've been someone else. Whoever it was, Christopher did not want to be them right now.

Selina turned to look to her left as she coninued to storm away and mutter to herself. What she beheld was a very bubbly Christopher who was smiling broadly at her. Then he began to joke about her sour mood and she snapped back, "My cousin is such a prick, you know that right? He thinks because we are family that he is going to guilt me inti helping him? No way! I have half a mind to shove my foot up his... seriously he's just so frusterating. I want to help him, but the third party involved is just.... UGH!"

"No, not Voldemort, but there is always some idiot that thinks he might be the next Dark Lord. This we know," she said with a shudder. Really. She had met one that was right on up there with the likes of him.

"Yeah. And poor us. We have to deal with this ridiculous curriculum because everything is seemingly out of Tate's hands," she said with a sigh.

Christopher jumped back as Selina snapped at him, his hands raised in front if him as if to surrender. "Erm, sorry about your prickly cousin?" He really was not so sure how to comfort her, as she wasn't really sure what on Earth se was talking about. "Do you, erm, want to sit down?" He couldn't imagine what her cousin must have done to upset her. Maybe he stole one of Selina's brooms? That probably would make get angry or something. "Do you uh, want to.... talk... about it?" He was sure "talking" about t was going to be more like getting an ear full of angry rants, but he was sure the young girl needed to let off some of her steam.

"It's Nathan! He thinks that he can guilt me into getting Violet to go out with him! He's pulling the whole we're family, help me out card. I mean seriously what kind of crap is that? I can't even begin to explain to you how angry I am at him. Because part of me really wants to help family, but Violet is my best friend. How can I even put her in that position..." Then Selina remembered who Chris was to Violet, "Ohh... Chris... I'm sorry."

Christopher stood frozen. Clearly Selina wasn't aware she was blabbering so much, because the way she stopped talking and apologized made his stomach sink deeper inside of him. The fact that Nathan was still crazy about his girlfriend and the fact that Selina truly was torn between helping her cousin steal her away from him made the lion want to cry. He kept his face as blank as he'd ever done before. Didn't she know Violet was all he had left? Sure, he had a few friends, but other than his father's spirit and his little sister, Violet was all he had. How could she even consider taking that away from him? Even after all he'd been going through, she was going to let it be worse? After what seemed like ten minutes of silence, Christopher finally moved. "I have to go."

He clutched his bag tighter over his shoulder and began to walk briskly out of the library. He was more afraid and confused than ever and just wanted to escape to the always deserted boy's dorm where no one could see him be upset. He just hoped Selina wouldn't stop him. He wasn't sure if he could turn around and face her, or even look at her.

Selina felt like she was going to throw up. How could she be so insensitive? Her big mouth that was how. She had always seemed to blabber on to whoever would hear when she was mad and now Christopher bore the brunt of her anger. What made it even worse was she had blabbed about a family issue with the boyfriend of the girl involved in the family issues. Poor Chris, poor Violet, stupid Selina. So stupid Selina.

When he left she ran after him and spun him around with a hard grip, "Look at me, no look at me. Chris I am so sorry. I was insensitive. I was angry and I shouldn't have brought you into my family issues. Nathan is a prick, seriously. I am sorry about what I said. I just needed to vent and you were there. But Violet, no look at me, no Violet cares about you. And not Nathan."

"Aw that's so sweet! My owl's called Sunny because... well, I just liked that name!" Plus, she liked to fly when it was sunny? Hmm.

"My favourite lesson is Charms! I'm only a second year but I seem to have a talent for it! I even tutored my friends to help them pass the exam last year!" Not that she was bragging or anything. She scratched the back of her neck and continued to read. "But care of magical creatures probably comes in second for me. It's just so interesting!"

Christopher had nearly reached the exit of the library when Selina grabbed him by the arm and spun around on him. Everytime he tried to avoid her gaze, she caught him again, forcing him to listen. But he didn't want to listen. He wanted to just get away. Selina was saying all these things about being sorry, and Christopher nodded to show his forgiveness, but he wasn't so sure what to do about the rest of what she was saying. "It's just.... well.... how can you be sure? Violet probably has feelings for him even if she didn't tell anyone. Everyone has secrets." Violet had one, and might he add so did Selina. One she didn't tell people about either.

"I just don't want to keep being hurt by your cousin. I have enough to worry about, I thought you of all people would know that."

Selina held fast onto Chris who avoided her gaze. She was sorter than him, but she was not one to back down. Actually now that he thought about it he towered over her, then again so did every one else.

She had to make him understand somehow that she was there for him. That she was sorry and that she would never let Nathan get in the way of their friendship. But it was hard to be the best friend who was mutual between a relationship and also be related to the person who was trying to break them up. No matter who she sided with- she lost. People did not realize that she had the hardest position out of everyone in the situation. She could not please everyone as hard as she tried.

"Chris everyone has secrets, but Violet cares about you. She has never even looked at another boy the way she looks at you. She is so scared that Cass is going to take you away from her. She cried to me about it last week. Don't doubt her feelings. If anyone has secrets... it's me." But that was a conversation for another day.

When he made the comment about her knowing about his pain she felt a deep cut. It was like everything she did, all of the good that she never drew attention to because she did not want the accolades, was not even noticed by him. She was why Chris had Violet, she was why Elyie was not picked on by people, she was why Chris had friends in her group. It was her and because she had done it so quietly he had not even noticed.

She let go of him and stepped away, "Yeah Chris I get it."

Alice let out a long sigh. "What can we do? I mean, we have to learn how to use magic!" There was honesty nothing worse than a feeling of helplessness. "Oh, and I forgot to ask you before...how did your O.W.L.s go?"

Christopher looked at Selina with a confused look. "She did? She knows about that?" He didn't even know Violet knew about Cass's fancying him. He was sure that would only lead to more drama his way. The lion was still almost sure of or thing. If Violet was really a human being (which he sometimes suspected she was to perfect to be), then she probably was keeping things from her friends. He was so sure she fancied Nathan. It was that he didn't trust her, but he didn't trust Nathan not to change her mind. If he did tamper with the post, he was sure he'd do something like send a hex to Christopher or slip Violet a love potion or send her a fake break up letter from Christopher or something.

Suddenly Selina stepped away. She stood staring at the ground as if she were about to cry. Like he had been a moment ago. Stupid boy! He must've said something to hurt her, but he didn't know what! He was such an idiot sometimes! "Look.... You know I didn't mean that..... I'm sorry...."

His voice caught and he felt worse than ever. Nathan wasnt just breaking up romances, he was breaking up friendships. Ad then a thought occurred to Christopher making him want to vomit. Maybe it wasn't Nathan tearing them all apart. Maybe it was him.

"The only thing we can do is teach ourselves on our time. I taught myself the Patronus Charm... It can be done. It just takes a lot of focus. Make friends with a Ravenclaw, they are amazing teachers in my opinion," she said with a little snort. It was RIDICULOUS that things had come to this point... having to teach themselves...

OWLs. Lexi pulled a face and then buried her head in her hands. "Minister Borr cancelled all OWL and NEWT exams last term and terminated the Department of Magical Education from the ministry," she said miserably.

Selina kept her gaze down at the ground and folded her hands together which made her look already smaller than the small girl was. She felt like she was going to cry and Selina was never one to cry. In her group of friends she was always the strong one. No one ever let her show any other emotion that anger or understanding because if she truly expressed herself she was weak. They all always needed her to be strong for them and it was exhausting. But in that one comment she was reduced to being human and tried to suppress her tears. If she cried than all that she had worked for, her strength and courage, would fall to pieces and then everything else would fall apart. It was her ability to constantly stay strong that allowed everyone else to feel. So she bit back her tears. She could not let one drop.

After a few minutes she heard Chris mutter some kind of apology and she just turned her head away in pain. If she looked at him she was sure to cry. It was becoming exhausting keeping everyone else from a break down that Selina herself had to swallow all of her emotions.

When she was ready and under control she looked up at him with tears brimming at her eyes, "You know Chris... I am not perfect. Sometimes I mess up and say stupid things out of frustration. It may have escaped your notice, but I am a person with feelings. I can't always run perfectly like a machine to keep all of my friend's sane. But I think I do a pretty good job of it most of the time. I'm not perfect... stop expecting me to be."

Selina's accusation hurt. But it made him a little mad too. He had always relied on her to help him through his troubles, and if he'd been insitive he was sorry. But she acted as though he thought she was some sort if machine. She thought he only cared about himself, that he was insane. He knew she was getting upset, but he could only feel himself getting frustrated. But this wasn't about him anymore. It was about Selina. "You know that's not true Selina Skylar! I know that most of the time we talk about my problems, but I value you as a person more than almost anyone. You're my best friend."

When he said those last words, he felt strange. It was as if he were next to himself, as if someone else had said them. But although he'd never really thought about it, out if his few, few friends, Selina was the bet friend he had ever had. He didn't know what he was going o say next, so he stepped forward and gave the tiny girl a hug. He tried to put all lost speech into it, letting her know how much she really meant to him.

Selina expected the worst to come from Chris. For him to yell at her for her speech and say that she was out-of-line saying all that she had. But the yell never came, neither did the angry tone of voice. Instead he seemed to take a moment to calm himself down and proceeded to talk. When he spoke not one of his words were hesitated. He spoke clearly and truthfully. Not one thing he said did she think he didn't mean. And then he said that she was his best friend.

In two quick steps the taller boy wrapped Selina into a tight hug. She stood still for a moment at the close contact and then finally wrapped her arms back around him. It was nice to know that he appreciated their friendship as much as she did. She hugged him and said back, "Chris you're one of my best friends too... actually you're my only guy best friend." It was true. She had a lot of friends, everyone knew that, but no guy was ever close enough to be her best friend. Besides Adam, of course, but that ship had sailed when he went to Mexico. It was nice their hug. She felt like the two needed this- someone to understand them. They both had so much baggage that, although Violet was great, they would feel horrible pilling on Violet.

Then she pulled out of the hug and smiled at him. They were having a really nice moment...

until Selina punched him jokingly in the shoulder, "Don't ever snap at me again."

Alice's mouth had never fallen open so far from shock in her entire life. No OWLs or NEWTS??? What did this mean? "Well how in the world will they have any idea if people are prepared to be able to use magic outside of Hogwarts? And how in the world will they hire people into the magical community having no guides as to what their magical strengths and weaknesses are?"

Alice returned her chin to her hand, not understanding how everything in the magical world was coming unglued just as quickly as her home life had come unglued. "Teach ourselves..." Alice whispered quietly to herself with a little scoff. "I can't teach myself Lexi. I could barely keep my magic under control with help from Professors last term. I just don't understand...how can they do this?" Alice felt ashamed that she had been so ignorant to what was happening, and frustrated that the Ministry was letting such an important thing fall to the wayside. "Geeze...do they honestly think that a bunch of non-educated witches and wizards using magic the way they taught themselves how to use it is really the best thing? And what about muggle borns or people like me who don't have magical mentors outside of Hogwarts? What are they supposed to do?"

Christopher clung on to the Quidditch fanatic. It seemed like minutes, nearly hours until they pulled apart. The way he felt her hug him back made him feel sure that she got his message. It felt so wonderful to have a beat friend. Before last year, he'd never made a single friend. Not until he walked into Violet and Selina's compartment. That was in fact a lucky day. He'd met two amazing girls- though of course he liked them in very different ways. Before he'd had a sister and a father. But now, out if his five friends, Selina was his best. And he knew it very surely now.

When she said he was her only guy best friend he very nearly laughed. Instead he suppressed it and managed to choke out what he had been trying to say in a whisper. "I don't have any guy mates at all." When he thought about it, his only friends were girls; Elyon, Violet, Selina, Feenella, and Cass. He grinned from behind her head. More like in top if her, he was atleast a foot taller than her. At 5"8, Christopher James was much taller than most 13 year old boys.

At her next remark, he did laugh out loud this time. He retorted back with a laugh, "I'd say the same thing to you, but I know that'd never happen."

Selina smiled at the older boy and said, "Oh yeah, I never get angry or snap at anyone. You know that mister. Besides, as everyone knows I'm perfect," she joked. It was nice that they were back on speaking terms and not yelling terms. She did enjoy talking to Christopher and she was glad they were friends.

Christopher laughed. "No not you! I would never imagine such avthing!" He joked. He sat down in a nearby chair and steered Selina into one sitting close by. He curled up in it, wrapping his arms around his legs, pulling them close to his chest.

"Well now that we're back to normal and have this all settled for now, how are you? Is Qudditch going well?"

He himself was never much if a Quidditch player, he was much too clumsy. Though he was particularly good at flying. He was very light and quick. Despite his tall height, he was rather thin. Selina had a good build for something like a seeker, though he knew her preferred position was chaser. "Has the Gryffindor team held tryouts yet?"

He knew she'd try out, Quidditch was her life, after all. She was probably thrilled just to be on the topic. Like him with Shakespeare, or Elyon with Nargles, or Violet with hair bows.

Selina fell into her seat beside Chris and smiled widely at how comfortable the seats were. That was perhaps her favorite about the library- it never lacked a bad seat. If you wanted to have a quiet place for a nap the library was always the place to go and no one ever raised lane in the library.

Once they were settled Chris brought up try outs and Selina's head perked up like a dog getting a new bone. Quidditch was something that she could talk about for hours if people would let her, of course after twenty minutes people always got very upset with her or bored of her intense views on the sport.

"Yep. Last weekend. We find out soon and I'm doing tumble salts in my stomach. I want to make the team so horribly. But if I don't I'll just come back and bring the pain next year." But Selina stopped herself from a tangent and said, "How's Mr. Shakespeare nowadays"

Shuffling lazily across the carpeted floor with a few leather bound books tucked under her arm, Ivory made her way to the window seats near the stained glass windows. Her favorite spot in the whole library. A little niche of privacy with very good reading light.

Picking the one that was currently unoccupied, the Ravenclaw prefect sat herself down gratefully reclining against the comfy cushions smiling as always at her view of the stained glass dragons in flight.

This is what Saturdays were about...well that and going out to the grounds but thanks to the rainy weather that was a regular occurrence in Scotland, today would be an inside day. Which Ivory didn't mind at all, she loved the rain and staying in and cozying up to a good read or a good talk as she watched the rain fall over the grounds through the colorful stained glass....Pretty much summarized her definition of a good day.

Christopher chuckled. Selina never lacked a comment about Quidditch. Ever.

He shook his head, a kind smile on his face. "Don't even talk like that Selina Skylar. We both know very well you'll make it on the team. You're the best Quidditch player at this whole school and you're only twelve. You'll win Gryffindor the House Cup for sure." He truly did mean it. The girl must've been playing ever since she could sit up, atleast flying around on a broomstick. He was pretty sure babies and little kid brooms, but he wasn't so sure. She was the only first year on the team last year, and he still thought she was better than anyone else who'd been on that field. There was no doubt in his mind she'd be a professional Quidditch player as an adult.

Christopher sat up really straight at the word 'Shakespeare.' He was quite a literature nerd, and could go on about it forever. But as Selina was clearly trying not to go on too much about her sport, he tried to do the same with his favourite author. "He's as amazing as he always has been for the past couple centuries!" The lion joked around, leaning back with a grin.

"I've been reading that book you got me for my birthday last year nearly everyother day. I've read it atleast eighteen times." It wasn't the most crazy or expensive gift, but it was by far the best he'd ever gotten. That book was his most prized posession, though he was never really attached to inanimate objects. He was all for saving trees and plants though!