Girls Dormitories
 

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/...dormbanner.jpg
graphics by sweetpinkpixie

After a long hard day of hunting, and lessons, or even just a busy weekend, your dormitories will be your haven. It will be more than just your home away from home, and it is the place where you can come and relax after a long day or a late night.

The four poster beds are surprisingly comfortable, and it's easy to get lost in the smooth red velvet covers. Should you want some privacy from your chatty dorm mates, feel free to close the hangings around you and lose yourself in sleep.

After all, every lion needs their rest.

Tayla went up to the girls' dormitories and found her tawny owl waiting for her by the window. She walked towards her and pet her affectionately. "Hello there Marigold," she said. Marigold nipped Tayla's finger gently in reply. "I think I have some treats for you..." Tayla opened her trunk and after a while found the small bag of treats she was looking for. She took a couple and let Marigold eat it off her hand. "There you go."

Tayla pet Marigold again and smiled thoughtfully. "Good night, Marigold," she said. The owl made a soft sound then flew out. Tayla watched as her owl's distinct golden feather in it's left wing glinted in the moonlight.

She went to her trunk again, changed into pyjamas, and went quickly to sleep. It was going to be an exciting first day tomorrow.

"AAH!" Tayla opened her eyes, startled by the sudden commotion. "What...what's happening?!" She sat up and found a girl jumping on her bed.

"Stop that!" she said, a little irritably. "What's happening? What's wrong?" She rubbed her eyes and tried to focus on the girl, confused and sleepy. "Who are you?"

BWAHAHAHAHAHA...

Lea let out a huge laughter at the girl's reaction. Then smirking, she poked the girl back in sleeping position in bed with her wand in the girl's chest. ''Calm down, friend. We are just being friends.'' she winked and sat on the girl. ''My name is Lea Carter, first year.''

And yes she was the little sister of infamous Joshua Carter.

''And you WILL be my friend.'' she seemed very enthusiastic about it ''What is your name?''

Maya walked wearily into the girl's dormitories, tired from the travelling and the rollercoaster ride of emotions her first evening at Hogwarts had been. Wishing only for the comfort of a warm bed Maya barely noticed the two other girls in the dormitory but mumbled a vague "hello," before immediately making her way towards her trunk. Rummaging for her pyjamas she quickly got changed before sinking into bed.

Sophie walked into the third year room and was happy to see some of her old friends. Sophie rushed over to a bed that was open that had an extra open bed next to it. She put snowball on her perch by the window and waited for more people to show.

Quentin gave another yawn. Her day had started early, finally she wouldn't have to get up at stupid o'clock to entertain her damn brother. On weekends she was going to sleep in as much as she liked, she couldn't wait.

She reached the forth year room and spotted her trunk right at the end next to a window. Now she had to unpack, she hated leaving things undone. She spotted her owl perched on the headboard of her bed, he hooted at her and flew to her trunk pecking at the handle.

"Alright, I get it." she muttered, taking out the owl pellets.

"Woah!" Tayla exclaimed as she was pushed back on the bed. "Friends? I hardly think this is what..." Wait a second. Did she just say Carter? Tayla stared at the little girl hard. Now she knew why this girl looked familiar. "You're Josh's sister aren't you?"

Tayla suddenly felt a pang on her chest and remembered the wand against it. "Ouch!" she pushed the wand away and snatched it from Lea's hand. "Okay..." Tayla breathed in and out deeply then gave a strained smile. "Hello, I'm Tayla Barnhill. Third year. Now...Lea...would you PLEASE get off of me?!"

Oooooooooooooooooo....

What was she saying? Because Lea was having too much fun to hear and comprehend the older girl's words until she uttered her beloved brother's name, it made her halt all in a sudden and just blink. ''Yes, yes.'' she nodded happily ''You know him?''

Hopefully she was not one of those who tried to KISS him. Nope this girl, Tayla Barnhill as she said, did not look like that evil kind...

...until she snatched HER wand away from her.

''HEEEEEEEEEEEY!!!'' the dark haired eleven year old protested loudly. ''Gimme my magical stick BACK!!! MY MAGICAL STICK!!!''

Did she want her to get off of her?

Narrowing her eyes, she began to jump on the girl as fast as she could. ''I will do THAT until you IT back to ME!!!''

Leila walked into the dormitory, she chose a bed and sat down, placing her trunk underneath it. SHe wondered if her great grandfather would be proud of her getting into Gryffindor, she was, she took out a photograph of her and her friend Peter, he was murdered the day after the picture was taken, nobody knew how he died, but everybody asumed it was by magic. She remembered how she felt when her parents told her she couldn't stop crying. And now a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Yeah I know him. Not very well, but I do," Tayla replied. Of course she did. Josh was the first boy she had ever had a crush on. But she wasn't going to admit that to this little tornado.

Tayla wanted to scream as Lea jumped even faster. "OKAY! Okay, okay!" she said and handed Lea her wand. Better to do what Lea wanted if Tayla was ever going to get some peace - and sleep! "There! There's you're magical stick. We can be friends, but would you please get off of me?"

Where on earth did she get all that energy?!

Not very well. That was good. She had better know him not very well because it meant she was not among those EVIL girls who would try to kiss him all the time. Upon hearing that, Lea calmed and slowed down a bit. ''Good. You are his friend then.''

And THERE was her magical stick!!!!! Quickly snatching it back from the older girl, she gave her a smug look of VICTORY. ''Good girl.'' Then she jumped backwards on the bed next to Tayla's and let out a loud laughter of joy when she was comfortably landed on it. ''We can be friends?'' Huh? ''What do you mean we are already friends.''

Because she had previously announced it herself.

Tennessee reached the girls dormitory and she just wanted to lie to her bed but not to sleep. Here she go again with her odd habit of not sleeping even though she already want to. She's just like a kid who doesn't want to miss things just because of sleeping. However to her surprise there's not much people inside. There were only a few and she recognized immediately one of them.

Lea!

Of course, the girl back at the feast. And she looked at the other one. It's the same girl whom she poked back at the feast, too. What a reunion, she thought as she smiled. Seemed like there was another racket done.

Tenn didn't want to be impolite so she greeted them both. "Hello," she said as she dind't exactly know what to tell them. She turned to Lea, "We were not able to talk at the feast but i certainly remember you," she said. She doesn't want more staring this time just like back at the feast, for Merlin's sake she didn't want to have enemies. Especially not on the same house. "I am Tennesse and you are the sister of Josh Carter, i presume," would she extend her hand or what? Maybe she should. She reached out her hand for a shake.

"Hello," Tayla said, trying to give the girl a smile while not falling of the bed because of Lea's jumping. She wanted to introduce herself but... "Sort of got my hands full at the moment."

"Right," Tayla said, a bit shocked at how suddenly Lea got off of her and jumped onto the next bed. "Yes well..." she shook her head and decided not to argue anymore or explain anything. "Great! So...let's get to bed then shall we?"

Tayla grabbed the covers and began to make herself comfortable. "Good night, Lea!" she said, hoping Lea would finally let her sleep - and go to sleep herself. "See you in class tomorrow." Hmmm...maybe she shouldn't have said that. She certainly didn't want to be poked with the 'magic stick' again.

But, despite being poked with a wand, disturbed in sleep, and being jumped on, Tayla couldn't help but like this little girl. And she did, quite annoyingly, remind her of Josh. As Tayla closed her eyes again, she wondered how he was and how he got his hands back that day at Potions class with Professor Lafay. She still had no idea.

Tenn turned her gaze to Tayla, yes, she could still remember her name from the feast. "Tayla, right?" she verified with a wave of her left hand since her right's waiting for a handshake. "I heard your name from Prefect Kurumi back at the feast," she said.

Though Tenn wanted to blab more, Tayla already seemed tired based from her looks, it was as if she had been woken up or something. Did Lea poked her again?

You two (Too lazy to quote :D)
 

Ira walked into her room, tired from her day, wanting some rest. Eyeing the soft comfy-looking bed with fluffy pillow, Ira was like almost attracted to go and lie down! But three other girls were already in her room and she recognized only Tennessee from among them. Well, it was time to go to bed, so she decided to make her introductions in the morning. But wouldn't that seem a little impolite? So she just decided to greet them.

"Hey Tennessee, and hi to both of you.." she addressed the three girls. Then thought to get over with it. "I'm Ira" she said, "And who are you both? I mean what are your names?" That didn't sound too good, did it? "I mean, we have to stay together for the rest of this term, so we might all be familiar with one another!"

Being a little shy to speak to others, it was almost a surprise to Ira that she had spoken even so much!

Oooh, she waved back, Tenn thought. So she isn't as bad as her first impression had been. Tennessee felt her firm grip. Nice!

Who doesn't know her brother? Tenn would probably raise her hand a lot of times. Hahaha. Seriously. She just heard him from the past years, nothing more. But she just answered, "Yeah, i do but not much of him. I just know him maybe by name." She sniggered at the end of her statement. the reason behind not knowing who Josh carter was is because Tenn didn't care much whatever happens around her but that was before.

As she watched with raised eyebrows Lea's protest to Tayla about not going to bed, Tennessee wouldn't help but Like her. Lea's just a bit spoiled? she thought. Did she just called her Tenny? Oh! Nevermind. "You can call me whatever suitable name that you want as long as it doesn't sound stinky or anything," she told Lea. She couldn't blame Tayla for feeling tired and sleepy but she didn't felt like going to bed yet.

Tehn Lea said they are to play a game. "Are you serious?" she said with eyes open wide. What on Earth is she thinking? Though as she thought of it again, a game will do.


then out of nowhere someone said hi to her. She turned towards the voice and smiled at the sight of the girl. "hello there," she greeted her. She tried to remember where she had seen her, the feast maybe. "Ira, it is nice to see you again here up at the dorms." She looked at Lea and Tayla then back to Ira again. "They're Lea and Tayla," she said as she both pointed at them.

Tenn shifted her gaze back to Josh's sister. So, if they're to play a game it would be fun now since there' another one joining the group. "Can we play something that is not gonna wake up the whole castle?" she asked Lea.

It was good that atleast she knew someone in her room. So she was thankful when Tenn herself made the introductions. Ira looked at the other two girls..Lea and Tayla. "Hi Lea, hi Tayla!" she greeted both of them.

A game? now? Ira was pretty tired today! She frowned a bit and was about to excuse herself when a thought suddenly occurred to her.. I better not upset my roommates on the very first day! Thinking so, Ira replied, "Umm.. okay! So which game shall we play?" It wasn't like Ira didn't like to play games.. In fact, she loved bedroom games! But why did Tenn ask Lea whether they all could play something that was not gonna wake up the whole castle? Was Lea a troublemaker?

Tenn shrugged in answer to Ira's question, "I don't know. That depends on this little carter's choice," she said as she motioned over to Lea. She just really hoped they wouldn't lose points about it or get detention. She didn't like them and never had she thought of them even in her dreams. "Do you have any games in mind, Ira?" she inquired. Perhaps their game would be much better and not dangerous, for her, whatever Lea's thinking sounds... risky.

She bounced back to her bed and started whistling, waiting for the GAME.

Tayla groaned. She wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight, not until Lea got tired. And she wondered if that was even possible.

She opened one eye and then another, yawned, stretched, and finally sat up in bed. "Okay," she said, with a tired smile. "What game do you suggest we play?" It was probably going to be fun anyway. The games she played with her friends at Hogwarts often were.

"Oh Kurumi, yeah. Have you tasted her cookies yet? They're really good," Tayla replied. "And yes, I'm Tayla. I think I heard you say your name was Tennessee. Nice name."

"Hello Ira," Tayla greeted the girl who just arrived. "I'm Tayla Barnhill. We're about to play a game."

"I have," Tenn smiled at the the though of Kurumi's cookies. "And they tasted really great. I couldn't stop eating which is why Daisy had to snatch all the cookies i grab." She recalled how she watched all the other students eat their lovely treats and she had to control hers for her not to be hyper. The thought of food made her hungry again.

:) you all
 

"I've had that bed ever since when i was a first year," she said pointing at her back as Lea wanted to choose her own bed. "But there are still many beds to choose from though."

It is possible not to wake the whole castle if what they're gonna play is something like board games which isn't what she liked at the moment. "Let's just keep our voice to its minimum for us not to take off points Gryffindor."

This girl is dead serious about playing this game..

"Well," Tenn bounced off her bed. "Let's play truth or dare then. this game really pipes me up," she said though she hated it a bit when she doesn't want what's being asked or what she's being dared to do. She walked over to where Lea is standing. "We need a bottle, i guess," she told her. Not even asking if the others liked the game or not, they couldn't do otherwise unless this firstie would make another racket again.

Ira stared at the eleven year old.. Stay away from beds??? Who was she to decide which bed to use? Ira shot back, "Hey Lea, I've been in this room since last term, so being older, I get the right to choose!" Looking around to others, Ira said, "How can you all listen to her? And... I will sleep wherever I want to! Alright?" Saying so Ira went over to 'her' bed and plopped down, a bit defiantly. No one is going to mess with me.. definitely not a first year!

Then Ira realized completely that Lea was a total troublemaker! She seemed to want to wake the whole castle up! Ira didn't actually mind her naughtiness, as much as she minded losing Gryffindor points! "Look, can't we play something that can remain in this room only? There isn't a need to wake the whole castle up!" Especially not if Scabior or Lafay were prowling around! But could they come into Gryffindor dormitories? Maybe.. maybe not!

Truth or Dare? Sure! "Truth and Dare is fine... I think!"



"But aren't you all sleepy? This is not the time to play around.. right? So can't we postpone this game? pls?"

"Truth or dare, huh?" Tayla said, thinking of something. "Okay. But we can't make too much noise okay? We don't want to lose points for Gryffindor..."

Then hearing Ira make a suggestion to postpone the game, Tayla looked at her and gave her a meaningful look, hoping she would understand. They had to amuse Lea for a while unless they wanted another jumping-and-screaming session which would wake the whole castle up.

"I've got a potion bottle somewhere," Tayla said, moving towards her trunk. She opened it and after a little while, took out a brown glass bottle with a cork stopper. "It's old and empty. I think it'll do."

Then Tayla went off her bed and sat on the floor. She motioned Lea, Tenn, and Ira to do the same. "Ready?"

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OOC: Sorry I took so long to reply. Been really tired from work that I couldn't go online. :)

Ira looked at Tayla and thought... She did look sleepy.. so why did she accept to play a game? She caught Tayla's meaningful look towards her but didn't make much out of it. Anyways, majority wins! So be it.

"Alright, lets play.." Ira relented. Then taking a nice fluffy pillow in her hand, she sat down on the floor cross-legged. "Ready!" she said and waited for the game to start.

Post Two (Mystery Telescope Challenge)
 

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Tayla reached out for the blanket on her bed and wrapped herself in it as she sat by the window. She looked out and admired the stars. It was another clear night sky. "Beautiful," she thought.

She took out her star chart and checked the constellations that could be seen around October. "Lacerta," she read the inscription. "Lizard."

She looked back out and tried to find the stars that made up the constellation. It proved to be a bit more difficult than she thought, but she was enjoying it.

Deciding to draw any constellation she saw, Tayla grabbed her quill and ink bottle. "Accio parchment," she said softly, pointing her wand towards her open trunk. She felt too comfortable where she was to stand up, and any chance to practice a charm or two were welcome.

Having everything she needed, she started to draw the stars.

For yooooooooooou know whooooooooooooooooooo
 

Coming up from the study tables with her drawing still clutched in her hand, Kurumi sat on her bed and lied the piece of paper down as flat as she could. Having filled in all the lines, making sure they were all connected so that it wouldn't fall apart when she attempted to transfigure it this time. Kurumi removed her wand from its turquoise holster and traced a square over the paper. "Statua Habitum," she whispered. Kurumi held her breath as the paper bubbled up and folded around the edges to make a proper frame. "Brilliant," she smiled as she held it up to the light coming through her dorm window. Now she just needed for Selina to show up so she could give it to her...

...and she needed to put a picture in it.

Kurumi left the frame on her bed and stood up to walk over to her small dresser, rummaging through the top drawer where she kept various nick knacks looking for a specific picture.

*looks around* who... me?
 

Selina was exhausted. It had been a long day. Today was the last day of try outs and she wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed with a box full of cookies and eat until she slept. It was just one of those days. Try outs had been long and as much as she loved all of her fellow pride she needed a nice, long nap.

When she trudged into the dorms she automatically when looking for Kurumi. She could not fulfill her wish for cookies without the cookie queen helping her out. The redhead knew that Kurumi always kept a box of cookies in their dorm, but for the cookies own safety, she kept them hidden from Selina. So the fourth year always had to ask if she could defile the box of cookies that Kurumi always had made. In fact, Selina was almost certain, since Kurumi always had a box of cookies around, that she kept an emergency box just in case for Selina. Eh, she liked cookies...

Her blue eyes found Kurumi and she dragged herself over to her friend's bed before flopping on it, "Rumi....cookies please."

Post 7
 

Ira came back to her room and flopped down on her bed. She just wanted to go to sleep now. She didn't know why she was feeling so sleepy and tired, but figured it was all the hormonal stuff, as her mother used to say!

She kept her bag and her two newly transfigured frames aside, on the side table. Then she got up. Just one more frame to do. She might as well do it now and finish off the homework! So, she got out her parchments and began to think. Then suddenly, out of nowhere she thought of the muggle studies lesson, wherein she had seen the movies, especially the Lion King. So she decided that she was going to do a frame based on the jungle theme.

She thought about it and focused on the picture. Then, taking out her wand, she proceeded to trace the shape around he picture with her wand. Then muttered, "Statua HAbitum". And lo! there was her Jungle Frame! It looked kind of... wierd but good. Ira was satisfied with the result. And she couldn't wait to give it to Kurumi..

Finding the picture she was looking for, Kurumi removed it from behind some of her perfectly folded socks and strawberry scented sock drawer freshener and set it on top of her dresser. "Reverto," she whispered, hearing footsteps coming up the stairs. Well, they were more like stomps which could only mean one thing: Selina was dragging her feet after running a Quidditch practice.

Quickly smoothing out her drawing and placing her photo on top of it, Kurumi traced a square over them both. "Statua Habitum," she whispered just as the door to the room swung open. Not having time to see if her spell had worked properly or not, Kurumi spun around and tried her best to hide the transfiguration happening behind her.
"Rough day?" Kurumi asked, peeking over her shoulder to check and see if the frame had worked. Brilliant. No pieces were falling off it and everything was connected where it ought to me. Best of all? No melting! Beaming, Kurumi picked up the frame and skipped over to Selina, jumping on it beside her best friend. "Before cookies, I have something to give you," she chirped. Yes, cookies were coming Selina. Hold your hippogriffs. "Here. It's part of our Transfiguration assignment, but you should also think of it as a small and VERY delayed congratulations gift." And with that, she handed her handy work to Selina.

Selina burried her head further into Kurumi's bedding. She wanted cookies, some relaxation and, she could not believe she was thinking this, some girl talk with her best friend. After a long day of try outs spending time with Kurumi was a nice breath of fresh air. Kurumi was one if the few people, as well as her cookies,who kept Selina's head on straight. And try outs today had been long. "You have no idea,". Selina mumbled into her bedding.

When Kurumi said she had something to Selina about a present the redhead sat up and looked at Kurumi curiously? "You got me...?". She took the frame from Kurumi and turned it over. Selina sat shocked for a moment before she smiled. She remembered this picture. It was at the start of the term. Adam and Selina and Kurumi were working on the mad hatter party down in the kitchen. Selina was trying to measure out a cup of sugar while Kurumi chastised her for eating the sugar. Adam called out to them and they turned their head and smiled. The redhead hugged her best friend and said, "I love it. You are the most amazing friend I've ever had."

Ignoring Selina's slight over dramaticness for now, Kurumi waited to see Selina's reaction to the frame...which had been a bit bigger than she had been expecting it to be. Kurumi hugged the redhead back and laughed. "And I can say the same to you you know." Honest to Merlin truth.

Flicking her wand, Kurumi summoned some simple chocolate chip cookies from her still partially opened sock drawer and offered the bag to Selina. "So...what all is new with you? Besides Quidditch that is."

After Kurumi laughed Selina extracted herself from the hug and batted her eyes at her friend. Now that Kurumi was all laughy and happy and whatever other emotion came along with the giggles Selina was going to take the plunge and ask for what she wanted. Giving Kurumi the cutest puppy eyes she could muster the fourth year said sweetly, "Can I have cookies now please?" COOKIES!!! :whaa:

So when Kurumi flicked her wand and gave Selina the cookies that she had so desired the redhead went to work finding the bottom of the cookie bag by eating one cookie at a time. They were still warm and goey, Kurumi was a goddess. The redhead grinned and closed her eyes, "Yummy. You should just open a bakery Kurumi. I swear to Merlin that you wouldn't even need any other customers. I would go there everyday, keep you in business."

When Kurumi asked what was new with Selina besides Quidditch the redhead shrugged her shoulders, "Nothing much. Try outs have kind of taken over my life. And then classes, but nothing much really... I mean-" Selina stopped halfway through her sentence and spotted a necklace around Kurumi's neck. The redhead pointed to the new jewelry and smirked, "What's that?"

Kurumi grabbed one of her pillows and fluffed it up, debating for just a moment about whether or not she should hit Selina with it, and then leaned on it as she lied down on the bed. Good thing she wasn't hungry, because Selina was devouring all the cookies she had. "Well, I can't deny that I haven't thought about that," Kurumi giggled, resting her cheek on the pillow and looking up at Selina. "Baking has always been a hobby and, well, I'm afraid that I won't like it anymore if I try to make a job out of it." She rolled onto her side. "But, I promise that I will continue to bake no matter what it is I end up doing." Which looked like a year or two at university to continuing studying.

Kurumi looked down at her hands and blush. She WAS doing it again. Not even classes and homework distracted her from playing with it. "Oh...um...this is...um...a necklace?" Hello...Prefect Obvious.

Selina continued to munch on the cookie that she was presently eating as Kurumi spoke. The redhead nodded in all of the appropriate places. She always knew that Kurumi was too smart to be content to bake for a living. She would probably do something amazing with her life and change the wizarding world for better. And she rationalized that as long as Kurumi always baked for her the redhead was okay with Kurumi saving the world or whatever she did, "Eh do what makes you happy... Like cookies... Eating them makes eme happy."

Then when Kurumi became all flustered, Selina smirked, "It's really pretty... Where'd you get it?". Hehe

"Well, then I will try to deliver," Kurumi winked. Maybe she should have made two dozen instead of just one. Something she SHOULD have remembered. A baker's dozen when it came to Selina was more like a baker's single.

Kurumi blushed a bit more and Selina's smirking wasn't helping her just spit everything out. Besides, Selina probably already knew and just wanted to see Kurumi squirm awkwardly. "Jonathan gave it to me."

Selina chuckled and finished the cookie she had been eating whilst not forgetting to lick her fingers, "I would hope so, Ms. Hollingberry. Unfortunately none of my other friends really bake so you are my only supplier." Which was a shame indeed. There would be a very happy little redhead if more of her friends baked and offered Selina samples. The idea of food in general just made Selina happy, which was wildly ironic being that Selina was a very tiny fourteen year old in every way imaginable.

The Gryffindor Captain smirked even more evilly. There was an internal battle with her good and bad side. Her good side was begging her to stop torturing poor Kurumi and leave her relationship alone, while the other side wanted to continued to drag out the torture a bit more. The evil side won out, "Oh did he now? What did he give it to you for?" Tehe

Kurumi laughed and patted the bed for Walnut to come join them. The cat had been rather chill recently, surprisingly not wanting to sneak out of the common room and off somewhere. Unfortunately, Kurumi knew that this had nothing to do with being afraid of the Headmaster. Kurumi figured that it had something to do with a certain Puff and his feline companion. Walnut jumped on the bed and immediately curled up into a ball.

...

Just in time for Selina to continue teasing her. "He um...just gave it to me because he wanted to..." Kurumi blushed. There hadn't been any other reason. "D-D-Doesn't Gideon do stuff like that?"

Selina scratched Walnut behind the ear when he joined the girls up on the bed. The Gryffindor prince as the cat sometimes held himself was an interestubg cat. For as long as Sekina known Walnut he had been one of the more interesting cats that she had ever met. It was as if he had a mind of his own.... Weird.

But Kurumi continued to become more and more flustered, which in turn made Selina's smirk more and more prominent. Kurumi made teasing her far to easy. When it came to Jonathan, her best friend became a mess of nerves and blushes. But she took Selina off gyard when she asked if Gideon did that sort of thing, "Well no... We aren't really like that. Is that bad?"

Kurumi wasn't sure if she felt good or guilty that she had managed to take the attention off her in the span of a sentence. No, she felt good about it because now she didn't feel like her face was on fire and was on the verge of spontaneously combusting right there on the spot. Walnut wouldn't appreciate his fur being singed.

"I...don't know," Kurumi said with a small frown. "I-I-I didn't really get gifts without a reason from a boy before." Heck, Adam had flat out forgotten holidays and special occasions. He had given her some things, but never out of the blue like what Jonathan had just done. "Selina...you know with boys and relationships that I am just as clueless as you are."

Post 1
 

Tennessee went up the Gryffindor tower however thoughts about homework bugged her. Her mind drifted to the Transfigurations homework and so she got up from bed again and went over to rummage her bag for her Transfigurations notebook. She thought she’d need a bit of light reading to make the perfect frame to give to someone else. “Now where was that topic again,” she said as she plopped on to her bed again and was browsing her notebook. She was pointing at the words and then she mumbled, “There!” She silently read again their lesson.

“Statua Habitum,” she said and shook her head. “No! There’s a correct pronunciation for that,” she corrected herself. She remembered that it was syllabicated in a proper way. "Stat-UA HAB-itum, Stat-UA HAB-itum," Tennessee whispered as her head bounced along the way. She was just trying to practice the pronunciation of the incantation. "Stat-UA HAB-itum," she breathed again. She would just revert it back if it won't work or it won't appear just like what she wanted to. Her eyes darted again on her notebook and read it exactly what was written on it "Stat-UA HAB-itum.”

For a few minutes she kept on repeating the incantation while looking at her notes. "Stat-UA HAB-itum, Stat-UA HAB-itum, Stat-UA HAB-itum, Stat-UA HAB-itum,” Then continued on saying it without looking at her notebook. She stopped when she felt like she needed to practice it and so she grabbed for her wand which was underneath her pillow. She quickly pulled some of the parchments on her desk leaving again her desk unorganized.

Obviously her bed wasn’t as flat as it should be so she just sat on the floor and laid the parchment there. “Now all I have to do is to say the incantation correctly and trace the paper with the frame I want,” she said to no one. She readied herself and said it "StatUA HABitum," while tracing a square on the paper.

As she waited for a frame to emerge, nothing happened. She blinked and still nothing happened to the parchment. "Why?" She gasped. "I thought i said it right already," she frowned. She yawned. She was getting sleepy. But she have to try again. "Statua Habitum," she said again as she repeated the tracing. She knew that time she hadn't said it right. She would really have to familiarize herself with it. "Okay," she said in a defeated tone. "I'll work on you in the morning." She set aside the parchment and her wand. Maybe she'd be able to make one perfectly tomorrow.

Kurumi was no longer red in the face. As much as she enjoyed the whole blush thing Selina did feel sort of bad. Her best friend was the easiest person in the world to make blush because she was so honorable and innocent, so she did feel, at this point, that poking fun of her and Jonathan was over for the time being. Give her friend a rest from being so flustered. Besides, Kurumi had done a brilliant job in changing the subject. There was even a part of Selina that wanted to applaud Kurumi for her brilliant transition. Brava.

"I mean, I don't know Kurumi. Your more of the type of girl that gets gifts and sweet talk and blushes and frills. I'm not. So not getting random gifts in my mind at least isn't bad. We just aren't like that. I don't think its bad....because.. well.... I like him a lot.". Cue blush.

HAH! Now Selina was blushing, but she couldn't help but feel a little guilty based on what had happened during their Healing seminar. Kurumi had sworn to herself not to say anything, and she wasn't going to right now, not with Selina looking all happy and girly. She needed a distraction and the only thing she could think of was to put the focus back on herself and force her to be all awkward again.

"How...do you think...people know, you know, know that they um...they know that they...feel....um..."

Well, if nothing else Kurumi had sufficiently made herself feel awkward.

Post Four (Astronomy Lesson 1)
 

Tayla took out the book she borrowed from the library and turned to the page about the nocturnal. She tried not to be overwhelmed by the figures and explanations. She also tried to recall what Professor Roslund discussed in class.

Tayla grabbed her bag from the floor and took our the nocturnal. She found it pretty and traced her fingers over it.

Making herself more comfortable by the window, she decided to start. She chose a reference star and aligned one tooth of the inner disk with the date on the outer disk. Finding the North Star, Polaris - just like she and Sophie did before at the observatory - wasn't too hard. Then she rotated the pointer and read the time supposedly indicated by the nocturnal.

"It is nine at night?" Tayla said aloud and checked her watch. Her reading was an hour late. "Hmmm..." She adjust the nocturnal again, checking to see where she made the mistake. After a few moments, she read the nocturnal once more. "There. Ten at night."

Tayla practiced one more time using a different reference star. Then she decided to go to the observatory later to try again.

Selina finished buttoning up the top of her pajamas shirt next to her bed. The redheaded girl walked over to the small mirror in the dorms and looked at her appearance in the mirror. As per usual for bed she started to throw her red hair up into a pony tail, but she stopper halfway through putting her hair up. Her eyes took in the red hair and she sat down in front of the mirror. Perhaps, it was time for a change. Selina loved her hair, but it was time for a change.. only for a few days. Just to try it out...

She drew her wand out to do it herself and then stopped... Maybe she should ask Kurumi. Where was she anyway?

we are going to pretend this is...post Gryffindor house table XD
 

It had been a terrible day. The sort of day that Kurumi just wanted to pretend had never happened. Maybe she should start looking into Memory Charms. Use them on herself to forget things...which is really all that she wanted to do right now. Forget.

Trudging up the stairs, Kurumi opened the door to her room and failed to notice that Selina was already there and looking at herself in the mirror. Had she been more alert, Kurumi may have had some sort of comment about how Selina had never been one to spend hours in front of the mirror looking at herself, but alas, that moment was gone.

Instead, Kurumi made a direct line towards her bed, threw off the covers, crawled in, and tucked herself in...back turned to her best friend who she still didn't know was in the room.

With the flick of her wrist Selina put her wand away and stood up from her place on the floor in front of the mirror. The redhead turned around to get a better look at her hair as she contemplated the change. Maybe blonde would not be so bad, she could sort of see the blonde on her. The problem was that Selina was a redhead. Everything in her body and being was proof that she was a fiery girl with red hair. Blonde was not always something that would fit her moods... Alas where was Kurumi?!?!

Then, as if by magic, Kurumi walked into the room and made a bee line for her bed. Selina turned back to the mirror and said, "Hey Rumi, what do you think about me going blonde-?". Her head snapped around to get a better look at Kurumi but all she saw was her best friend hiding under her bed in a wrapped up mess of blankets. Oh merlin, what had happened?

The current redhead walked over to Kurumi's bed and sat down. Her hand pulled back the covers enough to see just Kurumi's eyes. With a small smile she said gently, "Hey... Kurumi... You okay, kiddo?"

Kurumi took a deep breath, swallowed back any tears that might have been trying to force their way out, and rooooooooooooooooooolled onto her side when she heard Selina speak. FUDGESICLE! She hadn't been counting on her roommate being IN the room. Noting the mirror now, Kurumi blinked up at Selina.

Selina really need to stop calling her kiddo. Kiddos didn't have the sort of problems she was dealing with.

"I'm okay," she said with an overly enthusiastic shake of the head. "Blonde you say? We know that spell from Transfiguration last year that I can easily perform on you and see how things go if you want. Transfiguration being one of my better subjects and all. I really don't mind."

Ramble much. Hollingberry?

They both knew that Selina was a terrible liar, and Kurumi was no better. The two of them were just incapable of keeping secrets from one another.

As Selina patted down the sheets on Kurumi's bed while she suddenly stopped short as Kurumi went off on a rambling fit. It took a moment for Selina to adjust to how fast her friend was talking. Right then and there Selina knew that something was terribly wrong. Kurumi only rambled when she was uncomfortable or keeping secrets or both. The Gryffindor Captain rose her eyebrow at her friend and crossed her arms. She sent the look in her friend's direction that translated in best friend speak to cut-the-hippogriff-dung-what's-the-matter?

To prove to Kurumi that she would not be leaving her friend's side until she told her what was the matter, Selina crossed her legs Indian style up on Kurumi's bed and folded her hands in her lap. Her lips curled into a small smile to try and put her friend at ease before she added, "You know you can talk to me, right? About anything. I promise you that I won't judge you or anything you do." She rested her hand on top of her friend's hand in a maternal fashion, "You can tell me.."

Merlin, she hoped that Kurumi would. Her friend had been distraught over the past few weeks, since they had gotten back from holiday. However, every time Selina went to go and talk to Kurumi something came up where she needed to attend to the team or do something else school related. Her and Kurumi had not really spoken in private in a while. But she was here now... ready to listen.

Lily walked into the dorms after a hard day lessons and could not wait to just relax in her dorm with her friends. She threw her bag on the floor just bedside her bed and took out her books to complete her homework but she couldnt consentrate because her owl kept flying around the room annoying Hanna a girl who Lily had never properly talked to. Eventually her owl was back to normal in its cage so she could focus on getting her homework done so that she could go down to the great hall with her friends.

That look. Did Selina have to give her that look. Kurumi felt that there was no way she could keep what she was hiding...and not just because Selina had already seen in. Slowly, Kurumi sat up and hugged her pillow to her chest, scooting her legs in close to her body to form a ball. "Y-You already know...Selina," she said softly. Selina might not remember it right now, but she had mentioned it in a prediction last term. A prediction that Kurumi hadn't taken seriously.

Swallowing, Kurumi brought her eyes to meet Selina's now.

"She...is dying Selina....my mother is dying and there is nothing I can do about it..."

And Kurumi buried her face in her pillow to try and muffle the tears that were once again pouring down her face.

Her mother was dying? Oh Merlin, that was not what she had been expecting. How could Selina even go about handling this situation? The redhead knew how to handle this situation to some level because she had lost her sister, but loosing love ones was something that Selina could not make better. It was something deep and personal. How could she tell Kurumi who she loved like a sister that it would be alright, when she knew first hand that it would NEVER be alright. Nothing would ever be purely alright ever again. Something was broken now and that something would continue to break until, well, until her mother passed.

So when Kurumi buried her head into the pillow that she was just laying on Selina's mouth hung open in shock. Her own blue eyes started to sting with tears and her hands that were folded in her lap to prove earlier that she would not leave Kurumi's side extended so she could rub her friend's back.

What could she say to make the pain subside? Death was a touchy subject, especially for Selina. It was no easy task. Most people would lie to Kurumi and tell her that it was going to be okay, to eat something, move on with her life as if nothing was different. However, something was different. Only the naive pretended that up and coming death was a none issue. It was a huge issue.

Swallowing her own personal issues with the subject of death for Kurumi's sake, Selina whispered, "Oh Merlin, Kurumi..." she started continued to rub her friend's back and continued, "I'm not going to tell you that it will all be okay, it won't. But I want you to know that I'm here and I love you. It will be hard, but you will make it through this." That was a lie... Selina didn't know that for sure, but she had a feeling she would find out soon enough.

lots of wiki copy and paste here...you don't have to actually read it xD
 

Kurumi just sat there feeling numb to the world and numb to Selina's words. Why hadn't she taken her best friend more seriously during Divination last term? Maybe if she had done so...she would have had more time finding a cure and then she might have had a fighting chance. As it was...time was only running out.

"Spinocerebellar ataxia...it's a is a progressive, degenerative, genetic disease characterized by slowly progressive incoordination and often associated with poor coordination of hands, speech, and eye movements. Frequently, atrophy of the cerebellum occurs, and different ataxias are known to affect different regions within the cerebellum. It results in unsteady and clumsy motion of the body due to a failure of the fine coordination of muscle movements, along with other symptoms. The symptoms of an ataxia vary with the specific type and with the individual patient. Generally, a person with ataxia retains full mental capacity but may progressively lose physical control....until..."

Kurumi had her legs hugged to her chest as she spoke, rocking back and forth slightly as she mumbled what she had memorized from a medical journal over the break. She must have read that passage a million times, trying to pick it a part and find SOMETHING that she could use to make things better. Only nothing came, and her mother's illness was turning out to be a rapid progression, not slow.

It wasn't fair.

What could she say? What could she do that would make loosing someone better? Selina already knew the answer to that question. There was nothing she could do that would make this better. Kurumi was going to suffer, hurt; she was going to be left broken and beaten and battered and all Selina could do was stand by and hold her friend's hand as her life collapsed in front of her very eyes. Life wasn't fair. Why did people die when others needed them so much? Why did conflict remain unresolved because disease was the master of ceremonies in everyone's life? Why was it that Selina's mother was going to see her daughter get married, have kids, live a full life, while Kurumi's mother was not even going to see her daughter graduate?

The answer was simple. Life was not fair. Selina knew that better than anyone. Why did babies, who knew nothing of the world but smiles and giggles, get ripped from the earth so early and others who killed and knew only of hatred lived? Life was not fair.

But sometimes, just sometimes, there was beauty in life. There were things that made Selina think that perhaps life was not so bad and that things could and would be better. They had to be...

Or else she never would have bumped into Adam on the first day she stepped into Diagon Alley. He never would have introduced her to Kurumi and they never would have been friends, best friends. Or else she never would have literally run into Gideon on the platform and she would have lived her life not knowing he existed. Or else she never would have found the courage to walk up and introduce herself to Violet Le Veela and Elektra Draven when she was eleven. Or else she never would have gotten the time she had with her little sister, as short as it was.

So yeah, life was unfair... but there was so much beauty in the seams of it all.

She wrapped her arm around Kurumi so the girl could continue to shake and do what she needed to do to make herself calm. Then she cooed softly, "I can't say anything that is going to make this better. I'm just gonna hold you and let you know that I'm here for you. When you are ready we can talk, okay? But until then I'm just going to hold you... and I won't leave your side. Not for five minutes, five hours, five days, five weeks... whatever it takes. Because that is what best friends do... okay?"

Kurumi nodded...and sort of snorted as she tried to catch her breath through the tears that instantly began falling down her cheeks after she had finished her piece. Selina hugs were always appreciated, but there were a set of arms that the Gryffindor wanted to be in now that she couldn't have - and she wasn't just thinking about her father. On top of all this, her other pillar had left school and Kurumi felt more vulnerable than ever. She was already rather fragile as it was, but everything now was just breaking her.

Her hands went to her necklace and she clutched it as if it were a lifeline. She still couldn't find the words to respond to Selina. So she didn't. She just let her best friend hold her until she was pretty sure she had no more tears left to cry.

Jezzabelle felt her feet drag her to the dorm so she could crash on her bed. As she finally reached her destination she pulled the hangings around her bed closed and rooted into her pocket for one of the letters. Her dads handwriting was a little hard to make out but she managed to and really all he had written was that he missed her and that he was busy and that he'd see her soon. Her mothers letter just said she was busy and didn't have time to write to her.

In those letters it gave the knowledge of who she would be living with and she wanted to thank Merlin that while her father may not be the best person, he was the caring one. She felt her body shake though and the tears to threaten to over spill onto her pillow. She hadn't told anyone about the issues at hand. In all honesty, she had never felt so alone as he did in this moment. She couldn't seem to keep friends so became a lone....lion. Rolling onto her side thank finally felt the first tear fall and all she could think was that it was going to be a long night.

Rose looked up from her bed and saw a girl walk in, looking rather upset. She frowned and got up and moved over to the bed, sitting beside her. 'Excuse me, ma'am? Are you alright?' she said quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She knew that look that was in this girl's eyes. It was the look she had adapted when her mum had died. She had a problem, but didn't want anyone to know. But she wasn't that good at hiding it. Rose was going to try to help anyway she could.

Anyone =) x
 

Alex had been busy researching down in the grounds most of the day and decided to head up to the dorms to see how everyone was doing and maybe to have a lil snooze before dinner.

The third year went over to her bed which she sat upon and pulled some parchment and a quill from her beside drawer. She had been planning to write to Ronnie for a while just to see how she was and what was happening at Rupert and Holli's. Alex had also been wondering how Holli was and if the baby had arrived yet.