Alec grinned back at the older girl. Unless he was mistaken, this was the first time the two would be working on anything to do with homework! Usually the older girl kept to her own friends and Alec kept to his own. It was sad, really. The two made an excellent pair!

Say, what now? Him? Popular? With the girls?! He knew that he knew a lot of girls but he was pretty sure that he wasn't 'popular' with them. None of them gossiped about him during sleepovers did they? ... He hoped not! "I don't... I mean..." He ruffled his hair. He wasn't popular with them, at all! He wasn't even popular to begin with! "Thanks Lyss!" he said. They'll be very, very useful!

Lyss was protesting in the Great Hall? For a fleeting moment, Alec got the mental image of the brunette standing up on a table and chanting something for the protest. Breaking... rules? So they were allowed to bend the rules slightly? "Well, good luck!" he said, "Hey, you could take your Beater's bat with you!" In case... she needed a quick getaway? Whack Bludgers at people as she ran?

No, that was lame.

The young Hufflepuff let out a small chuckle at the older girl's next comment. This seemed very daring of them! And maybe this was something they could change! He just needed an idea as to where to go, now. "I'll meet you back here!" he called, just as the girl started walking away. Smiling, Alec grabbed a couple of the posters Lyss has left behind before following her out of the common room.

" well, she did say that she was a little hurt over it, but don't worry she'll come around soon enough. Trust me... just a month ago she was throwing rocks at my head... And today she's lounging acrossed me...." he joked with a laugh.

" I hope that I don't mess this up... Thanks , Min.... For being the first person to talk to me once I started coming out of the dorm.... I apreciate it.... You're the best friend a guy could have. " he smiled

Ella appreciated that Jordon was willing to help her despite the fact he hadn't done so before. It was really nice of him, especially because they hadn't known eachother before today.

The second year laughed when Jordon promised only to laugh if she messed up. So he was a joker, huh? Well Ella appreciated that. As she continued to play, she could feel that Jordon was watching. It made her feel a bit nervous but she focused on the song, remembering how her dad had taught her to play it over the summer. A small smile appeared on her face when he began to strum along and she was almost sad when her stopped. When the song ended, Ella looked up at the boy with her eyebrows raised. "So...was I terrible?" She hoped not. She didn't want to embarrass herself, especially in front of a potential new friend.

Minerva laughed a little, she was glad that her and Justin were friends again. "Well I have to get to work on some of my signs done for my protest that I'm doing." She grinned it was so exciting to think about doing a protest and even better to the point that it was for a class and she wouldn't get points loss for doing it.

" Alright, I'll be in the shudy room in a few minutes. " justin smiled back to her.

Jordon smiled, "wow, that was awesome!" He said, picking his guitar back up. "How could you think you weren't that good? You're way better than a lot of the people I've seen." He hadn't really seen that many people, but she wasn't bad at all. In fact, she was pretty good. It wouldn't be very hard to help Ella get better at playing. "So would you like me to help you sometime? We could even just hangout and play."

"I'm Aliza. Aliza Martinez." She gave him a huge smile hoping that would lift his spirits. "Whatever is on your mind, don't let it bother you so much. Things have a way of working themselves out.".

Another boy turned up and started chatting with Damon. Aliza almost felt invisible, so she backed away slowly from the two boys and headed back to her armchair. After sitting down, she glanced back at Damon just to make sure he was okay, then she went back to her book.

He sighed, "After what I said I doubt." Damon shook his head, he had no idea what to do anymore. He'd punched a wall, he had never done anything like that. He was a pacifist, didn't believe in violence... So why did Min being hurt make him so angry to do it?

" Damon, whatever you did... Minerva will come around. She's got a good heart and when she connects with someone the way she has the both of us she can't stay mad for long.... Trust me. Alright? You just need to give her some time...
That's all." Justin said while trying to be reassuring.

"I highly doubt you practically told her you regret ever meeting her..." He sighed, "Something happened that wasn't the most enjoyable thing to deal with at the moment, and I snapped at her because she said that I hated Maxwell and... I just lost my temper..."

" Damon, I told her that it was her fault her family died..... I think I've done worse. Minerva loves her friends more than life itself.... You need to talk to her... Let her know you didn't mean it. We all say stuff that we regret when we're stressed out, Mate. " Justin said as he gave Damon a pat on the back. " Just apologise to her.... Trust me... She'll know you're really meaning it just by lookin at ya."

Alyssa entered the Common Room after her flying stunt in the Great Hall. She somehow had a feeling that she had failed to make the impact that she had wanted to make but knew that it had been worth a try.

She sat down on the couch and stated into the fireplace and felt a great sadness overwhelm her again. It would be her birthday in a couple of hours and like the past two terms, she would be celebrating it quietly and without her family. Students were already leaving to go to Hogsmeade, and she wanted to go too but since she didn't have anyone to go with, she didn't want to go alone.

Alyssa sighed and sadly stared into the fireplace.

Ella beamed at the older boy when he said her playing was awesome. "I-It was? Thanks!" She said, looking sheepish. When he continued to complement her playing, the second year felt the blush forming on her face. Oh great, here it comes again. "I just-I don't know really. I guess I just haven't been playing for long and I thought." Shrug. "Thanks though, I'm glad you think I'm good." As for his offer, Ella nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I'd really appreciate if-that is if you don't mind." Though he obviously didn't since he had asked, right? "It would be nice to hang out and play. I usually practice out on the grounds, well before it gets too cold."

Post 4: Hufflepuff Common Room
 

Alyssa had just finished making some badges for her protest assignment and looked around for one of her friend to help her distribute them. Then she spotted Ella. She walked up to Ella and smiled at her.

"Ella I really need a BIG favor from you. Could you help me distribute these badges out to as many Hufflepuff students as you can. I'm going to get Alec to help me too. It's for a good cause really, especially if you have good friends that belong in the other houses. Will you help me?" Alyssa asked Ella, as she held out the bag of badges to her.

Minerva had just gotten done with her morning class and ran back to the common room to see bouncers. She had been so busy lately that she had been feeling a bit bad for the little fur ball. She sat down in her favorite chair and put the pygmy puff into her lap. He bounced and squeaked happily. Looking around the common room she had only seen a few people. It had been weeks since the fight with Damon, but they still hadn't talked. She realized that he was not lying when he said he would pretend he didn't know her. She looked towards the fire place and closed her eyes. So many thoughts were running through her head from all her classes, quiddtich, Maxwell, but always as much as she tried the thoughts went back to that fight.

Ella turned when she heard a familiar voice and smiled up at the older Hufflepuff as she approached. Her eyebrows raised a bit when Alyssa told her she needed a favor. Now she was curious, not sure what she could do to help out the girl. Ohhhh! Protest stuff. Grabbing a button from Alyssa, Ella read it and smiled. "These are good, Alyssa. Sure I'll help you hand them out. I hope when we have our Hogsmeade rally you'll come to that as well." That way they could support each other's causes, yeah?

Damon walked into the common room and saw Minerva. He started to turn when he remembered his promise to Taylor. He sighed and walked over to her, "Hey..."

Minerva heard a voice and opened her eyes, seriously did she just have to think his name and he showed up. She wasn't sure whether to make a sarcastic comment or just try to be nice. He had so many places and so many times he could have talked to her, but he didn't he acted like she wasn't even alive, so why now, why was he actually speaking to her now. "I'm sorry, do you know me, because last time I checked you told me you didn't." So being nice didn't come out so well, she shrugged it off. It's not like he cared about her or anything.

He sighed, Off to a great start... "You said you wished you never met me. Just trying to make it seem just like that." He looked down, "And I've just been trying to do what would make you happy..." He sighed again, "But I miss my friend."

Minerva looked at him and the frustration that she had thought was gone boiled back up at his words. Why was she so upset over this, she was happy with Maxwell and had many friends, so why was this such a big deal. She knew the answer as soon as she made eye contact with him. She tried to still show her frustration, but it melted a bit. She sighed not able to stay mad, but able to stay hurt. "Damon, I didn't want that. I was tired of feeling like I'm always caught in the middle. All this craziness finally got to me and I started feeling as if you all thought, because I am friends with all of you, that you all could use that against each other. I never meant that I wish I would have never met you. Damon my feelings have not changed much from that first time I met you at the feast." she looked to the ground knowing she had to explain herself more, "Damon, I am so happy with Maxwell and we are just a great fit, better then I could imagine, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been rough seeing you with her..knowing that all along that's where you wanted to be when I you were with me, so I'm sorry for anything that I said that was hurtful, my feelings and frustration got the best of me." She looked back up at him "I miss my green eyed friend as well." she gave him a weak smile.

Damon looked at her, "Taylor and I aren't... We don't quite know what we are." He sighed, "And Minerva... I tried to explain that to you. When you and I dated I fully intended on staying that way. I wanted to love you, more than anything else... But I couldn't force myself to do that, though I tried. I never meant for it to seem like I was leading you on." He looked down, he'd never been able to come out and just say what he wanted before. It surprised him more than it probably should have, "And I'm sorry if you ever felt like that was the case. I truly wanted to love you."

"Damon, suck it up and just admit you two are basically dating. Everyone can see it and it's fine, I'm happy that you are. I want you to be happy. If you feel anything like I've been feeling with Maxwell lately, then you needed to be with her." She felt a smile come to her face with the sound of Maxwell's name. "Damon, I know you did, but your heart isn't going to love someone it doesn't want to. Like I said it's been an adjustment seeing you two, but I am getting use to it now, but it was probably weird seeing Maxwell and I as well even if it was just a friend love that you had."

Post 4: Hufflepuff House Protest Badges
 

Alyssa was grateful that Ella agreed to help. "Here is a bag of the Hufflepuff Badges and thanks again for offering to help. The Hogsmeade rally? Sure you can definitely count me in. Now that I've got your help to distribute the Hufflepuff badges, I wonder whether I can get Anya to help me distribute the Gryffindor badges to her House mates.

I'm going to look for her. Catch you later, Ella and once again. Thanks."Alyssa waved to Ella as she made her way out of the Common Room.

He sighed, "We've kissed three times." He shook his head, "I'd hardly call that dating, and yes, we do plan to date; but that's not until this last memory comes back." Damon looked at her, "I don't mind seeing you and Maxwell together at all. I'm happy for both of you. Knowing that my friend was happy and that maybe he wouldn't be as desperate for me to just disappear..." He trailed off, he didn't see Maxwell's point at the time. He said he didn't love Taylor, but still hated the idea of Damon being with her. It didn't make sense to him, if Maxwell could move on why was it not okay for her to? If anything, Maxwell hated him even more now, it seemed. "I thought you would've known me better than to think it would bother me that you found someone else."