Ellie raised an eyebrow. That was...the oddest name she's ever heard. And it wasn't like her boyfriend and his sister had the most common names in the world. "Joahoo?" she asked for confirmation. "I take it most people have trouble pronouncing that? That's why you said it like that?" Because sounds could get jumbled up when one said something strange way too fast.

"Is there something else people call you? A nickname?" For the most part, those were better. But then again, if he had one, you would think he'd introduce himself as such instead of something that he feared being pronounced incorrectly. "Good to meet you either way," she nodded. Hopefully, he wasn't going to offer his hand. Because she wanted to avoid the awkwardness that followed when she didn't accept the greeting. It was just WEIRD, a handshake.

Don't think that this greeting would keep her from her work, though, Joao. After holding the boy's gaze for a polite amount of time, Ellie pulled out one of the binders from the bag. Until...she narrowed her eyes up at him. "What house are you in?" Ravenclaw? Something else? Would he be spying on her Quidditch things?

Here sat another sinful soul that had never listened to Portuguese before. Or else, she would know João was a very common name in Portuguese-speaking countries. Shame. It saddened him to think that although Portugal was right there under England, people still didn't know. Anyways. Better to teach her, then. He really started out alright with this Ravenclaw. Maybe things would work out with one of them.

"Close enough," he said with a smile. It was way better than what Louisa--

He wasn't going to think about her. Instead, he went on confirming her question.

"It's not even an English name, so people cannot pronounce it." Well, obviously it wasn't. English never made out the vowels like that. "I think it's John in English... though I prefer my other name, Marcelo, to this John." Marcelo was an easy name, so she should have no difficulty in pronouncing that. This was a priviledge he didn't give to many people. Either he was really changing, or he stopped being so... harsh. He wondered what Louisa would have thought--

Moving on.

"Good to meet you too." And he meant it. She was by far the best Ravenclaw he'd ever met, and he had met some. She was decent, even. If only she hadn't narrowed her eyes at him. He panicked for a moment thinking he did something wrong again.

"...Slytherin." Why? So she would stop talking to him if he wasn't from her house?

Maxwell sat near the Whomping Willow, playing the Lute his father built for him. He never played Lute, it was like guitar but different, smaller...He was getting bored with it though...

It was a nice weekend day and Minerva had decided to take a walk around the grounds. She pulled at her blonde pigtails that she had braided earlier in the day and then tugged at her browns topshe was wearing. Why she came to the tree she wasn't sure. She hadn't really spent much time there yet, she looked at it crossing her arms. "So how about a little game. She grinned as the first branch came towards her. She laughed being far enough away at that point in them. "I'm already beat up from flying, you can't do much difference." she giggled at it and then noticed some music playing. She looked around to see where it was coming from when she saw Maxwell. Walking over she smiled "Hey you, haven't seen you in a few days."

Maxwell stopped playing and smiled a little. "Yeah, I've been hiding a little." He said hoping she didn't think he meant from her. "I learned that a friend died, recently and took it a little hard.." He said sitting up a little and patting the ground for her to sit down with him.

Minerva frowned a bit "Oh Maxwell, I'm so sorry to hear that. That is horrible news.' she plopped down beside him as she did her braids bounced off her shoulders. "You okay?" she said looking at him. She was hoping he wasn't trying to hide from her for more then just being upset. "I like your playing."

Maxwell nodded. "I think so, She was my best friend first year and i thought she just abandoned me...I was so angry with her for it and now i just feel like a jerk..." He said with sadness in his eyes.

Minerva frowned weren't they just talking about this, but about his mother. See this is why she always told people to make up no matter what. "Maxwell I'm so sorry, don't feel like a jerk, she knew you cared." she was so bad at making people feel better with this kind of stuff. "Have you talked to Taylor about it?" Hopefully Taylor was making him feel better she thought. She played with her blonde braid a little nervously trying to think of something to say.

Maxwell nodded. "Yeah, I know she did...but that doesn't change the way i thought about her..." He said feeling little bad, but less so now. "Yeah, we talked she said the same things you did and i'm starting to feel better but it's just hard...Ariana and I got in a fight over it.." He wasn't sure if Min knew Ariana but if not he'd explain why they fought.

Minerva looked at him a little curious "Why did you get in a fight about it? I thought she was a close friend." Minerva thought about it a second. She had only met Ariana twice, once at Damons and once at Maxwells. Then it hit her "Oh was she friends with the girl as well?" that was probably it "she is probably just upset over it as well, give her time and she will be better with you."

Maxwell nodded a little. "Not only that but Ariana was dating Josie's brother who also passed in the crash...She's angry with me that i moved on and assumed my being strong for her sake to mean that i don't care...I just thought both of us being a wreck was no good so one of us had to be strong..."

Minerva put her arm around him. "Maxwell I'm sorry this is horrible. Like I said though she is upset, even more then I thought if it was her boyfriend. Believe me she will get over it and come around, just be there for her. I am speaking from experience. When I came back from my families service I wanted nothing to do with my old friends, because I never heard from them while I was gone so I figured they didn't care. That's why Justin and I broke up. I even was really mean with Harvey, but out of all of my old friends Harvs just stayed even when I was mean, because he knew I was upset and acting out from that. So just let her know you are there and when she needs you she will come."

Maxwell nodded and laid his head on her shoulder, not in a romantic was but like good friends or siblings might. "Thanks, Min." He said with a small smile. "I like your hair." He said noticing the blonde instead of the blue. "Time for a change already?" He asked letting his smile grow a little bit.

Minerva laughed a bit, "Well I couldn't go to quidditch tryouts with Ravenclaw blue hair, now could I." she then thought about it.. Could she joke like that or would he get upset, oh well she never held back just because of offending someone "Plus you know the blonde might make me look a little like Tay, thought I could get points in Ash's book for that." she tried to be serious, but couldn't help but laugh. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding don't throw me to the tree branches." She really hoped he would take the joke even though it might have been just half joking.

Close enough? Yeah, well, when you say it slow like that, it's easier to get close, right? But still, Ellie didn't much like the thought of mispronouncing his name always. Even if she was always 'close enough', she'd rather have it down.

...Or use another name.

It wasn't English. Well THAT was just weird. What kind of person names their kid something in a foreign language, eh?

'John'. John was VERY English as far as Ellie knew. Very common. Very old. And Joahoo kept talking and it was getting hard to keep up with him. A lot of names at once. "Would you rather I call you Marcelo than mispronounce your real name, then?" Really, Ellie just wanted to know what to call the kid. She didn't really care about the background or language or where 'Marcelo' came from or whatever.

So Joahoo/Marcelo/whoever was a Slytherin? That wasn't too bad. The Captain wasn't terribly afraid of the Slytherin team. However, if they knew all her plays, she'd have plenty reason to fear them. "And do you play Quidditch? Know it? Care about it? Whether Slytherin wins or not?" Because she was going to have to kick him out from under her tree if he did.

Or work on super secret Ravenclaw plays later.

Maxwell laughed. "I'm sure you're captain wouldn't like you showing up with Ravenclaw hair." He said with his first honest smile all day. "I was about to say...But really, Just be you cause you're pretty great and if he doesn't see it he's just dumb." He said smiling at her and hoping she knew he didn't mean it in a way like he liked her, Minerva was great and everything but he didn't like her like that...

Minerva laughed "Well I don't know if my broom thought I was still on the wrong tree. A bird distracted me and I found my face in a tree." she pointed to the bruise on her face and arm. "I don't think I'm making the team this term, my focus just isn't there. My gobstone match was just as bad." she shook her head. She had to start getting more focused, but wasn't sure how.

"Oh well don't say to many nice things, I might start getting a big head." she joked with him glad to see him smiling. "I am just me, that's really all I can be. I don't think he minds me.." she couldn't help but smile over this. "I think things are going pretty good and I'm glad they are friends again, it makes things easier for all of us."

Maxwell nodded. "I know what you mean, remember the tree i crashed into over the summer?" He asked rubbing his own back a little. "I was so busy trying to actually go to all my classes that i missed Gryffindor tryouts." He said with a half smile, he really wanted to bring his grades up to impress Taylor and prove to Damon that he wasn't stupid.

Maxwell laughed a little. "I think you can handle it." He said jokingly about the big head. "I'm glad things are going good for you two...and yeah I'm happy they stayed friends.." He said still angry about being lied to, he didn't care they were friends, he'd said it plenty of times so he didn't understand the need for lies. Although he was still uncomfortable with the kisses on the cheek and all the affection, but he was raised differently and he wasn't going to try and stop them.

Minerva smiled "Yeah those tree hurt like crazy." She giggled a bit, "that wasn't even at tryouts, I was alone thank goodness. I would have been mortified if that happened at practice." she then frowned a bit "I'm sorry you missed tryouts, but you have next term. Grades are very important to focus on. Remember if you need help in anything let me know. The only thing I really struggle with is Runes. I have always been so confused in that class." she then shook her head "Well I don't think I'm going to make the team anyway, so you will have someone to sit with at the matches, well other then Taylor if you guys don't mind a third wheel." she smiled a bit.

"How are things going with you two? How did you take it when she told you that they were lying to us?" she gave him a look that showed that she knew they were lied to. She looked at the ground "Ash told me in the common room one night. Don't get me wrong I'm glad they are friends again, but I just can't shake the feeling that they are still hiding something. If they weren't why would they have lied about their friendship after we tried and tried to get them to talk." she was over it, and did trust Damon, but she didn't like being lied to..

Maxwell nodded. About the grades. "I might take you up on that offer." He said smiling and then about Quidditch. "I wouldn't think of you as a third wheel, You're our friend." He said happily.

Maxwell shrugged. "I don't really know, I mean she's still a little distant because of our parent's and i understand that but she's been more open. We had a really great talk the other day in the shri- In private." He said not wanting to talk about their secret spot, it was only theirs and he was okay with that. "She really confided in me and I her...It was nice." He said with a smile that quickly left at the mention of her lying. "I was angry, though i didn't act like it. I was happy she told me the truth but wished she didn't have to...after all her talk about telling the truth it just hurt....I mean i trust her, but do you feel like there's something between them they're keeping from us..."

Minerva smiled 'Well I'm glad I wouldn't just be a third wheel. I would hate to be a bother. Damon said he would try to go to matches, but he hates social things, so I'm not going to force him." They were very different in that way, but so alike in others she thought. It worked for them and that was all that mattered.

She gave him a smile "Well I'm glad you two finally talked about that and got it out in the open." Minerva wasn't sure he knew she talked to Taylor about doing that very thing. She was very happy that Taylor took the advice and that it made them better. It was nice to know she was respected by her friends in that way that they actually did listen to her. Then frowned a bit with the lying. "Yeah I know what you mean. I was lied to by both of them. I talked to both of them by themselves about each other and they just acted like they hated the other or were just hurt or whatever, but Damon told me, because he said he couldn't lie to me if we were together. So at least he did tell me. I hope I wasn't pushing him to think he had to lie." she started thinking about it, her frustration in the common room her suspicions she was having. "I just want everyone to be happy that maybe I was pushing the issue so much that he thought I would be upset." she laughed a bit. 'Oh how silly of me, I guess I do go over board trying to get everyone to get along."

Maxwell smiled. "Well, you're always welcome to hang out with us." He said knowing Taylor would feel the same.

Maxwell nodded. "Yeah, I'm glad we talked." He liked that Min didn't ask him about his slip up, she was cool like that. "Yeah, I know I talked to them both and they acted like they could never be friends because each one hated the other and then the other day at the playground when Taylor and i were acting strange it was because i suspected her of lying about something and that's when she told me, she couldn't take lying anymore. She just thought i'd be angry or jealous and that we'd put restrictions on them, as if we could even if we wanted to...I mean i don't care for how affectionate they are, but i'd feel like that no matter who it was...I mean seeing my girlfriend kiss someone else on the cheek..." He sighed. "but this isn't America and i guess that's normal here..." He said feeling confused about how Europe and America were so different.

Well, Taryn had certainly not been expecting a question like that. It was like Milton was asking her how she would like to die, death by sun or by cold?

"I want to say neither but then I would be a spoiled sport." Hmm. She tilted her head and glanced at him in consideration as she made her choice. "Sahara over Siberia, definitely, but don't ask me why because I really don't have a good reason." Giggle.

"I like this game, ask me another question."

Yes! She could call him Gerald. She liked the name Gerald it seemed more unique then Gary and less boring and popular. She smirked as he told her she could call him Gerald. He starting to get on her but he was still a tall, apple monster and he was also cold especially to girls. What happened to ladies first? He clearly didn't know much manners.

"Uhh... She guessed she was just really clueless. Why did she ask him that? SHE WAS CURIOUS. Yes, that was the reason. "I guess I don't know why?" Good answer. It totally said what she felt.

"So, you a transfer?"

The blonde guy bit his apple again. Well, better to be called Gerald right? Maybe she was the first person who called him Gerald. Yes. She was. No one ever called him Gerald in this place, beside his own family. Well, even Lucas or Gloria rarely to call him Gerald again right now.

"I see." said him cool. "I know that I'm a bit taller than average boys in my age, right? Most of my friends in Salem also told the same." Sometimes he didn't feel comfortable to be tall. Some people didn't believe that he was still fifteen, while they thought he might be older than 17. Did he looked very old if he was tall? "And yes, I am a transfer student, from Salem. But I am originally from Canada." now his voice sounded not too cold as usual.