Apples, seriously? Another apple?! That must of been his like 7TH! Apples were overrated! Why couldn't people eat grapes or melon?! They were way more epic fruits. Apples were plain and boring and gave her falling teeth. Boo. She just sat there looking at him having with a bit of an awkward face. Ever since Herbology she believed that he ate like 8 apples a day. Weird boy.

She now thought he wasn't that tall. Her brother was taller but she hadn't seen him for ages. "My brother is taller than you, and your not 6'3" Like him she said with a grin. She couldn't really believe he was 15 built muscular and tall. Her brother was 17 as far as she could remember and she was was shorter at 5'7".

Salem? Something she heard of. And he was from Canada. Did that mean he said things a bit weirdly? Nah. He would pick up the accent soon hopefully. "Canada? Oh where?" she had been to bits and Canada well Montreal to be exact and it was cold.

Minerva smiled glad that she wasn't going to feel out of place if she hung out with Taylor and Maxwell at matches. "I know others will be there to so don't hesitate to shoo me away if you get annoyed by me." she laughed a bit.

Minerva shook her head "Yeah when we got back to the common room is when Damon told me. I'm glad they finally told us, we aren't dumb we would have figured it out. They were acting a little off on the playground." she thought about it a while. "Even when he knew I liked him and knew I knew he liked Taylor I still did get all weird, well most of the time about their closeness. So I already knew of their closeness, I just don't understand why they thought since we were dating I would become crazy girlfriend all of the sudden." she never acted crazy or jealous before, ok well maybe one time with Harvey and that snake girl, but she was on the anxiety medication at the beginning of last term, so she would blame that. "I agree, I am a hugger, I hug everyone, but I don't get the kissing."

Cool. Then if he was in no rush, he might as well sit for a bit! No rhyme intended. Since his palms were getting a little numb, Paulie shifted his position a bit so that he was relying more on his back than on the support of his arms.

"So, Gideon," he began. Interesting name. "How's the whole prefect thing going? I heard you're datin' Selina, so that's cool that you're both.. ya know, school leaders or whatever." He nodded. What with Selina being quidditch captain and all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cedric

Cool. Then if he was in no rush, he might as well sit for a bit! No rhyme intended. Since his palms were getting a little numb, Paulie shifted his position a bit so that he was relying more on his back than on the support of his arms.

"So, Gideon," he began. Interesting name. "How's the whole prefect thing going? I heard you're datin' Selina, so that's cool that you're both.. ya know, school leaders or whatever." He nodded. What with Selina being quidditch captain and all.

Gideon listened to the other boy as he settled down on the ground. "As well as to be expected, I guess," he replied with a slight one-armed shrug. At least it hadn't been too much of a surprise on how much there was to be done, having the inside info from Selina had given him enough warning. Speaking of Selina...Paulie had decided to comment on the whole 'leadership' duo that only they themselves or close friends had brought up before now.

"Aye I am...have been for over a year," Gideon confirmed, perhaps a bit prouder then one might expect. "It is certainly...interesting," he admitted, "and nice to actually work together this term rather then sit out like before." Being boyfriend and friend to two of the leaders and having to watch either deal with the third knowing their history had not be the most pleasant experience last term. "How are ye handling head boy?"

Darwin's hair was in his eyes, his mouth was still full of grass that he was desperately attempting to spit out, his back hurt and he was now finding it very difficult to breathe.

And although he was not clever, not smart, and couldn't read properly, the twelve year old knew that he needed to be able to breathe to live.

...CUE PANIC MODE.

He began to struggle underneath the other boy, thrashing his arms about and kicking his legs and trying DESPERATELY to throw him off him. "P-p-plea-se... geddoff me." He could barely manage to talk and he was DYING here. DYING because this boy was MEAN and WEIRD and TOTALLY KILLING HIM RIGHT NOW.

And he, Darwin, wasn't ready to die. Not ready whatsoever! He had stuff to learn and things to do and friends to make and he was pretty sure his Mum didn't want him dead, either. Neither would Brooke and Oskar and his Dad and... well, Emiline probably would, but she just didn't count as a person.

"The t-t-ree?" Now it was time for him to adopt a confused look, and the shock of the idea stopped him from struggling. "Bu-but.. why... why w-would I... want t-to... chase the tree?!" That was an ABSURD idea, and absolutely MAD accusation! Of course he wasn't chasing the TREE, that would probably get him KILLED.

...Well, killed faster than being sat on, at least.

Which he was still not enjoying. Dragging deep breaths, Darwin's confused look deepened. "I'm not... c-calling th-the... tree 'Paul! Th-that's my... Pgymy P-puff's name! An-and he's... running... towards the... t-tree!" And if the boy didn't get off him now and let him rescue Paul then...

Well, he wasn't sure what he'd do, since he was pinned down and couldn't exactly do much. He couldn't even imagine what Spiderman would do in such a situation, because he couldn't imagine Spiderman ever getting into such a situation. He was just a stupid attempt at being his hero right now and that was embarrassing. Maybe he was just not cut out for this Superhero business. :-(

And how this boy had ACCOMPLICES. OTHER PEOPLE who were going to keep him from Paul and hurt him some more. "N-no! EVER-YONE is N-NOT ok-okay. I c-can't BR-BREATHE. And Paul is g-going to d-die." And so was he, but he didn't focus on the fact that because he was talking (however breathless his voice was) that meant that he could totally breathe and therefore wasn't dying. No, that wasn't the case.

LOOK. PERSON RUNNING. TOWARD THE TREE. "THANK YOU. SAVE PAUL, PERSON RUNNING." Because she seemed NICE. She seemed like she really wanted to help him, and not KILL him like this other weird person and his accomplice was trying to.

"Now c-can you... geddoff... m-me?"

Maxwell smiled. "I'm sure you'll make the team." He said encouraging her.

Maxwell nodded. "Yeah, I could tell something was up as soon as she faked a forced smile...I know her forced smiles, I've seen plenty of them and that wasn't one." He said looking annoyed with Taylor. "I guess since i got all jealous, with good reason they think all Americans are like that...Yeah what's with the kissing? Does that make you uncomfortable too? I mean what if i kissed your cheek a million times a day i bet Damon would get annoyed and Taylor too." He said shaking his head a little.

Lewis just blinked at her a couple of times in confusion, not quite sure what she was getting at. What were they about to see? What was she talking about? Oh. She was trying to come up with a nickname for him? "No. That reminds me of Indy's Pygmy Puff." No explanation needed there, in his eyes anyway. Which reminded him though..."But...she calls me Lewwy sometimes." Since Evelyn was SO keen on finding him a nickname and all. "But I like Lewis." Yes. It wasn't weird that he liked his own name, was it?

He was still a little taken aback by her laughing and he was getting more and more certain that she'd been laughing AT him. Only why he didn't know. When she finally told him that he could lie down on the grass like Vanilla was, he turned to look at her again without tilting his head back to normal however. "B-but...you're here now." That didn't mean that he wanted her to leave. That was just his explanation why he couldn't just lie down like that and sleep.

Minerva smiled "You might be more confident then I am. I am hurting and the season hasn't even started yet. I would love to make the team though, but don't think I'm going to." She was happy her friend thought she could do something she wasn't sure she could.

Minerva laughed a bit "Well I think my cheek might get chapped." why she did the goofy jokes with Maxwell she never knew, but it was just so easy. "I know what you mean, it does bug me a bit. I just ignore it to be honest. Half the time I don't even notice anymore or I just look away. I just think it's a big cultural difference, so I try to understand." She wasn't sure how much it really bothered her, but she could see Maxwell's point. She was feeling that something more might be going on behind their back, but she didn't want to admit it, she was enjoying her time with Damon and didn't want to lose it.

Maxwell smiled. "Well, I have faith in you." He said honestly, he was happy she at least got to try. How did everyone manage school and friends and everything else?

Maxwell laughed a little at her joke. He sighed. "I get that it's a cultural difference, but we're just as in their lives as they are in each others. Why do we have to be the understanding ones? We're from another place and they can't be understanding if their ways make us uncomfortable?" 'Especially with Damon's feelings...' He finished as a thought.

Minerva blushed a bit she was never good at complements. She never felt the way people seemed to feel about her. "Well if you ever want to go up on the brooms I would love the extra practice. You could be my trainer this term if I make the team, but maybe that would be against things since your not in the same house as me." she giggled a bit. Minerva sighed looking at her bag, "So how are your classes going, which ones have you liked so far?" She was so happy they were in a few classes together.

Minerva understood everything he was feeling and there was so much she felt like saying, but didn't know whether she should or not. "I know what your saying. Sometimes I do feel like it is there way all the time and yes I agree about thinking of us, but I think they tried in their own way to think of us. It was just a dumb way to try and ignore each other just for us. That's not what I want at all. I want us all to be able to hang out and have fun like we use to, minus the tension between you two and now that he is with me there shouldn't be tension, right?" Minerva wasn't an idiot she knew that feelings were still there, but she was just trying to ignore them hoping she could replace them for Damon.

Maxwell smiled. "I think that could be fun." He said about being her trainer. To the classes. "I hate all of them except Transfiguration to be honest, they're all so boring but i wanna prove to everyone i'm not stupid..." He said knowing it's what everyone thought of him, he wasn't exactly book smart but it was more because he didn't care.

Maxwell sighed. "Well, they were both idiots. What is wrong with this continent I feel like i've just stepped into Wonderland or something...And if i'm going somewhere that doesn't exist i'd want to go to neverland.." He said smiling he knew she'd get the references growing up in the muggle world, Taylor never understood them. "I don't know i feel like there's more they're not saying to us...More between them that they don't want us to know." He knew they were both feeling it so why not say it? "Sometimes i find myself not trusting her when i want to..."

Minerva smiled and felt good that he wanted to help her even if they were in different houses. "Well that will be fun. Taylor could come to since she is trying out for her team as well. The more the better, I was hit with a bludger pretty good last term during practice. I don't want that to happen again if I can help it." she laughed a bit. She then frowned "I don't think your stupid. I think your very smart. Anyone who wants to change into a creature has to be smart, right?"She thought for a minute before speaking again. Max who thinks your stupid or what makes you think people feel that way?"

Minerva laughed at his Peter Pan joke "I personally never liked that movie I think Peter is creepy. I would go the ocean to swim with the mermaid and sing with Flounder." She laughed thinking about her child hood favorite. Then her laugh quickly faded into an uncomfortable frown. She knew what he was saying was true, but she had been running from it..hiding from it was a better way to put it. "Well I.. I guess..Maxwell I don't know. I don't want to believe it I guess. I know I'm being selfish here, but it's new for me. Damon and I being together. We work when it's just us." she didn't say anything about when Taylor was around. "I guess I'm just trying to stay hopeful that I can trust what they are saying and see where things go between Damon and myself. I know his feelings didn't change over night and well this summer I really did think she had some for him, but now I just don't know." she looked down feeling confused and she didn't like that. She wasn't upset with Maxwell more at herself for being so stupid to think that she could actually be the one to replace Taylor in Damon's eyes. She looked back up at Maxwell "am I being stupid?"

"Yeah, It should be." He said talking about quidditch. "Well, My Mum for starters but she thinks everyone is stupid...She's the smartest person i know." He said very literally, he didn't mean it in a way that all children thought this of their mothers but that she was honestly that smart. "Your boyfriend, and everyone else i've ever met...considering you're the only person i've ever met to call me smart."

He laughed. "Peter wasn't creepy, I just don't think the movie got him right...Did you ever read the book?" He asked her thinking of his favorite story. He turned more serious. "I feel the same...and No, you're not...or at least i don't think so, if you are than i am...I think we're doing the same thing." He said leaning his head on her shoulder again.

Minerva frowned with a mother actually call her child dumb. "Oh Maxwell your mom doesn't think your stupid. There is no way on earth she could think that. That was horrible if she really did. "Damon and you just don't like each other that's the problem there. I don't see why anyone would think your stupid, there is no reason to. I can't be the first one. Taylor has had to have told you before."

"Actually no I didn't read the story, but I hated to movie so much I didn't want to. The only other one I hated worse the Peter Pan was Alice in wonderland." She frowned and felt part of her heart break. She knew everything they were saying, but she had spent so much time the last few weeks hiding from it and pretending it wasn't true to hear it felt wrong. She sighed "Well I am going to stay positive still. Until there is hard proof I will believe everything he tells me. I have to. Maxwell, I haven't been this happy in awhile. It's nice and I don't want to lose it just yet. I didn't think anything could make me happy again after my family and then you three came into my life. Don't get me wrong Harvey helped being my best friend, but you three really pulled me up and Damon and I dating just put the icing on the cake. So right now I have to believe everything is going to workout." She knew that sounded stupid, but she didn't care.

"Mum's never actually called me stupid, but she thinks everyone is stupid." He said knowingly, maybe he just hated her right now. "I think he honestly thinks i'm stupid. And no Taylor's never said i'm smart but she's never called me stupid either...You're the only one." He said with a slight smile. "Probably because you realize how much hard work this whole Animagus thing is..."

He nodded. "The book is so much better, I gave my copy to Taylor...Peter's much better in the book, I mean he's kind of just stuck being a teenager or at least that's how i like to think about it, he's stuck there in neverland. It's got a hold on him and as much as he loves Wendy he can't leave not even for her..." He thought about the story for a moment. "I never liked Alice in Wonderland either." He listened to all she had to say and realized he felt the same. "I agree, I think if i lose her i'll go mad...I have to trust every word for now and hold to them." He said still leaning on her. "But we're in this together right?" He asked knowing that whatever the outcome they'd be friends.

"Yes I do understand how hard the Animagus thing is. You know I saw one of my house mates with an Animagus book in the study room today. Caught me a bit by surprise, not because I don't think she could do it, she totally could she's that smart. It's just was a surprise because I really haven't heard anyone talking about it until you and now I see her with it."

"Well when you put it that way, I guess Peter isn't just a creepy weird teenager who liked to hang out with kids and wear green leggings." she giggled at her own joke. She leaned back on her hands knowing his head was on her shoulder. She loved how close they had become. Now she didn't have just one best friend anymore she had three, plus a boyfriend life was good in her book well almost good. It was good until she thought of the possible down fall of her happiness that could happen. "Of course we are still in this together, partners in crime, right?" she smiled and pushed her shoulder a bit joking.

Maxwell tilted his head like a confused dog as he often did when he was thinking or confused. "Really? I didn't think anyone else was studying it, I mean i've been at it since first year..." Three years, he realized. Three years f studying and in a year or two it would all pay off...hopefully.

Maxwell nodded. "Yeah I mean the lost boys were his friends, the only people as stuck there as he was, besides in the book his clothes are made from leaves and spiderwebs." Maxwell always thought that sounded much cooler than the green leggings. He smiled as she nudged him and did the same. "Always, as long as one of us has a goal we'll be partners." He said happy he had someone to talk to, he had Ariana but it wasn't the same. She could be so self-absorbed and not care about his problems sometimes it was nice to have some give and take in a friendship.

Minerva shrugged "I don't know, all I know is she had the book. Maybe she just had it for some reading or something. That isn't uncommon. I think I checked out half those book in the library first year just to read." she blushed a bit, she didn't let to many people know how nerdy she really was behind her pranks and sports. "I tried to ask her but she didn't really answer me."

"Well we will always have a goal around here, with classes, your wanting to turn into a bird.. umm I mean animal." she chuckled remembering the marking on his hand. "We do have things to keep us as the partners in crime. Plus, we have to keep each other sane and not let the other one go breaking noses or anything." she eyed him and then laughed.

Maxwell nodded. "First year i got every transfiguration book i could find and read them nonstop, i was so into studying them i would read them in other classes and i got in trouble once or twice." He said showing her he was just as much a nerd.

Maxwell nodded. "I'm sure we will, i'm not sure what i'll ever be or what i want to be." He said hoping it was something good. "We will, but i can't make any promises about noses.." He said with a small laugh, hoping it was long ago enough that they could laugh about it.

The blonde guy still busy with his apples when she started to ask another question again. "I was born in Vancouver, and lived there until I was seven. Then Me and my uncle's family moved to America." said him cool. "None of my family came from England. Well.. except my aunt."

She had a brother who was taller than him? Hmm.. He didn't look amazed. This girl was quiet taller too. "I presumed you were not a British too, right?" he guessed.

Yep. It was nearly going to be certain that he would lose some of his teeth one day. Maybe tomorrow that would be pretty epic. She was listening to what he said which was quite rare for her she never listened to people normally because she was so stubborn. "Vancouver is cool." she just had to say that because it WAS. So why not say it?! Then people knew you liked things.

No! He didn't look amazed! For her plan to work he had to look amazed. That was pretty random but it was a plan. She kept a straight face as she spoke. "Yup. I'm Pol-" she paused. What could she say? I'm like a lot of countries mainly Polish and Ukrainian." Or epicville. That was a place were she came from.

"Thanks." said the blonde guy. "Too bad I spent more time in America than in Vancouver." His uncle, Lucas loved to move from one country to another. He was a businessman and liked to expand his business abroad. From Vancouver, then he expanded it into all regions in Canada, then America and now they were here. In Great Britain. Lucas said that expand his business in Britain area was more challenging. Gary had no idea about that, since he didn't have any interest about the business.

"Sounds cool. You seemed like a pure European descendant." he said. "I've never been to Europe before I was here. But I'd like to travel around." Yes, he had an obsession to travel all around the world after he was graduated from Highschool.

Why did he say thanks? He wasn't Vancouver. Then Vancouver should say thank you to her because she complimented the city. Meh. She didn't think it made sense to thanks but that was her. She didn't say thanks much so her view would be pretty different to most people. "I went to to school in the US." And it was awesome! She lived in New York and it was amazing. It was the best school she had ever went to.

"Yes, I am." An she was proud to be because Europe was historical and awesome. It had lots and lots of icons. "You've never been to Europe before now?" She was going to jaw drop but then she remembered that some people also were the same as him.

"You did go to school in the US?" the blonde guy repeated her statement, just to make sure that he didn't mishear. "Hmm.. what school?" asked him again. He knew that there were some Wizarding school in US, but Salem Institute of Magic, his previous school was the most well-known one.

Talking about travelling, he loved travelling. But since Lucas was very busy about his business, so He rarely to take his family to travel outside America. "Not yet." said him short. "And my biggest dream is to travel all around the world."

"I went to a private school in New York." Why did he just repeat her? Weird boy. Most people didn't repeat people but he did. Let him be weird. While in America she picked up the accent a bit but it quickly went away. She sounded weird so she was glad it went away. Hopefully she would pick up a British accent.

"I've been everywhere in Europe." It was fun and pretty. "I highly recommend going to Germany or Russia if you don't want too many sweets." she said remembering the boys dislike for sweets.