Snickering quietly to himself, Peeves moved through the throng of students in invisible mode making sure that he bumped into each and everyone of them. Until he came upon a Ravenclaw on her own and he picked up a long strand of tinsel and began to wrap it around the girl.

"LOOK! I MADE A MAYPOLE!" The poltergeist giggled, but not in a nice way as he made himself visible. "FEEL LIKE GOING FOR A SPIN LITTLE GIRL?"

"No I do NOT! PEEVES!" Jayden shrieked, squirming around as she tried to untangle herself. "Elliot! MR. GIBBINS?!? SOMEONE HAD BETTER HELP ME!" She bellowed, pulling against the tinsel, and the dreaded, vulgar Peeves.


"Ugh!"

Laura had been decorating one of the trees nice and quietly when suddenly she saw naught peeves. "Professor, there's a rude ghost here." Laura sighed, she had met him once, when he put the mop on her head, she walked over to the girl and smiled. "Do you need a hand?" Laura then looked at Peeves. "Peeves you still owe me an appology for the mop incident." Laura folded her arms, yeah she was demanding an appology.

Jared looked around, and seeing peeves lifting his girlfriend into the air, he started giggling. Jared had always had somewhat of a soft-spot for peeves, though in this care he knew that he wasn't supposed to be laughing. "J-Jayden!" giggle "Take my hand!"

"DUH!" Jayden screamed, flailing her arms around. "I mean, yeah, I could use some help..." She added somberly, upon realizing how she had snapped at the Pufflehuffer.

And then there was Jared, coming to the rescue... How sweet. But wait, he wasn't saving HER. He was LAUGHING!


"What in Merlin's socks?" Jayden shrieked, her eyes wide open and her mouth closing in a firm line of disgust. "Jared Hunger! You'd better get me away from this.. this... THING! And I'd better be alive by the end of it all too!" She added, her voice shrill. Never had anything this embarrassing happened to her. Cael would have never heard of it. Of course, Cael was a Ravenclaw, and Jared was a snake; Jared probably just wanted his house to look good.

Hmph.

At her shrieking, Jared laughed harder than ever, and his hand, formerly outstretched, was pulled back as he doubled over with mirth, tears brimming in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, and still breaking out in tiny giggle-fits, Jared looked back up at Jayden and again offered his hand, stretching as far as he could. He was tempted to jump for her, but he was afraid of dropping her from laughing so hard. "Come on Jayden! Y-you can do it!" Jared's laughter made him stutter, which for whatever reason only made him want to laugh harder right now.

Elliot was quite busy putting lace ALL OVER the tree...it was starting to look truly amazing...she even hummed quietly to herself, content with all of the world and everything...

Then,

BOOM!

She heard Jayden start yelling, so she whipped around, her wand out and her eyes narrowed at whomever was causing her friend to SCREAM! It was peeves. Elliot raced towards them, her blue eyes on FIRE!.

"Oy! You smelly, dirty GHOST! YOU LET HER GO, YOU LET HER GO RIGHT NOW THIS INSTANT! I COMMAND YOU!" she shouted, stomping her feet a little. Jared seemed to be trying to help her, but he wasn't doing a great job and he was laughing. Ugh. Elliot shot him a glare, too!

"Come on Elliot!" Oakey shouted back to the Tea serving Ravenclaw girl."I'll calm down when Christmas has passed." get some Holiday spirit Elliot.

Oakey waved back to Mr.Gibbins as he told him he would need to us a levitation charm to get he stars on top. "I can handle those with ease." He gloated, it's not like he was attempting to levitate Mordy like tried last year in Charms class. It was a small decorative star, how hard could that be to place at the top. Placing the star into one hand he removed his wand from his holster and cast "Wingardium Leviosa".

The star began to float up into the air as Oakey slowly lifted his wand up. He walked it over to the nearest tree which also happened to be next to the She-Snake, Sierra Griengoth. He payed her no mind as he moved his wand up further and the star began to climb to the top of the tree. He abruptly stopped when Sierra asked where all the tables had gone. He looked around curiously as he had not really taken notice of the missing tables. The tree's were top priority to him at the time. "They were probably just moved." Oakey said to her focusing his attention back to the star and tree. "I bet they'll all be back in once we finish."
He was just about at the top when he felt a quick shove. It broke his concentration and the star came plummeting back down towards him. He reached his arms out and caught the decorative star just before it hit the ground, and swung around to Sierra angrily. He was about to speak his mind to the cruel Slytherin prefect for pushing him, when he saw from the corner of his eyes Peeves playing around with one of the other students.
He turned back around hastily and removed his glare from Sierra.

He was hungryyyyy.

The Head Boy hastily made his way to the Great Hall, his stomach grumbling the entire way. He hadn't eaten all day because...he had forgotten. Again. He was studying and catching up since he had been struck by a really bad cold a few days ago and fell a biiit behind, but now he was all caught up. Though, he still had a sore throat and a bit of the sniffles.

The second he entered the Great Hall, Kennedy froze in spot.

O______o

Where were the tables? And why were there students on the ground?

He blinked several times to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Nope. There were no tables. There were trees. Were the tables taken out to make room for the trees? Was he supposed to sit on the floor now? Last time he did that he was glued on to it...so, no. He wasn't going to do that.

So Kennedy went to the one person that had his attention the minute his eyes fell on her. He stood next to Sierra, a confused look on his face. "Are we supposed to sit on the floor?" he asked. Maybe she'd know since she was here first than him.

Levitating another ornament a little higher up on the tree - high enough that she needed her wand instead of just standing on her tip toes at least - she glanced back at Sierra and managed a weak smile. "Thank you, Sierra." It didn't even register just HOW mind boggling this situation was. Her and Sierra having a genuine conversation and Sierra not being sarcastic. "We had her one year funeral rites this summer. Treyen came... I know her spirit was able to move on now," she explained, a small smile creeping across her lips as she levitated yet another. "It helps...knowing that she is at peace."

It wasn't much...but it did help.

Kurumi softly nodded her head at what Sierra said next, unsure if the words were true or not. Kurumi had told herself that her mother would be fine and they would find a cure. Only they didn't. So instead she smiled at Sierra again. It wasn't her place to say anything.

"You're welcome," she bowed, a little surprised that Sierra had actually accepted the gift from her but pleased nonetheless. "And Sierra....I really hope things work out."

Her ornament box now empty, Kurumi walked away just a little to go grab another box when Minerva stopped her.
Blinking a few times, Kurumi nodded. "Oh, you mean Covadium? Just swish your wand to the left and gave the wrapper a soft tap." Kurumi was about to offer a demonstration again when...
o________________O

Merlin he was out and about A LOT more this term than others. Wand still in hand, Kurumi was about to try something when the ghost went invisible. Ug...

and then people were screaming and shouting and...just causing more chaos that was really needed.
"Just....hold still," Kurumi instructed to the Ravenclaw as she took careful aim with her wand, holding some of the tinsel in her hand. "Diffindo." Severing the 'bond' between the girl and Peeves, Kurumi began to tug on the tinsel wrapped around her to try and help her get untangled.

And could someone go get the Bloody Baron or something?!

Trees! Twelve of them in fact. There were always that many, and it only meant one thing. The holidays were coming. EEEEP! Another thing caught Nessie's attention to as she walked into the Great Hall.

Where were the tables? They'd just vanished. Pout. Maybe it was to make space for something? That seemed possible. Aha!

Anyways, back to the trees.Renesmee made her way over to where all the students were and watched for a short while as everyone decorated the twelve, green trees. They were already all looking beautiful, and it was with excitement that Nessie wanted to join in the work. It looked fun anyways.

"Anything I can do to help?" Ness asked loudly to no one in particular. If help was needed she was more than happy to join in. Otherwise watching them was just as fun.

Fun...or more like scary. O_O

WHAT IN THE NAME OF PURPLE WAS PEEVES DOING?

All Nessie could do was stare with her mouth hanging wide open in a gasp.

"Ok Professor," Kat said and nodded. "I'll go start decorating those trees."

Kat looked around to see if she saw any familiar faces to hang out with. I mean, there were also some unfamiliar faces. At least she can make friends. Now... ok.

Where to start?

All Jayden could do was glare. Yelling, stomping feet, and LAUGHING was going to get her nowhere. "Well. I'm glad you find me a source of good entertainment, Jared!" She yelled before pulling and turning slightly to her left so that she could see exactly what Elliot was doing to help the situation. "Elliot! Use your wand!" Jayden yelled, before realizing how ridiculous the situation was and how truly pathetic she looked. And then SHE started giggling.

Oh Merlin.


Fiiiiiiinally. Someone with brains had come to save her. THANK MERLIN. And oh look, it was the cookie chick! "Ohmygoodness! Thank you so much Kurumi!" She exclaimed excitedly, glad to have some of the tinsel cut off of her, now all she had to do was pull, HARD.


"Ummmmmphhhhh!" She grunted, pulling and tugging the tinsel away and off of her.

SNAAAAAAAAPPP!


The last piece of tinsel had finally come off of her, taking a few strands of hair with it. "UGH!"

His eyes grew big as he entered the hall, students were yelling at ghosts as most of them were attempting to get the hall decorated. He'd come down to help but spotted Peeves, and after Ed's encounter with him, wasn't so sure if he wanted to help! Looking around he wondered if he should just scat or see if he could help. As far away from Peeves as he could!

Okay, there was something different, wasn't there?

Isabelle stood in the doorway of the Great Hall with her hands on her hips, half watching the melee Peeves was causing over by the trees and half trying to work out what was different. Ahhhh. The tables. Strange. They weren't usually moved when the trees were being decorated, especially as the kids had to eat at this time of the day as well.

With Kurumi dealing with the aftereffects of the poltergeists mischief, Issy merely glared in his direction and shook her head. "Peeves, just for once can't you behave yourself?" she said, moving over to the area where the current decorating was going on. Where Leo, Cece, Seb and a few others were gathered.

"Have I missed all the good bits?" Issy asked, looking up at the impressive display already taking shape. "I must say removing the tables first is a new way of doing it. Did you need more room?" Because it was looking a little empty, even with all these trees around.

"Finite!" Mr Kitridge murmured before he turned to face Miss Wheatborn who looked distraught for some reason. Registering what she was actually saying the librarian scanned the hall. Yes the tables were actually gone. Odd of course, but in a sense convenient since it gave them more room for decorating the twelve trees and the hall too if the student’s were willing.

Exchanging a worried look with Sebastian out of sight from the student’s Leobald said to Minerva. "I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation for the missing tables dear. Maybe the house elves or a professor even wanted to be helpful and moved the tables having seen the groundskeeper moving the trees towards the castle from a window." It sounded logical and most probable in his ears.

Shifting his gaze towards Sebastian Leo grinned "Of course Seb, feel free to call me Leo just like everyone else does around here on staff." Raising his wand again, he finished going around the grand tree with the Christmas lights before answering the groundskeeper’s question. "This will be my second term at the school as librarian. The work is more rewarding then I thought it would be."



The events that occurred next happened so fast that the librarian didn’t have time to do more than blink before Peeves had showed up and caused as usual TROUBLE. Freezing or rather not reacting as fast as the student’s standing around the girl who was the victim of the foulness Leobald let the Gryffindor prefect and what looked like a boyfriend rescue the girl from the tinsel before moving into action.

Pointing his wand at the Poltergeist Mr Kitridge demanded in a stern tone. "PEEVES leave the hall and its student’s alone right NOW or I’ll send for the BARON and the headmistress and neither of them will be pleased by your latest stunt. I already heard that the Baron was in an awful mood this morning do you really want to be reason why he has another one of his famous meltdowns? You only get ONE warning Peeves!" Nodding towards the exit Leobald fully expected the poltergeist to leave or he’d make sure his threat became fact. Even he had his limits.



Turning his back on the poltergeist certain that his threat would be enough to make the poltergeist leave Leobald softened his tone and features as more students showed up interested in helping out with the tree decorating. "Miss Dixon and Mr Muir you are most welcome to help me out with putting up all the Christmas spheres and other tree decorations. I’m almost done with the lights on this tree." He explained and offered with a gesture towards the grand tree in front of him. The big box of decorations was hard to miss at his feet too.

Trying to get the Christmas feel and calm into his frame of mind turned out to be fruitless when he heard the unmistakable voice of Cece accusing him and Sebastian for being the reason why the Great Hall was currently table less. Fixing her gaze Leo protested arms flailing. "I did NO such thing, but I’m the first to admit that it’s mighty convenient with all the decorating. It would be hard to maneuver around with 5 tables wouldn’t you agree?" He left it to Sebastian to fend himself from the accusation which was false and everyone knew it.

As if Cecelia wasn’t enough Isabelle showed up right after not throwing any accusations around per say but she might as well have given the way she commented the lack of tables. "Don’t you like it, its very spacious and airy now with lots of room to move around as we decorate?"

Sarah had walked past to find a commotion going on... feeling wierd to just walk past and not help she offered to help.. even if she thought she had WAY better things to do. "Can help with something?" she asked. Her friends were helping anyway - so it will be fun and it may be a good way to learn more spells and get points...

He was seriously considering scooting out when the librarian started yelling at Peeves, and was about to turn on his heal when he heard his name said. Turning back to the Mr. Kitridge he nodded "I can do thet." he replied. Glancing towards Miss Dixon he smiled at her "I mean we can do thet." Yep, not very nice to ignore the other person that was to help! Leaning down he started digging through the big box of decorations pulling a few of the Christmas baubles out. Looking up at the tree he looked at the lights that he was stringing on it. He decided he'd better wait to hang the baubles in his hands so he didn't get in the way.

Was she gonna stay?

.......

That, she didn't know.

It wasn't really worth it, staying home. Her parents weren't that friendly, and we're probably away at some concert, and Liesel was probably away on a business trip. She always was! Sigh. It's like, when Cardigan's gone, they're home. When she's home, they're not! Talk about good parenting skills. They surrrreee had them. Or maybe they weren't her real parents...

"I'll probably be staying," She said with a nod. It was easiest that way. Then she wouldn't have to run into her parents!! That would be a relief!
They weren't very nice to her. Not at all! It didn't really matter to her, though. She had friends, and some family, that cared about her. That's all that matters!

To her, at least.

Sierra blinked. "So you mean you have to share everything you have with all the other people who live there?" she asked. That...might not be such a bad thing after all, though. If you wanted something somebody else had, you could just go and take it, right?

...but the Groundskeeper had to see about the tables, and from what Sierra could tell, he hadn't had a clue they were going to be moved. So quickly, too! There had just been people eating on top of them. Sort of funny when you thought about it...



...and then somebody was screaming. Sierra turned quickly to see that it wasn't exactly somebody, but Peeves, who'd come to ruin the day. Wait--had he just wrapped that girl in a strand of tinsel? Sierra stood there, only blinking, until she came to and figured she needed to help. She was just about to whip out her wand when Kurumi came to the rescue and diffindo'ed the tinsel.

DEAR MERLIN.



"Just moved?" Sierra asked. She looked toward the students, still sitting on the floor, who had just been eating there a minute ago. "No, it was there, and there were students sitting on it." She pointed to where the tables had been. She was still staring at the trees when she heard a commotion almost directly next to her. Glancing over, she noticed Oakey trying to glare at her. Glaring Hufflepuffs always amused her. They were like...cupcakes trying to pass themselves off as a bitter food. She was just about to ask just what he needed with her when he turned away and focused on Peeves instead.

Whatever. Hufflepuffs were confusing creatures.



...and then Sierra heard a familiar voice that had always had the ability to make her give her individed attention to its owner. She turned toward Kennedy with a smile. "Hey, you," she said. "It feels like forever since I've seen you." Maybe it was just the fact that they didn't really have that many classes together. He was a seventh year, after all.

She shrugged as she looked back at the tables. "I don't know, and...we don't know what's happened to them either. Mr. Gibbons has gone to look," she said. Eating on the floor? Nope. She'd go to her mom's office before that happened. "So come help me decorate a tree," she said, gesturing toward the boxes.



OOC: I'm assuming since Kurumi has now saved Jayden it's okay to continue this part?

Sierra felt a shiver go through her body. "Kurumi, I'm sorry, but...I don't want to talk about funerals right now. I'm sorry about your mom, but...I can't think of that as an option right now," she said. She was still in fighting mode. Her mother would make it out of this. She would. "My mom is my world. I just can't imagine her not being here."

She looked down at her box once again then remembered she had something for Kurumi, too. "Oh," she said and pulled a plastic-covered, yellow-rosed bookmark out her robe pockets. "This is for you. I have to admit that I really didn't have someone in mind when I made it, but...I guess going through this with my mom has given me a better respect for you." She held the bookmark out to Kurumi. "I don't...know if we'll be the best of friends, Kurumi, but...here's to a start?"



Hearing Magnus speak up, Sierra glanced toward the Transfiguration professor. "Wait," she said, "the staff didn't know they'd be moved?" PEEVES. That was the only explanation.

Sutton nodded as the girl said she'd stay here. Behind her eyes, Sutton could tell something was troubling Cardigan, and it made Sutton sad. Maybe that had been a bad question to ask... maybe things weren't so great at home. Deciding not to press the issue, Sutton gave the girl a bright smile, "Well, I'll be staying, too! Maybe we can hang out or something?" she said cheerfully. Hopefully that would cheer her up, though she hadn't really met too many Slytherins intent on hanging with the Hufflepuffs.

Once the tinsel was on the tree, Sutton went over to get more decorations. Now that her back wasn't too the tables, she blinked several times, and then she just stared. "Uh... Cardigan?" she called to the girl over by their tree. "Cardigan... when did all the tables disappear? Why would someone have taken the tables out?" Not that Sutton was opposed to eating meals picnic-style, but the floor in here was kind of... hard and cold, and that meant the house elves had to work extra hard to clean it well enough for students to eat on it. It was a big floor!

Then she heard yelling and screeching from nearby and whipped around to see a girl being wrapped in tinsel by Peeves. Ugh! Peeves! Why was he always causing trouble...?

And why was it that people always just tried to TALK to him and REASON with him? Obviously, those things had no effect on him...

Sutton was about to pull out her wand to go free the poor girl from the tinsel, but luckily that Kurumi girl was closer had enough sense to do it herself. Sutton had only been using magic for half of a term, and she was rational enough to not just scream at a spirit who obviously had no conscience or sense of right and wrong.

Rolling her eyes, Sutton picked up a box of decorations and headed back to her and Cardigan's tree to continue decorating.

Oh, whooooa. The Great Hall looked totally different, what with the trees being decorated. It should look more full than normal, but for some reason, it seemed a bit bare. Vivi glanced around with furrowed brow before it came to her quite suddenly - the tables were gone. People were to eat on the floor?

Something slightly off about that.

"Are we having a slumber party in here?" She rocked on her heels and looked at the different trees being decorated. Could she help?

Minerva looked at the professors with their explanations and just shrugged it off, Okay so they didn't have a clue either, but she wasn't going to let them know she saw it. Turning back to Kurumi she shook her head, "Yes that's the one" big smile... "Thanks Kurumi" pulling out the wrappers Minerva pointed her wand and doing the wand movement "Covadium", doing this for each ornament she wanted. Smiling when finished she looked up, that's when she noticed Professor Magnus, "Hello Professor"

Minerva turned and decorated her tree with the house ornaments that she had just made. This was a great way to show that the school was united not just by houses. Using her wand she lifted the ornaments to the top of the tree. Once she was finished she stepped back and looked at the tree. Smiling it was exactly how she wanted it to be.

Professor Bellaire had heard that the very good looking new groundskeeper was doing Christmas tree decorations so of course she had left her office to see how all that was going and to hopefully run into the man to get a word in. But then she noticed that the man cleared out the entire Great Hall. Why did he removed the benches?

She wandered over to where Leo was yelling at the school poltergeist and shook her head.

"You do know that won't work with him don't you?"

She looked around at the others there and gave them all a curt nod.

Leo seemed to be on the defensive a little. Had she said something wrong, or had Cece? Either way, Issy wrinkled her nose thoughtfully in response to his answer/question. "Well, I didn't say I disliked it, Leo. Just that it's unusual and....unexpected. But yes, spacious." And empty. Quite empty. Where had the tables actually gone anyway?

"Good day, Miss Wheatborn," Isabelle smiled and nodded her greeting to the Hufflepuff, watching as she levitated an ornament onto the tree she was decorating. Nice.

And as she was here now, Issy had better start helping out herself. Picking up a few lights, she began to string them around the nearest empty tree.

Sierra's quietish comment caught Isabelle's attention, and she glanced at the girl to spot her being glanced at in return. Oh, she'd heard that? "I'm sure there is a member of staff who knows, Miss Greingoth. It was most likely a last minute decision to make more room." Or Peeves. She wouldn't put it past him.

Going back to her decorating, Isabelle tried to refrain from whistling a tune as she worked like she sometimes did. Her eye was caught by Sophia though, as she approached the rest of them. Smiling, she nodded back.