Entrance Hall
 

http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/...ps546bf911.jpg

Welcome to Hogwarts! All guests and residents enter and leave the castle through Hogwarts' two great oak front doors. Once inside the Hall, you'll notice newly cleaned marble floors, a majestic central staircase, large, iridescent arched windows, and numerous doors and staircases leading off from the hall.

Take your time exploring this grand threshold.

Tobias!
 

The decision between whether to go for a run or to have a flying session this morning was kind of difficult. Now he knew he was definitely back on the Quidditch team, Tobias wanted to spend all his time flying. Thing WAS, flying was a LOT of work and strenuous and stuff, but it wasn't quite as good as running was when trying to get rid of some energy. Tobias had been particularly ansty this morning, so 6am run it was.

Today's route had taken him all around the grounds, through the pathways, around the willow, all the way around the lake and then he looped the castle, jogging through the maze after all that just for fun. Then back to the lake to splash his face with the freezing water. It had been quite a long run indeed, and now he had to go and get washed up to start doing some extra reading for his classes.

Hair still dripping from the lake water, and with him massaging a stitch in his side (cold air + running = ouch), Tobias re-entered the castle via the entrance hall and was about to make straight for the stairs down to the kitchen level corridor when he noticed someone ELSE.

Just STANDING here.

In the empty Entrance Hall. Hm.

Tobias wandered over to the girl instead of towards his common room. "Hi there!" he panted gently, still slightly out of breath. "Whatcha do-" But then he spotted the telescope. Riiiiiiight. Yeah. That made sense. He changed tack immediately. "Been doing some stargazing?"

Totally not weird for just striking up a conversation. Not at all.

He stepped out into the entrance hall and slipped around a few people, his head up but his eyes averting in case anyone tried to catch his attention. He didn't have it in him to talk to anyone and he was on a mission that he didn't want to stop for some pleasantries. Five years and teachers still didn't even know he was a part of their classes.

Not bad.

To him at least.

Astronomy? Ah yeah. He should probably get a start on that. Tobias nodded at the explanation. It made sense after all, seeing as morning sort of... preceded night.

He laughed at what she said next, generally being in high spirits after his morning run. "Haha, no." Yeah, no. He avoided falling in there if he could help it. Y'know... squid with questionable motives and all. "I just went for a run and stopped by the lake to cool off." November air WAS cold, but the water was even colder and way more helpful. "And I'm not sure the squid has like... land capabilities."

Such as walking.

And breathing.

Aaaaaaaaaanyway. "You're a second year, right?" Toby asked cheerfully, still with enough energy to bounce on his toes. "What was your name again?"

Well of course the squid couldn't walk on land! She had ment other scary things that lived in the lake. Though it didn't really matter now since it no longer (or rather it never) applied here.

"Yeah, I'm a second year. Tora Gallaway." she said cracking a smile, his energy was infectious. "And you?" she asked, curious as always. Besides, it was only polite to ask someone else's name. Kind of weird if you only called someone "Boy" or "the Hufflepuff" in your mind.

She also noticed that his hair was dripping everywhere. She performed a quick hot air charm. "Sorry if that warmed you up, I just don't think the Caretaker would be too happy about you dripping anywhere," she said to justify her actions. The Caretaker would certainly be unhappy about the mess, but so would Tora. He was dripping on her telescope. She performed a hot air charm on that too. She smiled at him though to show that no harm was done and to assure him that she wouldn't get all Tora Temper on him.

"Tobias," the Hufflepuff replied, still rather bouncing and now bouncing from one foot to the other. GOSH. ENERGY. GOSH. "Or Toby. Toby Tempus. I'm a second year too." Which meant that they must have been sorted at the same Sorting Ceremony, except it was understandable that Tobias couldn't remember her, as he'd been so enthralled and distracted from the second he'd stepped through the doors to the Great Hall. His main memory of the sorting had been him staring up at the ceiling until he heard his name called out, and stepping forward, not knowing what they were supposed to be doing. It was kind of obvious what happened next.

Err...

What was happening.

Tobias suddenly stopped bouncing, a little confused as to where the warm sensation had come from, but Tora quickly explained it away. "Ah, okay. Cool. Thanks." Oh, the telescope too. Ooooopsie. "Sorry about that," Toby added with a guilty little smile. Buuuuut... "I think it's the elves that do the cleaning though, which is why is was so filthy last year."

Which meant they wouldn't be quite so upset, 'cause apparently they loved to clean. Not that that was any excuse for making a mess.

Tobias eyed the telescope again for a moment, thinking, before he spoke again. "D'you like Astronomy, then?" Tora did seem to be quite eager to do the homework for it after all.

Tora eyed her bouncy classmate and wondered where he got all his energy. So she asked. "Why are you so excited?" She asked a bit incredulously, her head automatically following his movements until his bouncing got too hectic for her to follow without a headache. She was still recovering from her head injury after all. Then she remembered her manners. "Nice to meet you, Toby," she said trying not to get distracted again by his constant movement.

------

Well, at least he had stopped moving now so Tora could actually focus on the person she was talking to instead of constantly trying to track a moving person. Not that his energy wasn't infectious, she could feel herself want to bounce along, it was just a bit hard when she had a telescope to keep an eye on.

"That makes sense," she replied with a thoughtful look to her eyes, "But I still think that the Caretaker wouldn't be too happy." she continued a little later. He was still in charge of the upkeep of the castle, and house elves or no to help him, he was responsible for keeping it clean.

"It's quite all right, as you can see I've dried it off so no harm done." she said gesturing to the scope. "Yes. I love Astronomy, it's actually one of my favorite classes!" she gave a huge grin at this. She loved Astronomy and everything to do with space. It was just so interesting! "What's your favorite subject?" she asked, hoping he would also like Astronomy, or Transfiguration. Those were the things she liked and if he liked them too it gave them more things to talk about.

Algamus was a busy house elf. Yesm, he had many things to do for the Headmistressie as her most trusted house elvsie. He did the cooking and the cleaning and the care of the studentsies hygiene. Algamus did like to clean most of all.

Sweep, sweep, sweep. The grand room of the big house needed the floors all good and sweeped for the foods tonight. Many of the studentsies were tracking the beginnings of snow on his floors. Algamus liked them clean.

His grumpy, ugly face zoned in on the studentsies who were in his way. "Please move, stuentsies. You are in Algamus' way." Nasty, dirty studentsies.

Both Tora and Algamus ^____^
 

"Excited?" Tobias repeated Tora's words before giving an amused little giggle. He so often forgot that not everyone was as peppy and hyperactive and enthusiastic and, yes, excitable as he always was or at least seemed. "I'm not excited about anything, really. Not especially so. I'm always like this!" WASN'T IT NEAT? Limitless energy BOY OH BOY.

Anyway yeah. "Nice to meet you too, Tora!"

He nodded about the whole caretaker thing. Best thing was to avoid getting all icky and trekking the outdoors to the indoors, but because the Hufflepuff common room was the closest to the front doors of the castle, it was never an issue Tobias though about all that much.

But now they were talking about favourite subjects, and Tobias didn't even realise that he was starting to fidget and bounce again.

"I think Astronomy is ace! Ancient Runes, too!" Toby began enthusiastically. "They're my best subjects, too. And Flying. Herbology is one of my best classes too, and I'm starting to kind of get used to it," the Hufflepuff gave probably more information than was necessary. "You got a favourite teach-?"

But before he could finish, Tobias was interrupted from a voice somewhere around the region of his knees. He sort of leapt backwards slightly out of the way, his jitteriness meaning he was always prepared to move.

Hey, it was one of them elves! Tobias knew from last year that the elves worked in the kitchens, and were obviously back this year from the cleanliness of the castle and decent food, but he'd never actually SEEN one.

"Hi there, Mr Elf!" Uhhh... Ms Elf? It was hard to tell. "I'm Toby! What's your name?" Tobias added cheerfully, conveniently forgetting that he was one of the people who'd tracked in water from the outside and into the Entrance Hall. He was just super psyched to see a house elf for the first time ever!

"Oh. Okay."

Toby hadn't realised that the elf was talking about himself, and had already SAID his name. He thought it was, y'know, the name of a broom or invisible wizard or something.

BUT YES! The elf. Toby was about to say something, but figured he was kind of bombarding the creature with words if he did. In any case, the Hufflepuff looked up at Tora again and his attention was easily recaptured by the thing she held in her hand. Oh, that darn attention span!

"Hey, what's that?" Tobias asked, pointing at the globe-like object.

For Kerri
 

Christmas wandered down to the entrance hall and sighed it was tough and she had missed the last qudditch match through no fault of her own but really things had to get better soon enough

Running in the cold was tough on the lungs, eh? Ella felt a sting in hers as she made her way into the entrance hall, her cheeks and nose pink from the frosty air outside. She still had to do a cool down too as she didn't want to pull a muscle but surely that could happen inside. She'd had enough of the winter air for today.

Stairs were a good cool down, yeah? If she just casually walked up and down them a few times? Seemed like a legit plan to Ells. The blonde adjusted her ponytail and started up the staircase, humming as she went.

This is past holidays?
 

Forrest was quieter and more distracted than usual. He had just arrived at school from his aunts' house and... he sighed. He was in the stage of deeply missing his family again. The holiday just wasn't enough! He wanted another holiday with his mum dad and even with his brother. He LOVED his friends and school too, but he wanted both of them TOGETHER. Why wasn't it school in the morning, family in the afternoon? If he was rich enough in the future--

"HEY!" Someone was climbing the stairs without looking where they were going and he barely had time to jump away. They could have DIED, y'know? Falling off the stairs was very serious and--

"ELLA!" He forgot all about dying and smiled. "Hi! How are you?"

Sure!
 

Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game- It's easyyyyy!!!!!

Good song, that was. Ella continued her humming as she forged on up the stairs, unaware that there was anyone coming down them. Distracted badger problems over here. YUP. So when someone called out suddenly, Ella jumped, completely startled.

AHDHJJKHKHDUYEHSJLK!

O_______O

Meep!

"Forrest?" Ohthankmerlin! "You nearly scared me to death, Kiddo." And she clutched her heart dramatically before cracking a smile. "But seriously, sorry. I didn't see you there."

How was she? "Tired. Just got back from a run. I'm good, though. How are you? Have a nice Holiday?"

Forrest giggled when she acted so dramatically. Err... she WAS fine, right? He could actually giggle? He shrugged. It was Ella! He couldn't remember seeing her negative for more than a few minutes. She and her boyfriend Alec were his idols for a reason.

"I'm sorry too," he said 'scaring her to death' in case she truly meant it. They were both sorry for some reason, so it was alright.

"You run?" His eyes moved from her head to toe and examined her body unconsciously. Wow. She did run. "I'm alright." He shrugged and made a face. "Yeah, 'twas fine. I just miss them already, is all." He shrugged again to look cool but really, being thirteen changed nothing about missing his family. He was still a sissy about it.

"How about yours?"

She was completely fine. She was also completely used to being dramatic because her Gran was an actress and encouraged such behavior. No seriously, this was something that was practiced at home. Ella swore she was a bit more loopy because of that woman but she didn't mind. Loopy could be interesting too. Maybe.

"No worries, Forrest." She forgave him, see? Not that there was any reason for him to apologize in the first place. She was still smiling too cause Forrest and he was adorable.

Was Forrest, little Forrest, checking her out? Ella watched with an amused expression, raising her eyebrows slightly when his eyes returned to her face. Welp. "Yeah, not as much as I should but it's a good way to clear your head." Plus the whole 'being healthy' thing was a resolution so yeah. Her expression changed from amused to worried as the younger badger said he was alright. "Just alright? Not great or brilliant or excellent?" What's up with that, kid? Did Ella need to write someone an angry letter? Oh, he was missing the family. She understood that. "I miss my family too. Lots, actually. Letters are helpful, though." And hugs from housemates. That too.

"Mine was pretty good, thanks for asking." Grin.

Forrest grinned back. She was Ella for a reason. She forgave easily but cleverly. Seriously, why wasn't she in Ravenclaw? Right. Because they were arrogant and unfriendly. She was the opposite of those. He liked her in Hufflepuff a lot.

He didn't understand her amused expression and instead focused on her words. "Does it help Quidditch?" he asked in a serious tone, because if it did, he was starting running like right now. She said he had been alright on the pitch, and he didn't want to miss that status.

He recognised 'worried' though, because he had seen it various times on his parents' faces in the past. "You do?" HEY! He wasn't a sissy then, maybe! She was a female so she ought to be emotional alright, but... she was also Captain! He smiled faintly. "I wish I could phone them," he said longingly. He didn't explain 'phone', because she was a muggleborn. "I mean, people wrote letters an era ago?" He hadn't even learnt how to write letters but here, he became a pro on it. Magic was so overrated sometimes.

"Did you stay here?" With Alec, perhaps?

Does it help Quidditch? Ella mulled this over for a minute or two, considering how doing one might benefit the other. "Besides keeping you in good shape? Well, it helps you learn to control your breathing which can be helpful. Y'know, so you don't get winded during matches." And they could definitely be strenuous, the matches. Fast paced too. "It also helps you relieve stress and...well I suppose that means better concentration on the pitch." And Ella wanted her players to be focused, that was for sure. "I had the team run together at the end of last term, actually. Maybe we'll start up again." Maybe.

"Of course I do. I think that's sort of a regular emotion when you're living so far away from them." So if he was feeling weird about missing home, he shouldn't. He wasn't the only one that felt that way. And then he said something and Ella jumped up, slapping him lightly on the shoulder. "Forrest!" She had a GREAT idea. Was he ready for this? "You can call home." From Hogwarts. This was totally a thing thanks to Hadley. "The technology center, the one Professor Hadley created, it has phones in there!" Phones that WORKED. Brilliant idea OR WHAT? BOUNCE!BEAM.

"Nope. I went home, actually. Spent some time at my house and then went to visit Alec for a bit too." Grin. "It's nice to back, though. I miss it here when I'm there." And She missed there when she was here. It was a vicious cycle.

Forrest listened to her carefully and nodded. He understood how it benefited. He was going to ask Tobias too, but maybe he would start running as well. He didn't make any promises, though. Running was a lot of commitment. He wasn't sure how much lazy he would be.

"That sounds fun," he said only and smiled faintly. He could only imagine running all 11 people together. Hehe.

Forrest pouted. He didn't want to miss them! But he definitely felt better about missing them. She was right--it was far away. Then, before he could say something, she slapped him in the shoulder. WHAT FO--

Oh, that. It only depressed him further. "I can't. They live in Saudi Arabia. It only works within Britain." Yeah, he remembered that he was so close to hearing their voice, yet so far away, again. Not the best way to pass his day. He looked down, frowning deeply. He wasn't impressed with phones unable to make international calls at all.

She went to Alec's?! WOOOW. Forrest looked at her with big eyes. Did that mean they were 'serious'? Because Katherine--his brother's girlfriend--had wanted to come over too and his parents had asked him just how serious they were (declining in the end because he had been 'too young' and 'not serious at all').

"Cool. I mean, I missed my friends too." He paused, looked at her weirdly, bit his lower lip, looked away, fidgeted and figured she would make him say it in the end so he could as well save them some breath.

"So you will marry Alec?"

He understood? Cool. Ella wasn't the best at getting things to move smoothly from her brain to her mouth and she was pleased she'd done so successfully this time.

"It can be. It can also be chaos but sometimes that's fun too." Grin.
Besides, she liked getting the team together outside of practices. Getting to know each other was just as important as working on their passing skills.

Oh no. She was an idiot. UGH. She should have asked before she'd opened her mouth and now the poor kid was even more upset and just...epic fail, Captain. Way to go. "I'm sorry, Forrest. I didn't realize-" Because she was an idiot. "If you want, we can sit down and write letters together sometime? Then we can go to the owlery together too." Did that make it better?

He was doing that staring thing again, Forrest was. Like he was surprised she'd spent time with Alec. The blonde tilted her head and eyed him back curiously but didn't comment except for, "I'm sure your friends missed you too. I know I did." True story.

...

....

WHY? Like why did this always happen to her? Ella had a right mind to tell Forrest to ask Alec the answer to that question because she seemed to be the one getting asked all the time but she refrained. Forrest was asking earnestly and she'd be straight with him, no matter how uncomfortable the subject made her.

"I um...well we're only seventeen, yeah? We've still got tons of time to think about stuff like that." Nodnod. "So erm...it's not something we've discussed or anything." Except for telling Bluetiful and Astrid that planning a wedding was not necessary.

Tora looked back down at her hand and the forgotten Astreglobe she still held. She gave a huge smile, happy to show off one of her most prozed possessions. "My Gram gave it to me," she started off with a glint in her eye. "It's called an Astreglobe and it shows you the stars in 3D, real time." she paused here to tap it with her wand and a slightly transparent globe of shimmering pinpoints of light appeared over the face of the compass- like device. She pointed to the red arrow that had spun to face away from her. "This points in the direction you are facing, and the N, E, S, and W around the outside tell you where the stars are in terms of the cardinal points." she looked quickly up at Toby to see if he got it all. It could do a whole lot more than just show all the stars, like it could only show planets or nebulae or what was visible versus what was in the sky at that time, but she didn't want to confuse the boy.

Chaos, pshh. Forrest didn't mind it. He shrugged, but didn't urge her on either. SHE was the captain, after all. She sure knew better than him.

Forrest did his best not to pout and look all upset but he was still touchy about it. "It's alright," he said. "You couldn't have known." As far as he knew, only HIS family was living abroad, so people could communicate with their parents easily whereas the fastest owl flew in like a week to Saudi Arabia. "You don't have to make up for it." He shrugged again. He didn't mind writing letters with her, but he was sure she would mind. Really. He was fine with it. He was only sad because he would see them six months later.

Anyways let's talk wedding.

Forrest looked at her somewhat timidly and expectantly, but had to nod in the end. He honestly didn't know just how young seventeen was--he had never been seventeen before--but if Ella said it was young, then it was.

"Right, if you say so," he said and did some nodding too. "It's just, my parents think staying over at your--boyfriend's house is serious and my mum said that kind of 'serious' means 'marriage' or like a long, long relationship." He felt the urge to explain himself, because obviously, Ella's parents thought differently.

But it wasn't alright, was it? Ella felt terrible. Ella Bishop and the no good, very bad idea. Sigh. "As captain, it's my job to know things." She said thoughtfully, eyes on the floor. This just meant she'd need to do a better job of it, learning things about her newest teammates. "Hey, I want to, okay?" And she nudged him gently, smiling a little. "Besides, the walk to the owlery can be lonely. You can keep me company."

Of all the people Ella pictured herself having this conversation with, Forrest was definitely not one of them. She clearly couldn't explain to him why she felt the way she did about marriage because her views were sort of cynical for reasons. She understood where his parents were coming from, though. As for things being serious, the blonde supposed that was true. "Well, we've been together for over two years now." Which was...a long time, yeah? "So we're serious about each other, I guess." But the marriage stuff? Yeah, she didn't know. She didn't want to worry about that until much later.

Forrest looked at her and felt bad for making her feel bad. He opened his arms and gave her a big, weird hug--his best on stairs. "You're a great captain, alright? The best I've ever had." He met her eyes and grinned. She was the ONLY captain he'd ever had, so she automatically was also the best, but that was the joke, see? Hopefully, it would cheer her up and save her from silly thoughts.

"Okay, we will write letters together." He was actually excited for this. "My mum knows about you." Nodnod. Since she was the best captain he'd ever had. "She said I'm lucky to have you as a friend."

......

................

"TWO YEARS?!" Like...like...his parents dated less than two years before they were married! In two years he would be... fifteen! Two years... wow... he couldn't even imagine just how long that was. "I hope..." What did he hope? What should he hope? "I hope... you will be happy forever." Grin.

Hugs? She should be the one hugging him though, right? So she squished the second year back and beamed at him. Adorable badger was adorable. "And you're the best Forrest that I know." See? She got the joke. He was the best, though. This was the truth. And the captain was grinning because he was. This was much better than sad Forrest.

His mom said that? Really? Ella's eyes widened a little bit and her expression softened considerably. "Can I tell you a secret, Forrest?" And she leaned down a little, a small smile playing on her lips. "I think that I might be luckier because I get to be friends with you." Poke. "Your mom should be really proud of you because you're an awesome kid. You can tell her I said so." Mhm.

Blink.

"Yup, two years. Hopefully three..." Alec was the best, y'know. Who wouldn't want him around for as long as possible? And then Forrest said just the sweetest thing ever and Ella hugged him again, giving him a squeeze. "Thank you, kiddo. I think I'll keep you, okay?" Could she?

"Hehehe." Ella was so clever and had a great sense of humour! His eyes shone when she got the joke so easily and felt proud for being her friend. Maybe Alec had been like this too, when he was a second year? "It's good two bests found each other." Y'know, it would multiply their 'best'ness. That was definitely how the world worked.

"Yeees?" He was EAGER for secrets, so he got on his tiptoes and leaned his ear to her mouth. GASP! What she said meant so, so much to him and he couldn't speak for a moment. It was very probable that she was only being polite, but it was still nice of her. Unconsciously, he stood a little bit taller and prouder. "Thanks," he said and grinned.

He was experienced enough to knwo he shouldn't say his parents dated for only like a year before getting married. Instead, he nodded again and smiled. Hopefully, they would have more happy years together!

He giggled and hugged her back. "Okay," he said in a good-natured tone, then had to acknowledge his knees' cry of pain.

"Shall we sit somewhere?" Stairs weren't the best hanging out place.

"It's really good." And Ella smiled some more as she thought for the millionth time that Hufflepuff was lucky to have so many genuinely nice badgers. And she was lucky because she got to meet people like Forrest and Tobias. Kids that would definitely do brilliant things someday. She was sure of it.

It always amused Ella when people reacted like that to compliments. Maybe it was a Hufflepuff thing, the not realizing how amazing you were. Alec did that lots too. The blonde grinned as the younger boy stood up taller, noting the change in posture. "You're welcome. And I mean it, yeah?" Ella never said things she didn't mean. Why waste your words like that?

She got to keep him? YES! "Brilliant. You're stuck with me now, though." And she wiggled her eyebrows playfully, as if this was her evil plan all along. Really though, this one reminded her of her little brother so she planned on treating him as such. She had Forrest's back.

"Sit? Sure. Where shall we sit?" She could use some water too, actually. She was sort of parched.

"Yeah." If Captain said she meant it, she did. Forrest wouldn't even think otherwise, so his heart nearly came to the point of exploding after swelling with intense emotion. He didn't utter any other word. He didn't have to. He was sure Ella understood him anyway so...

...on her evil plans...

He giggled again--she made him giggle a lot!--and tried (but failed) to frown. "Should I be worried?" Though that eyebrow game more encouraged him than frighten him. She was definitely one of the best people he'd ever met.

"Erm... common room?" He shrugged. She was the cooler one here, so she had the cooler ideas.

She did understand and so Ella didn't speak any more on the matter, simply ruffled the second year's hair and gave him a smile.

The blonde smiled mischievously at his question and nodded her head. "Very worried." She was kidding, of course, but it was fun to pretend. She missed being Forrest's age, y'know? Things were far less complicated then.

"Yeah, sounds great." And she waved him on as she headed in that direction. "Come on, I've got some gummy worms with our names on them." He did like gummy worms, yeah?

...Who didn't?

Wrapping up. :3
 

Very worried? Forrest gasped dramatically as his hands flew to his mouth to cover it in shock. "I should probably run away then."

...and as soon as she finished offering him gummy worms, his face lit up mischievously and he turned around towards the kitchens quickly. He nudged her gently, yelled "Race!" and started running towards the common room while laughing in pure delight.

OH. SNAP.

She had not expected this. Little badger knew she'd just run around the grounds, yes? CAPTAIN WAS TIREDDDDDDDDDDD.

But she caved because he was laughing and being cute and n'awww, Forrest.

"You better run, little badger!" And she took off after him as fast as she could because Forrest was FAST. Sheesh.

Saz!
 

Vesper slowly made her way downstairs...nose in her notebook as she walked. She was still trying to figure out her way around the school and today was going to help her do that. Hopefully. She was sketching out pathways and different routes to different parts of the castle. The Ravenclaw was determined, okay?

She was sorta 'meh' about getting lost all the time.

There was a Gryffindor girl in the entrance hall...and Ves, who's attention wasn't the best in the world, immediately started watching her. She was new. They hadn't met...meaning this girl didn't have a page in her notebook yet. So, she stopped what she was doing and flipped to a clean page, moving closer.

Stare.

Scribble, scribble, scribble.

"Hello."

Christmas was just thinking when a Ravenclaw girl who she hadn't seen before came up and said hello and she smiled at the girl and said "Hello" Christmas had been thinking about what to do today as it seemed like it was a lovely day outside so she may have gone to explore the grounds

Finally Karina entered the castle. Hogwarts was bigger than she had imagined it, but she still found that she preferred her own Durmstrang. She hoped her bags had been brought to wherever the Gryffindors' stayed. For a moment the Durmstranger just stood in the hall, wondering where to go, looking about for another student who could show her the way.

No. She didn't need help; she could figure this out herself. The Scandinavian followed the lights and the sounds towards where she believed would be the Great Hall. It might take her a couple tries, and she might get lost every now and then, but she would not ask for help.

Minnie
 

Laura walked towards the entrance hall will everything she needed for her plan, okay so Minnie was a Prefect and she could tell her off but if she did that so be it. Minnie had done loads for her and she wanted to do something for her before the term ended now though she was just going to wait and hope that Minnie got her invitation.

Laura had the card and the present in her hand that she had bought Minnie at Hogsmeade when they had last gone there and she hoped that Minnie would like the sweets and the card that she had gotten her but the song was the thing she couldn't wait to sing to Minnie when she turned up.

Minerva had gotten an invitation to come to the entrance hall. What was her friend up too. She wasn't sure and that worried her a little. Not that Laura had caused any problems at all in the recent terms, but she had mentioned some sort of surprise and really she didn't have to go and do anything. Min was feeling a bit sad as it was thinking about how Laura seemed a bit more upset of her graduating than others. She knew her sixth year friend would be find next term, but she still worried.

As she made her way to the entrance hall Min looked around as she walked, it had been a while since she just took the time to look at the walls, portraits, and just students passing by. Seeing Laura up ahead she waved as she picked up her pace a bit. "Hey Laura" Smiling widely, but still eyeing her a bit wondering what she was up too. "You wanted me to meet you here?" Did she get a letter from Dj, maybe? What was it she needed.

Laura looked at Minnie as she finally arrived, she couldn't believe how much things had changed since they had first met all those years ago now, she really didn't want her friend to leave but well she knew it would happen and she would be leaving at the end of next year anyway. She had no idea where the time was going but she was going to enjoy ever minute of next term.

Laura looked at Minnie and smiled. "I have a card and a present for you." Laura really was looking forwards to seeing Minnie's face when she read the cards, and she hoped she would like her chocolate frogs she had gotten her.



Laura hoped that her friend would like the card but she wasn't finished yet, she just hoped that her friend would like the song that she was going to sing later.

Minerva's eyes grew, a present an card. Why did she do this. "Laura I haven't left yet we have a few more days left. We don't need to talk or do anything about me leaving yet." No she was kind of avoiding the thoughts when possible and presents, cards meant it was here no avoiding it at all. Sighing she smiled "This is really sweet though, thank you." She took the gift and opened it, oh chocolate frogs usually one of Minerva's favorite but recently the smell of chocolate wasn't being nice to her. "These aren't from Gaston, right?" She wasn't giving her love potion tainted chocolates for a gift was she.

Then she read the card.. Laura what did you do... Tears started down her face and she quickly put her friend into a hug. "This was so sweet Laura, thank you and of course you are more than just pranks. You are a sweet and caring person, smart and willing to work hard. You are going to be great next term and with whatever you put your mind too." She wiped at her face, this was so hard thinking about leaving the familiar walls. The future was terrifying the eighteen year old and hiding in the castle seemed the best place to avoid it for now even if evidence of her future were showing up more and more.

Laura looked at Minnie and returned the hug. "No they aren't from there." Laura had got her parents to get them a few weeks back and send them to her. She couldn't remember where from though which was a problem but it defiantly wasn't from that shop.

"Oh well I had to get you something awesome, for all the times you have helped me." Laura really didn't like the fact her friend was leaving and she was going to miss her like crazy, but she knew they would stay friends no matter what happened and she knew that her friend was just an OWL away. "Just remember that I'll be expecting a couple of OWL's from you next year telling me all that is going on." Laura hoped her friend would let her send an Owl or two to her as well.

Minerva blinked at her friend, they weren't from there. She did know it was not a there it was a person that was giving love potion to girls, right? Deciding not to push the issue further she just smiled, "Thanks Laura these are great." She could save them until Chocolate made her happy again. Then they would be the best present ever, but for now she slipped them into her bag.

Minerva smiled at Laura, the card was so sweet and adorable, which meant the world to her. Nothing could compare to peoples real feelings. "Well it was great, thank you." She didn't like being this emotional already, but she knew it was only a matter of time before she was all over the place with emotions. "I know I am and if you need anything you just owl me alright? I'll make sure to visit during some hogsmeade weekends when I can get away." It might be harder now to take the time away, but she would try her hardest to get to see people. "You'll have to come over to my house this summer. Since you have been to Germany before and everything." She chuckled remembering a few summers ago.

Laura looked at Minerva and smiled. "I know that but it's going to be hard." Laura sighed as she looked around the entrance hall. "Ever since that first lesson you have always been there for me and have helped me more that could be expected, your like a big sister to me and I'm going to miss you so much." Laura had to try and hold back to tears because she knew once they came they wouldn't stop. "I've got something in my eyes." Laura wiped her eyes quickly.

Laura listed to Minnie and sighed. "See that is what I mean." Laura thought about the time a few years back when things had gotten so bad she had deliberately left home to spend time with a friend in Germany only for Minnie to help her figure out what was wrong. "I'd love to visit your house." Laura thought it would be cool.

Minerva frowned, "I know Laura, I know very well how hard it can be without people here." She had friends go every year it seemed and the hardest was this term without Ethan, but that was finally coming to an end and she would be with him again. "I still don't know how Schirmer ever had the patience for you that lesson, even though I guess she really didn't." Minerva chuckled it was funny now even if it wasn't that funny during the lesson. "Aww Laura stop you are going to make me cry even more." She truly enjoyed helping her friend over these past terms. It was going to be so weird not being there to have fun with her anymore, but they would still hang out and be close.

She didn't say anything to something in her eye, Min knew better and wasn't going to call her out on it. "I don't know what you're talking about." What she mean by what? Min just let it go though and smiled, "Good, I can't wait for everyone to visit, hope Ethan doesn't mind all the company, but he won't he enjoys everyone as well." Of course he would they were his friends too.

Laura looked at Minnie and sighed. "In my first year I called the head Girl, Miss Ravenclaw Head Girl, I was very cheeky in my first year wasn't I and bad, I got detention that year left right and centre." Laura sighed but those days were over. "I think she was glad that the lesson ended when it did." Laura sighed, she was going to do her best next term to honour Minnie.

Laura listened to what Minnie said. "I just want you too know how much I'm going to miss you and how much you mean to me." Laura wanted her friend to know that no matter what happened she was always going to be there for her friend after everything she had done for her.

"I'm on about all the times you help me make the right choice." Laura hugged her friend again. "You have helped me realise my potential." Laura smiled as she listened to the rest of the thing. "I can't wait to see Ethan again." Laura really couldn't wait to see him.