Bay was walking along the corridor trying to find his way around the castle for the classes started. "Man this place is huge" he said to himself.. anyone could really get lost in here. "Wheres a map when I need one"

He knew he was around the Gryffindor common room area but how to get back there.. pfftt he wouldn't be able to do it. He was the most directionally challenged person ever. putting down his bag he grabbed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and sat down. He was going to be here for a while, opening the bag he pulled some of the sandwich off and took a bite. "maybe i should save some of this in case I'm actually really lost" always talking to himself.

What was the Groundskeeper doing indoors and all the way to the 7th floor corridor you ask? NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! He had just as much right to be up here than any other staffer, student, ghost, or cat! Maybe he was going to go pay that Funny Blondo Professor a Visit. He liked that guy he made Kirby laugh. Maybe he had just grabbed a heaping helping of Breakfast, and decided to go on a walk with it eat it someplace else he never ate before. Maybe he had his pet Raven, Chess with him and wanted to show the bird around the Castle. MAYBE IT WAS ALL THREE! His Raven was sitting on his right shoulder, while his left hand carried a baggy of pancakes covered in syrup and butter, and yeah he was gonna go have a laugh at... with Blondo.

But he was Hungry now. so taking a quick stop in the middle of the Hall and dropped down and sat cross-legged unwrapping his heaping helping of pancakes. He did not see that there was a student sitting across from him while he stuffed his face with the delicious flapjacks.

Maybe just one more bite… ahh what ever her was just going to eat the whole sandwich. "yummmmm" okay now that it was all gone he pulled his bag closer to him and looked through it.. There was nothing there but a bottle filled with water. "Well its better than I hoped for"… he trailed off hearing footsteps near him.

Bay moved closer to the wall it sounded like very big footsteps.. He was starting to get scared and then he saw what looked like the groundskeeper with his pet on his shoulder… Oh he's stopping… sitting…

Eating Pancakes??? okay now he's seen it all but the smell of the pancakes made his stomach grumble "Everything is making me hungry here, its like my parents didn't feed me at home" he thought. Staring at this big man he couldn't help but let his jaw drop. Man he was digging into those pancakes.. oh no…Eye contact.. errrr play it cool Bay.. "Uhhh..Hi" yeah that was defiantly cool. geez.

Orsino was really enjoying this stack of pancakes. He finished two at the top and held up a tiny bite for Chess to nibble at before moving down to the next two pancakes. He stuffed his face full of these Flap Jacks then finally caught eye contact with a kid sitting directly across from him. His jaw open. Kirby could not respond so instead he laid his eyes directly at the boy's. Still chewing, the Groundskeeper pointed at his chin. Hopefully the Gryffindor would realize this meant stop drooling. He finished this delicious bite then finally spoke "Hi.". Not blinking, or averting his attention away from the kid, Kirby snatched another bite of his Pancakes.

This huge man was just eating more and more pancakes, when he finally spoke to Bay. He said hi... Wow this was going great. Say something Bay hes just looking at you.. He racked his brain on what to say but he just blurtted out the the obvious " soo pancakes huh, i bet they are good.. wow he just shook his head in shame, he should really think more but talking to people.

Olly was leaning her back against the wall of one of the corridors, not too far from the entrance to Gryffindor Common Room. While she WAS in fact waiting for a Gryffindor, she'd decided to not actually wait right outside the common room. Why did they have to have a portrait, a real-life portrait, guarding their entrance? One that, naturally, could talk.

A LOT too. The Fat Lady talked a lot. A lot of useless things. Unless you were interested in the latest gossip of which person from which portrait was hanging out in somebody else's portrait a lot and who disapproved of that. Seriously, did she LOOK like that was something that would interest her? And she couldn't actually say anything to make her stop talking because she was occasionally (okay A LOT of times really) relying on her good nature.

So, hiding from her seemed like the most sensible thing to do. Now, Schuyler, where are you?

Schuyler pushed through the portrait hole and stepped out into the corridor, shutting the painting against the passageway behind her. Oh, Merlin. It was a bit drafty in this old castle, wasn't it? Common room was much warmer. Now the Gryffindor had expected to see her girlfriend waiting outside the Fat Lady's portrait for her, but she wasn't there. Hmm.

Oh wait.

There she was. Schuyler smiled as her eyes rested upon the girl leaning against the corridor wall. She walked over in her direction with what looked to be a half-sheet of paper in her one hand. "The Fat Lady misses you." In case she hadn't known. Still wearing a light smile, she leaned in and placed a kiss on the corner of her mouth. Hi, Olly.

Did he really have to go to Divination.. Why on earth was the dumb class a requirement for second years? It was pointless and stupid, but his mother said he had to take it. Just because she believed in it didn't mean he did. This was so lame, it was going to be lamer than the long winded bore of a lecture in the greenhouse. At least there he got to see plants moving around, in this he was going to just sit and stare.


Maybe he could sit in the back and take a nap. Yes that could work. Either that or maybe he could go over his planning for some of his next adventures. Yes he still had the bathroom thing or the dorm thing he still hadn't decided. He still had quidditch tryouts that could be something to think about during this class. Ways to improve and get better. Captain pretty was watching and said attitude. He'd show attitude.

No back to this class. His mum would never know if he skipped, right? They wouldn't send an owl saying he did or would they.

Oh Merlin she was late! She had been deep into a game with Elvis and having so much fun she had totally lost track of the time. And of course her Common Room was at the bottom of the castle and getting up to this level had taken forever.

Bay came skidding around the corner so fast and wasn't watching where she was going.....

BAM!

She toppled over someone and hit the ground with an ooommmppphhhh.....

Of course Olly noticed Schuyler when she entered the corridor. She even briefly considered walking over to her but then again, her girlfriend HAD already spotted her and was making her way over to her. So no need to move, right? Yeah. Plus, the further she stayed away from the Fat Lady's portrait the better. Seriously, she had absolutely no idea why that woman was so fond of her.

It wasn't like she'd spent THAT much time outside the Gryffindor Common Room last term.

Olly rolled her eyes at Schuyler's comment, grinning when she approached her. "Who wouldn't?" Miss her, that is. And no, no need to answer that. It was rhetorical in a way, seeing as the correct answer was 'everyone' of course. Yes, she was feeling a little smug today.

Even more so when the other girl leaned in to kiss her. Hiii. Olly grinned broadly for a moment before reaching up to cup Schuyler's cheek to pull her closer for another kiss. "Hello girlfriend." She smirked as if she'd just said something bad and leaned back again. It was still weird in a way.

A good way though.

Now that Olly, and Schuyler, were in full view of the portrait hole, the Fat Lady was talking. To them. Incessantly now. But the Gryffindor tuned her out and had success in ignoring whatever it was that she was saying. Must be awfully boring to be a portrait, unless you were a gossip fiend.

Who wouldn't? Hmm, Schuyler could think of a few. But Schuyler certainly wasn't one of those few, so she just flashed a smile. Cheeky.

Two back-to-back kisses later and the smile hadn't left. If anything it just widened a little more at the sound of Olly's greeting. Girlfriend's greeting. Yes. Girlfriend. "I have something for you." She lifted the paper in her hands, turned it over, and revealed that it wasn't just a piece of paper. It was a photograph. Of the two of them. "Ansel developed some pictures from the trip," she said, running her thumb over the side of the photo. She lifted her eyes back to the other girl and another smile surfaced as she offered it to her. "I've got one already."

So, this was hers.

Olly had noticed the way Schuyler's smile had widened. Well, how could she not have; she was watching the other girl's face quite closely. Reaching up to run her fingers over her girlfriend's lips, she traced the outline of said smile, her eyes following the movement. She even ignored the fact that Schuyler had said something for a few seconds. "I really want to kiss you more but...I feel like we're being watched." That was when she met the other girl's gaze again with a grin on her lips.

Of course they were being watched. Irritating old lady with no life, living in a portrait. How lame was that?

Right. But Schuyler had said something. She should probably pay attention. And take her hand off the other girl's face. Yes. It was only then that Olly noticed the piece of paper in her girlfriend's hands. Which...turned out to be a photo! Of the two of them! From their trip!

!!!!!!!

"We look very pretty." Olly grinned. Her eyes were flicking back and forth between Schuyler's and the photograph as she took it from the other girl. She held it up again with both hands, getting a closer look. "Thank you." Pause. "And tell Ansel too." She supposed. Yes. Seemed like a nice gesture, yeah?

Schuyler felt the other girl's fingers brushing over her lips. She had heard once that of everywhere on the human body, lips were most sensitive to touch. And that seemed accurate to her. She kept her eyes on Olly while the other girl's sight followed the motion of her fingers. "I always want to kiss you more," she eventually answered when Olly's eyes were back on hers again.

But yeah, the Fat Lady. Prying painted eyes weren't really welcome right now. Not that it bothered the lady.

Anyway. The photograph. Her grin mirrored her girlfriend's while she looked down at it. At them, frozen in time. It wasn't a moving photograph. "We do, don't we?" They were a very attractive couple, after all. Yes, quite. She gave a light nod when Olly thanked her and extended the thanks to her older brother. They would have to check out the rest of the photos over Christmas break.

"So," she started, taking Olly's hand and entwining their fingers as she began walking. No sense in hanging around their portrait friend for any longer than they had to. "Where are we off to?"

One minute he was fighting himself on whether or not to go to class and the next minute....


SPLAT

He was on the floor with.. with a girl on top of him. "What the..." He looked up before rubbing the back of his head fro the hit to the floor. "You alright?" If his head hurt she might be hurt as well. Was there a fire in the corridor he hoped why was she moving so quickly?

As he started sitting up he got a better look at her. She seemed about his age maybe a little older, but honestly why was she running, "No one ever tell you not to run in the corridor and honestly next time invite me if you are it would be fun to race." Hello a good ole fashion corridor relay he was so game.

Ow ow ow ow owowowowowow!

Bay rolled over with a whimper and eased on a sitting position. Her books and things had come out of her pack and were scattered all over the hallway. Her eyes then went to the boy she had bowled over. She had been about to spew out a bunch of apologies but just as her mouth had opened he started talking.

Race? Her brown eyes blinked at him first once and then twice in owl-like fashion before a smile spread across her lips. "Sorry. I thought I was running late for Divination so I ran. Next time I'll be sure to inform you so that you can lose."

The third year started to collect her possessions though her knees and her shoulder throbbed painfully. "Are you alright by the way?"

So she was going to that dumb class too. "Late or not why would you run to that class?" He couldn't help but ask why, he just didn't understand how people liked it.

His thoughts quickly changed as he heard a word and saw a smile, lose? An interested brow perked up, "I wouldn't lose. I'm too fast to lose." He'd show her right now if she wanted. Looking around he saw her things scattered and figured he had nothing better to do so he'd help her gather them. "Why do you carry so many books?" Book loving Puff wasn't she. Were they all book loving in that house?

He still hadn't found someone to talk into doing his homework, maybe she'd be a good one for that. Maybe they could race for it. If she one he could who knows do something crazy, if he won, because he would she could do his homework. The plan sounded nice in his head, but now how to present it.

"Oh I'm fine. Not like I haven't been hit in the head before." He'd fallen plenty of times and had things chucked at his head. So hitting it again was no big deal.

She always wanted to kiss her more? Olly smirked, feeling rather lightheaded and the prospect of that. She lowered her voice slightly. "We should go somewhere else then..." Like, AWAY from prying eyes. Maybe they should have met IN the Gryffindor Common Room or something. Schuyler didn't have that many dorm mates either, did she? Hmm.

They could still go back there later. Now there were other things to think about. Like the photograph.

Of course they did. Especially Schuyler, of course. Actually, it was quite funny how unless you KNEW when and where the picture had been taken, it was impossible to tell if it was from before or after Florence. Olly smiled almost sheepishly at that thought, still looking down at the photo in her hands. Yeah, she really hadn't been good at stopping this before it went too far, huh? Though, she didn't really regret it now. Not at all.

Wait......was she supposed to have planned something for today?! WHAT? A rather shocked look passed over Olly's face for a brief second. Her lips almost immediately curled into a smirk however, trying to hide her little moment of panic. "Somewhere quiet. Without people." No, really, she didn't have a plan. They could do whatever. "I think the new groundskeeper's set up some new things." So outside maybe?

Also the groundskeeper himself was quite the attraction.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAND DONE! Orsino has finished with his pancakes and slapped his fork down into the small baggy he carried with him. "Yup, I make only the most delicious pancakes. Sometime you just need to throw Chocolate Chips in them. You know?"

Orsino stood up and walked half way down the hall before stopping...."Why, Did you want some?" The Groundskeeper put on a big smile. "Tell you what. I'll be down in the Kitchen later whipping up a delicious after-mid-late afternoon Omelet Brinner. It puts the House Elve's to shame, it does." Just don't tell them he said that. He liked theirs too.

Boys. Anytime you mentioned losing or anything to do with competition and they became overeager boneheads. As she slipped the last of her scattered possessions into her bag she frowned at his question. "There's only of three of them. I have potions and then Arithmancy afterwards." Bay decided to ignore the question as to why she was running to class. She wasnt a fan of Divination but that didnt mean she wanted to get into trouble either.

She chuckled at his reassurance. Normally getting hit in the head many times wasnt something people would boast about. Her brown eyes looked back at him. "So were you not going to class then?"

Schuyler's mouth curved into a grin and she watched the words form on Olly's lips as the girl spoke them in her hushed tone. Yes. Yes, elsewhere sounded best. Because for some reason quiet words made it more tempting to go in for another kiss. Or two. Or three.

But she practiced some restraint and simply gave a little nod.

Seeing as Schuyler's eyes really weren't straying from her girlfriend all that much, she caught the brief look of surprise that had passed over her features. Hmm? What had that been for? But traces of a grin showed when she wondered if the other girl had momentarily been under the impression that there was some sort of date she was supposed to have planned. Heh. No worries, Olly. Not today.

Quiet. Few to no people. On the grounds. Check, check, check. "I haven't really seen that covered bridge.." And that was a new feature, too. So.. the bridge, yes?

He shrugged at the book comment. Three was three too many in his mind. "Still seems like a pointless thing, especially when I heard there is no Arithmancy being given this term." Yep he heard it because he was super excited not to be taking such a boring subject. That was one less he was going to have to suffer through.

"No I'm going to that stupid class just because if I don't my mum will probably hex me, but I don't want to go." He was going to make that known all over the place. "It's so fake and pointless I don't know why this school would even have it." Waste of their time. "What dumb thing do you think we'll do today? Read a lame ball?" Honestly he could just pretend to hear voices and the professor would think he had power or something.

Brown eyes glancing around he spotted something up against the wall and his lips curled into the most mischievous grin. " Well look at that. Bra girl has another bra girl. You two going to kiss?" That's when he started making the kissing noises, yep puckering his lips at both of them and then laughing. "No wonder you didn't like my kiss I didn't have enough lip gloss now did I."

Apparently the 'no plan' thing worked for Schuyler too. Phew. Olly wasn't sure what she would have done if the other girl had had expected her to make proper suggestions. Kiss her probably to distract her. Or something like that. Distracting people was her thing.

The covered bridge? She nodded slowly, grinning over at the girlfriend. "Sure, sounds good." Not that she really cared where exactly they went. Olly ran her index finger along the edge of the photograph still in her hand absently. She'd have to find a good place to put it. Not right now but in general, of course. Though, she should probably think about that later when she was alone again. Or you know, tomorrow.

They were moving though, yeah? "Right, lets-"

-go then.

Olly left her sentence unfinished and stopped moving altogether instead. Was the boy talking to them? She turned to look at him, eyebrows raised, an unimpressed look on her face. Bra girl? "Why? Do you want to watch?" How was it any of his concern whether or not they were going to kiss? Did he honestly believe they'd be bothered by his questions? The grin on his lips suggested as much. Olly matched it with one of her trademark smirks.

Ah. Right. Now things sort of made sense. Olly had heard about him. After throwing Schuyler a slightly amused look, she considered the boy for a loooong moment in silence. "Yeah..." She shook her head and gave the boy a sympathetic look. "No, pretty sure no one likes your kisses." Pause. "You agree right? I mean..." This was directed at the girl the boy was standing next to and accompanied by a wave of Olly's hand as if it was OBVIOUS as to why no one liked his kisses. Just look at him.

Yes, they were on their way then. Off to the grounds. The bridge.

Only........ not.

Schuyler stopped in unison with the girl beside her. Yeah, she recognized that voice all right. It was the Dweeb. She turned and simply rested her eyes on the boy while Olly spoke. Grins and kissy noises. She narrowed her eyes a little. Really? Get real.

Part of her thought Olly would kiss her really dramatically just to rub it (whatever 'it' was) in his face. And another part of her believed that Olly would perhaps beat him in some way, shape, or form. But neither happened, actually. Not YET, at least. When her girlfriend was finished speaking, Schuyler added just a thing or two of her own. It may or may not have been to get Olly to feel just as - or ALMOST as - annoyed with the dweeb as she was. "Olly, this is the boy who was stealing my bras and underwear." Dweebie. "Also, you had been the only person at Hogwarts to kiss me. And then he broke that record." Yep. Stupid boy. The broken track record was actually what irked Schuyler the most. It had been a good boasting point that Schuyler hadn't even gotten to boast about before it was ruined.

Yeah.

SO. Was Olly going to beat him yet? Make him eat slugs? OH. They could tag team, yeah? This kid needed SOME sort of slap on the wrist. It'd be good for him. and fun for them.

Adrienne made her way into the corridor outside her common room, vine slung over her shoulder and weird-looking block of wood in hand. It still had the slight curve-shape and dent that she'd managed during Transfiguration class, but overall it was pretty much still a block of wood. The vine, on the other hand, was distinctly rope-like, though it was still greenish in colour and sprouting leaves.

She huffed a sigh and sat down, still not totally resigned to the fact that she'd have to do her homework all alone. Somehow she'd managed to annoy Tora in class, to the point where she refused to come with, and she was coming to the realisation that while she had acquaintances, she hardly knew anyone well enough to ask them to come help her with homework. Besides, Tora was amazing with Transfiguration, and here she was, unable to even make a boat out of a piece of wood.