Sauvage’s confession took Fade by surprise. Maybe it was too soon for him to be so real, and his joking side would have to be subdued a while longer. Something about tonight where he was upsetting every girl he talked to was reminding him why he was usually so shy. Words were tricky and if he combine them incorrectly disaster would strike. Unlike potions or charms, there were no predetermined recipes for him to follow.

His smile dissolved with his appetite. “Look, I didn’t mean it that way. I was only kidding. Of course I want to go out with you. Wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t mean it.” The look in her eyes was threatening to set the entire room on fire. “Takes more than that to scare me off. My best friend’s a werewolf after all.” He could have smacked himself in the face. Once he started joking around, and the more nervous he got, the harder it was to stop. ()

Jona was confused with everything that River had to say but thought it better that he not argue - after all, she was his senior and it was his literal first day. "Okay," he said to her. "Whatever you say. I'm still getting to know all the houses - all I know is what Allen's told me and he went here like a bajillion years ago, so he's probs not the most reliable."

Jona caught a smile from Zoe and smiled back. She looked slightly confused; he quirked his eyebrows, also confused by her questioning glance. He was beginning to understand that she was a rather quiet person, so he didn't want to push her to say anything. But he also felt like he was being rude and doing most of the talking. He shrugged to himself and looked around the hall, trying to think of more topics to talk about.

Fade looked surprised, but Sauvage was unsure what she said that would have made him feel so. He seemed to be rolling thoughts through his head before he finally explained what he meant. She was satisfied with his answer; however she was hoping for more.

"Sorry for reacting zat way," she said.

She reminded herself that they were in the Great Hall and maybe he would open up more to her later if they ever got the chance to be alone. And that is when the thought of them actually being alone together - just them, no one else - came into her mind and she could not think of anything else. She could not look Fade in the eyes with the thought running loops through her mind and she started chewing on her lip, burning blush spreading across her cheeks, down her neck, and reddening the tips of her ears.

Without looking at Fade still, she suggested, "Are you, uh, almost done so zat we can go chat wiv ze ozers?" She chugged the hot cocoa, forgetting she meant to share it with Fade. She chanced a glance back at him and suddenly felt unbearably shy. What was wrong with her? She had never had feelings like these before and she was beginning to get frustrated with herself for not knowing how to control them.

River shrugged. "Well I'm not an expert, but its what I was told. Today's my first day here too." She felt they needed help for a new topic. "So what do you two do for hobbies?"

Zoe looked at River. "I play and write music, read, go on hikes, write poetry and stories and flying."

Jona sat and pondered the question for a bit. He shouldn't've had to, but it felt like he never did any of the things that he used to do anymore. He felt awkward not knowing the answer to such a simple question. "Ummm....I used to like to play video games and, uh, play basketball. But, um, now I guess I just go on walks mostly. I've started to get into reading, but I don't think I'd describe myself as a 'bookworm' exactly. Yeah, uh....I help my uncle sometimes? Like, at the vet's office he runs. I sometimes help out with grooming and feeding the animals, but I guess that's more like a job than a hobby." Jona shifted his eyes and addressed what Zoe said: "What kinda music do you play? How long've you been doin' it?"

He then turned to River. "And what about you? What d'you like to do?"

"You don't play them anymore? Why not?" River asked. "I've got some video games too. THey are fun."

"I play everything," Zoe said. "Er, well I was playing at four so I was told. I've gone to music school since five years of age. Always after primary school so they were long days. Here I see a teacher in Hogesmede on the weekends or he comes up to the castle for tutoring."

"Oh I like every thing, Exploring tombs and anything else that sparks my curiosity. Spelunking, reading, riding my horse, playing on my magic carpet, guitar, getting into trouble..."

Jona hesitated slightly. He probably should've worded it differently. Ah, well. Too late. "Yeah, well, I used to play video games with my little brother, but... I don't see him anymore so...." He looked at River and then Zoe. "It's not as much fun playing video games by yourself." He shrugged.

"It's cool that you can play instruments. I've never gotten the chance to pick one up before, but I think I'd like to play guitar. What's your favorite to play?"

Jona raised his eyebrows, overwhelmed at River's list of likes. "Maybe the easier question would've been to ask what you don;t like to do." Then he smiled to hide the envy he felt. River seemed to know exactly who she was, without having to make guesses. That's what Jona wanted for himself someday.

"Aww," River replied, "that's a shame. Maybe we can work out a way that we can play them. Like maybe we can get you a hand held and then we can play together."

"I've never played a video game before," Zoe commented. "Oh I thought you meant music. I play the flute. Guitar's cool. There's a music shop in Hogsmede and they do lessons."

River bellied laugh. "Oh I've done a lot of extreme sports too. I'm a daredevil I guess." She smiled at the guitar. "Gabriel got me lessons in Hogsmede for learning the guitar. Maybe you can join? Music can help with the loneliness."

Zoe nodded to River's words.

((OOC: Sounds good to me))

Jona smiled up at River, imagining playing games again. It would be nice to have someone butt to kick. "Yeah, I think I'd like that." He stuck out his right hand to shake on it.

Jona looked between River and Zoey as they talked about getting lessons. "Lessons might be cool. I apparently needs some hobbies in my life. But...where's Hogsmeade?" He then shifted awkwardly at Rivers comment. Was he lonely?

“Don’t sweat it. I’ve never dated anyone either.” Not counting the one time when Fade was eight when a girl asked him out as a prank. But he had done the asking this time and he certainly took his sweet time making sure she maybe actually liked him back before hand. With the way she was blushing it definitely felt genuine. “Yeah, I’m done.” He pushed his plates away and stretched. It was then that he realized he had left his sketchbook back on the table he had been sitting at originally. It was left behind when he followed Zoe out into the hall and he had been so preoccupied with what was happening since he hadn’t thought of it. “Gotta grab my sketchbook too before anyone examines it too thoroughly.” Any artist was their own worst critic, Fade being no exception. ( - sorry I've been so slow. Got some family drama going on and I'm totes drained. XP )

Sauvage just nodded dumbly at first, then her mind caught up with her. "Wait, you 'ave never dated eizer? I suppose I should expect zat, considering 'ow long it took for you to ask me." She winked and nudged his elbow. "But still, I am surprised. You are so..." She had no way of fully encapsulating everything she wanted to say, so she simply let the sentence end there and smiled lovingly at him, hoping that would make up for the silence. They rose together and walked back to where Fade left his journal and she was reminded of an old conversation they had once. "You know...you still owe me a sketching session, Monsieur Artist." She then practiced several poses she had seen models do in other renditions of famous arts. She ended leaning against the table and flipping her hair over her shoulder, before laughing at the scene she had played out and gathering herself again.

((OOC: Ugh. Family drama, I understand so no worries there. That's part of the reason I have been so active on here this holiday.))

It was Fade’s turn to blush as Suavage teased him. He would never claim to have the best game when it came to talking to attractive people, let alone being brave enough to open himself up to the vulnerability of asking anyone out. Rejection felt like failure and failure was his worst nightmare. But he was halfway through thirteen and there was no time like the present to at least try and start to act normal. He let her comment fall away, not wanting to pry too much into what she thought of him. He wasn’t good at accepting compliments either.

“Yeah, I do, don’t I?” He remembered very well that he owed her a sketch, but hadn’t worked up the courage to really look at Sauvage that way. When drawing something he would hyper focus and just glancing at her gave him chills and made his hands sweat. Not to mention portraits were not his strong suit and he really didn’t want to offend her if he exaggerated a feature she wasn’t fond of. When she began posing he cracked a smile. “Alright, now just hold that for a hour.” He laughed while picking up his sketchbook, and adjusted some of the sloppy pages sticking out from when he dropped it earlier.

Turning his smile on the other students still sitting around he nodded at Zoe and Jona. “Nice to see you two came back.” He felt like he should say more but the words escaped him so he left it at that. ( and any other people lingering around! )

"Oof!" Sauvage said, at the thought of holding her pose for an hour. "I would break!" She remained standing as she shook out her hair, pulled it off to the side, and began braiding it. She smiled and waved to the other boys ( ). It looked like they were having a personal conversation, so Sauvage opened her palms in a stopping motion then shrugged and motion for them to cover over to signal the 'stay or join us' effect. She wanted to talk to them, but obviously did not want to butt into anything important.

Sauvage noticed a new girl who was probably wearing every color of the rainbow that she had never seen before and nodded to her. The three looked like they were already conversing heavily, so Sauvage just listened from the side while standing next to Fade () and humming a tune that had found its way into her head.

River shook his hand and smiled brightly, "Excellent, then we shall do this!"

"Hogsemede is about an hour's walk from the castle. Its an all magic community. They have lots of shopping and nice places to read," Zoe said. "There's often lots of trips. There's a pet shop there too."

Zoe smiled at Fade. "Thanks..." but he was already gone. She sighed. "Guess he doesn't like me."

“Talkin about Hogsmeade already?”Come to think of it, Hogsmeade was probably a better setting for a date than the castle grounds. He would have to keep it in mind. Then he realized he hadn’t yet introduced himself to the extremely colorful girl, and cleared his throat. “Hi, by the way. I’m Fade.” He gave a small wave and grinned. “This is Sauvage, if you haven’t already met.” He gestured to the pretty girl with pink hair at his side. If he had to guess, he would say the rainbow lady was the River he had heard so much about from Magnus and the others. Glancing across the way he wondered briefly why Merlin wasn’t with her, but it did seem like he was engaged in a sort of serious conversation with Magnus and Drew. ( )

((OOC: you coming or too busy? -tickles- can't really move Mags right now ;))

Sauvage cocked her brow when Fade introduced her to River, only slightly offended - she could introduce herself after all. But she knew he did not mean anything by it and he was probably just as excited as she was to be seen in public together, so she let it slide. In fact, it almost made her happy that he did so. Sauvage smiled at River, waved, and said, "'ello." She then turned so she was talking to everyone and said, "Oh, I absolutely adore 'ogsmeade. My favorite shop is ze candy shop: 'oneydukes! I could spend ze 'ole day zere just eating my way through ze shop."

Jona's eye sparkled at the description of the candy shop and he turned about, this way and that, to look at everyone at the table. "Is she for real? A candy shop? That sounds amazing! What else do they have there?" Jona liked candy about as much as the next kid, but he definitely preferred the treats packed with carbs: cookies, cakes, pies, brownies - you put flour in it, he'll eat it for days! Candy was just a smidge too concentrated in sugar for his tastes.

Sauvage listed what she could remember of the Hogsmeade shops. "I 'ave only been ze one time, and even zat was not for long, but I do recall several memorable shops. Like, Ze Tree-Tree, no, um." She was having difficuly pronouncing the "h" in "three". She blew out a frustrated sigh and tried again. "Ze Th-three broomsticks." Practically spitting the "th-" out, she managed to say the word and moved on to the other, more pronounceable ones: "Zere is a lovely quill shop - oh, and Madame Puddifoot's teashop!"

"Hi," River said slightly nervously. "I'm River Alcott. Transfer student from 4A." There was nothing she could add about Hogsmede since she'd never gone there before.

"I like Dominic Maestro's Music Shop, Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, and Tomes and Scrolls," Zoe said in an ethereal voice.

So much for escaping, Drew thought to himself as Merlin and Magnus found him. Not that it was hard to find him, but still. Even if he had gone back to the common room, Merlin at least would have been able to dog his steps. With a sigh he looked at his two friends. He couldn’t avoid them all term and he really didn’t want to. It was just going to take a bit to get used to the changes. Drew was not a person to love changes. The only one he could think of that he’d embraced wholeheartedly and with excitement was his family’s move from the States to England, and that had been primarily because of the opportunity to go to Hogwarts.

A part of him wanted to make a snide comment like he was surprised Merlin could unhook himself from River long enough to talk, but Drew refrained. Instead he shook his head slightly at Merlin’s comment. “I think we’ll need to change the name,” he said. “Since there’s more than three or even four of us now it seems. And how come Niall’s not coming to Hogwarts?” he asked thinking of their young d'Artagnan.

Trust Magnus to make jokes and try to get him to smile. Drew couldn’t help himself. He loved the younger boy and shook his head at Magnus’ antics. “Idiot,” he said fondly, giving his upside down friend a poke. “The blood will all go to your head and then you’ll pass out on us. I for one am not doing mouth to mouth to revive you, not even with your pretty face,” he teased. But Magnus had accomplished making him smile a bit.

((OOC - sorry guys, life is crazy busy and stressful right now. Getting ready for our big Christmas open house at work and having people cancel on me at the last minute and other crap to deal with. If I can survive this weekend I should have more playtime...I hope!))

((good luck darling)

Magnus sighed. "'E was at the start of last term. 'E got sorted into 'ufflepuff but only for a week. 'E was miserable. It basically felt like an orphanage to 'im. So that weekend Tams took 'im out and started 'omeschooling 'im. Maybe you mum can 'elp with one of 'is classes." Magnus snickered. "Ah that's okay. But now I see you remember 'ow to smile so that's good. Now... what prank shall we play on the prefects this term? Not you of course Drew...Maybe."