"Hey to you, too," Jona said to Merlin and Magnus ( ). "I'll just take a seat here then. So, what all did you talk to the slithering girls about?" Jona wiggled his eyebrows when he said the word and nudged Zoe; he wasn't sure if she meant to say, but he loved the slip none the less. "And, I'm cool to meet them. For the most part, I've been pretty lucky and no one's really shunned me, yet. Butcha never know." Jona shrugged and threw his hands up in the air, dramatically gesticulating as he spoke. "I keep expecting to wake up in my bed, with it floating in the lake or something." He almost seemed disappointed about it.

Zoe didn't even realised she said the name wrong till Jona nudged her but she played it off. "THey spoke of fashion and how to keep clothing lasting longer."

Magnus looked up and smiled. "Want me to play a prank on you? I don't mind. I like the bed floating in the lake idea."

Merlin pat Magnus on he back. "You won't hurt him because you don't want to so you'll be extra careful." Merlin tried to cheer him up. "Hey Zoe." Merlin said not sure if he knew her personally but he obviously knew who she was. "i suppose my green and silver scarf should tell I'm a Slytherin but thanks for the introduction." Merlin smiled with mischief. "Please to meet you Jonas." When Magus offered a prank Merlin adds. "Or you can wake up flying on top of a dragon. It's far better than the lake I assure you." Merlin smirks and high fives Magnus.

@/MerlinPendragon Jona stared at Zoe for a minute, trying to analyze whether clothes, and keeping them lasting, was something she was truly interested in. "Yeah....sounds fascinating. Although, I'd take to a convo about magical creatures waaay better." He flashed Zoe a smile then looked wide-eyed, back and forth from Magnus to Merlin. "Wait - do you guys know someone with a dragon?" He then looked at Zoe to see if she was in on this secret and regarded her with a look of betrayal for not having already informed him.

Merlin laughed at Jona's question and looked at Magnus who also laughed. "If I know someone with a dragon?!" He laughed even harder. "Should you tell Mag or should I? I not only know who owns dragons, I also own one, and to make it all even better...I am one."

Magnus smiled. "Aww thanks, Merlin."

Zoe smiled. She people watched and thought Merlin was fascinating. "Yes, I suppose the house crest helps too."

Magnus laughed. "A doughnut eating dragon." Then he laughed again. "Well yes, we know people with dragons..."

Zoe liked the idea of magical creatures more. "That sounds like a good topic." When the boys were talking of dragons she gave everyone a blank look. She had no clue.

Magnus nodded. "Merls is an animagus."

[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/374056.png[/img] A blond haired man with three claw marks on his face, clad in a many pocketed, many buckled coat walked into the Great Hall. He looked tired, but walked with purpse up to Magnus and Merlin. "Did I hear meantion of doughnuts?" He asked. "Hey Merlin, Magnus. Er, kids I don't know." He sat down and made a plate. "I'm starving, just got off a 24 hour shift. Hope you dont mind me eating for a few moments... Where's Drew?"

@/Raven @/MerlinPendragon Jona was glad to see that Zoe seemed equally stunned as he to find that the Slytherin boy named Merlin was in fact a dragon. He sat in silence for a solid 30 seconds, opening and closing his mouth like a fish and without any sound escaping him. He didn't know what to say. Were they serious? They must be. Who lies about that? But also - WHO IS A DRAGON? This school continued to throw him for a loop every chance it got. "Um-" he finally managed, but then scary dude came and called him a kid and sat down at the table. So, Jona continued to sit in dumbfounded silence, looking from Merlin to Magnus to the new guy then to Zoe and back again, his head rotating like something out of The Exorcist - a movie he wasn't technically allowed to have seen.

((OOC: @/Raven just how many characters can you RP at once lol I don't know how you manage them all!))

((OOC:Rave is the queen of RPG, that's how.))

Merlin giggled at Jona's and Zoe's reaction and when he saw Paul he hugged him before the man could sit to eat. "Is it the time?" he asked curious. "Eat up, we are eating too. How's mom? dad? Stella? Everyone?" He then said. "This is Paul Freeman, he is my...friend and the coolest auror. He is practically family to us." He then said to Jona. "I'm an animagi and I turned into a dragon." Merlin shrugged as that was very natural. "I also happen to have a pet dragon, her name is Meolc and of course I can have her because I live on a dragon sanctuary."

((ooc: lol I think I've done about about ten at once. i have gone slightly crazy at that point lol.. paul's daughters are easier though, since they are only 4)) ((aww your gonna make me blush :P)) (and all))

"It's true," Magnus insisted. Then he saw Paul and stood up to hug the man. "By all means, eat. Why are you 'ere?"

Paul nodded to Merlin. "Yes, Magnus, Merlin, Stella's gone into labour. Magnus you're about to have a brother soon. I'm here since I'm your godfather. Your dad didn't want to leave her side. Thanks, I'm famished. I haven't eaten in like 24 hours. Your mum and dad are fine. Think your mum is really excited to help Stella with the delivery. Jean's got the twins at Gabe's house so we can be their but not crowd Stella." He chuckled. "I'm the coolest auror huh? Thanks. Yes, Jona," Paul said with another smile, "Merlin's a dragon animagus. He's registered and all.

Jona stood up and threw his hands down on the table in excitement, then awkwardly sat back down. "No way! You're an animagi? That's what I want to do! I didn't know you could be a dragon! That's crazy amazing. It's-it's cramazing! Ohmygosh my uncle - his name's Jon. Well, his Allen - I mean, his partner Allen, is an animagi - and I thought it was animagus? Whatever it is. Allen is one that turns into a golden eagle and he promised me that in a couple years, he'll start helping me to become one, too!" Jona tapped his fingers against the table and hummed to himself. "I wonder if I'll be a dragon..." Before anyone could speak and tell him his likelihood of becoming a dragon was equal to that of his becoming a squirrel, Jona was already off fantasizing about flying through the air and breathing fire.

Drew was in a far better mood as he headed for the Great Hall. How could he not be in a good mood? It was getting closer to Christmas, which he loved, and the Slytherin Common Room was already decorated. He had been sneaking around, attempting to find presents for his friends and housemates and hiding them. In fact he’d left Dodger in his room to guard his trunk, though he’d also put a spell on it to not only lock it, but to transform everything inside into socks and underwear should anyone be snooping.

With a slight bounce in his step, he left the stairs and made his way to the Great Hall, his nose detecting the wonderful aromas. There was nothing like a full meal at Hogwarts…well except his Mum’s cooking, but that was a different story entirely.

The dark haired youth entered and started automatically toward the Slytherin table. He spotted Poppy () and smiled, seeing a vacant place beside her. And…what was that? A present? He made his way closer and stood a moment beside Poppy, staring down at the package…or more specifically the rainbow card. That was a sure sign of who left it. Wonder if it will blow up like she did? Drew thought to himself, eyeing the box warily and backing up slightly. He decided to worry with it later…maybe.

Noting Poppy watching him, he smiled and said, “Hi, Poppy. Extra studying?” He nodded to the book she held.

"Well," Paul said bracingly, "don't get your hopes up. I've only ever seen one and you're looking at him."

Zoe smiled at Jona knowing he was likely thinking about being a dragon. "An eagle, neat."

River watched as Drew stepped back from the box. She sighed and went back to her meal and reading. She saw Paul but wanted to give them space. He'd come say hi before he left.

Jona looked a bit crestfallen, but was mostly unphased by the comment. "Yeah, well, I'm probs not cool enough to be a dragon. It's fine, though. As long as I'm not, like, a gerbil or something." He squished up his nose in disgust at the thought then responded to Zoe's comment. "It's pretty awesome, too, Like, sometimes instead of sending an owl with a letter to someone,he literally just flies to that person himself and talks to them. Or this one time he told me a story about how he got lost in the woods camping and he just transformed into a bird the whole time, eating rabbits and fish and flying high above the trees until he found his site again."

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/nBNbztm.png[/img] "Really? Now that's interesting", Elizabeth replied to Hollynd () and smiled when the girls were seated in the Great Hall. "Does Laertes carry your letters as well?", she asked, curious if the raven was capable of that, "is he an enchanted raven by any means?" She had ordered another cup of tea from the menu - ginger and lemon this time - with a small plate of shortcakes as she still wasn't that hungry at all and the small biscuits were satisfying and filling enough.

[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/352820.png[/img] “Hello Drew (),” Poppy said brightly. She could see that he looked significantly happier than the last time she had seen him. He wasn’t acknowledging the box so she just answered his question. “Just brushing up but I’ll put it away now. I want to eat and head to the Owlery to send some Christmas cards.” She helped herself from the pot roast with baby carrots, fingerling potatoes, and pearl onions on the table. A dinner roll, beet salad, and pumpkin juice rounded out the meal.

“Are you looking forward to the holidays?”

Hollynd busied herself buttering a roll and quietly eating leek and potato soup. She usually kept to herself, preferring to navigate school life in relative solitude. It was an odd feeling having revealed parts of herself to strangers. The Slytherin girls were charming company though, perhaps she could call them her friends in time. Her father’s family would certainly see them as the “right crowd,” to be rubbing shoulders with. It was hard, trying to make heads or tails of her self-identity and fitting in with witches of such good breeding.

"I do nee know," Zoe replied, "a gerbil would be small and overlooked easily enough so ye could play pranks or how knows what. A dragon is large and ye can nee fly around in lots of places, so it sounds more challenging." She loved the story. "THat's great he can fly things to his friends. how useful. Poor thing being lost though. That is nee easy."

() Nodding, Drew took his seat and said, “Yes, I love Christmas. I haven’t made it to the point of sending out cards yet, but I’m doing pretty well finding presents.” He took a deep breath and said, “And apparently I’m not the only one.” He eyed the package again and said, “Guess I might as well open it. It’s either that or shove it out of the way so I can enjoy the meal.” Surely it wouldn’t explode, Drew thought to himself. There’s other people around, after all. And she wouldn’t risk the chance that they might get hurt. Glancing at Poppy as he took off the card, Drew thought that it better not be anything to harm Poppy or there’d be hell to pay.

He opened the note and shook his head slightly at the message. So Merlin () was in on it too. Of course he was. He and River were a thing now. Drew looked over around the hall, searching for a rainbow head and a white one. But his eyes found not only a white one but something ten times better.

“Paul?!” he gasped, certain he was seeing wrong. His body however wasn’t buying it and was already in action. Scrambling to his feet, he remembered to say to Poppy, “Excuse me just a minute. I gotta see someone. I’ll be back.” He impulsively gave the Head Girl a quick hug and whispered, “Thanks for waiting on me.” Then he dashed over to the Ravenclaw table.

“Paul! It is you!” he cried, his face alight with a big grin at the sight of the man he dearly loved and admired. ()

Paul laughed. "Yes it is I." He hugged the boy. "Its very nice to see you. Your parents well? We miss them. Hope you all got our letters. Wanna sit with us? Just filling your fellow trouble makers in. Magnus' mum has gone into labour."

"Ello to us too," Magnus said laughing.

"Yeah," Jona said to Zoe. "I hope you'll get to him. He's a pretty cool dude. So's my uncle, too - if you can get past to really bad dad jokes." He shakes his head, thinking of all the embarrassing jokes his uncle has tried to tell.

"Oh." Jona looked over at all the guys who seemed to be so familiar with each other. "You're gonna have a sibling?" Jona asked all of them, unable to remember which one exactly was "Magnus".

Drew hugged Paul tight, feeling as if he were a lifeline at the moment. When Magnus spoke up, he pulled back from Paul and said with a slightly embarrassed grin, “Oh yeah…hello to you too.”

Then turning back to Paul he said, “Mum and Dad are good…the brat too, unfortunately. I’m sure Mum would send her love if she knew I had the chance to see you. Sure I’ll sit with you. I haven’t eaten yet. Just got here.” Drew slide into a seat. “I’ve been working on Chris…” then it hit him what Paul had said and his eyes widened. “Miss Stella’s having the baby? Now??” Darting a look at Magnus, Drew said, “You didn’t tell me it was this close! You just said she was pregnant.”