The younger Hufflepuff listened as Blade spoke. Their unease subsiding as he (sort of) explained his reasons. Toru waited a bit as if trying to find the right response without escalating the situation again. "So you h-have an uncontrollable f-fear of w-werewolves?" They decided to ask outright. "B-Because otherwise you just compared a p-person, a nice person, to an animal." Their voice was soft an unaccusing but hoped Blake would see -why- everyone, well Toru couldn't speak for everyone, was upset at him.

Paddy realised that Blade seemed confused, but knew that saying more at the moment might not go to her advantage. She wouldn't normally go to that effort, but seeing as a Gryffindor prefect seemed to fancy Blade, she thought it'd help if she made him feel more comfortable with the idea of werewolves at Hogwarts.

Things were still feeling a little tense, and although Paddy appreciated the way her friends were sticking up for her and Magnus, she hoped things wouldn't get out of hand. "I've been called worse to my face though," she said with a wry smile, "before I came here, I felt it was better for people to not know."

Niamh felt uneasy, torn between wanting to chat to Blade and feeling she should talk to Paddy. In the end, she settled for taking a small piece of chocolate from the pile on the table.

"I'm not trying to compare per se, but we can't help our initial reactions," Blade said. He sighed and finally said, "I'm not saying I have anything against either of you. I don't know either of you. But it is a little er...jarring. I didn't even know there were any werewolves at this school so finding it out was shocking." It was as much of an apology they were going to get.

"It don't bother me none," Magnus said. "But we are safe. They take it very seriously."

Blade took a bite of the chocolate. "Thanks again," he said.

Jona sat down at the table next to Toru and immediately ordered churros and a hot chocolate. "So, what's up?" He accidentally spat a few crumbs of churros onto the table. Being the social butterfly he was, he couldn't finish eating before starting to talk. Plus, the mood seemed kinda tense and Jona wasn't good at ignoring those kind of vibes. Brushing the crumbs onto the floor, Jona waited for someone to say something.

((and anyone else. Jona came in at a random time so I don't know who all is involved rn))

Blade noticed Jona's arrival. When he asked what was up, Blade wasn't sure how to reply. "Birds, sky...clouds, sometimes planes... unless you are hanging upside down. THen the grass is up."

The Hugglepuff wasn't entirely thrilled with Blade's answer, but it was on a more positive spectrum than negative. It was improvement as far as Toru was concerned. "J-Just try n-not to jump t-to conclusions unless y-you know where you will land." They gave Blade a weak smile. "I-It can get messy i-if you're not careful."

Toru smiled at their friend despite his less desirable eating habits. Jona always knew how to lighten a mood and hoped he could work his social magic again. To answer his question Toru just gently shook their head. "Nothing o-out of the o-ordinary... What have y-you been up to?" They asked softly.

Paddy nearly spat out her drink with laughter when Blade answered. She didn't know if he was being intentionally humorous, or if he really didn't understand Jona's question, but whatever the reason, it lightened the mood, especially now she had the mental image of Blade hanging upside-down from a tree branch, like a bat.

Niamh glared at Paddy - sure, she'd thought Blade's reply sounded funny, but she wouldn't have dreamed of laughing out loud.... if anything, she thought it made him sound cuter, although she still wasn't sure if she was brave enough to mention that out loud or not.

Jona rolled his eyes at Blade's reply, thinking it wasn't very creative but grateful as well that it wasn't negative. He laughed at Paddy, finding it unexpected that she thought the joke so funny and noted a tone of agitation coming form Niamh, though he couldn't quite understand why. "I've just been trying to stay above water, my friend. Practically drowning in schoolwork already. It's that weird feeling where it's like we just started school and yet it feels like we've been here forever at the same time." Jona shrugged, deciding it was an inevitable feeling that came with school, and ate another churro.

Blade thought Toru's comment was rude. Who said he was jumping to any conclusion. "I'd like to point out by saying that you are jumping to conclusions about me," he said mildly. He was a little amused at how amused Paddy was by his little joke. He couldn't gage Niamh's reaction but it was okay, he wasn't trying for approval. Whether Jona rolled his eyes out of annoyance or not, he couldn't tell but the boy didn't comment back which made him a little irritated. At least some kind of reply would've been polite, right?

Magnus suddenly said, "ey, Toru, do you like pet fish and turtles? Anyone wanna see me portable aquarium?"

With the most serious of serious faces that Jona could muster, he leaned towards Magnus dramatically. First, he took a deep breath and then said in a poorly untraceable accent, "How big an aquarium are we talkin' here?" He was trying to hide his excitement about seeing animals, but there was a twinkle in his eyes that gave it away.

"Me turtle tank in me indoor koi pond at 'ome though. I 'ave pictures of me turtle with me. 'Er name is Shelby. I also 'ave a jelly tank, I think it's about 30 gallons. Ain't real sure but we added magic to make it portable. And me other tank is 300 'undred gallons I think? But not only is it made weightless, it looks more like a 40 gallon tank cos its bigger on the inside." Magnus was very proud of his tank. "It's salt water."

Jona was both amazed and confused as Magnus said all these numbers in his accent. "Cool," he whispered dreamily, trying to imagine the sizes of each tank and what they held.

"I can bring me tanks if you want," Magnus said.

"Uuuuuuuugggghhhhhhhhh - YES PLEASE!" Jona looked around at the table, wondering if he was the only one so excited to see a bunch of fish.

(and all) Magnus called his house elf and asked her to bring the two tanks. Seconds later both were there. "See me saltwater tank looks small but then you look in you see it's much bigger."

Jelly tank 300 gallon tank's inside

Blade was watching with curiosity. He seemed really entranced with the jelly tank.

(and everyone else)

Niamh stared at the jelly tank, "that's strangely hypnotic.... kind of like the Muggle lava lamps Mum said were all the rage a couple of decades ago." Shaking her head briefly, she dragged her eyes from the tank, "how do you stop yourself getting totally transfixed by it, Magnus?" She looked over towards Blade, "I never thought you'd be a jellyfish kind of person," she added, wondering if he was still tuned into the conversation, or if he was so entranced by the jellyfish that he wasn't paying any attention to anything else.

Toru decided to purse their lips at the last of Blade's comments. It wasn't that far of a jump of conclusions since they had been interacting for about a week. All of their meetings had been...less than favorable, at least in Toru's opinion. Blade had a generally negative attitude with a mix of anger. There were times where Blade had surprised them though. Toru made the decision to keep their thoughts to themselves for the time being and not add fuel to the fire.

Instead the topic of conversation shifted to tanks and aquatics. This was of course of great interest to Toru. "O-Oh Magnus, they are l-lovely." Toru leaned close to the larger tank to admire all the tropical fish swimming around. They gently put their fingers on the glass, careful not to make any sound since it would be amplified in the water and could harm the fish.

"Ain't it cool?" Magnus replied. "I've see those lava lamps. I think you're right, they are kinda like that." He smiled serenely. "Well, sometimes I can't and it makes me late for things. But overall it 'elps me mood. Makes me relax."

"Hmm... what kind of type do I appear?" Blade asked curiously. "I like marine life a lot. But these guys are one of my favourites. Did you know the drift with the currents and aren't actually fish? Sea jellies are related to corals and sea anemones." He sat back a little before adding wistfully, "Man, I would love one of these tanks."

"Thanks Toru. Me baby brother really loves aquatic life too. E's got a big tank with sting rays for starters. Over the Christmas break, we went to Africa on a safari and went to a large aquarium on the coast and we swam with sea turtles and got dolphin rides. Mum bought us all a jelly tank to commemorate the trip. They make lower cost models but this one tweren't cheap," Magnus said.

Blade eyed the jelly tank longingly.

"That is so...TOTALLY AWESOME." Jona's whole face lit up in excitement. He started at all the fish in the tank, opening and closing his mouth with wide, staring eyes as he tried to mimic the fish inside. "If I were a fish, I wonder what type I'd be?" He chuckled to himself and looked up at Toru and Niamh. "I prob wouldn't be an angel fish, huh?"

(and all)

"Thank you," Magnus said beaming. "Maybe you'd be a clown fish," he teased. "They are pretty fish too. Or maybe a sea 'orse."

Blade wondered now if Jona was ignoring him. Interacting with people was so difficult.