(( - ah ok. Good to know for the future))

“Oh ok. That’s too bad but it happens. Maybe one day. My mum does send somethings from time to time. Usually when the term gets stressful.

“I would like to but not while I’m here at Hogwarts. I take too many classes as is. I don’t know what my free time will be like when I finish. I’m not sure what the work schedule for a curse breaker is like”.

((That’s so cool. I really wanted to study aboard but when I changed my major to history, none of the classes matched what I needed. I’d love to visit Germany and stay for a while. I’m considering looking into doing an archaeological dig in the UK after I get my master’s in a few years. We’ll see how things turn out. And Emmett will be making more appearances soon. I have to figure when I should have him finish his schooling))

"That's really nice of her," Blade said. "Curse breaker huh? Cool. I'm sure if you like it though, you'll find the time."

((You'll love Germany, I sure did! ooh a dig would be amazing. Good luck :D. Cool, make sure to get Bennet's okay with him popping on ^.^))

Toru was running a little late this morning. They had spent half of it staring into their trunk on what to wear. They had decided on trousers today instead of a skirt, but a fairly cute top that still had a slight feminine feel. They quietly padded into the great hall and moved to sit at the Hufflepuff table near Millie and Blade. Toru gently waved to Kiara who still seemed kinda dead to the world, so she might not have noticed. "G-Good morning, Millie, Blade, and Niamh..." Toru said softly with a gentle smile.

“Yeah, my mum is pretty awesome. I’ll start playing the chello again, one day”. ()

She finished her tea and scone when Toru (). “Good morning, Toru. How are you, this very wet morning?”

((I can’t wait to go. One day I will. And I will. It will probably be for the end of the term events.))

They sat at the table and pulled their breakfast onto their plate. Though most people got tired on dreary rainy days like this, Toru seemed to have more energy. They assumed it was because of their favorite element in the air. "P-Pretty good and you all?"

He nodded his head. "I'm sure you will." Blade wasn't sure what else to say to Millie.

"Morning," Blade said to Toru. Given the ease Nimah had of telling how he was doing, he figure Toru's questions was just being polite. He took a long sip of his tea. "I'm exhausted. Didn't sleep," he said.

Toru immediately had a concerned expression flash across their cute features and they looked a little protective. "A-Are you s-sick? D-Do you need t-to go t-to the hospital w-wing? S-Should I get you t-tea?" They began asking a slurry of questions quickly, almost overwhelmingly but Blade would be able to pick them apart if he tried. Perhaps it was their Hufflepuffy-ness kicking in but Toru wanted to make sure Blade was okay.

((and all))

Blade ran his hand through his long hair. "No, not sick. I have tea thanks. I was just up late practicing the patronus charm. And when I got it... well it just unsettled me," he said. Toru and Niamh were the two people he was the closest to so it was a little easier saying it. Just then a clap of thunder issued, followed by lighting.

"I've never understood the problem people have with Thestrals," Niamh replied, "I mean I've not ever been able to see one, but I don't think they're this weird omen of death or anything like that. My patronus is a Fwooper... which thankfully doesn't need a silencing charm put on it!"

Paddy yawned as she entered the Great Hall. She liked weekends, but always took ages to feel fully awake on a Saturday morning.... of course if she hadn't spent most of Friday evening practising her Quidditch skills, she might have got more sleep. She smiled at the other students as she flopped into a chair and decided what she was going to eat. Conversation would come later - for now, food was most important.

(and all)

Toru seemed to relax a little when Blade said that he was physically okay and settled back down onto the bench. "O-Oh... Okay..." They said softly and then they slowly processed the information. "Y-You can s-summon a corporeal patronus? T-That's so cool." The last bit was in Japanese. "I-I can only s-summon a few w-white whips..." Of course Toru was only in second year and had plenty of time to practice, but Patronus was a useful spell.

With as jumpy as Toru normally was over...well everything the loud clap of thunder didn't seem to bother them at all. They just nibbled on their toast and eggs.

Normally, Lorcan would have watched the wonderful dark sky sitting next to the lake. Living on a small irish island, he was used to such weather and actually enjoyed it. However, he was curious about the popup shop booths - maybe there was something you couldn't get normally. He had heard that a small shop of Dominic Maestro's Music Shop was there as well and he wondered if he could get some music sheets to play at home.

Stretching himself a bit once he entered the Great Hall, he looked around and grabbed English buns with marmelade to eat before sitting down on a bench next to some other students. He closed his eyes in a relaxed way when he heard the loud clap of thunder. The sound was so becalming and reminded him of the turbulent weather at the sea back home.

“I dunno. I guess cos they are different and look like something from the underworld?” Blade suggested. “I was thinking that it would be kinda cool to own one. Fwooper’s cool. Definitely not creepy.”

“Yeah, just figured it out,” Blade said. “Hey a wisp isn’t bad for a second year.” Toru didn’t ask what the patronus was but that didn’t bother him.

“Hi,” Blade said to Paddy when she arrived. He also noticed the arrival of boy from what house again? He remembered seeing the boy on the beach but hadn’t really talked to him. Blade wasn’t exactly the social butterfly like some other students. Still, the musician in him was happy to notice the other boy glancing at Dominic Maestro's Music Shop longer than other students—unless it was just Blade thinking he was. Either way, he himself would be going to check out the shop soon.

Kiara saw Toru wave out of the corner of her eye, and managed a wave back and a small smile. She was pleased to hear it start to thunder; she loved rainy days, because they were the perfect excuse to stay sleepy and curl up in bed with a book all day. And drink tea. Though the shops looked interesting. As she started to wake up more and become more aware of her surroundings, she noticed the pygmy puffs. She would be tempted to get one, but she was a little afraid her cat might try to eat it. Also, what did those things even eat? Did they live very long? Kiara's older brother had had hamsters when he was younger, and had been devastated every time one of them died. Which was pretty often. Meaning that when he was seven till when he turned ten, and got a dog instead, he was in near constant emotional distress. Kiara didn't want to go through that.

Toru didn't ask mostly because if it kept Blade up all night he probably didn't want to talk about it. They'd probably ask later when he seemed more comfortable with it. However, Nimah mentioned it was a Thestral and the puzzle pieces fit together. "I d-don't mind T-Thestrals. I t-think they're kind of n-neat." Of course they had only seen pictures of them and had drawn a few for practice. Toru had never seen death, so they hadn't been up close and personal with a real Thestral yet.

They had noticed the row of shops when they came in and seemed interested in visiting them after breakfast. Since they were a second year they had never been to Hogsmeade, so the shops were an interesting new thing. They had heard of a loose leaf tea from Madam Puddifoot’s that they desperately wanted to try but didn't see a shop set up for it. Maybe they could ask Callista to get them some next time she went to the village. They filed a little mental note to ask her.

Toru noticed a boy they had seen at the beach trip, but hadn't been introduced. He seemed to enjoy the stormy weather as much as they did. Perhaps they could talk about it later. For now the Hufflepuff was enjoying a biscuit with strawberry jam.

Outfit Not Found

& everyone else:

Callista was not a morning person, and it was cold in the Slytherin dungeons on mornings like this one, so she put on a sweater and tights with lace safety shorts and a rather short skirt.

No more wearing House colours on weekends except when she felt like it, she'd decided. She liked green, but she liked pastels, too.

The shops didn't particularly interest her, given that she'd been to Hogsmeade a lot and it wasn't a particularly cosmopolitan place. But the food and hot beverages did. She waved at Toru, but wasn't sure they'd come over to say hello with Sabrina hanging around, and got herself a hot matcha latte, then sat down at the Slytherin table to drink it, yawning. She'd been up late the night before working on a sewing project and doing some sketches for Wayland.

She wouldn't really be hungry until the drink woke her all the way up, but she ate a couple of pieces of toast and half a strip of bacon--Sabrina got the other strip and a half.

((and all))

"Oh?" Blade asked Toru with no tone of surprise that his patronus was worked out.

Zoe entered the Great Hall looking positively happy. She'd been given a pep up potion in the hospital wing and cheering charm too. "HI! Callista! How are ye? Oooh I'm STARVING!" She plopped herself beside her and started putting food on a plate. "Ye look all pink today. I like ye're going for cheer rather than somber. Rain is fun. We can go play in the rain if ye want. Not sure where Jona is but girl time can be fun tooo."

, , et al ~

Callista giggled slightly. "Hi, Zoe," she said. "Did you know you're at the Slytherin table? It's okay, though, I'll vouch for you. Most of the other snakes are still abed. We're cold blooded after all, most of us won't come out until we're a little bit warmer if we don't have to. I'm glad you like the pink. I do enjoy wearing gothic coordinates, but not all the time! And sure...we can go out in the rain. I think I even have a parasol that matches this outfit."

She was hungrier now and 'ordered' more breakfast: eggs, steak, and toast. She wanted to ask if Zoe and Jona were dating, but it seemed so weird because of their age difference. On the other hand why would Zoe have been so possessive over someone she wasn't involved with?

She paused to give Sabrina a bit of bacon, but Sabrina wasn't there.

Sabrina was at the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes booth looking covetously at the unattended Pygmy Puffs.

"Oh, shit," she said under her breath, and a little louder, "back in a sec, Zoe!" Steak in hand, she took off after the serval.

It was totally understandable, especially since she would sometimes give Sabrina mice or rats--servals aren't meant to eat kibble and need the nutritional balance of live or freshly-killed whole animals sometimes. But it was also a huge annoyance, because if Sabrina got herself a Puff, everyone would be upset with her, and with Sabrina too.

Callista could have bought them all, but she was not in the habit of giving her money to the Weasleys. She wasn't even sure they'd be good for a serval to eat.

Fortunately, she got there in time.

"NO, Sabrina," she said firmly. "Here. Have a steak instead."

She'd get another. Steak was a rare treat for the serval, who usually ate rodents or canned food. The steak won out over the puff. After all, Sabrina didn't know whether she liked puffs or not yet.

Once she had the serval corralled, she came back to the table. "Sorry," she told Zoe. "Sabrina wanted a pygmy puff breakfast. I caught her in time, though. The Weasleys are so irresponsible. Leaving those puffs out like that in a school filled with pet cats, pet owls, pet snakes and the like. I don't even understand how they bred those things, but it's irresponsible to make them, even if they are cute, because without human help, they literally couldn't survive."

She took a deep breath, reordered her steak, and sat down. "So what's up with you and Jona anyway? He seems like a nice kid."

“Aye, I did,” Zoe said happily undeterred. “Good, glad I’ll have some street cred then.” She giggled. At the cold words Zoe snorted and belly laughed. “That’s just like snakes too. They are exothermic. Oh I love the gothic things. Ye do have lots of nice stuff from what I’ve seen. Sounds lovely. A stroll in the rain with a coffee in hand.” She smiled brightly.

Zoe watched as Callista raced over to the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes booth to get Sabrina. “It’s okay. Maybe there’s a shield on so as only humans can put their hands in? It is sweet of them to help other students get a pet though. Even maybe they might’ve done it a bit differently,” she said diplomatically. “Mmm, maybe I should rescue one? Tales does nee bother my bunny Harold.” She gave Callista a pat. “Ye’re passionate and I like that. Sorry ye’re upset.” Then came the question of Jona. “Oh he’s my best friend…my first ever friend. Like a little brother too. He’s really sweet and nice. I think he tries too hard sometime. I worry he will nee have friends when I leave. But I’ll do my best to make sure he has a good time till then. I hope he can make more friends so he’s nee lonely. Even if…” her voice trailed off leaving her sentence unfinished.

Callista sighed. "I am passionate, aren't I?" She chuckled a bit. "I really like animals. In fact, I had a hard time deciding whether I wanted to be a designer or work with animals, but...honestly, I'd get too attached, and that's not what's needed for conservation work. The Weasley brothers are heroes, no lie, I would never dream of denying it, but they're still hooligans. Cousin Blaise has some stories about them, and if they actually did shield those creatures, I'll be very pleased. But I certainly couldn't trust that they had!" She sighed again.

"If you want one, you should get one. They've already been bred, they need homes. I don't know how much they cost but if you're short I could cover you. I like my animals a bit less delicate personally, but to each her own."

Callista speared a bite of steak and ate it. She was certainly hungry now. "Jona's nice. I don't think he'll have any trouble making friends, he just needs the chance to get to know people better. We'll have girl time today, he can have new-friend-making time. And when he makes more friends, maybe they will be your friends, too? I know he likes Toru, who's my friend. So that could be three friends you've got, and three friends that Jona has got."

(& Everyone)

"I like animals too," Zoe said. "I have 10 pets. I could see the problem with that. Maybe ye can do designer benefits. Like charity events to help animals. I still do nee really know what I wanna do." She was calm talking thanks to the potions and spell. "I needa rule things out I guess..." She shrugged. "Maybe back then. But I think it's a little unfair to base opinions on things yer cousin told ye and not on them now. People change and grow up. Oh yes, ye could nee risk it at all! I'm glad ye got Sabrina." She wasn't really sure if she wanted one or not but was very touched by Callista's offer. "I do nee know either. I guess I'll see when I go looking around. Never know what deals I can find."

She lowered her voice. "I've already been told I can get some things for free. My parents are ones that get donations from the school. I know ye won't tell anyone about that." She was blushing a little.

She ate her eggs. "I hope ye're right. I worry so much about him. He's been so kind to me and leaving him here scares me. Well...leaving scares me too. I do nee know Callista... I mean... no one really ever paid any attention to me... and I never minded until I had a friend. I'm scared once I leave no one will remember me and I'll fade away." She couldn't believe she confessed her thought but also felt safe doing so. Was it the potions or something else? "Girl time would be nice

Blade was becoming more coherent and suddenly saw what he wanted at the music shop. He got up picked up two long boxes, several books, a metronome and reeds for his clarinets. He deposited the money into the box and then disappeared out of the hall entirely and slipped into the dorms. He couldn't believe he got two amazing keyboards. He would have to suprise Toru later--away from the crowd. With a smile, the teen slipped back into the Great Hall and sat back down.