"Ah, oui. I am from Marseille. My parents 'ad to move to London, so now I go to 'ogwarts instead of Beauxbatons." Sauvage nudged a gnome at her ankles with the edge of her foot. She had a sad smile playing along her lips. "It was a difficult change at first, but now I really enjoy my time 'ere. And zee friends zat I 'ave made 'ere, I cannot imagine life without zem now. What about you? Where were you born?"

Sauvage shrugged her shoulder apologetically. "I am sorry. I 'ave been very busy wit studying and I 'ave not really been in any room other zen my dorm and zeelibrary. What 'ave you been up to?"

Paddy ran in, hoping she hadn't missed everything. Crossing her toes that it wouldn't be a dangerous critter this time, she skidded to a halt at the garden-like space in front of her. Wondering what kind of creature Magnus had brought in, she spotted him and yelled out "Happy Birthday" while trying to spot the critters.

(OOC: Sorry for the delay everyone - RL's been a pain in the rear the last couple of weeks, so I've not felt in an RP frame of mind)

Magnus turned bright read as Paddy belted her birthday greeting to him. "Fanks," he said quietly and chucked a gnome at her with the warning of "catch" to quiet her quickly. "Gnomes today."

(( very understandable sweetie -snuggles- ))

Paddy had come across gnomes before, but hadn't ever been to a degnoming. She wasn't too sure if she should duck or catch, so she ducked her head, and stretched her paw out to try and do both. The gnome seemed as surprised as she was that it ended up caught in her paw, so she spun it around a few times before flinging it towards the shrubs, before it could wriggle free from her grip.

"whoa!" Magnus exclaimed, "excellent job!" He was stunned at how she managed to catch it and redirect. "you so need to be on the quidditch team!"

"I would love to be able to relax but I have so much work to do. I got a good amount of reading done as well as a few projects. But I'll have time to relax over the holidays. But I knew I would either be in the bakery or doing homework." She paused and continued, "I love learning too, which is why I'm taking 10 classes plus Ancient Studies. I want to be a Curse Breaker, so I'm taking as many history related classes as possible."

Millie saw Magnus frown when she mentioned living in London. She hope she didn't upset him. She loved living in London. There was something always going on.

Millie turned to Sauvage "It's okay. Trust me, I understand. I pretty much live in the one corner in the library. So much work and not enough time to do it."

Sauvage decided to take a break from the gnome throwing - her arm was starting to get sore- and joined Millie to socialize with some of the others. "What about you, Millie? What 'ave you been up to?"

Sauvage noticed a familiar face out of the corner of her eye and waved at Paddy, smiling. She hadn't seen Paddy since the last magical creatures club meeting she'd managed to attend. It'd been awhile.

"Getting a head start on my work for the next term. I got much of it finished already. I have an Ancient Runes project I've been working on as well as a Arithmancy project to get started on"

Millie looked at everyone tossing gnomes. "I should help" she thought to herself "but I'm not very good at throwing. I'm too accident prone"

Magnus did miss London, but he smiled listening to the conversation whilst a gnome snuck up to him and bit him on the leg. "Oy," he exclaimed, grabbing it and hurling it as far as he could. "You need 'istory classes for curse breaking?" he asked rubbing his leg. "I wanna be a 'ealer meself. I'm glad it don't need Astronomy I'm ghastly at it. And don't worry about the gnomes, Mum'll be up later to collect 'em all and take 'em back 'ome."

"I was studying for my exam in sh...sharm..." Sauvage sighed. Since she had visited her friends during spring in France, it had been a lot harder to get rid of her french accent upon her return. "Charms," she enunciated clearly. "I swear, no matter 'ow much I study - nuzzng sticks!" She shrugged hopelessly. "Zoot!" Sauvage jumped then looked down at her feet where two gnomes had climbed onto her shoes and started nipping at her ankles. "Little beasts," she said, laughing at them. She picked them up and flung them over her shoulder.

"A 'ealer? Uh, healer?" Sauvage turned and asked Magnus. "What is it dat got you interested in 'ealing?"

"Sorry," he said with a blush, "me London accent is a bit thick at times. See, I almost died when I was attacked by the werewolf. When the auror followin' 'im saw me being savaged 'e managed to get ta me and apperate to Saint Mungo's. They 'ad me in a coma for awhile too. When I woke I was told of what 'appened and then what I was going to become. If it weren't for Mungos, I wouldn't be alive. I lived there for a year, since I couldn't go back to the orphanage where I was living. So started thinkin' about being a 'ealer. Then the Lees came to visit a relation, met me and adopted me."

"Oh! I am sorry." Sauvage blushed and tried to hide her face with the palms of her hands. How embarassing! "I was not making fun of your accent. 'onest! It is a bit difficult for me to pronounce zee letter H wis my own accent. I sink zat I 'ave been doing much better, at least. Some days are easier zen ozzers with certain words." She shrugged it off. She was used to having to repeat sentences or stop and properly enunciate certain words because of her accent. What really intrigued her though was Magnus' backstory. "And zat story is amazing! I knew zat you were adopted and 'ad been bitten by a werewolf, but I never 'eard zee exact details from you directly. No wonder you want to be a 'ealer! What classes are you taking at zee moment for such a sing?" Sauvage never really discussed plans after school with other students very often. It was incredibly interesting and she found that she enjoyed hearing about their plans.

"Eh no worries, sometimes it sounds like I got a mouth full o' marbles according to me mum. And I can understand you just fine," he said with a smile. He nodded, "Even when I woke, was in really bad shape. The 'ealers did a great job on me scars, only a couple left now and they aint so visible anymore. Getting better with the treatments." "Well ta become a 'ealer Dad told me you 'ave to 'ave at least five N.E.W.T.s, with either 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' in Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms, and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Lucky for me Potions, charms and 'erbology are me best subjects. I need some work in Transfiguration though, me last tea cup still 'ad some porcupine quills. I also 'ave Care of Magical creatures as many are used in potions and 'ave healing abilities, like the phoenix. Plus I figured they need 'ealing too so the more you know the better you can be, right? Wish I didn't 'ave to keep history of magic, divination and astronomy till the start of me 6th year though. What about you?"

"You don't need History of Magic or Ancient Studies to be a curse breaker but you need a OWL in both Ancient Runes and Arithmancy as well as NEWTs in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms. I just really like history and I think having the knowledge in it will be helpful.

"I'm terrible at Astronomy too. Good thing it isn't needed for curse breaking. I'm dropping it once I get to my 5th year. My father is a healer. He works on the second floor at St. Mungos, Magical Bugs and Diseases. He would like to see me become a healer but he won't force it. I'm going to keep it as an option though, in case I change my mind about curse breaking."

Millie turned to Sauvage, "I have an outstanding in Charms if you need help. The only class I struggle with is Astronomy. I can't even pay attention long enough to get anything from it. I have trouble with herbology but I'm starting to get the hang of it. Ouch." She felt a gnome run into her foot and she picked up it and tossed it as far as she could. She was impressed by how far it went.

Magnus and Sauvage had changed the conversion to their accents. "I never really noticed either of your accents. Being from London and helping my mom in her bakery, I've gotten used to all types of English accents and I traveled through France enough times. Plus, my mother is from Germany, so I'm used to her accent, as well as my boyfriend's. Well. friend.. Who is a boy... He also is from Germany." Millie added the friend part because even though they weren't really a couple, it was just a matter of time

Sauvage smiled happily, content knowing that she wasn't the only one with a troublesome, treasured accent. She cocked her head at Magnus' comment on his scars and asked, "How many scars do you 'ave left?" She hoped the question wasn't too personal. "I only 'ave one scar from when my grand-muzzer first taught me 'ow to use a cauldrone to cook potions. It is 'ere." She lifted her arm and showed Magnus a thumb-sized scar on her inner arm.

To his question, Sauvage wasn't sure if he was asking what classes she was enrolled in or what she wanted to do with her future, so she tried to answer both. "Well, I 'ave always 'ad a grand passion for potion-making. I want to open my very own 'ome-made remedy shop where I collect all of my own ingredients personally. And so, I 'ave to make sure zat I pay attention in Potions and Care for Magical Creatures as well as 'erbology. I am also 'oping to take zee Alchemy my sixth year. And, I sink zat Sharms would also be 'elpful, but I cannot seem to do well enough in zee class to even 'ave hope passing zee O.W.L.s..." She kicked at the ground hopelessly which made a curious gnome come out of his hole. He said some ugly words at her but she was too preoccupied in the conversation to pay him any mind.

"Oh, Millie, you would be a life-saver!" In her excitement, Sauvage grabbed Millie's and clasped them briefly in gratitude. "I got an Outstanding for 'erbology if you ever need help. And I am not so Outstanding wiz zee Astronomy because it was never required at Beauxbatons, but I do find it a bit interesting if you ever just want to study togezzer." She smiled, comforted that there were people willing to help her and confident that she had something to offer in return.

The conversation strayed a bit from schoolwork as they discussed where they were all from a bit more, as well as everyone's differing accents. Sauvage really did think she had been doing well. It's just so hard to pronounce that one damnable letter! Shaking that off, Sauvage's ear perked when Millie brought up her "boyfriend". She understood perfectly. "Oooh, a boy-friend,hmm?" She said playfully. "What is 'is name?"

"I remember you sayin' you're dad's a 'ealer. Its good though, that 'e don't pressure you." Then he wasn't sure if he was supposed to be listening about Millie's boyfriend... so he pretending to be looking for a gnome at that moment. How many scars? His face scrunched. "I couldn't count 'em all, but now I fink there's two dozen or so." He pulled off his shirt and turned to them. Down his back and side where about 20 very large, deep gashes. The mauling scars looked violent and painful--but much fainter than the 2 years it had been since his attack. "Dad reckon's that because I started becomin' a werewolf that's what saved me life--that and the 'ealers." He flashed a grin at potions, approving. "Love potion makin'. I fink that sounds perfect!"

Paddy blushed at the compliment, but decided she wasn't quite ready to admit that she'd been practising her catching skills and broom riding over the last few months, in the hope of trying Quidditch next term. Remembering what happened the first time she got on her broom (she nearly knocked Magnus off his broom as she turned a corner too sharply), she grabbed another gnome and flung it to try and avoid answering.

Sauvage paled a bit, looking on at all of the scars that covered Magnus' torso. Not wanting to seem rude, and knowing no other way of helping the situation, she tried to laugh it off: "Yeah, zat probably 'urt more zen my burn from a cauldron. But, it's not so bad." She winked, trying to be fun, remembering something she'd heard some Gryffindor boy say. "I mean, chicks dig scars, right?"

Magnus put his shirt back on quickly sensing the shift in mood. "Its alright," he said reassuringly, "they ain't so bad. I'm young so the 'ealers can get a lot of them to look less terrible. And besides, I'm alive, so I can cope with the scars, you know." He put his hand on Sauvage's shoulder giving her a warm smile. He looked over at Paddy to see how she was reacting as well. Flashing his mischievous smile, he said, "Yeah ladies like a man who's rough and tough." He pumped his arms showing his admirable muscles for his age. "And I'm rough and tough, ain't I?" He winked.

Aria nodded while listening to Millie () explain why she was still at Hogwarts. "You are extremely ambitious, I like that." Aria commented with a smile. "I like to think of myself as an overachiever too." she admitted and continued on with a softer voice, "If there is a project due by the end of the term, I tend to finish it up within the first week of term, if I can." Aria's cheeks bloomed pink from a slight blush.

Aria watched her new brother, Magnus(), as he interacted with the students. It was nice to have a family, Aria thought. She giggled as Paddy caused him to blush from her birthday greeting. Aria was glad that she had prepared for him a special birthday letter and that she had remembered to bring it. The trouble was, she needed to figure out how to give him his letter without it making them both feel embarrassed.

After Magnus had finished talking to Sauvage and Paddy, Aria walked over to him and whispered, "Happy birthday brother!" as softly as she could in his ear. "I'm sorry that I missed your birthday," she apologized and gave him a tight hug. She slipped the note in his pocket and hoped that he would not notice it until later that evening, when he was alone in his room.