Aria stared in shock as Magnus () walked over towards Dax. Aria dropped her soil shovel on the ground in complete shock, as Magnus put his hand on Dax and actually touched him. Aria was struck utterly speechless as Magnus walked back over to where she was. She shut her gaping mouth and swallowed a few times. With eyes still wide from amazement she nodded slowly to his explanation of his orphanage life. She was still nodding dumbly when he finished and started planting his seeds again.

Misunderstanding the reason for her silence, he said, "Don't mind talkin' 'bout the orphanage, you can ask me whatever you want." He carried on planting his seeds looking serene.

Aria looked up in surprise at Magnus(), and realized that he must have thought she was uncomfortable about his orphanage years. She thought about correcting the situation but didn't want to draw attention to something hat might have been a huge fear-hurdle. Aria nodded and planted her seed before reaching down to pick up her shovel.
Dax was purring on the back table and looking rather content. "I noticed that you and Dax are getting along a smidgen better," she commented casually. She watched to make sure she hadn't said something to make Magnus self conscious and continued, "I'm so glad that you are open to talking about your orphanage upbringing. I don't know much about orphanages and I would love to hear more about it." Stopping only long enough to take a quick breath she launched into the many questions she had swirling in her head. "What did you do for your birthday or other holidays? Did you get to have pets? Did you have to share one bathroom with everyone? How many of them were you?" Aria could have continued but realized that she shouldn't bombard Magnus with a million questions all at once. Blushing fiercely she piled the dirt high and deep in her pot while listening to Magnus's answer her questions.

He shrugged noncommittally, "'E snuggled with a unicorn. Figured maybe whilst 'e was sleepin' maybe 'e wouldn't be so bad." He moved his pot over to the queue of planted pots and moved on to the next seed. "Well, they don't know me exact birfday. I was found in a pram at night with a blanket that 'ad Magnus embroidered on it. They figured something 'appened to me parents as it was an expensive pram. The doctor guessed on me age and randomly assigned me a day. But anyway, on me birfday the other kids gave me cards they made. We 'ad a cake. I was allowed ta go to the charity shop an' pick somethin' out. Once a shop owner let me sit in 'is shop and watch some telly. Me birfday is in June so I often went for a swim in the river if there tweren't no coppers 'round ta see me. On Christmas we sung carols at peoples doors and 'ad 'ot chocolate by the fireplace. Boxing Day, the charities would come 'round with big meals and a gift for each o' us. There were a few bathrooms but yeah, we 'ad a shower schedule time an' if we missed it, it was either the lake or wait till your next turn. There were twenty o' us most o' the time. Girls 'ad one floor, boys 'ad the other. Sometimes one o' the lil' girls would come down cryin' and I'd talk with 'er till she fell asleep and then take 'er back ta her dormitory."

Eloise could barely contain her excitement. "Can I join?" She had been waiting for this since she had come to school - this is going to be great!

Aria listened to Manugs() recall his days in the orphanage with great interest. Did you enjoy the cake at your birthday and chocolate during Christmas?" Aria asked, remembering that he didn't like sweet foods very much. "You sounded like such a good brother to the little kids. Is that what you prefer to be called by the other kids at the orphanage, brothers and sisters or something else?" Aria asked.

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/zpubGqa.png[/img]Beth walked into the greenhouse. She waved hello to her friends, before taking out the supplies she needed. Someone passed her the sign up sheet. She grabbed her quill and wrote down:

Beth Hale - Ravenclaw Poisonous and survival plants (wild edible plants and medicinal plants)

Aderyn smiled and waved to Magnus as he greeted her and another student. She watched Gaia speak attentively, grinning excitedly at the prospect of getting to plant the trees. She nodded enthusiastically along.

"That sounds great! I'm sure many of our pets would love some young saplings to play in and around!"

She waved at Beth as she saw the girl walk in, gesturing to a spot next to her if Beth wanted to join her.

Magnus waved to Beth and the girl he didn't know as they found places and Aderyn set up. He shrugged his shoulders. "They were okay I guess. Somethin' different at least." Then his expression fell. He stopped his work and stared intently at a seed. "Don't matter much now," he replied in a strangled voice that contradicted him, "ain't a brofer or whatever I was no more." He wiped his face with his arm despite the fact that no tears were falling. In a quiet and distant voice he carried on whilst his accent grew thicker-- muddling in places, "at Mungos... Thought all the kids an' voices an' stuff twas annoyin.' Was wrong I was. 'Ere I were, sudly a werewolf, wif no one ta talk to 'cept the 'ealer. So quiet, so empty an' all. Tain't a soul knew I was there, tain't a soul that cared. Even the patients tweren't 'appy when they learnt I was in their ward. No one knew what ta do wif me. Worst 'ear o' me life." He went quiet for a moment, visibly composing himself. "Anyway, nofing ta do now 'bout it." He looked up and gave a half smile, "Sorry, didn't mean to get all wistful."

Aria waved at Beth() and Aderyn() and cleared away some of the potted seeds so they would have room to work. Aria noticed that Beth signed up to learn learn about poisonous plants and was glad because she was really interested in that topic as well. Turning to look at the newcomer, Aria smiled and cheerfully introduced herself. "My name is Aria, and it's nice to meet you Aderyn."

In an attempt to cheer Magnus() up Aria leaned over and tapped her wand on the table top while whispering an short spell. A small blue flower made of light danced and grew on the table before turning into a butterfly and flying off. As the butterfly flew higher in the air it faded and the soft light dispersed. "I'm so sorry that you had no one while you were being treated. I really hope that here you feel more accepted and loved." Aria resisted the urge to hug Magnus and instead smiled warmly.

Aria wanted to press him to explain his sudden mood change when the subject of sweets came up but decided to talk about it later. "How many seeds have you planted Magnus?" Aria asked in an effort to lighten the mood.

Aria noticed Eloise() in the corner of the room planting seeds and looking like she was pretty good at it. "Have you done much gardening and planting Eloise?" Aria asked in an effort to make conversation with her.

Aderyn smiled and nodded at Aria.

"Likewise!"

She glanced over at Magnus as he told a bit of his backstory and she smiled supportively at him, wrapping one arm around his shoulders in a quick half-hug to cheer him up a bit.

"Pretty," he said watching her magic with a slightly sad smile. "Candy, remind me 'o what the kids at the 'ome don't 'ave. Can't eat 'em wif out feeling sick." It wasn't hard to see Aria's unasked question on her face. "Like other sweet things like pastries though," he remarked as he found himself in a half hug. "'Ey now, Aderyn, don't wanna get in trouble wif your girlfriend." His smile almost reached his eyes. "Don't do no good ta dwell on things that ya can't change." His accent was thinning back out now as he regained his normal calm. "I do. Everyone 'ere been real nice an' supportive o' my furry phases. Gots a mum an' dad and even pets now. There are times I miss the 'ome though. I know it probly don't sound so good ta most people, but it was all I knew for nine years o' me life. But we 'ad fun and made the best 'o things." Smiling he continued, "One time, when I snuck out, one o' the lil' girls, Lila, followed me. We ran 'round town that day. A shop keep was in a good mood and 'e gave us each an ice lolly. We licked it in the cool spring breeze. Then we snuck into a movie an' ate popcorn. We played with some kids after school let out and finally returned 'round supper time. The best suppers are when ya spend the day out and about--even sprouts don't taste so bad when your tired and all from a good day." He laughed, "Course, got into trouble for leadin' the lil' one astray..."

((I have not neglected the club! ^^ We ended up having to plan a last minute trip, but I will be able to work on the club tomorrow and catch up with the RP as well as kick start the fun! Thank you all for being so amazing! I am really excited for the clubs this term!))

Aria nodded in thanks for answering her unspoken question, "That does make sense," she said. Aria smiled and laughed while Magnus() told the story of when he ran off with Lila. "It sounds like there were lots of good times to remember, I am glad." Aria said with a smile.

"Adjustin' to suddenly 'aving parents was hard. Still working on it and all. Lots of changes. Still, I'm grateful for everything I 'ad and now grateful for the new things as well." His smile did reach his eyes this time, "Like good friends," he said as he lightly bumped Aria's shoulder with his.

Aria smiled when Magnus bumped shoulders with her, it made her feel like they were really friends. She was worried that Magnus had found her to be annoying, but not anymore. Still smiling Aria used her hands to scoop up a pile of dirt and pile it in her pot. She was happily playing in the dirt when a thought occurred to her. She realized that she hadn't thought to ask much about Magnus's life after being adopted by his parents. "Do you have any siblings now that you are a part of a new family?" Aria asked him().

He shook his head. "Mum an' Dad tried but couldn't 'ave kids. They were apparently thinking o' tryin' to adopt a kid when they visited 'er relative at Mungos and saw me. Apparently, they left for the Ministry right after the 'ospital and started the paperwork. You?"

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/zpubGqa.png[/img]Beth sat down next to Aderyn (). Beth quietly listened to the conversation her friends were having. She didn't know much about Magnus or Aria's family.

( )

Aria smiled at Magnus, "I'm very glad they decided to adopt you rather than someone else!" she said with enthusiasm. When Magnus()asked about her family Aria hesitated, unsure how to answer the question. "Well, I have 3 older brothers," she said softly, "but my oldest two brothers died when my father died."

Aria moved the soil around in her pot and sighed, "ever since I realized I had magic in me, my living brother pretends that I do not exist. I think it is hard for him because our two siblings and father all died in a huge magic fight." Aria paused and looked up to smile at Magnus to reassure him that she was fine, and to cover up her true feelings from herself. "I didn't find out about the magic fight until years after it happened. My mom and brother told me they died in a car crash." Aria shrugged, "but I was lucky enough to find Dax, so he is my new family. I am also lucky enough to have all my new friends here too!" Aria smiled and did her best to hide all her feelings from everyone.

She planted her seed and happily placed her pot next to all the others she had planted. She looked around for another pot but couldn't find one. "I think we are out of pots," she said to no one in particular.

()

"Sorry ta 'ere that," he said quietly, "we lost a few kids 'ere and there at the 'ome. Its the worst. But on the bright side, we are 'ere. We are makin' the best of what we've got and 'onouring their memories." He put his arm around her for a moment, giving her a squeeze on her shoulder. "I'm outta seeds," he said. Unsure if he should ask Beth about her family or find a new topic he stared at the worktable allowing the silence to fall.