|
|
Studying with William
Author: Maggie Hawthorne
Date: 07-31-12 17:59
"Seriously, I don't think my star chart is right, can you check it please William?"
I asked as we sat in one of the study rooms in the library and went over stuff for Astronomy tonight because we had star charts due and I wasn't sure that I had mine right and I had no desire to start over if most of the stars and constellations were not in the right place.
"Sure. Only if you look over my Potions essay that is due tomorrow morning since I know yours is probably spotless," he said with an impish grin and grabbed my star chart while handing over his Potions scroll for Snape's class tomorrow morning at nine.
We were both silent for a few moments as we both went over the assignments for each other, before finishing things up on our assignments due tonight in Astronomy.
"I am seriously stressing out for NEWTS in just over two months, and don't even get me started on things that are going to happen once we are done here," I said with a small sigh and leaned against William for a minute.
"I know Mags, but you'll do fine, besides you've got help when it comes to the herbology NEWT because your brother is the teacher," William said teasing lightly as he brushed a kiss against the top of my head.
"Yeah, I know, and I seriously hope that things work out for me after Hogwarts because I really don't want to go back to Sydney where I've pretty much got no one," I said, legs curling beneath me in the chair while we talked quietly instead of studying.
"I know Mags, but we will figure things out besides I bet your brother has something planned for you for finishing here. Hell, you could probably still live with him here at the Castle if you wanted," he said after a few minutes.
"Alright, time for dinner and then I think I'm going to take a nap before Astronomy," I said before pushing myself up from the chair and grabbed my assignments and put my books in my bag.
"Alright, well, you could always come to the Common Commons with me and we can cuddle. I've got a chess match with someone from the chess club, I think a first year Gryffindor name Mildred or something if you want to come watch," William suggested.
"Sounds like a plan, besides it would be just in time for the delivery from Briar's and I want one of those red velvet cupcakes that they make," I said with a grin and we headed out of the library heading to the Great Hall.
Whispered Conversation (Liannah & Jill)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 07-31-12 18:37
Liannah MacDougal slides into the seat directly across from Jill Prewitt. Mindful that the table her cousin has chosen is near where Miss Bramble is reshelving books or organizing the shelves or something, Liannah isn't exactly sure, she leans forward to whisper, "We've been back at school for four days now. What can you tell me about those new students?"
"Who? The Carters?"
"What other new students are there at the moment?"
"What makes you think I know much of anything?"
"Because two of them are in your house, and one of them is in your year, and you are a prefect."
Jill puts her quill down, chewing slightly on her lower lip, giving her cousin a look that Liannah cannot quite read. After a long pause she says, "From what I can tell they seem nice enough."
Liannah rolls her eyes. "That's the best you can do?"
"Yes, pretty much so. I've only spoken with the girl in my house in passing. Things like showing her around Gryffindor House, pointing her in the right direction for a class and towards the Great Hall. Him I've spoken to a little bit more simply because we've got classes together."
"Much as you like boys, you're saying you've hardly spoken to the cute new boy who's in your own house?" This is accompanied by another eye roll.
"Haven't had much time to think, Liannah." Jill spreads her hands wide, taking in the textbooks, notebooks, and study aids she has spread out. "OWLs are getting depressingly close and I'm starting to think I'm not anywhere near being ready." Her eyes narrow slightly, shrewdly. "You're asking about all of them as a cover to try and learn more about him, aren't you? He's a little old for you, isn't he?"
"Must I remind you, Jill, that like you, I'm behind a year here thanks to Camp Lollipop and then Happy Haven. I'm fourteen now and should be at the end of fourth year, not third, and I'll be fifteen in August."
"Right. Sorry. As I said, I've not had much time to think."
Liannah must have been gotten louder as she was talking because as Jill replies Miss Bramble clears her throat, then when both the girls are looking her way, gives them a pointed look, finger to lips.
Voice low again, so low Jill has trouble hearing her, Liannah cuts her eyes back over to Miss Bramble and asks, "If she's here anywhere from five to seven days of the week and for most of the hours the library is open, how is it, do you suppose, that she found a boyfriend or got engaged?"
"Miss Bramble's engaged?"
"I think so. She has a ring."
"Maybe she uses magic to make a double so we only think she's here so much."
"Is that possible?"
Jill shrugs. "I don't know but with some of the other illusions magic can create if you know the right spells, it might be possible."
"I need to learn that spell then for those days I want to sleep in and not go to my first class."
Jill gestures widely again. "We're in the library. What better place to start researching if there is such a spell."
Liannah glances around at the row upon row of books then shakes her head. "Not tonight. Maybe later. I'm going to the commons for a drink and a snack before finishing up my own homework. See you."
Alone once more, Jill resumes her stuying, fervently hoping she does not feel this unprepared when the OWL testing begins.
(Angharad Carter-Cardin) End of the First Week
Author: Cai Pembroke Carter
Date: 08-01-12 17:48
She'd gotten plenty of help from the fifth year Prefects for her house, finding her classes and things of that nature. Adelyis Vanderbilt was helpful as was Wilbur Tremaine. She'd settled in well enough and currently was sprawled on her bed penning a note to her mum that she'd send it off with Noel. The letter was a distraction from her homework, because she had homework and she also had the entire weekend to get it done.
The atmosphere was so different here than the school they were in when they'd been living in Japan. There was time for freedom instead of constantly running and rushing through everything and having very little downtime during the school day. She also was glad that there weren't constantly drills being shot at her by teachers to ensure she knew the knowledge between learning it and exams. At least this year she'd be able to relax, and next year she'd have an advantage over Broderick who is going into his OWL examination without a full year of preparation in the same course work.
"Angharad, want to come down to dinner with me?"
Anita's voice cut through the silence in the dorm room as she then poked her head through the curtains surrounding the bed.
"Sure, give me a minute to send this off with Noel..." She said, finishing the letter and sending him off after giving him a treat.
"Letter to your mum or to your dad? Or someone else?" Anita asked being idly curious as to who the letter was to, but not intending to pry.
"My mum, hopefully this time she'll actually write me a response," she said with a sigh. "Mum's kinda off because things have never been the same..."
Anita hugged her lightly before they headed from the dorm room and went down to the Great Hall for some dinner. Angharad returned sometime later and flopped down on her bed, dragging her Charms textbook to her and worked on her assignments for that class. She also had to work on her essay for Transfiguration as well as an essay for History of Magic. Maybe she'd get started on things now, so she had less to do over the weekend.
She didn't expect Noel back until sometime tomorrow, and he'd probably return without a response from her mum, but maybe her dad would send something. After finishing her charms homework, she headed to take a quick shower before returning to her bed and keeping the curtains open for the time being while she read the current issue of TeenWitch before bed.
(Evan Carter) Thai Food, Cassandra's Orb, and a Cute Girl = Date Night
Author: Cai Pembroke Carter
Date: 08-01-12 18:10
Friday night was date night, and tonight was no exception. I was seeing Josie for the third week in a row, she'd become pretty steady girlfriend material, but again I'm not sure if things are going to be further than much longer than what they currently have. The date had started epic enough at our favorite little Thai place and then we went to a Cassandra's Orb concert, an intimate venue thing that I'd managed to score tickets to.
Cassandra's Orb was decent enough, not one of my favorite bands, but for a cutie I'd pretty much sit through just about anything. I'd suffer through a girlie pop band and I'd even sit through a "chick flick" in a muggle movie theater if that is what Josie wanted to see. If it meant that I had a chance to cuddle up with the cutie that's all that mattered.
At the moment we were sitting in her apartment and talking while we shared a butterbeer and I considered getting ready to head home if I wasn't sure I'd be getting lucky or not - either way I did like Josie, and her company was quite pleasurable.
"So what are you studying Josie?"
"Right now I am undecided, but I am leaning toward linguistics or maybe I don't know."
"Either way, it is something much more entertaining than business courses, but I've always had a head for business and numbers so applying to Merlin college for business was only a logical jump for me."
"Very true, so if I ever get stuck in a business course, I should come to you for advice?" She asked with an impish grin as she leaned against me and we listened to something on the WWN.
"That might be your best bet, if you find you need some help. Though, I wouldn't be adverse to you just popping up to share your company with me..." I said with a smile and bent to lightly kiss at the side of her neck.
We continued to talk and ultimately I probably ended up heading home around two or three in the morning and fell asleep almost the moment I'd gotten in. I'd probably get grilled in the morning about why I got home so late, but they really can't complain too much because in the Wizarding World I'm considered an adult.
(Ariella & Alanna) Changing Places
Author: Beck
Date: 08-01-12 18:33
"Can I borrow your History of the Wizengamot notes from last term?" Ariella asked Alanna. They sat together in Orange, eating lunch and reviewing readings for their respective afternoon classes.
Alanna put down her fork. She was eating a large caesar salad.
"Do you know how weird that sounds to me?" she answered. "When we were at Hogwarts together, I always asked you for your notes, seeing as you were a year ahead of me and had already taken my classes."
"And now it's the other way around," Ariella said with a slight, playful roll to her eyes. "You're the one a year ahead of me, though this is the only class we have in common."
Alanna beamed. "It's nice being the one to have done something first for a change," she said. "And, yes, you can borrow my notes. They're at home, though."
"Thanks." Ariella swirled her spoon through her potato leek soup. "Do you know what I find strange?" she asked after a moment.
"What?"
"I think it's strange that my baby sister is graduating this summer."
Alanna's smile widened. "These past three years have flown by. Sometimes I feel like I only just graduated from Hogwarts."
"I know what you mean," Ariella said, even though she technically hadn't graduated from Hogwarts. She swirled her soup some more and then asked, "Do you want to work at the Ministry like Gramps did?"
Alanna's face faltered somewhat. "I wouldn't mind, but Reed might be a problem." She sighed and went on, "I think a lot of the others have caught on to the fact that he's totally full of it, but he still holds influence over some of the ones that really count. I'm grateful for what Desi has done, and Jared's my knight in shining armor, but as long as I'm in the same office as Reed, I'm going to have trouble."
Ariella frowned. "I can't imagine he'll get away with what he's doing forever."
"Probably not," Alanna agreed, "but he's gotten away with a lot so far."
She glanced up and saw Gillian enter the cafeteria. Alanna pointed her out to Ariella, and then both waved their half-sister over to their table.
"You're on your own?" Ariella asked Gillian. Tensions were still quite high at St. Emrys, since the wizard who had attacked several students hadn't been caught yet.
"Yeah," Gillian said, sliding into the empty seat next to Ariella, "but there's security out in the hall, so I wasn't too worried. Good soup?"
Ariella glanced down at the bowl she'd barely touched. "It's hot."
"She always complains about burning her tongue when she's drinking hot cocoa or eating hot soup," Alanna explained, grinning. "By the time she gets to eating that, it won't be hot anymore."
Ariella stuck her tongue out at Alanna. "That's not even true. I don't like things piping hot." She glanced down at her bowl and swirled her spoon around one last time before putting a spoonful into her mouth. She swallowed and said, "Just right."
Gillian laughed. "I learn something new everyday about you Becks."
"You're a Beck too," Ariella reminded her.
"I know, but I don't know all of your quirks yet. I only know mine."
"So fill us in," Alanna said. "What are some of the unique things you do?"
Gillian laughed again and debated her own quirks, sharing those she could think of with her half-sisters.
First Day Of Trial
Author: Plum
Date: 08-01-12 18:48
Arm around Plum, Anthony assures, "You'll do well."
Breathing in Anthony's fresh from the shower scent that he really shouldn't have still half-way through the day, Plum murmurs against his chest, "I'd much rather just keep standing here."
"I wouldn't mind spending the day just us but when in my fantasy standing just outside a Ministry courtroom doesn't factor in."
"You mean to say you've never had fantasies of some public spot or a dark corner of some public place with the possibility of being caught?" Plum teases.
"Stop making me think about things like that. We both have to go in and testify soon. Besides, we're being watched."
At that reminder, Plum turns within the circle of Anthony's arms to look over at the some of the others there to testify in Marshall Maddock's trial and at the Ministry employee there to ensure none of them talk to each other about the facts of the case before being called to the courtroom. After a delay during which Marshall was under psychiatric observation and more delays as his solicitor attempted multiple times to have the case dismissed, the trial had finally gotten underway this morning.
All eyes go to the courtroom door as it opens and Clementine Whitehorn walks out. She shoots Plum a reassuring smile before taking a seat next to Taylor Hirst who asks, "You're staying?"
"They asked me to."
There are sighs all around at the thought of being there the entire time, Plum included. She doesn't have much time to dwell on that though as she's called in next. Once she's actually inside and seated, the questions she'd been rehearsed on being asked, Plum no longer feels nervous. Marshall's solicitor gets to ask her some questions as well, but by that time any nerves or lack of confidence she'd felt has long evaporated. The time sort of blurs so Plum has no idea how long she's in the courtroom but when she's done, she's told she will need to remain readily available to be called back to the stand if needed and then lunch for everyone is announced.
Outside again, Anthony's is the first face she sees. "Looks like you won't be getting much work done today."
"True, but at least I have you keeping me company. What do we want for lunch?"
"I thought we'd get something from the canteen," Plum says with a grin, letting him know she's kidding.
"Pizza it is then. The one with the six different kinds of meat."
"You realize if Alex finds out we had pizza without him he'll be upset."
"So we get the extra large and take home leftovers."
They take the stairs up level 9 from where they can get the lift to the Atrium, Plum joking the whole way about how she's going to have A Little Pizza Heaven slip veggies under all those layers of meat.
Girl Talk
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 08-02-12 02:59
"This is the most ridiculous charm ever!" Gus complained as he pointed his wand at a dusty cup and said Scourgify. Soon the cup got all clean and shiny. They were in the Charms class practicing the Scouring Charm. "We could just order a house elf to clean these objects for us."
"Not all wizards have house elves," Johanna told him, giving a try to her own cup. But the cup only got filled with soap. Gus laughed. Professor Fairchild approached and gave Johanna some instructions, explaining she was not pronouncing the word Scourgify the right way. After saying the word several times Professor Fairchild told her to try the spell again and soon her cup was as clean as Gus's.
"I don't want to clean cups, I want to smash them!" Felicia said once Professor Fairchild was out of range.
"I'm with you! It would be funnier," Gus agreed.
"Why do you want to smash cups?" Kate asked. Her cup was the cleanest of them all.
"Because of your boyfriend!"
"What about Mark?"
"Well he started to study for the O.W.L.s and suddenly Baltus realized he needed to study as well. So he said we can't spend so much time together like we used to. But he promised me once his exams are all done he is going to compensate me. I don't want to wait! This is all Mark's fault. If he didn't started with his intensive study Baltus would still spend time with me."
"You're being unreasonable, " Johanna lectured her. "Do you want Baltus to fail in his O.W.L.s?"
"Well…no, but if he failed he would be in our class next year. Having all my classes with my boyfriend would be great. We could be together all the time!"
Gus pretended he was vomiting and Johanna laughed. Kate on the other hand looked at Felicia and said:
"I know it might be hard not spending time with him, but you have to think this is for his own good. Sometimes I am the one who tells Mark to keep studying. I want him to have Outstanding in all his subjects. Besides you need to remember that Baltus already lost a year due to Happy Haven. He should be in his sixth year. He would be devastated if he lost another school year."
Felicia looked down, now ashamed about her wishes. She admitted that Kate was right but it was hard for her not be able to be with Baltus.
"You shouldn't be complaining. You two are in the same house! Just look at Kate and think how lucky you are. It's harder for her," Johanna said.
"Enough of girl talking," Gus demanded, interrupting them. "I swear to Merlin I am still going to turn myself into a girl for hanging out too much with you. Let's talk about Quidditch! Kate you're supporting Slyhterin tomorrow, right?" he teased her.
Friday Night In The Library
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 08-02-12 15:31
"How did I know I'd find you here? Philippa asks, pulling out the chair next to Zabrynna. "It's late afternoon on a Friday. I know you don't have a class this evening nor do you have some special Saturday class for which you are reading reading ahead. Why, then, are you here in the library?"
Tapping the feathered end of her quill on the parchment in front of her, Zabrynna blandly replies, "Research for a paper due in two weeks."
"You should be going out."
"You have a date tonight. Anne's in-laws are in London so John and she are having dinner with them. Mariposa and AJ have plans with some friends of theirs. Indigo is at a stag party for a friend getting married soon. My father is cooking dinner at our house for his new girlfriend. Being at a loose end and not really wanting to have to tip toe around at home so I don't interfere with Dad's dinner, this seemed like a perfectly good place to come and at least be productive."
"Would it kill you to accept one of the many date offers you receive?"
"When I get one from someone I want to go out with, no."
"If the ones you'd like to go out with haven't asked you, then you ask one of them."
"Maybe, but not tonight. It's late to be asking someone to do something tonight. Speaking of late, shouldn't you be getting ready for your date?"
"Yes, which just shows you what a good friend I am. When you leave, you won't be romaing the halls alone, will you?"
Zabrynna's eyes go in the direction of the study carrel where she was attacked at the end of last term, barely suppressing a shudder. Shifting her gaze back to Philippa she shakes her head. "No, of course not. What about you?"
"I was planning on having you walk with me but now I will utilize on of the volunteer escorts. Unless, that is, you will come with me. You can help me pick something to wear and give advice on my hair, and then, you can come with."
"And be an extra on your date? I hardly think so."
"If I walk out of here without you, you're going to stay here in the library most of the night, aren't you?"
Zabrynna shrugs.
Philippa sighs.
Zabrynna's put her attention back on the half completed paragraph written on the parchment in front of her, feeling Philippa staring at her. Philippa heaves another sigh then stands but she doesn't say goodbye. She reaches for Zabrynna's bookbag. "You're coming home with me. You can help me get ready for the date then you can stay and do your work there. My parents have gone away for the weekend so you have to excuse about not wanting to distrub anyone."
"You have the place to yourself to bring someone back to if you want."
Philippa makes a back of the throat sound that Zabrynna would swear is a growl. "What am I going to do with you?"
"Let me work on this research whlie you go off on your date."
"Anne and I are going to have a serious conference about you, Zabrynna. You have been warned."
"Noted. Now, go or you'll be rushed and that will put you in a bad mood before your date even starts."
Philippa puts Zabrynna's bookbag down then leans over to give her friend a quick hug. "Don't stay so late there's no one around to see you out."
"Yes, Mum," Zabrynna says with a roll of her eyes but a smile on her lips.
With a few backward glances on her way out, Philippa leavess, not needing a volunteer escort afterall as her timing puts her walking out with a group of three. When she can no longer see her friend, Zabrynna reads back over that half paragraph to refresh her memory and scans the reference book she's currently using in her research, then sets back to work.
Friendly Conversation
Author: Cai Pembroke Carter
Date: 08-02-12 16:05
Five classes later I was currently curled up on a chair in the Common Commons, sipping on a butter beer and nibbling on a red velvet cupcake with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with red sugar crystals. Spread across my lap was a section of today's Daily Prophet and I was only half paying attention to the articles, and Coral was currently curled on the arm of the chair, tail lazily flicking back and forth in half-slumber.
Broderick was probably holed up in the library working on studying for his OWL examinations in the next couple of months, while I on the other hand was getting ready to probably spend the night listening to the WWN while attempting to concentrate on the current edition of the Daily Prophet that I hadn't read all of yet. I was also probably going to do her reading for History of Magic and start working on her essay that was due next week for Professor Davyd.
"Hey, you just transferred from Japan right?"
I looked up from the blurring words of the newspaper and attempted to remember the name of the girl standing near me who had just asked the question.
"Yeah. Why?"
The girl smiled and plopped herself down on the chair next to me and introduced herself, "I'm Marian, we have Arithmancy and Divination together."
That was where I knew her from, we also had a couple other classes together, and she was in Ravenclaw, "Ah, what's up Marian?"
"Well, I was wondering why Japan didn't participate in the IQT last year, I mean I know that there are only so many magical schools but why didn't Japan compete?"
I chuckled, and she was the first one that had asked that especially when I'd decided to join a pick-up quidditch game with some of the boys in my house the other and been quite brilliant if I did say so myself.
"I'm not entirely at liberty to say why Japan didn't participate in the tournament. It was a decision made by the committee and I wish I knew why as well."
Marian nodded a bit and excused herself for a few minutes only to return to the vacated chair with a triple chocolate fudge brownie and pumpkin juice. "What is school in Japan like?"
"School in Japan is a lot more stressful than it is here. This is a cakewalk in comparison. I'd be sitting major examinations in about two and a half weeks that would determine if I could continue in my courses the next school year, or if I would have to take remedial or refresher courses through summer. While Broderick has to sit the English equivalent this year, I'll have to sit them next year."
"I heard someone mention that you have another sister, why isn't she here with the rest of you?"
"Aderyn isn't old enough by British standards to attend Hogwarts. She doesn't turn eleven for another couple of months, but in Japan she was nearly done with the first year equivalent, so my parents had a tutor brought over from Japan with us and Aderyn is working with her. My eldest brother Evan is currently enrolled in St. Emrys and studying there."
"Very cool."
Marian and I talked about lots of other things including music and hobbies that we both had. We also made plans to hang out tomorrow and probably work on our homework for A&D. Turning the WWN on and listening to the current play-by-play of the current professional Quidditch game that was being broadcast.
Encounter In The St. Emrys Library
Author: Declan
Date: 08-02-12 18:27
Eyes rapidly moving from call numbers at the end of bookshelves to the numbers on the slip of paper in his hand back to the row after row of labeled shelves, Declan nearly misses the redhead sitting at one of the tables. He only spots Zabrynna because he sees he's got the right row but needs to cross the aisle to the length of bookshelves stretching beyond that table, continuing the row. Her head bent over her work, she doesn't see him at all.
Stepping across the aisle, going around the table in the process, Declan retrieves the book he's after then returns to the table, moving to the chair opposite Zabrynna. Not wanting to startle her, he gently taps the chair's top rail and asks in a low tone, "This seat taken?"
Zabrynna starts to give a vague go ahead hand movement but then the voice registers. She looks up with surprise. "What are you doing here?"
So that he's not forcing her to look up at him, Declan pulls out the chair and sits. "I could ask you the same thing."
A faint smile plays across her lips as she points her quill at him. "I asked you first."
"Fair enough," he says with an answering grin. "A friend of mine who's on staff here had to be out of town part of next week with a family function. He has his day courses covered but needed someone to take two evening sessions and asked me to do it. There's no interference with my Hogwarts schedule so I said yes. I had to come fill out some paperwork and get a visiting staff ID made then he and I went over what he'd planning for those two classes. Your turn."
"No, I think it's still yours. You've explained why you're at St. Emrys but not what you are doing here in the library."
Declan holds up the book he'd retrieved a moment before. "I've been wanting time to look over this title to see if it's worth a somwehat hefty price tag. My options have been to read bits of it when I can get somewhere such as Flourish and Blotts, or now that I have a handy visiting staff ID, to check it out and peruse it at leisure in my flat or office."
"You could always have asked me or Mariposa to check it out for you."
"I'd not thought of that, probably because I wouldn't want to impose on either of you."
"Getting a library book for someone isn't an imposition."
"I will keep that in mind if there is a next time. Now, you. Where are you sitting here this time of evening on a Friday?"
"Research for a paper."
"On a Friday night."
"It's as good a time as any; probably better actually. Fewer others coming and going, talking, that sort of thing."
"You didn't want to do anything this evening or you did but wanted to get this work done?"
"I hadn't had any particular plans. Most everyone else is busy tonight and though I did get asked out by a few, I turned them down."
"None your cup of tea?"
"One of them asked me out then said, 'I will have to check with Mummy first if Friday works for her to have me out.' I'm thinking that if a twenty-two year old has to ask Mummy permission to go on a date, then he and I are not destined to be."
"You're making that up, aren't you?"
"Sadly, no. Worse, compared to another, he's not so terrible."
When Zabrynna says nothing more Declan laughs again. "You can't make that sort of statement then not follow it up with more information."
"The one who takes the prize is someone professors tend to avoid if possible. I was in one professor's office on Tuesday when she suddenly has her wand out to pull the shade on the office door's window, lock the door, and put out the light all in one motion. Then she whispered that Danny had just rounded the far corner and was heading our direction. I've witnessed other professors ducking through doorways labeled STAFF ONLY when spotting him walking their direction. Wednesday, as we were waiting for a class to begin, he was trying to impress me with a bunch of trivia. He also asked me out for tonight but not before telling me that when he was in school in America, he was convinced that all the girls were in a conspiracy together to prevent him from ever procreating." *
Zabrynna nods as Declan asks, "He said that to someone he had just been trying to impress?"
"Wow. Just... wow."
"I know."
"So here you are, alone instead. Bloody unbelievable you didn't snap up his offer."
Zabrynna makes a face at him as they both laugh then he asks, "With what happened last semester, I'm surprised you'd want to be here alone at a time when fewer people are around."
"Notice that I am at a table, highly visible, and not over that way in a private study carrel. When I leave, I will be sure to have an escort to the Floo."
"Did you think you'd not be a productive if you checked out a lot of reference material for your research?"
"A little but it's mainly because Dad's got his new girlfriend over tonight, fixing her dinner. I didn't want to intrude and even if I stuck to my room, I'd still feel like I was inpinging on their date. When I leave, I'll check out a few things so I can get more research done tomorrow."
"I doubt they'd think of you as being in the way of their date but I understand your sentiment."
Pushing his chair back in preparation of getting up, Declan picks up the book he'd come after. "I didn't get dinner yet and am now starving. I'm going to get this checked out then figure out if I want to fix something in my flat or grab something out."
"Whatever you decide, enjoy."
Declan pushes the chair in and starts to bid her goodnight only to change his mind. "Look, I'm going to worry about you possibly being here late or even if you leave right after me, not waiting for an escort. I'm betting you've not eaten either so come with me. I'll buy you dinner and then you can come back to Hogwarts with me. If you want to keep working, you're welcome to work in my flat. I'll be reading this so you won't be bothering me. If you insist you will be, there's the workspace you have with AJ or I could put you in my office or my classroom."
After her initial surprise at his offer wears off, several emotions flicker across Zabrynna's face. Just when he's sure she's going to decline his invitation she gives the briefest of nods as she reaches for her bookbag. "Yes, all right. I am a little hungry."
When she's gathered her things and sorted which books she wants to check out, Declan picks up the stack of texts to carry to the counter. Zabrynna shoulders her bookbag and falls into step with him as he asks, "Where would you like to eat?"