Simner sat in the common room in his favorite chair by the fire. The ashes were burning low. He was leaving soon. He didn't know what would happen. What about Kiley and Squall? how could he leave them behind. He didn't want to, but he had to. He couldn't stay in this war zone. In was like living in hell.

Simner stood as he saw an owl at the window. He raced over to find his own black owl to have a message attached to her leg. He let her in blowing dethly cold air and snow in with it. The owl purched on the mantal and shook cold snow and rain off its silky fethers. She held out her leg with a small parcel attached to it. He took it off. It was the last of the money in his Gringotts vualt. He poured it into his hands seeing only a few galleons, 10 sickels and a knut. He bit his lip in frustation. How was he to live on so little.

Simner pocketed the money and gave his owl a bit of owl pellets he allways kept in his pocket. He sent the owl on its way and sat back in his chair feeling his spirts sinking with the chusion on the chair. The chair made a noise leting out air that sounded as though a person was passing gas. Simner laughed at this, but the laughter was short lived. He sat there begining to wonder what would happen on his journey.

Squall walked to the common room and entered it through the portait hole. he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. when he turned around again, he saw Simner sitting by the fire, and walked over to sit on the chair nearby. he noticed Simner's face and said

"hey, what's up Sim?"

"Nothing... I am just sad the holidays are over..." he lied. He knew he couldn't tell Squall. This was life or death. "How were yours? I didn't get to talk with you at the ball" he said conversationly

"thats because i was busy having an argument with Mel about whether i tried to kill her son or not" Squall told him glumly

"Did you?" he said worryedly. He was almost sure Squall wouldn't do something like this.

Squall frowned slightly and said "i dont know"

"What do you mean, you don't know" he asked quickly.