The seventh year, as normal, was studying. Many people asked why he, as he was with studying, had not been placed in Ravenclaw instead of Hufflepuff and the truth was, he didn't have an answer. His whole family was Ravenclaw and yet here he was, Hufflepuff.

He scratched his head and sighed. What good was it being good looking when none of the guys you knew were gay. Aaron (pronounced Air-on) was the perfect look-alike of orlando Bloom as Will Turner and yet... Nothing.

He closed the book he was reading and grabbed another from the large pile, deciding to do his homework having studied a little more on occlumency and legilimens,

Jena entered the library with her now familiar pile of books. This being her seventh year, she had a lot of studying to do and had spent more time in the library recently then she really cared for. She sighed, the library was great for quiet, study time, but it didn't allow for conversation, and conversation was one thing that Jen did best.

Scanning the library for a place to sit she spotted Aaron and smiled. She was relieved that there was at least one familiar face here. She made her way over to him and set her pile of books on the table. "Hey Aaron, do you mind if I sit here?" She asked, being careful not to be too loud so as not get a glare from the librarian.

It seemed that Aaron, too, was studying. Nothing unusual about that. He was known for his studying habits and good grades. She still questioned why he wasn't in Ravenclaw.

Aaron looked up and smiled at Jenna, she was a nice girl in his experience, not one to pick at his sexuality, and her chatty personality made up for his quieter one. They'd known each other for years, being the same year and in the same house and he wanted to be friends with her- better friends.n He looked at her books and smiled. "Looks like we're both on the same thing want to swap answers?" he asked, hinting that she could have his.

Jenna gratefully took a seat, she didn't expect aaron to make her find another seat, but of course it was always nice to ask. She dropped her bag on the floor and grinned. "That would be a life saver." She said, notably relieved. She'd known Aaron for years, though she'd never gotten the chance to get to really know him. They got along quite well, though their personalities were quite the opposite. Jen being the loud and chatty one, Aaron being quiet and shy. "How's the studying going?"

He smiled. "Don't mention it Jenna," he said, taking a mirror from his pocket and running a brush through his hair quickly, turning to Jenna to explain. "It got a little messy walking here and now someone decent is here I thought I'd tidy up." he looked gay but then, he was, and proud. He licked his lips and winked at one of the hotter sixth years as he passed then smirked at Jen as the boy rushed off. "Sorry, couldn't resist." he admitted and took out a piece of parchment, already 5 foot long.

"Well, potions could be going better, but thenn so could a lot of things so what can I say?" he laughed.

Jen shuffled in her bag, looking for a quill and ink, once she found that she pulled out some parchment and decided that she should probably start on that potions essay as well. She couldn't help but grin when Aaron went about fixing his hair. jenna had the feeling that Aaron often cared more about his appearance than Jenna did. Of course, Jenna usually looked a mess, but some how always managed to look good. Of course she let out a laugh when he winked at a particularly good looking sixth year. "I can't blame you on that one," She said, watching the kid hurry away.

"Ah, the joys of homework. Why can't a teacher assign fun homework for once?" She said a bit wistfully. She missed the days of primary school where homework was easy and often fun.

Aaron shrugged. "I never went to primary school. Mum and dad taught me everything I knew before I came to Hogwarts. And homework is there to support things in class, things they don't have time to teach, it's important and if it was easy and fun well- what help is that going to be?" he asked, voicing typical Ravenclaw views and he looked down his page again, adding another few sentences onto the essay. "But, there's always a way to cheat." he added, passing her a sheet of parchment he had wrote out earlier with the main points on which had become a spider disgram of all the points he'd made. He added another sentence and yet another point appeared on the page.

"Ah well. I'm one of those muggleborns." Jen said a bit jokingly. "Primary school is just to get you started, the homework was to keep your mind going really." She said as a way of explanation. She shrugged, "But with you being a genius and all, I suppose you would want homework to be at least somewhat hard to make the brain do some real work." She was teasing him of course, it was well known that his grades and study habits paralled that of a Ravenclaw. "Cheating isn't so bad. I don't know why they frown upon it. Thanks" She said, a bit relieved when he passed her his notes. She jotted them down her own piece of parchment. It really paid off to have smart friends.

Aaron smirked. "Your right, cheating is ok- it's just help really, and sometimes you need it." he'd always been godd at giving excuses, and maybe that was why he wasn't Ravenclaw. He saw her try to take down her own notes and shook his head. "It's charmed, everything I add will show up." he told her. "Watch." He added another few points to his essay and they appeared on the parchment. Then he put something completely wrong down and magically erased it- it was no longer on the notes.

Jenna nodded, "Exactly. Teachers flip out about it. I can understand why they'd flip out if you cheated on a test or something. But homework? It's really not that bad" She laughed. But when Aaron mentioned the notes, she watched, fascinated, as the parchmentbefore her changed. "Aaron, you are truly amazing." she laughed. "Seriously, though, that's so cool!"

Aaron smirked and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, you see, I found it was easier in my class notes if they were in that form but I write en mass in lesson so I tweaked a charm to make it easier. It just puts it into shorter notes. Everytime I add or change something that will change. I do it with everything." he duplicated his notes and handed her one of each. Then he glanced around. "Don;t tell anyone though- they'll all want one. Though- if it's a hott guy maybe I'll forgive you."

Jenna looked at Aaron, completely amazed. "You are a genius." When he handed her duplicates of all his notes she was in slight shock. This made life so much easier. "Oh my gosh. Thank you so much. You really are a life saver." She said with a bit of a chuckle. "I won't tell anyone. But I guess if I find a hot boy, then my lips my not be sealed." She said with a wink. "As long as you forgive me of course." She smiled, thumbing through the notes. she couldn't believe her luck, this really would lighten her load.

((This may seem strange to you, but this sort of thing happens to me all the time. I just read through the topic and something struck me- it would be quite a topic if Jenna had a boyfriend who came in and thought these two weretogether, because he's in say Gryffindor and never met Aaron)

It was one of those strange gestures he often took with his friends, he had notes from back in first year, all like this, so if he thought a friend needed some help he'd just duplicate a sheet and they were off. They got good grades, and he felt good for helping them- positives all around. He nodded. "Of course I'd forgive you, you never know what someone in need might do for notes like these." he winked at her and giggled. He added the last few points to potions and took his oclumency book down again. He was determined to become occlumens and legilimens. He knew he wouldn't be perfect yet but he had to try. Plus- school was nearly over for both him and Jenna.

"So what you going to do next year?"

((that would make an awesome post! but as it were Jenna is single and alone! lol))

Jenna laughed, he had a good point. She was glad that she didn't have to do anything to get these notes. Not yet at least. "Well then, if I find anyone worthy enough then I'll be sure enough to send him your way," she said with a wink and a chuckle. She looked at her parchment with a weary expression, not looking forward to starting the mountain of homework. Of course, Aaron's notes would certainly help. And then came that inevitable question that she couldn't seem to avoid anymore, and the more she heard that question the more unsure she was.

"Honestly. I've no idea. I'd like to travel. I just don't think I'm ready to settle down yet. What about you?"

((we should SO get Jenna a boyfriend if only for this post. lol.))

Aaron stared across the library and srked his chin, as if thinking. "I'd really like to come back here and teach, but I dn't think they'd let me. Even if I got all 'O's as I'm expected they'll tell me I need to take time away, to gain experience, so I think I might volunteer at St Mungos to help people there before I come back. I know this won't sound great, but I know that's what Anima did. He has a good side, if you can break through the tough outer exterior which everyone sees. He actually does care for most people."

((She almost has one!!! lol, she's hittin it up with shane.... lol ^^))

Jenna nodded, she could see Aaron doing that. And of course, he would have a plan. And here she was, without any idea. "You could still try for the teaching job, you never know. But that does sound like a really plan." She frowned slightly at the mention of Anima, she hadn't really had too many good experiences with him, and she knew that most students hadn't either. But still, if Aaron said that he actually cared for people, well she'd believe him. "I don't have a plan at all. I've got no idea whatsoever."

((Go for it girl))

Aaron winked at Jenna again, a habit of his. "So you think if I offered myself to this new headmaster he'd let me back quicker, right? I'll have to try that." He joked. "They tell you to go out so you have a greater understanding of the outside world. I think it's important." He sighed. "But annoying. I'm gonna miss this place... It's like home to me." Eyes scanned the hall. "My family aren't happy with me- for being Hufflepuffinstead of Ravenclaw and stuff- say I'm a bad egg."

(( lol i'm workin on it. :) that would work out perfectly!!))

Jenna stuck her tongue out at Aaron, "Well you just never know" Jenna retorted to his teasing, pretending to be somewhat hurt. Something she didn't do very well it would seem. "But I guess it is important. You have to see the outside of Hogwarts at some point, it can't be all you know," she said, becoming more serious now. "I'm gonna miss this place too. It's become my second home. I suppose you could say it's my magical home." She looked up from her homework at Aaron, "I don't think you're a bad egg! It's not your fault you didn't get sorted into Ravenclaw. And if you need a place to stay, I'm sure you'd be welcome at my house. We just do things the muggle way there, that's the only downside."

Aarom flashed a smile in her direction. "Thanks but... I don't really think I could handle doing things the muggle way, I've been surrounded by magic my whole life. I really can't imagine living without it. I have a little money stored in Gringotts and I'm due another few thousand galleons sometime- it's tradition in our family when you leave hogwarts. We aren't rediculously rich, but we have a fair amount more than some. Not like those Harshings. My, that Flame is spoilt. Did you hear about what Harshing handed over to her before he was renounced? Estates, money, everything he had. She's loaded."

Jenna laughed, "No worries, I'm not sure how I'm gonna survive myself. I think I'm just going to have to move out really, though my mum's not going to like that one. But we'll see," Jenna sighed softly. She couldn't bare lving at home without magic for a long period of time, but she could just imagine what her mother would be like if she moved out. "That's a nice tradition, I wish that one ran in my family." She raised an eyebrow at his comment about Flame. "jeez. No I didn't know that! Seriously though? That's a lot! Gotta say, I'm kinda jealous. But that's just ridiculous."

Aaron lauged. "Move in with me, then yur mum'll know nothings going to happen. I'll even visit so she's sure if I must. It'll be nice to have someone to talk to and... You know... It'll serve to remind me why I want to come back here." He rubbed his hands together.

"There are many ways to describe that child. The nicest I can think of a spoiled, cruel, and in need of a good hiding." he told her, highlighting the wrd child with an awful lot of emphasis. "Her fortunes make her more so. She owns too much, has everything she'll ever need already, all it's going to do is push her further into the dark magic than she already is, and that will be dangerous."

Jenna looked up at Aaron, somewhat surprised, but obviously pleased and excited at the thought. "Really? Are you sure?" Jen didn't want to impose, but that really was a great opportunity. "That really would be great!" She grinned, that was a perfect situation for her, it would save a lot of trouble with her mum, that much she knew.

She listened intently as Aaron went on about Flame. "I'm lucky, I've never really had an encounter with her, but I havn't heard a good thing about her from anyone. I can't stand it when people are like that though. They get everything without having to work a day in their life. " Jenna sighed, frustrated. Being a muggleborn, she had recieved a lot of grief from those Slytherins, and she was sure that Flame was the worst of them. "I just don't get how people can be like that. Especially at her age."

Aaron looked at Jenna. "I hve to wander exactly how much you know about her family, because that would explain a lot. I know quite a bit and, to be honest, it's darn disturbing. I got all of this out of Anima, of course, and it's his family too, well half of it is. I don't know whether I can blame her for how she is though... She's had it tougher than I give her credit for- unwanted, abused, given to Voldemort, submitted to Sentinus, already had a kid which was ripped from her by her twisted father but, you know, otherwise perfectly normal."

Jenna looked at Aaron as he explained all of this with raised eyebrows. She leaned back in her chair and let out a low whistle. That was a lot to deal with. She frowned slightly, "Gosh. I didn't even know that. That is a lot to deal with. I suppose that explains a lot of her character as well. I couldn't imagine going through any of that." She thought about it, feeling bad for having judged flame so quickly when she didn't really even know her.

He could tell Jenna felt bad and stood up, crossing the table to wrap an arm around his friend reassuringly. "Don't feel bad, Jenna, she doesn't share anything and people think she has no reason to be like that. Anima wasn't meant to tell me, said he was breaking confidences, but I have my ways at times." He ran a hand through his hair, acting as if he was big headed in jest.

Jenna laughed, it would be just like Aaron to give her a hug. "Ah well, it happens I guess. Well seem quite close to Anima, but I have to say, I don't know many people that really like him.He's rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. How'd you manage to get so close to him?" Jenna asked, looking at him curiously. It just didn't seem that Anima was the type of person that Aaron would be good friends. Still, you never knew really, and she was learning that there was a lot more behind a person that what really meets the eye.

Aaron stroked her hair, soft, for a strand had fell out of place and he replaced it, forever caring for his friend. "The fact behind the matter is, he has to play to families expectations, but behind closed doors, when Flame's not going to run to daddy and tell, he's a different person cmpletely. He finds it hard opening up but... He's nice deep down." Aaron found himself crushing on the transfiguration prfessor, though he didn't mention it to anyone, he'd get strange looks- well, from anyone but Jenna, she understood him well enough.

"The trick is to make him feel comfortable, take him somewhere the girl won't turn up, be friendly, and you'll find the real him- the him he doesnt have to hide."

Jenna smiled, leaning her head against Aaraon. She felt completely at his with ease with him. Of course if it had been any other guy Jenna would have flipped out at this point, but she knew Aaron, and perhaps being gay was something to do with it. "Well I guess that would make sense. A lot of people put facades up to give off the impression that they're someone they're really not. I guess a lot of people are different once you really get to know them." She shrugged slightly. But if she didn't know any better than she'd guess that Aaron was crushing on Anima, she wouldn't put it past him at any rate, but she wouldn't bring it up either.

He smiled down at her, glad she was comfortable with him because he knew she wasn't with most guys. They'd been friends for a long time, though, and they'd grown closer with the stress of OWLs and then NEWTs but it was all coming to a sweet end, and they'd move on happy. "Yes, many people have cruel families. It is hard to understand, especially the Slytherin lot. With them it's impress or be revoked at home."

Letting out a long sigh, Jen felt that this was a slightly depressing topic, it was, however, somewhat intriguing. She'd never really looked at any of this from that point of view, and at this point she was beginning to understand some Slytherins more so than she had before. She still didn't really get it of course, and probably never would. "I guess that's just the way the world goes round, isn't it?" She stated rather simply.

Aaron nodded. "I'm afraid it is Jen." he told her, casting around in his mind for something better to talk about, then it clicked. "Hey, there's a new band touring this Summer, wanna come to the gig? I've heard they're good, though I've never really heard their music."

Jenna grinned at that ideea, glad to have the subject changed. Aaron seemed to be really good at that, he was great for knowing when to change the subject. She would honestly date him if he weren't gay, but perhaps that was a good thing, because he'd a remained a constant friend through out the years. "That sounds great. I'd love to go."

He smiled. "Great, I'll get good seats booked and see if I can get backstage passes thrown in to, if my friend is in a good mood." He frowned. "But I really think I should get one f the CDs so we know what to expect... It's be strange ging to a gig when you haven't heard the music. I'll get them free."

"You have amazing connections. How do you do it? I knew becoming friends with you would be beneficial!" Jen said with a laugh, shaking her head slightly. "I suppose getting to know the music before the concert is a good idea, but I've been to concerts before when I've never even heard of the band. It's kind of interesting really."

Aaron smiled. "It's getting to know people others would avoid. The lead singer is called James Lynx and most people avoid him for one reason- he's a vampire. When he originally started forming the band he asked if I wanted to be in it but I told him I have studying and he was fine with that. He's a good friend- and he'll get me what I want... So where would you like to be for the concert?" He asked, pulling out a map of the arena they were building especially for the gig.