Ea walked up the many stairs to the astronomy tower with slow steps.
As she reached the top step she sighed slightly. She wasn't in a bad mood, but her day hadn't exactly been to good.
Things had been going wrong ever since she got out of bed and Ea was rather satisfied that the day was coming to an end.
Ea wasn't easily knocked out, and she decided to at least get one good thing out of the day. That's why she had decided on going to the Astronomy tower to enjoy the sunset.
As she walked out onto the tower platform a small smile spread onto her face.
"Now that's what I'm talking about" she said, as she watched the beautifully coloured sky.
She walked to the railing and adroitly jumped onto it, placing herself with her feet dangling. It was dangerous, but Ea didn't care.
She wanted to see the sunset as close-up as possible.

As she sat there her shoulders were hanging and she sighed again. The day sure had been one of the tougher.

AJ had been hiding out in the Astronomy Tower all day. He didn't want to be seen with a bandage around his head any longer. After the attack in the Forest he had been a little on edge.

"Who's there?" he asked when he heard a voice. Turning to see Ea, a Hufflepuff girl he had met a while back, he was relieved it wasn't some first year asking him what had happened.

"Needed to get away too, eh?"

Ea wasn't really in the mood for talking to some stranger, but as she looked up to see who was speaking, her smile widened slightly.
It was AJ, and for Ea, his company was always wanted.
She didn't answer his first question, since he had obviously realised who she was.
"Hey, you" she said in her usual light voice, padding the railing next to her, motioning for him to join her up there.

"You bet" she replied shortly to his second question.
In many respects, Ea didn't know what was appropriate, but when it came to other people she usually had a good sense for what questions not to ask. This was why she didn't comment on the bandage on AJ's head.
Instead, she turned back towards the sunset.
"Surely does take your mind off any kind of trouble, doesn't it?" she said, dreamily.

He rubbed his head a little. "My mind is always in need of a break. It's so beautiful." AJ was rather sensitive, more so than people thought him to be. He always went places to think, but they usually turned in to adventures when he came across a creature in the woods or the merpeople in the lake.

"It's going to be a starry night out tonight," he said, noticing no clouds were in the air.

Ea followed his gaze towards the sky.
"Yeah, looks like it will" she said, getting an urge to sneak out later when the stars were out. Unfortunately, following these kind of desires was most likely to get her into trouble, but that wasn't going to stop her.
Ea sighed slightly. She really didn't want to be a pain by telling AJ about her silly little problems, but she needed to talk at least a bit about them. Besides, he was a friend and she figured he wouldn't mind listening.
"I failed my Transfiguration test today" she said, quietly. She dreaded having to tell her mother this, but saying it out loud actually made it seem a bit better.
".. and I feel like a complete disaster" she added, as she looked up at him.
"Anything you need to get off your chest?" she said, offering him her ears. Sometimes even phrasing your trouble could help.

AJ was shocked. Failing at Transfiguration. Not his friend. "Failed? No, that will not do. Look, I'm the best in my year, probably among the seventh years as well. I'll tutor you if you want. I can't let a friend fail."

He just wouldnt let it happen.

"My chest, no. My head, yes. This bandage just draws questions and attention. I'm already mistaked for a half giant, do I need anymore fingers pointed, and whispers in my direction?"

She loved AJ's way of lightening up any given situation. At least that's what he did for her.

"Yeah, I bet that's been giving you a hard time" she said, nodding.

As an answer to his offer to tutor her, Ea had no clue of how to show him how grateful she was.

"Really? You would do that?" she said, looking at him with big eyes.
"I mean, I.. that would be.. amazing" she said. It meant a lot to her that he would help her, and she wanted to offer something instead, though she didn't want to bring money between them. This was one of the useful things her parents had taught her: keep money and friendship apart.

"Is there anything I can do for you in return?" she asked with a smile.

He was glad she wanted him to tutor her. "Of course. Gives me a reason to be semi-anti-social and only care about Transfiguration. I'll be more than glad to help."

He was looking foward to more Transfiguration time. "I'm available a lot now that I've been sidelined with this injury. No exploring for me."


OOC: A plotline could be you get mad when I miss some tutor sessions do to my studying in the RoR.

She laughed slightly at his anti-social comment, feeling genuinely happy.
"Fantastic" she said and gave him a quick squeeze. She was thrilled that maybe she wouldn't have to deliver as bad news to her parents anyway.
"Thanks a bunch. This conversation has definately turned out to be the highlight of my day" she said, smiling.

"Oh, that's too bad, though" she said as an answer to his comment about not exploring for some time.
"I was planning on going out this night, watching the stars. Thought you might like to join me? But I suppose you've had enough adventures for now?" she said.
"Gee, AJ, I didn't think an injury was going to be enough to stop you" she said, teasingly.

"I would love to join you tonight," he said. He didn't want to study tonight. He needed time to relax.

"Normally it wouldn't stop me. BUt hopefully I'll be in the tournament and need to rest for that. But if I don't make it, rest should do wonders for my bones."

He hadn't had a normal conversation for quite sometime. This was enjoyable.

"I know" she said, letting it show that she didn't actually think he was a coward.
"I'll make sure tocross my fingers for you about the tournament. It would be great if you make it" she said, nodding.

"But some other time we could go look at the stars, maybe?" she asked with a smile. She enjoyed his company.

"We can go tonight. I didn't mean we couldn't. Sorry. Confuse myself a lot." he smiled at Ea.

He stood up and offered her a hand, "Come on, we'll head down now." He said, meaning going to the grounds.

She took his hand and got off the railing with a quick jump.
"Oh, don't worry" she said, nodding, "I do that all the time. Confuse myself, I mean. I have a knack for getting my thoughts messed up" she said with a smile as they proceeded down the stairs of the Astronomy Tower.

The air was cool, but warm enough not to need their cloaks. AJ was dressed in his school uniform, he was too lazy to take it off. Ea was staring off into the sky as they walked while AJ was looking around for other students. He had been avoiding many because of all the questions they've been asking. Somebody started a rumour that he fought Flame in the forest. He was sure Valentina let it slip.

"Hear any exciting news recently?" he asked his walking buddy,

Ea glanced at him, forcing her eyes from the brillant sky. The sky surely was starry, which made it an incredible sight.
As she looked at him she tried to detect the intention behind his question. Was he merely smalltalking or was there something specific he wanted to know?
As Ea looked at him, her eyes went to his bandage for a brief second. Perhaps this was the reason for his question?

"There's always gossip flying around, but I suppose you'd know that after six years in this place... were you thinking of any news in particular?" she asked, her eyes back on the sky as they proceeded further away from the castle.

He followed her eyes back to the sky. He decided to lie, "No, none in particular." he saw a shooting star. "Did you see that one?" he asked pointing to the sky.

He had always loved the clear sky here at Hogwarts. Ea seemed to love it even mroe than he did.

The stars were twinkling even brighter than usual tonight.

Ea had glanced at AJ for a moment and had missed the shooting star by a second.

"Oh, no, I missed that one" she said, figuring he had probably been referring to a shooting star.
"I'll catch the next one, I suppose" she said with a shrug.

They were getting closer to the lake, and the stars were reflected in the water's bright surface. It truly was incredible.

Ea folded her arms around her small body.

"Looking at the night sky always makes me feel so small.. insignificant and sort of alone, you know?" she said, realising just how much taller AJ was than her, as she looked up at him with big eyes.

"Yeah, makes me think a lot." he agreed with Ea's sky comment. He didn't feel small at the moment though, he felt perfectly okay.

Looking around he noticed just how peaceful Hogwarts was at night, everybody else seemed to be in their common rooms. He looked up to the Ravenclaw tower to see it filled with light and people, he didn't know what he was missing out on, but didnt care.

Ea felt genuinely happy. She looked at her friend with a wide smile and couldn't help but give his arm a short squeeze.

"When I was a kid I used to make up my own star constellations since I didn't really know any-- Come to think of it, I still don't.. Do you?" she asked, curiously.

He liked stars when he was little. "I know Orion's Belt. Thats about it." He chuckled.

He didn't take Astronomy here, thought it was silly. He was taking NEWT levels to become an Auror, but didn't really know if he wanted to do that.

He thought of his secret and decided to ask, "If you were and Animagus, what do you wish you would turn into?"

Ea giggled, liking the fact that they were equally ignorant to the constellations.
"Yeah, I don't really care to put the stars into categories, it's the sky as a whole that amazes me." she said thoughtfully.

Ea didn't hesitate to answer his question.
"It's a tie between a bird and a rabbit" she said, having no clue about AJ's secret desire to become an animagus. She had given this matter some thought but wasn't at all considering to apply. She wasn't nearly talented enough when it came to magic.

"You'd do good as a bear.. Or perhaps some kind of big dog?" she said, speaking her mind as usual, as she looked up at her tall friend, nodding.

AJ had thought about what animal he would want to be. In his animagus, all of his personality traits lined up with an eagle or a squirrel. So he was looking forward to becoming either one. He didn't know size didn't matter. It was the personality that drove the spirit of the animal.

"Bird would be cool. And a dog." he said not mentioning squirrel. People think that is silly.

Ea looked up at him curiously. She sensed something in his voice, as if there was something more, something he wasn't telling her.

"How come you are asking?" she said, but decided to rephrase it.
"What is it the muggles say.. a Benny for your thoughts?" she said, unaware that she had misunderstood the saying.

"Oh...it's no reason. Something personal." Ea might have guessed why he was asking. The truth was he was very close on becoming an animagus. Some forms to fill out for the Ministry and the final preperations.

The night sky was light only by the stars and the moon, but it was bright enough to see around them.

"Okay" Ea said shortly, with a shrug and a smile.
Although terribly curious, Ea wasn't one to stick her nose into other people's business.
There was a moment of silence between them and it occured to Ea how little she actually knew about AJ. She tilted her head as she studied his face in the weak light of the moon and stars.

"Thanks for coming out here with me" she said, changing the subject from Animagi.
"Stargazing can be an awfully lonely activity at times"

She was all too right. Being alone at certain times was good, but at other times you always need company. He peered the grounds still looking. He didn't know who for, but he quit soon enough and turned his attention to Ea.

"Yeah. I'm glad you allowed me to come." he smiled at Ea.

She grinned at him.
"What, are you kidding me? A darling like you, an-y-time" she said, jokingly emphasising each syllable.

She looked around them, wanting to sit down but realised the grass was wet.
"Too bad we didn't bring a blanket.. ooh or hot cocoa!" she said excitedly, sounding somewhat childish.

AJ picked up a flower out of the ground and transfigured it into a cup. "Do you know any spells to fill this with hot chocolate?" he asked. He didnt want any, but wanted her to be happy.

"Or perhaps we can go in side now. It is getting cold. But I wouldn't mind staying out here."

Ea's eyes widened as he made a cup appear. She tried not to look too amazed, though. She was aware that this was a rather simple spell, but the way AJ seemed to perform it like it was nothing was admireable to her. She always had to concentrate really hard when performing any spell.

"I'm afraid I don't" she said, referring to the hot-chocolate-spell. She figured with the last statement she was pretty much the one to decide whether they were going to stay or not. She figured she'd like to stay.
Ea took of her cloak and spread it out on the grass.

"This'll have to do for a blanket" she said with a smile as she sat down on it, leaving space for AJ to do the same.
Taking off her cloak wasn't exactly making Ea feel warmer, but she really didn't feel like returning to the castle just yet.

AJ took his cloak of as well and sat down. "Hmm, making hot chocolate. I can transfigure something. I suppose I'll give it a try."

He took some parchment out of his pocket and tried. At first nothing happened. He began to think really hard. For some reason liquids were harder than anything solid. Even worse than turning a cup into a mouse. He sat there for what seemed like hours, and having Ea there just added to the pressure. Finally, the paper inside of the cup turned into something.

He handed it to the Hufflepuff girl, "I hope it's chocolate milk and not something nasty."

Ea watched his concentrated attempt to turn the paper into cocoa with great curiosity. Her own lack of talent with spells only made them so much more interesting to her.

As he handed her the cup she smiled widely, trying to see what was in it, but wasn't able to, due to the lack of light.

"Wish me luck" she said with a giggle as she took a small sip from the cup. As she lowered the mug, a smile spread on her face.

"Not bad at all" she said, glad to experience that the drink was in fact hot chocolate.

"Thanks. This is really nice" she said as she warmed her hands on the mug, referring to the cocoa as well as the situation.

He smiled. "This is why I love Transfiguration and study my arse off all of the time. Just about anything I want I can make. But liquids stink. So hard."

He watched her sip her new drink. "Well I'm glad you enjoy it."

He laid back and looked at the stars.