AJ was in the Room of Requirement studying hard to become an Animagus. He had been here for hours and his eyes started to hurt a little. He had been there alone many times over the past couple of days he had made it home. In fact he had slept there a couple of nights. Luckily he wasn't in trouble yet.

He repeated spells over and over, practicing what needed to be done. Already having read through three books he needed to, he was halfway through the fourth. But reading was different than doing. AJ was beginning to think the was easier than it should be. But then again he had been reading basic information since his second year and knew alot of the preperation he needed.

All of a sudden he heard a door forming at the west wall; he knew either Zeke, April or Conley was entering. For they knew he would be in there and knew exactly what to ask for.

April walked past the wayy three times, wishing for the door to appear to a study place for Aj, her, Zeke and Conley. It shaped in mere seconds and April stepped through it, closing it quickly behind her. She knew it faded on the opposite wall, but was intact on thier side. She looked up and saw AJ studying.

"Already studying? Wow. Really jumping the wand, huh?" she asked ((instead of jumping the gun, lmao)). She looked at him for a second.

He was dressed in normal robes, which were crinkled. It looks like he had been there for a long time. A book was open on the table, and there was a stack of them all around him, and some o nthe floor. His eyes looked extremely drawn and tired, even red. He was clearly very tired.

"You look tired. Maybe you should take a break," she suggested, sitting on the chair next to him.

"No, I can't take a break. Need to keep studying." He said looking back down to his books. Though April had come in he should keep studying. According to the books it could take a handful of months or a handful of years to complete the studying, depending on how fast and smart the student was.

"Maybe you could quiz me!" he said with glee.

He didn't think she would go for it. AJ's eyes were beginning to strain.

Conley bumped into April on her way to the Come and Go Room. He said he would meet her their once he put away his potion kit. When he finally got there he saw April sitting around, looking bored because AJ was still reading his books.

"Hi guys." he squeaked.

April looked at Conley for a minute and then ignored him for the time being. She looked back t AJ, who looked ridiculously tired and worn out.

"I think you should take a break. No quizzing," she decided. She thought about a couch, and it appeared.

"Come lay down, and get a nap," she suggested.

AJ sighed, he didn't want a break, but decided he might lose his mind if he didn't. "Conley, didn't you have to go do some potion homework with that Hufflepuff boy?" he said, wanting to be alone with April. He wsa sure Conley did and would leave once he heard potions.

He went over to the couch and laid down like April had suggested.

Conley knew AJ was right, he promised to help a second year with his homework. He couldn't believe a second year asked him for help.

"You're right!" he said with a cheer in his voice. "Is it okay if I go? You can help him study?" he asked April. He left in an instance.

April wasn't even able to respond before Conley bounded out of the room. April rolled her eyes and looked back at AJ.

"Where did you find that boy?" she asked, snickering. She sat down on the foot of the couhc where AJ was laying, hoping that he would just go sleep so she wouldn't have to worry. He looked too tired to be awake right now.

"You need your sleep for the tournament, AJ." Ever though they were competing against each other, she still cared, and if she didn't win, she wanted him to. She was friends with everyone competing except for Aaron, whom she didn't know, so it didn't matter who won. Obviously, she would love it to be her, but whateve rhappened, happened.

"Oh I helped Conley when some Slytherin boys were trying to drown him. I mean, look how tiny he is. Basically he's my brother." Even though they weren't really related, they basically were now.

He had forgotten about the tournament. He was too busy studying. "Well, the tournament isn't as important as you." He said. AJ missed being with April, he missed touching her, and smelling her hair.

All he could do was smile, even though he was dead tired.

April sighed and laid down next to him, putting her arms around him.

"You're sweet," she said softly, cuddling into him. She could tell he was dead tired, and she didn't blame him. But he really needed his strength.

"And I think, me and you, are in this tournament thing together. Unless competition gets into you," she teased.

He thought about the tournament. "No, I would love to win of course. I want to beat the other two. No question. Coming second to you would be okay." he smiled. "But that would mean Slytherin would be better than Ravenclaw. On second thought, I may have to beat you." he said with a smile.

He enjoyed how she felt in his arms. It has been months (OOC we will pretent months have past. I wanna become an animagus earlier than I though. I cant wait) since he had began studying and he was so close. Maybe it would help im in the tournament if he could transform.

April laughed.

"Slytherin isn't so bad, I think you have realized," she said, kissing him on his forehead. "And I guess I wouldn't mind coming second to you... but Idon't want to lose to Gryffindor or Hufflepuff." She made a face.

She saw he was thinking about something intently, and she sort of wanted to know what. He had been studying so hard lately, and he really needed to get somehwere with it. It may be a bit longer, but it could help him.

"What are thinking about?"

"Nothing," he replied. His mind was blank for once. He was actually relaxing.

AJ was cuddling with April in a secret room with no interuptions. This seemed familiar. He smiled a bit.

"If Hufflepuff wins, that will be embarrasing." He laughed.

April shok her head.

"If Gryffindor wins, I'll never hear the end of it from my sister. Especially since I'm competing for Slytherin!" she said. She had just realized that. She groaned. There was a lot of pressure on her for this to win for Slytherin. She definately wanted to win.

"I think me and you have good chances to win, though. I've never even heard of this Aaron kid anyways!"

He never had even met Aaron before the tournament. Now everybody was asking about him. He wasn't too worried about Fawne, she could do medical spells, but he didn't think much of her.

His hand reached around April, resting it on her stomach. "We should win. I mean, one of us." He was certain they were two of the best and brightest at Hogwarts. Both with different strengths and weaknesses.

"Well, if I don't win, I hope it's you. Do you know what the winner gets?" she asked.

She was wondering if it was money, which she didn't need, or something special. The fame alone would be great, and of course, April would bask in it. She knew whoever won, she'd be happy just to compete. But she really didn't want to come in dead last.

"Imagine what it would be like to come in last... I'd be pretty upset," she admitted.

He didn't want to finish in any position but first. "First or second is okay in my book. Third or last, I'd die."

AJ needed the money, his family was well off in muggle terms, but the conversion rate to Wizard money was killing them. They had recently given him his grandparents rowhouse in London. He was moving there after the tournament.

"It's so exciting isnt it?"

"It really is. I'm hoping for some good times when we have to do something that's risky. Like... we have to get hurt, or something. It really needs to be adventurous, or I'll feel jipped. Needs to get the adrenaline pumping," she said, laughing.

"I don't wan anything sissy, you know? I really need a good chanllenge, since nothing else around here really is."

He wanted adventure. He wanted to duel the other students. But not April, she would probably win. "Yeah, I want to almost die. It's such a rush." He had always lived on the edge, but meeting people had reeled him back in.

"Maybe we will have to transfigure something!" he said with joy. He would win for sure. "But potions...yuck."

He was beginning to fall asleep a bit.

"Yeah, you'd definately win at Transfiguration. But, I'd be able to make a potion a lot better than you," she said, laughing. She played with his locks of hair for a minute.

"fall asleep," she said, trying to think if she knew any spells that could put him calmly to sleep.

He was dozing off with her in his arms. Studying was fun, but he was looking for other fun tonight. If only he wasn't so tired...Maybe if he wiggled a bit, her hand would fall in the right place.

AJ was trying to do this without her noticing, but he wasn't sure if this would work.

April laughed, knowing what AJ was trying to do right now. She moved so it was possible, but held his head in her hands. She blinked a few times, kissed him, then pulled away.

"You're too tired for this. You need your strength for such activities," she reminded him, winking.

He frowned. "You're right." he said with his eyes shut. "Maybe in the morning."

AJ let out a little laugh and was a sleep, dreaming of animals. April was in the dreams too. Only she wasn't wearing any clothes. That made him forget about the animals.

April fell asleep too, very quickly. AJ and her were cuddled up really close, and he was comfortable and warm. Plus, he smelled really good as well. they probably slept a long time, April didn't know, and the room didn't tell them either.

April got up what must have been a few hours later, judging by how awake she was, and got up. She tried not to move AJ, but he shifted and woke up with a start.

"Morning sleepy head," she teased.

AJ woke up to a pleseant suprise. He was rested and April was in his arms. He didnt know what to do. He remembered his lst comment, and though he was serious last night, he didnt know what was going on in her mind.

"So..." he said wiping his eyes. "I guess I should start to study again?"

"Probably should," she said, giggling. Her robes were crinkled, her hair a mess, and she felt a little gross. She desperately wanted a shower and a change of clothes.

"Do you need help?" she asked, looking at the stack of books awaiting him.

"No, no. You go have fun." he said not wanting to damper her day. He got up and went to his table stacked with books and opened the one he was reading yesteday. He was refreshed and was excited to catch up all of his studies.

"Alright," she agreed. "I'll come back, I promise."

OOC: Might as well let the thread die... Mel is erasing or w/e-ing them in a few days time.

AJ watched her leave and got back to studying. He felt closer than he had ever. He needed to start on the potions and charms and spells required for the initial transformation. With summer approaching and the tournament at hand, he was sure he would be able to use the Room of Requirement for all of this.

OOC: Yeah, we'll pick up after they are moved to the archives.