If Fate Commands It..

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king_arthur

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"Art!" Arthur McCross stopped and his head perked up as heard his name being called from somewhere behind him in the school hallway. He turned around at the noise, walking backwards until he spotted a kid making his way towards him. He instantly recognized his younger brother by two years, Cassidy, among the crowd of of people. It wasn't as though it was hard, the kid was thirteen and already two or three inches taller than Art. With that, along with the mess of dark brown curls atop his head, he was pretty much recognizable just about anywhere. The two both stepped over to the far side of the corridor to avoid the mass of students going back and forth to their various classes. "I wanted to ask you for something. A favor, actually" the younger of the two said, and the other simply waited for an explanation, his eyes guarded.

They might have been brothers by blood, but the two were quite dissimilar, and didn't share any sort of loving relationship. That was how it was between all of the McCross boys, and there were four of them total. It was because of this fact that Art was a little more than skeptical when Cassidy had approached him, for a favor no less. The dark haired Ravenclaw looked both ways down the hallway, seemingly checking if there was anyone listening in. The gesture did wonders to put Art's suspiciousness at ease, really.

"I want you to come to a meeting with me," Cassidy said, his tone hushed.

"What kind of meeting?" Art asked, keeping his voice steady but low, hoping to show his brother that he really didn't have time for his nonsense. Cassidy sighed, seeming as if he was being put out by having to explain further.

"A group of students is trying to set up a sort of, makeshift DADA class, if you will. They're having a meeting this weekend to see who's interested and how they can set things up. I really hate how we're not actually doing anything in Defense Against the Dark Arts and would like to go, but I don't want to be there by myself, please, Arthur." The redhead didn't think he had ever heard his brother say that many words to him in one sitting, which, of course, was an exaggeration, but still. It was rare that they interacted, especially within the walls of Hogwarts, and now the Ravenclaw wanted a favor from him.

"A group of students? Who is willing to pick a fight with that biddy?"

"Erm...Harry Potter." It was no sooner that the words were out of Cassidy's mouth that Art's own fell open, completely dumbfounded.

"So let me get this straight. You want me to come with you to a fun little meeting that's meant to plot against that tyrant of a woman and lead by none other than Harry. Freaking. Potter." Art couldn't help but punctuate his words. "Merlin's beard, Cass, I thought Ravenclaws were supposed to be the smart ones, but you clearly didn't think that one through, did ya?" The older of the two turned to go, not wanting to deal with the conversation any longer, but not before throwing over his shoulder. "Ask Iulian, at least he's a Gryffindor."

He didn't have much of a chance to walk away before he could feel Cassidy's hand on his arm, turning him back hard to face him. The Slytherin's jaw clenched tightly, his usually warm brown eyes staring coldly up at his brother.

"I can't ask Iulian and you know that. He's an absolute tosser," and the kid did have a point. Iulien was their eldest brother, but his most defining trait was being totally useless. But still, what made Art any different? Why was Cassidy asking him? Didn't the kid have any friends? The redhead thought that one over for a second, and no, he sincerely doubted he did. Majority of the time, he was a complete, insufferable know-it-all, worse than any Ravenclaw he had ever met. Art was pretty sure he just liked being smart to shove it in others' faces. He glared up at the face that was too similar to his own.

"If I say I'll go, what's in it for me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Cassidy's face deadpanned, but he replied all the same.

"I'll do your next potions essay for you if you come with."

"You, little brother, drive a hard bargain.. Fine. I'll do it," Art relented, though he hadn't a clue why. This was going to turn out so, so badly. He could see the relief on Cassidy's face as he said the words. "If a single thing goes wrong, don't say I didn't tell you so," he added, and the Ravenclaw nodded furiously. He didn't say 'thanks' before heading off, but Art didn't expect him too, nor did he really want him too. It would have been awkward, and really, the only thanks he needed was a good grade on that potions essay.

+++

"Are you sure anyone's going to be interested?" Harry, Ron's best friend asked both him and Hermione simultaneously. The witch simply rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, Harry, we're positive. Others, besides just us, want to legitimately know how to defend themselves. As much as I hate to say it, no one is going to learn much of anything from this class by reading books."

"Especially the watered down version that old crone's handed out to us," Ron chimed in, trying to reassure Harry that what they were going to be doing was the right thing. He would be lying if he didn't say he had no doubts, but he believed in Harry and knew others did too. Despite the doubts, he really did think they could pull this off. There was a lot that was going to need to go into it though, some things that even Ron wasn't aware of, but that was the whole point of this meeting. They were going to get other people's opinions and come up with a plan. Yeah, that sounded smart. Mainly because it was almost exactly what Hermione had said earlier, but still.

"Okay," Harry said with a nod, seemingly placated, for now at least. "Let's do this then." Ron and Hermione nodded, the redhead feeling a bit excited. Breaking school rules was always fun. The trio got ready for the first Hogsmeade visit of the year. They had been preparing for this for a few weeks now, telling people they trusted about the tentatively called Dumbledore's Army, and letting them know to spread the word to anyone else deemed trustworthy. Which mostly, to Ron, meant anyone who wasn't a Slytherin.

The redhead grabbed his beanie and plaid fleece before the three of them went down to meet the rest of the students travelling to Hogsmede in the courtyard outside the Great Hall. When they got there, many of them were not-so-discreetly glancing at Harry, and Ron took that as a good sign. He figured (and hoped) that it meant these people were eager to get to the meeting. Only one way to find out, though.

The group of students made their way to Hogsmede in the chilly, late October air. It made Ron glad that he had decided on both a fleece and his hat. He looked over at Harry as they walked and they exchanged glances, ones of nervousness and hopefulness. Immediately when they arrive, the three Gryffindors head towards the Hog's Head, the location they told everyone to meet at. A few of the other students had come along with them right away, knowing that they were going to this initiation. That made Ron feel good and he hoped it helped put Harry on ease a bit more as well.

Once inside, Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment and began scribbling elegantly on it. The two boys looked over her shoulder on either side to see the words DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY in neat script, and underneath it, she wrote her own name.

"Ron, you next. We might as well already have our names on here since we're already apart of things," the witch told him, sliding the parchment to him on the table and handing him the quill. He quickly scribbled his own name before reaching across the table, outstretched arm facing his best friend.

"Harry?" The redhead asked. It was only a moment before Harry took the quill from him and reached for the parchment himself, writing his name on there as well. Ron thought he should have been the first to sign it, since he would be the leader, but he supposed that was all in material anyway. What really mattered was they were actually doing something.

After a while of waiting (a bit awkwardly, Ron might add), a decent sized crowd had formed in front of them, of about 25-30 people or so, if he had to guess. Most of them looked familiar, but there were some faces he didn't recognize. He was also surprised to see a handful of younger students in the mix. Sure, they were being taught by Umbridge too, but that didn't mean much. The majority of younger students, he would have figured, would have been much more afraid to go against the old bag, but there were definitely some present.
 
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"Merlin's beard is it chilly today" Neville mumbled under his breath. He could feel the cold winds rushing through his hair and chilling his bones. However the cold was the last thing on Neville's mind, in fact his head seemed to pound with every step he took. The ground beneath him crunching in time with the sounds of his heart pounding in his chest. He tugged at the burgundy and gold scarf that was wrapped tightly around his neck, proving to provide some sort of warmth for his neck and nose. Inhaling the scent that lingered on the handmade present brought a small smile to the boy's lips. The soft smell of his grandmother's loving work settled his heart for a moment. His lips curled in a smile that faded all too quickly as he approached his destination.

Neville wasn't known as being very brave, most even questioned his enrollment in Gryffindor to begin with, but to the taller boy this was being brave for him. Neville knew he was brave, it must be in his blood somewhere. His parents, through he rarely discussed it with anyone, had been the bravest souls as they suffered a Crucio curse at the hands of Bellatrix Le Strange. So Neville knew he had to live up to his parents names, he had to prove to himself that he deserved to be their child and to make them proud even if they were gone from him. It was with that thought that the dark haired boy pushed open the door to the Hogs Head and made his way into the backroom where his fellow Gryffindors, the golden trio as they were often referred too as, were standing with a blank sheet of parchment paper with the words 'Dumbledore's Army' etched neatly on the top.

Neville made his way up to the trio and smiled. "Ay hello guys, nice turn out huh?" He asked, his voice hushed as he glanced around the room. "Looks like you guys got someone from every house, that's pretty amazing." To which Ronald Weasley huffed sarcastically in response. "Yeah fantastic, if anything those snakes in Slytherin will only rat us out" Neville's face fell a bit but he managed to force out a small chuckle "Well that just proves that Umbridge really pissed off a lot of us then ay Weasley" He said with a raised eyebrow before Hermione elbowed Ronald. "Honestly Ronald, we need everyone we can get at this point, Umbridge is trying to ruin our school" She said with a roll of her eyes.

Neville and Harry shared a hushed chuckled at the two before Neville looked Harry in the eyes and said "I wish you good luck mate, if anyone can whip us into shape it's you" Harry nodded, swallowing his thoughts before forcing a smile. "Thanks Neville it means a lot mate" Neville gave a small nod before heading over to a wall and leaning against it.

It was at this spot that Neville took the time to further glance around the room, surveying the lot of students gathered in the tiny room. His eyes bounced from the younger lads who roughly elbowed each other playfully to the Ravenclaw girls lead by the one and only Cho Chang and her blonde bubbly sidekick Juliet Duvette. But then from the corner of his eye Neville spotted a semi tall boy curled in the corner with a scowl painted across his rather lovely face. Neville's eyes focused on the boy as he surveyed his posture and chuckled slightly at the aura the boy gave off. Had Neville known better he'd assume the boy was thinking 'Fuck off' to everyone in the room. "Slytherin" Neville mumbled under his breath, loosening the scarf as the room began to heat up from all the bodies crammed together.

Neville was so caught up in the boy that he hardly noticed when Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, slid up next to him. "Hello Neville" Neville jumped in surprise and his eyes snapped back to attention as his eyes fluttered back to to the shorter ginger girl. "Oh hello Ginny" He greeted back, his heart beat slowly returning to a normal beat. Ginny giggled softly as she asked "See something you like Neville?" Neville's face began to flush a soft red before stuttering to answer

It was then that the hushed tones fell to complete silence as the chosen one himself began to speak calling everyone to attention. Neville let out a small sigh of relief as he turned his body to the front of the room.

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"Honestly Juliet, hurry up" The tiny voiced squeak out bringing Juliet back to the present. The tiny blonde looked up to see her best friend, Cho Chang, paused just ahead of her. "Sorry, I'm just a bit distracted today.." Juliet said with a small sigh, running just slightly to catch up with Cho. Juliet had been very aloof lately, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by her friend and roommate. "Are you sure you're okay Jules?" Cho offered as the two ducked their heads together to avoid a blast of the chilly winds. "Cho I've told you I'm fine! Perfectly Peachy" Juliet said with a quick reassuring smile to Cho who only narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "I'm not an idiot Juliet Duvette" Juliet giggled slightly and pushed her friend playfully "Of course you're not Cho you're a Ravenclaw after all"

Another short burst of cold air ran through the two girls forcing them to huddle closer together. Juliet knew her friend was worried but she was honestly just a bit distracted lately due to the concerning nature that Hogwarts was taking. Umbridge was slowly beginning to turn her magical home into a less then giddy prison. Juliet's thoughts couldn't help but wander to the rumors she kept hearing in the hallways of something terrible coming this way. As if that wasn't enough she had begun to notice small black lines beginning to form on her wrist. Something that had her quite worried. She had been up late the past few nights searching in the library for anything that could tell her more about the oddly placed scars.

"Jules what do you think of Harry?" Cho's question snapped Juliet back to attention as she followed the girls gaze over to where the golden trio walked briskly, speaking in hushed voices. Harry Potter glanced back to see Cho who smiled softly and tucked a piece of hair behind of her ear as the chosen one waved to her before being snapped back to attention by his friend Hermione Granger. "I think if I didn't know any better that you fancied the Chosen One" Juliet said with a giggle. Looking up to see that Ronald Weasely was looking at her. Her face flushed a soft shade of pink as she looked down and away from his gaze. Cho scoffed softly and shook her head "Jules you know I'm not over Cedric.." Juliet shook her head in response "God bless that boy.. But Cho you have to move on eventually.. it's been almost a year.." Juliet said softly, offering her best friend a side hug. Cho nodded softly but didn't respond as the two girls made their way in the icy winds.

Once inside the warmth of the Hogs Head, Juliet and Cho made their way to a pack of familiar faces. Juliet cuddled up next to Cho and a fellow Ravenclaw as they chatted in a soft voices. "What do you think is going to happen?" Juliet overheard. She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath "We're going to get caught and be in big trouble or worse.. get expelled" Cho whipped her head around to stab her friend in the side. "Ouch!" Juliet yelped out softly, glaring at Cho. "Jules! Seriously we're here to learn.. we need to be able to defend ourselves.. Harry can teach us that" Juliet's eyes dropped and she nodded. "I know.. I'm just worried.. These are dark times Cho.." Feeling a hand snake down to squeeze hers Juliet looked up at her friend and nodded. The two girls promising to be there for each other no matter what.

Juliet looked around the room, her eyes settling on the only bright thing in the dark room, Ronald Weasley's hair. She hadn't noticed how toned he'd gotten over the summer. Definitely not the same boy who wore ruffled brown robes to the Yule Ball. Rather the boy had grown bit and thankfully gotten himself a haircut, one that better suited his face. In fact it even revealed the boy's eyes that were previously hidden by the red locks. Juliet had seen Ron around the school grounds, even having a few classes with him. By now it was impossible not to know the Weasley children, especially not the one who was commonly referred to as 'Harry's best mate'. Somehow he seemed different this year, almost living up to his Gryffindor roots as he stood bravely by his two friends side.

It was then that Hermione began to speak, a brief introduction if you would, before Harry took over. Juliet's hand slipped from Cho's as she crossed her hands in front of her chest, tuning in to listen to Harry. If anything she respected him enough to hear him out. She did want to learn after all.
 
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Today was the day that Arthur would be going to Hogsmeade. Which, normally, wasn't that big of an issue, but today was different, all because of his annoying little brother. Out of all his brothers, he had always thought that Cassidy was the most bearable, but he was beginning to doubt that now. Well, he really wasn't, their oldest and youngest brother were both absolutely insufferable, but Cassidy seemed well on his way. Art's goal for the day was to stay in back of whatever sort of crowd showed up, kept his head down, and no one would notice him, but he was pretty sure that was just wishful thinking. He was on the Slytherin Quidditch team. He was pretty sure he had called Potter a pox to his face at one point. He was definitely sure he broke a Hogwarts training broom after a losing match just the previous year, which most certainly made it's way around the whole school. Yeah, there probably wasn't going to be a whole lot of 'sneaking' that could be done.

That didn't mean though that he couldn't blend in. As much as he didn't want Potter and his lot to see him there, he also didn't want anyone from his group of friends to see him there either. He dug through his trunk and found an old, solid grey knit hat and pulled it on, along with his dark jacket. He skipped the Slytherin scarf that he usually wore out for… obvious reasons. With his cap somewhat smoothing out his curly bangs, they were long enough now to partially obscure his eyes, which was going to be annoying, but he would deal. He went downstairs, meeting Cassidy out with the rest of the lot of students waiting to go to Hogsmeade.

"No Slytherin scarf?" His six foot tall little brother asked, the tiniest of smirks on his face.

"Don't test me. I'll go off and do my own thing, just you watch," Arthur grumbled, without looking up. The two were mostly silent on the way there, and he couldn't help but regret not bringing a neutral colored scarf with him to Hogwarts. Not that he would have ever thought that he would have needed it, but it would have been damn helpful now.

The McCross boys were walking towards the back of the group, Art in no rush, and Cassidy seemingly fine with that. When they finally arrived in Hogsmeade, they made their way over to the Hog's Head, which, by the looks of it, was pretty decently filled. The Slytherin stuck towards the back, arms folded and head ducked, but his younger brother made his way a little closer, sitting down as to make sure he wasn't blocking anyone's view.

The redhead chose an interesting looking tile to inspect, rather than looking up at the front. He wasn't here to listen anyway, he was here in order to ensure a decent grade in potions. That, of course, didn't entirely stop him from listening in at least a little. He could admit, at least to himself, that he was curious about what this whole thing was actually all about. The whole thing honestly didn't last that long, for which the redhead was relieved. He didn't want to be sitting there for an hour contemplating if one essay was really worth it for the entire time. Before he knew it though, people began pushing and shoving around, forming some lazy semblance of a line. Cassidy came to stand next to him again at this point, and Art narrowed his eyes.

"Okay, you sign up for this, I'll wait outside."

"You're not going to sign up too?" A genuine look of confusion passed over his younger brother's face.

"You bleedin' thick? I'm not going to one of these meetings," the Slytherin protested.

"You could learn something you might need one day," Cassidy shrugged.

"I swear to Merlin…" Arthur threatened, but didn't really have much to back it up with. He swore to Merlin what? That if he was at all harassed for his house or just who he was he was going to get even? Well he was 100% positive that was going to happen regardless, so there'd be no point in signing up if he didn't expect at least a little of that shite. Probably more than a little, more like a whole lot. As the two began to get closer and closer to the signup sheet, he began cursing under his breath.

"Pula mea, futu-i…"

And that was an example of his mild swearing, the other things he said too vulgar to mention. Cassidy looked over at him, eyes widened and brow furrowed, being, hopefully, the only other one in the room who could hear and understand him. Art just ignored him, Romanian vulgarities had always been a way to help him calm down. By the time it was his turn to write his name down, he had already stopped cursing, but still looked rather unhappy as he picked up the quill, scribbled Art McCross underneath his brother's name, and turned to leave, not sparing anyone else in the room a glance.

((translation: fuck me, fuck))

+++

As the meeting began, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked at each other, silently asking who was going to start and how exactly they were going to do this. They hadn't put that much detail into planning the first meeting, and at this point, Ron was kind of regretting it. But it was Hermione who stood up first to take the lead, and for that he was grateful. Despite her bold move though, she didn't look much more confident than he was feeling.

"Um, hi," she said, addressing them in the elegant way she always conducted herself… Ron just stared ahead of him though, knowing that if he was up there, he wouldn't be doing much better. "So, you all know why we're here. We need a teacher," she paused, as if thinking over her words. "A proper teacher. One who's had real experience defending themselves against the dark arts." As she spoke, she seemed to gain more confidence. That is, until some tosser in the front decided to speak up.

"Why?" He asked, eyebrows narrowed. Well, if you're going to be like that, why are you bloody here? Ron thought to himself.

"Why?" The redhead repeated, a bit incredulously. "'Cause you-know-who's back you tosspot." The guy in front and the two of them went back and forth for a bit, but eventually, they got the group on the right track, talking about the things Harry was able to do. He really was the most qualified 15 year old of any of them to be teaching a defense class.

"Is it true that you can produce a patronus?" Luna asked, speaking up. Hermione answered for him, and from there, Harry's accomplishments kept building. It might've taken everyone a minute or two to come around, but it seemed to Ron as if they all had. He took the opportunity of peace to glance around the room, seeing who had all come in. He saw Lavender Brown, the girl was looking at him and he felt his face go red in the slightest. It wasn't that he liked her or anything, rather, it was the attention that caused the heat in his cheeks to rise. He moved on, spotting Cho Chang, whose gaze was mostly fixed on Harry. That brought the tiniest of smiles to his face, though nothing incredibly obvious. His gaze flitted past her, landing on Juliet Duvette. She… was definitely pretty, Ron could admit that much about her to himself, anything more though and his face would be in jeopardy of going as red as his hair.

It was then that he remembered what Neville had mentioned, that there were Slytherins present. He hadn't noticed any initially, but it was as if it was his goal now to pick out the snakes. He only did manage to identify one, a kid named McCross from the Slytherin Quidditch team. Oh great, he thought to himself. That was just who they needed to be attending their secret meeting.

Ron's attention was snapped back to the present as Harry sat down, having just finished saying something that the redhead, guiltily, had no idea what it was.

"You're right Harry, we don't know what it's like," Hermione said after a moment. Ron was beginning to gather what had been going on based off of what the witch was saying. "And that's why we'd like you to show us how to defend ourselves." It didn't take too much longer afterwards for people began to line up, ready to pledge their loyalty to Harry and the DA. Okay, that wasn't exactly what they were doing, by a long shot, but to him, it was close enough. The redhead scanned the line, seeing McCross talking in hushed whispers to someone. The two looked similar enough that there was a good potential they were brothers, though Ron knew they had to be different since one was a Ravenclaw, evident by the hat he was wearing, and the other was, well, a Slytherin.

"What's a big, bad Slytherin like you doing signing up for this? Just going to rat us out, are you," Ron couldn't help but spit out as McCross began to walk away. The Slytherin stopped and turned around, an angry look in his eye.

"I am getting a free potions essay out of this, courtesy of my brother, that's what this big, bad Slytherin is doing," his voice getting a little louder as he spoke. "Thanks for the compliment though." While he was clearly joking, there was no sign of humor on his face, and Ron was sure his face was of a similar state, staring him down.

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded him for the second time that day, but he couldn't find it in him to be bothered in the least.
 
Neville was listening intently to Harry and Hermione speak. Ron stayed mostly quiet but nodded along when his friends made a new point. Ronald wasn't really one to give rousing speeches anyway, but he did jump to Harry's defense when someone dared question why one would need Harry to teach all of them how to defend themselves. Maybe Ron wasn't the most elegant speaker, but no one could argue that he was anything less than passionate about being supportive of his friends. Hermione Granger on the other hand, she was pretty fantastic at everything she did, even getting a misfit bunch together to form a rebel DADA class. Something he admired her for.

Both of Harry's best mates really lived up to the Gryffindor legacy of bravery, maybe Neville would get there someday.. or at least he hoped he would. As for the boy who lived, he was a little less than rousing, if anything he was just there to convince everyone that he was qualified to teach them about Defense against the Dark Arts. And Neville believed him, if any one knew something about the dark arts it was Harry Potter himself.

Neville's ears perked up as Luna asked about Harry's ability to produce a patronus. Neville was curious about the patronus, since as of lately he'd begone to develop a few faint black lines on his shoulder. Neville's grandmother had hinted that Neville was beginning to form his significant others' patronus. It was known in the wizarding world that when a wizard or witch begins to form as they neared finding their other half. The thought made Neville break out in a sweat, feeling the small droplets forming at the base of his neck.

Neville quickly snapped back to reality when Ginny tapped his shoulder politely. "Are you getting in line Neville?" The Weasley girl asked. "Y-Yes of course I am" Neville said, joining Ginny towards the back of the line. Taking their place behind the same Slytherin boy Neville couldn't seem to take his eye off of. As the redheaded boy in front of him made some remarks in a foreign language, something that made Neville and Ginny exchange glances before chuckling softly. Neville trying to hide it by forcing out a rough cough.

Once they neared the beginning where the golden trio awaited more sign-ups, Neville's eyebrow raised slightly when Art McCross actually scribbled his name on the parchment paper. Raising a suspicious glance from just about everyone that saw him. "Oh no.." Ginny couldn't help but whisper as Ron spit an insult at the back of the McCross boy.

To no one's surprise McCross had a rather snarky comeback, but what really surprised Neville was when Juliet Duvette spoke up defending the boy. After the younger McCross beckoned Art away from the Golden Trio, Neville made his way up to the front and picked up the quill, scribbling his name just under Art's. Moving to the side to allow Ginny to sign her name as he made his way over to where Juliet, Ron and Hermione stood just near the table.

"You know McCross do you Jules?" Neville asked the blonde with an eyebrow raised slightly curious why she had bothered to defend him. "Believe it or not I actually was partners with Art in potions. He's actually very bright and tolerable. Even nice on occasion. I think he gets a bad reputation because of his house but he's not a terrible person." She said with nod. Neville shrugged in response "I guess you're right he seems misunderstood" To which Neville was sure Ronald was scoffing at.

When everyone had finished signing their names, all the was left was the 6 of them. "So how do you plan on spending the rest of your time at Hogsmede?" He asked no one in particular. When Juliet suggested butter beer Neville took advantage of the situation and said "Sounds like a brilliant idea, I'd love a butter beer" with a small nod of thanks to the two girls for inviting him, more Juliet then Cho but no matter. An invitation was an invitation after all.

+++​

Juliet was tuned in to the ongoing back and forth between Harry and everyone that had questions. Even Juliet had a few herself, but figured she could ask him in person after the meeting finished. She was particularly interested when he said he had conjured a successful patrons. Juliet had only read about the patronus, and she'd never seen hers. Once she and Cho had tried to guess what they thought theirs would be, but they were only far off guesses.

It didn't take long for Juliet to make up her mind that she was indeed going to join the rebellious class. She knew as well as everyone else did that although they wouldn't outwardly admit it, they were all worried about what was happening outside the walls of Hogwarts, and even what was beginning to happen inside. After a moment of silence she took the moment of peace to g;ace over to Cho to see if she was thinking about joining as well. Not to her surprise Cho's gaze was heavily fixed upon Harry Potter himself. Causing Juliet to giggle under her breath.

That must of caught Cho's attention because the asian girl blinked a few times before looking over at Juliet. "What?" She mouthed silently to Jules who in response nodded over to Harry with a smirk. Cho only responded by rolling her eyes. Both girls looking towards the front were Harry had just wrapped up and Hermione was placing a quill by a piece of parchment paper. It didn't take long for others to glance around the room before forming a half decent line at the front. "Well?" Cho asked her, pausing a moment to wait for her friend.

Juliet nodded confidently before taking her place behind Cho in the front of the line. "Let's get into some trouble" Juliet said with a small smile. Breaking the rules was something Juliet was highly against, but she couldn't help the way her heart sped up with the thought of being a bit of a rebel. Once she and Cho reached the front she could see Harry straighten up almost immediately. Juliet smirked slightly but kept her gaze down as not to seem obvious.

Waiting for Cho to sign her name before she gave Harry a look and began chatting with him. Juliet tapped her friends shoulder and playfully pushed her to the side. "Others would like a turn as well Cho" She said as she picked up the quill and signed her name delicately underneath her friend's name. Moving to the side so Cho and Harry could awkwardly flirt. "Hello Ron, Hello Hermione" She greeted them with a bright smile.

As the line dwindled down she couldn't help but notice Art signing his name before grumbling something inaudible and heading for the door. Of course Ronald couldn't keep his comments to himself and Art jumped at the chance to make a snarky comment. "Honestly you two," Juliet said annoyed "Art is fine person, you shouldn't be so quick to judge someone you know nothing about Ron" Juliet said firmly, defending her potions partner. Looking over her shoulder to meet his eyes fro a second before he left without another word.

"I believe.. Cho and I are headed to get Butter beer at the Three Broomsticks" Juliet answered Neville's question. "You're welcome to join us Harry" Cho added, keeping her eye contact with him. "You're all welcome to join us" Juliet corrected her friend, smiling as Neville agreed to join the two girls.
 
Arthur glanced over at the person who spoke up near him, recognizing her as Juliet Duvette. He knew her from some of his classes, and had even once been assigned to be her partner in potions. A quick thought crossed his mind that he really should lose the glare now that he was looking at her and not Weasley, but it didn't do much to help his disposition.

"Thanks Juliet, but I can defend me-self," he grunted, his Irish accent already getting sloppy, as it tended to do as he got angry. He turned to give one last hard look at the offending Gryffindor before feeling a tug on the upper part of his sleeve. He left with his brother, not sparing another glance back. "I told you," Art hissed, his voice low but that didn't hide the anger it still held. "I told you that was going to be a bloody shit show." Until that point, Cassidy had been walking beside him quietly, posture impeccable and keeping up with his older brother's swift pace. When Art finished what he was saying though, the Ravenclaw stopped and turned toward him sharply, causing him to stop in surprise.

"And you thought the way to fix that was to provoke the situation?" Cassidy asked, his dark brown eyes looking down sharply. "And Slytherins wonder why everyone hates them."

"I don't wonder for a bleeding second," the redhead retorted, the heat in his chest returning. "We like being left alone. It's only when our bothersome little brothers drag us into trying to play nice with everyone else that things get ugly. You have no one to blame but yourself." Art poked his finger into his brother's chest, hard enough that he took a half step backwards. "Next time you want a favor from me, you can go right ahead and shove it up your arse."

He left the Ravenclaw standing there, choosing to make his way back towards the castle. He found he wasn't particularly in the mood to partake in any of the usual Hogsmeade goings on.

+++

Ron continued to glare at McCross, even as Juliet defended him. He was sure he knew enough about the guy to know he was trouble, regardless of what the Ravenclaw in front of him said. He didn't take his eyes off the other boy until the door shut behind him, sure now that he wouldn't be back. Ron took a deep breath, allowing himself to calm down some, before turning towards those around him.

"I don't know about that one, honestly," he said, a grimace still on his face.

"There's nothing we can do about it now," Harry said simply. "He already knows about our plans, so if he's going to turn us in, he's going to turn us in. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." The redhead knew his best friend was right, that they really had no other option but to trust the snake not to say anything, but he hated that they were in the situation. Even the words, 'trusting a snake,' sounded like the most ridiculous combination to him.

The group of them had been invited to get butterbeers with Cho and Juliet, and there was no way Ron was passing that up, much less sour it with his rotten mood (though he still stood by the fact that it was completely warranted).

"I'd be happy to come," Hermione chimed in, and the redhead did the same shortly after. He put his hat back on that he had set off to the side earlier as they all headed out into the chilly air. The walk to the Three Broomsticks was rather short, though with the weather it did seem as though it was longer. The warm pub felt cozy compared to the outside elements and Ron couldn't help but shiver slightly at the change in temperature. He hung his fleece up at the coat rack by the door, not wanting to have to drag it around with him. There were only a few tables large enough to hold all of them, so it seemed like the best option was the counter instead. Seemingly thinking the same thing, Harry and Hermione made their way over, sitting down, and Ron joined them.
 
Neville, to be honest, was a little taken back at the argument that had occurred earlier. Still he was determined not to let that ruin the rest of their Hogsmede visit and tried to put it in the back of his mind. However no matter how hard he tried Neville found himself thinking back to Art and why exactly he was even there. "Neville? Are you coming?"

Hermione's gentle voice beckoned to the boy as the others were walking out the door. "Yeah yeah of course" He said, itching his head a bit before walking over to Hermione as she tucked the parchment paper into her jacket. "So when do you guys think our first meeting will be? And.. exactly where?" He wondered aloud as the small group ventured out into the chilly October winds.

The others discussed the question in hushed voices, some suggesting Hogsmede and others saying that just wouldn't work if Umbridge took away their Hogsmede privileges, not to mention that took the younger kids out of the equation. It wasn't a long walk to the three broomsticks and Neville held the door opened for the group to file into the cozy warmth that awaited them. That was when out of the corner of his eye he saw Art walking by himself without a scarf.

Neville couldn't describe what happened next but he felt the sudden urge to go offer the boy the scarf he kept in his jacket pocket in case of emergencies. He saw that the group had finished walking in and knew he should join them. Pausing for a moment he began to walk in but stopped in his tracks and turned around. "I'll be right back" He called out and took a deep breath.

Bravery, Gryffindors are Brave. Neville was a Gryffindor so by default he was brave as well..right? Well whatever it was that drove Neville closer to where Art stalked angrily towards the castle. "Art, wait!" Neville called out. Now in a run to catch up with him. "Hey I uh.. I just wanted to say that.. we don't all distrust you.. And if you're walking back to the castle you should take this," He said pausing to pull out the dark grey scarf he has on hand "Its chilly out you know.." He said, his eyes glancing downwards to avoid the boys odd look.

+++​

"Fantastic!" Juliet said, bouncing on the heels of her feet. "Shall we then?" She asked beckoning towards the door. She filed out the door and watched as Cho and Harry took the lead, their eyes locked in a flirtatious way. Juliet rolled her eyes as she walked, ending up next to Ron who also seems lost without his best mate.

"Looks like we'll be third wheeling quite a bit.. even if they don't notice" Juliet said to Ron nodding towards the two love birds. She slowed her pace a bit and blushed averting her eyes as she spoke "I hope you know I didn't mean to offend you earlier.. It's just that I know Art and i think underneath the bad boy is a fairly nice guy that deserves a chance." She said knowing it didn't do much good but figured she'd express her opinion anyway.

The rest of the walk was discussed in hushed tones as the group argued amounts themselves before arriving at their destination. Neville held the door opened for the group to enter and she thanked him sweetly as she entered the establishment. It was bustling with all types of groups and Juliet couldn't help but smile from the warmth she instantly felt. Deciding her jacket was a bit much and hanging it up on a hook next to Ron. The group looked around, not seeing much of a space for their larger group and so she ended up following the trio to the counter. She noticed Cho took the seat next to Harry and smirked under her breath. Not minding that she got more time to debate with Weasley. She slid in between Ron and Hermione, noticing that they saved the last seat for Neville whenever he returned from wherever he had disappeared too.

She pulled at her purple sweater before ordering one butter beer. She sipped it, trying her best not to spit her drink out when she giggled at Ron and Harry's jokes. She couldn't help but admit that she found the golden trio rather charming. She even found herself leaning into Ronald when he spoke, focusing her attention to him when he looked at her.
 
Arthur's footsteps were full of purpose as he began to make his way towards the castle. He was glad his brother hadn't tried to follow, but then again, he wouldn't have really have expected him to either. As much as he liked to insinuate that Cassidy was an idiot, the kid at least knew that after Art had been pushed too far, it wasn't good to keep pushing.

The redhead heard someone call his name, and at first he thought maybe he had actually been wrong and his shit brother really was as thick as he had been saying, but that was before he realized that the voice didn't sound anything like Cassidy's. It didn't even have the right accent. "Wha..?" Art turned around, his confusion probably evident as he watched a figure approach him. His eyes narrowed a bit as he tried to decipher who it was, only to see that it was… Longbottom? What in Merlin's beard did he want? Art tensed, keeping his face guarded, though it wasn't on instinct, rather, it was more like he was forcing himself to. Something told him he really didn't have to be weary of the Gryffindor's presence, but that didn't stop the rational side of him from doing so anyway.

When Longbottom explained that they 'didn't all distrust him,' his expression softened, just in the slightest. He could already feel his anger slipping away, which was unusual for him. He sometimes found himself fuming for hours over something way more idiotic than what occurred earlier, so he couldn't understand why he wasn't completely wound. "Look, you don't have to say that for my benefit," he said, for some reason making an attempt to assure the taller boy that all was fine. "It's certainly not the first time that I've been seen as untrustworthy," he shrugged casually, head cocked slightly to one side.

Arthur's brows knitted together in confusion and surprise as Longbottom pulled out a scarf and offered it to him. "You don't have to…" he began, his voice laced with hesitancy, but he was stopped as a cold gust of wind blew past them and sent a small shiver down his spine. "A-are you sure?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he changed his tune due to the cold. He wanted to make sure the kid was genuinely offering and not under some weird delusion that their houses got along because of the chill or anything.

+++

Ron couldn't say that he was disappointed when Juliet sat next to him, rather, he felt quite the opposite. He rationalized to himself that when he turned to face her slightly more than the rest, he was trying to give his mate and Cho a bit of privacy, but if that wasn't actually the case, well, he couldn't be faulted for it. "You really try to see the good in people, don't you?" He asked Juliet before taking a sip of the butterbeer that had been placed in front of him. He knew it had to be true, what he said, if she was really willing to go to such lengths to defend a Slytherin, and McCross at that. The guy was a complete hot head.

Ron took another drink, staring down at the golden liquid before glancing over at Harry and Cho. He subtly shook his head, a tiny grin on his face. "How long do you think it'll take for one of 'em to actually make a move?" He asked, keeping his voice low and leaning in close to the witch next to him to avoid Harry from being able to eavesdrop on them. He could feel his own face flush ever so slightly, but it wasn't because of the warmth from their shared proximity.. Or rather, it was, but it didn't have much to do with the temperature. Ron could honestly say he didn't know what had gotten into him that day, but all the same, he really didn't care or mind.

"You know, I was just thinking," Hermione, spoke up, jumping from her seat a little as if whatever idea she just had, had struck her like a tiny bolt of lightning.

"When aren't you?" The redheaded Gryffindor asked, a mock, incredulous look on his face. She threw a glare his way for interrupting her, but he could tell it was meant to be a friendly gesture.

"Why don't we have our meetings in the Forbidden Forest?" She asked, glancing around to take in everyone's opinions.

"Like bloody hell," Ron shook his head, his tone still light, but he was most certainly serious.

"Ron's right, what if Umbridge makes it too difficult to leave the castle?" Harry added, and Hermione's shoulders slumped a bit. "We'll think of somewhere," he glanced at the people on either side of him. "I think over the next few days, we should all come up with ideas as to where we could hold the meetings. Your first assignment." The dark haired boy grinned and Ron just rolled his eyes, unable to help himself.
 
Neville couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. His body relaxed as he saw Art's face soften just the slightest. Neville wasn't exactly sure why he had even approached the tall Slytherin boy but yet here he stood face to face as the cold winds blew by them. "It's not for your benefit... It's just that Weaseley doesn't speak for all of us," He said confidently, nodding slightly. "And if Juliet trusts you then why shouldn't we all, so what if you're a bit hot headed?" He said with a slight smirk, cocking his head at the boy.

Neville handed the scarf over to the boy. "Yeah I'm sure, my grandmother made me a new one, I don't have much need for this one." He said with a smile "Besides it's freezing out here, you must be mad to try to walk all the way back to the castle without one" Laughing slightly before coughing and straightening up. "Anyway, I figured I'd offer an invitation to join us for Butterbeer, although I don't reckon you will" He said with a slight laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Just in case you didn't really want to venture out into that chilly wind alone" He turned for a second as if to walk away before stopping quickly and turning around to face Art again.

Neville leaned in slightly and dropped his voice to a whisper, "I hope to see you at the meetings anyway McCross" before giving a slight nod and walking away. "You can keep the scarf" He yelled over his shoulder, pausing to give the boy a quick wink before continuing on his way towards the Three Broomsticks.

As he reached the door he shook his head for a second. He wasn't quite sure what had just come over him, why he had even approached the boy to begin with. Neville wasn't usually that forward, or that bold to be quite honest. If anything Neville was quite awkward. Everyone knew the taller and slightly plump boy wasn't known to be a smooth talker, so why had he thrown a wink in at Art? Utterly confused, Neville took a deep breathe before pulling the door open, hoping no one would question his slightly pink cheeks.

+++​
Juliet leaned in slightly when Ron turned towards her, nodding slightly when he told her that she tried to see the good in people. "Maybe its the muggle in me," She said with a slight laugh "Honestly, though McCross isn't all that awful, he can be quite funny really. I just think he deserves a chance, everyone deserves at least one chance don't you think?" She asked, her right eyebrow raised slightly.

She took a slight sip from her butter beer and licked her top lip free of the foam before returning her eyes to him. She was happy for the change in conversation, when he mentioned Cho and Harry she grinned slightly and glanced over to the two who were in a deep conversation. A slight giggle escaping her lips as she glanced away. "I don't know if they'll ever make a move to be quite honest. Cho is a bit of a baby when it comes to guys." She said in a hushed tone. "Maybe you should hint to Harry to make a move, it might make the situation a bit less..." Her glance looking over to where the two were awkwardly giggling. "Awkward?" She said, tilting her head to the side.

As Ron and Juliet leaned closer to each other she could feel her face flush ever so slightly, she wasn't entirely sure why but yet the ginger boy made her heart beat quicken. It was then that the witch next to them spoke up, causing Juliet's face to pull away quickly from Ronald's. She took another sip of her foamy drink, taking the opportunity to calm her blushing cheeks. She listened in as they chatted yet again on the ideal location for their little classes, and giggled softly as Harry gave them their first real assignment. "I'll visit the library tonight and see if I can come up with something." She said with a small smile.

Noticing the Neville had just arrived as she motioned for the boy to come join the rest of them.
 
Arthur, ever so hesitantly, took the scarf that was being held out to him. He was still incredibly confused about the entire situation, though he chuckled when Longbottom called him mad. "I think I was more mad to ever let my brother talk me into going to that meeting," he said, half mumbling it to himself though. A tight, somewhat awkward smile made it's way on his face at the invitation to join the lot of them for drinks at the Three Broomsticks. "Yeah, I think I'll pass," he responded, the last thing he wanted to do was to meet up with all of them for a 'fun and friendly outing.'

Just when it appeared that Longbottom was going to go his separate way, he turned back to the redhead and leaned in unexpectedly, causing Art to tense instinctively. He could just barely feel the heat of the taller boy's breath on his face before he was walking away again, leaving the Slytherin somewhat stunned. Before he had any chance to recover, Longbottom glanced back over his shoulder, telling him to keep it, and then winked. Or at least, that's what it looked like. Maybe he imagined it, yes, that seemed like the much more plausible option.

Art was doing the best he could to control his bewildered expression, though he was nearly positive that he was doing a very poor job. What the hell just happened? He thought to himself. He stood there, unmoving, looking after Longbottom, until he had gone inside. It wasn't until then that his shoulders slumped and he looked down at the scarf. Well, he figured he might as well use it, it was quite frigid outside. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear his mind, he wrapped the grey knit material around his neck and turned around to make his way back to the castle. He didn't know if it was the type of cologne the Gryffindor used or what, but he couldn't help noticing that the scarf had a faintly, somewhat intoxicating smell as it protected him from the wind.

+++

Ron merely shrugged at Juliet's question. Sure, he could agree with the principle of letting everyone have a second chance, but in his eyes, McCross and the rest of the Slytherins just proved to him time and time again how big of arses they could be. He didn't want to belabor the conversation further though, so he let the subject drop in favor of a new one.

"Harry might on his own, if he's feeling bold enough, he grinned, sparing a glance at the two next to him before looking back at Juliet. "Though I have to agree, they are just a tad awkward," he chuckled, resting his elbows on the counter in front of him, taking another drink of his butterbeer.

Ron thought over what Harry and Hermione said, trying to think of his own ideas as to where they could go for the meetings. He thought about it for a while, coming up empty handed before he abandoned the search for now. They weren't in an incredible hurry to figure this out, and he was sure it would come to one of them sooner or later. As it was, Juliet had already offered to go to the library, so it was clear to him everyone else was already on top of things.

The redhead looked up as the door to the tavern opened and in walked Neville, a somewhat confused expression on his face. Ron's eyes narrowed slightly in his own confusion as he tried to think of where the other Gryffindor would have gone, but when he came up empty, he glanced over at him. "Where'd you go mate? You missed the first assignment," he said, laughing lightly. He looked around, hoping there was a seat open for the other boy, and was glad to see Juliet, who was currently beckoning him towards it, had saved a spot for him. Ron, doing his own part, called over the bartender so Neville could get some butterbeer of his own.
 
Neville noticed the blonde girl waving him down and grinned. He put his hand up to wave back and swiftly removed his own scarf before hanging it on the rack. He sauntered over to his group of friends before sitting awkwardly on the edge of the stool. Huddled next to two of the most brilliant witches in his class. Neville could have never imagined himself here when he started school, not with two pretty girls on either side of him. Though he figured Hermione was;t much into dating since Viktor Krum and Juliet seemed to fancy Weasley oddly enough.

What seemed even more odd then the pretty blonde Ravenclaw flirting with the hot headed ginger, was that even in the presence of three of the most gorgeous witches, Neville's mind was still wandering back to one person in particular. Arthur McCross, the hot headed and cunning Slytherin. The boy who could make a first year cry just with one glare of his eyes. The boy who broke a broom in half last year on the Qudditch field. The boy who even Malfoy wouldn't mess around with. However Neville was drawn in by his eyes, hidden under his red mop of hair. is smell was intoxicating.. He was intoxicating.

It was then that Neville was brought out of his daze by the searing pain he felt on his upper bicep. "Ouch" He muttered under his breath, as he rubbed his forearm. He heard Juliet ask him a question, so he glanced over and down at the blonde with. "Yeah I'm okay, just think something bit me.." He said, his voice trailing off as he looked up at the bartender. "One butter beer please" He said, adjusting his sweater a bit. His face became a violent shade of scarlet when Ron asked where he had been. He coughed before saying quickly "Oh I just had to drop off a letter at the post office for my grandma, had to thank her for the new scarf." He said.

"Sorry I missed the first assignment then, someone want to fill me in?" Hermione easily pipped up to fill the boy in on how they were suppose to come up with a place to hold their meetings. Which Neville chuckled softly. "Easy enough"

+++​

Juliet beamed as Neville joined them, moving a bit towards Ron so the bigger boy could fit in between her and Hermione. She scorched herself closer to Ron, almost toppling into his lap. "Whoops!" She said softly, giggling a bit as she balanced herself. Her hand brushing Ron's as she glanced up to meet his eyes. As their eyes met, she brushed a stray piece of her hair away from out of her eyes. It was then that she felt a burning sensation in her cheeks, and then the warmth moved to her right wrist. "Ouch" She squealed as she pulled her hand away from his and pulled her sweater down to see that yet another black line had been added to her wrist.

Tugging quickly at her sleeve, hoping no one noticed the newly scared black lines. Her mind racing as she tried to figure out an explanation for the randomly appearing lines. 'Just another thing I need to research tonight' She thought to herself, forcing herself to listen in on a new conversation. "So, what are your plans for the upcoming Christmas break Ron?" She asked, hoping to get a distraction from the burning sensation on her wrist.

Once Neville had said something about the post office Juliet piped up. "Oh gosh! I have a letter for my parents" She said with a sigh. "I've got to remember to get that to the post office, I don't have an owl of my own so this is kind of something I can't forget" She said with a slight laugh at herself.
 
The entire way back to the castle Arthur tried to take his mind off of what had happened, but it wasn't easy to say the least. He would do his best to focus on the ground in front of him, listening to the sound of his shoes thud dully against the cobblestone, but the scarf he had on was somewhat scratchy, and kept bringing him back to the present. He reached his hand back to itch at the spot that the wool kept scratching, though, his skin didn't feel entirely smooth. Figuring he had just lightly scratched it with his fingernails, causing the raised lines, he let it go as he approached the castle.

There weren't many people meandering about the castle other than the first and second years who weren't allowed to go on the trip just yet. Just give it a month or so and none of us will be able to go, he thought, thinking about Umbridge's ever tightening hold on the school rules. Maybe if this whole Dumbledore's Army thing wasn't run by Potter and his Gryffindor friends, he'd be more excited about it. But then again, probably not. Art wasn't really one to involve himself in rebellious things such as this. He normally didn't care enough. He still didn't really care, and there was a large chance that he wouldn't go to any more of the meetings… but then he thought about how Longbottom had told him that he 'hoped to see him at the meetings' and that made his stomach do a little flip. He gritted his teeth at the annoyance of it all, convincing himself that he wasn't going to let that change his mind on the matter. He barely knew the guy after all, so what weight did his opinion really hold?

Art got back to his room, having nowhere else he needed or really cared to be. By this point, the back of his neck burned… la naiba, he thought, he must've really scratched himself good. He took off the scarf and hat, as well as shrugged out of his coat, laying them all on top of his trunk before going into the bathroom. He turned around and pulled his hair up doing his best to turn just right to see the back of his neck in the mirror. What he found there was not slightly red, irritated scratch marks, rather a few heavy, back lines. Căcat.

(translation: damnit, shit)

+++

Ron watched Neville approach the counter where they all were with a sidelong glance, on hand lazily still wrapped around his butterbeer. He didn't have a lot of time to recognize that Juliet was moving over closer to him until she had lost her balance and he instantly moved to make sure she didn't fall, one hand going to her mid back while the other was held out to help her steady herself if she needed it. Their hands brushed as she straightened up some, and Ron grinned down at her a little wolfishly as she giggled, looking back up at him.

Juliet's expression soon changed though, her face twisting into something that wasn't as light hearted as she let out a soft squeal, pulling away. The redhead's brow furrowed, looking over her to see what could have happened. "Is everything alright?" He asked, worried he had done something to hurt her. Without realizing it, his hand was still resting on her back as he glanced at her, concerned. The only thing he noticed was her tugging at her sleeve, and he wondered what had happened, but thought it better not to ask. It was clear to him that if something did happen, she didn't want to bring attention to it. Though, he might ask her if they got a chance away from the group at some point. After the lines on her face smoothed out some, Ron straightened up some, moving his hand away, before leaning on the counter with his elbows.

The Gryffindor shrugged at the question asked to him, a neutral expression on his face. "Probably just going home and spending time with my family, as usual," he replied honestly. He took a drink, and afterwards wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before glancing back at the Ravenclaw next to him. "What about you? Are you staying here or going home?"

Ron listened to the conversation between Neville, Juliet, and the others for a bit, hearing that Juliet needed to stop at the post office in Hogsmeade. "I can walk with you, if you want," he suggested, raising his eyebrows in question. He would have offered her to use his own owl, but his family didn't use it very much as a delivery bird anymore for… obvious reasons.
 
Neville nodded as he and Hermione carried on a good conversation about their upcoming essay in herbolgy. Neville had a knack for plants, and more often than not had considered a career in it. Both he and Hermione had noticed that their friends had begun flirting and both rolled their eyes and tried to contain the laughter they both felt. Hermione leaned into him a bit and laughed saying "I don't know who is more ridiculous, Harry or Ron."

Neville nodded in agreement as he glanced over his shoulder to see both mates leaned into the conversations the Ravenclaw girls had started. "It's almost like they're under a spell." He said, wiggling his eyebrows as the witch burst into a fit of giggles. Neville laughed as well before taking another sip of his drink. He was thankful for the distraction especially as the burning sensation on his upper shoulder and the image of the Slytherin boy who was playing in his mind.

When it seemed that most of them had finished their drinks Neville looked outside. "I think the winds have died down. If you guys are ready to head back to the castle?" He asked. Hermione nodded and hopped down from the stool she sat on, as Harry and Cho motioned that they would follow. His brow arched as Juliet and Ron made their way to the door. "Should we wait for you two?" He called after them to which they both glanced over their shoulders and shook their heads.

He got his scarf back on and held the door open for both the witches and Harry. "Shall we?" He asked his friends as they started their way back to the castle with a large group. It seemed that the day had slowly disappeared and now groups of kids were headed back home to get dinner and ready for bed. "So are you guys excited for the upcoming Qudditch game?" He asked his friends. Harry nodded before adding "Yeah as long as McCross doesn't break another broomstick" To which Neville smiled a bit and shook his head.

+++

Juliet smiled as Ron's hand remained on her back. "I'm good thank you, just a little itch!" She said, tugging at her sweater sleeves yet again. She listened intensely as he spoke of his winter break plans. She nodded as he spoke. "That's good to hear. I'm sure your mother misses you" She said with a giggle.

When he asked about her own plans she sighed "My parents want me to come back, they're not sure if I should return though. I'm a bit anxious about returning home. My parents may be muggle but they even know something weird is happening." She said with a quiet sigh. "But I'm sure I can convince them to let me return, especially when I tell them that I can protect myself now" She said hinting to the new class they were starting.

"I'd love if you walked me to the post office. I've been asking my parents to get my my own owl for a while but they say my cat is enough responsibility for now." She said with a laugh, as she hopped down from the stool. "Shall we?" She asked as they made their way to the door only pausing to nod to Neville that they would catch up. As they ventured out into the cold they quickly ran next door to the post office as Juliet pulled the letter out of her coat pocket.
 
Arthur had not expected this to happen so soon. And by this, he meant getting his soulmark. For most people, it didn't happen early in life, especially not to someone who was going to be 16 years old in just a few weeks. His perceivable bad mood just got worse as he started at the dark lines, still unable to decipher what they were supposed to make out. With a last glance, he let his hair down and straightened his back. It didn't matter that he was getting his soulmark, it wouldn't make any sort of difference in the end anyway. His parents were already anticipating him marrying a pureblood girl from a good family. While most teenagers his age would cringe at the thought of having to marry someone against their will, the idea of it was already well ingrained into the Slytherin. He had known his whole life that was to be his fate.

So there was some unlucky person, most likely a student, that wouldn't get their happily ever after. Oh well. He figured that, as long as he kept his hair down, he wouldn't have to worry about anybody figuring out he was their soulmate. It was something he did regularly anyway, so he knew it wouldn't be an issue. He left the bathroom, leaving the Slytherin common room entirely in favor of going out towards the Quidditch field. Practice was scheduled to be soon anyway, right after the Hogsmeade trip, so he figured he'd head out there early, maybe get some extra practice in. It'd help clear his head anyway.

The redheaded Slytherin went to the locker rooms first, getting into his Quidditch gear and then going off in search of some of the practice equipment, specifically, the two bludgers. He always used his own bat, which he had in his hand, and in his other, his broom. He struggled only slightly to get the wiggling targets out onto the field before releasing them, and going up to let them chase him as he practiced his technique, something he did often when he knew no one else would be using the field.

+++

"That makes sense," Ron nodded a bit thoughtfully as he listened to Juliet speak of her potential plans for winter break and her parents concerns about them. "Muggles are notified, through the news, when something's up with the wizarding world, right? Or at least, they are as vaguely as possible so they know there's danger but we're not exposed. That's what my dad's told me anyhow," he said, thinking back to that particular conversation with his father what was probably a long time ago now.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure Harry'll teach you a whole mess of new tricks. Or rather, he'll be teaching all of us," the redhead grinned when Juliet mentioned that she'd be able to protect herself. He truly had a lot of faith in his best friend, and he knew that it was rightfully placed as well.

He stood up along with the Ravenclaw as they prepared to make their way out of the Three Broomsticks and to the local post office. As he went for his coat, the rack being close by to where they were sitting, he listened to her talk about how she wanted an owl. "I understand why you'd want one, but two pets sure would be a lot. I had a hell of a time taking care of a rat, just ask Harry or Hermione and they'll tell you the same thing," he laughed, thinking back to third year. What a wild ride that was for sure.

Ron nodded as the made their way towards the door, throwing a wave back at his friends before opening it, letting the witch step through before he let it fall shut, not hearing it thud shut until they had already turned and began walking the opposite way. He thought about letting it drop, but there was still something on his mind from earlier, and he just couldn't let it go, at least not yet.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ron asked, gesturing towards Juliet's wrist. "It seemed like it was perhaps, uh, a bit more serious that you were trying to show. I could take a look at it.. If you wanted?" He asked, an eyebrow raised and a soft expression of concern on his face.
 
Neville and Harry chatted as the four made their way back to the castle. They had just rounded the corner when from the corner of his eye Neville saw something flying up ahead. "Aye Harry maybe you shouldn't get too cocky just yet.. Looks like McCross is out getting ready for the game" He said nudging the boy who lived playfully. Harry just chuckled and shrugged. "I mean I could go practice too but I don't need it"

Hermione then proceeded to hit Harry as Cho chuckled. "You better hope you win then Potter" Cho teased as they approached the field. Neville paused to watch the Slytherin boy who seemed all to focused to see the four of them passing through. It was then that Hermione mentioned that see was going to go to the library before dinner. Cho invited Harry to walk her back to her common room which he obviously accepted right away.

As the group parted ways, Neville hung back, watching Art fly back and forth. Feeling the strange burning sensation yet again as he looked down at his arm. He tore away at the fabric to see the beginnings of two black lines, a sign that his soul mark was beginning to form. Neville could feel his palms been to sweat even with the chilly winds blowing at him. He had never expected his soul mark to arrive so soon. He was barley sixteen, how could he have already met his soulmate? He inspected the mark a bit more, trying to make out what exactly it even was. All he could see were two curved lines horizontal to each other.

So if he had begun to develop a soul mark . then who was the mysterious soulmate in question? The question lingered in his mind so much that he forgot that he was still wandering the Qudditch field.

+++

"Yeah and I know they're right. Besides, Barnivus hates owls and birds of any sort" She said with a laugh and gave her blonde locks a shake. "It would just be a lot easier then always having to ask Cho to use her owl or carrying a bunch of letters on me at all times" She said laughing softly. She glanced over at Ron with a giggle "Oh? You had two pets? I know you had that owl, I remember he almost ran over me one day in the Great Hall" She said laughing as she remembered the moment. She nodded as they continued to chat. "Yeah I'm pretty sure they get some sort of newsletter. Since they don't entirely understand what's going on"

As they walked towards the building Ron asked her again about her wrist and she gave a soft sigh. "Well.. uh I'm just not sure what to make of this.." She said, slowly pulling the sweater up her right arm to reveal the four horizontal black lines on her wrist. "I've been trying to ignore it but it's a searing pain, It's like a tattoo, but also like a spider bite or something like that." She complained. "I'm not really sure what it even is or why it's appearing.." She said, a bit angry that as a Ravenclaw she had no clue as to what the strange markings meant.

Just then they had arrived at the post office and she pulled open the door to walk inside. Juliet always loved the post office since it was home to the most beautiful owls that would soar overhead. She walked up to the counter and patiently waited in line before getting to the front. Juliet quickly handed the letter over to the person behind the counter and pulled out her purse to leave a little tip behind. She gave a dashing smile before turning on her heel and looking over to Ron. "Shall we head back to the castle then?" She asked. Enjoying the moments they had in the heated building.
 
Art practiced diligently as he did always. Some people may call him an airhead (and he knew they did), but those particular individuals had usually never seen him train. To be a beater took a great amount of upper body strength and balance, something he had worked hard to achieve most of his life. When they were all younger, his brothers and he used to play quidditch together, two on two. They never played with a snitch though, as none of them cared to take on the role of a seeker. It had always been one quaffle, one bludger. The redhead had always particularly enjoyed pelting his brothers with the bludger, but sending it crashing into one of his peers wasn't a bad feeling either.

Art's target was primarily the goal posts, since he wasn't playing against anyone physically. He positioned himself a good many meters in front of one side's posts as he swung his bat, sending the bludgers through the openings time and time again, though sometimes they would ricochet off of the edges of the metal hoops and fly back towards him, requiring him to dive either out of the way or in order to hit them once more back the direction they came.

One particular bludger caused him to reach so far that he spun right around on his broom until he was hanging upside down. Not something that never happened to him before, but it definitely was unpleasant, considering there were two bludgers flying about and he didn't have an incredible amount of strength in his legs. The only thing he could do to correct his stance was to reach up to grip the broom handle with both hands, bat between his teeth. He tugged both arms towards his chest as he arched his back, putting just enough momentum into it to cause the broom to circle until he was sitting upright once again, albeit facing the opposite direction.

The redhead was going to go back to his practice, but he had noticed someone on the ground that had caught his eye. Unable to help his curiosity, he flew lower, trying to see who it was. "Longbottom? What're you doing here?" He asked, voice loud so it was still audible from him being up in the air. He opened his mouth to say more, but it was then that a bludger whizzed past his head, causing him to jerk away, bat at the ready.

+++

"Barnivus is certainly an interesting name for a cat," Ron chuckled as they walked side by side. He casually rubbed the back of his neck, glancing down at her, grin on his face. "Well, Errol, the owl, is more like a family pet. We don't really have him delivering mail anymore though, I'm sure you can guess why," he said, a bit sheepishly after her story of the rudy bird almost flying into her. He couldn't say he wasn't surprised, not in the least, but it still was a bit embarrassing.

The Gryffindor nodded at Juliet's explanation of the newsletter her parents got. He really didn't know a lot about muggle life, and the small amount he did know came from his dad. He was sure that he had paid more attention to the things his father talked about, he would know more, but little good that did him now. There was no way he would be able to impress the Ravenclaw with his knowledge of muggles, since it was rather unimpressive.

Ron held back a small sigh of relief when Juliet agreed to let him see her wrist, glad she was letting him help. He hoped that whatever it was wasn't too bad though- if it was, perhaps they could ask Hermione, he was sure that she would know. He leaned over to get a closer look at her arm as she hesitantly pulled her sleeve up some. His narrowed eyes widened as he saw what lay on her tanned wrist and what the implications of the lines were. Without moving his head, his eyes flickered up to her. "That's your soulmark. You're telling me you don't know what that means?" He asked, his previously stiff body now moving so he was standing upright. "It's usually pretty unheard of to get them at this age but, it- it means that you're going to find your soulmate soon."

In fact, he didn't think he had ever heard of anyone their age getting their soulmark and meeting their soulmate, but he knew it wasn't impossible. He followed her into the post office as he thought about the situation, and then back outside so they could continue back to Hogwarts. The students would eventually all be asked to return anyway, so now was as good of time as any. "Seriously, no one's ever talked about a soulmark around you before?" Ron couldn't help but ask, his mind still on the subject. He couldn't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy towards whoever was her soulmate, but he knew that he would find his perfect match eventually.
 
"What could two curved lines be anyway?" He mumbled to himself as he threw his hands in his pockets. Neville was a bit of an awkward kid, sure he had friends but most of the time he preferred to be by himself. It gave him time to think straight when he was alone. The winds had died down just enough that they didn't phase him nearly as much. It was nearly unheard of to begin getting your soul mark at such a young age. His mother and father hadn't received their soul marks until they were 2 years into their auror jobs at the ministry. His grandmother told him that she hadn't received hers until she was graduating from Hogwarts. So for Neville to already have to beginnings of a soul mark in the beginning of his fifth year was unheard of.

Neville was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the McCross boy nearly fall of his broom. It wasn't until he heard the boy call out to him that he even remembered the boy was also there. "Oh. Hey Arthur" Neville called out, waving his left hand slightly to be friendly. It was then that he saw the boy almost collide with a bludger. "Are you okay mate?" Neville called out, not entirely sure why he had, since Art was one the best beaters at Hogwarts. His face flushed a bit as he cleared his throat to avoid the strange look he knew he'd get. "I'm sorry to be disrupting your practice.. I hope I wasn't being a nuisance" He called out. Doing his best to be as little a bother as possible to the Slytherin boy.

He had been looking up at the stands, one of his favorite places to do his homework and clear his mind. It had a beautiful view and was relatively quiet unless their was practice going on. Almost thinking he would climb the back stairs to sit in the stand but figured Art would think he was even weirder than he had already come off as. In truth through, Neville was just a nice guy, a friend to all if you will. That was why many people thought he belonged in Hufflepuff, and why Neville himself often thought he'd have been a better fit in Hufflepuff swell. He rubbed his neck sheepishly as he turned to leave the field, still lost in his thoughts.

+++

Juliet cocked her head in confusion when Ron explained her new markings. "A soul mark?" She asked as they began walking out into the windy weather. She was shocked when Ron explained to her the new found meaning of the mark. "My what?" She exclaimed dumbfounded. "My soulmate? Like the person I should be with forever?" She asked again. He asked if she had seriously never heard of it before, something that made her blush slightly. "No, I've never heard of it.. I'm guessing it's something that they tell you early on in the wizard world then.." She said softly. "I've actually been trying to research it for a few days now, I've heard of it but.. I guess I always thought it was just a pureblood thing" She said with a shrug.

As they continued on towards the castle she figured she'd ask him more about the mark since he seemed to know something about it. "What do you think it is?" She asked, letting him look at the mark again. "Is it suppose to be a symbol then?" She asked curiously. "Do you have one Ron?" She asked with a small smile, her smile faded when she thought about what he had said earlier. "Never mind you said it's rare for it to appear this early.. Maybe it's because I'm a muggleborn" She offers the solution their odd question. "So what is a normal time for a person to get their soul mark?"

The wind blew harshly against them, so she huddled closer to Ron to avoid the cold breeze. She was a bit sad that she wasn't going to be able to really date anyone, since well she had already met the person she should be with forever. The thought of finding her true love did make her a bit excited though, since the marks meant she had already met the person. The happy thoughts turn a bit sad when she thought of what if her soulmate had died already. The thoughts swirled in her head as they walked towards the castle. Huddled against Ron made her think of the flirting she had done with Ron earlier, which now seemed silly knowing she already had a soulmate. Though it didn't change the way the short blonde felt about the Weasley boy.
 
The bludger that had just passed him was already coming back towards him, but Arthur took care of it easily, sending it clear off in the opposite direction, the crack of his bat against the iron ball audible throughout the field. "Er, yeah, I'm alright," the redhead replied as he twisted back around to look at the Gryffindor. "Don't worry about it," Art shrugged. "No bother." One person out on the field really wasn't any sort of distraction, so it honestly wasn't a big deal. "It a habit of yours to be out on the field right before Slytherin practice though?" He asked, a hint of a smirk on his face.

Another bludger passed not too far from him, and figuring it was reckless to let them fly around unattended, he went to go collect them, knowing he'd have to put at least one of them away by the start of practice. His team, when it was just them, didn't like to let him practice hitting bludgers at them because he had a pretty good aim and no one wanted to be hurt before a game. It made sense but still was slightly disappointing. Usually, when it was time to put the bludgers away, one of his teammates would use immobulus on them to make them a lot easier to catch. The problem was that none of his teammates were there and admittedly, Art wasn't the best at charms. So, he did things his way.

The Slytherin flew down to the ground, making sure his feet were firmly planted among the short grass before lightly tossing his broom and bat to the side. Knowing that the bludgers would come down to where he was made it easier to catch them. Sure enough, within seconds one of the iron balls dived for him, and he wrestled it into a hold that could have been considered a choke hold if it were human. He was strong enough that he could keep most of it's wiggling under control, but still felt slightly jostled by it as he made his way back to the trunk where the bludgers were stored.

+++

"Yeah, I suppose around here it is treated a bit like common knowledge, no one would really have a need much to talk about it meaning that you'd be left out," Ron nodded as Juliet spoke, it making more sense to him now, but it still being weird to think about. How odd it truly must be to learn out of the blue that you had a soulmate. It was hard for him to imagine, but then again, he'd known all his life that his perfect someone was out there.

"A pureblood thing? Nah, I guess it's tied to our magic or something, and so that's why all wizards and witches have 'em, including muggleborns." He explained. "It's actually a tradition among stingy pureblood families to ignore their children's soulmarks and arrange them to marry other purebloods in order to keep their bloodline 'clean.'" The redhead put air quotes around the last word, obviously finding the whole notion absolutely ridiculous. He was apart of, very clearly, one of the pureblood families that did not involve themselves in these practices, finding them utterly moronic. The only reason totally pureblood families even existed anymore was because of the preservation of them by snooty wizards and the fact that muggleborn children were an increasingly growing phenomenon.

Ron glanced over when Juliet showed him her mark again, squinting, as if trying to discern some hidden meaning from the lines there. "I haven't a clue as to what it could be," he said after a moment, tilting his head as if that would give him a better perspective. It didn't. "It's supposed to be- or what it'll eventually be, I guess, is your soulmate's patronus. So it'll be some kind of animal at the end."

"No, I haven't got mine yet," he said, absentmindedly scratching at his shoulder. "Usually people get theirs around mid to late twenties? There isn't one 'normal' time to get it, it just usually doesn't appear while people are still in school." He shrugged as they walked side by side back to Hogwarts. As the wind picked up they walked closer and Ron put his arm around Juliet, trying to hopefully keep her warmer.

"This okay?" He asked, a bit awkwardly, remembering a bit too late that she was going to find her soulmate soon and that they definitely weren't him.
 
Neville watched as the boy carefully spun back around on his broom, much to his shock He'd never seen someone with the skill set Arthur had with a broom. When Neville heard Art's response his face spread into a small smile as Art let him stay. He wasn't sure why he was so happy but never the less he climbed the back stairs and ended up settled in the usual Gryffindor stands. He laughed a bit as Art called out to him. "Well not usually.." He called out to him "But hey there's a first time for everything" He said with a sheepish grin at the boy.

Neville pulled his journal out of his coat pocket and flipped the small book open. He used the journal as a way to write down his thoughts and even used it for his own little research questions. Most people would have thought him weird, but he kept it as a personal thing. The journal was a gift from his grandma when he was younger. Due to his awkward and shy nature she suggested Neville write his thoughts and feelings in a safe place, and it helped Neville a lot. So even to this day he wrote to help him sort through his feelings and even just remember certain events.

When Neville looked up he saw Art on the ground wrestling with the iron clad ball into almost a choke hold. He stumbled out of his seat and over to the railing, calling down to the boy with an eyebrow raised. "You okay mate? Need some help?" He asked. The boy was already on his way towards the trunk on the ground and Neville couldn't help but chuckle. It certainly wasn't the easiest way to put away bludgers, but Neville had a feeling nothing about McCross was easy.

+++
Juliet laughed slightly. "This is fine Ron" She said as the two made their way towards the castle. In fact, it was more than fine to the blonde girl. It felt somewhat normal if she was honest. Ronald had a certain aura to him that made Juliet feel safe. He certainly wasn't the awkward ginger boy that she had seen during their first year. "You certainly have change a lot Ron" She said with a chuckle. "I was just thinking about how you desperately needed a haircut last year" She teased. "And at least your fashion sense got a bit better" She said playfully with a nudge at his side, mostly referring to his appearance at the Yule Ball the previous year.

Juliet couldn't really judge however, she had been an awkward bundle of bubbly energy her first year. She had not only been a muggleborn with, so her parents had a rather hard time helping her shop for things. Making her robes a bit too big. She also had never had to do her own hair so of course it looked like a mess at all times. Not to mention the glasses she wore up until her third year. Thankfully Cho had seen past her awkwardly sized robes and pigtails to see she was actually a brilliant mind. In fact during her first year she had actually scored in the top in her classes, earning her the respect of her fellow Ravenclaws.

Cho had helped Juliet over the summer between her third and fourth year, and Juliet had ditched the glasses for contacts and finally learned how to do her hair properly. So here she was now, her fifth year and still top in her classes but now, had the confidence to match. "So I think were going to be spending a bit more time together," She said with a smile. "I mean now with the DA and Cho and Harry.." She said, an awkward blush appearing on her face.
 
Arthur looked up from his spot on the ground as Longbottom called down to him, asking if he needed help. He chuckled, waving his free hand to say he was fine. "I've got it," he replied. The easy part was getting the bludger to the case. The hard part was going to be getting it back in. After a bit of struggling though, he was able to manage, his orange hair only slightly mussed up from the effort. He glanced up and saw the rest of the Slytherin team approaching from the locker rooms, ready to train. The captain rolled his eyes when he saw Art.

"What've you been doing out here? Putting holes in the stands?" She asked, looking him up and down quizzically.

"One time," the redhead muttered under his breath as she passed by him, going out to the center of the field.

"Pretty sure it was more than just once, McCross," she said, without looking back over her shoulder. Arthur sighed, not arguing it as he was pretty sure she was right. Bletchley, their keeper, grabbed the case he had just finished stuffing the bludger into, moving it out to the center with them so they could use the other contents to practice. "Now, here's how this is going to work…" their captain began. It wasn't really anything new Art, they usually ran practice the same way every time.

The Slytherin glanced up to where Neville had been sitting, a little bit worried that if the others spotted him, they might say something. He wasn't sure what, but he knew it was in their nature. Hell, he had even said something to Neville when he first saw him, but he was a little more inclined not to be as rude to the Gryffindor due to recent events.

+++

Ron nodded a bit involuntarily at Juliet's response, glad to know she was okay with how they were. And anyway, he had only put his arm around her in an attempt to help keep her warm. Though… he did have to admit that he kind of liked how she felt next to him, but he was sure that was just because she was a pretty girl. And really nice, and who saw the best in people, and… well, yeah. The redhead was pulled out of his thoughts at the witch's comments, chuckling. "Hey, everyone's got to try long hair out at some point," he grinned down at her. His hair still flopped down into his eyes, but it was much shorter than it had been the previous year, having been finally cut over the summer.

They had walked most of the rest of the way in silence, each caught up in their own minds. It felt like a comfortable silence to Ron though, one that seemed easy. As they approached the castle though, the Ravenclaw spoke up again and he looked down at her. He could feel the tips of his ears go red at the thought of the two of them spending more time together. He knew what she meant, and when she clarified it only further solidified it, but he couldn't help thinking about them spending time together outside the DA.

"Yeah," he agreed, nodding. "It'll be great for all of us to be able to get together and do this. If it wasn't for the circumstances, I'd say this is a good way for some of the houses to come together," he said, thinking about it. Mostly, houses kept to themselves. He had friends and knew people in other houses, obviously, but he could definitely say there was a sort of bubble around each house.
 
Neville leaned over the railing of the Gryffindor section of stands to watch Art below. He chuckled deeply as he watched Art, curious as to how the boy thought wrestling with the blunger was going to make matters any better. "At least he's getting a work out in" He said with a small shake of his head. Neville squinted a bit to watch as McCross finally managed to secure the blunger into the case. The orange hair slightly messed up from the tumble he had with the enchanted equipment.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see figures approaching the field. Neville couldn't help but grab at his scarf and tugged at it anxiously as he watched the Slytherin team begin to flood onto the Qudditch field. He quickly scurried back over to his seat and threw his head into the book he brought. It wasn't unlike him to sit in on other qudditch practices, sometimes even staying to watch the Slytherin team. Neville couldn't hide the slight smirk he had as he remembered the last time he had stayed to watch a Quidditch practice, it had ended with two members getting into a fight and on ended up being pushed off the broom. Something that Slytherins were known for, breaking broomsticks. But Neville figured Slytherins could all afford to buy new ones, considered most if not all of them came from rich pureblood families of class.

However when Neville watched them start to ascend into the dark windy sky, he couldn't help but to watch Art. He wasn't quite sure why he felt the current pull to McCross, but he didn't seem to mind it in the slightest. He even wondered, if only for a fleeting moment, if the sudden interest in Arthur had anything to do with his soul mark. But that was ridiculous! Neville liked girls. He like Luna a while back and even had a slight crush on Ginny last year. And no matter, Art probably had many female suitors of his own, he was sure he was a hit with the slytherin girls. He probably even attracted the attention of girls who had the hots for the bad boy type. It honestly made Neville chuckle a bit as he hid his eyes back in the journal that sat open in his lap.

Trying his best to avoid unwanted attention from the snakes that flew in circles around him. He didn't want to make trouble for McCross, and he especially didn't want to pick a fight with one of the other team members. He wasn't one for throwing around insults, so usually when someone picked on him he'd often lower his eyes and take it. Almost every Slytherin had made some sort of rude comment to him, even Arthur had a few times. Though with a last name like Longbottom, Neville could kind of see how he was an easy target. However this year Neville figured he'd start to try and grow a backbone, he wasn't as heavyset anymore and had gotten a nice haircut over the summer. Besides, who would want a soulmate that can't even stand up for them?

+++

Juliet couldn't hide the red that only grew more vibrant when she locked eyes with the known red head. She briefly wanted to reach out and sweep his bangs out of his face, but she bit her lower lip and held back the urge as they walked and she glanced away as they kept walking.

She nodded when he spoke. "I agree, it's a great opunnity to band together, not just as houses but as students. Did you ever notice how supportive the girls from Beauxbatons were to each other? Even the lads from Durmstrang were bonded like brothers. I was a bit jealous of that" She said softly "But a lot happened last year. I honestly didn't think Cho was going to get through it" She said with a soft sigh. She had been so worried about her best friend last year, dealing with her new found feelings for Harry and her relationship with Cedric. Even with the death of Cedric had badly affected Cho, even if she didn't want to talk about it.

"I can kind of see how Cho likes Harry though" She said with a glance back at Ron. "You Gryffindors aren't so bad" She teased lightly as she pushed him with her hip. Giggling as she got pulled as Ron's hand was still wrapped around her shoulders. "I didn't think that one though" she said as they steadied themselves and laughing with Ron. As they walked past the fields she could see the Slytherins beginning practice. "Hey Qudditch season is starting soon. We should go to the game this weekend" She said to Ron. "I'm sure Cho is gonna drag me to it anyway just to watch Harry" Her eyes fluttered up to meet Ron's gaze and for a second her breath caught in her throat. She quickly looked away to watch the practice until her eyes narrowed and she noticed... "Is that Neville in the stands?" She blurted out, a bit shocked.
 
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