Near the Entrance

...

Angelina is loitering near the entrance of the Great Hall; there are already other people hanging around, but she doesn't know any of them... I don't think so anyway. She watches the other people in a disinterested way, waiting for a friend to talk to.

Audrey saw Angelina standing around and headed over to her, "Hey Lina!" She wrapped her friend in a big hug, "How was your summer? You never owled me back silly!"

Angelina hugged her friend back tightly. "Hey! I missed you! My summer was alright. I didn't have as much time to owl you as I thought, what with practising for the Quidditch team this year, and all the homework we got. Plus, I had to help my parents out a bit, but I earned myself some money, so that was okay, I suppose. How was yours?"

[AJ, can Oliver come bounding in and hug you?]

"Qudditch?" Audrey looked up and down Lina's outfit. A t-shirt and shorts. Boy clothes. "So where were you working? I lifeguarded a bit this summer."

[Go for it now Ollie]

Oliver came in, looking around. His eyes landed on Angelina Johnson, one of his Chasers. Fabulous Chaser she was. Hope she's been working out it over the summer. He snuck up behind her, mouthing [i]don't tell![i] to that other girl. "Boo!" He yelled, before giving Angelina a hug.

Lina grinned at her friend. "Why does that not surprise me? Surrounding yourself by shirtless boys, I suppose... Well, I worked at a Muggle sports camp. Got to keep myself in shape for Quidditch training, aft- AH!" She shrieked in a rather undignified manner, as someone practically jumped on her. Good thing she is strong enough not to fall over. She turned around to see who it was. "HEY! Oliver! How have you been?"

"Great! I spent all summer working on Quidditch. When you have time, drop by. I came up with a couple of plays that I think will work. Especially against Slytherin." He turned to her friend. "Oliver Wood." Turning back to Angelina, he remarked, "I hope you trained some. I know you are good, but these plays are intense. I want you to be warm not cold when you try them."

Audrey grinned as she saw Oliver creeping up. Hmm... he had potential. Sighing softly as the talk turned to quidditch she jumped slightly as he addressed her, "Audrey Stevenson"

"You a Claw? I think I saw you cheering for them at one of the games." She was pretty. Oliver's mind immediately spun back to Quidditch. "You play?"

Lina's face got very serious, listening to Oliver. "Okay, I'll do my best to pop by sometime this week, alright? I did train, but only a little, when I could escape the Muggles at this holiday camp I helped out at. But I'll come out extra early before the first practice, okay? I don't want you to think I've been slacking off." She grinned at Audrey, knowing what her friend would probably be thinking right about now.

"Good man! ... I mean, good lass!" He saluted her. "Totally understandable, not being able to escape Muggles and practice." he gave Audrey a gallant bow. "I should go, i want to unpack and go over the plays again."

"Yeah, Claw." Audrey couldn't believe this was all people could ever talk about. Quidditch this, quidditch that. Goodness. She smiled at Oliver, "Nice to meet you." As he walked away she grabbed AJ's arm and steered her to a table. "He's cute!"

Lina felt herself being steered over to the table, so took a seat. No point in fighting against Audrey, and she knew that already. "I suppose... I've never really thought about it, if I'm honest."

"Linaaa," Audrey shook her head and loaded her plate up with fruit. "Sometimes I wonder if you're a girl at all."

Lina grins at Audrey. "Reya, obviously I am." She gestures to herself, her hands moving to her head to tighten her ponytail as she begins to speak again. "There are more important things than boys, you know," she says, snatching a piece of fruit from her friend's plate because she's not hungry right now.

"Like what? Quidditch?" This was an old bone of contention between the two. Changing the subject Reya asked, "So what sports were you helping with at the camp?"

Lina pulled a face. "Well, yeah Quidditch. But schoolwork too. Well, it was a Muggle camp, so all Muggle sports, but quite a few - football, tennis, lacrosse... Plus some outdoor style activities too. There was a flying fox and everything! Where were you life-guarding?"

"What the hell is a flying fox? And I was working at the local pool. I don't even really see why they need one but I guess it's just for appearances sake. At least I got to work on my tan." She grabbed some toast and split it, putting half on Lina's plate. "Eat something"

Lina grabs the toast a little grudgingly. "I'm not hungry, you know..." She says, but she eats it anyway. Once she's done, because thankfully she has manners, she tries to explain. "A flying fox is like a giant wire, across a long distance. You get onto this seat thingy, and then you go whizzing down it really fast. Sometimes, it almost feels like flying," she says, almost wistfully. "And I'm sure your tan is amazing, as usual. Did you meet anyone interesting?"

"A few boys here, a few boys there. No one worth keeping around though." Audrey winced slightly at the image of that flying fox thing. Heights? Not Audrey's thing. "Any cute boys working at your camp? Oh, how are your parents?"

They sure have an unconventional friendship, Lina thinks. The Quidditch girl, and a girl who hates heights. And loves boys. Who would've thought? "Well, a couple were okay, but mostly attendees at the camp, so not only younger than me but against the rules... Mum and Dad are good. Not much to report on that front. How are yours?"

"Stupid rules. My parents are fine as always. I spent most of the summer with my aunt though. My parents are still being weird about wanting me to get a muggle degree too." She shrugged and munched on a banana.

"Weird? Weird how? I remember you telling me that - it makes sense, really. What degree did you want again?" Lina asked, seeing as I don't actually know this even though I probably should...