The Courtyard

[No worries I'll be on later tonight and we can continue.]

Rose nodded, "I've got a brother named Hugo. He's two years younger than me, and in Gryffindor." She smiled, "I always wondered how he made the Gryffindor cut and I didn't. I don't think he's brave at all. Apparently there's more to it than that, though." She shrugged, "Then there's my mom and dad, and the extensive Weasley family."

Milli smiled. "I think I've Hugo around a couple times! He seems like a nice kid." She shrugged. "Well maybe the brave quality will turn up later. Who knows?" She raised an eyebrow and chuckled. Her family had mentioned the Weasley's a couple times and how everywhere you went there was bound to be at least one Weasley around. Once, when they were younger, Emma had said something along the lines of 'One day, we'll all be Weasleys.' "Extensive is right, if anything I've heard is true. I think that's cool though, having a big family."

Rose grinned, "One thing about a huge family is at events you can generally avoid the people you don't want to talk to. It comes in handy when the crazies are invited over." She shrugged, "I really like it. I know some people in my family don't, they feel like they have too much to live up to. Stuff like not being sorted into Gryffindor when there's a history of it in your family."

Laughing loudly, Milli replied, "That is certainly a benefit! Usually at my family events my great auntie Mable talks to me and that woman is batty. I can't ever escape her though. No where to hide!" Milli frowned as she realized that having a big family would mean a lot of expectations. That didn't seem like a cheery thing to grow up with. But she shrugged it off, knowing she probably wouldn't care anyway. "I can see why that would be a downer. But even so, at least you'll never be lonely!"

"That's the best part. Even though it seems like there's always one petty little fight going on, we're essentially all friends." Rose smiled fondly, "Anyway, enough about my family. I feel like I'm talking about myself too much." She grinned, "Tell me about being in Gryffindor. Is it always a party? That's what I've heard."

"It's fine, I like learning about people!" Milli assures her, but goes on to talk about Gryffindor. She laughed at Rose's description. It wasn't too far off. "Not exactly a party, but everyone is always up to something. It's never exactly quiet, but it's alright, you get used to it. What about Ravenclaw?" she asks curiously. "I hear it's a place of studying recluses."

"It's definitely got that feeling. When I don't need to use the library it's my preferred place of study. We've got sofas all set around a fireplace and tables. Anything you could need." Rose smiled, "I bet you can tell how happy I am to have been sorted there, can't you?"

"That sounds really nice!" Milli says cheerfully. Nodding she says, "Yeah I can tell. But that's better you know? It would suck if you hated the house you were Sorted into. I love Gryffindor. The common room is so warm and cozy, and everyone is pretty friendly and funny. And loyal friends. It's really nice being there."

"There's your big family for you: not everyone gets along, but you have to at least tolerate people. That's pretty much exactly what it's like." Rose paused, "I wonder if Slytherin is like that. I know that they're people and everything, but that house is built on ambition. I wonder if they'd stab each other in the back to further themselves."

"I'm glad I have some semblance of a big family then," Milli says with a smile. She shrugged at the comment about Slytherins, then went on hesitantly, "I don't think so. At least, not all of them. My boyfriend is in Slytherin, you see, and I don't think he's like that at all. He may be ambitious, but I don't think he'd stab his friends in the back. So not all the Slytherins, at the very least."

"I've gotta say, it's good to know there are some decent ones out there. I've had a few back incidents with them," Rose shrugged, "I didn't want to lump them all into one category, but it's been hard. Who's you're boyfriend, if you don't mind my asking?"

Milli grimaces. "Yeah, there are some not so nice ones there, but then again there are some not so nice people everywhere you go." She beams, thinking about her boyfriend. "I don't mind at all. Jesse St James. Maybe you've heard of him?"

Rose nodded, "I think we might've had a class together at some point. The name does sound familiar." She played absently with a page of her sketchbook, "Yeah, Defense Against the Dark Arts. He wasn't too bad at it, either."

Milli smirks. "Doesn't surprise me. He puts a lot of effort into his studies. It's really nice to see a guy so focused. Don't really get too many of those, do we?" she says with an eye roll. "How about you?" she asks. "Are you seeing anyone?"

Rose shook her head, "I stand by my rule of thumb: all the good ones are taken. This lovely young lad you've found yourself only proves me right. Maybe I can get a bad one and train it." She laughed, realizing she'd been talking about boys as if they were puppies.

Milli let loose a loud peal of laughter. It was rather funny how Rose was comparing boys to dogs. "I'm sure you'll find yourself a nice boy soon," she says sincerely. "There are plenty out there. They're just hiding."

Rose smiled, "I'll keep searching." She hugged her sketchbook to her chest, "I'd better get going. I've got a lot to do tomorrow. It was really nice meeting you, Milli. Let's hang out soon, okay?"

"Oh, it was nice meeting you too Rose!" Milli exclaims with a beam. "See you around!" she says before skipping off.

Jenna milled about, thinking about how much she must have missed while she was away. It wasn't her fault that her mother had flipped out when she found out that Anne was preggers. Anne and her brother Henry had been married for two years. Her mom had freaked and called Jenna home for "moral support" Jenna had gone, assuming that it would be a week at most. But, it had been a month and a half and she missed her friends sorely. Finally, after planning every last detail of everything (unwillingly at that), her mom had finally allowed her to go back to school. She had just arrived and was wandering the courtyard, hoping to run into a friend.

Vee was sitting in the corner of the courtyard, reading Wuthering Heights and not really paying attention. It felt like years since her best friend Jenna had disappeared to her brother's house, and had been abducted by her mother en route. Just as she was beginning to get a bit bored by Heathcliffe and Cathy, she noticed a very familiar mane of red hair walking across the courtyard. "JENNA!!!!!!!!!!!!" She shrieked, hurtling across the stone ground and tackled Jenna in a giant bear hug. "I've missed you so much!" Vee practically screamed at her.

Jenna looked over just in time to see a certain best friend of hers start running, "VEE!!" She yelled back, in response to her own name, and when she came and jumped with her flying tackle hug, Jenna was ready, catching Vee and swinging her around a little bit. "I missed you too! I can't believe my mom kept me at Henry's for a month and a half!"

Jenna may be much smaller than Vee, but she is definitely stronger. Vee winced as her feet left the ground. "Your mum obviously has separation anxiety and issues with change." She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe she was that upset! I always thought she wanted grandchildren?" Although Mrs. Wood did seem a bit young for a grandmother, she had always seemed very kind.

Jenna grinned broadly at her friend. "She did always want grandchildren, and she still does. She just couldn't believe it was actually happening, she was kind of in shock. And you know how my mom gets when she's in one of her moods. There's just no reasoning with her, even my dad couldn't do it and he's the only one that could ever calm her down." She was just glad to be back.

Jenna's mum could be a bit crazy... "Yeah. WELL I'M JUST GLAD TO HAVE YOU BAAACKK!!!!!!! What do you want to do? Go for a dip in the lake? Go to Hogsmeade? Beg some food from the house-elves and run away to the forbidden forest?" Vee looked questioningly at her friend.

"I'm glad to be back too, Vee. I really missed you...Is that nutella?" Jenna's eyes brightened as she caught sight of the most beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes on...Nutella. And what did you expect? Jenna lunged for the little container peeking out of Vee's bookbag.