[Great Hall] Relaxing for lunch

[Dax Simmons]

As Dax looked on he could not believe what he saw Will do. Even a first year could see that situation was going to go bad. With a deep breath and shout Dax jumped onto the Gryffindor table and jumped off the other side running to catch up with Soph. He had enough experience with her to know things could go bad. As he sprinted down the hall he could with the gaggle of girls. Pushing through them he took hold of Soph’s arm. Pulling her to a stop he looked deep into her eyes and smiled.

“You never let me say goodbye to you when you went off with Will. I think it was the worst mistake you ever made, I would have cared for you. But now…now I have found someone better.”

Dax looked back to where he had been standing. Then with a sigh he spun around and leaned in kissing Sophie on the lips. As they broke away he gave her a small wink and turned his back on her and started to walk back up towards the others. He could hear the sound of Sophie talking to her friends and even calling him back. With a wave of his hand Dax climbed back over the table and stood next to Will, felling much better with himself.

[William Harris]

Hiding his dissappointment well as Sophie walked away he was about to follow when Dax beat him to it. Watching curiously he visibly gaped as Dax grabbed hold and kissed her. Though he had to admit the kiss looked like a good one he felt a sense of pride in that but the sheer outrage that his old friend had done that welled up inside of him. Clenching his fists he realised with a pang in his heart far too late, that Dax had just shown him the answer to all his problems. Stamping his foot in irritation Will reached for his wand seeing those around him egg him on. Their comments of
"Looks like he kisses far better!"
"He deserves her unlike Harris,"
"looks like he's missed his thousands of chances now,"
"he didn't like her anyway"
"I wouldn't stand for that, a good jinx would set him right."
These severe comments thrust into Will and he clutched his wand tightly, then seeing the watery look in Loren's eyes, his angry thoguhts deflated and he smiled comfortingly at Loren, moving closer to her he whispered so nobody else would hear
"it looks like we've both been screwed over here," Looking at Sophie who had caught up with Dax and was now talking feverishly to him, no doubt trying to get him back Will felt sick. With his head held high he said in a cool voice which carried throughout the hall
"His love is for another Soph, all he wants is to make himself feel good, prepare to be battered Dax, you know the practise I've had with duels,"
A sudden even deeper hush had descended upon the hall now as Will smirked at the shocked look on Dax's face, if his calculations were correct Dax wouldn't stand a chance, but that wasn't really Will's ploy.

[Loren Hayes]

Loren could not help but feel embarrassed for Will as his attempt at deception backfired on him, slapping him square in the face. The Gryffindor gil shot up from her seat, her face a bubbling mixture of fury and disbelief. Will only made it worse by trying to redeem himself. Loren giggled, patting Will sympathetically on the shoulder. 'As evil of you as that was, I still feel sorry for you, Will. Perhaps next time -'

It was then that Dax lept into action, vaulting over the table and darting down the hall in pursuit of Sophie. 'Dax?' She called in a confused, high-pitched voice, panic filling her head as she wondered what on earth he was doing. As he took hold of her arm, Loren's fingers cracked together into a fist...

Then he kissed her.

Loren's heart skipped a beat. The most awful sickness she had ever felt filled her stomach, and all of a sudden she felt like the biggest fool in the world. Were all eyes on her? It certainly felt that way. Her first thought was to cry, but as she watched Dax turned and begin to return all her thoughts turned to how hard she could hit him, and where...

Her destructive thoughts were stopped however by the sound of Will's comforting voice in her ear. She looked at him, her eyes so watery she could barely see him: but her expression was that of stone. 'I... don't care.' She murmured, her eyes wide, desperate to make them dry up and go away, desperate for Will or anybody else not to see her beaten. 'I don't care...'

She stepped backward, placing her arms across her chest and raising her chin high in cold defiance. Only when Will challenged his friend to a duel did any emotion flicker across her face...

[Dax Simmons]

As Dax spun around looking from person to person. Will had threatened him to a duel... and Loren. His heart sank. He could tell she was about to burst into tears. Ignoring the fact that Will was in his face demanding for a duel Dax pushed him out of the way and moved towards Loren. His mouth was hanging open trying to get hold of Loren.
She kept moving out of his way and Dax could feel the sting of tears in his eyes.
“Loren….Loren please...please listen to me.. I need to explain.”

It was to late, some other Gryffindor’s were dragging him to the side of the room into a clearing area for Will and Dax to fight. As he stood facing Will, Dax could not help but shake his head.
“No Will, I shall not. Your over reacting!”

The other Gryffindor’s let go of him and moved to the side letting the two friends look at each other. However Dax could not help put look over at Loren, his heart pounded in his chest. Why were they doing this, Dax did not love Sophie he was finding that with ever second he could only think about Loren

[William Harris]

Though he allowed Dax to push roughly past him Will knew the preparations for the duel were already underway.
Will stood stoutly with arm outstretched pointing fixedly at Dax a set and determined look across his face.
Already at the mention of an, as always eagerly anticipated, duel those around them had darted to the edges of the hall looking on in avid facination, and chatting excitedly amongst themselves, together Will's male friends used their wands in unison and moved the house tables aside. A sealed contract would be signed with the fateful words he now uttered his voice rang out throughout the hall, every ear straining eagerly to hear what was said.
"Dax Simmons I challenge you to a duel, with Loren Hayes as my second," Ordinarily he would have chosen Soph as his second as she was no slouch with quick wand work, thankfully Dax hadn't seen Will duel in a long while otherwise he would have known all his moves. He looked apprehensively at Loren hoping she would accept the offer and see the trust he showed in her, as he had know idea how she would be at fighting.
"Dax, you've insulted her and my honour, even your own, cause you can't accept your love."

To all those around him Will seemed entirely calm, the reality was quite different inside he seethed with self-doubt whether he was doing the right thing challenging a friend to a duel.
As Dax tried a last ditch attempt to stop the duel from taking place Will interupted him
"mate you're the one under-reacting, you may as well have stabbed us both with a knife in the back," he said eloquently.
One of Will's friend's stepped forward between the two who stood ready, both preparing seperately, Will flicking his wand in various motions and finding his inner sanctuary.
"Choose your Second Simmons" snarled Isaac the self promoted referee.
Will looked Dax in the eye and winked, his usual sparkle increasing.

[Emily Leets]

Emily had been sitting farther away at the Ravenclaw table. She had noticed some kind of ruckus breaking out near the Gryffindor table and had decided to ignore it. However, now it seemed to be elevating to something bigger - a duel. She walked into the crowd to watch, noticing Loren in the middle of it all. Interested, she decided to stay and watch.

((OOC; hope you don't mind Emily watching... :P ))

[Loren Hayes]

(( Hehe its cool - you might get dragged in, you never know. ))

Loren refused to look at Dax as he stood in front of her, pleading and apologising. She knew that if she looked at him, all the terrible emotions that she was trying so hard to hold in would just pour out of her. It was Will's fight now, not hers. She and Dax could sort their turmoil out later...

Dax was bustled into the middle of the Great Hall where the house tables were being levitated out of the way. Loren quickly cast her eyes toward the teacher's table and saw that, thankfully, none of them were as of yet present for the day's meal. As cruel as it was, Loren hoped the fight would be well underway before any of them showed up.

Smearing away a rebel tear, Loren gave a quiet sniff and strode to stand at the edge of the cleared space, directly at a halfway point between the two boys. Right now she was clearly sided with Will - but she, of course, had to pretend she did not care. Perhaps he dignity was already gone, but she would preserve any pride she had left.

Upon Will's request that Loren be his second, she immediately accepted without thinking, giving him a quick nod of her head...

[Dax Simmons]

Being unable to take in what was happening Dax let out a small laugh and in the process a small tear actually slipped from his eyes and rolled down his cheek. As Will called Loren as his second Dax could feel his heart trembling.
“I will have no second. This is no one else’s battle”

Dax stood still looking around the hall. Everyone was watching, and he knew that many people would be routing for Will not him. With one final glance over that Loren he let out a small whimper before turning his attention to Will. His hand was tight around his wand and his eyes were glued to Will.

Walking closer towards him Dax held his nose up to his face, bowing and flicking his wand out Dax raised and waited for Will to do the same. His heart was racing and he could not think about what spells to use. The future Defence Against the Dark Arts apprentice would be fighting like a first year.

[William Harris]

Will's face was set into a half-smirk, though he didn't really want to fight Dax, it had seemed the right thing to do, and now it was far too late to back down.
Twiddling his wand between his fingers to seem as calm as ever inside he was still in turmoil and searching in vain for his inner sanctuary, thankfully he found it. Concentration swept over him, he was now one with his wand. His outstretched arm stayed stock still showing there were no nerves present. Flicking his wand in the easy motions that he had practised countless times Will winked once more at Dax hoping to unnerve him. As countless eyes rested upon them Will drew in a ragged breath waiting with baited breath for the signal to begin the duel.
Standing scant feet away from each other Isaac asked them both curtly if they were ready.
With quick nods from both he said in a clear voice
"prepare...now"
Will immediately said calmly without any need to shout
"Protego" he then ducked and rolled away as a spell shot towards him narrowly missing his head.
Panting heavily already with adrenaline coursing throughout his body Will never felt more alive than when he was dueling.

[Dax Simmons]

To his annoyance the spell missed so Dax ducked thinking that Will would do a quick attack only to find out that he did the shielding charm. Standing back up Dax gripped his wand tightly feeling the sweat role down his forehead. With a quick glance he looked over at Loren before quickly looking away again.
Raising his wand Dax cleared his throat and pointed it at himself.
“Engorio”

Suddenly Dax started to grow. His head was now up by the levitating tables and his wand looked tiny in his huge hands. With a low rumble of a laugh Dax stepped forward and point his wand down at Will.
“Expelliarmus!”

[Loren Hayes]

The tension in Loren rose as Dax made the first move - a hex that narrowly missed Will. The Gryffindor had caste a protection charm around himself, and although Dax's spell had been strong the shield had prevailed. Shouts and cries had risen in the hall now, the circle around them growing ever tighter as students who had been determined to ignore the commotion had decided they were not above speculation. From the hot grounds people were flooding in, obviously having heard the sound of spells being fired. Loren growled as a rowdy bunch of Slytherins knocked her from behind, swaying with the rest of the crowd.

'Merlin...' Loren gasped as she looked at Dax to see he had cast an enlargement charm on himself. 'What's he doing?' she muttered to herself, moving backward with the crowd so as not to get stepped on. It was now that she could see the unhappiness in Dax's face, but she found that it only enthralled her. 'Look out, Will!' Loren found herself shouting.

On the other side of the hall Loren could make out one familiar face - Emily. She waved meekly at the girl, trying to get her attention, trying to see if her friend did not find the whole thing serious or stupid.

[Emily Leets]

Emily had been intrigued by the thought of seeing a duel, as she hadn't seen one in quite a while. As she wasn't familiar with the two participants, only Will's second, Loren, it was neither here nor there what happened to them. She spared a glance at Loren as she heard her shout Look out, Will!. Then she made a small wave in her direction.

The Ravenclaw waved back, and made her way around the circle to stand behind her. "Why exactly did this start?" she asked, amused at the Hufflepuff's recent change of size.

[Loren Hayes]

Loren sighed forlornly. 'This all started because their stupid boys,' she stated, thankful that she now had some company other than the tall Slytherin boys. 'Will is a risk taking fool and Dax - well Dax is just NASTY!' Loren yelled out the last word in Dax's direction, hoping the Hufflepuff could hear her. With a sad smile she looked at Emily. 'Thing is, I think he's doing this for me...'

There was the sound of crumbling stone as Dax took a heavy step forward, printing a huge great foot print in the floor.

[Emily Leets]

Emily listened to Loren explain.

"Boys...men...they make no sense then do they?" she grinned, posing more of a rhetorical question then anything. She thought she had seen Loren and the Hufflepuff - apparently Dax - around together though, and thought them friends. "Nasty, hm?" Emily asked. "I thought he seemed somewhat of a nic---" she was cut off as Dax took a step, making a large noise when he put his foot back down.

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

Jonathan had been drinking tea in the staffroom when the dull roar of students shouting had drifted through the staff door and to his sensitive ears. With an impatient groan he set down his tea and folded his unread copy of The Daily Prophet, striding purposefully from the room. Where did children find the energy to create so much chaos all the time? He had been at Hogwarts barely a week and already he had dished out seventeen detentions, knocked off ninety points from various houses and sent several disapproving letters home to parents. What did his new colleagues do around here anyway? Were they all partially deaf or were they just so weary with discipline that they pretended to simply ignore the madness going on right under their noses? Whatever their problem, Jonathan was having none of it - especially not on a Monday morning.

Just before reaching the Entrance Hall, Jonathan made a sharp turn down a corridor hidden behind a tapestry. He supposed it would be much more noticable if he entered through the staff door. Whatever tussle was taking place would probably be disbanded by his presence alone...

The professor stopped, however, as he reached the staff door. It stood partially open as it usually did (the caretaker too bone idle to oil the hinges), and from the shadows he observed an impressive spectacle. All the house tables had been magicked to there side of the room, those students caught at the back of the swaying, circular mass standing on them to view what was happening in the middle of the hall: two boys, a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff, were dueling. Jonathan immediately recognised the Hufflepuff: one Dax Simmons, a boy he remembered to have been particularly nervous... so what was he doing, twenty foot high, stomping his feet menacingly? The man took a step back, knowing that he was out of sight.

Perhaps it would be useful to see what his new students were capable of...