Brawl

[William Harris]

Will growled menacingly, this really wasn't going his way, it had been an up hill struggle from the outset, and he realised with finality that he was getting nowhere. He really needed to sort himself out, then attack her from a different angle at another time. Yet he wouldn't give up so easily now, he never ran from a fight, even if he was going to lose, well if he was going to lose he did as he much prefered the thrill of winning than the disappointment of losing a battle.

"Your attention isn't wanted by anyone, let alone me, you love to get your filthy claws into anything don't you?" He spat furiously glaring at his tormentor. "Nothing frightens me," he grated, though that wasn't entirely true, he had some strange fobias not only did he detest snakes, but also rabbits and cats; especially black ones. He also developed crazy shivers whenever he saw a knut or a girl with no hair.

"Your touch is just plain poison," he retorted with a smirk, "and I don't tend to like poisonous things, especially not girls...well that's a lie because I fall head over heels for any pretty face, but still Ace you're just as immature as ever." He finished hands upon hips and a smule curling his mouth, though his defence had been shabby he still had partly enjoyed the fight; looking back upon it.

As a another tall Ravenclaw arrived as back-up Will rolled his eyes, "damn you're breeding like rabbits," He muttered seething at his use of rabbits, and shivering slightly.

"I'm glad she is a fish," he retorted, "cause I don't want to hold onto her, plus she does smell like a rotten fish too." He stated believing him when they said they were like this all the time, how lovely he thought with another grimace, well someone has to put up with her I suppose.

"More like a damned devil," chuckled Will glad he was coming out on top once more. Shaking Russell warmly by the hand he grinned pleasantly, directing another pointed glare towards Ace.

"Sort her out will you?" He asked with a smirk, now deciding to pointedly ignore the fiend. But then something rather unexpected happened, for the second time that day; Bellatrix suddenly arrived upon the scene of turmoil and thrown insults.
"Oh hello," he responded quite unnerved by her sudden appearance. To be honest he would have done anything to escape; so Bellatrix's arrival and prompt tugging him along was a more than welcome respite from insults, even though she was a Slytherin she wasn't half as horrible as Acelin, at least he hoped not. Waving to his two companions he shouted back to Russell as he was dragged away. "See you later Russell, glad to have been introduced."

As Bellatrix explained why she had dragged him away so hastily he nodded "yeah I doubt she kisses you as much as me," he chuckled gruffly brigthening, he dearly did want to see Narcissa.

Then Bellatrix furthered her talk to include her favourite Gryffindor, "ah I see, I should have known you'd come hounding me about him sooner rather than later. We're not best pals, but I'm pretty sure he's smitten with you really."

Laughing as he realised what they looked liek together he disengaged their linked arms and explained "you'd best not be seen with such a handsome Gryffindor on your arm if you're so mad about then eh?" He teased watching Bella's eyes for any flickers of emotion, she was nearly as beautiful as her sister he thought with a grin. "He'd go green with envy." Suddenly a plan sprang forth into his mind, one that was risky but could in fact help her in the long run; he'd have to mention it subtly though, not in one go.

"He really would be incredibly jealous, then he'd be forced to act wouldn't he?" Will chuckled his eyes shining with mirth as they made their way at a reasonable speed up towards Hogsmeade. "So we're meeting in Puddifoots are we? You'd best not be seen taking me in then eh? You'd give the wrong impression entirely; imagine if Scott saw; he'd go mental."

[Russell Parkhurst]

As they walked on, Russell dug his hands into his pockets adn hunched his shoulders. "It's nothing," he grumbled. He sighed deeply and frowned ahead. He didn't like keeping things from Ace, she was alwasy so open and he knew she would have something witty to say and that she would at least try cheer him up but he couldn't bring himself to tell anyone.

[bellatrixblack]

Bellatrix giggled at his comment about kissing her sister, "that she does not. She rather enjoy's kissing you, but how could she not?" Bella was flirting, sure. But she would never betray her sister like that. She was just a flirt, and that's how life goes.

He spoke of Scott. "Oh, hounding? Am I really that bad?" She joked, nudging him a bit with her elbow as they walked.

"Oh, I'm sure I could be seen with you, and not cause any rumors to be spread," Bella assured him, but then bit her lip. Well, not unless Whistledown is near. She thought nervously. "And I can't say I would be too bothered by the rumors," She giggled. "If it weren't for Scott and Narcissa, it would be perfectly believable, would it not?"

"Yes, I imagine Scott would go mental," she nodded in agreement. "As would I, were I to see him enter with someone like Andrea Riley. Or especially Diana. I would like to trust Diana, it's just that she's to much of a flirt, and too much like myself to be trusted. It isn't that I don't like her, I love her like a sister. I just know she's a Slytherin girl, and for that reason, she isn't trustworthy. And neither am I." She gave Will a sideways glance and continued. "But Scott is nowhere to be seen, so I believe I can escort you in. Or you can escort me, whichever you prefer."

[[Go to 'waiting' in Hogsmeade in Madam Puddifoot's.]]

[thatsace]

Acelin raised her eyebrows and planted her hands on her hips and stopped walking. "Nothing, is it?" she said doubtfully. She began walking again, smiling knowingly, and dropped her arms. She knew he was lying, and said, "you never were any good at lying. Spill it before I'm going to be force to beat the truth out of you."

She waved a fist about and glared at Rus, frowning, then she burst into laughter. She knew that she was no match for Russell as he was bigger and stronger and more used to fighting like a muggle then she was, having two naughty little brothers to fend off. Then the light bulb came on. She snapped her fingers and turned around so she was walking backwards. "I know," she said, smiling with triumph, "it's your brothers, isn't it?"

[Russell Parkhurst]

Russell laughed when Acelin threatened to beat him up. "Beat me up, will you?" he asked, looking at her sideways, his crocked smile plastered on his face. "Some why I don't see that happening." He gave her a playful smile and pushed her hard. She went a few feet. It was just to prove a point.

"Brothers," Rus groaned, shrugging. In all truth his brothers wee part of the reason. He stopped walking and grasped Ace's arm. He looked at her in all earnest and said, "I'd rather just forget it, Ace. Please just drop it." He hoped it would work. Ace was very good at reading situations but also very good at ignoring them. He hoped she would heed his plea.

[thatsace]

Ace stumbled away from Rus when he pushed her but she was laughing. It did seem rather absurd, her beating Rus up. She rejoined him in their little walk and smiled at him. She was beginning to think that the good old Rus was back but when he grasped her arm and stopped walking, Acelin knew he wasn't.

He was clearly not in the mood for tomfoolery so Ace nodded and didn't say any more on the topic. She carried on walking, looking around and they became silent. She had nothing to say and didn't feel obliged to say anything either. Silences were always comfortable with Russell, never any pressure.

[Russell Parkhurst]

Russell noticed how Ace's face fell when he was so harsh to her. He had never told her off like that before and now he felt bad about it. However she seemed to quickly get over it and back to the walking. This seemed to be the one thing he did with girls, walk. It wasn't that exciting but he knew that everyone could do it so it was simple enough.

Rus shot Ace a sidelong glance and watched her for a second. "So," he said, after a long pause, "you been getting up to much these days?" He hadn't seen Ace around the common room so she clearly had been elsewhere and having loads of fun. Rus was surprised she hadn't said anything about it already.

[thatsace]

Ace was humming a song and walking in rhythm to the song, smiling. She shrugged and said in answer to Rus's question, "nothin' mooch." She looked at his sideways and added, "been studying loads for me O.W.L's." She said each letter in stead of saying owls because that was her way of being more different then she already was. "I suspect you've been studying hard for your N.E.W.T.'s?" This time is was said as newts.

[Russell Parkhurst]

N.E.W.T.'s? He pondered to himself. "Yeah," he said, "I have been. Spending lots of time in the library and empty classrooms to get away from people. Those silly third years have started chasing me again so I need to find somewhere to hide and study." Russell never understood why he had such a fan club in the third years but he had and it was mighty annoying.

He looked over the lake and grinned at a swan that landed on it's shimmering surface, sending rings over the water. "It's beautiful," Rus said as he stared at it. So diverted and entranced, Russell didn't notice the large rock in his path and his shoe got caught under it, sending him skidding into the sandy beach. He spat out sand and watched as the swan flew away. Pity, he thought.

[thatsace]

Acelin laughed and tapped Rus lightly on the shoulder with her fist. "Ya know, for a party animal," she said, "you sure do do a lot of disappearing and hiding." She had always found it odd that she would fine Rus under tables in the common room, hiding from those third years she always hear of. She laughed again and said, "so hiding under tables doesn't work anymore?" She put her hands in her pockets to get them warm and smiled at Rus.

Suddenly he wasn't there any more. Ace looked down and saw Rus sprawled on the floor. Ace burst into laughter again and it echoed over the quiet lake. She looked up just in time to see a great white swan taking off and flying away. "It's beautiful," she said, and bent down to pull Rus to his feet. He may have been a big guy and Ace a small girl but she had a hidden strength in her that was what pulled him up. She brushed dirt off him and laughed, "that was unexpected."