[Hogsmeade] 19 Ways To Maintain Your Insanity

[Katya Ilychovich]

In truth, Katya hadn't visited Hogsmeade much. Sure, she'd been there once or twice, but it was hard to get out and have fun when you were cooped up inside. Permission slips had to be sent a long, long way to her home in Russia for her parents to sign, and they nearly never made it back in time. For the field trips she learnt to send the papers early, so she could have a better chance of making it there with the rest of the group. So you could imagine her delight when Ashton asked her to accompany him there. What they would do she was unsure of, he did say he had work, so probably not much, but the thought of someone wanting to hang out with her pasted a very happy smile on her face. They were supposed to meet outside a shop with a big 'For Rent' sign outside of it, and there she sat, feet outstretched off the stone bench.

It was a particularily nice day, yet still she shoved her hands in her pockets, curiosity peaked when a crinkling noise came from within them. Withdrawing the paper, Katya recognised it to be an insert from one of the random facts books she had picked up in the library. This paper had fallen out, and though some of the points didn't make much sense - whats an ATM? - the rest were pretty funny. Smiling at the memory of her giggling along with whatever student had caught a glimpse of the paper nearby, she skimmed through it again while waiting for Ashton, laughing silently.

The paper read:

Nineteen Ways to Maintain a Healthy Level of Insanity
1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.
2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.
3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, Ask If They Want Fries with that.
4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label It "In."
5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.
6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write "For Smuggling Diamonds"
7. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy."
8. Don't use any punctuation
9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.
10. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat with a serious face.
11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go."
12. Sing Along At The Opera
13. Go To A Poetry Recital And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme
14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area And Play tropical Sounds All Day.
15. Five Days In Advance , Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.
16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.
17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won!, I Won!"
18. When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking lot, Yelling "Run For Your Lives, They're Loose!!"
19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner. "Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go." [/color]

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash walked along the streets of Hogsmeade with a smile on his face, Kitty had asked him to meet her in Hogsmeade, so he had finished up his homework, gathered up his things and headed down to the village. Looking around, he spotted the silent Ravenclaw and waved. He walked over and looked down at what she was reading, "Nice." he said with a laugh. He grinned excitedly at Kitty, "Guess what happened?" he asked, keeping his left hand behind his back.

[Katya Ilychovich]

Startled, having been unaware of Ashton's approach, Kitty jumped, eyes wide. Hand flying to her chest, the Ravenclaw breathed heavily, giving him one of those 'dont ever do that again' looks, but laughing afterwards. Picking up the paper from where she dropped it, folding it up, and placing it in her pocket, she stood with a tilt of her head and a curious look in her eyes. She could practically taste the excitement radiating off of him, something big must have happened to get him this worked up. In a good way. ' What? ' She mouthed, noticing his left hand was behind his back but thinking nothing of it. Maybe he just stood like that on a regular basis, it was possible.. Right? Right! All the same though, she waited for him to reveal what could possibly be so amazing, grinning, finding the joy in the atmosphere was contagious.

Realising she was still sitting, Katya stood up, hands in her pockets as a slight breeze tugged at her jacket and wound its fingers through her hair. Irritating, but that could wait. Tell me what happened! She thought, waiting.[/color]

[Bradyn Reed]

[Mind if I join, guys?]

Bradyn walked through the streets of Hogsmeade with his guitar strapped on his back. He, on Fay's encouragement, volunteered to work a little bit at Honeydukes with Fay's mother mostly so Fay wouldn't have to as much. Christi liked to describe him as sweet as pie, and it was starting to disturb him a bit. Therefore, he was taking his time in walking there hoping that when he came she'd say it was going to be a slow day and send him home. Hopefully.

"Guess what happened?!"

He heard carried in the winter breeze and instantly recognized the voice. 'Hm, Ashton, with big news. This might actually interest me.' Bray hasn't really talked to Ash since their fight but was starting to hear a lot of rumours in the hallway that he and Fay were heartless bastards who just leave their so-called best friend for no reason. Please, that's not what happened at all. Some people are so ignorant.

Finding the source of the voice he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Oh, do tell, news is always nice to hear." He said with his usual sarcastic air about him. If Ash was going to start some new lies about them, Bray was determined to be at the source and put at least one good Claw with the truth.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash grinned widely, pulling his left hand out from behind his back to show her the ring. "Cris propsed! Can you believe it!?" he said excitedly. He smiled as he sat down next to her, "So, how is your day going?" he asked. Suddenly he heard a familiar voice and turned. "Well hello, Bradyn." he sneered. "No, I don't think I will share my news with you. Seeing as you're not my friend anymore. Of course knowing you, you probably already heard me tell Kitty. You seem to be rather good at sneaking around like the little weasel you are!"










((here's a pic of the ring...

))

[Katya Ilychovich]

{ Sure thing, Bray. Jump right on in! }

Having been in the midst of opening her mouth to silently tell him to hurry up and let her know what was so exciting, she shut her mouth instead as someone walked up, knowing who they were partly because of her watching and the rest from Ash's story back in the common room. She wasn't going to pick sides in this stupid little argument, they were both nice people. Even though the next words that came out of Ash's mouth were both good and bad. Catching the proposal part, Kitty's eyes widened in surprise. The fact that he was so young didn't even come in to play, she was just happy he had found someone he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. Linking her fingers around his left hand to pull it closer and get a better look at the ring, she ooh'd and aw'd, albeit silently, at the beauty of it. I am so happy for you! She thought, giving him a big hug.

Looking at Bray now, who managed to stay at least somewhat civil despite the sarcasm dripping off his words, Kitty didn't know what to say but, ' Hi. ' And even then she was just mouthing it, he might not have caught it at all. "..You seem to be rather good at sneaking around like the little weasel you are!" Surprised at what Ashton had said, the Ravenclaw turned to him, a scolding look on his face. If he wanted his friends back, he should know not to call them weasels. ' He wasn't sneaking around, he was just walking. ' She mouthed to him, an exhasperated look on her face. Boys and their foolish fights. Really, come on! They were better than this, she wasn't going to stand here while they squabbled. Either they made nice for the sake of making nice, or she was going home. They used to be best friends, for god's sake.[/color]

[Bradyn Reed]

Bradyn's lips curved into a sneer at Ash's obviously cold greeting. "Oh indeed, I'm quite a sneaky little lad. It comes with the role." He said sarcastically, already knowing how to push his buttons from their previous friendship. "But as I'm not completely ignorant to the people around me like a certain someone, I did hear that you plan to run off and get married to Cristian like the little girl you are."

Bray threw a short glance to the girl Ash was currently hanging out with. She was a Claw, like all good people, and he recognized her as a girl in his year. One of the roommates with Fay, but she never really heard anything about her or talked to her himself. Ah, well, she was just going to get the first impression of Nasty Bray and that was too bad. He chuckled a bit at Kitty--oh it was very odd to call someone other than himself kitty--'s little silent scolding of as he just shook his head and decided not to comment on how he found a replacement so quickly.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash smiled as Kitty conratgulated him. "Thanks." he replied, but then a frown found it's way onto his face as she scolded him for snapping at Bradyn. "He's not my friend anymore. And quite frankly, I don't care if I never speak to him again. In fact, I prefer it to be that way." Suddenly he froze as he heard Bradyn's voice, "I did hear that you plan to run off and get married to Cristian like the little girl you are." Ash's pale cheeks flushed, and his sapphire eyes turned black with rage. Turning, he lashed out with his fist, punching Bradyn in the jaw. "Shut the hell up, you stupid bastard!" he snarled.

[Katya Ilychovich]

"He's not my friend anymore. And quite frankly, I don't care if I never speak to him again. In fact, I prefer it to be that way."

And then he called Bray a bastard and punched him. Wow. That sentance hit so close to home it nearly took her breath away. Ice eyes flaming with anger, scolding and hurt, Katya rounded on them both, slipping in between the boys before they could do further damage and mouthing the same thing to each of them, ' You think you can just throw away friends like parchment? Like they're replaceable, as if you have enough to dispend that one doesn't matter? Everyone matters. I dont even have any friends, and here you are badmouthing someone that used to be one of your best! ' They was so lucky to be popular, and have a group of best friends. They should be thankful for them, and try to rekindle their friendship instead of playing tough guy and mouthing each other off. Fuming at this, Katya kept a firm hand on each of their shoulders, pushing them apart as best a small girl like her could.

Why couldn't they realise what she could? They belonged as friends, not enemies.[/color]

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash glared, eyes still black with rage. "If he was supposed to be my best friend, then explain why he and Felicity both walked away, when I was literally begging them not to?" He turned away, "He is not my friend. And nothing will change that. I said I was sorry, he left me."

[Bradyn Reed]

Bradyn's sneer didn't fade as he heard Ash say something about not wishing to speak to him ever again. Good, because he definitely preferred it that way as well. About to make a cocky comment about how he wasn't invisible and could hear them, he ended up stumbling back a few steps before finally realizing that Ashton had actually dared to hit him. Bray's hand instinctively when towards his jaw and his eyes narrowed. 'What the hell, that was unexpected.'. For a short boy, he could usually hold his own in a fight and that was proved with his fight with Erys Grace. If Ash wanted a fist fight to settle their differences, then fine, be that way.

Hands balling into fists after he assessed that his jaw wasn't broken but it was surely going to bruise and swell up later he chuckled. "A weak man's punch. Maybe if you used your ringed hand it would've at least hurt." He said as a lie since it was still stinging but he wasn't going to be a homo like Ash and say 'owie, you hurt me!'. But with the quiet girl's hand on his shoulder, he decided not to throw a punch back. For now. There was too big of a chance that she'd end up getting hurt and that was just too personal to him. He wasn't going to stoop down to Maxi's level of stupidity over Ashton Laurent.

Eyes flaring as once again Ash put out his biased side of what happened he snorted. "Oh, you think that's what happened?" He said though his voice was slightly distorted by the incoordination of his jaw. "We left you because you're a pompous, fickle, jerk! You think that after you cause so much drama, and so many problems for everybody, that if you just cry and ask for forgiveness everyone will come crawling back and be you're damned little pawns!" He spat with his eyes still glaring daggers at Ash even if he couldn't see them.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash stumbled back, as if punched. The comments stung, but he knew Bradyn was right. Ash sighed and hung his head, his shoulders sagged as the fight went out of him. "I know, and I'm sorry okay? I just didn't know how to stop." He sighed, "I guess the best way I can explain it is, and I know this is going to sound pathetic, but it's the truth. The best way I can explain it is, I guess I got so used to my dad and his friends treating me like crap, that it's the only way I know how to treat people. I don't want to be jerk, but I don't know how to stop."

[Katya Ilychovich]

Hand a little gentler on Ash's shoulder, she pulled him softly back, making sure he was looking at her when she mouthed, ' Sorry isn't enough sometimes, and you know it. ' Exhasperated with them both, and tired of the stupidity on both sides, if she was in her right mind she might've slapped them both across the face and tell them to grow up. Unfortunately Katya wasn't a mean person, unless angered to the point of extremes, and in this situation she was just annoyed. ' Why dont you both say your sides of the story, while we're all having fun? ' The last bit was sarcastic, and even though you couldn't hear her, it was safe to say they weren't having fun, so you could just guess the particular emotion in this case.

Locking eyes with Bray, as if to ask expectantly for him to go first (but nicely this time), Katya felt the pair was at a slight stalemate. They couldn't hit each other with her in the way, and they wouldn't. She knew them to be the nicer types of guys, so there was no way they might try to land a punch with her standing smack dab in the middle. Sure, she was sacrificing the cartilage in her face for the greater good, but so what? Clearly they needed to discuss some issues.[/color]

[Professor William Vaid]

Will had been getting back to his roots of the old shopping place called Hogsmeade. Walking down the road, he smiled to himself, realising how much he missed this place. Taking in all the new sights that had seemed to set up in his absence, he noticed a trio of students all squabbling. Frowning to himself, he observed for a minute before he saw one of them punch the other.

Jogging over as soon as he saw the boys hand leave his side, he saw the girl get in the way of the two. He could sense the anger between the pair, and he knew they'd probably both fight until they were exhausted.
Stepping between them, and gently moving the blonde out of harms way, he looked down at the pair in disgust.

"Hey, hey hey! Fella's, that's no way to behave. I'm sure whatever your differences are they can either be resolved or forgotten" he said sharply, yet his voice stayed calm somehow.

[Bradyn Reed]

Bradyn's eyes narrowed in disgust at Ash. "This is exactly what I'm talking about, you pathetic excuse for a man." He hissed though this time he tried to avoid moving his jaw for the pain was still with him for his last comments. Perhaps being that cold doesn't always pay off but he'd still like to get Ash back for that hit to the face. "Oh, you're father, he's the root of all evil in your life. Maybe if you didn't get so damned involved in your relationships, you could learn how to be a friend." He said but sighed to calm himself down and try to say something peacefully to Ash, like Kitty suggested.

Though it only took a few moments for him to realize he had nothing to say to Ash and he just stood waiting for his pathetic side of the story that he's heard all across the school. Bradyn Reed and Felicity Locke, the heartless bastards of Ravenclaw. But it was nice to know that at least his girlfriend could see how untrue that was. And Maxi, going through similar rumours with Ashton, probably saw that too. But Bray was still to angry about that little Fay accident to even see the bloke for most of his teasing.

Turning his head as someone else approached their little spat, he resisted the extreme urge to roll his eyes. A professor just had to break up their fight that wasn't even a real fight. Taking a step back from Ashton he smirked. "Aye, aye, Captain." His sister being in the staff always made him much sassier with them and Bray knew that was wrong. It must be one of the newer teachers, as he didn't really recognize him, or it was possible that he didn't even take his class. Obviously the teacher was misreading what was going on here and figured Kitty was in danger. The short boy and the gay boy fighting it out, oh that was sure to be dangerous.