And Here Comes Dark ((Ciaran))

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

The wind was howling, causing a tree branch to scrape against Weetzie's window pane. There wasn't any rain, just wind, and the wind was enough to cause a storm all on it's own. It did have snow to make it look even more fierce, though. Weetzie pulled the blanket closer around her as she stared out the window. She loved watching the weather, it often reflected her mood. But not tonight. Tonight the weather was fierce and Weetzie was calm. She sighed and stood from her spot near the window. Dropping the blanket on the bed, Weetzie pulled her golden robe on over her pajamas. She slipped her feet into her slippers, made sure she had her wand, and left the fifth year girl's dormitories. Though not before she paused to look at her roommates. Shaking her head, Weetzie snuck through the common room and out the portrait. The wind was howling even worse within the corridors. Weetzie bit her lip and hurried further down the corridor.

She finally reached the student lounge and pushed it open. It was empty and the last of the fire was dying down. It looked so serene. One quick glance at the clock and Weetzie could see that it was well past curfew. Making her way to the armchair by the fire, Weetzie stubbed her toe on a table. "Oh! Bother!" She grabbed her toe and stumbled the rest of the way to the armchair. Once there, she examined her toe by the light of the dimming embers. "So much for the 'extra protecting slippers' that Mum got me." It didn't appear to be bleeding, but it did have a nasty crack in the nail. Weetzie let out a long breath and placed her slippers back on her feet. She brought her legs up to her chest and hugged them as she watched the embers disappear. "It's dark outside, but I see the light. Then darkness, I see the light again. And here comes dark." As Weetzie spoke the last word she was surrounded in darkness.

She sat in the darkness, just listening to the wind. Weetzie loved the weather. She loved listening and watching it. Sometimes, the weather understood more than most human beings did. Weetzie understood that, and she was at peace with the idea that not everything in life was understandable. The things that were understandable should be cherished, and Weetzie knew that. She found herself wondering who else knew that? Who else understood? Her eyes had become accustomed to the dark by now, so she could make out the tables and couches and bookcases that were set about the Student Lounge. It looked rather... museum-ish.

At least, that was until the door swung open and light flooded in. Weetzie blinked a moment and then held up her arm to shield the light. A shadow fell over the light and Weetzie let her arm fall, only to have it come up again with her wand lit, "Hello?" She asked in a smallish whisper. It wasn't Filch, or else a cat's shadow would also be falling across the room. Perhaps it was another professor, if it was, then oh well. Weetzie hoped for a prefect... they couldn't deduct points.

[ciaran]

Ciaran tossed the letter from Finnea on the ground. Wow, she really did have a lot to say. Finnea always had. She was so annoying that way and still Ciaran loved his only sister. She was completely irresponsible and unpredictable, but she was always there for Ciaran and at least she supported him. Ciaran laughed lightly remember some of the things he had just read. He looked around his dorm. A few of his roommates were asleep, some were still in the Common Room. It was past curfew so Ciaran hoped that they weren't walking around the castle. Hogwarts wasn't as safe as it used to be. Yes, there was a lot of protection around the castle, Ciaran knew that, but Death Eaters had attacked the castle less than a year before. They could still attack again. Besides, Ciaran had never been much of a rule breaker. He didn't see a reason in breaking rules just to be a rebel. Ciaran was much happier just doing things his was supposed. It wasn't that he was a goody, goody or anything close to it. Ciaran just hated doing something he knew was wrong intentionally. Ciaran looked out his window. The weather was frightening outside. The wind was blowing so harshly and the snow didn't help much. But, actually it was kind of soothing. Ciaran didn't know why he felt that was, he just did. There was something about fierce weather that relaxed Ciaran. Maybe it was the reality that Ciaran wasn't in the weather and was in the warmth or maybe it was that Ciaran was born during a snow storm. Either way, snowy weather just made everything in the castle seem so perfect. Even when it was far from it.

Ciaran picked up another letter on his nightstand. This was from his parents. Wow, was he getting a bunch of letters. Ciaran knew that it was just because his birthday was days away. On January 5th, Ciaran would be sixteen years old. For most people this seemed like a milestone, but for Ciaran it was just another birthday. It wasn't like he was going to drive like muggle kids or that he was going to be able to apparate or use magic outside of school. Nothing was really changing for Ciaran. So, why make it a big deal? He sighed reading the letter. It was just a bunch of stuff about how he was getting so old and how he was becoming a man. It went on to talk about how they were glad he liked his Christmas present. Oh jeez. The present. Ciaran's parents had gotten Ciaran a copy of Shakespeare's masterpiece, Hamlet, for Christmas. It was specially ordered and bound in red leather with special gold leaf designs. True, Ciaran wasn't even half way through the book yet, but still. He knew how much this gift meant to his parents and Ciaran was certain he had left it in the Student Lounge. He searched around he dorm a bit, but he knew where it was. The book was lying on a chair by the fireplace in the Lounge. Ciaran got up and grabbed his robe There was a chance that the stupid book wouldn't be there in the morning. Ciaran had to go find it.

Ciaran waited until the Common Room was clear before he headed through it and left the room through the Fat Lady Portrait. He wasn't very good at this sneaking out thing. Plus, Ciaran was totally against breaking any rules and he knew it was past curfew, but he had to get that book. Ciaran held his wand under his robes with it held under the Lumos spell. He had to be able to see his way. For the moment, the halls were clear and Ciaran hoped it stayed that way. He seriously hated breaking rules and he did not want to be caught and have points taken from Gryffindor. They were already loosing the House Cup to Ravenclaw as it was, but second place was better than the year before. Ciaran crept quietly. Being caught was really not on his agenda for the new semester. For a second it seemed he had saw the outline of Mrs. Norris, but thankfully it wasn't her. Mr. Filch would be the very last person that Ciaran wished to meet in the halls, Ciaran looked back to the spot he had though Mrs.Norris was again, but still, there was not cat. Ciaran released a smile.

He neared the Student Lounge. His task was simple. Get the book and leave unseen. Hopefully, this would work but with Hogwarts, anything was possible. Ciaran held his wand out as he stepped near the door. Wait, someone was in there. Ciaran could hear them. First, she heard someone say something in pain and then just something else. Ciaran didn't catch exactly what they were saying. Maybe it was more than one person. Ciaran sighed. Just go in and hopefully, it won't be a teacher. He told himself. Ciaran took a deep breath and walked into the room. His wand lit up the darkness. He saw a girl about his age in the room. He released a breath. "Oh, jeez." He said stammering. "I thought you were a teacher." He said catching his breath. Ciaran walked further into the room. He knew the girl from classes, but not personally. "I'm Ciaran Douglass." He said calmly. Ciaran really didn't remember the girl's name. Ciaran looked over by the fireplace. He smiled seeing the book. "Oh, thank the lord. I thought this thing was gone." He said turning to the girl. "It was a Christmas present. And I'm pretty sure by parents would have a heart attack if I lost it." He sighed. "So, um what's your name?" He asked. Ciaran stood looking out the window at the snowy, horrible yet perfect weather.

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

Weetzie lowered her wand and kept her eyes on the boy who had entered the room. She didn't say anything when he said he thought she was a teacher, though she had been thinking the same thing about him. She didn't introduce herself when he did, she didn't make a comment when he took up the book, and she didn't answer his question about her name. Instead, she pointed her wand at the logs in the fireplace, "Incendio." The room lit up brightly with dancing flames across the walls. She sat there for a few moments and then nodded, "I'm Weetzie O'Keeffe." Weetzie took a deep breath and started, before he could say anything wise about her name, "Yes, you heard me right, and no it's not a nickname. Weetzie is my actual first name. Honestly, you would have no idea how many smart remarks I get about my name." She eyed him a moment and then shrugged, "Well, maybe you can guess... with a name like Weetzie there's bound to be ridicule." Her eyes went to the book he held in his hands and she nodded her head at it, "I wouldn't want to lose that, regardless if it were a gift from your parents that you might consider lame. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's greatest works, you know." Weetzie had spotted the binding when he picked it up. She had read Hamlet a few years back, but she didn't have a copy as nice as Ciaran seemed to have.

There was another howl of the wind and Weetzie jumped slightly, "Wow, Mother Nature must be angry, tonight. I don't think I've seen this bad of a storm in years..." She thought aloud as her eyes went to the window. Somebody's hat blew by and Weetzie had to stifle a giggle. Whoever was stupid enough to go out in that weather especially this late at night was going to regret it in the morning. They'll be missing a hat and have one bad cold. Even Weetzie, the girl who loved storms, wouldn't dare to go out there. She shook her head in disbelief and turned back to Ciaran, "What house are you in? Gryffindor? Not Hufflepuff, because that's what I am in and I would know you. You're too nice to be a Slytherin, and a Ravenclaw wouldn't dream of sneaking out past curfew." Weetzie smiled, "Well, at least, not the ones I've met." She hadn't met many Ravenclaws, though. Being at Hogwarts for four years already, Weetzie should have made plenty of friends...however she didn't. Except for those in her dorm and a few in her year, Weetzie was always off doing her own thing. It wasn't that she cared, Weetzie liked being alone. Although, sometimes it got really lonely.

"Want to take a seat? You're making me nervous just standing there. I really don't bite, I promise. I'll swear on that amazing play you've got there." Weetzie offered Ciaran a large smile and let her legs down so she was actually sitting in the chair. The fire was still burning bright, but not bright enough to attract attention. Or at least Weetzie hoped not enough to attract attention. They could assume that the house elves just haven't put the fire out yet, but then again it was way past curfew and all the house elves put the fires out in all the rooms except the commons at exactly curfew. Well, whatever happened happened and Weetzie would deal with it when it came. If Ciaran wanted join her, it was his choice. Though, there was always the possibility that they could get caught being out past curfew and that could result in house point deduction. Slytherin was in the negatives now because two girls were out past curfew, but they also were in the Forbidden Forest. So surely if they were caught not nearly as many points would be deducted from their houses. Weetzie tore her gaze away from the fire and looked at Ciaran, waiting for his decision.

[ciaran]

Ciaran nodded when the girl introduced herself as Weetzie. True, it was an odd name, but Ciaran rather liked it. It was unique and Ciaran was tired of remembering all of the many Emily's he had met over the year. No, he could never forget Weetzie. Ciaran released a smile. "It's a cool name. Names like Tyler and Elizabeth are so over used it's sort of annoying. At least no one can ever forget your name. Or at least I never will." Ciaran said still smiling. Ciaran wasn't exactly a common name either, but it wasn't as interesting as the name Weetzie, that was for sure. "Well, I hereby give you the Coolest Name at Hogwarts Award." Ciaran laughed. "Even though I have no power to do that what so ever, but who cares." He said shrugging. Weetzie was probably the most original name at Hogwarts, but Ciaran could understand that Weetzie had been ridiculed about it before. Even though, he hoped that no older Hogwarts students would be stupid enough to make fun of her name. Well, maybe Slytherins just for the heck of making fun of someone. Ciaran looked at the copy of Hamlet in his hands as Weetzie talked about it. "Well, it's a pretty good gift considering I spend most of my time reading. This is like probably one of the nicest things I own." He said confidently. Ciaran's parents did have a lot of money, but his things were average as Ciaran really didn't care much about stuff like that.

Ciaran nodded and smiled lightly as he look outside the window. "Yea, but at least the grounds will be snowy tomorrow. The only snow I ever see is at Hogwarts so I have to saw I like it when it snows. But, I am glad that I'm not out there." Ciaran pointed to the storm as it just seemed to be getting worse. Nothing about bad weather ever seemed boring though. Ciaran didn't mind horrible storms unless he was out in them. One time, Finnea pushed Ciaran outside in the middle of a snow storm, without any socks on just for a prank. Ciaran was sick for a week and Finnea insisted that he had run away and she received an award for finding him. At least Finn wasn't like that anymore. Ciaran smiled. "Yes, Gryffindor. I hope I'm nice enough to be thought of as a Slytherin." Ciaran said laughing. "Well, I guess there are nice Slytherins out there. I just haven't met any." He laughed again. "Actually, usually I wouldn't dream about sneaking out after curfew, I just needed my book. But, now that I'm out and breaking the rules, it feels kind of good." Ciaran said taking a breath. He hated breaking rules, but this was fun, actually. Finn had always been the rules breaker and Ciaran had always been the one ignoring her and telling her she was immature. But, Finn was right. This was fun in a way.

Ciaran smiled brightly. "You better not." He said with a joking look on his face. Ciaran walked over and took a seat near Weetzie. "If you did, I would have to tell my big sister to beat you up." He said obviously again. "She would do it too. Finnea's her name. She just graduated last year from Gryffindor. If she were here, I probably would have sent her down to get the book. Not because I'm scared, just because I hate breaking rules just because I don't want Gryffindor to loose points, I guess. Besides, Finn never has a problem with rule breaking." Ciaran said smiling. "Actually, I'm pretty sure she encourages it. She would say something like 'rule breaking if just a part of growing up. It's an experience you need to be an adult.'" Ciaran laughed. "Do you have any brothers and sisters?" He asked calmly. Just then, Ciaran heard noise in the hall. "What the.." Ciaran exclaimed. He clenched his hands over his mouth. Whatever the noise was, it stopped after a second when the sound, whatever it was, came from farther away. "Close call." Ciaran said sighing.

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

Weetzie raised an eyebrow and then nodded slowly, “Alright, but don’t count on me giving the award back once you find someone else with a much cooler name.” She eyed him a moment and then smiled before turning her face into a serious frown, “I’m being serious. I’m rather selfish, especially when it comes to awards.” She wasn’t at all that way. In fact, Weetzie would rather lose than win. She was better at it, oddly enough. When she won, she didn’t know what to say. When she lost, it was always the same. ‘Oh, it’s fine, really. I had fun.’ See? So much easier to lose than to win. Weetzie sighed and leaned her head on the head rest of the arm chair, her eyes still on Ciaran. He was talking about his book now, and Weetzie’s interest was piqued. “You like to read, then? Or do you just… read because you’re a lifeless loser like the rest of us?” Weetzie grinned and sank deeper into the chair, enjoying the comfort of both the fire and the chair. She hadn’t felt this comfortable in months, she was too stressed out with the holidays and the upcoming midterms.

“You only see snow here? Don’t you go home for the holiday? I mean, I shouldn’t exactly be talking, I’m here all year round and during the summer hols I’m… shuffled from hotel to hotel across the Europe border. Well, not… really… but I do travel a lot more than I sleep in my own bed.” She ran her fingers through her hair and continued to stare at the fire. Her eyes drifted to the window and she watched the snow and wind, “It is rather pretty, though. Somewhat… calming, really.” She made a happy smile cross her face and then turned her attention to her feet which she wiggled in her slippers, “I’ve never felt so peaceful… not even at home.” Looking up at Ciaran again she shrugged and stopped wiggling her toes. Perhaps he understood that, perhaps he didn’t. Whether he did or he didn’t wasn’t anything of concern to Weetzie, she was just talking. Talking about nonsense like she usually does. When Ciaran said he was in Gryffindor and then talked about usually not wanting to break the rules, Weetzie laughed lightly. “Being bad feels so good, doesn’t it?”

She smiled a bright smile at him when he took a seat and then said he would have to tell his big sister to beat her up if she did in fact bite him. “I see, hmm, that does present a predicament. I know! How about this? If you give me no reason to bite you, I won’t. But if you do something that clearly agitates or aggravates me, I can hold no promise. Deal? I certainly wouldn’t want your sister, Finnea was it? To beat me up. No, we can’t have that at all. I have to keep the O’Keeffe name alive in the wizarding world after all and I’m such a tiny girl, she might just end up killing me.” Weetzie’s eyes brightened with laughter and she brought her legs and tucked them under her. As Ciaran talked about Finnea, Weetzie could see real admiration in his eyes, or was she imagining it? Well, whatever she saw, it was gone as soon as he asked her about her siblings. Before she could answer there was a noise in the hall. Quickly, Weetzie pulled out her wand and distinguished the fire. After a few moments, the noise was gone and she slowly lit the fire again, only this time with a smaller flame. She couldn’t help but laugh at Ciaran’s nerves.

After a beat or so, Weetzie decided to answer his question. “Depends on what you consider brothers and sisters. If you mean blood related, no. I am an only child. If you mean by more than blood, by actual family and love, I have 12. My mum helps my gran run her daycare. I grew up with 12 other kids and I love them all as if they were my brothers and sisters. I get annoyed with them just as much.” She smiled wistfully, missing all of them.

[ciaran]

Ciaran let out a smiled. "Agreed. You keep the award no matter what. I give you permission to hurt the person who tries to take it from you." Ciaran said joking lightly. Ciaran sighed. "I hardly ever win anything, but that's because I never try to win win anything." Ciaran comment. Well, it as pretty much true, but not exactly. Ciaran worked hard for the grades that he made, but he didn't really try to have the top grades out of the other fifth years. He just tried to do the best to get a good job. So, was that trying? Heh, Ciaran didn't think so at all. Ciaran laughed when Weetzie talked about reading. talking about reading always seemed to bring a smile to his face. "Me, lifeless loser? Of course." He said grinning. "Actually, I do like to read a lot. I don't have much other choices to fill my time so I guess reading just gives me something to do." He said calmly. "Plus, I've always been one of those typical loners you know, reading in the corner at a party. So I guess I just like to read." It was pretty much true. For years Ciaran had basically been a loner. The only friend he had was Alexis, but she had moved away and left Hogwarts. But, not Ciaran was better at talking to people really. It was easy to talk to some people, but it was kind of hard for Cia to talk to Kia. Go figure.

Ciaran nodded. "Yea, I usually go home for the holidays, but I spend them between London and Ireland. It always seems that when I'm in Ireland, it snows in London and when I'm in London, it snows in Ireland." Ciaran shrugged. "Well, do you like to travel? Basically, I've only really been to Ireland and back. I have tons of family there so yea. It's just Ireland and England for me. Nothing interesting or fun. The same stuff ever day. It gets boring after awhile." Ciaran said staring into the orange and red fire as it set a gleaming glow on his eyes. Ciaran nodded lazily. "Yea, snow is rather calmly. And still. It's like nothing else matters and nothing else is really going on in the world." Ciaran said truthfully. There Ciaran went again. He often over analyzed stuff, but he didn't really think about it in that way. No, Ciaran thought of it as more of paying attention. That was all. "Home can be chaos. Snow at Hogwarts just seems, I dunno not chaos." Ciaran said lamely, but he didn't care.

Ciaran laughed and nodded. "Yea, I have to admit, being bad feels good." He stared out at the hall. "Well, until we're caught. Then, it's going to stink." Ciaran said smiling as he gazed out the window. The wind was raging and in between the howling, you could see now flakes being blown every which way. The storm seemed as if it would never would, but ciaran knew better. Every good thing ended. He had learned that a long time ago. Ciaran smiled. "Deal. But, in case I do something that really agitates you, alert Madame Pomfrey." Ciaran said half smiling. Would Weetzie really hurt them in that situation? Ciaran really had no clue yet. "Yea, Finnea probably would just claw you to death with her perfectly manicured fingernails. Her fifty million tons of make-up would wound you all by itself." Ciaran laughed lightly. Of course, he loved he sister, but every made fun of their siblings a little. Besides, Finnea literally spend hours on her appearance. Cia really didn't understand this because she was pretty without all that make-up gook on her face, but of course, Finn didn't listen to Cia's arguments.Ciaran smiled. "Twelve? Well, even though they aren't your blood relatives, they are still your family. I mean if Finn wasn't my sister, I don't know if I would feel the same way about her. But, you are the twelve feel like family because you want to not because you have to." Ciaran said assuming a bit. "Am I right? If not I'm sorry." He said being his usually worrisome self.

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

"Good," Weetzie replied with an amused grin, "I suppose that means I can bite them. You might be off the hook." She brightened her grin and watched Ciaran a moment before turning her gaze to the book he had come to retrieve. It really was remarkable. She looked back at Ciaran when he began talking again. She merely shrugged when he said he never won anything. "Winning's too much work to expect of yourself. Losing's easy, you always know what to expect." If Weetzie lost something, pepole would always ask her why she wasn't upset. The thought was always the same thing. It's just a game or a tournament. Life doesn't revolve around her losses. Weetzie was a prime example of good sportsmanship. "Me, a lifeless loser? Of course." Weetzie grinned at Ciaran's response. "Reading's a good thing to do during spare time. Not only is it entertaining, it makes your vocabulary expand and is said to exercise your brain." Weetzie pulled a bit of her brown hair over her shoulder and started to braid it. She listened with an interested gleam in her eyes as Ciaran talked about being in the corner at parties. Weetzie was the exact opposite. She was nearly always the life of the party, hardly ever the wallflower. The idea almost made Weetz laugh, she couldn't ever be considered a wallflower.

Silently, Weetzie ran her right pointer finger through her braid and let her brown hair fall into its natural shape. "Hogwarts is my home. I mean, I have a home, but Hogwarts is where I am all year... so it's just... home." Weetzie shrugged, she didn't mind it, but sometimes she missed the familiarity of her mother and all the kids at the day care. "Sometimes," Weetzie answered to his question about traveling, "but I'm always shipped to the same place. So it gets just as boring after awhile. Granted, I've been to many places, but they're all the same after awhile, you know? Like all the adventure is just... gone." It was something Weetzie had experienced often. The same feeling of dread upon entering yet another hotel. The same nostalgia that came from entering yet another suite in the hotel, only to have it to herself. Weetzie was used to it, but that didn't mean she liked it. Weetzie returned to the conversation with Ciaran talking about snow. Just as he said snow was calmly, there was a howl from outside. Weetzie grinned again, "Perhaps not too calmly tonight." The wind howled again and Weetzie ignored it, her eyes fixated on the fire in the fireplace. "Hogwarts can be chaotic, too. Especially with all that happens here. Sometimes I wonder how this school is still standing." Weetzie laughed lightly. Nothing could make the school collapse. It was invincible.

"I don't think we'll get caught. No one checks the student lounge because they figure people are smarter than to go into a room that everyone is aware of. People just tend to check the empty classrooms. Though, the trick is to be smarter than your opponent. Don't worry about it too much." Weetzie smiled reassuringly at Ciaran and then started to braid her hair again. It had become a nervous habit, one she did when she had nothing else to do with her hands. She normally talked with her hands, accenting what she said with a quick jab in the air or showing how she was feeling by using her hands to express the emotion inside of her. Weetzie looked shocked, but her eyes said she was completely joking, "And risk being caught out past curfew? Oh, no, I simply can't do that! I can't lose points for Hufflepuff, I just.. I can't! You understand don't you, Ciaran?" Her hand had flown up to her mouth to add onto the feigned shock impression, but now it went to her side and she began fiddling with a loose thread on the chair. She shuddered as Ciaran said his sister's make up would wound her, she hated girls who over did the make up. Sure, Weetzie was known to wear crazy make up but she never packed it on. When Ciaran questioned her about her family, Weetzie grinned as he apologized. "Don't worry about it," she said as she waved her hand in the air as if to wave off a fly, "you're right, so why be sorry? They are family and I'd do anything to help them if they needed it. I'm sure the same goes for you, doesn't it?"

((Forgive the delay. Got caught up in a lot of things. ))

[ciaran]

Carr laughed. “Yes, you can bite them if they try and steal it, but don’t put them in the Hospital Wing.” He said smiling. Ciaran nodded to what Weetzie said about losing. “True, I mean I want to win, I’d just rather do what I can, screw the outcome.” Ciaran said meaning every one of his words. “Plus, it’s not like I’m ever going to loose anything huge like the Quidditch World Cup.” Ciaran sighed. That was a good dream, but not a realistic one. After all, Ciaran was a new Seeker. He already had the task of filling Harry Potter’s, previous Gryffindor Seeker’s shoes which was a task in itself. Ciaran already had to prove that he was good enough to fill the spot and to help his house. This was enough competition even though it was basically just to prove something to himself. Weetzie was right, loosing, so much easier. Ciaran sighed lightly. “Heh, reading for me has always been a must. I don’t know why. I’m not really a nerd or at least I’ve never been called that, well usually. No, more of a, of a okay I can’t think of another word.” Ciaran gave up. “Nerd it is than.” He said smiling a bit for no reason what so ever. Well, being a nerd wasn’t really a bad thing was it? Besides, ciaran was more mysterious than nerdy or at least he had heard that before. But, did he consider himself mysterious? Not at all.

Ciaran nodded. Hogwarts was a home to him, but not like the one in England. Home for him was anywhere that Finn was. She had graduated this past year so during Ciaran’s fourth year, home was at Hogwarts because Finn was so close. Ciaran had never been attached to his family. Just Finn, really. Well, she might be crazy and Cia did like to rag on her, but he couldn’t change the fact that she was there for him always. Ciaran nodded. “Well, I haven’t been enough places to really notice. Ireland is always..Ireland. Nothing knew, nothing fun, nothing very interesting. It just is.” Wow, that sentence sounded like Alexis so much. She always said the people just were and that places just are. She loved saying that because to her it made so much sense. Ciaran sighed. He hoped that she was enjoying Italy. With famous parents like hers, she had to move for her parents careers. Plus, Alexis needed to focus on her skating every day if she ever wanted to make it to the next Olympics. Ciaran sighed. He hoped she did. “Yea, I know what you mean.” He answered when Weetzie talked about Hogwarts and the school. “Too much..craziness. I mean, how many Death Eater attacks has this place seen through. Too many to count for me at least.” He said truthfully.

Ciaran laughed as they talked about getting caught. “Wow, Weetzie you should right a book, Being Bad at Hogwarts 101. I’m sure that would be a thousand pages with all the places you could find trouble here and all the things you can to get into it.” True, Ciaran was no trouble maker. Not, at all. He actually hated trouble making ever since Finn decided that she loved it, but maybe he could change. Maybe. “I’ll try not to worry, but I’m a worry machine. Dunno why though.” He didn’t really knew why he worried, he just knew why he hated trouble. Ciaran laughed as Weetzie joked about being caught. “Hmm, you’ve almost got me down to a tee if you just change Hufflepuff to Gryffindor.”} He said laughing. Ciaran nodded when the subject moved to family. “I’d do anything I could to help my sister, but she sticks up for herself and I stick up for me. I guess we’re pretty independent, never needed our mummy and daddy too much as young kids when it came to playing in the park or whatever. Like, I would do whatever I could for Finn, but I don’t know if she’ll ever need me to. Ciaran looked out the window. A mischievous smile surfaced on his face. “Hmm, I wonder how sick I would get if I went out and made a snow angle or something right now.” Ciaran laughed. “Half of me actually want to find out.” He said staring at the door to the Student Lounge half wanting to leave and go outside. Ciaran looked at Weetzie, waiting for her to respond.

((Sorry for the wait. I had a lack of Cia inspiration for awhile, but I'm getting it back now.))

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

Weetzie smiled brightly, “Darn, there goes my evil plot to send them to Madame Pomfrey. As long as I don’t have to visit that place I’m perfectly fine, although it means significantly less fun for me.” She crossed her arms in a false pout and then tucked her hair behind her ear as she listened to him talk. He went from losing the Quidditch World Cup, which made Weetz raise her eyebrows, to reading where he couldn’t think of a better name for himself than ‘nerd.’ “Bookworm,” she interjected suddenly with a bright grin on her face, “it’s not too taunting and it isn’t too warming so you can leave the name behind whenever you feel like it. Personally I love the title too much to ever drop it. Bookworm just means ‘Weetzie O’Keeffe’.” When she said her name, she lifted her arms and flicked out her fingers as if to illustrate a blinking sign. She rolled her eyes with a still smile, because she was quite proud with the name she had made for herself. She was known in her dorm as “the girl who reads but rocks.” That was Weetz for you, and she loved it. Weetzie ran her fingers through her hair and looked at the fire again as Ciaran began to talk again. This time about Ireland.

She looked up when he said his last sentence and smiled, “The best things always just ‘are.’ There is no need to go into further explanation, ‘cos that’s what music is to me… kinda. If you can refer to music as a place more than a hobby or a talent. It’s music… just music. I guess, what it actually is can be left to the interpreter.” She wondered if she was making any sense to him, but if she wasn’t it didn’t matter. Weetzie rarely ever made sense to anyone and she was used to it, but that didn’t mean she didn’t try to make sense. It just got boring after awhile, and she found herself having to think of things in a different way to get people to completely understand her. It bothered her slightly when she had to do that, but it was well worth it to have a good conversation with someone. “Attacks… well… they’re pretty much over for now, at least I hope they are. I wasn’t at the Bash when You-Know-Who was killed, but I trust my sources.” She hadn’t bothered to attend the event, knowing she would feel out of place with a date and wouldn’t have that grand of a time without someone there to make her laugh or hold a conversation with her. Her dormies had gone on about it though, upon their return from the event. At first Weetz couldn’t believe it, but the more they spoke about it and the more she read about it in the Prophet… the more it was believable. She was still expecting He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to jump out of a wardrobe somewhere shouting, “April Fools! Now bow down or die! Actually then, bow down and die anyway!”

Weetzie shook her head as if to rid herself of the thoughts, and focused on Ciaran. “I could? Well, I suppose I could, but then all my secrets would be out in the open for everyone to read and then I wouldn’t be able to sneak away into the Student Lounge for a night of sitting and pondering, now could I?” She smiled at him wickedly as he said he was a worry machine and that she almost gotten him down a tee. Weetzie shrugged and looked away, a calm smile on her face. When he talked about family, Weetz felt tears well in her eyes but she quickly blinked them away as the topic moved to snow angels. She looked over at him and then followed his gaze to the Student Lounge door. Leaving the Student Lounge to go anywhere else except their common rooms was risky, but Weetzie liked risk. She stood from her spot in the arm chair and grabbed Ciaran’s hand to pull him out of his. “Let’s find out, shall we?” She smiled and led him out of the Student Lounge, peering around corners to make sure no teachers or Prefects were down the corridors. She looked back at Ciaran and stifled a giggle before breaking out of the double doors and into the open area of the grounds.

The wind played havoc with her hair as she spun and skipped further toward the lake. She looked back at Ciaran and returned to his side with a contagious grin, “Gosh, if I didn’t know any better I would say you just took one step further in breaking the rules.”