Focusing (All the lovely girls who agreed)

[keirramcdonnell]

Keirra's dark eyes glittered in the soft glow emitting from the fire dancing within the fireplace of the Gryffindor common room. She was trying to focus on studying but for some reason this proved to be especially difficult tonight and she was sure of the exact reason. Maybe she had been focusing so much on her studied lately that she wasn't focusing on herself enough, but of course, she couldn't let her grades slip either. Potions was exceedingly difficult this term and her fear of getting a substandard mark pushed her to study on a massive level. Her thoughts drifted and she began to think about what it would be like if she was a Ravenclaw - not that they never studied but they were already more intelligen than she was. A sigh escaped her lips as she folded one of her legs under her body and shifted her weight on the large, plump red couch.

Her hands, one containing a pristine white quill, quickly reached out towards the ink pot resting on the small table in front of her and she dipped its tip into the black substance it contained. Using her Potions book as support she began to neatly scribe in small, cursive letters: There are several types of hellebore; the name comes from the Greek words 'elein' (to injure) and 'bora' (food), indicating that hellebore is poisonous. In some belief systems, it's been believed to be a purgative used for things like protecting livestock from evil spells, and (in powdered form) for invisibility. It is often used in the Draft of Peace which is intended to put someone at peace.

Again her focus was pulled away from her essay and her eyes wandered the room aimlessly due to the dead silence that echoed against the walls with only the crackling of the flames to keep her from going insane. She began to wonder if she had missed something; normally there were at least a few people chatting in a corner or studying like herself, but today it was only her - and Victoria. Keirra gave her cat a small smile as she began to aimlessly rub its silky white fur and again when Victoria gave a small meow while her emerald eyes pleaded. Her soft voice whispered, "are you hungry?"

Victoria meowed in agreement and Keirra's free hand began to dig through her pockets until she pulled out a treat and delicately fed it to the cat. Pleased with her accomplishment, Victoria lept up from the couch and bounded to the window sill which she promptly laid herself upon. Keirra shook her head slightly as she tried to focus again on her essay, but she realized she was just too bored to finish it at the present time. Carefully placing the quill down followed by the parchment and her Potions book, she stretched out her legs and arms with small groan. She had obviously been hunched over that parchment due to the dull ache she could feel originated in her lower back. Keirra leaned back and rested her head on the back of the couch for a moment before pulling her curly brown hair into a messy bun. She glared slightly at her essay as if it could sense her frustration with it but then gave a short laugh before rising to her feet.

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass jogged down the stairs from her dorm in a pair of sweat pants and a tshirt. To tell the truth, she had just woken up from a nap. A great nap. It was nice to forget about classes, Quidditch, and her personal life. Feeling like mingling, she crashed into an armchair near an older girl with her cat.

" Whatcha writing?" she said to the girl. She took a sip from the glass of water she had in her hand. " Oh, I'm Cass by the way."

[bellatrixlestrange]

Faith lowered her magazine and gave a disapproving sigh. At the end of her bed her kitten, Gata, was busy tearing at her sheets again.

“Dim little thing,” She said, with an affectionate smile as she moved across her four-poster to where Gata was, now staring at her innocently, “There’s a reason why I got you a scratching post my friend.” She told him, picking him up in one arm as she assessed the damage. It wasn’t too bad, Gata had frayed some of the edges with his claws but compared to what he had done to one of the bed-posts, it was nothing. Gata purred in her arms and she smiled at him, giving him a stroke behind a grey ear as she got up and headed out of the dormitory, leaving her solitary magazine for something a little more social.

The Gryffindor Common Room was no busier than usual, the standard merry flames were in the grate, brightening the room no end. Faith, retraced her steps to the first on the stairs so she could get a better view of the people, and, among the gaggle of people Faith spotted two heads, one of Cassandra Logton, a fellow third year and friend, and one of another dorm-mate who she had never really spoken to properly, but was pretty sure was called Kierra.

Faith swapped Gata in her arms and approached the two.

“Hi,” She greeted, as she took a place in another winged armchair. She turned to Kierra, “I’m Faith. It’s Kierra, right?”<br>

[Melody Bang-Bala G6]

Melody brushed her black hair up into a half ponytail and tied it tight with a red bobble. She looked at herself in the mirror on her bedside table. Not too bad. She didn't have very much to do this evening - she'd done all her homework as soon as her last lesson finished, as it was Monday and she had managed, for once, to finish all her other homework over the weekend. She picked up her picture of her mother and father with a sigh. She missed them quite a lot. Melody was an only child, so when she was young they had been much of her company. She sighed, putting the frame, which was metal, metal fuschia leaves intertwining around it, back on her bedside table, and picking up instead the one which held a picture of her cat, Boris. Now he was here with her.

Melody smiled, and bent down to pat Boris, before picking him up and giving him a proper hug. He meowed unhappily. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said, in an affectionate voice, letting him go. He leapt to the floor and retreated to his basket. He must be tired by now, Melody reflected. Earlier on he had been rather too frisky for him to keep going the entire day. Melody sighed, swinging her legs off the bed, and headed downstairs to the Common Room. She was feeling a little lonely, so she looked around for someone to talk to. The only person in the room who she knew was a third year Gryffindor, Faith, and she was talking to two other Gryffindors.

Nevertheless, Melody headed over to the three. She hoped they wouldn't turn to look at her, as though she was just some weird younger girl interupting their conversation. They might well do, but if they did that, she would know to avoid them in future and glare at them. She stood behind an armchair, resting her hands on the top of it.
"Do you mind if I join you?" she asked. "I'm Melody."

[keirramcdonnell]

Keirra stretched out her arms over her head and after a few moments realized that the girl who had sat in an armchair near her was speaking - to Keirra to be exact. For how long, she was unsure, hoping to rectify any thoughts that she was ignoring her she quickly flashed an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I'm a bit out of it today. I was writing an essay on hellebore for Potions, but I have given that up for now...much too frustrating at this point. It's a pleasure to actually introduce myself proper, I'm Keirra and now I have no excuse with your name, Cass."

Soon after another girl approached and introduced herself as Faith, another one of Keirra's dormmates. Keirra slumped back into her chair now having satisfied her aching back with a few good stretches and nodded at her name. "Sorry to say I haven't been that forward this year, I've been trying to maintain good marks and that's made me a bit aloof if I dare say it - I should actually be familiar with the two of you like the back of my hand but I'm afraid I've had poor manners. So, I hope you forgive my bad manners, Cass and Faith."

To Keirra's relief the next girl to join in their conversation only ten minutes later was, in fact, not a dormmate. At least this time she wouldn't have seemed to have horrible manners not to know her with her being a year younger. Nevertheless, she smiled a very broad smile as the girl asked to join and introduced herself as Melody. "Well, Melody," her voice danced around the name, "I have no objections, take a seat."

Keirra pointed to an empty armchair across from her urging Melody to take a seat. "My name's Keirra," she paused hoping not to offend the girl before continuing, "what year are you? Mind you it makes no nevermind to me, I'm just curious."

[vika]

Vika walked into the common room were she saw two or three girls talking.Walking up to the girls in a polite voice she spoke"Hi, im Vika. Kerria right?"Vika spoke in her smooth yet suprising friendley voice it was her own inventoin

[keirramcdonnell]

"Ah, yeah, Keirra," she smiled sweetly and extended a hand towards the stranger. "Vika, you said? Interesting name, I like though."

Kierra was careful not to insult the friendly girl, but awaited the others to introduce themselves before continuing on.

[vika]

" Yes, Its short for Viktoria.My mom came up with it."
Vika was trying to be noce after last night she believed she needed to give these girls some respect.