Caught Red-Handed

[Aline Le' Fountenelle S4]

Aline didn't like studying at all. She couldn't ever find a place quiet enough... until she entered the Student Lounge. The fireplace seemed as though it was rarely occupied, and it was constantly lit. Now, people were so used to seeing Aline there, that they didn't join her. Aline needed an escape. She had had an adventure in the Great Hall, and she's afraid to ever go back. Guys from the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables kept talking to her, and one even claimed her to be his girlfriend. Another called her Doll face, and when she started to walk away, he grabbed her by the arm and told her to sit down. She was not allowed to leave. She would have if she could, for she is the strongest girl you might ever come across, but she was repeatedly asked to stay. Those guys knew they were practically persuading her to stay.

Now, it's late, and she is by herself in the Student Lounge. She had brought her guitar along and her cat, Cardammon was purring along to her music as she played Hushabye Mountain on her guitar and sang along.

"A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain Softly blows o'er lullaby bay. It fills the sails of boats that are waiting--Waiting to sail your worries away. It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain And your boat waits down by the key. The winds of night so softly are sighing--Soon they will fly your troubles to sea. So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain. Wave good-bye to cares of the day.
And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain Sail far away from lullaby bay."

This was her favorite lullaby, and whenever she was tired, she would sing herself, or her cat to sleep. She started to play the song again just as someone walked.

"Wow," she heard someone say, and she automatically stopped playing.

[Wynd Lehane]

Wynd kept his cloak close about him as he walked down the corridors. Spring was right about the corner but Winter had not given up the castle just yet. As he passed other students in the corridor he didn't make eye contact with them. They knew why he was walking and they didn't want to disturb him. He was doing his prefect duties. He was anxious to see a Hufflepuff so that he could take away points but those goody-too-shoes never did anything wrong. Instead it was mostly Slytherins that got in trouble so he avoided their gaze lest they were doing something stupid. There were a lot of brilliant people in his house and yet there were a lot of dumb people also. They were all very ambitious, they just had different goals.

Entering the Student Lounge he found it nearly deserted. Good. He would just stop by the fire to warm himself up and then he would continue his patrol. He had a Charms essay to finish and he was not looking forward to it. After six years, Professor Flitwick knew when Wynd copied off of Ruby and vice versa. They were similar in many ways but just different enough that their cadence and vernacular were slightly off from each other. Maybe Flitwick didn't notice when they were first years but after six years of grading their essays even he could tell the slight difference. A girl was sitting by the fireplace with a guitar in hand as she was singing. What she didn't notice was the third year Gryffindor drooling behind her.

Wynd moved so that he was behind the Gryffindor as he was sure to do something. "Wow," he uttered. The girl on the couch stopped playing. Wynd cleared his throat and the third year boy turned on the spot. "It's almost curfew. Get back to your common room." The glare in Wynd's blue eyes told the Gryffindor that he was not to be crossed. The young boy just nodded and left the Student Lounge without looking back. Wynd rolled his eyes before looking back at the girl on the couch. She wore the colours of his house but was obviously younger. "Same goes for you," he told her. "Don't think I'll go easy on you because we share the same House."

[Aline Le' Fountenelle S4]

Aline blushed wildly after discovering the Gryffindor behind her... and the prefect criticizing him. Afterwords, he turned to her and said, "Same goes for you. Don't think I'll go easy on you because we share the same House."

Aline looked at him closely. Wynd Lehane, 6th year Slytherin, just performing his prefect duties.

"Non, évidemment non! J'étais juste... I mean... I'm sorry and I was just..." Aline struggled to remember her English words, "No of course not! I was just leaving."

She grabbed her guitar and homework and said, "Avancez, Cardammon. Nous ne devrions pas évidemment être ici."

She was coaxing Cardammon from the warmth of the fireplace, saying that they shouldn't be here at all.

"Avancez! We must run. We must not cause trouble for this boy." Aline continued. Aline ran from the room with Cardammon happily running behind her. They were laughing like mad, and Aline immediately picked up on the sound of feet following her to her room.

She knew they were saying something, but what? She sharply turned to run back to her room.

But, what was that person saying? She felt that she had to wait for them to see what they wanted.