Are We Friends Now?

[Sage Ottavi]

In recent months Sage a life had perhaps been a little stranger than previously. She had a few more friends, people who seemed to look up to her for some reason, people who seemed to tolerate her more than others, she was working hard for her OWLs, despite feeling like it was a little pointless, and she was doing this without her wand. It had been the most difficult part of the year. It was not the duelling or the studying. Not the classes or the people. It was being a witch without a wand. She held it tightly in class, but aside from that, she didn't get to hold on to it. Prefect patrols had not been fun, they were annoyingly boring, as she had found her partner to be as such as well. In any case Sage was a little happy that soon the term would be over and she would be able to have her wand back. Before Hogwarts not having a wand had been simple. She hadn't needed one, but not being able to have hers had been proving much trickier than she would've imagined. All the little things she used her wand for she had to do by hand. However it was now much further down the line, and she was keen to get it back. She no longer felt as angry as she had at the time, she still really disliked the head boy and girl, but she made a point of avoiding them. It was easy too. It wasn't like before that meeting that she had ever actually met them. On this particular day, it was just incredibly late. Not long before she had to deal with curfew. Sage had been bored with studying and had decided to take a long walk. Well just a walk that was long enough to make her feel less annoyed about having to study so much.

After everything that had happened she was much happier with school than before. She had a much better outlook on school than before. She knew that while things had been tricky for her, that didn't make everything bad. Things would be better after the semester was over but for now she was just happy with how things had eventually settled after all of the fun times. She had decided for this walk to leave everything back in the dorm room. She was wearing muggle clothes, clothes that suited her still growing figure, that complimented her physique and the make up which complimented her eyes. She had put in some effort despite the fact that all she was doing was trying to do was study. This walk had lead her to many different places but she had eventually stopped when she'd grown pretty tired and needed a break. This place ended up being on the stairs heading up from the sixth floor. The entrance to the sixth floor was a little away from her, but Sage was just sitting in silence watching the staircase around her. Feeling pretty content with the way things were. Feeling pretty good with everything despite what had been a tricky start to the year. The points she had lost would probably never be able to be made back up, she was unlikely to be at least in the running for top points earner this year. She'd not missed out on it by much really last year, but at this point her only concern was getting her OWLs and moving on up the school. Despite feeling incredibly content with things, the slytherin girl sighed slightly. It wasn't an bored or upset sigh, just a sigh. The stress of exams just washed away, it was a good feeling that she was left with.
​

 

[Preston Paine]

With a glance at the clock, Preston knew that he had to put the finishing touches on what he was working on for Astronomy. It was an assignment he had taken on in an attempt to make up some of the house points that he had lost to start the semester. For all that he tried to play it off as if he didn't care, Preston did. He cared a lot about having lost Slytherin points. In fact, he was still pretty upset with the Head students for their role in all his troubles, and his emotions about the event had resurfaced since reading the latest Hogwarts Monthly. Why Ai thought it necessary to tell the whole school what had gone down and given validation to the rumors was beyond him. As he had told the people who had asked him, it was a prefect thing and to him that is where it should have stayed. Another glance at the clock reminded Preston of how little time he had. He hated having to rush and leaving now would mean he wouldn't have to. Preston hated to be rushed. He preferred doing things at his own pace. It was how he knew he would get his revenge on the Head students one day. He had thought up a couple of ideas, but whatever he did needed to live as little proof as possible that would lead back to him. He really couldn't afford any more trouble.

Making his way slowly down the stairs, Preston juggled his telescope and his notebooks. He had rushed out of his room earlier to avoid Sergei and had left it behind, he hoped. Either that or he had dropped it in his rush to leave. He hoped out was on his bed though. Finally, he settled on tucking the telescope under his arm. Pieces dug into his ribs but it was too big to carry any other way. His books he folded, sort of, and somewhat stuffed into his pocket. Continuing on, the prefect spotted a familiar face, one that he hadn't been avoiding but he hadn't been seeking her out either. Still, going by her without saying anything would be just rude. She was looking around anyway, though he couldn't tell if she was looking for anything in particular. "Hey" he said in greeting, cautiously as if he wasn't sure he would be welcome. Preston had a million things to say to get, and that was a lame start...even for him. "You busy?" he asked, figuring he was long overdue on saying some of those things to her. They'd been...well he wasn't exactly sure what label to use, but they'd been something, sort of. Maybe. And maybe they still could be something.

 

[Sage Ottavi]

Sage had pretty much zoned out of all the places around her. She had been so much work for school recently that she was just looking for hundreds of opportunities to just relax, and in the moments that she managed to, she was happy about it. Sage had therefore not even been listening enough to hear someone walking towards her. Or well walking down the stairs, which was something that Sage was sure she was supposed to be listening for to be able to move out the way, but she didn't. She was zoned out so much that she knew that anyone could creep up on her. Which was exactly what happened, a voice beside her greeted the young Slytherin, and Sage startled by the noise slightly jumped. She looked at the person, and smiled slightly at the sight. Preston. Well, that was interested. He'd surprised her, Sage would not have noticed had he passed her and then continued on. Their relationship was a little strange to be honest. Sage had enjoyed there small thing in the previous term, but she wasn't interested in him in that way any more. They'd played around, and now she had moved on from that. However, in that, she sort of realised that while she didn't find herself attracted to him, the teen still wanted to remain friends if it was possible. Though Sage was sure it was possible, since they were sort of friends to begin with, and she knew that he like her, was no longer as interested in pursuing their relations more than in a friend capacity.

Sage looked at him as he asked if she was busy. She gave a small laugh, while motioning with her hands around her. As if do you see anything. She shook her head at him, and then noticed all that he was carrying. "No, but you look like you are" she said to him, motioning towards the items he held. She gave him a small smile, this was strange, it felt nervous. The last time that she had seen Preston properly had been at the meeting with professor Styx. Or well, the halloween feast had just passed, and she'd seen him there, but she hadn't said anything. "I saw you at the feast, monsters. Good theme." he told the boy with a small smirk. She had spent the feast with a second year student whom she had been nice to. It had been a little annoying, she'd put so much effort into looking good, and aside from many a boy eyeing her up, she'd spent most of the night with that girl. "I think I preferred last year's costume" she told him with a smirk, laughing slightly before thinking about what he'd said. "You want to sit or something?" she asked him, assuming that he'd asked if she'd been busy purely because he wanted to talk to her about something. That was the reasoning that he had stopped to talk to her, they were maybe friends, but perhaps it was still a little unclear. They had a strange relationship that was certain.
​

 

[Preston Paine]

Seeing her smile at him was a good thing. At least Preston hoped it was. It was better than her going off on him, though he really hadn't expected that from Sage anyway. It wasn't really her style. As she answered his question, Preston glanced down at the bulk of an item he was carrying. He gave her a small smile and shrugged. "Well, you know. I figured passing some classes would help me get back in Professor Styx's good graces." The smile turned a bit wry. He knew just as well as she did that Styx probably didn't have any good graces, and it would take more than passing some classes to get in it if he did. As Sage continued to speak, Preston moved the telescope out of the uncomfortable spot against his ribs and leaned it against the wall. He nodded his head, the smirk returning to his face as he glanced back at Sage. " I could say the same about yours, but I think this year's costume was just as good as your other one." Preston had definitely noticed her at the feast this year, and he'd very nearly gone up to her again. Tybalt had prevented that with his presence, but the Slytherin didn't begrudge the guy for it. The two had had one of the deepest conversations that Preston had with anyone in the castle. It hadn't made for a very exciting night, but it'd been good in a different way. For a night, it was like he'd had a good friend.

When she asked if he wanted to sit, Preston knew that he could maybe, probably, have another good friend in Sage. At least that's what he hoped. He nodded his head, waiting for Sage to move over so he could squeeze onto the ledge with her. He had grown a fair bit over the past year, both in height and width, so it was a tighter fit than it would have been at this time last year. "Thanks" he said quietly when he'd finally settled in. Using a finger to trace the space between the stone of the ledge, Preston stayed quiet for several moments mulling over what he should say to Sage. There were a few things that he wanted to say, but where to begin was always the tough part. Finally, Preston realized that he had better say something before he wasted their time before curfew and got nothing resolved. With a sigh, Preston launched himself into a speech that he'd gone over a million times in his head. It came out much differently than he wanted it to, but he hoped that it sounded ok to her. "I should've done this a long time ago like when it happened, but uh thanks for having my back at the prefect's meeting. I'm sorry you had to get in trouble for it." Preston was very sorry about that. It was actually the only thing he regretted about what had happened. He didn't really regret his outburst at the dumb Head students or not wanting to patrol with Sergei. He did regret that she'd lost points and gotten in trouble with Styx though. "Has it been terrible for you not having your wand? I'm dyyyyying" he admitted to Sage with a groan. "I feel so...naked without it" he added, his eyes lifting to meet Sage slowly before he wiggled his eyebrows and gave her a smirk.

 

[Sage Ottavi]

The slytherin girl couldn't help but smile at the reasoning behind him having all of those things in his hands. Sage had been working harder in classes in the hopes that Styx wouldn't hate her too much. She'd done the duelling just to try to get back into his good graces. She knew that it wouldn't do much to help, but she figured she could at least make up the points that she'd lost. "I've been doing the same. Trying to get back to the point where he just ignored me." She sighed a little smiling at the thought. She had been so annoyed at him when he'd taken the wands from them. But, it had quickly changed and becoming fear. She was a little afraid of Styx, she could admit it, but mostly it just felt awful that she'd let him down, even if she felt it was justified. She smirked slightly as he spoke of the halloween, she'd thought the last one had been better mostly since no one would've known who it had been under the mask. While this year had been sort of like it, it was had been more obvious who he was. "This year's was less angelic that's for sure" she smirked at him, she'd admittedly thought about going to talk to him, but had in the end decided against it. She'd spent part of the evening talking with that younger student. Who'd gone as a her mother, which Sage thought was a little creepy and strange, but it was the girl's choice really. Not that it mattered, they were beyond that night now, and there was always next year to do something equally as suited to her figure.

Sage smiled slightly at the boy as he nodded his head, before she moved along so that he could sit on the step with her. She had noticed that he was at least taller this year than last year. Sage was a little taller, but really she was growing in other areas. She probably wouldn't grow much taller, but that suited her, she had long, slim legs which more than made up for her being exceedingly taller. She was really just of average height for her age. As he was finally comfortable, Sage noted a strange silence. Her eyes were on Preston, he seemed like he was preparing to say something. And really Sage was sure that she knew what it was about. It was really only going to be about one thing. But, instead of pushing him towards saying something, she let him get to it. She watched him sigh, and then launch straight into it. It was as expected really. She just smiled at him, "You're welcome, we're friends, that's what friends do" There was almost an unspoken question as to if they were or weren't friends. It was unclear what they were really, but she hadn't minded standing up for him. She hadn't minded getting to trouble for it, sort of. She stood by what she believed, and she stood by her decisions that day. "I can't get over the fact that we got little cards that told us the points we lost" she laughed a little, god how stupid was that head boy. As Preston moved on to the topic of wands, Sage nodded with him, she agreed with what he was saying, though his choice of words at the end made her smirk. "We're naked together then." Sage enjoyed his choice of words, but it was true. "I'll be glad to have it back soon. I hate not having it." Sage really hated not having it, and she had plans to do all the pointless spells that she could the moment she got it back​

 

[Preston Paine]

Preston chuckled at the fact that they both seemed to have had the same idea about trying to get back onto their Head of House's good side, which for them meant that he ignored them. The Slytherin could only hope that the man would simply forget his existence but he knew that, as a prefect, it was unlikely. At least, once the semester, was over, they'd have their wands back. Once the wands were out of his office, it might be easier to be ignored by the man. And, Preston would be able to spend less time in the common room. Preston had never realized how much time he spent in the prefect's common room until he was no longer allowed inside. Now, he was forced to spend his time in the common room since he couldn't spend all of his time in the Brotherhood room. It was a great place, but filled with way too many distractions for him to get any sort of work done. Preston was easily distracted as it was and the promise of snacks and company and pool was more than enough to make him forget any work he intended on doing. It was like he got slapped with a memory spell every time he set foot in there.

Now that he was this close to Sage and speaking with her in their first true conversation of the year, Preston realized just how much they'd both grown over the past year. And not just physically, though there were differences there too. But what he noticed more was the ease in which they seemed to be conversing now that he'd actually started a conversation. And she had been patient, giving him the time he needed to launch into conversation. It was one of the things he liked most about Sage- she always seemed to know what he needed and was able to give it to him. Preston smiled as she declared them friends, more pleased than he'd expected to be at her words. He needed someone like her in his life as more than just a fling. Things had been so very complicated in his life for the past nearly two years. It was nice to have something un-complicate itself with such little effort.

With a shake of his head, Preston spoke. "Seriously. I should've saved the card. In ten years, no one is gonna believe that story." It really was unbelievable. The Head Boy really was a waste of space. At least the Head Girl had the guts to yell at them. Preston could admire that...a little, though he was still pissed that she'd spoken out about it in Hogwarts Monthly. "The both of them are so useless" he stated, sounding very much like a Slytherin. As Sage continued, Preston leaned back, his elbows on the step above him. "Naked together? Sounds good to me." he replied, keeping the joke going. Although the smirk remained on his face and the mischief in his eyes, it dimmed slightly as he continued. "Yea, I hadn't realized how attached I'd become to that stupid stick." The Slytherin had even had dreams about it lately.

 

[Sage Ottavi]

It was hardly surprising that they both just wanted to get beyond the point where Styx seemed to be noticing them. There was nothing better than just being ignored by Styx, that was a good position to be in really. There was nothing tricky about it. Just don't let the man give any reason to single you out. Which was unfortunately what they'd done. She was however glad that unlike the other two, the man had no direct access to her parents like she was sure that he did with Sergei and Alaska. That was much better. Sage could not imagine having to be in some way related to that man. It would be so frustrating, having to see him in contexts other than school. "At least we can be thankful we're not related to him and have to see him at family gatherings and things like that." Sage said with a small sigh of relief. Thinking about how much better it would be once she got her wand back and got to ignore the man for the rest of the year. Up until the exam at which point she might have to see him, but those were a while away for now. At least this whole term was soon over and they'd be able to put the entire thing behind them. At least from it, one good thing had occurred and that was this little friendship they had. Sage had enjoyed messing around with him in the previous year, but she liked this better. it was easier, seemingly less complicated, and it was almost strange, Sage realised that she actually had friends this year. Even if they came in perhaps the most unexpected forms. In a boy she had thought wouldn't be interested in anything other than fling, and that strange young Hufflepuff. She like Preston, she knew that he'd been having a few tricky years. She had been a distraction from it. Allowing him to forget about it.

At his words about the card she laughed, she still had hers. She kept it as a book mark. A reminder of how ridiculous it was that he'd even had them. And even at that in ten years she was sure that even with the card people wouldn't believe that she'd gotten it from a silent head boy. "I kept mine." She told him with a smile, "I didn't want to give him back his stupid little card, now I can keep it to remember that ridiculous moment for ever" She told Preston with a smile. She hadn't been annoyed with the yelling, sure she didn't like it, but losing points because of cards, by a boy who said nothing. Perhaps if they hadn't lost the points, Styx would've never taken the wands off them. "Do you think he'll even be able to give a speech at the graduation?" she laughed slightly. Sage didn't care if the boy had serious reasons for not talking. She didn't care, she could just imagine in her head, the head boy standing at the podium saying nothing. Oh how bad that would be for the graduating class. It was as the boy spoke of the pair of head people, that Sage remembered about the Hogwarts Monthly, "I tried to get them to take it out, what she said about it, but the editor-in-chief and the rest of them disagreed." she shrugged slightly. Maybe she could've done more about it, but it was alright, it wasn't like it was the RHI that was talking about it. Then they'd have an actual issue. Where Hogwarts Monthly was harmless, the RHI was not. Sage was glad however when Preston continued with the joke. She really did feel like she was naked when she didn't have her wand. It was just the feeling that she had. "We should go skinny dipping" She smirked slightly, before nodding. "That stupid stick, when I get it back I'm honestly just going to cast every spell I know" she laughed slightly. "I miss the fact that I can't use the prefect's common room. I mean, I'd never used it before I've only been in once, but I should be able to" she chuckled slightly, realising that she probably sounded like a child who wanted the exact thing that she was supposedly not allowed to have. "Slytherin common room is nice, but, it has younger students running around as if they own the place. some place quiet and closed off from the rest of the school would be better."
​

 

[Preston Paine]

Preston had considered himself lucky in the past that he was not related to his Head of House as many of his housemates seemed to be. The thought hadn't crossed his mind in a while, though, and he found himself with a smile on his face that became a chuckle as she finished. "Believe me, I thank Merlin and everyone else for that. Every day" he laughed. "Maybe that explains why Sergei is such a " he finished the sentence, a smirk on his face as he ended the sentence. If he could think about Sergei as a younger relative of Styx - if he remembered correctly Styx was his uncle- then perhaps he could deal with Sergei being a jerk. It had to be rough having people like that in your family. Then again, maybe they were just all jerks and it was a never ending cycle. Preston couldn't recall having met a Zhefarovich or Styx that he would consider 'nice.' Perhaps they didn't exist.

As they continued talking about the Head students, Preston's mood managed to remain upbeat. It was probably the comraderie in their teasing that helped him remain positive. His eyes twinkled mischievously. "I can't wait to see him try. Maybe he'll hold cue cards" Preston replied with an eye roll. He wouldn't put it past the guy to do something like that. If he couldn't talk to the prefects, some of whom were younger than he was, it'd be impossible for him to stare down the large crowds at graduation and give a speech. Preston couldn't wait to see him go down in glorious flames. With a shrug, Preston spoke again. "I'm not surprised. Everyone wanted to know what happened in there." At least RHI had died down. If it was still around, Preston was sure he'd be dealing with more. That magazine sure knew how to rile people up.

"Skinny dipping? I'm so there" he replied, the smirk on his face once more. It was a surprise that it hadn't gotten stuck there. "Yea, me too." He hated not having his wand, especially when he wanted to show someone something or do something and found that he couldn't because of his wandlessness. As Sage spoke about the prefect room and the common room, Preston shrugged, "It's ok in there...sort of a slightly more exciting version of the library but with better drinks and some distractions. And no little kids. So that does make it better than our common room." Preston had spent some time in there last year but he still much preferred his private spaces or the Brotherhood room. The prefect's room was good for studying though.

 

[Sage Ottavi]

Sage, like Preston also shared the same sentiment about not being related to Styx. Sage honestly imagined no worse thing that having to deal with Styx in any other capacity than as a professor. She wondered what it would be like to know him personally if any of those family members did. She didn't know, nor did she desire to. Sage also in her mind knew that even if it was just her own father who had been a professor at Hogwarts she wouldn't enjoy it. There was simply no way, and Sage actually loved her father. At what Preston said she nodded slightly, perhaps it was genetic. That was why, Sergei wasn't particular nice. Mostly when it got down to it, Sage didn't care about Sergei. He was just some brat in the year above her. He didn't know her and she didn't know him. The meeting in Professor Styx's office was only the second time she'd ever even been in a room with him in a way other than house meetings which didn't count. "Maybe it's genetic. Considering Professor Styx's reaction to someone giving him a hug, Sergei's actions are a little understandable." she added with a shrug. She cared about Sergei about as much as she cared about the current head boy. The current head boy who had the cards. God he would be a sight to see at the graduation. She couldn't wait to see if he managed it or not. She couldn't wait to watch him stumble over the words if he said any. She hoped that it would be a laugh. At what Preston said about cue cards she gave a small laugh and nodded. Cue cards. Maybe he would just hand out a written version of his speech to everyone and hand it out to all of them. That seemed just as likely to happen.

The Hogwarts Monthly was something that Sage had been a part of for a long while. It was one of the few things about this school that she actually just really really loved. It was good, and it was the thing she wanted to do when she leave, but it had been frustrating getting the interview and seeing that the entire thing had been mentioned. She had hoped that they would all respect the privacy of those written about, but the school had wanted to know about it, and the hogwarts monthly had a way of telling everyone about it. "They didn't have to know" she muttered, but at least it was better that they had reported it rather than RHI, while the magazine had been a little dormant recently and perhaps the students running it had finally left the school, she knew to never be that careless about it. "At least, RHI haven't said anything about it yet" she said, speaking most quietly on the yet part, just because you could never really know with that magazine. Her smile became a small smirk as he spoke. Skinny dipping in Hogwarts would be quite something if they were talking about this literally. She smirked at the joke, and then shook her head laughing slightly. She listened to what he had to say about the prefect's common room and she just shrugged. "I guess I just want it, because I can't have it" Sage smiled slightly at him, while shaking her head again. "At least in only a matter of weeks, it'll be all behind us." she said with finality in her tone. "Let's just hope Sergei doesn't get head boy, because that would be as much a mistake as the current one." Sage knew that Sergei wasn't going to get it. Or she assumed he wouldn't after all of the mess of the last one. He wasn't going to get it.
​

 

[Preston Paine]

"I know. I've been counting down" Preston replied. He really had too, making a giant x each night on the planner he was meant to use for his assignments. Only about half of his assignments actually made it into the book. Still, Preston knew that he was doing better this semester. He really didn't have an excuse since he only had two classes: Astronomy and History of Magic. They both required a lot of reading and writing, but not too much wandwork which also meant that Preston had a really hard time convincing his Head of House to release his wand to him. Luckily, it was sometimes necessary in Astronomy. Otherwise, his withdrawal likely would have been worse. His difficulties had to be no match for Sage who was in her OWL year and likely needed her wand for everything. It was a rough year as it was, no doubt made even more rough without a wand. RHI really would have a blast with this story. Preston had worried about that for a while, but he soon realized that he couldn't just live in fear of the magazine especially since a big chunk of the story had been released by Hogwarts Monthly. Snorting at her crazy talk about the next head boy, Preston shook his head before replying. " Don't even joke about that. If Sergei gets Head Boy, I'll... I don't even know. You name it and I'll do it because it won't happen. It can't."

Sitting quietly for a moment while he waited to hear her suggestion, Preston was content to enjoy the relative silence with Sage. He was still quite aware of their closeness, the heat from her leg seeming to engulf his knee. It was a bit unnerving knowing their history. Preston knew that, despite their seemingly mutual interest in being friends and nothing more, he was still very physically attracted to the Slytherin girl. It was difficult not to be. Preston admired confided, and Sage exuded it in spades. It was easier for him to refrain from acting on his impulse though, probably in part because of his desire to have a good friend. If Preston had learned nothing else from what had happened with Indiana, it was that friendships didn't always make for strong relationships and the aftermath could be disastrous. And, If Preston had to choose, he knew that there was really no choice. He wanted Sage as a friend. Curfew would be upon them before they knew it, and there was some noise as people hurried around on the floor below them. There really wasn't much action at all where they were, though he was sure that a professor or at least some prefects would be by soon. Preston tossed some ideas around in his need about what they could talk about, but nothing really felt right. Mentioning the Yule Ball might make Sage think he meant to ask her when he had no intention of doing that. And they'd already spoken about the things he really had wanted to discuss with her. Clapping his hands on his knees, Preston stood up and held out his hand to help Sage up. "I'm gonna head down to the dungeons. No reason to be late tonight, right?" he asked with an eye roll.

 

[Sage Ottavi]

Unlike Preston, Sage had not really been counting down the days in any other manner than just wishing that it was almost over. Since she couldn't really take it any more, counting the days had been good to begin with, but she'd quickly become busy and it had just fallen to the side, and she had been unable to find the motivation to be able to pick it up again. Which was probably a bad thing considering how much she had really needed her wand during the semester. Perhaps not as much as most but, she had been unable to even practice old spells. She was sure that she wouldn't have forgotten them, but it was better having a wand beside you rather than nothing. She wanted it back, and was waiting for that day. Her mention of Sergei as head boy made her smile, as did Preston's reaction. She laughed lightly, really knowing that if it happened that she wouldn't want to even think about it. It would be horrible. She was hopeful that if he did that he'd take it seriously, and not mess around with it, but there was no telling with Sergei ever. It was just too difficult. So, instead she just hoped it was someone else. "If he gets head boy, I'm going to hold you to that" she smirked slightly, knowing she hadn't named anything, but like it said, it wasn't going to happen. There was no way really. It was a crazy thought. Stranger things had happened at Hogwarts, but surely not this.

Sage found that her smirk changed to a genuine smile. She found that even after all of the things last year between them, she liked spending time with him like this. It was better. She was more interested in this than she was interested in trying anything with him. They had done that, and she had enjoyed it, but this was nice. She smiled at him, and found it easy. Even these silences between them, it didn't mean anything, it wasn't awkward, and it wasn't strange. It was just what it was. That was all. The slytherin prefect couldn't help but be glad of all the things that had happened between them, which had allowed them to get to this point. They had come so far she believed. Sage looked at him, as he clapped his hands on his knees. She was a little startled when he did that, but what he said was true. She didn't need to give Styx any reason to keep her wand longer than he should. She smiled at her friend and took his hand to help her get up. "Do you want a hand with any of this?" she said, motioning to all the things which he had been carrying before he'd sat with her. She was sure that even her carrying the smallest thing would be a great help to her.
​

Sorry, this could've been better.

 

[Preston Paine]

As he pulled her up, Preston once again appreciated how far the two of them had come. That this conversation hadn't been more awkward filled the Slytherin prefect with hope that they would be great friends. Unlike some of the other people who he had believed to be his friend, he knew that Sage didn't really care about his blood status and he was fairly certain that she wasn't just going to up and disappear. Preston had spent his first few years in the castle struggling to fit in with people that he learned he never really belonged with. This year, though, he was finally beginning to feel at home in the castle, friendships growing with both Sage and Tybalt. For very different reasons, those were two people he never would have expected to have wanted as friends. It felt even better somehow that it was happening in spite of his former beliefs. Preston was learning, this year especially, that he still had a lot to learn about himself. But, he did feel like he was making some progress.

As Sage asked him if he needed help, Preston was about to shake his head and tell her that he could carry it all. He had made it down a floor on his own, but it had been an uncomfortable journey. Still, Preston couldn't see himself handing over his telescope, the heaviest thing he had. "Uh...sure. Can you carry my books?" he asked. There were only two, but if he could free his hands, he was sure he could manage with the telescope. His ribs would surely be grateful for the assistance. Hoisting the telescope into his arms, Preston waited for Sage before beginning to walk. The Slytherin maintained a slow pace, knowing he'd make it back before curfew but not in any sort of rush to get there too fast. "I know that the Brotherhood has a pretty cool room. It's just a bit distracting if you plan on studying. Is the Heta Omega one any good?" he asked casually. Preston had passed by it on many occasions, but the room was always shut tight and he'd never caught a glimpse of its interior. The Brotherhood president had other reasons for asking other than mere curiosity, but he wasn't going to reveal those.

 

[Sage Ottavi]

Sage had never expected to become friends with Preston. She had never really known him until the previous year, and she had believed that their flirting would be the end of it. Since that was what normally happened, but this was different, somewhere in the mess they'd become friends, and Sage found herself a little thankful of that. She liked him, and while she couldn't really see them as anything other than friends. It was probably a good thing that they were just that. Sage let him help her to her feet, and then as he got himself ready to go, she took a moment to stretch her limbs that had grown a little stiff after having been sat on a cold step. She smiled at him, noticing all the things he'd had, and had offered some help, like friends did. It wasn't like they could just use magic to carry it, it had to be done by hand. How annoyingly frustrating it was to not have ones wand in a magic school. It was a well known fact that having a wand, made many things simpler. But, the worst thing about this was that they did have wands, they just weren't allowed them. She smiled at his words and nodded, bending down and picking up the two books that he wanted her to carry.

Sage held the books in her arms, and allowed the boy time to get himself ready to go. She flashed a small smile at him before beginning to walk. It was much easier to carry two books than a telescope. She wondered why he was even carrying it, surely it was of much greater use on the astronomy floor than in the dungeons. But, Sage didn't think it was her place to mention such a thing. Instead she just let a small silence grow until it was broken by Preston, who started talking about the Brotherhood. She smiled at the thought, sure that the brotherhood was better than the heta omega. She used it more now, since she had few other places to go. "It's alright, I mean, it's full of young girls talking loudly about boys and giggling, but if you can get past that, then it's good." she gave a small shrug. "The president is the head girl, so that's a bit of a downside." Sage smiled at Preston, she knew he was president of the brotherhood,and she should maybe be wary of telling him such things, but they were just school clubs, nothing else. "You're president of the brotherhood, right?"
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