Here Comes the Rainbow

[Minerva Khulik]

Tagging: Elizabeth Chatwin
Location: North Tower
Wearing: OUTFIT
Time: First Sunday late afternoon after the Yuletide holidays - day before classes restart

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Minerva had returned to the school that Saturday morning and had managed to spend a very enjoyable part of it with Norton, her friend. Being able to say that now made her almost light up inside, she had never thought it was possible that she could find someone who didn't mind how she talked so much when nervous or blurted out trivial facts about things ... again because of being nervous or also because she just knew it and knowledge to Minerva was a good thing, it was meant to be shared, not kept hidden under a hat somewhere. She had ate ice-cream with Norton until her brain had frozen but she had enjoyed herself immensely and had never thought that possible. Tempted as she was to write to her parents and let them know that she had made a friend, she didn't want to jinx it.

Her brothers had given her a box of candy for Yuletide which had been a great gift, unusual for her brothers who she had been certain would have given her something else entirely, so today she had taken a packet of pastilles out in order to share with whoever she met along the way. She hoped it was better than an ice-breaker and silly small talk which she was useless at! Everyone liked candy though, at least she did though she wasn't the greatest sweet tooth in the world. Of course she should have continued to mistrust her brothers, for among all the lovely packets of fizzing wheezbies and chocolate frogs, were puking pastilles and other joke shop horrors that would leave the user in necessity of the hospital wing.

Minerva utterly clueless that she had in her possession one of these very packets of puking pastilles strolled along the grounds of Hogwarts until she came to the North Tower. She had never been up there before and wondered what the view was like. Today she didn't have her head-phones with her but she did have her trusty helmet for just-in-case moments and this she put on before climbing the staircase up to the top parapets. The climb was not as bad as she thought it would be, it was steep but she was fit and strong. It was the view that took her breath away, not the climb! It was absolutely stunning, with her elbows propped up on one of the ledges of a turret, she let her chin rest on her hands as she stared out over the grounds of Hogwarts. Now, this she could get used to!

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

The first semester flew by and Elly her grades were pretty good. Today was the last of day relaxing before the new semester would kick off. It was exciting to finally have charms and history of magic. Her last semester had been great, but she missed the wand waving portion. The only spells she had learned this semester came from transfiguration and who would have guessed it herbology. Her dad had send had send her some provisions she had asked for and Elizabeth was now fully prepapred to start the new period. Elly was addicted to some muggle candy and really desired it over the magical varieties. Not that she didn't like the candy that they had in the magical world , she just liked snickers and twix way more. She would pick a twix over a enchanted chocolate frog every day. Who wouldn't prefer a nice biscuit surrounded with caramel and nice chocolate over a stupid chocolate frog with a card you would only look at once. She had gotten some cards from her mother, but Elly couldn't see the use of them. Most of the time the people in the picture were away anyway.

Elly grabbed a twix or two or three and left the Ravenclaw common room. It wasn't good to be cooped up in the common room for long periods of time. The common room was nice, but could feel like a prison for intelligent people. Some discussions that people were holding there went way over Elly her head and it made her agitated. She had no desire to become the smartest student at Hogwarts, she knew she couldn't be and didn't want such status. Some people really tried to be the best and outsmart the others. Elly sighed and walked out of the hall leading up to their common room. I wasn't very hot today so the twix's in her pocket wouldn't melt. Elly walked up the staircase to the highest point of the tower. Someone was already standing there, looking at the clothes and hair coming from her helmet Elly assumed it was a girl.

''Hello'' she muttered almost silently, not wanting to scare the girl. Elly didn't want to have accomplice to murder on her Hogwarts record. ''Do you mind if I join you?'' Elly said more excitingly. She didn't know if the girl liked candy, so she decided to wait before starting to shove a twix in front of her face. What if she thought it was poison, if you weren't from a muggle family you didn't even know of the existence of the lovely candy. ''I am Elizabeth by the way'' She held out her hand and waited for the girl to turn.

 

[Minerva Khulik]

Minerva could see right over the trees from here, she could see out to the quidditch pitch and beyond and loved every thing she saw. She had no idea that she could come up here until now and knew that besides the library this would probably become her most favourite place in all the school. Footsteps sounded on the stairwell but Minerva was too engrossed in watching the high-jinx of a few students far below in the gardens. She was smiling to herself when a girl said hello and the smile remained on her face as she turned around. It was a good job that it hadn't been moments earlier when she had been thoroughly engrossed, otherwise she could very well have jumped right out of her skin!

"I know you!" Minerva's face lit up with concern and delight all at once which was an odd combination to have flit across someone's features. Delight because the girl wanted to join her and concern because Minerva recognised the girl from her flying class, they also had herbology and transfiguration together but, it was mainly the flying class she knew this Ravenclaw from. The first actual flying session, the girl ... Eliza or Lizbeth had been grievously ill or something. Minerva couldn't recall completely now because she had been having such a horrendous session herself.

"Elizabeth!" that was it, she smiled to herself, she had been almost right, "I thought it was something like that. I'm Minerva" or Min she mused to herself, still amused that she had let Norton give her a nickname when she had always hated nics before, "There's an amazing view from here."

She hadn't said yes or no to the other girl joining her, she didn't think it was necessary really, her continuous talking would surely clear that one up, "I didn't read anything about it in the history books but you must be able to see for absolute miles from up here. It might actually be the safest place to watch the quidditch games" she said sincerely, as she made room at the turret for Elizabeth to look at the view as well from. Her hands slid into the pocket and fingers touched the pastilles that were there. Should she offer one or wait a minute or two? Elizabeth might actually run off again in about thirty seconds, so Minerva let go of the sweets just in case.

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

The view was from this place was beautiful, Elly had never been up so high on the castle. Not that she had a fear of heights, but she just didn't gave herself the time to explore the castle a lot. When the girl turned around she immediately knew who it was. It was Minerva, she shared classes with Elly. They had transfiguration and herbology together and Minerva seemed like a really smart girl in those classes. When Elly thought back about flying Elly got somewhat sick again, what if this girl remembered her little incident.

Normally Elizabeth always shortened her name to Elly, so it was odd that Minerva called her Elizabeth. Her grandma did that and so did her father when he got mad at something she did. ''Most people call me Elly so that is fine too'' For Elly Elizabeth sounded like a name that was suitable for old people not for a eleven year old. ''Now you mention your name, your face is familiar''Elly smiled broadly, she was sure Minerva had gotten some nice grades as well. You could actually pretty far away from this spot. Elly hadn't noticed what was surrounding Hogwarts. She saw lakes and lots of trees, it was almost magical.

''The view is indeed gorgeous'' Elly muttered, she was still taking it in. Elly hoped that the twix's didn't melt and would make her robes dirty. She felt way too insecure to give them after she had just met Minerva. Of course she had seen her in class, but they had never spoken to each other or anything. ''I haven't read any of the history books yet, we have history of magic in the next semester.''Elly was still in doubt if she was going to like history of magic. It just seemed like such a long and boring subject. ''Yeah, I think so too'' Elly paused ''I might go for a position next year.'' She might want to go for chaser or seeker. With the potion Professor Cliffeton gave her, she could do flying and every motion required sport. It was exciting her whole life she had been sick in moving vehicles, but this potion made it all go away. ''Which subject are you the most excited for?'' Elly spoke happily, Minerva seemed like a nice company to be with on this fine day.

 

[Minerva Khulik]

Minerva gave a sheepish smile as Elly informed her what most people usually called her.
"Sorry, it was what I had heard a professor call you. It was the only name that stuck but..." she took the sweets out of her pocket, one goof up surely required a piece of candy to smooth things over, "Elly it is, I like both names actually. They're really nice ... English origin?" she asked her as her fingers deftly opened the packet of pastilles and she took one out for herself before handing the packet to Elly.

"I got a large box of candy for Yuletide, so expect to see me with something different every day trying to share them out" she found it strangely wonderful that she was speaking to Elly as she would with Norton, it was like a charm had been cast and she was able to just relax and say things that didn't sound completely ridiculous to people her own age ... of course, it had only been a few minutes!

"You'd probably recognise my face more if there were a school broom smack in the center of it" she found herself chuckling as she popped the candy into her mouth, she simply sucked on the sugary sweetness of the outer shell first, enjoying it as much as she was actually enjoying herself with Elly.

"Oh, I've read all of the history books - they are fascinating. I have a few extra ones on the history of New Zealand too if you like. We did history of magic last term ... I won't give anything away but ... don't read your book before you go in" she hoped that wasn't being mean to the professor but Minerva really did think the class could have been more about New Zealand magical history than the rest of the world and muggle stuff but she wasn't in charge of the curriculum sadly but perhaps it was a goal for her to achieve in her life time!

"Really?!" Elly telling her that she might go for a position on the quidditch team made Minerva cough so hard that she ended up spitting out the pastille - right over the turret! She grimaced and hoped it didn't land on anyone! Apologetically she looked at Elly, that had not been the most polite of things to have done, that was for sure, would the girl look at her funny and walk away? "I don't think I'll ever ... I stress the ever part with a solid dose of ever thrown in for good measure but I don't think I'll ever, ever ... ever sign up for quidditch ... ever."

Had she stressed how unlikely it would be for her to be on the Hufflepuff quidditch team? she wasn't sure but Elly was asking her about the subject she was most excited for and Minerva found herself smiling from ear to ear.
"Transfiguration ... now that is a subject that has so much potential for future career prospects! What about you?"

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

Elly looked at Minerva she was pretty awkward, but somehow fun to be around with. Elly didn't mind hearing the name Elizabeth from Professors they didn't know better and they were figures with authority. ''They don't even know I like Elly better and yes my mum still lives in England.'' Elly muttered and remembered back to the horrible times that she was shipped between her parents. Every year she would live with the other and that meant that one year she was in Australia and in the other it was the cold and rainy England. Luckily for Elly she wasn't going to Hogwarts Scotland, but opted for the New Zealand version instead. When Minerva gave her a piece of candy Elly had to look twice. She couldn't believe Minerva just handed her a puking pastille. ''You know what these are eh?'' Elly looked shocked, she thought Minerva was friendly, not that she wanted Elly puking over her feet. Was this a joke to get back from her puking at Flying. Elly couldn't believe someone as sweet as Minerva would do this, so she gave her the benefit of the doubt. ''The person that gave you these as candy must surely know what they are'' Elly muttered defensively.

The fact that Minerva put the orange purple coloured sweet in her mouth concerned Elly. She knew what would happen, but this meant that she really had no clue. Elly really didn't know what would happen if you ate both the sides at once since you were supposed to eat orange first. The effect didn't happen straight away and Minerva started to talk about History of Magic. Apparently she had gotten the subject at the first semester and it wasn't what she had expected. ''I wasn't planning to, I am not into history really.'' Elly said truly, there was nothing to win with lying anyway. Knowing history wouldn't make her a great magician.

Before Elly could say that Minerva should spit it out, her talk about Quidditch had done it for her. ''I have motion sickness badly, but they made a special potion so I can fly freely.'' Elly muttered ''I love flying now'' Elly knew some people had seen her sipping something before each class. ''If you stress so much about flying, you shouldn't do it indeed.'' Elly paused ''You should only do stuff you like, there isn't enough time in life to do things you hate.'' Elly stressed a lot before flying, but since she knew she wasn't going to puke it all went better. When Minerva asked her about potential future career subjects Elly had to think. She still didn't know what she wanted to become when she was done at Hogwarts. ''I like transfiguration aswell, looking forward to Charms too'' Elly thought back about the chocolate in her pocket and offered a twix to Minerva. She could only hope that Minerva trusted her on muggle candy.

 

[Minerva Khulik]

Minerva smiled and nodded as Elly explained a bit more about her name and that her mother still lived in England. Her face grew quizzical, that was a long way to come just for school, surely there was the Hogwarts in Scotland, though Minerva was feeling kind of glad that Elly wasn't at that particular Hogwarts but at this one.

"That's a long way to come for school" she said, trying to understand the situation but then hoping she hadn't said anything inappropriate, there could be all sorts of reasons why her mother still lived in England.

Minerva wondered what Elly meant about the sweets and slowly looked down at the wrapper. She never went into the joke shop, she hated it and thought it was the greatest waste of money ever. Her brothers however adored it and spent every sickle they had in there. Her finger rubbed against the wrapper and the word Pastille on its own shimmered, it said nothing else, not even a list of ingredients. Her brothers had bought the candy, they definitely knew what they were but she had thought she did too, that they were just ... candy! After all she had ate a few other things from the box they had given her and they had been fine! She let the matter drop for a moment, letting it run about inside her head as she tried to make sense of it.

Minerva could understand not everyone being into history, she personally found it fascinating and wanted to learn as much if not all she could. She was already half way through one aisle in the library and felt that if she ran out, she would have to ask her professors for access to the restricted section.

"Oh!" Minerva breathed aloud as Elly mentioned her motion-sickness, "I'm so glad that the potion you got has been able to help you, that must have been awful!" The Hufflepuff had visions of Elly getting violently ill every time she moved at all and could understand how a broom would make that far worse.

"I definitely don't want to fly but I'd love to see your try-outs. I'll support you!" she couldn't help smiling and then thought maybe Elly wouldn't want or need supporters there for her, especially from a different house entirely.

"Charms is really great ... how was ... Defense against the Dark arts?" she couldn't help but ask, she had heard so many mixed things about it that she genuinely wasn't sure if she wanted to do the subject but knew it was compulsory. Glancing down at the bar in Elly's hand that the girl offered, Minerva looked at it before reaching gingerly out to take one.

"What is it?" she asked her, holding it up to her nose to sniff it, there was a distinct smell of chocolate inside it that was for sure but before she attempted to open it, the matter of her own candy came back to her and she held them up, "what are these then? My brother's gave them to me."

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

The view up here made Elly relax. She had been so stressed out from the exams that she really needed this. Elly wondered if Hogwarts Scotland would have sorted her in Ravenclaw as well. She would never know the answer to that question. ''Each year I live with one of my parents and they both decided that Hogwarts New Zealand seemed more safe'' Elly hoped that Minerva didn't think she was weird or anything. She started to grow fond of her as a friend.

When Elly was with her mother she visited Diagon Alley once or twice. She knew what the jokes shop sold and what it did. Her mom had talked to her about the different candies and what they did. The candy that Minerva had was obviously a puking pastille. You ate the orange side first and that would make you sick when you would get to the Hospital Wing you would eat the purple side and that would make you all better. People used it to get out of boring lessons. Elly had forgot about them and thinking back she should have used them in Astronomy.

When Minerva got back to the subject of flying and talked about her motion sickness she got somewhat sick again. ''Yes, Professor Cliffeton got it for me, he is amazing'' Elly said excitingly. Some people didn't think Professor Cliffeton was suited as head of Ravenclaw. His subject was flying and flying wasn't exactly an intelligent subject. ''Ah, I would love the support'' She didn't even know if she would make a chance for the team. She would probably be an alternate for her full seven years. When Minerva talked about Defense against the Dark Arts Elly giggled. ''I have it with you silly, next period.'' She hoped that Professor Styx returned, some people talked about him with fear in their voices. Elly could only imagine what kind of person he was.

''Its a twix, the best candy ever'' Elly paused ''It is a waver coated in chocolate with some caramel between the layers.'' Elly wondered if Minerva ever tasted Muggle candy. When Minerva got back to her own candy and sounded like she didn't know what is was. Elly wondered who gave them to her, apparently it was her brother. ''They are called puking pastilles I think and you get them at the joke shop'' Elly muttered matter of factly. ''You eat the orange side to get really sick and then you take the purple side when you walk to the hospital wing.'' Elly paused ''The purple side makes you better so you can skip whatever what you were doing and wanted to get out of.'' When Elly said it that way it felt like she was criticizing her brother. It wasn't a nice move from him either, so she was justified.

 

[Minerva Khulik]

Minerva looked to Elly in dismay, did that mean that next year she would have to go and live in England again?
"I'm glad they chose this school but you only have to return during the holidays, you don't have to change schools or anything?" she really hoped not, it wasn't easy for Minerva to talk with people unless there was some kind of common thread between them and unless the other person was willing to overlook the sometimes matter of fact way Minerva had of dealing with the world and her facts regarding it. She thought she got on well now with Elly because Elly was in Ravenclaw and intelligence was not something that people frowned on there, they seemed to re-energize from it.

"Being safe is relative though isn't it ... I think they made the right choice" she felt certain about that fact and hoped that the days, weeks, months and years to follow would prove her right.

When their flying professor came up for discussion, Minerva smiled brightly, it was nice to know that the professors really looked out for the students like that.
"That was pretty awesome and now you can move about fine? .... what was it like on the train for you?" she hoped it wasn't horrible and suddenly remembered her own experience on the train to Hogwarts, she had locked herself away in the toilet terrified of everything and the experience ahead of her that was so unsure.
An owl screeched overhead and Minerva glanced upwards to see the bird flying towards the main building with a letter attached to its claw. She was barely back from home so her parents certainly wouldn't be writing to her any time soon though Minerva had already begun a letter to them, telling them a little about ice-creams with Norton and now she could add further chatting with Elly on the North Tower. They would be delighted for her but also feel a lot more at ease that she was actually doing as they suggested ... or begged really!

"We do?" a sigh of pure relief escaped her, she had heard nothing but the worst things possible about the DADA professor and it made her anxious, extremely so but at least knowing that Norton and Elly would be there was comforting. The subject got back to their collective sweets and Minerva couldn't believe she was actually holding a piece of muggle candy! This was turning out to be the best day ever!

"Really!" she took a tentative bite and felt the caramel soothe her mouth as the biscuit and chocolate hit her senses like an explosion. It was delicious ... smooth, crunchy, yummy, mouth wateringly ... there weren't enough words to describe it! She could easily see herself becoming addicted to these. Elly was kind enough to inform her about the gist behind the puking pastilles and Minerva looked at the packet again as she swallowed the piece of Twix bar.

"So either my brothers wanted me to use these to get out of class or ... knowing my brothers - that I would not have a clue what these were and eat them ... ending my carcass up in the hospital wing which would have had them in hysterics for the rest of the month!" she was not impressed by the pair of them and imagining those two eventually turning up here at Hogwarts in a few years made her groan inwardly.
"Do you have siblings?"

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

Elly nibbled a bit of her twix and the flavour hit her mouth. They tasted so god dam delicious and Elly got so excited that she could still have this experience at Hogwarts. When Minerva mentioned the possibility of going to Scotland one year and New Zealand the other Elly smiled. ''That isn't allowed luckily.'' You could transfer to another wizarding school, but you couldn't do that each year. Her mum wouldn't want that anyway she needed time for herself at the moment. She would came to Australia to see Elly in her holiday.

''I prefer the weather in New Zealand as well, but I think so too'' The history of Hogwarts Scotland was way rocky than the history of Hogwarts New Zealand was. Not much seemed to happen in New Zealand. When Minerva mentioned the train ride Elly had to think back. She had erased the happening in her memory. ''Yes, now I can'' Elly paused and shrugged ''The train ride was horrible after 20 minutes I had to puke and I couldn't reach the toilet in time'' Elly could only hope that Minerva didn't think less of Elly now. She hadn't puked over anyone, it was just the floor that got the full wave. Elly was glad that she got the letter for Hogwarts, but she knew that the train ride was going to be part of it. Her dad wasn't allowed to drive to the castle, so she just had to deal with it. Somehow sitting in the car next to her dad eased her stomach somewhat, not that it always helped, but it was better.

The fact that Minerva didn't notice they had defense against the dark arts together made Elly smile. ''Yes!'' Her next period of classes was going to be awesome. Both DADA and charms, she was going to miss potions though. ''I think your brothers just wanted to have you sick honestly, if they wanted you to use it to get out of class they would have given you an explanation on how the pastilles worked.'' Basically they were just messing with their sister. ''No, I don't have siblings and its a good thing I don't have them'' Elly paused she wondered if she should tell so much about herself even Geo didn't know all these things. ''Each year switching between parents is horrible, you can never make friends and you can't call a place home.'' Elly paused ''I absolutely hated it, but it was also nice to still see my parents.'' Her parents didn't get divorced nicely, there was a huge fight. They tried to keep Elly out of it, but in the end they just couldn't. This was the only way Elly could still see both her parents.

 

[Minerva Khulik]

Taking another bite from the chocolate bar, Minerva had to concede that this was pure heaven, it was delicious and she smiled her delight up at Elly, also thrilled that she couldn't move back and forth between different schools which meant that the young Ravenclaw would be staying here. She hoped that wasn't being mean of her for wanting Elly to remain at Hogwarts, maybe she missed her mother but seeing her on the holidays was pretty much how Minerva would be getting to see her family, though most of the time they were super busy with work and the only time she did get to see them was the odd family meal or if she went out to work along side of them.

It must have been horrible for Elly, Minerva thought having to travel on the train with that horrible nauseating sensation permeating her entire body. She found herself wondering if Elly couldn't make it to the toilet because it was locked ... what if it had been the one that Minerva had shut herself away in for the duration of the train ride?
"That must have been awful for you ... did anyone help you?" she sincerely hoped someone did, that must have been dreadful, being away from home, a first year, knowing no one and then throwing up in front of strangers! Minerva wasn't ever one to empathize with people, it sometimes felt beyond her to put herself into someone else's shoes but with Elly she felt it keenly and was suddenly putting her arm about the girls shoulders in a consolatory hug before releasing her again slightly abashed by her own gesture.

"They really should have grown ups on the train ride in the even of something like that happening. I'm sorry it happened to you" when the conversation revolved around her brothers, Minerva sighed slightly. She was glad that neither would be attending Hogwarts for another few years yet which meant she only had to tolerate their childish behaviour on the holidays.

"I think you're right" she grumbled in relation to Elly's remarks on them wanting Minerva to be sick, she would have to teach them a lesson somehow and would give the matter more thought later but for now she gave a small chuckle as Elly remarked about how glad she was that she didn't have siblings until she realised that the quip had nothing to do with how nasty Minerva's siblings were but how horrible it was traveling back and forth between parents.

"I can't even imagine what that must be like for you" she said honestly and wondered if Elly not being able to make friends was one of the other reasons that they seemed to connect so well, "Well being at Hogwarts will be different for you I hope and ... we're friends now."
It sounded a bit ludicrous to say and she hoped that Elly wouldn't laugh at her and say it was only one chance meeting outside of class.

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

The train ride was horrible and it would always be the most horrible experience she had at Hogwarts. Maybe the Quidditch experience topped that, but the train ride comes in at a close second. When Minerva hugged her she felt better, it felt honest and Elly liked that. ''There really was no one who noticed I think.'' Elly was pretty sure that no one saw the actual puke nor the action. When Minerva spoke about any adults on the train Elly thought really deeply ''Some Professors also arrive by the train, since you can apparate to the ground.'' Elly paused ''Only when they remove the protective spells.'' At least that is what happened at the school in Scotland.

Then again Elly knew that the prefects patrolled on the train as well. They could have helped her. ''Not your fault, the prefects could have come to aid me too'' thinking back no one actually knew she got sick. No one had noticed a tiny first year puking her absolute guts out. When Minerva turned it back to her family and siblings Elly gazed in the distance. ''It isn't horrible, I am used to it,but I wouldn't wish that a sibling has to go through it aswell.'' She was used to it and didn't know any better. Her parents separated when she was young. ''Yes definitely!'' Elly loved to become friends with Minerva. She seemed like a genuine person and Elly was happy with all the friends she could make. ''By the way you should taste the other Muggle candy my dad gave me, only if you liked that one though'' Elly smiled.

 

[Minerva Khulik]

Minerva was delighted that no one had noticed Elly being ill, something like that could haunt your entire student life, ending up with terrible nicknames like Barf, Chuck, Purge or her brothers favourite ... Yorkle. She figured that older students would come up with nicknames a lot worse than what her seven and eight year old brothers did. She gave Elly a sympathetic smile and wished she hadn't stayed in the bathroom but had been about the train and had met Elly earlier. She could have helped her then in some way.

Horrified that not a single professor or prefect did anything to assist, Minerva shook her head in disbelief, wishing that Elly really didn't have to go through what she did but perhaps the potion that the professor had given her would be able to assist her when she headed home at the end of the school year too.

"There's more muggle candy like this?" Minerva's eyes opened wide, for some inexplicable reason she presumed that muggles only got the one candy bar right, that they couldn't possibly create more scrumptious candy after perfecting this one ... this thought transported her back to the conversation she had with Norton only the day before and she found herself smiling to herself, so perfection could be improved upon. She must tell him that.

"Let's head inside and you can tell me all about the candy that muggles have ... and I mean all" she grinned, delighted that she had found a friend who wasn't just all about academics though that was fantastic too but they could find other things in common with one another and what was not to love about candy!