lofticries,

’ No, but I talk about them all the time - don’t you listen to me?’ he teased lightly and nuzzles his nose against her cheek, closing his eyes as he embraces her, feeling like he’s home after a wet dark night. He opens his eyes and he chu ckles. ‘ I just like- helping, you know? And I got this opportunity and I’d be dumb to turn it down. Like, this is what I want to do- help people because I want to, not because I have to, you know? And I have been a Prefect all this years, being head boy had been a dream of mine- this way, maybe, my father won’t overlook me so much, you know?’ Nisa was the only one who knew the real  occurence between his father and him- she is the only one who knows that the person he thought didn’t have love for kids, now had two kids he loved more than he ever loved Minhyuk. But, he quickly moves his thoughts from that. ‘ I love our common room time hours, when it’s just the two of us with no one to bother? I love love it. Couldn’t live without it, will miss it next year- which is why you’ll have to either move in with me or make sure to visit me all the time.’ He shrugs at her last questions. ‘ I’ll be with you against the quidditch teams forever- I just think for now, head boy isn’t so bad.’

"Of course I listen,” She retorted, acting mock offended. Though she couldn’t focus on being mock anything when she was being nuzzled. Nisa hummed, moving her head to rest in the crook between his shoulder and neck, feeling completely at ease. “Overlooking you at all is a mistake. You’re the best person I know. I want to help you help people, even if it’s just giving you moral support. I know you’ve worked for this and why, I’ll stop being a brat about it I promise.” He was all heart and helping people, she knew that. Understood better than most what it felt like to want that acceptance. She felt selfish for wanting so much of his attention and the Slytherin knew she needed to work on that. Her eyes starting to focus on his neck while he spoke, the strange sensation of heat crept up her cheeks and she blinked. Bad, Nisa. “It really is the best when we go unbothered,” She preferred having him all to herself. “Nah, I’m pretty sure I’m just moving in with you. Visiting won’t work at all and I could do with leaving Nana’s, she has way too many knickknacks everywhere. You know the more I think about this idea the more I’m liking it.” She nodded and laughed, “Oh good, sabotaging them wouldn’t be as fun masterminded alone. No you’re right and at least you know what it is you want to do, I still have yet to fully figure that part out.” Lost was putting it dramatically, but she kind of was. Not having Hogwarts wasn’t something she liked to think about, especially when she was so unsure about her future. She absentmindedly interlocked their fingers. “Maybe your first order of business could be helping me figure out what it is I should do, besides being this awesome.”

“Usually my tingles are about myself, but if you have any questions I can tell you what I feel,” he replied with a small nod. “Anything on your mind?” Felix widened his eyes. It never occurred to him to simply bake his own sweets and treats. He looked over to Nisa, blinking, before nodding his head in rapid movements. “I would like some baked sweets, yes, please,” he sputtered out, keeping his gaze on Nisa. There was very little in the world Felix loved more than food, and those who can provide him food was one of them. 

“I appreciate that.” Nisa responded warmly, biting into her lip as she thought about it. “On my mind, hm, not at the moment. But, i’m sure I’ll think of something soon.” She saw a light start glowing in his eyes and couldn’t help, but giggle. “Felix, you are in for a treat,” Cocking her head towards the door of the great hall, “Come with me, we’re going to the kitchens.” Grabbing her wands and hopping off the table, she waited for him to join her. “Any specific kinds? or make it a surprise?”

Sammie let out a long, drawn out sigh, flicking her attention to Nisa. “I never said it was your fault. If you are being harassed while trying to get to your dorm, I can surely help with that, but alas, you didn’t tell me until now. So, it has taken until now for my to actually assess the situation. If you’re willing to work with me, I’ll let you go back to your dorm on your own, but if you’re going to be painful, I can’t let you leave,” Sammie explained, raising her eyebrow. “And by that I mean, explain what has happened so I can make sure this third year stops bothering you.” Sammie crossed her arms. Why would she want to get dirty? There was no point in that. And there was absolutely no fun in fighting. She despised dueling club, afterall, despite her best efforts to win. Win for her mother, that is. “It’s the easiest spell to stop a student from running away. Defensive. I don’t like offensive magic, if I’m frank. But it seems like you’ve simmered down, you can stop insulting me so we can track down this third year.”

A small little grin quirked onto Nisa’s lips at Sammie’s sigh. “I suppose, we could.. work together.” Something about it sounded extremely off, but in the name of getting the third year off her metaphorical wand she knew this needed to happen. “I know what you mean, Sammie.” She cleared her throat and attempted to neutralize her tone. “Was it insulting here I thought we were having a fun back and forth,” Letting out a sigh of her own, she gave in, just wanting to handle this as quick as possible. “Fine, fine. He’s a Gryffindor who caught me vand — uh,  cleaning some of the quidditch locker rooms a few days ago, ever since he’s been creeping around on me. Everywhere I look I see him in the corner or hiding poorly behind things, I even caught him trying to sneak into the girls lavatory when he thought I went in.” She had bribed a blonde fellow classmate to pretend to be her when she was suspicious. She had never ripped someone back by their robe that hard before and it was all she could do not to lose her cool, she had stormed off muttering expletives and trying not to kill. “I was going to strangle him, but then I thought I would get in trouble for that instead of the little perv.” Frustration crossed her eyes. “So I’ve been trying to behave and lay low, unfortunately it hasn’t been helping. I saw him stalking the halls to get to the Slytherin commons and let me tell you when I say I’ve really been trying to keep calm I have to stay my distance.” She would claw him to shreds if she gave in to impulse. “I don’t think he saw me, but I can’t much get to my house with him blocking the way.”

“No need for that!” As close as they were and as much as she loved every bit of her best friend, Greer had never been a fan of the ‘throw down first, ask questions later’ mentality Nisa adopted. Granted, Greer was more of a crier than a fighter. “Wouldn’t let anyone take me anyways.” She wrapped her free arm around their hooked pair and leaned her head against Nisa’s shoulder, bouncing softly against bone during their strides. “They tell me that all the time, duh! They say ‘That Nisa, she is the most splendiforous girl ever, you are one lucky lassie to have such a best mate!’” Greer rolled her eyes at her counterpart, never having been one to enjoy DADA. It wasn’t her worst class by far, but ever since her first year as an eleven year-old muggleborn, she’d been horrified to learn that there even were such a thing as dark arts. “Sorry, the stars have to go through me for that kinda thing. As your best friend I’ve got to approve of any and all future suitors.” Her stomach churned at the thought of the beautiful, intelligent, oh-so-talented Ravenclaw that Nisa would kill her if she found out was the object of her ill-fated affections. Greer shook her head, hoping the layers of hair would shadow the stain on her cheeks. “No, definitely not,” she answered softly, looking anywhere but at the Slytherin.

“Hey, I was only yanking your wand,” Nisa put her hands up in mercy, her mischievous smile gave her away though. “Mostly.” Feeling Greer’s head on her shoulder made her feel right back at home, especially as they traveled through the castle. “The most splendiforous! Oh, I like that. I’m indeed one lucky lassie. My life would be much less splendiforous without you and I would still be imprisoned by my father.” Venom laced her tongue saying the word father, it always did. “You and Min gave me that extra boost of courage I needed and the safety to know that if my blood rejected me I’d still have a family.” She knew she was dumb to ever doubt her Nana and Nik having her back as well, but she was still such a kid back then. “My Greer, the star whisperer. Obviously! Approve away, you can scare them if they try to pull something. Like tell them you see their untimely death in the stars.” Now that would spook any wizard and she really hoped to see the poor persons face if it ever happened. Her bright grin faltered as she felt the air shift around them, into one that was foreign. At least for the two of them. Head tilting towards her friend, she started to try and assess every single thing she had said in the past five minutes that might have caused it. What had my mouth done now? “My puff, what’s wrong? Have I done something to upset you? Is it the thought of me having suitors? Cause I can kick them to the curb.” As they reached the stairs that lead up to the Astronomy tower, she became uncharacteristically quiet. One thing Nisa absolutely hated was having Greer be anything near upset, especially if it was caused by her. 

Greer might need her snacks, but Felix was a growing boy. He needed his snacks more than her. He had inches on her. One oreo is enough. He needed at least twelve. But a pout didn’t last long. Nisa gave Felix a small nudge to his shoulder and he put his complete attention onto her, taking the candy wand without any questions. “My feelings? Yes. As long as I can remember, I am pretty lucky with things,” Felix admitted with a quick nod. “It’s like a tingle in my tummy and sometimes it’s right. But usually its hard for me to make out why or what the tingles are about.”

“My nana always says having any type of luck is better than no luck at all, then again she also tells me that the walls talk to her sometimes though I’m fairly sure the house elves are messing with her. A tingle, huh. Well, if you ever get any weird tingles directed my way give a girl a heads up yeah?” It made her stupidly happy when he accepted the sweet, even so that her voice turned to a whisper. “Don’t tell anyone about this, but if you ever need anything I have some mad wicked baking skills. Only special people have access. And see! I have hidden talents too.”

’ I actually don’t have duty with her tonight, no- you know I can have duty with anyone, right?’ He chuckled under his breath because even if he would never admit it, he enjoyed seeing her jealous- especially when it came to him. When she came closer, however, it made his heartbeat hammer in his chest, breath hitching his throat because she was in a position that maybe wasn’t the best for his health.  Or heart per se.  ‘ Oh, is the little princess missing me that much?’ he teases lightly, a smile bring brought to his lips at her words. He moves his chair a tad farther from the table, grabs one of her hands gently and without thinking, pulls her down from the table directly into his lap. A hand wrapping around her waist to keep her tightly there. ‘ Sorry for not being around that much, princess- quidditch is starting soon and we’ll have as much time as before to spend together. Plus, after duty, we can still spend time in the commons if you want. You know I’ll be there if you need me.’

Nisa took a sharp intake of breath as she was pulled onto his lap, mind going slightly hazy before she collected herself. Or tried to, it’s quite hard when all the blood rushes to your head and your heart skips like that. It had been doing that around him, much too often for her to keep telling herself it wasn’t a big deal. It wouldn’t stop her from trying though. Not when the closeness made her feel warm and much better than she had before, it brought her back to earth. His arm like an anchor around her. “Do I look like I keep up on prefect rules and regulations?” She replied playfully, not letting the hand he grabbed her with go. Her fingers playing with his as her eyes glanced into his. Not being able to help her smirk at being called princess, “I refuse to admit a single thing, but if I was don’t be, I get it..sort of, I mean not the prefect thing, but you know I’ll support you no matter what you do, Minmin.” Her thumb drew circles on his palm while they spoke, sounding less teasing and more serious. “It’s sort of my job to have your back..” She cleared her throat feeling exposed, fiery jest soon back in her voice. “I’m impatiently awaiting quidditch starting, co cap. If I want? What about what you want? Do you not like our common room time spending? I thought it was pretty mutual.” Smirk turning to smile, she laughed. “I know that you mushball, What I still don’t know is why you want to be in charge of all the students, I mean don’t get me wrong, head boy Min is hot and all, but it seems like so much extra bother. Do I have to plot team gryffindors downfall on my own this year out of a conflict of interest or something?” 

Sammie brought her hand to her head, letting out a deep sigh. Nisa wasa always the hardest to deal with, in and out of class. Nevermind the two never got along to begin with, but now it was part of Sammie’s duty to control the Slytherin. Well, not so much control, but to express the rules to. There wasn’t anything Sammie could do. The rules could not be rewrite by a student nor could she give Nisa special treatment. But, being compared to Minhyuk only caused Sammie to roll her eyes. She crossed her arms, scoffing, “The last time I check, Minhyuk and I are separate people. Maybe he is more soft on the rules than I am, but that does not discredit my ability to make sure students, like yourself, are following the rules, like you’re not. And it is within my duty as headgirl, if asked, to relay the information I have. If you do not like it, Nisa, you are free to tell the professors about how I am unfit for my job or that what I say is untrue, if you should decide to be a prefect this year.” Though, the hard expression soon relaxed as Nisa explained her issue. The situation was different now. If Nisa was just trying to get back to her dorm, but was being followed and harassed by a third year student, than it would make sense why she was so far away from the dorms, going a roundabout way. Yet, there was nothing Sammie could do, at the moment. She dropped her arms down, focusing her full attention to Nisa, and offering a neutral expression on her face, “I can only solve one problem at a time. Right now, you are a problem. Once you are sorted out, you can tell me where the third year that is harassing you is. And truth be told, if you just went back to your dorms or turned away and said you were going to, I wasn’t going to relay any information. Call it a ‘warning’ and send you off. You’re the one who started the fight.” Without a beat, Nisa was already taking off her earrings for a fight, and Sammie couldn’t help, but laugh. Sammie, her of all people, fighting? Miss Samantha Shimizu doesn’t get dirty. Putting off even the most mild of herbology and potion assignments do to not wanting to get dingy. Yet, here Nisa was thinking Sammie, the Sammie, would fight her and risk ruining her uniform and her hair? No. “I’m not going to fight you and risk losing my headgirl position. I don’t want to freeze you to keep you from moving, but if you come at me, I will not have a choice.”

“I’m very much hoping you remain separate people as well, he’s not soft on the rules he’s just not a huge broom in the mud,” Nisa could feel the headache coming on quick, she didn’t want to tell anybody anything nor did she want any of the jobs that came along with being a certified prefect. She would take care of her house the best way she knew how, her own way. “Yes, yes, I get it, it’s all my fault and i’m always the only problem here.” Sammie’s laugh made Nisa lose any final interest. “Don’t want to get your pretty little dresses dirty? How entirely lame of you.” She figured as much, "You’d never do something that fun or exciting, you can just keep having a nice time doing..whatever it is all of this is,” Her shoulders dropped into a shrug as she reapplied her earrings. “Yeah, I heard you enjoy doing that to people. Ice really suits you, ya know, dead and cold.”

She wasn’t sure who’s bright idea it was to make members of the Quidditch teams study together. Some said it was because they believed athletes were more easily distracted or lacked the motivation to sit still long enough to get work done. That’s how Ryan ended up in the library with Nisa on a Friday night while everyone else did what they wanted. She was snacking quietly while reading through her advanced potions textbook, trying to get a leg up on the upcoming potion they’d be brewing in class on Monday. Ryan raised an eyebrow as Nisa spoke. “Honestly I don’t know, I’m not a muggle.” She says with a shrug. Closing the book she nodded. “Now you’re speaking my language. What did you have in mind?” 

“Then I suppose we both were at a loss,” Nisa joked, relaxing back into her chair. They both knew there were somethings they just didn’t know about, especially with the families they came from. “Why not instead of studying about potions we go make some potions of our own? Cook up something good, giving them as a gift to some unsuspecting prank victims? Or we could sneak out to the quidditch pitch? Get some extra practice in after dark. Plus, I’m totally going to race you.” Nisa wanted to work on her speed, plus hang out with Ryan. All these situations were a win win. “I want to demolish everyone this year, the other houses won’t know what’s coming to them.”

Minhyuk chuckled, he didn’t even have to look up to know she was preparing her ‘trouble speech’ as he likes to call it. Because he knows how important this is for her, to be able to do what she wants, no matter the consequences. ‘ I have rounds tonight actually, so if you want some trouble you have the use the best of time you have with me right now, you know, your boy is quiet asked for lately.’ he teases lightly, looking up from his book, head leaned to a side as he winks her way.

Nisa’s ears perked up and she had a slew of different emotions. First came disappointment that he had duty tonight, second was annoyance that he had duty tonight with Sammie, and third, the green monster inside her started reared it’s ugly head. Her eyes playfully narrowed as he winked. “Oh really? And who is it exactly that would be asking for you? Sammich?” She said the nickname is contempt, it almost made her scoff. A smirk grew on her lips. “You’d want to be spending time with those people instead of me?” She started to move before thinking about it and, somehow, climbed gracefully over the table. Moving his book to the side and getting comfy in the spot it previously occupied. Looking down at him now from her seat on the table, legs swinging off the table softly. “What level of trouble are you prepared to get into, my so asked for Minmin,” Then she paused, “We don’t really have to.. I just, you have so much more to do now as headboy. Plus, I’m bored. And we’re low on cuddle time, it makes me grumpy.” What she was trying to say was that she had missed him and they had both been busy.

“I tend to have feelings about things, and your friend being one of the primary snack stealers is one of them,” Felix clarified. Nisa seemed upset, for whatever reason, and Felix never really knew how to deal with an upset friend. Explaining himself always felt like the right response, but that with Nisa, he was never sure what was the correct option. “Think you are bad in that you would kill someone? No. All I said was that you’d get away with it,” Felix replied with a small shrug. “I’m still going to share my snacks with you, even if you’re not going to share your snacks with me, okay?”

Nisa started to feel a laugh bubble up in her throat, “Oh, you mean Greer? I thought you were meaning Slytherin.” Her frown turned into a smile. “It’s not her fault she requires snacks. I’ll replace anything she took, what is it you think you need?” She nudged his shoulder gently, snorting. “That’s fair, I would. I’m glad you don’t think I’m a murderer though,” She laughed again and offered him a candy wand. “Pfft, I wouldn’t actually not share with you. That’s our deal, you and I, we share our sweets obsession.” The subject changed in her head before the words came out of her mouth. “Now, tell me, do you feel things like that a lot? Do you do it on purpose or it just happens? Kind of like with our emotions?” There was no judgement or fear in her voice, only geniune curiosity. 

“’Course I love you. – Don’t take depression naps away from me, that’s our thing. Who else’d be your big spoon?” Greer paused momentarily to thank whatever mystical, magical being she was meant to for Nisa. Honestly she would’ve been content sitting here all night, pretending to study and having a cuddle, but this was even better. Not just anyone would be willing to have a picnic in the astronomy tower after hours. In fact, most of the rest of the castle’s inhabitants would rather subsist on bogey flavored jelly beans for the rest of the year if it meant they didn’t have to be alone with Greer and the stars. Plus there was the added threat of being caught. “You know I’m just kidding. If one of us goes down, we both go down together.” While she had feigned indifference to the evenings activities up to this point, she finally decided it was time enough to show her hand. She jumped up from her seat and left one last look with the mostly-bare parchment. “Perfect, ‘cause boy do the stars got a lot to say about you lately! First and foremost they said to tell you not to forget the crisps.”

“There isn’t anybody else, there’s only you,” Nisa said teasingly pouting, they would have to pry her off Greer by her cold dead hands. She didn’t understand the stars like the hufflepuff did, but she was thankful they lead her here anyhow. “A team, we are and a team we always will be. If anyone tries to take you from me I’ll fight them.” Fight first wasn’t the best m.o, admittedly, but Nisa could be impulsive. Her heart lead a lot of her decisions and it got her in tons of trouble.  Luckily she had an amazing best friend to get into it with. Her grip loosened as Greer popped up from her seat, a grin etching onto her face. “My head is in the clouds and yours in the stars, what are we to do? They do do they! Do they tell you how amazing I am?” She jested, hooking her bag around her body and looping her arm through hers. Getting mock offended she scoffed, “I would never forget the crisps! They are the most important part of any picnic, that and the dark arts.” Making a fake spooky noise she started to laugh as they started on their journey to the Astronomy tower. “So, tell me, do the stars see romance in my future? It’s the start of term and I’m already yearning for an epic one.” Greer was probably one of the few who knew Nisa’s secret obsession with love, “or yours?”

“No, I’m insulting you, but clever way to maneuver my words. Try harder next time,” Sammie stated, raising her eyebrows at the other girl. The words didn’t bother Sammie anymore. The insults they used were recycled from previous arguments they have had over the seven years of knowing each other. Nothing was new. Sammie just didn’t want to lose to Nisa, of all people. And that included this argument, and every argument they would have. “Did I not just catch you out of bed? How am I stopping you from having a position when your actions have done it themselves? You sitting her saying you know my job as headgirl, but then accuse me of snitching? I’m required to report anything that I see to the professors. It’s part of the job. And why do you think I have this job? To prance around and show off my authority? It’s my duty to the school to hold this position to the best of my ability,” Sammie continued to argue. She wanted to concede that she didn’t want to be headgirl either, or a prefect each year she was assigned. It was a push from her mother, to look good when applying to law school. Make good money. Meet a good, pureblood boy. Get married. Two kids, a boy and girl. Restore the family name. A perfect princess indeed, but at what cost? Sammie wasn’t happy. Or, she rarely was happy. But, she couldn’t let Nisa know this. Not anyone, really. Sammie had her image, she had her family. She needed to do this, regardless of what she wanted for herself. 

“It’s called sarcasm, I’m assuming you are familiar with the concept,” Nisa deadpanned, “Yes, snitching, because Minmin isn’t like you and he’s headboy. Can you just leave me alone? For one night? Merlin, are you annoying. Best of your ability, hm.” Her voice started to take on a dark tone.  “You just said if I applied you would tell them how ‘awful’ I am, in your opinion, but okay. You may be head girl, but you don’t decide everything.” She scoffed. “Actually yes, I do think you have this job so you can prance around and show off your authority because do I look like I’m hurting anyone? I already told you I was trying to escape a third year who has been following me around to no end and I don’t see you going off to reprimand him you’re still standing here telling me about how you’re going to tell on me. Go ahead and do it see how much I care, I don’t mind getting in trouble. In fact, it’s pretty amusing.” She didn’t care anymore, she just wanted to find Minhyuk and get away from the soul sucking. “The fact is, you can choose to let me go and you’re not going to so do forgive me for being angered by it. You know what, better yet, we could always fight it out. No wands, no magic. Break the rules a little, Sammie. I’m do for a scrap.” Her fingers were already nimbly getting ready to take out her earrings.

Assignment 001.  — About !