He'd been wary at Hogsmeade. The Ministry had released a pamphlet about protecting yourself from dementors. It was... a scary thing. Scary might even be an understatement. It was a big deal. A very big deal. And with so many students heading off to Hogsmeade, Walton had been sure to carry his wand... Just in case. He wasn't sure how strong his own patronus would come out, it wasn't a spell he practiced often, but he wanted to do his best to protect the younger students. He'd been particularly vigilant on the streets that day.

But as the sun was going down and the curfew to return to castle was closing in on them, Walton fell in behind the last few stragglers heading back to the castle- and, coincidentally instep with former prefect Jordyn Dimbleby.

"Evening, Jordyn," he greeted. Walton pulled his jacket around him. There was a chill in the air... And with the clouds gathering on the horizon, it was appropriately ominous given the current situation in the wizarding world. With his hand in his pocket, Walt gripped his wand a little tighter. "You have a good day?" he asked. "Do anything particularly fun?"

Jordyn had separated from the rest of her group what felt like ages ago.  They’d been having a good time, of course, but Jordyn was feeling a little strange - perhaps it was the change in weather, or the fact that the year was really very rapidly coming to a close and Jordyn felt more lost than ever.  Even browsing the store windows seemed to be giving her anxiety – like she had to choose something right then, and then knowing she didn’t have the money for anything, at all… it felt a little stifling, and rang a little too true with the rest of the thoughts that were swirling around her head when it was almost April.

Sure, she knew she had goals, but she didn't really know where to go with them or even if they were good goals anymore.  After all, her position had been taken away from her for something she couldn't even control...Who was to say she'd actually be good enough to do any of the things she wanted to do? 

Shuffling along the path, Jordyn dug her gloved hands deeper into the pockets of her robe and sighed heavily, a visible puff of air slipping through her lips.  Her self-conscious thoughts were interrupted, however, by another voice, and Jordyn lifted her eyes, surprised to see Walton Dodd. 

It was embarrassing, walking alone in the first place.  Then, it was the head boy and she used to be a prefect, and he knew that – and Jordyn just had to pretend she still had her dignity with her.  “Hello Walton,” she answered in a tight voice, thankful that it wasn’t entirely bright out and the blush on her cheeks, “It was a fine day,” she answered lamely, licking her lips with anxiety. 

“Though not particularly eventful,” she added, looking over at him briefly before she turned her eyes back to the path, “And you?  Anything ‘particularly fun,’ as you put it?”

"I guess a fine day is better than a bad one," he responded. "Though I guess you'll have to work at it a little harder tomorrow, so that you'll have a good day. With enough effort it might even be a smashing one." He grinned at her a little and pushed a hand through his dark hair.

He shrugged when she asked if he'd done anything particularly fun. "I broke up a fight between two third year girls and spent most of the day keeping an eye out for any other trouble," Walton said. "Hard to really let go, relax, and have some fun knowing there's dementors out and about. Could hardly believe it when I saw that in The Prophet. I really thought they'd cancel the Hogsmeade weekend because of it. Guess I was wrong."

Walton looked over his shoulder when he heard hurried footsteps, only to see a straggling third year lugging something heavy, trying to catch up. He stopped and took the brightly wrapped package from the girl- who was explaining that it was a birthday present for her little sister. Walton assured the girl he would return it to her when they got back to the castle and encouraged her to hurry along the path.

"I think I'll actually miss that whole keeping an eye on people thing when I graduate," Walton said. "Hard to believe I'll be leaving Hogwarts for good in a couple of weeks. Doesn't seem real... Or fair." He frowned a little. He still had no idea what he would do when he left Hogwarts. "Still not prepared for my NEWTs, either. But I guess it will happen whether I'm ready for it or not... So how's classes then?" he asked. "Still going alright?"

She supposed she couldn’t blame Walton for being cheerful, really.  He had every reason to be: he was going places, graduating, still holding his title – and people liked him.  It really seemed unfair that a golden boy existed these days.  Sure, she’d practically been head over heels for one earlier in the year, but princes could sometimes be frogs in disguise and Jordyn figured that more than anyone when he practically disappeared off the face of the planet. 

Silly her for getting her hopes anywhere near that.  But, she would have killed for the day he had, seriously.  Rather than pretend to not want things she couldn’t afford to keep up appearances.  At least he brought up a bit of news, and Jordyn nodded in agreement.  “That’s true,” she frowned delicately.  “It’s frightening – but they also say Hogwarts is the safest place in the country.  So, one can’t be too afraid,” she reasoned. 

Perhaps she just wanted to believe that.  It didn’t much matter anyway – Jordyn felt so far down on the totem pole not even a dementor would attack her! …Not that she wanted that, of course, but… she didn’t really know why that thought crossed her mind. 

She had time to think a little – though nothing entirely meaningful came to mind as she watched Walton take something from a younger student and offer to carry it – hurrying her along.  Seriously: golden boy.  “I’m sure you’ll be fine,” she offered, “I’m managing everything,” she shrugged non-committal.  It was true, classes weren’t hard for Jordyn, and since she’d recovered things settled and were easy again.   

It was strange that he thought he wasn’t ready.  “Do you have plans for after you graduate?” she asked curiously, looking up at him – she couldn’t imagine someone who seemed to have it so together had any anxieties about leaving Hogwarts, especially when he could practically do anything they he to do.