It was a fairly miserable evening at Hogwarts in more ways than one.  Herbology had been a complete blow out and Paolo had earned himself an extra four inches of homework to write for Monday because he didn’t know when to stop talking.  He hadn’t done the required reading for the 5 o’clock seminar and had spent the majority of the hour avoiding his professor’s gaze and fabricating flimsy answers to whatever questions were posed.  Finally, to cap it all off, the weather outside had been rainy with brisk winds all day meaning the young Gryfindor had been holed up in the castle and not through choice.  By the time he had finished his evening meal Paolo was thoroughly depressed with the situation.  They told you that the NEWT years were the worst but truly they did not emphasize just how much work the professors piled on you.  He emitted an audible sigh at the dining table which drew a few sympathetic “cheer up mate’s” from his friends but he paid them little mind.  Cocking his head back he glanced up at the night sky mirrored in the magical ceiling.  With a defiant look he pushed out from his chair and began to stride towards the exit.  He was going out, wind and rained be damned there was only so long you could keep a lion in a cage.

Rossi did not even bother heading up to the dormitories to change, so eager was he to get outside for some fresh air.  Loosening his red and gold tie slightly he pushed open the doors to the entrance hall and stepped outside into the cold night air.  The wind was stronger than it had been this afternoon but it was nothing unusual considering Hogwarts location.  You got used to the Scottish weather very quickly and although the grounds were virtually empty he was glad to see that he was not the only person out that evening.  Reaching into his brown leather school satchel he took out a blue umbrella which he would then open and enchant so that it followed him as he walked.  Magic made people lazy and at times Paolo could be lazier than most.

As he walked slowly down the stone cobbled path through the grounds he made a conscious effort to sidestep the puddles that had formed atop the stone.  He was a very self-conscious person when it came to his appearance and he was careful not to get his expensive black Italian leather shoes unnecessarily dirty or water damaged, they had cost him a small fortune and when you had to work for every galleon you really learned to appreciate the value of “nice things.”  The shoes were not the only nice things he was clad in this evening.  His black school cloak for example was a custom tailored Madame Malkins special.  Similarly the stainless steel watch that peered out from under the cuff of his white shirt was an expensive gift from his muggle grandmother “All young men should have a nice watch.”  She had told him.  It was an Arnami or something or other.  Paolo Rossi was very much the sort of character who was quite happy to give off the appearance of wealth whilst at the same time possessing very little of it.

After walking aimlessly for five minutes give or take Paolo paused to contemplate where to go.  After a moments reflection he opted to take a walk over the bridge.  It didn’t take long to walk through the courtyard to his destination.  Upon his arrival he leant his forearms upon the wooden railings that separated him from what would no doubt be a very steep drop towards death.  Reaching into his robes he took out his smartphone, staring at the blank screen momentarily.  It was such a pain that electrical items predominantly did not work in and around Hogwarts.  Replacing light bulbs with candlesticks was simple enough but what about your mp3 player?  Or text messaging, yeah sure you could send an owl but there was nothing quite like firing off a few texts when you were bored.  Paolo sighed before drawing his wand.  With a lazy flick and swish of his wrist the young man attempted to cure his boredom by making red and gold sparks erupt from the end of his wand, drawing shapes and writing his name much like a child would do with a fireworks night sparkler.  At least he wasn’t stuck in the castle……

The hard repetitive sound of heels on the surface of the bridge echoed through the wood coverings denoting the approach of a single figure long before they came into sight. The direction suggested that said person had been coming from out in the castle grounds rather than the castle itself. As the figure neared they lowered the hood of their deep green velvet cloak, that was obviously enchanted as it gave no sign of the dreary weather outside the modest coverings of the bridge. Cadance's platinum blonde hair was tied up in a halo of a braid, the contrast of the overcast outside made her look more pale and ethereal than usual.

She gave Paolo a courtesy smile as she neared, parting her cloak in order to give a friendly wave. Under the traveling cloak her school uniform was immaculate as always. Though as per usual she had taken certain liberties with the school's dress code. Instead of the horrid wool knit vest, she wore a fitted corset that was trimmed with her house colors over top a frill collared dress shirt. The only thing standard issue was her tie - though even that was a little shorter than average so as not to hang past her corset. Due to the weather she had traded in her skirt for a pair of form fitting and nicely pressed dress pants that were tucked under a pair of heeled dragon hide boots that gleamed in the torch light of the bridge's sconces. The only thing missing from Cadance's 'perfect' appearance was the presence of any of her three regular escorts.

"I'd be careful with those if I were you." She nodded towards the idle sparking of his wand, "You wouldn't want anyone thinking you were in trouble." Every wizarding child knew that throwing up red sparks was a sign of distress. It wasn't such a rare occurrence at Hogwarts, though they tended to occur earlier on in the year when the First years were first reminded (or in the case of muggleborns taught) of the spell and the younglings shot them off for no particular reason, well no real reason, honestly a potion explosion or wand back firing at Hogwarts was NOT an emergency.

Rossi did not look up at first even as the sound of high heels on wood grew ever closer.  If this is McGonigle I’m jumping off the bridge, he thought to himself.  That was just what he needed today, the headmistress berating him for some trumped up charge.  Cocking his head to the right he was pleasantly surprised to see, in place of an old, wrinkly woman a very young and supple Slytherin girl smiling and waving at him.  Paolo straightened up instantly and returned her smile, brushing his left hand through his dark, slightly wet hair as he did so.  Look cool, was the first thought to run through his head, which was foolish really because Rossi always looked cool!  At least that’s what he thought.

"I'd be careful with those if I were you.  You wouldn't want anyone thinking you were in trouble."

Though Cadence Bulstrode was a Slytherin they shared a number of common classes; Herbology, Charms and Transfiguration, so they saw each other quite regularly and in Paolo’s estimations were on first name terms.  Simultaneously they also shared a passion for the latest fashions, though it was clear that this evening Cadence had outdone him rather spectacularly.  He allowed his dark brown eyes to traverse the length of her figure a couple of times, drinking in her beauty before he replied to her little piece of advice.  He cast an idle sideways glance at his wand before dispelling the sparks, red for distress how fitting, he hadn’t even realised.  With his usual confidence and swagger Paolo spoke “But I am in trouble, in trouble of throwing myself of this bridge out of sheer boredom.  Have you come to save me from that terrible fate Miss Bulstrode?”  He joked.

He liked Cadence but to be fair Paolo liked most things in skirts and corsets, the platinum blonde hair was just the icing on top of the cake.  The only thing he didn’t like about her however was her name, Bulstrode, it sounded like some sort of huge frog or toad and was not the sort of name befitting a creature of such poise and beauty.  Of course he kept his thoughts to himself.  “You look nice this evening; green is definitely your colour.  Sorting Hat must have been young once too huh?”  He smirked at his wittiness.  “What brings you out here this evening, I always thought you were more the indoors type.  Forgive me if my assumptions all these years have been misplaced.”  Paolo resumed the position he had occupied when Cadence had arrived, though he kept his head cocked to the right so as to maintain eye contact.

As stated, they shared the Herbology lesson earlier today so it would have been fairly obvious to Cadence why Paolo was outside getting some fresh air.  It really hadn't gone very well.  Herbology was one of those subjects that was a real struggle for Paolo, not because it was particularly difficult but because he found it exceedingly boring.  The only thing that made it bearable was the chance to chat to the friends he rarely saw because of timetable differences.  He would have gotten away with talking in class too if it wasn’t for that pesky professor.  An extra 4 inches, the punishment didn’t fit the crime!  Frowning slightly as a thought popped into his head Paolo spoke once more, quickly this time with a hint of worry in his voice “Professor Strangely didn’t ask you to track me down did she?”

Cadance folded her hands just below her waist and continued to offer a smile. All the while internally she was aware of the way Paolo looked at her. She could just imagine how many of the upper year boys would have been drooling over her if she were single, or more appropriately not betrothed to a man since the age of eleven. It really was a downer when it came to social interactions. She could have been a completely different person if she hadn't been groomed from birth to be the 'perfect wife'. She imagined with her angelic looks she could have had any boy wrapped around her finger, she could have even succeeded Maeve Whitman as the head of the Monarchy. It was a shame all that potential was wasted and tucked away behind the porcelain facade she wore each day.

"Thank you. I always did fancy green." She let a sparkle come to her eyes letting him know that she appreciated the compliment, after all what lady wouldn't like being complimented on how nice they look, "I do enjoy the fresh air when I can, though this weather definitely isn't ideal." She glossed over the fact that she was rarely seen outside the castle because she was rarely seen outside the company of the three men in her life who seemed to have taken in upon themselves to escort her everywhere she went: Her brother, her cousin and her betrothed. It had been hard enough to sneak out of the castle without being noticed.

Cadance gave him a gentle laugh, as if she were to do the bidding of a Professor. Most didn't give her much mind, her marks were at the top of her year and she didn't cause disturbances in class like most her age still did. She also wasn't a teacher's pet which meant running errands was definitely not on her list of qualifications, "You definitely don't have to worry about that. I was just seeing to a few things." The upper years were often allowed to have a few personal pots in the greenhouses to take care of for projects and what not. Cadance often found, despite how often she fantasized about burning them down, the greenhouses were one of the few places she could be alone and take comfort in the solitude.

"What about you? Other than being bored enough to jump the bridge? What brings you out on a such a dreary evening?"

Had Paolo known that Cadance was aware of his wandering eyes the young boy would still probably have been unable to control himself.  It was true, women were his weakness.  He enjoyed looking at them; enjoyed being in their company, in fact practically everything about women excited Rossi.  It was not just teenage hormones running wild either; he had always held an affinity for their kind, even as a young boy when he preferred the company of his sister’s older friends than that of his own.  Besides there was no harm in looking, Cadance seemed not to mind as she smiled in response to his compliment.

At her mention of the weather Paolo pouted, nodding sombrely as he did so.  Their meeting would have indeed been better had the sun been setting it was more romantic and perhaps she would have been wearing less layers.  It bothered him not that the young Slytherin was engaged to be married.  Yes he knew, well, was as sure as he could be that she was promised to some other.  There were always rumours circulating the castle and the fact Cadance Bulstrode was always flanked by male protectors only added weight to said rumours. 

Purebloods and their absurd notion of blood purity, it was so archaic.  Rossi wondered what Cadance’s own thoughts on the matter were, outwardly she was everything a well brought up girl should be but had their places been switched inside Paolo would have been screaming.  It had not escaped the young Gryfindor’s attention that neither of her usual escorts had accompanied her outside tonight.  Though as to why they had abandoned her or how she had managed to wriggle free from their grasp Paolo did not enquire.  Her romantic life was none of his business and seemed an entirely inappropriate topic of discussion.

"What about you? Other than being bored enough to jump the bridge? What brings you out on a such a dreary evening?"

“I’m usually bored enough to jump the bridge, it’s not a rare occurrence these days.  Too many classes which in turn leads to too much homework and, well you know, all work and no play makes Paolo a dull boy.  I just came out to think.  I can’t even remember the last time I did anything that left me with a feeling of excitement.  Haven’t duelled in weeks, not been out binge drinking with my friends.  I haven’t even been on a date in a month….”  The last sentence was uttered more to himself than to Cadance but it was audible nonetheless.  Unlike the young Slytherin girl, Paolo was fairly open with his feelings and his love life; in fairness most young boys were at least those young boys that he associated himself with.  Smiling outwardly to himself he added casually “Back in fourth year you couldn’t go a whole day without hearing whispers about some secret party or other.  Now it’s just study and work, you know?  What about yourself?  Are there any wild parties going on down in those dark dungeons Miss Bulstrode?  You know, as a friend, it would be your duty to inform me of such.”  Rossi said, smirking, half joking and yet half serious.  Of course he knew he would never be invited to such an event, even today Slytherin and Gryfindor retained an unhealthy rivalry with each other.  Chuck a lion into the snake pit and it’s highly likely he wouldn’t come back out.  “But what am I saying, Cadance Bulstrode attend an underage party at high school.  What would high society make of such behaviour.”  Paolo teased, putting on his poshest English accent as he did so.  He smiled casually, shrugging his shoulders before finishing "I'm teasing of course."

“I’m usually bored enough to jump the bridge, it’s not a rare occurrence these days.  Too many classes which in turn leads to too much homework and, well you know, all work and no play makes Paolo a dull boy.  I just came out to think.  I can’t even remember the last time I did anything that left me with a feeling of excitement.  Haven’t duelled in weeks, not been out binge drinking with my friends.  I haven’t even been on a date in a month….”

Cadance stuck to her smile and moved to the side, leaning on the railing of the bridge and looking out over the horizon, she let out a long sigh, "Well they never said preparing for NEWTS would be easy, though after OWLS it would have been nice to have a bit of a break, last year seemed like nothing but rolls upon rolls of homework. Not that this year has been any better." She glanced over at him. She never actually had problems with homework, she wasn't taking as many courses as some of the other Sixth years. She had many spare periods that allowed her quiet time to work on any homework she was assigned, "Like you said this year's been no different."

"What about yourself?  Are there any wild parties going on down in those dark dungeons Miss Bulstrode?  You know, as a friend, it would be your duty to inform me of such.”

She chuckled softly and gave him a gentle friendly nudge, something that wasn't entirely out of character for her but one she wasn't likely to do in the presence of her usual chaperons. She was able to still keep her appearance of a proper lady while still being friendly. After all she was still allowed to have friends, so long as they were in the right social circles and while Paolo was a Gryffindor he dressed really well and at least he wasn't a muggle born. She could be seen with worse, "If you want to know about wild parties, you should ask my Cousin Xavier." She shook her head thinking of the black sheep prodigal son of the Wentworth line, "Him and probably Dues would be the most likely to have hidden stashes of Firewhiskey."

“But what am I saying, Cadance Bulstrode attend an underage party at high school.  What would high society make of such behaviour.”

Cadance allowed herself to blush ever so slightly at his tease, "It would be quite the scandal." Inwardly she longed for the day when she could break free and indulge in such rebellion, acting on impulse and desire, not giving any mind to whoever was with her, and what ever they thought of her. She was sure that day would come sooner than later, now she just had to make sure it came sooner than her forced Wedding Date, "We couldn't have that. It'd be almost as scandalous as a Gryffindor and a Slytherin having a private conversation on a secluded bridge. Think of the rumors." She touched her fingers to her lips and gave him a mocking expression of shock before offering up a giggle. Just because she was still playing the part of proper upper class lady didn't mean she couldn't have a little bit of fun with a friend.

“Well they never said preparing for NEWT’s would be easy…..”

Paolo’s eyes followed Cadance as she leaned next to him on the railings of the bridge, gazing off into the distance as she contemplated what it meant to be in sixth year at Hogwarts.  There was an instantly pleasing smell that seemed to emanate from her, perfume most likely, the kind that was pleasing to anyone, not too strong yet not so weak that you could hardly tell she was wearing any.  Knowing Cadance Bullstrode it wouldn’t be your standard over the counter mixture either it was probably magical, maybe smelled different to whoever smelled it depending on what attracted you, she was classy that way. 

Paolo allowed himself to gaze into the horizon as he listened to her words.  Her sigh told him so much, yet so little.  Clearly she had her own tribulations to deal with, Rossi could tell that she had a great many burdens resting upon her shoulders though what they could be he had no idea.  In reality he did not know the young girl all that well, sure they were friends of a sort but when they conversed Paolo had always sensed there was a barrier between them, something that prevented them from getting to know each other properly.  Whether it was Cadance’s own reluctance to share her true feelings or the intimidation factor that her chaperones provided he did not know.  He would nod in agreement as she echoed his statements concerning the student workload.  “Nothing worth doing is ever easy I guess.” He added before allowing her to continue.

A smile crept across Rossi’s young features as the Slytherin girl gave him a friendly nudge; the physical contact was nice, a new dynamic to their budding friendship.  As the conversation turned into something considerably more upbeat Paolo felt the tension ease from his body as the troubles of the day drifted into the cold Scottish night air. 

"We couldn't have that. It'd be almost as scandalous as a Gryffindor and a Slytherin having a private conversation on a secluded bridge. Think of the rumors."

When Cadance spoke of scandal Rossi laughed, brushing his right hand through his rather unkempt hair, as was his nature when he found himself enjoying the company of women.  Sure enough if they were seen here tonight by tomorrow the castle would be awash with rumours.  There was nothing the older students liked more than juicy gossip and it didn’t get more exciting than cross-house dating, especially between Slytherins and Gryfindors, it was just so rare, even in modern times.  The motion to her pursed lips sent Paolo on edge slightly as his eyes drank in the image she painted.  She was teasing him, subtly but surely and the young man enjoyed every moment.  He smirked before replying as coolly as he could “Well we wouldn’t want that would we……?”  He let the question hang in there for a moment, long enough to let the connotations sink in yet no so long that it forced the two into an awkward silence.  “I don’t see why our two houses still continue their petty feud, why should a Gryfindor and a Slytherin sharing a quiet moment on a secluded bridge start tongues wagging?  It’s so archaic.  Then again now that I think of it, I am a bit of young Casanova and you’re a high class broad Miss Bullstrode, I guess we are taking a risk meeting like this.” He teased, his smirk widening at the corners of his mouth all the while.

You’re as likely to have angels fly out of your arse as you are to get close to that one.  That had been his good friend Jaime’s assessment of Cadance Bullstrode when Paolo had pointed her out to him a while ago in class.  At the time he had laughed and nodded.  She had an aura of superiority around her that came with a high class background, she was by no means a snob, quite the opposite, but you knew she was untouchable for the likes of you.  It made the conversation all the more exciting for Rossi, Cadance was like forbidden fruit, just conversing with her here held its own dangers as she had pointed out.  “You know….” Rossi began “procuring the firewhiskey was never the issue.  It’s finding the right company to enjoy such a fine beverage that’s the real problem….”

Cadance kept a gentle smile on her lips as the two talked. For once it wasn't a forced one. She was enjoying the night air even if there was a chill and she was enjoying the company. From what she knew of Rossi he was a fine boy to have a conversation with. A bit of a charmer in his own right. She suspected that his tone would be even more flirtation had it not been for her previous commitments. She was a little saddened by that fact. Although there may have been a saving grace in not being available, it allowed her to have real conversations with boys that didn't have to end in 'wanna snog behind that tapestry?'

Se let out a sigh, "It's ridiculous is what it is. House loyalty is one thing and an important thing at that but why shouldn't we be able to have friends in other houses. The 'Puffs and the 'Claws do it all the time. What's so bad about a Snake being friends with a Lion?" She thought about that assessment for a while. She had always given credit to the Sorting Hat. There were some wishy washy sortings, ones that confused even the most observant of students but in this case Cadance really was a Snake. Sly, conniving, manipulative and able to shed her skin whenever was necessary. She had always been able to be exactly what she needed to be in the moment without anyone being the wiser. Rossi was just the same, a tall, proud and brave Lion. Able to shed social connotations and openly converse and cultivate a friendship with even the most dubious of Snakes.

She smirked when he noted being self aware of his own charms, "I suppose we'll just have to keep this between us, it'll be our little secret?" She chuckled softly and stared out at the darkened horizon.

"Oh really?" She asked in response not pulling her ice blue eyes from the setting sun, "And what sort of company is it best enjoyed with?"

"And what sort of company is it best enjoyed with?"

Whilst Cadance’s eyes drank in the last rays of the evening’s sun, Rossi’s remained firmly fixed upon her.  He knew she could feel his gaze but when you were as pretty as she knew she was surely you got used to such attention.  As she posed to him her question, Rossi shrugged slightly before contemplating his response.  Who would he like to enjoy a glass, no a bottle, of firewhisky with?  The lads were an obvious choice but at this particular moment he really couldn’t be bothered with all the testosterone driven conversation.  A girl then?  Perhaps, but if he was to share a drink with a girl eventually he would feel obliged to make a pass at her.  For all his charm and womanizing Rossi really didn’t feel like it at the moment.  Leaning on the wooden railings Paolo fixed his eyes upon the sunset.  “I guess the perfect company changes depending upon your mood and your motives.  If it’s early Friday evening in London the perfect company would be with some of my boys.  If it’s early Saturday morning and nearing closing time it’s probably a tall blonde Slytherin, failing that a brunette Ravenclaw with a pair of cute glasses.”

Paolo smirked to himself at the thought of meeting either on a night out in muggle London, chances were slim but they were playing a hypothetical game here so he was allowed to stretch the realms of possibility if he wanted.  Cocking his head to the side Rossi continued.  “I imagine for you the perfect company would be what?  Fiancé or perhaps Bridesmaids?”  Paolo stroked his shaven chin as he contemplated whether or not he was correct.  His eyes flashed across her facial features trying to detect any hints on emotions but alas, Paolo was not the sort of character who could read peoples inner thoughts well.  That’s why he was always so direct in his questioning.  It was a quality and a character flaw, some people found his attitude refreshing, others thought he lacked tact.  “You must be getting excited now right, no pre wedding jitters?  Sorry I heard about the wedding through the grapevine, you know how it is.  I don’t think I ever congratulated you…..”  Were congratulations even in order?  Shrugging the thoughts off Paolo finished with this nugget of gold “If you ever fancied a quiet drink away from all the pressures of the castle and…..what not……I would drink with you.  If you ever manage to shake the chaperones again we could find somewhere I’m sure.”  Paolo smiled before falling silent.

Cadance let a smile dance on her lips as he played his game of hypotheticals. It did indeed sound like fun and she supposed it wouldn't be all that rare to have a fluctuating choice for a drinking buddy depending on the time and place. Wandering the halls of Wentworth Manor, surely she'd have Xavier with his ever present hip flask. Sitting at the kitchen table listening to her mother prattle on about some non sense or another she could always count of Tiberius to give her a pick me up. Charlie was the only one she hadn't sneaked a night cap with but then she was supposed to carry this air of perfection for her future husband and she didn't think getting tipsy in front of him would do the job. She had only engaged in drinking once or twice in the past but it did seem to be a regular pass time for the rest of her peers. Another bit of 'normal' life she wished she could cling to.

A touch of crimson flush came to her cheeks when he asked who her own preferred company would be. She was thankful that it would look very much like a blush to Rossi. She wasn't entirely sure what it was herself but Charlie and her bridesmaids (whom had all been hand picked by her mother to include all of her eligible cousins) were definitely not who she had in mind - though she supposed Briar would be an excellent drinking buddy. "My bridal party pretty much consists of all my unmarried cousins, I'm sure they would be a riot to drink with."

She looked over to him trying to gauge how he felt about her getting married so young, wondering if he really was happy for her or if he realized just how trapped she felt about the whole arrangement, "I don't think anyone approaches their wedding day without a bit of butterflies in their stomach. Thankfully I still have a year to get used to all of it, ceremony won't be until after we graduate. I've known Charlie most my life and I knew he was going to be my husband at the age of eleven so I suppose I'm a little more prepared than most girls are." 

She smiled again, a sweet genuine one. It didn't look much different than the others she had given him but it felt good to smile for a real reason, "That'd be nice, and I may just have to take you up on it if I ever get the chance. Before I become a married old crone." She chuckled, trying to picture herself in martial bliss. Baking, cooking, cleaning, child rearing. The whole thing seemed better suited for someone else's life.