Sophie had cabin fever, or castle fever as the case might have been. She didn’t care that it was cold out or that she loathed getting cold because she could never seem to get warm again. Her fuzzy purple blanket would fight that off for a bit and she needed to be outside she needed to feel the wind and the gray skies. There was just too much going on in the school. No one knew what was going on anymore. There was so much drama and angst amongst the fifth years she couldn’t think straight, couldn’t make up her own mind about anything. No one knew what was going to happen for sure to Sasha yet - and while she and Fergie had made up she still felt anger boil up every time she laid eyes on that horrid Demitria. It didn’t happen often but Sophie could hold a long grudge when she had to - and in this case she felt it was well warrented.

None of that even counted toward what was going on with Gabby, or how Maddie was changing, or the fact that no one had time for anyone anymore. She was tired of it. She was sick of winter and wanted it to be spring. She needed fresh green things, she needed to go ingredient gathering. She wanted to run around the ground joining the first years in an impromptu game of tag or maybe football. Merlin knew she was clumsy but goodness it was better than watching everyone stew in their own misery. She also didn’t want to answer anymore questions about whether or not she’d tried to break up Matteo and Addie. She was sick of pointing out he was the one that was all over her - and nearly got his ass kicked by her very protective brother.

So where was she then? Bundled up in the courtyard pretending to read her spell book. Of course tucked in the pages of said spell book was the latest issue of Teen Witch Today. She was currently taking a quiz about how many of her annoying traits turned off wizards, she’d already taken the one about what her dating style was - twice. Both times the answers came out the same, she was just undatable. Too affectionate and loud. Rolling her eyes as she read her results to this particular quiz she made a face, wrinkling her nose and sticking out her tongue, “I don’t need a weekly to tell me I haven’t got any game. Stupid article,” she had progressed to the level of crazy she was talking aloud to herself. Lovely.

The weather was cold, the wind temperamental, and the sky threatening rain. Still, the weather was better than it had been lately, so outside it was. Dax didn't like being in the castle for too long anyway, not now that he could do this. And show off, of course, but that was only a minor aspect of why this was fun.

Being a horse was interesting, admittedly. Having four legs had been hard to get used to, as was having the ground shake with every step he took. It certain made sneaking up on people impossible unless they where alseep or really thick. And, to his surprise, grass wasn't half bad.  And rolling around in the dirt was always great fun even if the dirt stayed on him afterwards. He currently had mud all over his back and right side, which he'd probably regret once he turned back.

Hmm. But he could probably make it into the 7th year bathroom like this...he hand't jumped in the huge tub as a horse yet. He made a note to only do that when he knew others where in there.

Dax , at least compaired to most of the students lately, was actually having a good day. His grades where up, his tests where going well and his mother had told him a job was a definite possibility right out of school.

That last bit wasn't that good of news, actually. He'd hoped to party in Amsterdam under the pretext of 'looking for a job' for awhile. Screw Dion if he was going to point out they couldn't really party until they where 21 - that just meant more brownies for him. Sissy.

He wandered toward the courtyard, having spotted something obnoxiously purple out orf the corner of his eye.  Once he realized it was a person - and a girl at that - he changed back to his human  form. Definetly regretting tha mud now, y Merlin's beard that stuff was cold- and walked up at her side, leaning over her and frowning. "Tween Witch? Really?" he said, smirking. "C'mon Flickwick - I'd pegged you as smarter than that."

Sophie was happily reading a new review of the next Slither Girl book - she didn’t enjoy them much but all of her friends did, even Fergie - well actually, especially Fergie. He enjoyed them more than anyone should enjoy anything. He was cute to watch him squeal over something besides Sasha. It was as this thought filtered through her brain that she smelled it, horse. She knew right away because the pasture behind the Flickwick house was usually home to two or three. It was not an all together unpleasant smell, but it was unexpected in this part of the courtyard. She sniffed the air once, then twice before she heard a familiar voice and rolled her eyes, tilting her head back to look at the much, much, much taller seventh year, “You smell like a stable”.

She liked Dax and Dion well enough, they were funny… and she could grudgingly admit they were hot. She didn’t like boys who knew they were gorgeous though - they reminded her of her brother John. He thought that being cute meant he could get away with things. The exception to this rule was Fir. He knew he was amazing and wasn’t afraid to tell people about it…of course Fir was also the first one to hold her and let her cry when it felt like everyone was picking on her at once. She wasn’t that close to either of the twins. She had a feeling Dion liked her but had no idea what to do around her because he was so deadpan and she was so… not.

“I would rather being some teen trash rag that be covered in mud Daxly, so there” she stuck her tongue out at him - but she couldn’t keep the giggle out of her voice. He really was kind of cute, in an obvious sort of way. Even Fir wasn’t hot in an obvious way, he was attractive in that androgynous “does this make me bi-curious” kind of way. Closing the spell book and magazine she still kept her head tilted back to look at him, “You’re also upside down,” she blinked once the twice before turning to actually face him, rubbing the back of her neck, “Gordic’s Garters! What did you roll in? You’re almost covered from head to toe Daxly!” she leaned forward a little, the blanket falling from around her shoulders.

Making another face she pulled back, just short of a tiny hand actually touching his robes, her face tilted back up toward him, “Besides, it’s thanks to this very magazine here I have decided to completely give up on boys and focus on my studies. I much rather prefer the title of ‘girl genius’ than ‘un-datable wonder who attracts complet jerk faces from all ends of the earth’”, she gave a short laugh leaning against the cold brick wall with a shrug, before giving him a sage look, lips pursed to one side “Girl Genius fits better on name tags and desk plates. Also letterheads”.

"'es just mud, jeez," he said, looking down at himself. "'an some grass too. 'es not too bad. Now zat test 'ou where akin', zat was bad. Onl' women care about zat stuff." He snatched the magazine and sniffed at it. "'ee? "Your friends sets you up with a classmate you don't like. What do you say?"  'ere's no option for 'no thanks'." He gave her a this is serious business look. "No wonder this test came out wrong," he added, having seen the result she'd circled. "'es a bunch of bullshite. 'ou're a fine date, 'm sure."

Dax liked Sophie, he had to admit.  She was fun to flirt with, certainly - not as fun as Cuween, of course - but she seemed more like a little sister than anything else. He suspected Dion actually like liked her, which honestly surprised him. Dion's tastes in people so often seemed to just be his brother going along with Dax's lead. Admitted his brother's deadpan delivery around Sophie probably spelled doom for that. Sophie was too smart to go for the 'aloof arsehole' thing. A definite point in her favor.

He knelt, resting his elbow on his knee and his chin on his hand, and handed her the magazine back, trying to look hurt in a kicked-puppy kind of way. "Givin' up boys?" he said. "Studying?" His reactions where those of exaggerated shock and horror. "But Sophie, there so many 'romising boy in your year!" he said. "You'll miss out on..on..." He made a big show of counting on his fingers. "Uhh...oh! You'll miss out on 'hat nice Peyton - wait, 'e's gay for Schlagenweit now, isn' 'e? And that cute Amherst kid - wait, 'e's gay for Schlagenweit too." He leered. "zat Schalgenweit seems to attract ever'one, doen't 'e?" He laughed - he didn't understand the appeal of someone who'd drop dead of shock from getting kissed, let alone anything more...well, fun. He crossed his arms.  "Maybe studyin' ain't such a bad idea after all, is  it? 'zat magazine may be smarter 'zan it looks." He smirked at her. "Or maybe you could give girls a try, eh?"

She laughed and shook her head, “No, I have horrible taste, first there was Devlin which we should not even go into…then there was Matteo,” she made a disgusted face, sort of - it looked more like the name left a bad taste in her mouth, the tip of her pink tongue sticking out as she shook her head, “It’s one thing if a guy is just, you know, the kind of person who can’t be faithful or settle down. It’s a whole other game when he pretends to be a self righteous gentleman and is cheating on his girlfriend for a chance to grab your ass,” she picked at her nails a little before looking up at Dax, “Liars really are just awful you know? I mean I’m not saying I would have let him touch my butt if I’d known he had a stupid girlfriend - but I’d have at least had the chance to punch his stupid face for trying,” she was kind of rambling now. She couldn’t help it.

There were just so many reasons lately why she and boys did not seem to mix. She’d gotten over the whole comparing herself to other girls thing, Fergie and Fir hadn’t had to tell her twice about that nonsense - though once in awhile it was still nice to hear she was prettier than Addie. She didn’t even want Matteo, it was the fact he had used her and made her a part of his cheating and being a scoundrel and never gave her a choice in the matter. Because of him she had acted like the kinds of girls she hated. She did not steal boyfriends and she did not kiss boys with girlfriends. Well, technically she didn’t kiss boys at all. Other than Fir, that one time, New Years Eve, but that hardly counted. No. It didn’t count at all.

She scoffed a little as Dax rambled off potential boys and shook her head, “I’d marry Fergie in a heart beat only we both like boys,” she gave a small laugh then wrinkled her nose again, “Honestly I don’t get it. Sasha is nice and everything… but I don’t see why everyone is so smitten with him - or why Peyton felt the need to feel him up in Potions. Poor Sasha has been through so much lately,’ she shrugged and turned her face toward the gray sky, crossing her ankles and swinging her feet back and forth - damn her shortness her expression coy as she gave Dax a sidelong glance, “And just what makes you think I haven’t already tried that Daxly? Silly Horse Boy”.

"Sooophie, y' only learn your taste 'cause of experience," Dax said, reaching out to pat her on the head, remembering himself, and switching hands to his non-muddy one. He scowled a she mentioned Matteo, his surprise and distase evident. "'e really did 'at, did he?" he asked,  then cracked his knuckles pointedly and grinned dangerously. His voice adopted a semi-thugingsh tone. "Ya wants I s'oud beat 'im up for ya, boss?" he asked. "'e sleeps in the same room I do, it'll be easy. Dion'll 'elp out if I tell 'im 'e upset you." Well, maybe he shouldn't have said that. "'ou know what a chilvarous knight 'e is," he added quickly, making his sarcasm evident. He leaned on the courtyard wall, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Eh, Schlagenweit's cute enough," he said vaguely. "Jus' too shy, you know? 'e acts like the whole world is out to get into his pants or kill 'em." He paused, recalling his single speaking encounter with the boy - but anyone could make that mistake, right? He'd meant it in a friendly manner! "Actually, that might be 'e case," he added thoughtfully. "'e's kinda got a 'arget on 'es forehead, doesn't 'e?"

He retrurned her coy look with a smirk. "No 'akers, eh? Too bad. 'at Kit always seemed the type." He tried to brush some of the mud off his hoodie sleeve and looked miffed when it didn't budge. "She's either a dyke in disguise or a really cold fish." He slumped his head down into his shoulders, making it fairly clear any beef he had with Kit probaly had to do with a very formal but cutting rejection.

Sophie looked up as he patted her hair and swatted at it, like a kitten would a string dangled over it’s head. She made a small huffing noise  and screwed her lips to one side, “Daaaaaalyy so far my experiences have been less than fulfilling. I mean a kiss on the cheek from Devlin almost completely derailed not only my self esteem but my friendship with Fauna. Until I meet a boy I know won’t ever lie to me - and doesn’t also like to look at boys as much as I do… well I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ll have to find something to occupy my time.” she paused looking thoughtful, “I could always take up Archery…or needlepoint”.

Her expression shifted from thoughtful to amused…and tempted? Was she really considering his offer? The part of her that wanted to be vindicated and protected thought about it, she really had to ponder her answer before speaking slowly, “I don’t think he’d learn anything from it. Honestly? I think in his warped deranged little mind he didn’t do anything wrong. That’s what hurts the most is that he just got away with it. Addie’s not going to break up with him, she’s too desperate to have a boyfriend to validate her,” Sophie again made a distasteful face. She wore it a lot lately, apparently.

She did reach out and take Dax’s fairly clean hand though, her warm fingers giving his a squeeze,  “It’s sweet you’d offer though…you could always scare him a little I guess,” she giggled brown eyes twinkling, “you know teach him there is a way to treat a lady and a consequences if one does not act accordingly”. She thought about the night of the bonfire, the fact John had told her he had a bad feeling about Matteo when he walked in. John, being kind of a dirt bag himself, had a sixth sense about these things. That was what she loved her brother - he might have been a rotten boyfriend but he never lied about it. What you saw was what you got with Johnny and he wanted to make sure she never dealt with guys like that…or any guy ever.

She actually snorted when he brought up Kit and gave him a incredulous look eyes wide, mouth forming a small ‘o’. Kit was not a lesbian. Kit wasn’t anything! Kit was scared of germs and all things unladylike. Kissing anyone was out of the question because they would have to touch her and she would have to touch them. Besides all of that there wasn’t a man or woman a live who could pass Kit’s standard of etiquette excellence to get close enough to even try to kiss her. Narrowing her eyes playfully she poked Dax in the stomach, “Just because she didn’t want to let you take her for a ride does not mean she’s a cold fish or a lesbian”.

Tucking a lock of hair behind one ear she rolled her eyes a little, “You Daxly, are the sort of boy a girl has to be crazy to fall in love with or get involved with - because its predetermined to end in absolute disaster. You like flirting too much a girl would never feel secure, or like she was most important,” she paused and gave a small smile, “And that isn’t a bad thing because you don’t lie about it… but some girls, girls like Kit…and probably girls like me…we’re just not build to be in it for a little while of good time. We want…and deserve more than that”. That was the more introspective thing Sophie had said in a long long time. It felt weird she was saying it to Dax.

"You 'akin up needlepoint. 'ere's a scary 'ought." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Of course, if you tied some 'read to the arrows you could do both at the same time, right?"

He squeezed her fingers back and tilted his head to the side, his smirk in full on 'devious' mode now. "Ah. You want us to go easé on him? We could have gone all horse and kicked him in the - well. 'e wouldn't' ave bothered girls for awhile." He snapped his fingers. "Hm. Think if we cross dressed Fir we could give 'im a nasty surprise?" he thought about that for a bit and then he laughed. "Actuallé, that might work. He's not too likely to get friendly so freely afteur finding a surprise, eh?"

Dax shrugged. "An' of course I offered. You're one of the few cheerful people left in 'is school. Crossin' 'e boss is crossing 'e line."

He laughed when she mentioned Kit. "I was mostly kiddin', Sophié. But she's..." he trailed off. "Weird, I guess. She gets all blushé one moment and 'en all," he imitated Kit collecting herself, "Serieux business the next. She's so in control all the time, it seems." He slumped back against the wall. "Pretty, though. Cold fish might not be 'e right term," he admitted. He was feeling a little bad - Sophie's look was certainly making him feel guilty. "She's jus' hard to read," he finished with a mumble.

Dax gave her a hurt look as she spoke. She was right, of course, but that didn't mean it didn't bug him a little bit. It wasn't like he really liked the way most of his relationships were short term - he just liked flirting with girls and..well, he liked flirting with everyone.

"You don' 'ave to be so blunt about it," he mumbled, turning and placing folded arms on the wall. That mud was getting really damn cold and crush now. He smiled at Sophie, genuinely. "Sophié. Don' be worrin' so much about it," he said. "You're 15. People change a lot in between 15 an' 20. Who knows," he added. "I might even get all romantic an' serieux when 'm 20."

Sophie smiled - almost demurely as Dax joked about her needle point skills, “You should be careful Daxly, or I might just needlepoint-archer your butt,” she fluttered her eyelashes at him giving a little giggle, her brown eyes more playful than they had been in days. She outright laughed when he mentioned dressing up Fir like a girl, “I will tell you what I told Fir. My self esteem could not take the beating it would undergo if he were prettier than me - and he no doubt would be. Not only are his legs longer than mine they’re insanely gorgeous. You stick a pair of knee high boots and a short skirt on that boy and there would be a line around the school for someone to carry his books, riots would breakout” she stuck her tongue out at Dax, but still grinned. It was a rather hilarious idea… and Matteo would have it coming. He deserved all the nasty little surprises he could get.

Sophie didn’t often freeze people out but she had stopped talking to him full stop since her party - which no doubt would have been endlessly more fun if the twins had been in attendance. “Awwuh! Dax,” her face went all soft and almost adoring when he called her Boss. He really wasn’t so bad. He was someone else who was mostly honest, he liked flirting he liked attention. There was no crime against that - and if Sophie was aware enough to know then anyone getting involved with him should be aware enough to know. Though, to be fair he’d never whispered sweet nothings in her ear and that might change the whole ballgame. Come to think of it neither had Fir, not really, maybe she could only be aware of their many sides because they hadn’t ever actively tried to woo her out of her knickers.

She watched his pretty features shift from amused to wounded and she felt bad, she didn’t mean to hurt his feelings, “You know I’m only harshly blunt with people I absolutely adore,” she fluttered her eyelashes at him again, her smile teasing as she offered him a corner of her blanket, “you look miserable and cold. If you promise it’s just mud I will share my blanket with you. I am that kind and considerate,” she held her arm out and waited for him to sit down next to her. Most people didn’t turn down Sophie cuddles - well Fergie did but that was because he was always so worried she would muss his outfit or hair. She gave him a genuine smile at his last suggestion, shrugging, “Maybe. You’re a lot closer to twenty than I am, you’ll have to tell me how it absolutely changes everything,” she was kidding. Sort of. Johhny was almost twenty and he still acted fifteen most of the time.

He pretended to be horrified at that possibility. "But Sophié, I need that for seducing," he said. "'ou can't just destroy it - it'd be like shooten 'e Mona Lisaaaaa."

He tilted his head sideways and snorted as she mentioned Fir. "'ou act like people don't carry his books already. But imaginnne it, Sophié. Matteo, seein' a gorgeux lady he has'n  seen before...young, blushing, single, eager...he whisperes sweet no'ings, runs 'is 'and up her leg and bam. La banané." He grinned. "It'd teach 'im a lesson, wouldn't it?"

Dax grinned when she offered him some of the blanket, happily stripping off his hooded sweatshirt. Thankfully the mud hadn't gotten to his t-shirt too badly yet, though the squirrel was probably browner than normal. He crawled up onto the wall with her and then pouted.

"It's on my pants too," he grumbled. "An' as much as I don't have problem shuckin' those, it's cold." Then he shrugged and grabed her by the waist, pulling her against him. "'is works. Eh, it's changin'. Dion's been nicer lately, you noticed?"

Sophie scrunched up her face and sighed, “But Daaaaaaaaxly! If he was prettier than me my head might explode! Do you really want to pick Sophie brain bits out of your morning breakfast? That just sounds awful to me,” she looked up at him with big doleful brown eyes, as though she really thought her head might explode if they were to add another name to the lengthy list of girls she thought were prettier than her. “Matteo needs to learn to keep his damn hands to himself anyway, he has a girlfriend”. Her face was decidedly disgusted as she said this, like the whole thing left a bad taste in her mouth.

Of course as he snuggled down next to her Sophie’s features quickly returned to their normal smiling state. She laughed at the idea of him shirking his pants and shook her head, “How scandalous! Can you imagine what everyone would say? Sophie Flickwick teases pants of notorious tease Dax Fayette. There would be headlines - and I would deserve them,” she giggled and made a small squeaking noise as he pulled her closer. As an aggressive cuddler and coinsure of hugs it did not phase her to be pulled into the rather strong embrace of the seventh year Huffle.

Resting her head on his shoulder she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He smelled like a footy match, mud and grass, a little bit of fresh rain mixed with that natural spicy boy smell that made her think of summers and playing chicken with her siblings. She always got to be Johnny’s partner because she was the smallest. Closing her eyes she laughed a little, “Dion was never really so bad. I think people just need to look a little harder to see the good in him is all. Mostly it’s best to believe the best about people until they prove to you that you can’t. At least that’s how I look at it,” she paused and opened her eyes grinning, “Besides, it’s kind of cute when he gets that veiny thing in his forehead when I irritate him”.

"I don' really want to eat your brain, no. But if it's Matty's 'ead that explodes, well, protein's a good thing, eh?" He ruffled her hair again. "And maybe 'is girfriendl could use the leçon too. Might make 'er grow a spine."

He chuckled. "When you put it like that it just sounds more tempting, you know. But I don' want any photos to get taken..it was bad enough 'en I got caught on 'at 'illy day in the lockers..." he grumbled. "Completement unfair, that. I turn into a 'orse for a reason."

Dax's smile turned thoughtful as she mentioned his twin. "'e's a softie when you acually see 'im on 'is own. 'e jus' doesn't trust people. It's cause'a 'en I was in the 'ospital, I swear. Mum 'ipped 'im into s'ape and he's still all serious most of the time." He snorted. "You 'aven't seen 'im all embarrassed for real. 'e gets all blushy and soft-faced. It's kinda weird." He pinched her cheek playfully. "Not like 'ou. 'ou just turn all pink and get squealy."

Sophie sighed and shook her head, “I don’t know what Addie is thinking. She’s made a lot of stupid mistakes lately - and hurt more than one person. Maybe she’s just clinging to that loser because she doesn’t feel like she has anyone else,” she gave a small shrug and sighed, “I kind of just…don’t respect her anymore. I mean first she hurts Fauna and now…” Sophie just let her voice trail off. She was trying to get off the judgmental pony but it was hard. There were some things girls just shouldn’t look over. The way Matteo had behaved was one of them. It wasn’t her problem though as far as she was concerned it wasn’t her fight. If Addie wanted to be with someone who disrespected her like that then well. That was that.

Sophie looked at Dax and blinked, once then twice. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson - with the accent it was hard to know if that was innuendo or not but the implication of “locker room” and his reasons for turning into a horse… well Sophie couldn’t help where her mind went! She was a fifteen year old girl after all, and sort of curious about those things… but not that curious, maybe. She couldn’t keep the giggle and blush away.

She was rather relieved when he brought up Dion. She looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded, “I like him. I think I scare him though. His eyes get all big and he looks confused when I jump on him,” she pulled a face and again patted at his hand like a kitten when he pinched her cheek. “You know who else pinches my cheeks? My great aunt Bryony. Do you really want to be compared to a half blind woman who lives with a mule in a hut on a rock in Ireland? Do ya? Huh, huh?”

"'e's not scared, just bein' 'im. The boy's not good at being emotional," he said, smiling. Dion could certainly be emotional; he just didn't like other people to see him being it. It was kind of weird, when he thought about it, how different his brother was behind closed doors. He'd never been bothered by it; it was just what Dion did. Dax was the one that got quieter when the doors closed. He smirked. "'e's bad at bein' emotional around cute, especially. He doesn't blush like the rest of us. Should see him with kittens."

He pinched her cheek again in retribution. "Difference is I do 'it cause 'our cheeks are cute and so are 'ou," he said, "When 'ou get all batty about it." He batted back at her hand, then grabbed it. "What 'appened between Addie and Fauna? Fauna's been...less Fauna lately." He didn't know Fauna that well - she was 'quirky hat girl', pretty much - but you'd have had to be blind to not see the girl was depressed lately.

“Fir says I am a pretty kitty,” she fluttered her eyelashes at Dax, still swatting at his hands. She liked Dion, she really did - at least when he stuttered at her it was…less harsh than the looks Sasha gave her. She really did not know how she would survive Fergie dating that boy but in the end… well in the end she’d have to if she wanted to keep Fergie. Dion though he just looked confused or maybe irritated, something - but not all together unpleased or she wouldn’t keep doing it. There were people she just didn’t touch - like Figaro or Sasha, but most people were fair game.

She made another face and growled a little as Dax pinched her cheek, she pretended to try to bite his hands as they got into a little slapping war. She liked that so many of her friends understood the need to be silly and play. She could always count on Dax and Fir to indulge her somewhat juvenile streak. Sophie liked to pretend to be grown up but there were some parts of her that were very much still like a little girl…like the part of her that still slept with a stuffed elephant named Matilda.

A frown flickered over her features as Dax asked her to expand on what she meant by Addie hurting Fauna. Sophie, generally, had mixed feelings about gossip. She was not one to spread rumors - but she would chime in with her thoughts on matters when everyone in the conversation was in the know. She also wasn’t sure that Fauna would want Dax…or anyone else for that matter, to know what was going on between the two Hufflepuffs. Chewing the inside of her cheek as she laced her fingers with Dax’s she sighed, “You’d have to ask Fauna to get the whole story but Addie kept a lot of important secrets from her… and it all just kind of blew up. It’s sad really, Fauna is so depressed lately. I just want to smish her happy”.