His bags were still stacked against in the corner of his room.  Only enough unpacking had been done to locate a fresh set of robes and his wand.  He would have happily used the need to finish unpacking as an excuse to put off returning the bustle of the Great Hall but the Healer had firmly dissuaded him from that plan.  With his honey-hued avodire wand stowed once more in his pocket, Sasha cut across the lawns to the towering castle. 

He was hoping to make his return as inconspicuous as possible.  It was still a mystery as to what kind of reception he could expect.  The last time he'd found himself in the Great Hall, he'd come to the Valentine's Day Ball as Ferguson's date and had gotten yelled at by the first year who'd been expecting to meet him.  Speculations about his involvement with Ava Grosvenor's death were just starting to settle and rumors about Fauna being a werewolf that he'd helped initiate were slowly gaining momentum around the school.  Everyone, it seemed, had had some reason to be suspicious, wary or angry with him.  He wasn't even sure what the student body had been told about his dismissal, if anything.  Aside from his letters with Fergie, he'd spent the last three months isolated from most of the student body. 

The quieter his return was, the better.  In fact, if he could have just hid down in the Hospital Hut until Monday when he slipped into his first class as quietly as possible, he would have.  But, the Healer would have none of that.  She'd insisted he needed to bite the bullet and dive in.  He supposed she was right and, if things really went that poorly, he could return home over the weekend and resume his muggle classes on Monday. 

But, no.  He wasn't going to think that pessimistically.  This would work out.  Besides, with the memories of what had happened here a year ago tomorrow, most of his classmates were bound to be distracted.  A year ago, today, so many of their lives had seemed so normal, so simple.  A year ago tomorrow, most of their lives would have been changed or would have started changing.  So much death.  So much uncertainty in the past year.  There were so very few in this room who hadn't been effected in some way.  Perhaps, he would have been better off staying with his muggle classmates.

He merged into the wake of a decent-sized cluster of students as they filed through the doors into the Great Hall.  He made his way down the middle aisle, between the benches of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw table until he found a rather empty section of the Ravenclaw bench and took his seat.  He pulled a bowl of mashed potatoes and another bowl of peas and carrots closer to him, spooning moderate portions of both onto his own plate.  A shadow past next to him and he glanced over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't blocking anyone's path. 

It was unlikely that Erin would be the first to notice Sasha's return.  She had not crossed paths with Sasha very many times before, but she did notice when a boy left school.  She also noticed when someone she had not seen in over a month walked back into Hogwarts.  Erin noticed a lot, but she was too absent minded most of the time to make anything of her observations.  Though she doubted he knew who she was, there had been enough rumors flying about Sasha that she knew of him.  Wondering how she could use someone who obviously got things done to her advantage, Erin came up short.  She was a ditzy third-year who was quickly on her way to becoming a ditzy model.  Not that there was anything wrong with it, but even she realized that she would need handlers if she was ever to actually make it as a professional in her line of work.

Deciding that nothing would be gained if nothing could be ventured, she skipped over to the Ravenclaw. 

"I haven't seen you in a while," Erin spoke, stating the obvious.  Of course, she was not sitting down at the Ravenclaw table, and she was sure that the girls were gossiping behind her back, but she was curious.  It was not everyday that someone who had been gone for a while just suddenly pops back into Hogwarts.  Deciding that being sociable to a rather cute boy might be a good thing, she decided to ask

"Mind if I sit here?  I'm sure you have a story to tell.  Anyways, I'm Erin in case we haven't been introduced.  Um...you are Sasha correct?  I've heard a few things about you, but I've never really bothered looking into them before.  So, if you don't mind me asking, why did you leave and what brought you back?" Erin rambled, completely unaware of how many social graces she was lacking.  She had decided to take a seat across from the young man before Sasha could refuse her request. 

Sasha glanced up and over his shoulder at the girl that was making her way between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables.  He was actually getting used to finding himself in the company of Slytherins; the trend had started sometime towards the end of last year and just never let up.  Whether they liked him or hated him, they always seemed to be around him.  He recognized her from around school though he didn't know much about her.  She was younger than him, though he couldn't remember if she was a fourth or third year.  She, however, seemed to recognize him readily enough and settled herself across the table from him. 

"I ... no," he confirmed, shaking his head.  Sasha actually wasn't sure when the last time this particular Slytherin would have remembered seeing him but, regardless, it would have been a while.  "I've been- they sent me home.  They had their reasons, I suppose."  His story didn't seem all that riveting and he was even less sure he wanted to share it.   

Full serving dishes started appearing from the kitchen below and Sasha pulled a bowl of potatoes and peas and carrots closer to him.  This was probably to be expected.  Depending on what rumors were spread around during his absence - and what official explanation was given by the administration - this was probably just the start of a long line of questions and questioners.   Something reflexive inside of him withdrew defensively, wanting to tell her to bugger off and mind her own business.  But, doing so would probably only confirm whatever suspicions she and others might have.  He knew how this game was played - he knew how important reputations were.  And, right now, he could either leave the state of his reputation in the hands of others, like Snark, or take back control and define it himself. 

Sasha offered the girl a grin as she introduced herself and nodded, extending a hand across the table.  "It's nice to meet you, Erin."  He poured himself a glass of milk and took a drink.  "After everything with- you know- Ava and everything, they thought I needed a break.  Time away and such."  Ava.  Though all that time had passed, it still seemed strange to think she wasn't here.  He shook his head.  "I guess they thought enough time had passed to let me back.  With, you know, OWLs a month a way and all.  But, you don't have to worry about that, do you?"

As Erin watched Sasha pull the bowl of potatoes closer to him, Erin could not help but to start to become jealous.  'Boys eat whatever they want and never worry have to worry about their weight' Erin thought to herself.  Not really noticing the small sneer beginning to spoil her otherwise picturesque figure, Erin was about to ask him how he ate all of that.  Even after joining the quidditch team accidentally, she still had to watch what she ate.  She had not eaten potatoes in a long time, and they looked really good.  Fortunately, Erin's culinary tirade was preempted when Sasha mentioned something about Ava. 

Now, Erin had heard a large amount about that.  It was interesting that Sasha was so closely tied to it, but she did notice that he had not really answered her question.  With her attention span though, it did not really matter when he started asking about OWLs of all things.  Ignoring the fact that they were at least a year away, Erin had (unsurprisingly) not really thought about the affects a test would have on her future.  Audrey had hers more or less set in stone ever since last December.  She knew she had a few more shoots upcoming, but Audrey kept track of those things for her. 

"Never really though about those to be honest.  I cannot see a silly test score affecting my career, but I guess very few people start modeling at my age.  Or at least look good enough to do it.  Though you are correct, I have never really thought about it too much," Erin rambled, stream of consciousness flowing in her thoughts.  Finally realizing that she had just given almost every other girl in the school a back-handed compliment on their looks, she quickly decided to focus back on Sasha. 

"I guess those tests are a pain-in-the-neck for you.  I'd offer to help, but unless there is an entire section on transfiguring things into bobby-pins or safety pins I am not sure I'd be too much use to you.  So what OWLs are you taking anyways?" Erin asked, hoping to ease him into the conversation.  And get him to admit to something gossip-worthy.  After all, rumours flew around Sasha like seekers flew around the snitch.

"I- oh,"  Sasha said, unsure what exactly to say to such an idea.  He could understand not being sure how one's test scores might effect them.  If they weren't sure what they wanted to do with their lives, he could almost see how one might not worry about test scores they weren't sure they'd end up needing.  But, the idea of not worrying about any 'silly test scores' seemed such a foreign concept to him.  Actually, the idea of not worrying seemed just as foreign in itself.  Not only did he worry about receiving passing grades, he was still just as bad as Eirene about expecting nothing but the best marks from himself.  Anything less than top marks in any class would just mean he could have worked harder or longer. 

He took a bite of potato and chewed it slowly as he tried to determine the best approach to take.  "I suppose it depends on the career you pursue," he said, finally.  Though, hadn't she ... "Modeling?  As in- oh.  Witch's robes?  Or,...brooms?"  Modeling seemed like such a, well, muggle thing.  It certainly didn't seem like a magically dense career path.  Which, of course, Sasha would be the last to say there was anything wrong with that.  Actually, really, he should try to think of something more sensible to say before this Slytherin simply wrote him off as a nutter. "I suppose you wouldn't need, you know, test scores for that."  Imagine that.  How nice would that be?  "But, you're going to be staying for NEWTs, right?  Or, are you..."  There were others in this room probably much more qualified to be continuing this conversation.  "-going straight into modeling after your OWLs?" 

"I don't think so."  Actually, walking into his charms or transfiguration OWL and being asked to change a toothpick into a bobby pin would be decidedly anti-climatic.  But, he knew better than to voice that aloud.  "Even if so, I think- I'm pretty certain I could handle it.  Transfiguration isn't really one of the ones I'm worried about."  Especially now that he had developed a solid relationship with is new wand, he was feeling quite confident about the practical OWLs. 

Sasha took another bite of food, hitching his shoulders up Erin's question.  "All of them, I guess," he answered, truthfully.  "I don't know which I'm going to continue with into NEWT level so it'd be foolish to rule any out before the examinations."

If Erin had a sense of irony, she would be grinning right now.  She was causing a Ravenclaw prefect of all people to sputter unsurely in front of a ditzy third-year.  Of course she did not have a sense of irony, nor was she likely to develop one.  She had assumed that Ravenclaws were intelligent and eloquent, though this one was proving the latter assumption false.  He finally got some of his composure together when he replied to her with a complete sentence.  After that brief stroke of intelligence, it was back to words.

Modeling? As in-oh.  Witch's robes?  Or...brooms?

"To answer your question, I follow the golden rule.  In other words, he who has the gold makes the rules.   Though I mainly model for witch's robes and hats, I model what my clients want with some exceptions because of my age.  I would not be adverse to modeling for Nimbus or some other sporting company.  I don't suppose you know anyone in that line of work?" Erin fished, not really expecting a bite, but always willing to leave a line out.

After the young man asked about her NEWTs (which were even futher away than her OWLs) Erin wondered if it was a Ravenclaw thing.  She had heard that they were obsessed with academics, but this particular specimen seemed to be taking it far beyond the course of normal conversation.

"I probably will stick around for those tests, though I had not considered skipping the NEWTs.  If there is someway to take them later in life, I probably should look into that.   Assuming my mother doesn't kill me for that," Erin thought.  She was happy that her initial assessment of Ravenclaws as intelligent was correct.  She could probably get a lot more work done and make a lot more money if she decided to drop out of Hogwarts after her owls.  It was certainly something to consider, if she could remember it.   She was once more impressed with the Ravenclaw he admitted that he was taking all of the OWLs.

"All of those tests?  You must be super-smart or something.  I have a hard time with the regular exams," Erin complimented the young man.  She probably would have said something else complimentary about him, but then he said that he had no idea what he wanted to do with it.

"All of that work and you do not know what you want out of it?  If I was doing all of that work, I'd make sure to have some goal in mind.  It seems like a, -" Erin's eloquence failed her here, since she was trying to come up with a polite way to say stupid. She finally settled on, "waste of time to spend that much time on something and not be sure if you are going to use it,"

Despite what most at Hogwarts might assume, Sasha was plenty familiar with this 'golden rule,' though he'd never heard it called such.  All of his family's wealth was restricted to the muggle world and Sasha wasn't one to blatantly flaunt it so it often went unnoticed in a world where traditionally wealth and blood status went hand in hand.  But, a healthy family wealth had enjoyed the benefits of the rise of the first, second and, indeed, third German Reich.  Gerhard's position as a CEO at a major world bank only enhanced that. 

"Yeah, I know that rule," Sasha admitted, nodding his head.  Though, he was more accustomed to being on the side that had that gold to make the rules with rather than being the one seeking that gold.  "Wait- you already have clients?  Do you, like, model on holidays or something?"  At least that did seem to take the guess work out of what she wanted to be when she grew up.  Sasha couldn't help but be a little envious.   

Sasha shook his head and reached for a bowl of dinner rolls and taking one for himself before offering the bowl to Erin. "No.  I have a nice broom," he offered with a slight tinge of guilt.  Getting his broom hadn't exactly been easy - or morally right.  It was one of the bigger outright lies he'd told his parents.  But, he'd wanted to play quidditch and he knew he wasn't going to get on the team without a decent broom, so he'd told his parents he'd broken the tree of his expensive eventing saddle and used the money for a replacement to purchase a broom.  "Most of my family's contacts are muggles," he explained.  "Saddles or muggle clothes, maybe.  But not brooms and robes.  I'm mostly muggleborn." 

I probably will stick around for those test.  Sasha couldn't help but laugh, slightly, shaking his head.  She said it so casually so easily like she was trying to decide whether or not to go to a movie after dinner.  How nice it must be to be so sure and so relaxed about this stuff.  Even as a third year - even as a first year, Sasha remembered always having the importance of future plans in the back of his head whenever he made any decision.  "Does she want you to be doing something else?" Sasha asked, in regards to Erin's mother.  "Or, does she just want you to stay at Hogwarts?  You don't have to be at Hogwarts to sit your NEWTs, you know.  I was looking into it when I was trying to decide whether I was coming back or not." 

He shrugged off the assumption that he was 'super-smart.'  "I just work a lot," he offered.  Getting strong marks and passing tests weren't really direct reflections of intelligence.  "And, don't sleep much." 

"Well, I have some ideas," Sasha quickly countered.  He didn't like the idea this perspective that his efforts were being seen as a waste of time.'  "I just - I haven't decided.  And, I don't really know what I'll need when I get there, you know?  It's kind of like packing for a really long trip overseas but not knowing where you're going?  So, you don't know if you need polos or sweaters? So...you just pack...everything?"  His voice trailed off as a pinch of color rose in his cheeks.  "I guess, I'm just not ready to rule anything out, yet." 

After Sasha asked her about her profession, Erin gushed like the school-girl she was.  She absolutely loved playing dress-up.  And if people would pay her to do it, so much the better.     

“Yes, actually.  People pay me to where a variety of robes, hats, and shoes from a number of designers.  The only one you’ve probably heard of is Madam Malkins, but I have four confirmed fashion shows and two confirmed shoots this summer.  I’m always looking for more clients of course, but that does keep me relatively busy during the Summer and Winter Hols.  My first shoot was last December, and I had one over the Easter holidays as well.  My mother plans for me to be in some sort of fashion soiree every other week,” Erin smiled warmly.  She really did like her job, even if she drove everyone around her batty while-doing it.   

After Sasha offered her a warm roll, Erin remembered why she did not like her job.  She had a list of about forty-pages of stuff she couldn’t eat and a page of stuff she could.  Unfortunately, anything heavier than fish or chicken salad was off of her menu.  Looking at the roll though, she could not help but comment on the drawback aloud,

“You know, that’s probably the one thing I do not like about modeling.  I cannot eat what I’d like.  Usually, it’s chicken salad or a light fish dish with greens.   I’d eat the role, but the salad I ate already had croutons.  On days with quidditch matches, I get to drink a nutrient potion before the match.  One of these days I fear I am going to absolutely pig out and make a fool of myself.  Thanks for the offer though,” Erin declined the polite gesture.  After he commented on saddles and muggle clothing, Erin had some professional curiosity.

“Modeling for muggles?  If I recall correctly from Muggle Studies, their photographs don’t move.   How would modeling work?” Erin asked, genuinely perplexed.  Whatever Sasha’s answer to that question would be, Erin ignored it in favor of answering his query about sticking around for the NEWTs. 

“You know, I’ve never really asked her.  I assume she wants me to model, and I’ve sort of assumed she wants me to complete my Hogwarts education.  I’ll probably have to bring it up with her sometime,” Erin commented, knowing that she would probably forget the suggestion by the time this conversation ended.  Still, it was something to put in the back of her head, along with useless trivia like which way was North.

At that point, Erin had finally gotten where she had intended to be in the conversation, though Sasha had already answered that particular query and did not elaborate on his reason for returning to Hogwarts.  Consequently, Erin could not ask him about what brought him back, even though she sat down next to him to find that piece of information.  Instead, her ADD mind had to ask about the OWLs.

“Well, you certainly plan on taking more of those things than I do,” Erin commented since the Ravenclaw did not seem to believe he had intelligence.  After Sasha got defensive after her comment about his test strategy, she did not really notice his change in tone.  Erin really had nothing to say to that, other than to ask,

 “So- um- what are some of those options?” she figured a future-oriented kid like him had something in mind. 

Sasha offered a tentative grin in exchange for the girl's obvious enthusiasm.  He couldn't quite relate to the activity itself.  Modeling just seemed so ... he wasn't sure ... not him.  He liked to dress nice if not rather conservatively: nice suits, slacks and a well-fitted shirt or polo.  But, he dressed conservatively to avoid standing out in a crowd.  The idea of standing in front of a crowd seemed slightly terrifying.  "Yeah - I haven't done a lot of shopping in the wizarding world," Sasha admitted.  "But, I have heard of Malkin's.  Been there a couple of times."  She was probably right; he probably hadn't heard of any of the other clients.  He was sure they were impressive. 

Beyond the specifics of the activity in question, the rest of the scenario sounded quite familiar.  "I guess that's like me and riding," he admitted with a shrug.  "My stepfather used to always schedule at least a a competition a week whenever I was home.  The Hogwarts express would get to King's Cross and I'd usually catch a connecting overnight train to Germany.  We were hoping I'd earn enough points this year to qualify for some shows in the States this summer."  That, of course, was unlikely to happen now.  Maybe next year.

Sasha nodded in understanding and set the bowl of rolls back on the table.  "Yeah, I have to watch what I eat, too," he admitted, despite the Slytherin's initial assumptions.  "I try to keep under 10 stone.  I just don't eat meat and I keep pretty active.  I'm on a couple sports teams and I do a lot of farm chores when I'm home."  He actually, probably, didn't need to be defending the fact he was eating a roll but it was also hard not to feel slightly self-conscious in the moment. 

"Other than in flip books," Sasha set his roll down.  "But, that's not really the same.  The pictures themselves don't move, it's just the image seems to ... nevermind.  No, muggle photos don't move.  But, they have video cameras that record both movement and sound.  I haven't, you know, seen a lot of fashion shows-" Or, any, really.  "-but, I think they use phots and video.  And, lives shows, obviously.  And, now, everything's on the internet.  Well, in the muggle world." 

At first, Sasha shrugged vaguely about the array of future plans.  There were plenty of options all with varying degrees of interest and likelihood.  "I suppose it depends on where I end up after Hogwarts - here or in Germany.  Part of me just wants to ride professionally and leave it at that.  Or, while I was home, I started interning with the Department of International Magical Cooperation - it might be interesting to do that either here or back in Germany.  Or, you know, I'm thinking I might continue with school after Hogwarts and go into Muggle-Mage relations."  Four ideas which could some way utilize ever subject offered at the NEWT levels - as well as the extra subjects he was pursuing.