Henry Somerville was engaging in an activity that was altogether abnormal. He was standing just outside of the great castle. However he was not, as you would suspect, in plain view but hidden behind a rather large bush just outside and to the left of the exit. He kneeled behind the bushy leaves to keep out of the view of, well, everyone. 'Oh for Merlin's sake.' He thought as he brushed the dirt from his knee. Although his appearance had never been one of his top priorities his mother had always told him to keep his clothes clean and when ever he dirtied them he remembered his mother's chiding. As he peeped above the bush he imagined that an onlooker could compare him to a crocodile with nothing but his eyes above the water. He caught a glimpse of the Fifth year that he was following; more like stalking.

Henry was following a friend of his; Sophie Flickwick. A shy boy by nature Henry had become friends with the younger girl through their shared membership of the group known as S.A.W.S. S.A.W.S was a group dedicated  to fighting the segregation of Werewolves, one of the few things that Muggleborn Henry truly hated about the Wizarding world. They had made progress but the recent attacks had damaged that greatly. Henry had even heard talk that the group would be disbanded. If this was true he wanted to fight it, though only if Sophie did also.

Afterall his mother had not been killed by a Werewolf.

Henry could of walked up to her and asked. However he was unsure if she would be in the mood so he had followed her, in secret, in an attempt to gauge how she was feeling. "Ahhh," as Henry had stood his leg had been scratched by a branch, his jeans had been ripped and part of his leg was now bleeding. However he decided to carry on

As she reached the gardens Henry came into view, unsure if she had already spotted him. "Ahem. Hi Sophie"

Rumors, rumors, rumors, rumors! If there was one thing Sophie Flickwick had had six kinds of fed-up-with it was rumors. Hogwarts was a swampy cesspool of idle gossip; everyone always had to be talking about everyone else. She couldn't pin her finger on the moment that it had started to irritated her. It might have been when Sasha's life exploded everywhere just before Christmas; she had gotten mad at Fig then anyway. It just got worse and worse, or she had just become more acutely aware of the whispers behind hands since Fauna had been accused of being a werewolf and the Ides of March. Try though she did Sophie couldn't seem to escape the topic where ever she went, if people weren't tiptoeing around her like she might crack a part at any given second they were whispering behind their hands... or the soon to be sixteen-year-old had a bit of a persecution complex.

It was possible that Sophie still felt too raw and exposed to hear the word Werewolf without going on the defensive. Even with the information she'd garnered from Griffon and the papers she didn't feel like she had a whole picture of what happened that night. She knew that the werewolf who had attacked Ramona was awaiting judgment; she knew his name - and yet she couldn't think of him as her mother's murderer. It was all just a horrible accident; a cruel act of fate no one could have anticipated. Of course she couldn't let herself off the hook that easily. She had known something - but what good was being a Seer if you only realized your visions meaning after the fact? It was like having all the pieces to a puzzle that had been dropped in a puddle of water. You could try to force the soggy pieces together but it didn't do you much good if they tore under the weight of scrutiny.

Her only outlet lately seemed to be the great outdoors. She gathered ingredients for Professor Vaillancourt and took a lot of walks by herself. She knew that on the whole she worried the people that loved her because everyone knew she was a social creature by nature. It was Emily who needed solitude to survive. Sophie needed to be loved on and adored; it was like oxygen for her. Attention was a part of her balanced diet; she had not known before then that there was something as too much attention. It was an alien concept that she had become more familiar with with each passing day. Of course there was that core group of people that stuck it out with her anyway; Chance for one... and surprisingly enough Henry for another.

It shouldn't have surprised her - despite the fundamental differences in their personalities he was a sweet boy. He was the sort of friend that would butt heads with her over things like Divination (which she fully believed was because he was crap at it and was jealous she wasn't) but bonded over things like S.A.W.S. and potions. He wasn't the loudest revolutionary but he was  committed to the cause. It had been something Sophie admired; the quiet steadfastness of his belief in equality. That part of her respect for him hadn't changed... even if she wasn't sure how she felt about the student movement anymore. It was also kind of adorable - the way he was following her and trying to suss out if she were fit for company. He was awful at it; but she played along. It seemed cruel not to.

When he finally decided to pop out and show himself, a smile tugged on her lips as she tilted her head to one side, "Really, really dreadful at this game Somerville. You're lucky you're not planning on being a hitwizard," she actually laughed a little then as she plucked a leaf from a nearby shrub, "Your tracking skills are complete crap. If I was a wizard on the run I could have disarmed you already with one good flick of my wrist," she took a dueling stance then, though her wand was still stuck in the back pocket of her jeans. "Which would be doubly humiliating when one takes into account my tiny stature and the fact that I'm two years younger than you for another two whole days". Maybe if she just...pretended like everything was normal it would eventually get to be that way again. If she just play acted at being her normal sunny self she'd never really have to confront the darker side to her personality. It might have been a stupid plan, but it was a plan.

"Really, really dreadful at this game Somerville. You're lucky you're not planning on being a hitwizard, Which would be doubly humiliating when one takes into account my tiny stature and the fact that I'm two years younger than you for another two whole days"

Henry smiled. He didn't mind that she had saw him, after all he had no intentions of becoming a Hitwizard, Auror or anything at all in the DMLE, however he was quite a good duelist, but his lack of aggression often let him down and he was almost always on the defensive. As if to prove a point he took hold of his wand and went into his typical, defensive, dueling stance. He raised his wand and was about to send a spell towards her that would of messed up her hair, but he wondered if that was the best thing after her recent loss. But maybe she would want to be treated normally? Social nuances were not Henry's strong point by any meaning of the word.

Unsure of how to act in this social situation he decided he could always say sorry to his friend. With a flick of his wand he sent the purple spell toward her. Though he could not help but blurt out an apology straight away. "You know that I don't want to do anything for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, too much mingling with others. I will be happy, working in a small dark room, making new potions." He realised that his pants still had some mud on them, he pointed his wand at them and in seconds the dirt stain evaporated into nothingness. He moved towards Sophie and sat on the grass beside her. He disliked being dirty but he wanted to make sure she was ok more than he wanted to stay pristine.

"Also, I think my tracking skills are fine. I followed you after all. My concealment skills on the other hand...well your right; they're crap," he laughed as he put his wand back into his pocket. He wanted to ask her about  S.A.W.S but how she was came first. "Sooo, how are you?" His question seemed simple enough, a friend enquiring about the well being of a friend, but they both knew that he was really talking about her loss. Henry just didn't want to come out and ask.

Sophie liked their little exchanges. Henry was shy but sweet. She needed more shy but sweet in her life. Figaro was loud and full of himself and Chance...well no one would ever be like Chance - but so long as he was in love with Fauna it was pointless to try and wear her heart on her sleeve. It all just lead to in fighting and bad feelings between everyone... or between Sophie and everyone because she had a horrible temper. In the last year Sophie had had enough of being angry, of fighting with the people she considered friends all because she had some stupid fluttering feeling in the bit of her stomach whenever she was with him. She'd gotten over Devlin, she would get over Chance. That was how the teenage girl brain worked, right? Right.

Making a small "Ack! Henry! I didn't even have my wand out," noise and covering her head as the boy flicked his wrist sending hte purple hued spell in her direction. Unable to dodge she skittered and ended up on the ground giggling anyway. If there was one thing Sophie had it was a sense of humor. Even after everything she could still laugh at herself, at her clumsiness. It seemed to be an important part of survival; the act of being able to step back and laugh at the absolute absurdity that was her life. Sometimes it felt too soon; like she would still be wearing black and speaking in monotone. Realistically there was no "right time" to move forward; because you didn't really move forward.

You just moved. You picked up pieces of yourself and hoped that somewhere along the line the burning pain in your chest would subside a little. Linking arms with Henry as he sat next to her, she looked out over the gardens and tried to think of a way to answer his question which would not make things terribly awkward for him. She knew he really did care and he really did want to help... but at seventeen what did anyone know about death and how it changed everything unless they'd lived through it? Of course she didn't wish what she felt on anyone, that would just be cruel. Taking a deep breath she shifted her brown eyes up and gave a one shouldered shrug, "Oh, you know. Stealing hearts and breaking noses; what Sophie Flickwicks do best". She wasn't sure he'd appreciate the humor but she just couldn't be dower anymore.

Keeping her arm linked with his she turned to look at him fully, wayward bangs falling in her eyes as she inspected him closely, "What about you Master Somervile? How many young girls have you stalked and captured this lovely spring day? Should I fear for my maidenly virtue?" she was teasing of course. If there was any boy who could rival Chance Ryker's chivalry it was Henry. It was actually was made him so absolutely adorable; that and the fact he was so vastly different from Sophie. Sophie liked different, it was the spice of her tiny life. Plus boys like Henry gave her hope that the belching, cheating, farting, drinking hot mess her brother was was actually an anomaly and not how all boys were all the time. Then again Fig had reaffirmed her belief boys were just gross.

Henry admired that his Gryffindor friend was still able to laugh. Personally he doubted he would be so strong in a similar situation. The way she had handled her mother's death was incredibly admirable. Of course he could never come out and say that to her, maybe in the future one day? He wanted her to know that he believed she was being incredibly brave. He sensed that she didn't want any sort of special treatment. She seemed to want everything to carry on as normal. And Henry would try and do what he could to make her feel comfortable.

When they linked arms he smiled. There were not many girls that he could do that with and not get nervous about his appearance, how he was sitting and what colour clothes he was wearing. But with Sophie he could just be himself. He liked their friendship and he was rather sad that he would be leaving Hogwarts at the end of the year. "Were going to keep in touch after the end of the year, right?" he asked as he starred up at the clouds. It reminded him of sitting around the lake near the family farm. He and his family would spend hours and hours sitting, their trousers rolled up and their feet in the cool water, while watching the clouds drift

"Oh, you know. Stealing hearts and breaking noses; what Sophie Flickwicks do best"

"Who's heart have you been stealing," he joked. "And did you steal someone's heart after or before you broke their noses." He laughed. "I know I don't have allot of...experience when it comes to matters of the heart. But I assume breaking a guys nose isn't the best way to win his heart." He chuckled and laid backwards on the grass.

"What about you Master Somervile? How many young girls have you stalked and captured this lovely spring day? Should I fear for my maidenly virtue?"

"None of course," he smiled. But the mention of maidenly virtue rather unsettled him a little. He knew she was joking but he never talked about, well anything, like that with anyone. When the boys in the Ravenclaw tower discussed the assets of the girls or their recent conquests Henry usually left the room or remain silent until the subject had been changed. It would of been obvious, to anyone who knew Henry, that he was slightly uncomfortable. However it wo0uld of been worse if it wasn't someone like Sophie.

"Ermmm, so how are things in the Gryffindor Tower?"

Sophie looked at Henry as though he'd grown another head, voice just a little incredulous, "Henry you're graduating not moving to Mars. Of course we'll still be friends". Her features softened as she gave his arm a little squeeze. She knew what he meant though; it wasn't really a matter of whether or not they would still care about one another as friends....it was just change. Everything around them was changing. Sophie knew that better than most people; but she also knew how important the people in her life were and that a little distance couldn't be an excuse anymore to lose touch.

Resting her dark head on his shoulder she idly sucked on her bottom lip, her brown eyes focused on the way the toes of their shoes turned just a little inward. "It won't be like this, maybe," she paused for a moment her expression serious, "But we'll have summers and other holidays. We can Owl...things don't have to end we just have to adapt," she tried to sound sure for his sake. The thing about adapting relationships was it really took work. It was easy to make excuses as to why letters didn't get written or visits didn't happen. "S'easy to be friends when you just have to stalk me to the garden, we just have to remember to try".

She didn't just mean he had to try either, she knew that she couldn't get so twisted up in her own life that she lost sight of the important people, the people she belonged to. She laughed lowly at this advice and bumped him with her shoulder, "You mean it's not adorable to break people's noses? Drat! Foiled again".Propping herself on one arm she turned on her side enough to see his face, grin twitching on her lips. It was cute the way he got uncomfortable as such an old fashioned phrase like maidenly virtue. Then again, Henry Somerville was an old fashioned gentlemanly sort of boy. It was that very reason, and Henry's inability to be a hopeless gossip that made his next question strange. It wasn't that she didn't think he'd ever be interested in what happened in Gryffindor Tower...

No, actually, that was precisely it. Sophie Flickwick did not think for a moment Henry really wanted to hear any sort of gossip at all. He was not that kind of person, unless he had sudden'y grown another personality overnight. "Things are goooood," she drug the vowel out slowly, inspecting Henry's features carefully before leaning down and narrowing her eyes thoughtfully, "You're up to something Henry. I don't know what; but you're asking an awful lot of questions for a boy who barely says Boo to anyone who isn't me," she tapped the end of his nose then, eyebrow arched as she tried to suss out what he was after.

Then a wave of understanding washed over her features  "Omigosh! Do you like a Gryffindor?! Is the Spring air full of love and giddniness for Henrry Somerville?! You sly dog, who is she? Tell me, tell me"! Sophie could be so very excitable and wrong sometimes.

Henry was only partially reassured with her reply. He had no doubt they would still be friends but it would be so different. They wouldn't see one another every day at breakfast, they wouldn't bump into one another at random points of the day or end up sitting together in a garden for no reason. And as Henry wanted to join the Department of Mystery's he knew his work would be the major part of his life. His hours would likely be long and he was sure it wouldn't be easy. "I suppose," his voice almost a whisper, "maybe I'll be able to get to Hogsmede during school trips.Maybe I'll even buy a place in Hogsmede." He laughed. But it dawned on him he would need to get a house. His own house! He had never really thought about it before and it was quite daunting.
 
"I like the way things are now." He smiled facing her. He saw that some of her hair was falling across his face. He knew that would get on his nerves, but he also thought it would be rather ungentlemanly to move them for her. "Ermm, does that not annoy you?" As he asked he pointed to her face."Well most people don't enjoy being assaulted," he smiled again. 
 
His nervousness evaporated as she drug the vowel out. It was replaced by a smile. "Well we Ravenclaws ask allot of questions, after all our house was founded by the greatest witch of her age; not a sword welding brute." He was only party jesting; the truth is he loved his house and was proud of their roots. He also valued intelligence greatly." He yawned slightly before he continued. "I mean it's not your," he tapped Sophie's nose as she had his, "...fault you were sorted into Gryffindor. I was just being...a good student, wondering how my fellows are." He smiled again. He would miss how often he smiled around Sophie, hopefully her letters would be some sort of comedic comfort. 
 
His question into the well being of Gryffindor tower was two-fold. The first was the party that had been organised for Sophie's birthday and the second was to move the conversation along. Even around Sophie he sometimes found moving the topic along difficult. When he realised that she thought he liked a Gryffindor he sat up quickly, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open. "NO...NO...NO. Not at all. I mean I don't like anyone," he was hopeless with girls anyway, "and even if I did the chances are she would be a Ravenclaw. Logistics alone would make it the logical assumption."

In an attempt to sway the subject from his love life, or total lack off, he brought up the subject he had wanted to talk about since the beginning of the conversation. However he was unsure how to go about it. "If you don't want to talk about this, just say and we'll drop it. But I wanted to know what you want to do with S.A.W.S. I mean I'm willing to help any way I can but...if you would rather it was...put to rest. I understand."

Sophie absently twisted the ring on her middle finger and nodded, again chewing her bottom lip, "I like the way things are now too, but we can't stop change. It just happens, all we can do is make the best of it". This particular world view was new for Sophie. For most of her life she had battled changed, she hated it. For someone with a short attention span life changes had always been very hard for her. She liked things and people to stay exactly where she left them when she happened to get distracted by adventure. Up to this very point in time Henry was almost always to be found exactly where she left him when they parted ways - or at least somewhere in the general vacinity. Thinking about that not being the case made her stomach hurt more than just a little; but one of them had to be sure and brave and since being brave was kind of her thing she could do that for him.

"It'll be good practice for when I grow up and run off to Romania to work with dragons, or Tibet to work with Yetis, or whatever it is I'll be doing when I decide I want to be an adult," despite the way her mother had died Sophie was still sure she wanted to work with Magical Creatures and Beings. She had come to this conclusion through long letter exchanged with her Godfather in the days and weeks since her mother's passing. Griffon had reminded her more than once that she would have the chance to do what her mother hadn't been able to. Even before her death, Sophie had wondered if Ramona regretted not being able to travel the world fighting for her causes. It wasn't until Griffon had told her he had tried to take Ramona with him to Tibet that Sophie felt secure in the fact her mother had lived the life she wanted. It was  comforting, it made it easier to piece herself back together somehow.

Henry's next question brought her crashing back to reality, though her expression was puzzled, "Huh? Does what...oh," she gave a laugh and swished her hair back, blowing her bangs out of her eyes, "I don't even notice it really. Da's always liked our hair long and Mum did too so I forget really," she sounded vaguely amused as she reached out to ruffle his hair, "Boys have it easy, long or short you can just roll out of bed and go. I on the other hand have to get up two hours early just to make sure it looks like I haven't stumbled through a Briar patch". Sophie was not a particularly vain person, she didn't think she was some stunning creature that should be admired by the general male populous but she did know she had excellent hair.

"Hey! We don't all wield swords," she stuck her tongue out at him and made a scrunchy funny face, "some of us just have fists," she jokingly held hers up like a boxer then batted his hand away as he booped her nose. It was surprisingly easy to just be herself, Silly Sophie, with people like Henry. Of course his reaction to her assumption was almost as hilarious as her excitement over the fact he might like someone. Life should have told her not to get happy about things like that; it'd end up being Fauna. It was always Fauna, even Fig had liked Fauna. Sophie tried not to think too much about all the boys in her life who found the hatted Hufflepuff so irresistible, at least Henry didn't. Covering her face with one hand she flopped back on the grass next to him and gave a laughing sigh, "Oh Henry. Liking someone is rarely logical". Rolling on her side she sort of loomed over him "That's the whole thing about love! It's completely illogical. It defies reason and just grabs you"!

And then there was SAWS. All thoughts of trying to explain to the boy the point of falling in love and how little sense it all made while still being amazing was...just up and died in her throat. Tilting her head to one side she looked at him very much the way a confused puppy would. She wasn't upset by it, she thought it was strange that he thought the organization would live or die by her say. "Right, well..." her brows drew together in thought as she bit down on her lip once more (no wonder they were always sore). Sitting back she drew her knees up and rested her elbows on them, "I've talked a lot about it, with my Godfather - he's Head of the RCMC..." her voice sort of trailed off as she looked down at the toes of her shoes, giving a small sigh.

How could she say it? What was it she even had to say anymore? "You...have to understand, it's not that I don't believe in SAWS anymore. I do. I think what we, they, are trying to do is really important. I don't want to see it die," and she didn't. She truly, honestly, from the bottom of her heart didn't want to see all their hard work go out the window. She saw her sisters pulling away, the movement tainted by their mother's death - but Ramona's death was the very reason that SAWS had to survive. There had to be better laws, better ways to protect everyone without sacrificing a beings dignity. Rubbing her shoulder she couldn't even bring herself to look at him as she said quietly, "I just...what if I'm not strong enough to stay in it the next time something goes wrong? Everyone has such different ideas about how it should be, you've seen how Fig and I bicker about everything - what if it all falls apart next year without Fauna and Dion to make it work"?