A/N: Okay, a chapter centered on Elanore. Good Stuff. I'm still in awe I made it past chapter nine.
"So Casey's going to tutor you in astronomy?" Elanore asked, flipping through the pages of her arithmancy book. She was sprawled out comfortably on the floor of the common room. It was about midnight and everybody else had evacuated the room, leaving Prue, Serendipity, Elanore, and Loupe Barkley alone in the room. Loupe was absorbed in what looked to be a gripping novel about the islands of mystery off England's coast.
"Yup," Prue affirmed, staring at her nails. She was painting them with a bottle full of rainbow-layered polish. Each coat she put on turned out to be a different color, "This nail polish is amazing. Where'd you get it again, Sere?"
"Oh, that little shop in Diagon Alley. Clockwork, I think it's called. They have all sort of funky looking stuff. Isn't Cerulean going to get jealous of you two? I mean, alone on the astronomy tower, you and the stars," Serendipity waved a hand in the air as though drawing a picture.
"No Reese," Elanore grinned.
"You sound way too much like Casey," Prue told them.
"See, he does have ideas. Cerulean should be worried," Serendipity cheered loudly, causing Loupe to look up from her book.
The dark haired girl asked, "What about Cerulean?"
"Prue's cheating on him," Elanore said matter-of-factly.
"I am not," Prue protested, "Its just tutoring, guys."
"Tutoring in love," Serendipity sighed, "It will be so romantic."
"Oh for heaven's sake, it wasn't romantic last year, it definitely won't be romantic this year," drawled Prue, trying very hard to look unperturbed.
"I can't believe you'd do that to Cerulean," Loupe said thoughtfully, "I hadn't pegged you as that type of girl. Oh, wait till I tell Sophia and Ghislaine. They'll flip."
"There's nothing to flip about," Prue was blushing profusely now, Elanore noted. She was kind of jealous. Prue always had cute guys like Cerulean, Casey, and Bobby all over her. She was special in the eyes of other people because of that. Elanore used to not care; she had Rufus, which made her about five times more special. Now, Rufus had left her for that bitch Seldom. Who did she have now?
"Calm down, Prue. We're just teasing you," Elanore said soothingly. She closed her book, "I think I'm going to turn in early tonight."
"Hunh?" Serendipity looked up, "Why so soon?"
"It is midnight," Elanore told her reprovingly, "I should hardly say that's soon."
Loupe laughed, "Don't let the bed bugs bite, Kingston."
"Bed bugs," she said haughtily in reply, "Are more commonly known as myrtlebafs, and do not, contrary to popular belief, bite."
***************************************************
The only class Elanore didn't share with Serendipity and Prue was Arithmancy, her favorite subject. Unfortunately, there were five other sixth years in the class, two of which were Rufus and Seldom Rose. The other students included hazel-eyed Andrew Zane, the sweetheart of Gryffindor, ultra annoying Joshua Kenth from Slytherin, and the incredibly smart Hufflepuff beater, Dante Young.
Professor Haggerty gave them group work, so that broke into two teams of three. The he left the room. Elanore was paired with Dante and Andrew. They were supposed to form an equation that would coincide with the arrangement of the stars that night. It was easy, simple work. Still, Elanore couldn't concentrate. Every time she glanced over at Seldom, Rufus, and Joshua, who worked well as a team, she felt her heart cringe. Seldom would giggle at everything Rufus said, causing Joshua to make gagging noises. It became so annoying that Dante commanded, "Mates, quiet down, I can't concentrate."
"Well," Rufus said sensibly, "This is a contest to see who finishes first, isn't it? So if you can't concentrate, that means we win."
"You're so smart," gushed Seldom, laying a hand on Rufus's shoulder. Elanore fought back the urge to hex the girl.
"I know," Rufus boasted.
"Hey, Orlando," Andrew interrupted, "Aren't you like, best friends with Orpheus Vaughn?"
"Yeah," Rufus explained, "We grew up next door to each other."
"Wicked," Andrew commented, "So you can help me then."
"Help you with what?"
"My girl wants to go to one of his concerts. The one at next Hogsmeade, and she wanted to bring her best friend so that we could," he made a face, "double date."
"Who? Atlanta?" Rufus inquired.
"No, I broke it off with her around the Yule ball. She started getting to clingy," Andrew explained, "Now I'm dating Alija Fairmay."
"The seventh year cutie with the black hair? Way to go, Zane," Rufus cheered.
"Yeah, she's amazing. But her best friend's that pudgy Slytherin girl, Eucalyptus."
"Alloy?" Seldom chimed in, "Eucalyptus Alloy? Oh, but she's so nice. Alija brings her to the common room all the time. Me and Garnet and Rowan just adore her."
"She's nice, but not a looker," Rufus said, "Who's dating her?"
"If you'd believe it, Mackerel Jackson," Andrew shook his head, "The kid's off his rocker."
"Obviously," Rufus agreed, "I'll talk to my man, Orpheus, and see what I can do. He's already given me and Seldom some."
Wrapping an arm around Seldom's small, frail shoulders, Rufus grinned. Andrew slapped his hand, "Thanks man."
Elanore had forgotten that Rufus and Orpheus had grown up together and were practically best friends. Practically because, despite Rufus's claim that he was Orpheus Vaughn's best friend, she had heard him tell Antionetta that he would always be closest to Noah and Polaris. Irritated at their talk, which excluded her pointedly, but included Seldom way too much for her liking, she said, "Guys, we have to work. Professor Haggerty said-"
Flashing her a smile, Joshua interrupted, "What, jealous Kingston?"
Rufus's grin wavered, "Elanore, we were just talking."
"I have ears," she replied coolly, "I know that you were just talking. But we are supposed to be working."
"Ouch," Joshua exclaimed, "That's vicious. You never should have dumped that one, Orlando."
Growing red, Elanore said, "Fuck off, Kenth."
"Vicious, man, vicious," he said again. Rufus was avoiding her gaze, and Dante and Andrew were looking at her curiously.
"It doesn't matter," she said promptly, "I have a new boyfriend."
The second the words were out of her mouth, Elanore gasped. She had not meant to say that at all. Rufus was finally looking at her, and she had to struggle to avoid being sucked into to his chocolate brown eyes, "Who?"
Seldom jumped up and down eagerly, "Ellie, I didn't know? Who, who?"
Elanore winced. She hated being called Ellie by anyone other than Prue and Serendipity, and even they were walking the line. What right did Seldom have to call her that? The only reason Seldom probably knew her name was because of her best friend, Garnet Sanford, whom Elanore occasionally hung out with.
"Oh, you probably don't know him," she laughed skittishly, cursing herself, "He's not in Gryffindor."
"So? I know all the sixth year boys," Rufus said steadily, "I probably know him."
"Yeah," Joshua agreed.
"It's Sylvester," she told them before she could stop the words.
"Ridley?" Dante looked up, "Kiddy didn't tell me he had finally scored with you. Wow, go him."
Elanore had forgotten that Sylvester spent most of his time away from the icemen with Kiddy Bolton and her twin brother, Kip.
"Kip didn't mention it either," Rufus said, giving her a hurt look. Sucks to be him, she thought ferociously, he didn't care enough to not cheat on me, why should I care that he's hurt?
"Oh, well, we've been keeping it a secret," Elanore explained self-consciously.
Joshua was giving her a strange look, "I thought you were going to stay single for a little while longer."
Nudging Joshua in the ribs, Seldom said happily, "Why, did you want to date her?"
Sneering, Joshua promptly responded, "Of course not. I wouldn't want to hang out with her and her little mudblood friends."
Immediately, Elanore snarled, saying, "Watch who you call mudblood, Kenth."
"I'll call whoever I like mudblood," he retorted.
"Pretrificus Totalus!" Andrew said calmly in retaliation, paralyzing the boy, "You know, Atlanta was muggle born."
Elanore smiled, "I didn't know that. Prue never mentioned it."
Seldom looked horrified, "Oh, oh, I was just joking about dating her Joshua!"
His paralyzed form couldn't reply to the girl. Rufus went to work on trying to calm her down, but before he did, he said, "Elanore, you and Sylvester should come with us to Orpheus's concert. Andrew, how would you feel about making it a double-double date?"
"No problems," Andrew flashed a grin, pointing to Joshua, "As long as he isn't coming."
Joshua shot him a glare from his prone position on the floor.
**************************************
"So wait," Serendipity said, chewing on her lip, "You told them you're dating Sylvester?"
Frank made a loud guffawing noise from the corner of the room. Elanore nodded, glancing at the former boy apologetically, "Sorry Sylvester. Ooh, they just made me so mad."
"E-eh-heh, no problem," Sylvester stuttered, turning beat red, "I-I mean th-that I wouldn't mind-um-"
"He means he's warm for your form," Casey drawled, looking up from his guitar. He was sitting next to Frank, plucking a few strings for Antoinetta and Seprie, who were curled adoringly at his feet.
"Casey," squeaked Sylvester, "Don't say things like that."
Prue was glaring at the redhead intensely, "He can't help it. Morons always say the most inappropriate things."
Sweetly, Antoinetta put in, "That's why you're always putting your foot in your mouth, isn't it Prue?"
Casey looked as though he was trying to stifle a laugh, and Frank wasn't even trying. Huffily, Prue rejoined with, "Why don't you go worship Orpheus Vaughn's feet. I thought you only adored Dark Symphony, why are you all over Casey now?"
Primly, Seprie replied, "Well, we have come to the realization that as charming as Orpheus is, we do not enjoy the company of his lackeys, Noah and Polaris."
Shuddering, Antoinetta added, "Polaris can be so creepy. And Noah's such a fairy."
"He is not," Prue said.
"Is too," Antoinetta replied, "But you wouldn't know. You're always hanging around with that gorgeous brother of Casey's."
"That's because he's my boyfriend, prat," Prue shot back, ignoring the newly annoyed look gracing Casey's face.
"Yes, yes, so I've heard," Antoinetta said dismissively, "But that can be fixed."
"Excuse me, bitch?" Prue demanded. Serendipity and Elanore exchanged exhausted looks.
"You heard me," Antoinetta was saying, "Cerulean seems to like you for some reason I can't fathom. Since I've given up on Orpheus, I've decided its time to go after the only other real man in this school."
"Hey," Casey, Frank, and Sylvester protested.
"Except you, honey," Seprie said adoringly to Casey.
"Hey," Frank and Sylvester protested. No one said anything to contradict the statement.
"As soon as Cerulean realizes that I'm no longer in the hands of Orpheus," Antoinetta continued, "He'll come running into my arms."
"You were never in the arms of Orpheus," Serendipity declared crossly.
"Whose arms am I running into?" A new voice asked. Cerulean had just entered the common room, Loupe, Sophia, Paul, and Ghislaine trailing behind him.
"It better be mine," Prue said with a glare, but her face had softened.
"Oh, hi!" Antoinetta chirped with a falsely bright smile.
"You're not my type," Cerulean replied, grinning at Prue. Sophia, Ghislaine, and Loupe laughed as Antoinetta recoiled.
"I- what?" she demanded.
"No offense," Cerulean continued, "But I like girls who don't act like groupies."
"You don't like me?" Sophia asked in a small voice.
"Except Sophia," he corrected. She smiled as Paul put an arm around her shoulders. Loupe and Ghislaine made 'aww' noises.
Bright red, Antoinetta turned to Casey, "Fine. I don't want your stupid brother anyway. There's still you."
Looking at Antoinetta as though she were poisonous, Casey replied coldly, "I don't take my brother's rejects."
He returned to toying with the guitar, Seprie clapping appreciatively at his feet. Ghislaine, Sophia, and Loupe joined her, "He's so cute!"
Yet his words rang in Prue's ears. She stood stock-still, wondering if she would one day be one of Cerulean's rejects. Antoinetta, looking supremely pissed off, stalked out of the room, giving Cerulean the finger as she left, "Wow, what's she so mad about? Am I that hot?"
"Of course," Prue grinned at him, shaking Casey's words, "You are the sexy."
"I am, aren't I?"
Elanore shook her head, "So Sylvester, would you mind going to the concert with me?"
"N-n-not at all!" He exclaimed, looking as though Christmas had come early.
"Good," she smiled.
"Concert?" Cerulean wondered, "Whose concert?"
"Dark Symphony," Casey said, putting down his guitar, despite Seprie and the other girls' protests.
"Why would you want to see them? Moaning is not music," Cerulean remarked coldly.
"You sound like Casey," Prue giggled, "That's what he said at the masquerade."
"Its true," Casey said earnestly.
"Well, its not my choice," Elanore responded defiantly, "Rufus and the rest conned me into going, and now I have to bring poor Sylvester, who probably had tons of other things to do at Hogsmeade."
"N-no, I was just going to shop around with Kip, Kiddy, Dante, Quant, and Fortune."
"Where is Quant?" Prue wondered.
"Bobby's teaching him how to use a telephone," Frank explained.
"Why does he need to know how to do that?" Serendipity asked.
"He and Fortune are spending Christmas at the Jackson's. Seems they're Fortune's second or third cousins," Frank said.
"Oh," Loupe grinned, "Fortune, Quant, alone at the Jackson's', no parents. Sounds fun."
"You're such a pervert," squealed Ghislaine, batting her friend with a hand.
"There will be no fun," Frank said resolutely.
"Why?" Elanore raised an eyebrow, "Jealous?"
"Of course not," he snapped.
"I thought only the lovely Dana Wingate could get your attention," Prue batted her eyes coquettishly.
Frank's face darkened, and he gave Prue a very nasty look, "Speaking of Dana, she seems to have gotten it in her head-"
At the mention of Dana, Prue stood, examining her watch, "Oh, look at the time. I promised someone- um- Matilda, yes, that's it. I promised Matilda that I would meet her right about now. Time to go."
She made a mad dash to the common room entrance, Frank on her heels, "Wait up, Prue!"
Elanore giggled, "Five galleons says he catches her."
"Six says she hexes him," Serendipity put in.
"Twenty says it hurts like a bitch," Cerulean chuckled.
"You're on," Elanore slapped down the money.
From the corner, Sylvester, Loupe, Sophia, and Paul sighed, "I wish I had that kind of money."
*****************************
Elanore was kindly walking Frank back to his common room. It would have been a lot easier if the boy quit whining and attempted to make use of his legs again. Prue had only put a tiny jelly legs jinx on him, and it really wasn't her fault that he couldn't bounce right back from it. She wouldn't have walked him back at all, but the atmosphere in the common room was stifling. Now Prue was arguing with Serendipity and Loupe over whether the Kestrels would win the cup this year, and Bobby had finally returned, only to engage in a long glaring match with Cerulean.
"Steady now," she muttered to Frank, who was hobbling along so quickly that she was sure he would fall. The blonde smiled weakly, "Sorry."
Surprised, Elanore asked, "Why are you sorry?"
"You shouldn't have to put up with me like this. Its Prue's fault, and all she wants to do is discuss Quidditch. The girl has no grasp on responsibility," Frank shook his head, "Why do you put up with it?"
"Are you upset about Dana?" she responded kindly, "Don't worry, she likes you too."
"That's not it," he replied in an exasperated voice, "I feel bad for you. Rufus and you are over, but no one seems the least bit sorry about it."
"Oh," Elanore paused, "To tell the truth, the girls and I had a big chat session about that, and we agreed not to bring it up."
"Why not? You look like you need to talk."
Grimacing, Elanore asked, "That bad?"
Frank nodded, "You know, if you never need to talk, Prue and Serendipity aren't your only friends. Any of the icemen would love to- err, scratch that."
"Hunh?"
"Well, I said any of us- I'm fine, and Quant will probably lend an ear, but talking to Casey is like talking to a tank, and I don't think speaking to Sylvester about old boyfriends would be quite kosher. Bobby would probably be okay, I think. I don't know about him right now," Frank chuckled good-naturedly.
"I'll keep that in mind," Elanore laughed as they approached the painting of the large woman in the pink dress that guarded Gryffindor house.
Pompously, the woman asked, "Password?"
"Oh, yes," Frank stumbled a little, "Thanks for all your help, Elanore."
"No problem," she smiled brightly.
"Oh, and…um, did Dana really say she liked me?"
"Yes, Frank," Elanore rolled her eyes.
Clearing his throat, Frank said the password and fell, literally into the common room. He waved her away cheerily as Garnet Sanford and Rowan Yetings rushed to his aid. Geez, Elanore thought, the boy has girls all over him. Lucky kid.
It was as she rounded the last corner to her own dormitory that she heard the cry of, "Impedimenta!"
"What the hell?" Elanore wondered, ducking out of the way of the spell.
"You bitch," the owner of the spell cried, stepping out of the shadows, "You hurt my brother."
It was, of course, Gethsemane Kenth. Groaning, Elanore reached down her sleeve for her own wand, "I did not hurt Joshua, Gethsemane. I didn't touch him."
Gethsemane let out a shriek of rage, "Don't you say his name like he's your friend. Slytherins," she said haughtily, "Do not make friends with Ravenclaws."
"I don't want to be your brother's friend," Elanore drawled in reply, "He's too much of a berk to know when to shut up. Just like you, I might add."
Shrieking again, Gethsemane cried, "Incendio!"
Flames shot out of her wand towards Elanore. The smaller girl easily dodged, "Can't you do anything less mediocre?"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
"Now this is more our level," Elanore said dryly, snapping her wand up, "Brennevolaris!"
A thousand black birds emerged from a smoky trail that emanated from Elanore's wand, surrounding Gethsemane. They pecked at her eyes, fingers, and feet. She screamed loudly, but luckily for Elanore, no teachers ran to her aid. It was rather late in the night for students to be up and about anyway.
"Get them off," Gethsemane screamed, "Make them go away!"
"Fine," Elanore said coolly, "Evanesco!"
Instantly, the birds vanished. Gethsemane was not covered in blood, as one might expect, but bright green pustules where the ravens' beaks had touched down. Terrified, Gethsemane clawed at her arms and legs, but the pustules would not move, "What did you do to me?"
"Oops, guess you better go see the nurse," Elanore said sweetly, preferring not to answer her question. Better for the girl not to know that she had just used the Raven's Flight charm, which animated paper objects, combine with her very own Bubble Pus jinx. It was, after all, illegal to tamper with Ministry approved charms.
"I'll get you for this, Kingston," Gethsemane swore, clambering to her feet and retreating down the back alley, "I'll make you pay!"
Softly, to herself, Elanore murmured, "Oh, I doubt that."