Welcome to the Midnight Madness

"I'm sure I would have freaked if it had happened to you," Kerry said. He leaned over and gave Annie a kiss on the cheek, while giving her thigh a squeeze at the same time.

"Yes, I wouldn't recommend getting hit," he told LInda. "Then again, some girl in class said it's not the worst that can happen to you--" Kerry waved the fingers of his right hand in the air while going, "Woooooooo," trying to sound spooky. "I don't see that, really."

Linda thought for a moment. "Watching it," she said quickly. "If it happened to you, you might not have a chance to react until after the fact. And then you would know that you are alive."

She paused for a moment. "There are worse things than death," she almost shed a tear thinking of all of the horrible things that could happen.

Kerry nodded. "That's what the other girl said. Or that she wasn't scared of death. Or something along those lines." Kerry chuckled. "I was too busy to pay a lot of attention."

"I bet." She smiled, but this smile wasn't as real. She just couldn't force herself into a plastic smile this time.

"The whole think is pretty academic." Kerry thought about some of the stuff he'd read, particularly about H. H. Holmes, and wondered what that crazy bastard would have been like with magic.

"If you die right away, that's it. You're dead." He touched the corner of his mouth as he thought. "If you're tortured, it's gonna hurt a lot. A whole lot. And you might still die."

This crap is getting creepy, he thought. And I started it, so what's that say? "I don't want either," he finally said in a low mumble. "Who gives a crap if you're tortured or you just die? Neither end result is any good." He shrugged. "I guess when we get to that one curse in Dark Arts, we'll find out."

Annie grumbled at the mention of Ellen. They hadn’t gotten off on the right foot and Dark Arts pushed Annie to her limits. She was grateful Kerry slipped her the calming draught before heading off to the hospital with Helena.

“Things worse than death… She actually thought that there were spells much worse than the killing curse. I think she has a thing for torture, not to mention she has a mouth she cannot seem to control. She said things after you left that were rude and insensitive.”

She thought about the queer girl. “I can picture why some wizards would think that torture was superior to death. I mean, why ruin all the fun just by killing someone—-right Linda?”

"Death isn't a game, Annie. I'm sure you both know that. And what girl? I must meet her. She sounds interesting. Death isn't a toy to be played with. I cannot believe the teacher cast the spell. I- " She stopped. "What about this girl?"

Kerry almost laughed. "Well, it is Dark Arts, right?" He looked around, smiling at Annie, hoping she didn't have nightmares over this. If not for that draught, she'd have lost it.

"Anyway, yeah . . . spooky girl." He nodded. "Back home she'd be like some emo wannabe." He put the back of his right hand to his forehead and said, in a soft, lilting voice, "Oh, I'm so . . . alone. By the time you find this letter I will have jumped . . . scratch that: plummeted from the Clock Tower."

Kerry dropped the act and went for his chocolate. "At least that's the time I remember."

Annie giggled at Kerry's description. "She’s in Åsgårdsreia. Blew up a lock in charms and couldn’t remember my name right after I told it to her.

"She’s an interesting person to watch cast magic too. Actually, I’ve never seen anything quite like it." Annie remembered all the jabbing and begging...

"It’s a wonder she only blew up our lock and not the whole door.”

"Sounds like a great person to get to know. Seriously, I'm dying to met this kid. Sounds like a great story starter." Linda laughed. "I write a lot," she added.

"I write some, too," Kerry said. "Not in a while, but I do. Mostly read, though." He thought about his iPad, and wondered if he should try powering it up. "Maybe one of these days I'll actually read something that doesn't involve attempting to see into the future."

Linda smiled. "I enjoy the past more. Or present. Or well, everything!" She turned to Annie. "What about you?" she asked.

Annie looked at him and pouted. "One day...you'll thank me." She poked her tongue out and turned to Linda.

“It changes daily." She giggled and added, "I think Ellen pretty much alienated herself, so good luck with getting to know her. I haven’t seen her at all since dueling, and we’ve been all over this campus this weekend.”

Annie looked at the table and said, “Warm chocolate chip cookies, please.” In front of them all, a plate filled with large cookies appeared. She held the plate out to Linda first, “Care for one?”

Linda smiled warmly. "My favorite," she told Annie. "Hmm, well that seems like just the more reason to get to know her. Maybe her homelife wasn't great. You just never know about people. I try not to judge too quickly. So? What else did she do to anger you?"

“She was very rude in Dark Arts after Kerry left. That was unforgivable.” She put the plate down and grabbed two cookies. “Actually, she angered Raven the most. Raven actually got into a physical fight with her right before Dark Arts began.” Handing one to Kerry, she added, “I was a little preoccupied before the Dark Arts class started, so I’m not really sure what that was all about.”

"So wait did she try to beat up Raven or something? Who beat who?" She seemed interested in the topic. She picked up a cookie. "Milk please."

A cool glass of milk appeared right in front of her. "Would you like some?" she asked.

After taking a bite of the cookie, Kerry added, "I think Raven got pissed 'cause Ellen interrupted her. I remember--" Well, not too much, he thought. Getting zapped with a death ray sort of scrambles your memory.

He shook his head "no" when asked about the milk. "All I can remember is she was butting in on something, and Raven went off on her." Kerry looked at the cookie--chocolate chip--realized the irony, and chuckled.

"Well it seems like Raven also needs a friend," she laughed. "We all messed up!"

"No thanks. I think I could go for another cocoa though." She thought about the fight in Dark Arts and wondered if that was really it. Was Raven that upset because Ellen kept butting in?

"Ellen might have been grating Raven's nerves because she came across a little overbearing in Charms class too." Something just didn't seem to fit and Annie wondered if it was really something more that caused what happened in Dark Arts.

She laughed as Linda spoke up. "Yes, we've all got a story to tell."

Linda shrugged her shoulders. "That's right. I'll just have to get to know them all." She had a saddened look on her face. It was mixed with saddness and understanding. "Some people just need people who listen, people who actually care. I can be that person."

Ellen waltzed in, carrying her purple purse and a pile of books. Her dress was knee length and an olive green. Her little shiny black ballet flats made small clicking noises when she walked.

Then she spotted the group. Annie, Kerry, and some new kid all sat to together acting all chummy. She scooped her stuff up and walked over towards the group.

Ellen plopped down in the nearest chair and dropped her stuff on the floor. "How's everyone doing?" she asked.

Kerry looked at Ellen as she sat down. "Oh, hi," he said pleasantly. "You're violating the dress code; you're not suppose to be wearing anything but pajamas." He raise an eyebrow. "Unless you sleep in that dress, that is, then I guess it's okay."

He turned back to his chocolate. "Didn't you read the announcement?"

"Oh. Well if they ask, I do sleep in this." She laughed. "So, who are you?" she asked the newer girl. "Do you guys know her?"

She was just settling in on her second tea and lemon "plus" when Erywin saw the girl walk in wearing--well, she wasn't wearing what she should have been wearing. Seeing that Deanna was preoccupied, Erywin decided to go over and... introduce herself.

Upon reaching the group she looked over the students, smiling. "Good evening, all," she said pleasantly. "Hope it's all good for you this evening." Turning to the out of place girl, she said, "Lovey, you're going to have to go back to your dorm and change. You're a little overdressed for the occasion."

Ellen looked down at her olive dress. "Well, to be honest I found it on the clearence section with the rest of the sundresses, but it's one of my sleeping dresses. I prefer dresses." She smiled. "If you do seem it too un-sleepish I'm sure I will be able to leave and go back up to my dorm. I do need to finish these books."