Participants:
| Scene Title | Mad Tea Party |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Jax's birthday party, complete with party hats. And some anger. |
| Location | ? |
| Date | May 5, 1995 |
| Watch For | Mad hats, cranky Neville everyone, and a distinct lack of tea. |
| Logger | Jax |
Neville Longbottom is fidgety. It had taken a lot of coaxing to get the boy to come back. But somehow Luna and Jackson had done it. His eyes are still fiery and he hasn't sit down for a while now, instead pacing around their small gathering space.. Every few moments Neville tosses a dark look up to the void above them. His wand has been out as it has been since the events last… night, day, whatever. Neville's stomach makes a pitiful, squelching noise. It hasn't come back, that mark in the sky, but this doesn't seem to soothe Neville in the least.
Angelina hasn't really gotten up since she lost her balance and fell the night..day..before. She did stir, and woke enough to ask for water a few times, but wasn't really coherent and there. Certainly not enough to realize that she is keeping them from moving, which they all seem to want to do. Just enough to see that Fred is still there, and dizzily put her head down once more. She is stirring again, now, perhaps to fully wake up.
Jax is fidgety, but then, Jax is always fidgety. He's sitting by himself at the moment with his bag, the bottom of his robes rather damp at the moment from a few — okay, more than a few — minor catastrophes with the /aguamenti/ spell. But now there is a goblet of water in front of him — triumph! It isn't that that he is focused on at the moment, though. It's a book from his bag — not a textbook, just a fantasy novel — and he has been attempting to transfigure it for quite a while now. The book has gone through a few unfortunate metamorphoses, into various gaudy conical shapes, but none of these seem to be what the boy is aiming for.
Fred Weasley spent the 'night' next to Angelina. While the other went off to look for Neville he wasn't about to just leave her alone. When she asks for water the boy got it and smiles encouragingly. His thought have been focused on her but Nevler's pacing gets a questioning eye every time he looks to his friend. He doesn't know it's Jax's birthday and looks to the boy, "What are you doing mate?"
Neville is making just about his one hundredth circle around the group. He is feverishly ignoring Fred's gaze. Jackson only gets a small, swift glance. His fist adjusts tightly around his wand.
"Trying to make party hats," Jax replies, as if this is the most logical thing on earth. "And then hopefully get this water to turn into tea. Or anything more exciting than water." How a first-year will manage this is anyone's guess. He looks determined, though. He points his wand at the book again. It turns into a cheerfully bright purple cone-shaped book. With curly tassles hanging out of its pointy spine. Nothing daunted, he shifts it back to its normal state and gets ready to try again.
A quiet groan comes from Angie as she wakes. She doesn't sit up yet, just rolls onto her side from her stomach, one hand reaching for her head. "Bloody hell.." It's barely a whisper, and raspy still from sleep.
Fred chuckles at Jax, "I'll help you mate." He offers then asks, "Why party hats?" Angie's movements though distract Fred from this new challenge, "Oh Angie!" He says probably a little to loudly for her hurting head and reaches out to try and help steady her if she needs it.
Neville stops, finally, to give Angelina a look over. "All right?" he demands gruffily. "How's your head?" His eyes are narrowed, concern marked on his pressed lips.
"So's we can have a party," Jax replies cheerfully. "If we're /really/ feeling wild we can even break open the /orange/!" He stops what he is doing, though, as Angie starts waking, scooting a little closer to look at her. "Y'feeling okay? We've been real worried."
Angelina screws her eyes all shut tight. Fred loud. Fred loud. Another grunt of complaint, and she answers the other two. "Yeah..yeah. Right as rain. Nothing to worry about. Not a thing. And happy birthday Jackson. You know where the orange is if you want it."
"Birthday," Neville says, looking at Jackson with a tiny bit of revelation. "Oh. Happy birthday, Jackson. How old? Thirteen now?" He backs up from the circle, tucking his wand into his robes, even though he keeps a heavy hold on it under them. Slowly he picks back up his pace.
Fred frowns as she looks in pain then realizes it might be his fault and looks crestfallen, "No I think he's 12 right?" Fred says to the birthday stuff and places his hand on Angelina's shoulder looking concerned, "You sure you're alright luv? Maybe you should stay laying down…" He suggests.
"Twelve." Jax beams proudly. He goes to retrieve the orange, and holds it out to Fred. "Can you biggenify it for us?" His brow creases faintly as he looks at Angie. "It can be a /quiet/ party cuz'a your head," he whispers. He rubs at his own temple with a faint wince — days on end of eating basically nothing but sugar has left his head rather achey, too, if not quite to the same degree.
Angelina sits up slowly, peering around at everyone. She looks at Neville. Then at Fred, then at Jackson. "Jackson…who are your friends? You need to introduce me, if you're going to have a party. And I do appreciate the quiet." Her voice is so very soft, barely above a whisper.
"Twelve," Neville repeats, glancing at his fingers as he does the math from his year down. "Oh, righ', makes sense." The boy walks close to Luna, making sure she's okay. Sleeping, zoning out, Neville just makes sure she's breathing. "Birthday… oh." The boy opens his bag, looking into it. "Here," he says, pulling a tattered copy of 'Magical Creatures and Their Use in the Garden'. "Promise not to turn it into a party cracker or anything?"
Fred takes the orange and makes it about 5 times the original size without much trouble. Then as Angie speaks he looks concerned again and turns to her, "Fred…" He points to himself then to Neville, "Neville…" He looks at her with a furrow in his brow, she forget him?!
Jax looks confused and worried when Angelina speaks. He accepts Neville's book with an interested look and a mouthed "thanks", but then looks back at the girl, puzzled. "Who are my — friends? Um —" His gaze darts to Neville and then to Fred. "They're your friends too, Angie. Neville an' Fred An' Luna's over there sleeping. These two are in your house an' everything." He speaks softly, but there's definite concern in his tone.
Angelina continues to look at the two boys, confusion on her face. "Are you sure I'm supposed to know these two, Jackson? Because…well. I don't think I do." She sits there for a moment, then, slowly, lets a wicked grin spread on her face. "Got ya."
Neville looks up from the book's exchange. "Did I miss something?" He wonders. It had taken most of his attention to figure out ages and years, people! His eyes slide to Angie. "I.. but I'm…" Oooh. Neville snorts at her. "Pest!" be he sounds amused, even if slightly.
Fred looks to Angelina with a completely dumbfounded expression crossing his face, then she starts to smile and his eyes widen, "You what?" He looks a little flabbergasted and quickly without thinking hugs the girl, "You scared me!" He admits still looking a little frazzled and his ears turn a bright red.
The worry in Jax's expression grows and grows — at least until Angie's smile. He exhales a sharp, relieved breath, and then bursts out laughing. He clamps his hand over his mouth for a moment to stifle the sound. "Ohgosh," he breathes out once he drops his hand, "Oh/gosh/, I thought you'd hit your head /way/ too hard — that was right convincing, Angie. I think you scared us /all/."
Oh. Ouch. As Fred pulls her into the quick hug, she winces. Yes. She was playing, but she still has a headache. One arm lifts to hug Fred back. "Hey..sorry..the mood was just so tense there…I thought it might help. Because hey..this could be worse." A faint grin is offered to the boys.
Neville shakes his head, relaxing a bit. A smile floats wearily on his face. "/Pest/," he returns again. Neville steps towards Jackson, crouching. "It's a neat book with lots of drawings of the critters they mention. From bugs to big beasts, it's got a ton in there for a smaller book."
Fred makes a noise similar to an eep and lets her go, "Sorry! Sorry!" Obviously frazzled Fred Weasley mean he's a bit of an idiot. He grins though and brushes hair back from his face nervously, "Very funny…" He sighs as he rubs his face looking quite tired, "So Happy Birthday Jackson." He says to the young boy finally, "We do need party hats."
"And tea!" Jax sounds hopeful as he looks at the goblet of water, even if this goal is less achievable than party hats. He smiles bright and points at his now half-empty bottle of bubbles. "And we've even got decorations," — and a gesture towards the orange and a chocolate bar, "and party food," — and a sweep of his hand towards the rest of the group, "and awesome friends who /totally/ didn't get amnesia and forget everyone! All we need is dancing and this'll be a proper celebration!" He pulls Neville's book into his lap, opening it to start browsing, the pictures capturing his interest instantly. "Woah — neat. This'll be real useful for thinking about my garden back home."
"Happy Birthday Jackson. I don't have a present here for you, but when we get out, I'll buy you anything you want at Honeydukes, next Hogsmeade weekend." Angie gives a smile to the others, perhaps a bit braver than she really feels. "Sounds like a party to me. As long as you have friends, you don't need much else."
Neville stands back up, shaking off the green fog that sticks to him as he rises. "I'm with Angie. I'll have to get you a proper gift one day." Finally Neville tucks his wand completely away. "Some sorta plant all for yourself, mate. What's your favorite?"
Fred chuckles and seems in a better mood all of the sudden, "Yeah I don't think giant orange counts as a present. so how bout I sneak you into Honeydukes mate? Just gotta promise not to leave the store though." He grins widely now and grabs one of the book. Putting it down in front of his her pulls out his wand with his free hand and asks Jax, "What kind of hat do ya want?"
"Everyone needs hats," Jax informs Fred earnestly. "Colourful ones with the little ribbons on top." His hands gesture, making the general shape of a conical party hat — with little squiggly finger motions for the tassles. "An' Honeydukes, really?" He bounces excitedly, though it's unclear whether the response is to Angie's offer of candy or Fred's offer of illegal Hogsmeade sneakage. Neville's question really makes his eyes light, though. "Well — my ma's brother has this gorgeous plant at his house. It's a Scarlet —" His face scrunches up as he tries to remember the name. "Wingbell? Bellwing? He says they grow in Scotland all over but I haven't seen none at Hogwarts. The flowers are brilliant — all lovely red and they chime in the mornings. He uses his for an alarm clock."
Angelina leans against Fred a moment, watching the boys all talk and make plans. Her eyes lift to the 'sky', such as it were, a few times, considering if her memories were correct or not. She stays quiet though, letting the boy list off what he would want for his birthday.
Neville grins. "I think I know what you're talking about, but not the right name. Huh. I should know that! I'll see what I can do, mate. Gran can get me any sort of plant. If she doesn't kill me over all this first. I'm surprised she hasn't figured out a way to send me a howler into this world." This gets a sad laugh from Neville and he lowers to a sit. He notices Angelina, following her look up to the sky. He frowns.
Fred chuckles lightly and asks, "Really? An alarm clock?" To Jax before he transfigured the first book into a yellow top hat with a collection of black ribbons hanging down, "For the Hufflepuff." He pushes the perfect hat over to the boy. Fred is good at transforming things, "That sounds like a cool plant though…" He looks up at the sky an Angie does and frowns slightly before putting that smile back on his face.
Jax's eyes widen, delighted, at the hat. "Oh, boy, Fred, that one's /perfect/!" He puts the hat on his head, grinning as some of the ribbons hang down over his face. he pushes them back so he can see better. "Maybe there's a howler hanging around Luna's wrackspurt detector trying to find its way in," he suggests to Neville, amused. "But she can't hardly blame you for getting teleported into another world." He glances at Angie, and follows her gaze up towards the sky — though he looks away from it quickly with a faintly nervous expression, although the mark isn't there anymore. He forces worry back off his expression with another smile, looking at Fred eagerly. "You all need hats, too!"
"I'd like that kind of alarm clock. I wonder if it would grow well inside, next to my bed in the dorms. It has to be better than how I get woken up now. At least, when I'm not the first one up." Angie keeps a smile on her face, unwilling to ruin the boy's birthday, and forces herself not to look upwards. "When you get back, what do you think your mum will have sent you?"
"There are shine charms you can use on plants," Neville lectures. "It's a common way some herbologists grow certain plants in the winters or in different areas of the world than where they're native." He takes a breath, stopping himself. "You don't know m'gran, mate," he comments with Jax with a serious nod.
Fred looks around and says, "Well what else can I make into hats?" He grins having a good time of this and laughs at the howler suggestion, "You think Nevler's gran is that angry? Is she like my mom Nev?" He asks jestingly, "Howlers are her favorite."
"He kept his in his bedroom, so I'm sure they'd be fine. The flowers are /so/ gorgeous — such a brilliant shade, and bell-shaped," Jax explains eagerly. He takes his sketchpad out of his bag, along with his Potions textbook. "Here, Fred, you can try on this." He slides the potions book towards Fred as he starts to sketch the plant. "Maybe," he comments as he draws, "if your gran is /real/ determined she /will/ manage to get a message through to you here, an' then we can send her owl back!" He purses his lips thoughtfully, looking up. "My ma'll send cookies to share with everyone, an' — I don't know. Prob'ly new art supplies. I like those. When's y'all's birthdays? What sorta things do you get?"
"My birthday is in October. Right before Halloween. I usually get quidditch things, or something I've asked for. Last year, it was a new pair of leather boots I saw in a store and liked. You know. Girl things." Angie smiles gently at Jackson. "Just make sure I get some of those cookies."
Neville pulls out two halves of a broken quill and tosses them to Fred. "Make me something fun," he requests. "Mine's in July. It's a bit bollocks to have a birthday in the summer. No friends around."
Fred smiles as he says, "My birthday is April Fools Day. My mom always said it was fitting, don't know what she's talking about." He looks at the potion book then with a flick of his wand it becomes and red and gold cone shaped, striped hat with little bells hanging down. He picks up it to hold it out to Neville, "For the gryffindor." He winks and focuses on the quills now.
"It /is/ fitting," Jax agrees, laughted lacing his tone. "An', I don't know, Nevs, you could have a party at home an' invite everyone to visit for the day! That could be great fun. Give people an excuse to get together during the summer and see each other." His gaze flicks to the sky at intervals, just in passing, but his tone stays light and cheerful. "You'll all get cookies for sure if there's any left when we get back. If they're jus' sitting around the Hufflepuff common room there ain't no guarantee, though!"
"I think we should have a birthday party for Neville in Diagon Alley this summer. At the ice cream shop. I think that would be fun." Angie smiles gently at Neville. "Think we could get people together and swing it?"
"Really?" Neville perks, looking around at them. "That'd be brilliant! Oh, Harry's is a day after mine. Bet we could double it up. Be fun to have a Diagon alley get together, all of us." Despite the excitment, it only takes one look around them for Neville to frown deeply. Oh, right. Horrible, vast void.
Fred smiles at Angie's suggestion, "Yeah would be a good idea." He looks to Neville for approval and changes the two quill halves sort of off hand into two more hats matching the one he handed over to Neville. "Yeah me and George could break Harry out again if we have to."
"I think it'd be great! I'd bring a present and cookies for you, too!" Jax says, excited, and then blushes. "I mean, if I'd even be — uh. All your friends are probably older kids who wouldn't want —" He shakes his head, dismissing the thought and beaming at Fred's hats instead. "Brilliant, Fred, thanks!" His head tilts to one side, a little puzzled. "Break him out? Does he go to /prison/ for summer break?"
Angelina picks up her hat and pops it on her head with a small grin. "Sure really. We can just make sure we all 'accidently' go there the same day to get our books, that's all. No big deal. Easier for us that are older than the younger ones though."
Neville adjusts his hat, tapping a finger at a bell on it. "You have to be there, mate. People don't get stuck into voids an' not come out as best mates on the other side," he comments with a honest look. He chuckles at Jackson's comment. "Worse than prison from what I hear. Did you really break him out, Fred? Blimey. I'd love a bit Diagon Alley trip. Now we have to!"
Fred chuckles at Jackson's question, "His aunt and uncle are nuts…well that's what Ron tells me." He nods his head to Neville, "Yeah told dad's flying car a few years back and broke him out, they even had bars on his window. Like Harry dangerous or something." He snorts at this and puts his hat on his head, "So you wanted tea then?" He looks at the glass of water contemplating it.
"I'd haveta ask my ma but I'm sure she'd let me come. It'll be loads of fun!" Jax relaxes, looking heartened by Neville's comment. "— /bars/ on the windows? Woah. That /is/ like pri— wait, /flying car/? Your dad has a /flying car/?" He most certainly did mention wanting tea before, but that is temporarily forgotten at the thought of a flying car.
Fred shakes his head at Jax, "Well he had, Ron and Harry destroyed it or something, was brilliant." He looks cheered up by this talk and he stands up, "Be right back guys." Yeah there are bathrooms here thankfully.
"Good. Then we're all set for it." Angie falls silent then, letting the boys swap stories and just sits and listens, gaze never going upward again. "You should see all the thing Mister Weasley has."
"Gran an' I could come get you," Neville offers to Jackson. He's starting to get a little agitated at their surroundings, glancing at the images that he's learned to halfway ignore now a days. He's derailed again for a moment. "Flying car! Hah, I remember that. Our second year that's how Harry and Ron got to Hogwarts. It was brilliant. You shoulda scene it! Hit the bloody whomping willow, s'what Ron said."
"Maybe I could see it," Jax suggests, laughing, "if we all think real hard about it at the same time!" He doesn't look up this time, but he does shift a bit uncomfortably. "Be nice to see something fun for a change."
Angelina sits herself up with Fred gone, but lays down on her back after a moment, looking up at the images floating by. "Oh, some of 'em aren't so bad. I've seen some clips of quidditch games. And pranks Fred played…they aren't all horrible."
"Maybe you could," Neville realizes, thinking had on the memory. "I remember it well, after all." Neville hugs at his knees and stifles a whimper. "How long has it been?" he suddenly asks.
"Days an' days," Jax replies, sobering a little bit. "It's hard to tell for sure but I was figuring a week at least, going off how many times everyone's been going to sleep." He leans back, resting his hands behind him and looking around. "There /are/ some nice ones. There was the ball — an' some lovely spring days with people hanging around outside — an' I think I saw a party in Ravenclaw tower that must'a happened decades ago."
Angelina frowns a little. "Hey guys…don't worry how long its been. We are all together, and we are all well. Think of it as a little vacation away from homework and studies."
"A vacation," Neville says hesitantly. "I'll need a vacation from this vacation." He lets go of his knees, holding onto his hat as he flops back. "Anyone else's stomach hurt? Mine's killing me. I don't know how much more fruit I can eat, honestly."
"My stomach's alright, but my head is kind of exploding," Jax admits. "Sugar an' more sugar don't seem to agree with it." He forces a smile, head shaking slightly. "I mean, who'd'a thought? My ma's always complaining that I don't hardly eat nothing but fruit and sweets an' now I know what it's like when that's not just her exaggerating." He shrugs, leaning forward to start carefully peeling the very large orange. At least it isn't apple. "But Angie's right! We get to hang out with each other an' there ain't no tests or homework! /And/ it's a party. With /hats/."
Fred comes back just as Jax says Party and joking calls back to the others, "Par-tay!" A wide grin settling across his face and he plops himself back down beside Angelina. "So party?" He asks joking.
Angelina has grown quiet, listening to the two talk about being hungry, stomach aches and headaches. When Fred returns, he gets a simple, quiet smile.
Neville lifts a hand and arm, pointing a finger and moving it in a circle as Fred comes back. "Whoop," he says, the bells on his hat jingling. "I'd like a big turkey leg. Or a pint of mint 'n' honey tea with a big heap o' yams."
"Oh, man, tea. Yams." Jax pulls the cup of water in front of himself, looking at it as hopefully as if he expects it to transfigure itself at any moment. "I'd like some baked yams with some fresh corn on the side. But mostly tea."
Fred chuckles at Neville and touches his stomach at all this food talk, "Hey no fair…all I got is chocolates. Maybe I can transfigure food…" He ponders this and hasn't ever really tried it.
"Fred Weasley. You know as well as I do that you can't eat or drink things you transfigure. Ick." Angie looks up at him. "Don't even try it."
Neville is quiet as Angelina scolds the Weasley, looking at Jackson and nudging his head towards the pair with a small smile.
Jax returns Neville's look with an amused one, and watches the pair for a moment. "Okay, no tea. S'okay. In lieu of tea we can have — drumroll, please!" He pauses for a brief moment — perhaps for an imaginary drumroll — before announcing with dramatic flair and a flourishing gesture towards the goblet — "Water! Conjured here by your very own firstie who went through great peril to — okay, there was no peril involved, but I /did/ get my robes all wet messing the spell up about seventeen bajillion times."
Fred rolls his eyes at Angie and sticking out his tongue shakes his head as the girl crawls off to sleep, "Night Butterfly." Neville's look is missed but Fred does turn his attention back to the others, "Oh water? Still don't see why if we can make water I couldn't make butterbeer or tea…" He scratches his head, "But yeah Jax you did get a 6th year spell to work, that's bloody brilliant mate."
Neville snorts as he watches Angie turn in and fall asleep. "Good job mate, I can't do that one!" He compliments before motions the two boys over, ducking his head. "She's a stubborn bird, isn't she?" he murmurs in a low voice. "Merlin love her, but… but there is a good chance no one is coming for us. After a week mates? I'm at a loss. It's eatin' at me, too, that we can't talk about it. All this small talk all the time. Eatin' at me, I say."
Jax slides closer to Neville, listening to the other boy's hushed words. He considers this for a moment, chewing on his lower lip. "Well, then," he says eventually. "We'll just hafta work on finding our own way out. Even our largified food's gonna run out real soon, an' then — well." He doesn't finish the thought. He rubs at his forehead, looking down at the foggy unground.
Fred frowns at this talk and then nods his head to Neville, "Gotta agree with you mate, but disagree on the same note. We gotta start thinking about finding a way out but you know they are looking for us still. They have to be." He says sounding sure of himself, "My mom at least cause she probably thinks this is all my fault."
Neville shrugs stiffly, tossing guilty eyes over at Angelina to make sure she's still asleep. "Of course," the boys allows at Fred. "An' my Gran… m'poor Gran, she's probably raisin' hell at the school, too…" He gulps. Poor Professor Dumbledore. "But a /week/, mate." Neville shudders. "I think it's up to us, now. I wish Hermione was here." Pause. "I mean, I don't, really. Wish this on anyone… but she's a lot better at this sort of thing."
"I wish my ma was here," Jax admits in a very small voice. He reconsiders a moment later: "Though she's not a witch, so really she'd just be just as stuck as the rest of us." He scuffs his fingers through his hair and then rubs at his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Maybe we should explore more. Don't seem to be much of nothing /here/."
Fred shrugs his shoulders, "You guys see anything change when you were out there before? I think it's all just the same wherever we go." He scratches his head again, "Yay green…you'd think we'd at least get stuck with a Slytherin so they could enjoy the colors."
"Well, no," Neville admits to Fred. But I didn't get very far. It didn't change, I'll be honest. But walking… moving. I'd rather die on my feet trying than huddled on my book bag in a place that used to be the Defense of Dark Arts class room." Neville pushes a hand to his stomach as it groans for him. "Even red and gold would be maddening by now, I think."
"We ain't dying in here," Jax says with sudden fierceness, that mellows as he acknowledges, "I didn't see nothin' out there 'cept more of the same, either. But that ain't to say that — I mean, we got in! The door's gotta be /somewhere/. We just can't — can't see it." His words sound a touch desperate. He rubs at his eyes again.
Fred nods his head to Jax and smiling pats the firstie on the back, "Yeah got it right there Jax. I'm not gonna let anyone die in here." He gives Neville a smile to, "Look man I know how you feel. I just you know…sorta trying to agree with Angie…cause well yeah." He doesn't feel the need to elaborate.
Neville snaps his eyes at Fred, ignoring the joking and promises of survival. "Because you want in her robes, I'm not daft. She's holding onto hopes that are circling the drain, Fred."
"Want what in her robes?" Jax looks confused. "Does she have something in there that'll get us out?"
Fred's eyes open wider at Neville's up frontness, "Really? You think that's all I'm after mate?" He shakes his head and snorts, "But yeah…circling the drain." Jax's question makes Fred go beat red, "Nothing Jax."
"Not /all/," Neville shoots back fairly. He sways, losing his balance for a moment. He hugs rests the palms of his hands on his crossed knees for better balance. Neville mumbles something about 'up not out' but thankfully keeps it to himself. "I don't like kidding myself an' I'm feeling less an' less like playing the positive game. Luna's no help, either. It's up to us to either figure something out or… I dunno, try to leave notes or something for someone to find." His voice dips cryptically and he shakes his head at the thought.
"We should set up some sorta signal. Jus' in case anyone is looking in. So they see it. I mean Angie conjured her patronus but that was just temporary — we should have something visible for always so if anyone /does/ look over here they'll notice. An' then in the meantime we can — we can —" But Jax's voice falters, utterly at a loss.
Fred does give Neville a glare now, "Yeah sure mate…" He mutters and pulls his long legs up close to his chest, "Good idea Jax…Can we make your bubbles glow brighter maybe?" He suggests and then nods his head to Neville, "Yeah I'm sure we can figure something out. You wanna write notes mate, go ahead. I'm sticking with my positive outlook. No harm in keeping trying."
"We haven't really /tried/ yet!" Neville snaps, looking a bit ill. He rubs at his nose and replaces his hand on his knee. "Oi… Jackson… Could you pass me some of that orange?"
Jax pales a little at Neville's snapping — though the stress and lack of food have left him rather pale already, the green fog glowing oddly off his face. "'course, Nevs," he says meekly. He peels off a few of the large wedges and hands them towards Neville with hands that are faintly trembling. He looks up overhead at the bubbles, an anachronistically cheerful decoration in the eerie setting. "I can make 'em brighter. More — glowier. I think. Jus' give me a bit of time." He takes an orange wedge for himself and bites off the end, sucking juice out as he picks up his wand.
Snapping right back at Neville Fred says still trying to be quiet, "Oh so sorry mate, was a little busy making sure we had food and water. Not to mention the bloody concussion I got. You got any plans to try then? Cause I'm all bloody ears." He sighs loudly and looks to JAx trying to be all smiles, "Sure Jax, you're doing great mate." He tries to reassure the boy.
Neville takes the orange and starts to eat it in large, messy bites. He doesn't seem to recoil or flinch at Fred. "Sorry," is all he says in a bleary voice. He gets up, shakily. "Sorry," he says to both of them again, pushing the rest of the orange in his mouth. The boy turns, walking a short distance before he slumps down, just barely pushing his bookbag under his head. He sobs once. "Ni—" and he's out cold, stomach making a sick gurgle.
Jax slides over to squeeze Neville's shoulder gently. "'Night, Neville," he says softly. He reaches up to play with a tassle of his hat, moving back to his bag to take out his Charms book and look at it. "I wonder if there's charms for making people have happy dreams. I think he needs some happy dreams."
Fred sighs and running his hand through his hair again says back to Neville, "Sorry mate…" The red head smiles to Jax, "You really are a huffle aren't ya Jax. Sorry you're birthday sort of sucked kid."
"I think it was a wonderful birthday." Jax looks quite sincere about this. "I had a very fine hat, after all."
Fred chuckles and makes the bells on his own hat ring with his hand, "Yep a fine hat always makes a birthday better." He agrees.
"Yes — thank you." Jax smiles warmly at Fred, but his eyes are tired. He points his wand at his bubbles, but his hand is still shaking — it takes a few tries before his aim is good enough to change them. It is slow work, making one bubble at a time change colours — brighter, shinier, glowier. "And very fine friends," he murmurs quietly in between bubbles. "Even if everyone's cranky today. I think it's a cranky kind of day."
Fred nods his head at Jax's words and pulling out his own wand tries to make one of the bubbles brighter himself, "Yeah everyone's a little cranky it seems." He rubs his forehead, "To much chocolate, thought it wasn't possible but it is." He chuckles, "You know were gonna get out of her right Jax? I know Nevler is a bit of a downer about that but I promise we'll get out of this kay."
"I know. I mean, they gotta be looking — an' we gotta be, too." Jax rubs at his eyes once more, the gesture rather twitchy and automatic. "Can't hardly blame Nevs. He an' Angie are both trying to be helpful, y'know? Just both coming at it from different ways I think. And — and, I mean —" His brow creases. "It — it /has/ been a long time. And seeing that — in the sky the other day — don't hardly help with staying cheerfu — ooh." This ooh is because one of his bubbles — a vivid blue with a metallic sheen to it — is glowing way brighter than the rest. He smiles happily. "One thing about here, at least, got loads of time for practicing!"
Fred chuckles and reaches out to try and ruffle Jax's hair, "Yeah stick with us here and you'll be loads ahead of the rest of the firsties kid." He hugs his legs again, "No that dark mark is never cheerful…makes me wonder if someone else is in here too. Hence the want to not wander off alone."
"If there is any wandering it should definitely be together." Jax's nose crinkles as his smile spreads wider when his hair is ruffled. "—Hey, look, it's you!" He gestures to one of the fleeting images; a snippet of a Quidditch match with a Fred a few years younger. Or maybe a George.
Fred peers at the image closely, "Oh that's definitely me…See the scar in my eyebrow?" He points to his own eyebrow and smiles, "I got that and George has this stupid mole on his neck…only well to tell us apart."
Jax looks from the image to Fred and then back, though by the time he looks back the Quidditch game is already disappearing. "How'd you get that?"
Fred ohs and scratches his head, "I think it was from Bill to be honest, my older brother. Me and George use to play quidditch with him and I think I bailed off the broom. I don't really remember, hit my head pretty hard to be honest." He chuckles and touches the scar lightly.
Jax finishes enchanting the last of his bubbles and then leans back, resting his wand in his lap. "I'd never even been on a broom 'fore coming to Hogwarts, much less played Quidditch. — Your brother must be looking for us at least, don't you think? I mean with you an' Angie an' Neville /all/ in here missing…" He trails off hopefully, gaze drifting away to other flickering images.
Fred smiles at Jax and says, "Get some sleep kid. I'm sure George is looking for me, he may be mad but he's my twin." He says looking slightly happy about this. "I'll take first watch and wake Angie in a bit." He does cover a yawn though.
"You can wake me. Angie hit her head an' all. She needs the rest more." Jax doesn't argue the getting some sleep part, though. He puts his things away and lies down, putting his bag beneath his head. He rests the birthday hat over his eyes, hands folding over his chest.
Fred shakes his head to JAx, "She'd kill me if I tried to coddle her. It's Angelina Johnson we're talking about." He chuckles and taking out his wand situates himself looking out into the green swirling mist just as a picture of Peeves floats by, "I even miss that rat." Fred sighs.
Preceded by ...and What Alice Found There. Followed by Off With His Head.