so many locks, not enough keys; GRAYSON

Anna hadn't been talking to anyone in ages. Well, to be honest, she enjoyed those days. They were quiet and confidential and even though she hadn't done anything particularly worthwhile lately it still felt like those days were finally spent the way she wanted them to be spent.

She was sending an owl to Dani, who she had finally plucked up the courage to talk to. As she watched her owl fly into the horizon, she crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping for her life she replied.

Holding the letter to Kaitlen in her hand, Iris made her way to the owlry. She had been feeling more confused than ever about everything that's been going on, and she figured she might as well tell her sister. Though she didn't think she would get a reply.

"Hey Anna!" She greeted the Ravenclaw with a grin, as she went towards one of the owls. "How are you? Feels like ages since we talked!"

Anna turned around, ready to pull out the dagger she still carried around with her, but she stopped doing so when she realized it was just Grayson. she attempted a wobbly smile, trying not look bitchy, for once.

"Oh," she replied, her voice sounding almost gentle. Almost. "Grayson. Hey." She nodded in assent. "Yes indeed. "Do you want to just stay and... catch up?"

Iris raised an eyebrow at Anna's tone and replied, "You don't have to talk if you don't want to. After all, I know you aren't the one for socializing." She smirked. "Sorry, didn't mean to sound rude," she told with a sigh. "So, what's been going on with you?"

"No... all the people I like - minus you - are, you know, gone," Anna replied, flipping her hair nonchalantly. "Eye hasn't been around in forever, Ollie's always busy... I haven't seen Tesla and Charlotte since that big blowout in Astronomy... so, yeah. Everyone's abandoned me." She shook her head. "Why does everyone always leave me?" she shrieked.

Iris laughed lightly at the Ravenclaw's outburst. "I'm pretty sure it's all coincidental and not intentional wherein everyone meant to leave you." She stated. "I miss Eye a lot," she admitted. "She was the only one I actually talked to. Anyway, how are you?" Iris asked more sincerely with a smile.

"I haven't been doing anything too productive at all," sighed the Ravenclaw, flicking a strand of her behind her. "That is just so unlike me. I feel like a beggar, doing nothing." Merlin knew why Anna chose to be not surreptitious of her feelings for once, but a part of her liked it, letting all of her emotions out.

"And that is a bad thing?" Iris asked with an amused smile. "Well, I haven't been upto much either. Honestly speaking, I'm feeling bored within Hogwarts. I spend most of time in Azorat or just roaming the halls. Oh yeah, flying as well." She grinned. "I'm seriously entertained by the changing teachers though. It seems that most of the professors don't last for more than six months."

Anna laughed, sounding empty. "Nope, Professor O'Brian's still here... and Headmaster Chaos, of course," she added, trying to contradict the mostly true statement. The Ravenclaw couldn't really remember the last time she went to Azorat and left feeling halfway happy. "Azorat, huh? Met anyone interesting?" she smirked, knowing full well the answer would be know. If her sources were correct, Grayson was not single, but who knows?

"I'm glad that Professor Colin is still there, he makes Astronomy interesting." Iris shrugged. "As for Headmaster Chaos...I don't think he'll be leaving anytime soon," she told with a grin. She knew the implication behind Anna's question, but thinking of Kaitlen and Lena, she couldn't help but reply, "Yeah actually I did, two interesting people in fact. But they're both girls, so I don't think you'll be excited." She smiled mischievously.

"I don't like Astronomy all too much, but I don't like Herbology either," Anna muttered, rolling her eyes. "Professor Fallen told me to not give up on it, though. Like I'll listen." Come to think of it, she hasn't seen her around lately either. Did she leave the school? If so, why wasn't she informed? Anna wasn't her official apprentice, but she needs to be informed about these things. "Both girls?" Anna asked, "well, Hades would be pleased to hear that." She chuckled playfully, a rare instance in the girl's usually stoic behaviour.

"Herbology is quite boring." Iris agreed. "I'm thinking of dropping it next year. I heard Divination is rather boring as well." She smiled lightly at the mention of Professor Fallen. "I hope she returns soon. I kinda got more obsessed with Dueling thanks to her," she commented. "Yeah, the day you listen to a teacher is the day hell freezes over." She teased. She rolled her eyes good naturedly at the Ravenclaw's statement. "Yup, you can say that. And what about you? I'm pretty sure you have someone 'interesting' of your own." She told with a smirk. Anna really didn't seem the kind of girl that remains single for a long time. At least to Iris, she seemed like that.

"Divination's just a bunch of superstition to me," Anna replied grimly, rolling her eyes as if she was mocking the subject, which she was. "Duelling's an art, Grayson. You better know how to use it," Anna explained seriously. She had always taken Duelling pretty seriously, in her old and her new self. It was just that her new self considered it a lot more superior than her old self did.

She blushed fiercely when Grayson mentioned that Anna had met someone interesting of her own. Well, she had, but she did not want to talk about it. "Um, no, I haven't," she spluttered, running a hand through her hair to hide her embarrassment. Though she sure hoped deep in her mind they would an inter-school ball so that she could go with her special someone.

"Hm, never planned on taking that subject anyway," Iris replied with a shrug. "I know about dueling more than you think I do," she told quietly, not wanting to think about the times she wouldn't have gotten past if not dueling and fighting. , she thought and sighed to herself. "And yes, it is definitely not to meant to be taken lightly And it takes a lot of practice and enthusiasm," she stated.

She laughed at Anna's reaction and replied, "You don't need to lie, you know. You can just not talk about it, I don't mind. But I plan on finding out the name somehow, atleast," she told with a grin. "Besides, I'm sorta glad for you, if that's the case." She admitted.

Anna smiled. "Both Muggle and Wizard duelling?" she asked, "I know how to throw a dagger pretty damn well, if that counts." She smirked at that, thinking about the time she had nearly killed a boy when he was reading over in the Trophy Room. She wondered whatever happened to him, anyway. She knew she didn't hurt him, which was good enough.

"I doubt it's anything real, Grayson," Anna sighed, smiting her brow. Even with all of the persuasion he had tried on her and the fact that she had spilled her entire heart out to him didn't convince her. Why can't you stop being so negative, Anna? she thought to herself. "I-I mean... he's probably more attracted to Karma or Aria. Compared to them, I look plain." She looked down at her stick thin figure and her rapidly browning hair. Also, she tried to hide the fact that he didn't go to school with them, which might concern Grayson.