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Nathan pulled the end of his hat over his eyes, holding it in that position nervously as he dared not look at the stage. He was excited sure, but there was a lingering feeling that made him feel uneasy, telling him he'd be paired with someone he knew nothing about. Amongst the group of second years that would be paired, Nathan hardly knew any of them save a few, and even then, they weren't strong relationships. But at least they were a starting point, right? He couldn't bare to look at the stage, that sinking feeling causing him to hide his eyes and close them as he awaited his sentence. The thoughts did not relent though, and instead, only intensified due to his actions. What if he got paired with someone who was noisy or aggressive? Someone obnoxious and overly arrogant? It made him sick just thinking about it...

So when he heard the names "Nancy Jones and Nathanial Zane Elswood" called to the stage, he flicked the end of his hat up back to its original position on his head in surprise. Nancy... Why did that name sound familiar? As he made his way to the podium and got on stage, seeing his partner initially made him tense up until he realized who she was. Yes, she was definitely familiar, and despite her outward appearance, he knew that it was just her style. Besides, his own style at the moment reflected nothing of his true personality, and yet he felt they must have stood out in terms of partnerships. But that was beside the point, he [i]recognized[/i] her. From last year, she occasionally gave him sweets despite his polite refusals, but secretly appreciated the slight diversion from his studies for goodies.

So when she smiled at him and offered her hand for a handshake, he gladly returned them now that he knew it was at least someone he could recognize slightly. [color=9966CC]"It's Nathaniel, but you may call me Nathan or my middle name Zane. I think you occasionally gave me sweets last year, correct?"[/color] He asked, seeing as he felt as if she didn't know him and was curious as to if he'd gotten his memory mixed up. He supposed that it was alright if she didn't know who he was, seeing as he seldom spoke with anyone the year before.