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[color=#00ccff]"What if no one shows up?"[/color] Andrew asked, around the nail he was all but working off his finger.

Hero groaned. She threw her arms up in exasperation. Let them fall limply back against the desk she was lying on, a dull [i]thud[/i] following them that didn't phase her, but made Andrew wince. [color=#b7f617]"This, again?"[/color]

The wizard spun, glaring at his cousin. [color=#00ccff]"[i]Yes[/i],"[/color] he spat, leaning over to rap on her forehead with his wand. Hero swatted at the improvised weapon, scowling. [color=#00ccff]"We've been [i]over[/i] this, Hero."[/color]

The blond grasped wildly for Andrew's wand, missing it by a hairs breadth each time the washed-out vine came back down to tap her forehead. Ordinarily, Andrew would be snickering. When Hero pried open an eye to glare at him, his lips were set thin. [i]Genuinely[/i] annoyed, then. Hero rolled her eyes.

[color=#b7f617]"What [i]if[/i] no one shows up, Andrew?"[/color]

[color=#00ccff]"That's what I asked--"[/color]

[color=#b7f617]"[i]No,[/i]"[/color] the witch cut him off. She threw her arms in front of her, used the momentum to peel herself from the desk. The smooth fabric of her robe made it difficult to get purchase against the wood, but she managed. [color=#b7f617]"[i]Really[/i], Drew. What if no one shows up? [i]So[/i] what."[/color]

Andrew tilted his head, brows furrowing as he blinked, vacantly, at his cousin.

[color=#b7f617]"They're knobheads, Drew,"[/color] the witch half groaned, throwing her head back in exasperation. She drug her hands down her face. Allowed her wand to roll from where it's been pinned by her back, listlessly to the wood floor. [color=#b7f617]"Wankers, the lot of them. [i]Genuinely[/i]. You should've [i]heard[/i] the girl who lead us up to the tower."[/color]

Andrew snorted. [color=#00ccff]"The type you were surprised could even see you, from how high in the air her nose was?"[/color]

Hero beamed. [color=#b7f617]"Yup."[/color] 

So Andrew'd had a similar experience with his [i]Ravenclaw[/i] prefect. Good to know. [color=#b7f617]"And hey, if nobody comes?"[/color] Hero nudged her cousin. Smiled when he glanced back at her, not unfondly. [color=#b7f617]"You've still got [i]me[/i]."[/color]

The redhead's eyes softened for a moment. His creased brows smoothed. Pursed lips fell back to their natural, lopsided spots on his cheeks. Hero's grin grew wide and dimpled at the gentle look - honest. Then Andrew broke the look. He rolled his eyes. [i]Snorted[/i]. [color=#00ccff]"You say that like it isn't a curse."[/color]

[color=#b7f617]"[i]Oi.[/i]"[/color]

It wasn't about nobody [i]coming[/i], really. Not about the bodies. Between them, Andrew and Hero couldn't [i]reasonably[/i] care less about getting to know their classmates. Even before they'd lived together, they'd done fine being just the two of them, for [i]years[/i]. 

No. [i]This[/i] was about [i]learning[/i]. About sating Andrew's curiosity... and, maybe about giving Hero an excuse to annoy him in the meantime.

It didn't have a name yet, but it'd existed since breakfast. A study group, of sorts. A place for wizards and witches (or was it wixen?) of a... [i]similar[/i] skill level to come together, and grow together, and [i]learn[/i] together.

The whole thing'd sounded a bit [i]posh[/i], when Hero'd heard Andrew put it that way, but his eyes had practically [i]glistened[/i] when he'd started on about it, and she never was very good at telling him not to do things he wanted to.

That "study group," whatever it was, was why Hero and Andrew had spent the better part of their first day either scouting locations in an unfamiliar castle (making [i]Hero[/i] late to class, no less) or inviting unfamiliar people to said unfamiliar locations. It was why Hero was now sitting in an offshoot of the newly repaired study room, with Andrew working himself into a froth, behind her.

[color=#b7f617]"I'm sure they'll come though, Drew,"[/color] the witch sighed, lying back down on the desk.

Andrew hummed, tone too high, too tight, to be natural. He flipped through a book he could only describe as a bestiary, rather than rightly acknowledging his cousin.

Hero again sprawled across a shiny maple desk, she looked longingly at the courtyard through her lashes. [color=#b7f617]"After all,"[/color] she cooed, [color=#b7f617]"you [i]are[/i] a bit of a knobhead magnet."[/color]

Hero had to clutch her stomach to get proper air, laughing, when the book her cousin had tried to throw at her head sailed [i]well[/i] and harmlessly over her, landing with a slap in the hallway.