ins o m nia ::open::

[girlingreen]

Cora followed Hyperion out of the common room and nto the dark hallways that led around the dungeons. Sometimes she liked being in the dungeons, but at night it was kind of creepy. Cora was happy when they made their way toward the kitchens, which were still on a lower level, but didn't have the same gloom as the dungeons.

[zabini]

Hyperion quickly found the appropriate painting in the basements, a level up from the dungeons and considerably warmer and more cheerful. He briefly tickled the pear, it began chuckling and then formed the green door handle. Hyperion seized it and pulled open the door, then looked over at his companion. "After you," said he, holding the door open for Cora. That was Hyperion, always the gentleman.

[girlingreen]

"Thank you," Cora said with a smile and entered the kitchens. Three house elves immediately rushed over to her, as though they had known that she and Hyperion would be coming. Cora briefly wondered if they ever slept. She turned to look at Hyperion, wondering what he wanted. She wasn't particularly hungry, this was just better than sitting alone in the common room.

[zabini]

"Might I be able to get a plate of leftovers from dinner?" Hyperion asked of the elf that stepped forward, greeting them with a bow so low the end of his nose scraped the floor. He straightened up, eyes practically sparkling at the request. "Of course sir!" the elf squeaked, "And what would miss like?" Hyperion fell quiet, his eyes looking around at the kitchens, they were spotlessly clean, stockpiled with ingredients.

[girlingreen]

"Could I have one of the rolls from dinner and some hot chocolate?" Cora asked, smiling at the house elf. He looked so happy to serve them, as though it was an honor. "Of course, miss!" the house elf squeaked in reply and the three house elves scurried away.

[zabini]

"Helpful little things, aren't they?" Hyperion said to Cora as the house elves dashed about heating up the things that they had requested. It was actually sort of endearing how eager they were to serve; how widely they grinned when they were thanked or praised. Hyperion found it hard to believe that none of them ever got tired of it, but then again he realized how little he worked in his life, his family was quite wealthy, they had house elves and servants to do practically everything.

[girlingreen]

"Yes, they're very sweet," Cora replied with a slight smile. She liked house elves well enough, she supposed, though she had never really been around any before. Cora had sort of taken them for granted up until this point. But she could imagine that they did a lot of work around Hogwarts, like tidying up the common rooms and making all the meals. It was really quite amazing.

[zabini]

At the sound of scraping noises, Hyperion turned his head, two other elves were setting up a table with chairs so they would be able to sit down with their food instead of standing whilst they ate. Hyperion never saw them do that before, but it was interesting nonetheless. "Your foods is ready sir and miss!" squeaked one of the elves. Hyperion nodded, impressed, that had been fast.

[girlingreen]

"Thank you very much," Cora said to the house elves, surprised at how fast they had gotten all the food ready. She took a seat at the table they had set up. Cora had been expecting to just take the food back to the common room, but this worked just as well. She bit into the roll, now glad that Hyperion had suggested food.

[zabini]

Hyperion stuck his fork into the spaghetti carefully. He always ate in a dignified manner, his parents were quite concerned with etiquette, it had been drilled into his brain as a very small child that he needed to sit and wield eating utensils a certain way. Hyperion kept his wrists hovering above the table as he ate, surprised at how hungry he had been. Perhaps that had contributed to his trouble sleeping.

[girlingreen]

Cora sipped the hot chocolate, glad for this late night snack. She smiled slightly as Hyperion quickly ate his spaghetti. He did so in a dignified and polite manner, but still, it was fast. He had to have been hungry. Cora took a second bite of the roll; it was quite good. Food at Hogwarts was always good, though.

[zabini]

"Pardon my asking," said Hyperion after swallowing a mouthful of spaghetti, "I'm sure I've asked before, but what electives are you in?" He had opted for arithmancy and ancient runes, the more difficult the better, he needed to keep his mind occupied. Hyperion got bored if he wasn't mentally stimulated enough. Or his suppressed anger would get the better of him, he worked hard daily to keep calm, it wasn't going to help anything.

[girlingreen]

"I'm taking care of magical creatures and arithmancy," Cora replied after swallowing the second bite of the roll. She had picked her electives on a whim, just picking things that sounded interesting. Many of her classmates had picked divination, but Cora didn't think that trying to predict the future was something for her. "What about you?" she asked, recalling vaguely that Hyperion was in her arithmancy class.

[zabini]

"Arithmancy and Ancient Runes," Hyperion replied without a second thought, he had taken them since third year, and would probably continue them into his NEWT years. He would be excited to drop history, Herbology, and astronomy. "I haven't seen you in class before, do you usually sit in the back?" asked Hyperion. He was deeply interested by arithmancy, he always sat up front, dead centre.

[girlingreen]

Cora shrugged slightly, she tended to change her seat most days, since she wasn't too into routine. "Usually near the back," Cora replied. While she was interested in arithmancy, she didn't particularly like being called on. "You sit in the front, dead center," Cora added with a grin. She had definitely noticed Hyperion in that class before, he always seemed very interested in what the professor was saying.