Looking for...(Open)

[Jacob Clark]

His adventures through the hall were an excellent stand-by activity for Jacob. He'd been outside in the morning and became sufficiently cold that coming inside seemed like quite the break.

The day was busy, but even with no classes the activity level was still high. He strode through the halls letting his rhythm of his hard leather boots echo through the corridor, almost as if he'd wanted everyone to turn and take notice that he was passing by.

He needed something to do. He was looking for adventure.

[Elisabetta Domenici]

Elisabetta, who had just come up from the Slytherin dormitories in order to get some fresh air, started running up and down on the staircases as they moved around. After a couple of minutes, she jumped off and started wandering aimlessly around the castle until she bumped into someone--a Gryffindor.

"Oops. Sorry. I'm a bit clumsy." she apologized with a smile.

[Jacob Clark]

((Jacob is a well meaning but tremendous flirt, just so you know))

The first thing that entered Jacob's mind as the collision occurred was 'how does my hair look', and a quick second was 'who just bumped into me'. Thankfully, Jacob was no little guy, and the energy of the collision was arrested in his frame. As a precaution he encircled the girl in his arms, so she wouldn't bounce off and fall over. "Careful now." After he was sure she wouldn't fall, he let go slightly and held her shoulders as he looked down at his catch. "Are you alright princess?"

[Elisabetta Domenici]

(lol...okay)

"I'm fine...I keep forgetting how dizzy these crazy stairs make me." she replied, blushing slightly. "Er...have you seen the giant squid? It's so fun tickling its tentacles; I heard some sixth-year Hufflepuffs talking about it, and I was about to go check it out for myself...by the way, I'm Elisabetta, but everyone calls me either Betta or Betts. And you are...?"

[Jacob Clark]

He maintained his hold on her shoulders and looked into her eyes with an inviting expression as she spoke quickly. He then released her and gave a proper bow and said, "Pleased to make you acquaintance, Elisabetta (he tried to say it using his Portuguese accent). I'm Jacob Clark." He stood back up and moved smoothly and stood next to her placing his arm around her shoulders. "The giant squid, He's quite the character. Loves chocolate chip cookies."

[Elisabetta Domenici]

"Hmm...chocolate chip cookies..." Elisabetta thought, a tiny smile pulling up the corner of her mouth. "I wonder if the elves would be so kind as to donate some to the Feed the Squid Foundation. "D'you know where the kitchens are? I could show you--we'd just have to stay away from that bloody caretaker; he's so nosy."

[Jacob Clark]

((I'm having trouble seeing where your quotes begin and end in the second and last sentence. So I'll do my best))

"I'm afraid that the elves here are quite ornery and guarded, but who knows? If music is what charms the savage beast, then your voice would easily quell the elves' disgruntled attitudes." He looked over at her and gave her a wink before continuing, "The kitchens...oh yes you should show me...in fact Jean Phillipe the head of house elfish cooks and I are grand friends. We go way back. Well that's to say that we know each other, even though he dislikes being called Jean Phillipe, but I do enjoy messing around in his kitchen. You know good old Jean is a house elf, but he's a sweetie, so don't worry." Jacob maintained his arm-around Betts' shoulder as the walked to the new desination...the Kitchens.

[Elisabetta Domenici]

When they'd reached the tapestry behind which were the kitchens, Betta tickled the pear, allowing Jacob and herself to enter. One of the elves bowed so low, his face hit the floor.

"Ouch." Betta said, then put on her most winning smile. "Would you all be so kind as to make a few dozen chocolate chip cookies? I'm going to go give some to the Quidditch teams to wish them luck this seaso."

<< By the way, is Peeves still around?>>

[Jacob Clark]

((I haven't seen Peeves in ages. You could try a PM, but I don't think he's been on in several years.))

Jacob gratefully accompanied the pretty young thing down to the Kitchen's entrance and followed her into the domain of the House Elves.

His heart ached when she mentioned the intended recipients of the cookies was to be the quidditch teams. She must not know of their tragic disbandment. He wouldn't let his emotions get the better of him, but tears were welling up in the corner of his eyes as he turned to her and gently grabbed her shoulders again. "Oh, my sweet princess...you must not have heard...*tears welling up even more but not falling from his blue eyes* This may come as a shock, so prepare yourself, but their will be no quidditch this term." The tears made there way down his cheeks in tandem as he pulled her close in a tender embrace.

[Elisabetta Domenici]

Betta stared at him. "No Quidditch? Blast it all...why?" She bit her lip on the left side. "I was looking forward to that, too...well, I guess we'll have to eat some of these cookies and take some to the squid."

<It takes Betta a while to process news like this, but she will soon.>

[Jacob Clark]

((I'm like a math co-processor...I'll cut through the delay. Oh, and I wasn't kidding about him being a super huge flirt. You can take it anyway you'd like.))

He stepped back a little and gently lifted her chin so they were looking at each other. "You're taking this so well. I was heart broken to find out, and cried for a week. You're so strong." His eyes were still misty as he let his had relax to gently brush the back of his index finger along her jawline while he said, "Betta you're strength inspires me. We'll get through this together. We'll start by feeding George some of those cookies. That is if we don't eat them all."

[Elisabetta Domenici]

"Well...I guess it's no big deal...I remember when the professional Quidditch league had that strike a couple of years ago; I did most of my crying back then. Chudley was well on its way to the championship then..." Betta shook her head and wiped an annoying tear that was trying to spill onto her cheek. "Anyway, George is waiting for his cookies. Shall we?"

She started walking out of the kitchens, again wiping her cheek as yet another annoying tear welled up.

[Jacob Clark]

Jacob collected the cookies, "Don't wait up for me, Betta. I'm just getting the cookie, I'll be right along." He extracted a neckerchief from his pocket and wiped his face. After collecting the cookies into a basket provided by the house elf staff. He made sure the load of precious cargo was secure and then stepped out after her.

"There you are..." He indicated the basket, "Now were armed and dangerous. Come my darling, to the lake and George." He scooped up her hand in his.

[Elisabetta Domenici]

Betta looked up at the sky as she and Jacob walked down to the lake.
"Those clouds are ugly...we're in for a storm sometime in the next couple of days. " She giggled slightly. "My owl hates storms...you'll probably find her all the way down to the owlery floor, hiding under a pile of feathers. I'm starting to wonder why I called her Morgana."

[Jacob Clark]

"Morgana, I think you're right, that doesn't sound like the name of an owl that's scared of storms." She was right, the sky did look foreboding, but not more than any normal inclement weather. Perhaps her perception was more than ordinary. "You know I've seen lots of storms, but I'm curious what it is that makes you think were in for a storm?"