= Wands High =

Chapter 33 - 15 May 1998, Friday

- There you are – Daynen smiled when the girls entered the storage room and got up from his place to hug Hermione.

- Here I am - she kissed him and gave him a tight hug before greeting James who was sitting on top of the nearby desk.

The third floor storage room was actually a classroom full of frequently used objects and tools, like magical globes and maps, and a number of old desks that needed refreshing.

- I assume you bring the news – James said. Jessie waved the newspaper she was carrying under her arm.

- We do. And we somehow managed not to look through it on the way here.

- We also ran into Ms. Princess after the game – Orianna said making herself comfortable on another desk. Daynen's face seemed to darken.

- Was there any trouble? – he asked looking at Orianna first, then at Hermione.

- No, don't worry – she smiled at him. – Ri handled it.

- For now – the bassist snorted. – Princess is asking for it.

- Well, let her keep asking – Daynen let out a little smile, looking back at Hermione. – She'll either get bored at some point or just find the trouble she's looking for someplace else. It's not our problem anyway.

- My dear boy, love is making you blind and dull – Orianna shook her head in a dramatic pretense. – No woman in history had ever let go so easily of her will for revenge.

- Can we put that aside for now and concentrate on last night's show reviews? – Jessie laughed impatiently.

- I must agree with Lady Noisemaker there – James added. – For I must admit I'm curious.

- Okay, okay, don't let me be the cloud over your excitement – I'm sure someone else has already taken ca...

The door opened suddenly, jamming the rest of the phrase, and Chris Slade entered, seemingly in a hurry.

- Oh, hey, guys – he stopped for a moment, surprised. – Sorry for interrupting, I didn't know you were in here. I just need to grab those dummies for dueling practice and I'll be off in a moment – he nodded to the far end of the room where several life-sized dummies were stored leaning against the wall.

- Hey, man, not a problem – Daynen responded; the others just gave Chris a nod or a smile, or greeted him quietly.

- Crap, I thought I was forgetting something – Orianna muttered to herself. – I guess I'll have to skip practice today.

- Don't worry, half of the people are skipping anyway, you won't be missing much I guess – Chris replied and took his wand out. He lifted the dummies in the air with a light sweeping motion and made them slowly fly across the room and through the open door in the corridor. As he was turning back to the door, he noticed the newspaper that Jessie was about to open and frowned for a moment.

- Yikes. I'd better leave this one here, you may need it – one of the four dummies flew back in and landed quietly next to the door.

- Is it that bad? – James asked.

- Let's just say that the author may have written that article while hung-over or something – Chris shrugged. – In general, there are like 20 positive words in the whole review of the Battle. Maybe it's my ego but I'm not very keen on someone calling our music "something you'd listen to while smoking herbs that you don't get to learn about in Herbology" for no reason. But then again, might be just my own headache speaking. See you guys later.

Chris headed for the door but just as he was about to walk through it, a sudden thought stopped him in his tracks.

- Actually, D, can I talk to you outside for a moment? – he asked turning to face the Patronus'guitarrist.