Errand closed Sweet Dreams, Fellow Insomniacs

WC:642 + 204 = 846 Complete.
Mentioning: @Serena Towers

Michael sighed in boredom. Though many people have came in, none he could talk to. He decided to read now, maybe he could reread Hogwarts a history. Anything to give him something to do. He sighed after a while, and put the book down.

It was boring, intensely so, as he had read it thousands of times, and could almost repeat the words to anyone he needed them. He sighed and put the book away, grabbing another. This one about wolves, he had read it too, five times if he rememebred correctly. He sighed, he had read them all. The boy threw the bag down by him.

He laid down, glancing up at the sky, looking at the stars. He was snapped out of this thoughts on the stars and their meanings by a girl sitting down by him.

She was carrying a book, relatively big, and didn't not seem to like reading it at all. She was older than him, so he didnt know if it was for class or not. "Umm. . excuse me, can i read that?" He asked, thinking that if she obviously doesn't want to read it, he could. He just hoped he didn't sound weird in his request.

[font=century gothic]INTERACTING WITH @Jackson Valentine | MENTIONING n/a [/font]

There was a reason Evelynn had made it to first-string seeker on the Gryffindor team in her first year. It was the same reason she had amassed what might arguably called at least a somewhat impressive collection of information regarding the various happenings about the school. She had a certain way of finding things. A knack for spotting that which was out of place. Some might even say that hers was a Keen Eye. When she had turned to glance at Valentine, she had anticipated that he might still have been looking at her. If not that, then perhaps he might have returned his attention to peer back across the grounds as it had previously.

What she had not expected was to see the reactive flicker of his gaze returning to her from somewhere behind her like a child who'd been caught being inattentive by a professor. As he replied, she turned her head the other direction to scan the area behind her, searching briefly to see if there was something in particular that might have drawn his gaze. She found nothing. Lips thinned a touch in thought. The only conclusion that could be drawn was that he found her disinteresting enough to let his gaze—and probably his mind—wander. An unexpected fist clenched at the pit of her stomach with that notion. It wasn't often that she shared candid sentiments such as she had just then.

For one reason or another, there existed always a pervading anxiety that such information could somehow be twisted and used against her. Rationale thought would argue against it, of course, countering that nothing she had stated was particularly sensitive in nature, or even entirely unusual. But it was still personal. The slight was sealed all the more with his curt response of definite indifference. In fact, perhaps it was even more than that. "It's good exercise." She could practically hear the sardonic tone with which it might have been spoken as though to suggest her musings were entirely childish in the face of such a simple truth.

Forcing back a cold flush that threatened to creep up her neck, she returned her gaze forward to the grounds. Whispers of distant encounters echoed in the back of her thoughts, taunting her with claims of her own brash and haughty behaviours. Brows furrowed in her own momentary brooding, psyche wrestling with antagonistic thought. A part of her wanted to snap back at him. To comment dryly on his apparent lack of concentration. Bid him a farewell and return to her books as clearly she wasn't worth his time. A more reasonable voice suggested that was perhaps just a touch over-reacting, and wouldn't that just prove them right? Wouldn't that then suggest that she actually did think herself so worthy that her very presence should command their unwavering attention.

With a crimp of her lips, brows softening, she averted her gaze back to the moon. Shoulders rose with a prolonged inhalation. "I suppose you're right," she allowed, posture and shoulders relaxing with the slow escape of air that accompanied the slightly delayed response. "It is decent enough exercise." Although she'd prefer to run. As she did every morning. "Although.." She continued, the tone of her voice almost weary, "if you ever did wish to learn to fly, you've more than enough Housemates that would be willing to help you, I'm sure. You might even be surprised to find it's more physically strenuous than you might have previously thought. Like equestrian sports."

She almost winced as she continued. Even after deciding she wasn't going to counter him, she still couldn't help at least saying something to the contrary. Even if it had been rather lackluster. "Nevermind.." she muttered to herself, the hint of a line tracing once again between her brows.

A line that vanished the moment Valentine spoke up again to pose his question. Momentarily perplexed, she flickered her gaze to gauge his expression. Although perhaps not a question that would generally be all that out of place, it was a stark shift from the direction of their current—albeit brief and barely treaded—conversation. She had said nothing, nor given any prompting, at least insofar as she could tell, to prompt such an inquisition. Was this what had been on his mind, then? Gray eyes, brightened by the reflection of the moon, wandered his features for a second longer.

"Are you having doubts about whether you belong here?" she uttered quietly, the cadence of her voice low enough that it wouldn't far from where they stood. By the wording of his question, she could only assume he was muggle-born himself. A pureblood would be likely to know exactly who at the school was muggle-born simply by mannerism. Or if not that, then to have a clear indication as many of the pureblood families knew of each other even if they weren't necessarily on close terms. "There are many," she assured him with the hint of a smile, glancing forward and up to the stars yet again.

Lips parted. Then closed. She had been about to go on about the unlikeliness of some of them. How he might have been surprised just how well some of them had integrated into the wizarding world over the months and years since the initiation of their education. As well as a number of other thoughts that had occurred to her in that moment. But the voice in the back of her mind reined her in, reminding her that he likely didn't care. So instead, she asked simply, "What would you really like to know?"

[font=century gothic]Evelynn has Fearless, and thus is not impacted by Professor Chiadovini's Terrible Presence | ERRAND PROGRESS[/font]

Project 'Sleep For Senpai' had begun. It was out of a sense of duty. Obligation to the ghost of a child he had made a deal with. One could not succeed in anything if one was half dead from sleep deprivation. It was to his benefit as well as Selim's to try to help the older boy find some way to rest. Certainly, it was that logical premise and nothing more that drove Kazuo to try to help.

He had originally been planning to visit the nurse but was finding it difficult to come up with a reasonable way to convince Brumby-sensei of Selim's need without Selim being there - which was, of course, an impossibility. A different option presented itself in an unexpected way.

Chiadovini-sensei, the new Astronomy professor, had decided to host a gathering in order to help the growing number of insomniac students in the school. That man was a terrifying example of an adult and Kazuo wasn't overly fond of the intense discomfort he felt in the Professor's presence but, oddly, that gave him a sense of comfort. A sense that perhaps he could help. It seemed a better option than the nurse at this point; he could always fall back on that plan if this one failed.

However, the greatest hindrance to his plan was the subject. Thankfully, Selim rarely paid attention to 'social' events, fully enmeshed in his anti-social mask. So Selim didn't know about the "sleepover". What Selim did know was that Kazuo wanted to talk to him somewhere private and had suggested the Astronomy tower under the convenient guise of needing help with his Astronomy homework. It was a convenient half-truth; he did want to talk to Selim and the Astronomy tower was a convenient place to do so undisturbed - usually. Really, the only thing he didn't mention was that there might be other students present.

The next step had been to smuggle blankets, books, and other things into the Astronomy tower before going to meet Selim. He had stashed them in as private a corner as he could find, away from the other students. His goal was to help Selim, after all, not to play slumber party with the others. Once that had been taken care of, he ran down to the base of the tower to wait for Selim, a Japanese book tucked under his arm.

WC 405/800

Outfit Reducio Interacting with: (possibly getting murdered by)@Selim Faust Mentioning: Action: Setting the trap

Stats Stamina 5 Evasion 7 Strength 5 Wisdom 6 Arcane Power 6 Accuracy 6 Abilities Perfectionist

Closed to Interactions

@Evelynn Decipio

Valentine is severely affected by Leonardo Chiadovini’s Terrible Presence.

His mind had already been wandering long before she got there. It was strange that a girl so perceptive could miss something right in front of her. Or perhaps it was her obstinate spirit that caused her to momentarily forget that mere seconds ago, Valentine had been tending to wounds that she could not see.

If there was one notorious trait about Jackson Valentine, it was that he was a boy of exceedingly few words. But where he chose to offer these words, he delivered with deliberate purpose and meaning. When he had commented as he did, he had meant to show how they were different. Like how she was ginger and he was a blonde. Like how she was talkative and he was not. One trait they did share, however, was that they both listened. Valentine hadn’t been truly distracted by the darkness behind her. He reflected on every word she had said, even when she filled his sacred silence with tales of her mother. This girl was truly something. Confident, driven, and entirely in control of herself. The world (that included himself) was her chessboard, and she had the reign of a Queen. As such, she was both right and wrong in that regard. She certainly had captured Valentine’s attention, just not unwaveringly.

He felt the darkening of her aura, but only briefly. It was the kind of sensation that sent an involuntary chill down his spine. Suddenly, his fiery senior seemed just a bit more sinister. He could have been mistaken, but the look she bore as she turned back to face the moon resembled a death stare. As such, he was thankful when she seemingly aborted this sudden change in expression, even if her words did carry an echo of inner frustration.

When she responded to his question, he held her in his continual sight, like how a Knight might marvel upon his monarch. With her head craned to gaze upon the stars, she resembled a statue. Her already fair skin took on an even lighter tone under the moonlight shine. Evelynn was beautiful in the way that an abstract painting was beautiful. Aesthetically pleasing, but unimaginably complicated beyond the surface. He surmised that it would take years before he would truly begin to understand this confusing girl that had drawn him away from his twilight introspection. It took him a moment of pause before he found the words to reply to her.

“I don’t know,” he remarked dismally. “But if I do, where else can I belong?”

Evelynn was a child of two worlds. She had ties to both the world he knew and the world he was learning. Valentine had no such luxury. Within the short span of months, he was forced to forsake everything that he had deemed to be the path laid out for him. He only knew the Muggle ways that he had been taught by his father. As much as he hated to admit it, his old man had imprinted on him habits and thinking patterns that were hard to move on from. They were what made him Jackson Valentine. Without thinking, he reached further into his pocket and pulled out his wand. As he had learned, it was a perfectly balanced object; a tool for wizards, and in the appropriate hands, a weapon. It was his most treasured possession though it had been with him for less than half of a year.

“Is it easy for others to manage the transition?” he replied thoughtfully to her latter question.

“From a Muggle life to Wizard life,” he clarified. “I’ve always thought that I’d grow up to be a doctor or a lawyer.”

He smoothed a caress down the length of his wand, eyeing it with a sudden pang of dejection.

“I don’t suppose being a wizard counts as an occupation?” he quipped, his curious gaze cast upon Evelynn once again. “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Interacting with: @Henry Knight

Ever since the incident in the Hufflepuff common room, Logan had been having a rather difficult time falling asleep, let alone staying asleep. She hadn't told her best friend because she didn't want him to become concerned with the fact that she wasn't sleeping. Luckily she had heard about the sleepover in the Astronomy tower, giving her an excuse to stay up all night but to also drag her best friend to come with her.

"I did not force you to do anything." She informed the boy as she turned around and stuck her tongue out at him. "I just informed you that this was occurring and that it would be wonderful if you would accompany your best friend instead of leaving her by herself. Plus, nothing is going to happen to us, well someone is bound to set something on fire, but other than that we will be fine." Logan herself wasn't sure of that statement, but if she stayed optimistic something was bound to go her way.

Just glancing over at the boy, Logan could tell he was nervous. Who wouldn't be when they were walking around the school in the middle of the night without an adult and the school had been attacked multiple times within the last year.

"Charm, you are going to be fine. Everything is okay," The Hufflepuff told the boy as she wrapped her arm around him after listening to his rambling. She was used to it at this point and honestly didn't mind it. It could be rather soothing sometimes to just listen to someone talk while you just sat there or walked along beside them. Glancing around, Logan could tell they were near the Astronomy tower as Sherlock came shooting out of no where, passed her and stopped a few steps up. She only rolled her eyes at the cat and laughed as he had more energy than she knew what to do with most days. At least he had someone else to stay up with instead of just sitting with Logan as she attempted to fall asleep.

The Hufflepuff smiled over at her best friend as she skipped ahead a bit, her navy and forest green pajamas standing out against the stone walls of the castle, her small messenger bag bouncing against her side. Instead of her normal shorts and tank top, the girl had instead decided on wearing the pajamas her grandmother made for her for Christmas. The pajamas were a pair of long pants, that Logan consistently tripped over, as well as a long sleeved button up shirt with a niffler embroidered onto the left side of it. Her grandmother had spent weeks making the pajamas, as she made each set to represent each member of the family, so now all of the Baird's had matching pajamas.

Logan turned slowly when she noticed Henry stop at the bottom of the steps leading to the Astronomy tower. Listening to Henry with a sigh, she made her way back down the few steps and set and hand on his shoulder as she looked him in the eyes. Sher could tell her was scared, but if he wanted to go back to his common room, she would let him. Although it seemed he was going to go through with staying at the Astronomy tower with her. "Henry, it is okay to be scared, but I promise you now that nothing is going to happen to any of us. You, me, Sherlock, and Loki are going to be perfectly fine as we head up to the Astronomy tower. If anything does happen, I promise I will take full responsibility for it."

Grinning at Henry, Logan quickly made her way up the stairs, Sherlock and Loki at her feet. She knew that her and Henry were going to have a good night, her best friend just needed some encouragement. It wasn't like she had actually told Henry why she wanted to go to this in the the first place either, as he had been correct earlier on. She was normally the more sensible of the two when it came to what activities they did together, so she told him it would be a good way to meet new people. Logan knew she would not be talking to any people other than Henry though if she had to.

After a bit of time, the pair, not counting the cats, had made it to the Astronomy tower. Logan was excited, although nervous as well, mostly because she was afraid Henry would figure out the true reason of why they were there in the first place, she did not want him to worry about her. "Yes, let us find spots," she told him with a grin as she leant down to pick up Sherlock to keep him close. She didn't want the cat to wander off and annoy someone else in the large tower.

Reaching into her bag, Logan pulled out a small notebook as Sherlock curled around the girl's neck. "I thought maybe we could go through this while we were up here?" Logan glanced at Henry from the corner of her eye as she held her mother's notebook in her left hand. She hadn't touched the book in a while, October was the last time she had actually gone through it and even longer since she had added anything, so she felt like she was neglecting her mother a bit.

Word Counter: 906/800
Status: Complete

Excitement buzzed through her as Rosalie made her way to the Astronomy tower, a blanket thrown around her shoulders. She didn't struggle with insomnia, per se, but honestly, how could anybody say no to a sleepover in the Astronomy tower? She climbed the stairs as quickly as she could without just running, grateful that she had pulled her curls up into a bun that would prevent them from falling in her face. And keep her from looking like she had an owl's nest atop her head come the morning. The cold floor bled into her socked feet as she swung the door open, a wide smile on her face.

A single step into the room took her breath away.

Normally, Rosalie wouldn't think twice about diving into the first conversation she saw an opening in, but as she hovered near the entrance of the Astronomy tower, a sense of something uncomfortable crawled at the back of her throat, something that she couldn't place. Uncertainty pulsed through her, prickly and unfamiliar. No, she didn't enjoy that one bit.

Shaking her head firmly, Rosalie sought to push whatever she was feeling to the back of her mind, away, to anywhere but where it was. There was no need to feel things like that, and so, she simply wouldn't. She was supposed to be brave and bold. Uncertainty had no place here. Wrapping her blanket tighter around herself, Rosalie squared her shoulders and strode an empty spot near the center of the room, where she could lay back and watch the stars. Laying her blanket on the floor, Rosalie propped her head up on the pillow she'd brought and looked toward the sky. The stars really were beautiful, brighter here than they ever could have been in the muggle world. The thought sent a pang of loneliness through her; another feeling she had no interest in.

She sat up quickly, frustration pulling her face into a frown. Why in the world had she thought to come here alone? She hated being alone. Despite the students milling about around her, there was no one here that she knew, or could easily pull into a conversation. She tugged on a strand of loose blond hair, letting her eyes sweep the room again. She needed someone to talk to.

Interacting with: @Michael Miller | Open to Interactions

Serena was not entirely sure why she decided to come to the event. She did enjoy her sleep so staying up seemed a little silly but then again, who could say no to a slumber party? Of course, it was definitely more fun if you knew lots of people going - which she likely did not. However, there was no reason why she could not meet some new people. Perhaps she ought to have asked if any of her friends were attending. That would have been smart.

Of course, she was not all that smart. Nonetheless, she did bring some items to share or keep her company. Throwing the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she made her way to the tower with a large book tucked under her arm. It did not actually fit in her bag but she had been reading the history book in an attempt to learn something very important. It was perhaps a little odd to anyone who actually knew her in person that she would be studying, especially on a fun night. However, this was actually a personal project of interest to her so it did not seem like studying, per see.

Entering the room, she looked around to see if she spotted anyone she knew. The aroma in the air immediately hit her. It was relaxing. She was not sure she recognised what the scent was specifically but it was rather pleasant. Walking further into the room, she came across some phials with a little label addressed to take one. She had no idea what the purpose of this whole thing really was but nonetheless, she took it. If nothing else, Serena did follow the rules. Eh. For the most part. Taking a phial, she continued to look around.

Not immediately seeing anyone, she opted to take a seat somewhere randomly. She stared up at the stars for a few moments before opening up her bag, she started to root through it. Grabbing a chocolate frog, she unwrapped it and caught it before it tried to jump. The history book that she had bought with her just lay next to her. Serena was busy just eating chocolate and looking at the stars for now.

At the very least, that was the intention till she heard a voice. Following the sound of the voice, her eyes were met by the face of a young boy. He was not someone she recognised but he seemed to be a younger year. He could not have been a teen, at the very least, surely! Quirking an eyebrow, she blinked for a moment before realising what he was after, "Oh! Of course, yeah. It might not be all that interesting, I'm not sure. I haven't read it yet myself but you're welcome to," She explained as she lifted the book and held it out for him. She had borrowed it from the library earlier but had yet to look through it. She was also not entirely sure if the book was one hundred historically accurate or more fictional. Perhaps he would enjoy it.

Nonetheless, she offered him the book with a bright smile on her face. She considered making more conversation with him but she was not sure he wanted an older student bombarding him with questions about what his year was or how he was finding Hogwarts or anything. Instead, she simply smiled and held out a hand for him to shake, "I'm Serena, by the way. Serena Towers," She introduced herself.

With that, she left him to the reading, turning her attention back to devouring the chocolate frog that she had opened up.

WC: 608

Terrible Presence in effect.
| Aura of Unease Present |

It was still relatively quiet in the tower, which Leonardo was quite thankful for. One by one, participants began to trickle in. He counted them, one by one, as he noticed their entrances.

There had come a young boy @Jackson Valentine who Leonardo had just barely seen out of the corner of his eye making his way to the observation deck. One.

There was a young girl who had seemingly misunderstood the implications of the note he had posted to take one of the aromatherapy phials, and who had taken an astronomy book instead @Katie Palsorette. It wasn’t as if the Astronomy Professor cared much, though. This was supposed to be a night to relax. Perhaps reading was something that would help her do so. Two.

Another small boy arrived, choosing to sit with his own books @Michael Miller. He was joined soon after by a short girl @Serena Towers. Three and four.

A young woman with fiery red hair had offered him a small greeting as she too passed, earlier on in the night, climbing her way up the passage towards the Observation Deck @Evelynn Decipio. He would offer her a nod in return without interrupting her journey, turning his wand in his hands. Five.

A large, boorish adult with an enormous gap-tooth smile, dressed in an outlandish Muggle NASA attire came bumbling in, tripping on the comforter he carried as he... oh dear. Drew quite too close for comfort.

Quickly getting to his feet to meet the individual head on, Leonardo quirked a brow as the adult spoke, betraying the lack of maturity they possessed. Perhaps this second adult was better suited to be among the student population. It seems he still needed time to grow out of frivolities. Leonardo’s eye twitched slightly at nanny. The Pureblood would not understand the final title’s implications in the Muggle world, but that would not prevent him from being quite confused, as it was.

”My name is Leonardo Chiadovini. And you must be?” Leonardo tersely asked through his teeth. He was gritting them not out of anger, but more as a way to prevent himself from snapping out loud. His voice rumbled slightly with distaste. ”I beg your pardon, but I am far from a nanny, as you erroneously suppose.” There was no indication of friendliness, and Leonardo did not even offer a hand in greeting, instead watching around the room for something to cling to, to serve as a distraction.

Another pair of students; boy @Henry Knight and girl @Logan Baird, came in, one seeming to almost tote the other along. Leonardo spotted a cat. Just what he needed. Six and seven.

“I am merely ensuring that nobody who partakes in the event leaves with severe injuries. The Observation Deck is open for all for tonight, as it is. I will be checking up on it soon, after I complete a few more tasks here. A brief lecture on how to fall into R.E.M. most specifically.” Leonardo willed himself to roll his shoulders back and briefly looked upon Macbeth, ensuring that he had not come to harm from all these students. Macbeth’s golden eyes met grey, and with a little twitter, the owl opened wings and perched quickly on Leonardo’s shoulder, pressing tiny feathery head into the Professor’s grizzled jawline.

A young boy with defined, slanted features appeared with a large tome under his arm, taking a seat @Kazuo Shimada. Eight.

“I have no qualms with you joining the event.” He continued with his current conversation. A young girl, who had initially seemed frighten to join the event, came in and then took her place in the center of the room @Rosalie Rutherford. Nine. “Despite being... uninvited.” His eyes met the adult’s. There seemed to be enough people here to begin. Others would certainly trickle in, thus his counting. Only when all his participants arrived would he lock the door, sealing in but a fraction of the student population for the night. ”I only ask that you remain out of my way.”

Brushing past the distraction without asking pardon, the Professor took his normal place at the lecture podium whenever he would teach. He was not going to force the attention of the students. His voice would only be a quiet background sound, an underlying tone which students could listen to if they pleased.

“Good night. I welcome all of you. We may have a few individuals joining us briefly, but in their absence, I shall begin.” Quietly padding about the room, he began; “Some may be familiar with sleep and dreams. We have all had them, whether we remember them or not. The average person usually has hundreds, upwards of thousands of dreams each night... but the bulk of them are fleeting or forgotten when they wake; though a choice few of the most memorable ones can cling to a person’s memory for life.” Like many of his Astronomy classes, Magic simply had to be involved, and with a lazy flick of his wrist, the Astronomy Professor conjured two foggy clouds of nebula-like ether. ”There are two different phases of sleep; R.E.M. and N.R.E.M. N.R.E.M. is known as ‘Non-Rapid Eye Movement’, is split into three phases itself, and tends to be the prerequisite of R.E.M. sleep.

“N1 occurs right after you ‘fall asleep’, and is what you feel when you first lose consciousness. It is a short stage, only about ten minutes long, and during this time you are easy to rouse and awaken. This is more of a dozing stage of sleep, as opposed to the next stage; N2. N2 lasts a bit longer, about a half hour to an hour, and during this time, your body muscles will relax and your brain will enter a resting state with low grade activity. The final phase is N3, and it is the deepest of the three phases, the most difficult stage to wake a person from. It can only last for about 40 minutes, but during this time your brain activity will increase and you may find yourself moving in your sleep. You may have seen this in pets before, especially in cats or dogs when they run in their sleep. These are dreams, leading into the R.E.M. phase.”

During this time, the nebula on the left had been gently pulsing with pastel green colors, mixed with cerulean and a dash of rosy pink. It deepened slightly into lilac and richer tones of green and blue during the explanation of N2, until finally darkening into a deep indigo, royal purple, and slate for the completion of N3. There were small silver figures in the midst of the fog, difficult to make out, but they appeared to be woodland creatures scampering in and out of the clouds.

Permitting the cloud to vary in shades and brightness, Leonardo continued with the second nebulous, still moving about and circling the classroom. He was watching for more students who would filter in. “R.E.M. on the other hand, is even deeper than the N3 stage of N.R.E.M. As the name implies, during this phase, your eye will move rapidly and your eyelids may flutter during this time as you look about your ‘dream state’. During this time, your body will paralyze your muscles to prevent yourself from acting our your dreams and harming yourself accidentally, which may result in a sluggish feeling whenever you are aware in your dreams. Your breathing may become irregular at times and you may even hold your breath for a time before your body reminds you to breathe. Here, dreams become vivid, and it is the R.E.M. dreams that your mind is able to process and remember best.”

In the right nebula, the silver creatures and shapes became clearer. It was almost like a window into an ethereal world as if you could step through and enter the misty realm.

“On average, a person repeats a cycle of N.R.E.M. and R.E.M. about three to four times each night, spending one to two hours in N.R.E.M. each cycle. Thus, most of your sleep will take place in the N.R.E.M. phase, and most of your cloudier dreams take place during that time.” Leonardo stopped circling. “So... what is the use of sleep? Growth, strengthening nervous functions, survival, and general well-being. In deep sleep phases, your body increases its ability to grow and perform repairing functions, such as healing injuries and repairing muscle and bone tissue. In increase of bodily proteins also occurs, which further encourages cell growth and repairs.

“In addition, a lack of sleep lessens the body’s functions of memory, performance and ability to think clearly. Without sleep, general performance decreases and restlessness sets in. If you are severely sleep deprived, you may even experience neurological problems to the degree of mood swings and hallucinations. Nerve cells are especially dependent on sleep. Remember, the brain is still active, even in sleep in the form of low energy brainwaves. These neurons repair themselves during that time so they have the ability to function at their best. In addition, certain nerve connections have the ability to fire and exchange information strengthening the brain and increasing comprehensive ability.

“Even if you care not much for your educational ability or your bodily health, perhaps a point of importance is that without sleep, it is impossible to survive. Though the reason why sleep is so essential is not understood, a point stands that being deprived of R.E.M. sleep can shorten lifespans. Specifically, the lack of sleep may inhibit the immune system, which may heighten the chances of infections.

“Lastly, a lack of sleep can result in the development of other unlikable effects being at a higher risk for developing various health conditions such as but not limited to; obesity, diabetes and heart problems. This once again ties back to wellness of cell function and growth. On average, growing individuals need to have themselves an average of eight to ten hours of sleep per night.”

Finally permitting the nebulas to dissolve and vanish, Leonardo concluded the last part of his pseudo-lecture. ”There are a few ways to enter N.R.E.M. quickly, and more than a few methods to hasten the time it takes. I will share three of them before wrapping up; the Military Method, the Four-Seven-Eight Method, and the Progressive Muscle Relaxation Method.

“The Military Method was created for American Pilots to go to sleep quickly, even while sitting up. Especially practiced individuals can find themselves asleep within ten seconds. Try this as I explain.” Leonardo paused, in case anyone wanted to prepare themselves, before continuing in a low, silky tone. ”Relax your entire face. Do not smile or grimace or crease your brows, as they can cause tension. Let your tongue and jaw relax as well.
...
Do not roll your neck, but gently drop your shoulders to release the tension. Permit your hands to drop to the side of your body or fall where they may.
...
Exhale, relaxing your chest, but do not inhale deeply or sharply. Remain calm and relaxed.
...
Lessen the tension in your legs, thighs, and calves. Imagine that they are growing numb or are made of lead. You cannot move them, and you do not want to.
...
Clear your mind for 10 seconds by imagining a peaceful or delightful scene, keeping your face untensed.
...
If you are still aware, try saying the words “don’t think” for 10 seconds. Eventually, your mind will wander and you will gradually become unaware.
...
...
...
...
... Gently roll your shoulders and head if you wish to return to the classroom setting. Or else, goodnight.”

Leonardo felt Macbeth on his shoulder breathing in tiny, regular patterns. The atmosphere had been a bit too relaxing for the little chick, who had gently dug tiny talons into Leonardo’s black overcoat to maintain balance. When he felt that most of the class was with him again, or those who wanted to be, the Professor continued. “Eventually, practice with the Military Method may become so refined for you that you can find yourself falling asleep even in a crowded or noisy area. Let us try the Four-Seven-Eight Method.
...
Gently part your lips, and let a quiet ‘whooshing’ sound escape as you exhale through your mouth.
...
Now, close your lips and inhale silently through your nose. Count to 4 in your head, and even let your mind wander.
...
Hold your breath for 7 seconds. Let yourself dissociate.
...
After your count, exhale with a quiet ‘whoosh’ sound for 8 seconds.
...
Do not try to be aware of your breaths at the end of each cycle. Practice mindlessly and let your breaths run into one another.
...
Repeat this for four full breaths. Let your body sleep if you feel relaxation coming on earlier than anticipated.
...
...
...
...
... Roll your shoulders or gently wiggle your fingers and toes to return to the setting.

“The basis of this method is that the breathing is irregular. We strive for balance, even in breathing, and in forcing ourselves to hold a breath for an odd count as opposed to the even breath in or out, our bodies inadvertently relax. This relaxation is what we are aiming for.”

After letting the class return to a more aware state, Leonardo finally embarked on the last method. “This last method may seem counterintuitive at first glance, but please, try it as I explain.
... Raise your eyebrows as high as possible for 5 seconds, resulting in a tension in your forehead.
...
Relax your muscles immediately and wait for ten seconds as you feel the tension lessen.
...
Smile widely to create tension in your cheeks. Hold now for five seconds, and then relax.
...
Pause 10 seconds.
...
Squint now, nearly closing your eyes. Hold 5 seconds and then relax.
...
Pause 10 seconds.
...
Tilt your head slightly back towards the ceiling comfortably. Look at the stars if you wish. Hold 5 seconds and then relax, permitting your neck to sink into the pillow.
...
Pause 10 seconds.
...
Continue this method, moving down the rest of the body, from your triceps to chest, thighs to feet.
...
If you feel yourself yourself fall asleep, embrace it, even if you do not finish tensing and relaxing the rest of your body.
...
...
...
...”

At this point, Leonardo would speak no more, and would not pay the second adult any mind, instead backing away from the room quietly after a last scan and then quickly making his way up the stairs leading to the Observation deck. His cloak would ripple behind him as he entered the overlooking area, and he would note with some relief that the fire pit had not yet been tampered with. He would quietly look upon the two children which were there... the red headed girl and the boy, quietly standing in the shadow by the stairway. He would not eavesdrop, nor would he interrupt. He only watched quietly, ensuring that they were both safe in his care.

Macbeth nestled further against Leonardo’s neck, and despite himself, the Professor let out a tense, quiet sigh, rubbing the screech owl between the wings in the place that Leonardo knew Macbeth liked it best. Everything was going relatively well... for now.

Reducio

@Kelsey Brumby, my dearest Scottish ffffffffriend...

Rose Moon didn't think of herself as an insomniac.

It was true that the redhead always had trouble falling asleep. There was barely ever a night when there wasn't a worry or a subject on her mind, occupying her thoughts as she tried to drift off to sleep. Something she had done or said that she regretted, a question she had gotten wrong, a grade she hadn't liked, all the problems of her life and of the world, every thing she never wanted to think about ever again. They always seemed to come back when she was falling asleep, when her mind wasn't preoccupied with some other task, like a class or something she was keeping her hands busy with. Or, her favorite method, a book. Reading before bed a lot of the time made it better because she was still thinking about whatever story she had been reading, thinking about that instead of whatever more urgent thoughts would want to butt in. Writing before attempting sleep almost seemed to make it worse- all the things she didn't say or could have said, or all the ways to edit it. Any extra thoughts to add- they would all distract her from sleep.

All this to say, it is very possible that Rose Moon is an insomniac.

She had heard about the sleepover at the astronomy tower and had jumped at the thought. She loved sleepovers. The last sleepover she had been to was one with her best friend, Alina Rosier, during the summer. They had loads of fun at the music festival, eating tacos, and swimming in her pools. Pools plural, yes. And then Alina had transferred to Beauxbatons to be with her twin sister, possibly just as Rose needed her most. From her best friend moving away to her sister being lonely to her ginormous fight with her mom, there had been a lot going on recently, which had caused Rose to be a lot more reserved and had not helped at all with her sleeping problems.

Okay, yeah, Rose Moon is an insomniac.

Rose had grabbed her thick gray blanket and changed into some of her pajamas. They were the ones she had gotten from her grandmother this Christmas- the ones that matched with the rest of Rose's siblings and cousins. And she had dutch braided her red hair for this occasion. Well, not really for specifically this occasion. Rose's hair wasn't kinky curly, but it did have some curl to it. And one of the downsides of having curly hair is that it gets tangled a whole lot faster than straight hair- water and sleeping were her hair's arch enemies unless she braided it.

Rose walked up the stairs almost slowly. Gosh, every time she came into this room she couldn't help but remember Alina. They had snuck up here together that one night after Alina had told her that she couldn't just live at Hogwarts and never really take in the view of the Astronomy Tower at night. They had their lessons, but that wasn't really the same. In the lessons, they had to devote their attention to Professor Chiadovini, and they didn't always go up and look at the stars. When they did, it wasn't sightseeing- it was studying. And to take it all in, devoting all her attention to the stars in the sky... it had been breathtaking.

The lioness' cat, Chaska, had followed her up to the Astronomy Tower. As she came to the entrance, she first took it all in.

It sure smelled like lavender in here.

The aroma was calming, and not overpowering, no, not in the least, but definitely strong. She recognized some of her friends- Henry and Michael- as well as Logan, who she knew was Henry's best friend, but had also kicked her butt in dueling back nearer the beginning of the year. There, of course, was the Astronomy professor, Professor Leonardo Chiadovini, he was hosting this event, and some other students that she vaguely remembered. Some of them she had classes with, and one of them was the seeker who had brought her house and school to victory in the Quidditch game between Durmstrang and Hogwarts at the summer camp.

They were all grouped up in pairs, except for a dark-haired girl and a blonde in the middle of the tower. Even the Professor was snapping at the school nurse by his desk. Rose stood in the back, four or five paces away from the entrance as attention was demanded from the Professor, going through the motions of what he described, but pulling herself back to reality each time. Professor Chiadovini may have been terrifying, but his lectures sure were captivating. Listening intently from the back of the classroom, Rose followed along with his "lesson" of sorts, trying to make notes inside of her head so that she could remember this to help this night and nights in advance.

He didn't end with any flourish, just a casual walking away. She didn't want to approach the professor or any of the people who already had people they were talking with, and was too impatient to see how the school nurse [@Kelsey Brumby] would react to being snapped at by the professor, but she did hope that she could talk to him later. Adults were cool.

Stomach twisting, Rose approached the blonde girl [Rosalie Rutherford] sitting near the middle of the astronomy tower, trying to grab her attention by clearing her throat before speaking up, forcing her voice to be a normal volume. "Uh, hello. I'm Rose. I was wondering- you can say no if you want- no pressure- um. Can I sit with you? Almost everyone else seems to have company," she said. Her voice was gentle, anxious, and carried an American accent, but was still perfectly understandable, hoping she would be allowed to join the girl. That was the time that Chaska, a beautiful silver siberian, decided to bound over from Rose's side, then over to the girl, climbing into her lap with a purr deep in her throat. She would stand there, waiting for the girl to start petting her. Rose immediately jumped into apologies on behalf of her cat. "Oh- I- I'm sorry, she's very affectionate. You can push her off if you want."

Henry watched as Sherlock joined them and a small smile appeared on the edges of his lips as he watched Loki bound after the cat clearly excited to see the feline. While Henry looked back over at Logan and with a nod before replying " good idea, let's get spots before their all taken," the boy would let his eyes catch the phials of essential oils with little labels on each that Henry found was hard to to read without squinting a bit but didn't pay much attention to the fact as he lifted one and held it in his left hand wishing that he brought his messager type bag with him now while his eyes skimmed over the astronomy books allowing his heart to skip a beat, his love of books was to strong to ignore as he ran his hand over the spines for a moment before backing away and jogging back over to Logan.

Searching for a spot, Henry spotted to next to each other and closer in the back as the boy pointed them out toward his best friend while speaking " what about those two?" Before listening to her comment and eyes landing on the notebook, Henry nodded with a smile as he spoke "yeah, that sounds brilliant Robin," before looking back down at the phial in his hand as he nudged Logan before speaking " I'm going to get something from my common room, look after Loki for me until I get back?"

After hearing her response, Henry would hog out of the astronomy tower and back toward his common room before disappearing inside and running straight toward his dormitory and bunk room. Where he grab his messager type bag and shoved around four books inside, along with the marauders map, packet of jelly slugs, packet of sherbet lemons, the phial of essential oil, an blanket, and his wand. The boy then threw the messager type bag over his shoulder and ran straight back up to the astronomy tower not stopping until he reach the classroom.

Once there, the twelve year old would lean against the war clearly not breath because despite from his skinny and lean appearance he was anything except athletic. Henry then walked from the entrance back toward the spot where Logan was along with Loki, Henry offered both a smile as he spoke " I didn't take to long right?" Laughing a bit while he sat down before taking off his messager type bag from his shoulder and placing it next behind him a bit while he position himself to sit on his knees.

Henry then tapped the notebook in his best friend's hands as he spoke " should we look through it then," before eyeing his bag just for a moment clearly glad to have it back while Loki decided to leave the group and wander away toward whom Henry recognized as Rose Moon.

Watching his feline as Loki lifted his paw in front of the red head to say hi before rubbing against Chaska and playful whacking at the younger cat's head before rubbing against her again and giving the girl whom Henry didn't know a sniff before ignoring her meaning Loki either didn't like her and didn't decide yet as he wander back toward Chaska and batted lightly at the cat's head before running back toward Sherlock and taking a place by the cat.

Henry however just offered Rose a wave and smile since he wasn't sure how her and Logan got along since they didn't know each other quite well at least that's what Henry thought besides from the duel of course.

Turning back toward Logan as he whispered, " didn't you duel with her and won brilliantly," glancing those Rose before looking back toward Logan and giving her a smile as he lightly leaned against her ready to look through the notebook until the Professor Chiadovini started to teach and class was probably one of Henry's most favorite things as he couldn't help but listen to the man.

Henry would listen to man's explanation of N.R.E.M and R.E.M which only naturally produced questions in Henry's mind as he eyed Logan and gave a playful grin which would mean 'sorry for this' before waiting for the man to finish his lecture with the ending on now to fall asleep before the twelve year old would raise his hand.

With his hand raised and once the professor would acknowledge him, Henry would start to ask " uh excuse me Professor but I have a few questions? Could one live through a memory they experienced when they younger be consdiered as R.E.M? Also is there a way to stop yourself from going into the N3 or N2 stage of N.R.E.M? Are there cases of some not waking up from going into R.E.M or could is self injury prominent in R.E.M? As well as sleep walking, is the sleep walker in a state of R.E.M since sleeping walking and running in one's sleep is closely related and used the same nervous almost? What type of science was done to prove that growing individuals need around 8 to 10 hours of sleep? Mental growth when on sleeps strengths memory yes but what about endurance or awareness? And wouldn't certain potions contrast the effects of sleep such as the forgetfulness potion or wolfbane not that I know much about potions uh? Is there a way of keeping yourself from falling into N.R.E.M or R.E.M? Is there a potion you can take or something you can do from having certain dreams or-"

Stopping himself and shutting his mouth as he noticed that he was rambling a bit even with his questions that while yes he was curiously relating them to himself since the last few days he had vivid dreams of the night his family was attack by the werewolf which was a memory and knew that a few of the other slytherin knew since he tended to unintensity scream at the end meaning Michael knew since they shared a bunk room together.

"Sorry," Henry added before looking back up at the professor as he continued " you don't have to answer them," the boy would then take a moment before looking back toward Logan and pushing the bag a bit in the center of them signaling that she could use it or the items inside it as well such as the blanket or candy before whispering toward her " want to go through the notebook now?"