Ooh, Jackson, where's your loverboy?“, Chava asks, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively.

It's a grey and nippy sunday morning, the day after Halloween and the clique has gathered for a late breakfast at 11:30 am. Jackson comes to the table alone, his expression somwhat droopy, and slams his beg on the bench next to him. At Chava's remark his face pales visibly.

„What happened? Where you having a bad date?“, the Slytherin asks in surprise but Jackson shakes his head.

„It was really good actually.“, he replies dolefully.

„Then what's wrong?“

„Well, we... we were having a good time walking around, talking. I really...-I don't know Mark is so cute and open and I just started to fancy him, I guess. So anyway, we sat down in a small park and I asked him what he was tinking about...“

„And?“, Chava asks curiously, from over her cereal.

„He said...“, Jackson begins but then shakes his head.

„Said what?“, a Ravenclaw girl chips in eagerly.

„He said... 'I'm thinking about your between my thighs'“, Jackson blurts out and therewith his face goes red like a tomato and he pulls his cloak over his head, hitting the table with his forehead. Chava drops the spoon into her cereal, spattering the Slytherin guy next to her with milk.

„Uh gross!“, the latter says to Jackson and the Ravenclaw girls laugh out loud.

„Are you for real?“, Chava asks incredulously. The huddle of cloak just moves slightly as a yes.

Sighing, Chava picks her spoon up again and gets back to eating her cereal.

„So what's the problem? Isn't that what you want?“, she asks calmly. Suddenly, Jackson's red head pops out from his cape.

„Nooo!“, he whines.

„It was actually my fault. I like to be a little playful and confident with him but it's all fake. I'm actually not as experienced as everyone thinks I am... I'm going to make such a fool of myself.“

"What do you mean by that?", Chava asks but only silence emerges from the hill of cloak.

„Did you just say that you have not had before?“, Chava adds.

„Yeah“, Jackson admits sheepishly.

„I seriously don't have enough hands to make a facepalm big enough for this mess, Jackson!“, Chava says loudly and glances over at the Hufflepuff table where It and Mark sit and are almost done eating. I can't believe our little Mark said that, Chava thinks.

Earlier that day...

„You said what?!?“, It bursts out, making some Hufflepuffs in the common room turn their heads to where It and Mark are sitting.

„I-I don't know~ I just said what first came to my mind.“, Mark defends himself.

„I'm getting really worked up because I'm always pretending like Chava told me to and so maybe I overreacted when Jackson asked me that question suddenly.“

„Wow... then how did he react?“, It asks while it keeps shaking its head. Mark shrugs. He sits deep in his arm chair - like he wants to disappear into it any moment.

„Just as you'd expect. He was... amused, I think, and also intrigued.“, the boy says quietly.

„Intrigued? Well, great there we have it.“, It replies with contrition.

„And we also kind of agreed to a date next weekend.“, Mark goes on. He's almost whispering now, very meekly into the fabric of his chair.

„So we can do something about what I said.“, he concludes and puts a hand over his scarlet red face.

It looks like its going to say something, but then just slumps down into its arm chair, watching Mark with pity. Neither Chava nor it planned on this thing to get so serious.

„Maybe you should just tell him about yourself~“, It suggests calmly, but Mark immediately shakes his head.

„No, I'm not an idiot. Think of what I would be if I did that: A lovesick Hufflepuff who does everything to impress his biggest star, a guy from the golden, wonderful, proud Gryffindor. Our house will be the unpopular, insignificant house again. It would all feed the prejudice.“

„We'll figure something out... I guess.“, It says quietly, looking at Mark full of worry.

„Breakfast?“, it adds hopefully.

„Breakfast“, Mark confirms and finally climbs out of his chair.