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The Whomping Willow (Kiandra_Black & Greeneyed23)

He had showered while she dressed then put on his usual clothing, freshly washed black everything, and now he kissed her neck, laying her bag on her far shoulder, his own in place. "Skyfall is off hunting as are the wise fowl. Let's go darling. Lead the way."
 
"Thank you." Cleo headed down the halls, Brandon in tow. They reached the Great Hall with twenty minutes to spare for breakfast. They found seats next to the Marauders, minus Peter, and Cleo made herself a plate, with scrambled eggs, toast and sausage links. Lily walked in about five minutes later and paused, searching for someone, before making her way to Severus, seated with Regulus at the Slytherin table. They spoke briefly, James watching the exchange with jealous eyes before Lily walked over, sitting down next to Remus and Cleo.

"Morning guys. Does anyone know where my History of Potions book is? I thought Sev still had it, but he said he gave it back..."
The group shook their heads, and she sighed. Breakfast passed quickly, and class began soon after, everyone heading to their first class.

Cleo sat in the back, taking notes as Sev sat in front of her since Brandon stole the seat next to her. He turned to make conversation with them, after the teacher allowed them to talk and work on their school assignment.
"You're chipper this morning Cleo... What's up?"
"Why don't you answer Brandon..." Cleo said, winking at them both.
 
"She learned a new spell." He tickled her knee under the table smirking.

"Now why is Lily so eager for a History of Potions book? And where is the book?"

Brandon had had his quill taking notes while he prepared for the assignment. He was now fully involved in the assignment his nimble fingers working rapidly. He waved away his notes and drew out another parchment and snagged his quill and began to take further notes of the assignment.

"And also why don't you have a History of Potions book Sev? You're the cauldron king."
 
"Eh. I never bought it... too busy keeping Cleo out of trouble."
"You act like you didn't enjoy yourself that day!"
"Cleo, you dropped a smoke dragon in the bookstore. I was happy to get the books I at least NEEDED before we were escorted out!"

Cleo grinned at the memory and then went back to doing the assignment. It was fairly quick, and she had soon completed the parchment length asked for. She took her quill and started tickling Severus, who was still working. He grunted and batted her hand away as she smirked and then turned towards Brandon, a mischievous glint to her eyes, quill in hand.
 
"could have been worse. She could have had wanted to try her fire spells out."

He chuckled at the thought then arched an eyebrow at her actions then as she turned on him he smirked. "Go ahead love. i'm not ticklish."

He reached out and wiped a smudge of ink off her cheek his eyes glinting just as mischievously.
 
Cleo playfully glared at him before leaning in and whispering, "I'll try THAT spell out again..."

Class ended and they had to head to the next one, Brandon and Cleo splitting from one another. Cleo walked with Severus to their class, the greenhouse hot and humid as they entered it. The two Slytherins looked around the room searching for seats, nodding politely towards those who smiled in their direction.
 
Brandon smirked. "DO so and I'll do one that is much worse to you but also paralyze you."

He followed them to herbology but was waylaid by McGonagall. She reminded him he would be beginning his Auror training soon. Tonight in fact. He sighed and went into the greenhouse, taking his place beside Remus this time, though his mind was focused much more on his upcoming lessons with Moody rather than the greenhouse lesson.

This proved disadvantageous for him. He ended up having a fresh set of cuts on his face and neck to deal with while the lesson began, while Sirus and James laughed at him and Brandon glared at them.
 
Remus handed him a cloth, soaked with Ditany and asked, "How much trouble do you think they'll be in when Cleo finds out they were laughing at you?"
At those words, both James and Sirius stopped laughing with a slightly scared look on their face as they pleaded with Brandon with their eyes.
Remus just grinned and turned back to his own plant.

Cleo was watering a Devilish Vine, taking care to avoid it's long thorny vines as it flailed around in it's pot.
 
"Im no snitch lads. And she'd just laugh too. Now if they had harmed me themselves...."

He laughed as well rubbing at the wound then got back to work ready to focus again. He nudged Remus. "Thanks mate. Where'd you get the Dittany? I thought you'd run out?"
 
Remus smiled and said, "Severus gave me a small bottle. He isn't that bad... Cleo keeps him in line." He grinned as he said it, and went back to pruning the small bush he had in front of him.

After class, Cleo found Brandon, and gave him a kiss, "Hey, I have a Free period now. I'm planning on taking Apples down to Artemis and Luna."

Sev waved at them as he passed, heading back up to the castle. Sirius and Remus had Care of Magical Creatures, while James had a study session with Lily, and Cleo told him to tell Lily that she was meeting with her for lunch.
 
'I have no issues with Sev. I'm not the brilliant brothers there." He gestured at James and Sirius.

"Me too. This should be fun." He kissed her back then took her arm. "Got your apples?"

He chuckled kissing her neck. "Let's go see the babies."
 
"Thank you love." Cleo said good bye to Remus, and smiled and waved at James and Sirius, before leading the way out. On the hill overlooking Hagrid's castle, she took Brandon's hand and the two walked down together. From a distance, the two horses looked up, and began frolicking happily.

Both were growing quite well, Luna still a bit smaller than usual, but gaining weight like she needed to. Artemis immediately snuffed at Brandon as Luna bumped Cleo, both pegasi nudging them greedily. Cleo giggled as Luna snuffled at her pockets, knowing that Cleo had brought a treat for them, as she usually did. Cleo set her book bag on the ground and knelt to grab the bagged sliced apples she had gotten, Luna rearranging the hair on her head playfully.
 
Brandon stepped away from his lover and began to play with Artemis pushing her and letting her chase him, letting him also practice some rather impressive acrobatic moves by vaulting the horse as she ran by or at him.

Soon this drew Luna's attention too and they both set on him. After a minute they huffed irritably as he guided them back to their mother with their manes his knees planted on the backs. They huffed and sulked, moving around to hide behind Cleo snorting at Brandon who just grinned.
 
"Aw. Is papa being a bully...?" Cleo asked, smiling at them as they butted their heads against her body. She fed them each a slice, then backed up, stepping into Brandon, "Come on, let's see you two move." She meant for them to work for their treats. Artemis arched his neck and began trotting, his steps precise. Cleo clucked her tongue, and he moved into the Paso Fino step, something she had taught them both without Brandon around. She smiled as Luna followed him cutely, also doing the three beat step, usually only Puerto Rican horses could do.

"Good. Here..." both shoved Brandon out of the way to reach her, taking their treats gently from her hand.
 
Brandon did not move as easily as they wanted, pushing back, making them move around him instead smirking. "Sorry babies. i train with magic. you can't compete with that. I still say you talk like a girl Artemis. And babe that is a girl name. No matter what you say."
 
"You leave him alone Brandon. He's going to grow into his full size, and then we'll see how well you do love." Cleo answered, soothing Artemis as he glared at Brandon. Artemis swished his tail, annoyed with him, but then turned his back to him, as if to say Artemis was better than Brandon.

Cleo giggled at the colt's reaction, and kissed Brandon on the cheek. She fed them the rest of the apples, before kissing each one on their foreheads and smiling at Brandon.
 
Brandon smiled back and moved to the colt, noting how the ears flicked back to try and keep aware of him but when Brandon leapt at the colt hand hugged his neck Artemis was so surprised he whinnied then snorted, glowering at his father, then whinnying again as Brandon kissed his forehead. "You're a handsome devil and easily going to be the pride of the herd my son. You have your mother's grace and brains and my strength. You'll be big and strong."

He then gave Artemis a large tart, which the horse greedily devoured enjoying the fruit in the middle and the sweetness of the bread and glaze.

Luna walked over lipped his arm and Brandon chuckled. "I wouldn't forget my sweet girl." he gave her one as well then watching them resume their cavorting he returned to Cleo. "So...what now?"
 
"I'm hungry... and I know how to get into the kitchens..." Cleo said mischievously before flicking his ear and racing away, giggling at him as both Artemis and Luna head butted him throwing him off balance as Cleo got away. Remus watched her race by, before looking up to see Brandon.

He shook his head and went back to the book in his lap. Those two acted like children sometimes, although he knew it was MOSTLY Cleo's fault. She hadn't had a lot of fun growing up, as her father, as loving as he was, was a bit strict. Especially after the death of her brother.
 
Brandon shoved the horses away then tore off after his love laughing as well, though he had had to stop to get her bag which she had left behind.

He corned her on the hall to the stairs down to the kitchen level and hurled her bag at her while he slide down a bannister and tackled her rolling to a stop against her bag which he had magically expanded and softened to protect them. holding her below him he smirked and kissed her. "Quick but not quick enough my love."
 
"You threw something at me! It wasn't fair." She said grinning up at him, before leaning up to press a kiss to his lips. She wiggled out of his hold, and walked to the portrait which hid the kitchens, tickling the pear for a moment before it slid open. She smiled and waved at the little elves, who immediately set to making them a snack, insisting that they sit down and enjoy themselves.

"We have about twenty more minutes before our next class, and then lunch is after that... I'm already exhausted..." she stuck her tongue out at him and sighed, before taking a sip of the hot tea the elves had provided.
 
Brandon gently pushed the elves back for a moment to sit with them. He also hated when they walked between his legs. "Alright my friends could I get some dragonfruit?"

They supplied it immediately and he grinned. "Ahh. Matchless service and selection as always. Thank you." They grinned and supplied him with a knife as he refused to let them cut it for him. "No offense but you are busy and I enjoy it. Thanks again." he also got water as he ate his fruit. "Delicious."

He chuckled as nudged one gently. "So what's for dinner?"

They all started answering.
 
Cleo giggled as they all tried to talk over one another. The door swung open, only to reveal James and Lily, who seemed to have the exact same idea that Cleo and Brandon had had. Lily smiled at Cleo, and made her way over, greeting Brandon with a kiss to the cheek before sitting down next to Cleo. The two started talking about the next class, as James nodded to Cleo and sat across from them.

"You guys were hungry too?" James asked Brandon as he used his seeker skills to nab a bite of the dragonfruit, being scolded by the elves, who brought him one.
 
Brandon smiled sweetly and flicked his seeker's ear. "Steal my fruit again and I'll put chili pepper on your broom." He went back to work on his own dragonfruit thanking the elves. "And be grateful when you are given anything."

James snarled but Brandon flicked him again and the Seeker thanked the elves as his Captain instructed while Brandon looked at Lily wondering if she was still playing frosty with James.
 
Cleo and Lily went over the last assignment, and both agreed that they were okay with the material. A couple minutes later, they headed to the next class.

School passed quickly, and round dinner, the story of Death Eaters attacking Diagon Alley was spread around. Cleo disappeared from the school.
 
Brandon cornered his lover. "Darling where are you going?"

He cupped her cheek lightly stoking her skin, letting the ball of his finger run over her neck. "Are you alright?"
 
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