Lost... Again Closed

Sarah loved wandering the castle corridors in the evenings. She’d almost been caught more than once out after hours, though had so far managed to escape any punishment. It had been making her increasingly more brave and less careful ands she knew that it was only a matter fo time before she did get caught. But, here she was again, somewhere on the second floor, making her way down the deserted corridors of the castle with an innate curiosity which followed her wherever she went.

It was partly the architecture which fascinated her, but mostly the stories. The history of the building and lives it had seen. So many witches and wizards had walked these corridors - people had loved and laughed and lost. A war had ravaged the castle some years ago, but still it stood tall. Sarah sometimes wondered what the stone walls might say if they could talk. She’d heard many a story from the portraits here at Hogwarts - having formed somewhat of a friendship with a page boy who lived on the fourth floor who’d once told her about a time he’d seen the old school caretaker singing a jaunty Christmas song. The point being, even if there was a possibility of her getting caught out of her dorm at this hour, she felt as though it was worth the chance to explore the castle without the hustle of the students which inhabited it during the day.

She’d been too caught in her thoughts, thinking of how the castle might have been different before the war, to notice another presence in the corridors. That was until she turned a corner and came face-to-face with another student. Her heart momentarily stopped, fear building up that she’d finally been caught, until she realised the girl was young - more than likely a first year by the wide-eyed look on her face.

“You probably shouldn’t be out of your dorms this late,” She said, her desire to tease winning out above anything else. She stared at the girl with a straight face for a few seconds before her lips curled upwards into a small grin. “Are we lost or exploring?” She asked after a second, letting her tone become warmer and smile softer. She was intimidating by nature, her sharp features and striking hair often discouraging people, though she hoped the girl took her words as a joke.

@Sarah Lightwood

Everly continued to take small steps as she took in the Hogwarts castle at night, though she was still fretting over the fact that 1) she was most definitely going to get in trouble for this, 2) she wasn't going to be able to find her way back, and 3) where was she now?

Turning around, Everly whirled smack into another student. Her eyes opened wide in anxiety, shock, and general wondering why she was so stupid in the first place. Thoughts rushed through her brain too fast to process. All she could hear was the raindrops echoing as they fell against the windows.

The other girl seemed older than Everly, maybe a year or two older. She spoke first. “You probably shouldn’t be out of your dorms this late." Her lips curled upwards into a smile or a smirk - Everly wasn't quite sure which one it was. As if her hair, posture, and confidence in her voice weren't intimidating at all. Everly's mouth opened, then she proceeded to change her mind and closed it. Perhaps Everly could live with a school of fish. “Are we lost or exploring?”

"I uhh... don't think I'm supposed to be out here right now?" Everly responded, mentally smacking herself for phrasing it like a question. "But I mean... I'd say exploring, because it's less embarrassing. I'm lost," she added sheepishly.

Sarah mildly regretted the teasing lilt she’d placed on her initial words. The girl before her seemed nervous, looking at her with startled eyes which would have been enough to tell her as much even if she hadn’t stuttered over her words. Still, despite the sheepish smile which fell upon her lips, it didn’t appear as though Sarah’s words had scared her too much. At least she’s not running away, she found herself thinking. She remembered the last time she had run into someone on one of her evening escapades, the boy’s wide-eyes had stared at her for a few seconds before he’d bolted. It was a rather unnerving thought that someone had actually ran away from her. She shook the thought, no use dwelling on the past, and focused back on the girl before her.

“No, you probably shouldn’t be out her right now. But neither should I so,” She said with a small shrug, hoping it might settle her slightly. “I won’t tell if you don’t,” the accompanying wink she threw towards the small Gryffindor lightening the mood. “Maybe save the exploring for daylight until you’re slightly more acquainted with the castle?” Sarah suggested, the advice sound enough despite the fact that she’d not listened to a word of it in her first year. Exploring the castle at night had always held an appeal to the Slytherin that she couldn’t escape.

“Back in my first year, I ended up on the in the trophy room on the third floor when I was trying to find my way back to the common rooms,” Sarah admitted, tilting her head in the direction she knew the Gryffindor common rooms to be and starting to leisurely walk the corridor. She chuckled, humour causing her bright eyes to sparkle under the candle light. “Perhaps I should have realised that climbing up a flight of stairs put me in the wrong direction entirely,” She smiled. It had taken her the first month of being at Hogwarts to not find it strange that the Slytherin common rooms were in the dungeons and another month to feel comfortable with it.

@Sarah Lightwood

The girl's eyes darted from left to right and she immediately began listing all possible escape routes before the older student answered. So far, she counted... two. Three if she wanted to go through the window, and four if she found some way to blast through the ceiling. It took a moment to register that the other girl had replied, and her brows knit together as the words sunk in. She'd never quite thought of herself as a rule-breaker, and she didn't want to start now.

Licking her lips, she was already planning to bust out some master, unable-to-be-seen-through, definitely valid excuse. Oh, uh, I'm just... visiting the armor pieces. Because, you know, I like to talk to them. When I get lonely.

Maybe not the best excuse.

"There's too many people during the day," Everly argued, wrinkling her nose. "But um... I'll keep that in mind," she responded with a slight, hopeful grin. That, at least, was doubtable, but she'd make an effort. Maybe.

Everly's eyes brightened. "So then, it's true that the Slytherin common room is in the dungeons? That must be so cool! Is it hard to sleep with, you know, the Squid and the Lake all around you?" Her head tipped sideways ever so slightly. "Not that I'm interested or anything. Of course not. Nope," she added offhandedly, with a weak chuckle.

I'm so, so, so sorry for the late response! Please forgive me haha