3 Dec 2020, 20:24
Stars and the Sunrise
@Ashley Coulson
It was early in the morning. Like, really early. The sun was not yet up. Calypso wasn't usually much of a rule-breaker, but she had snuck out of the dormitory at 4:30 in the morning and walked down to the Great Lake. She actually wasn't entirely sure if she was breaking any rules. The curfew sheet said when you had to be in bed, and when it was time to go to breakfast, but not when it was acceptable to get up. In any case, she had felt the need to go somewhere by herself. To be in nature, in silence. To get away from everything. Don't get her wrong, Calypso absolutely loved Hogwarts. She had already made several good friends, learned so much, and just felt like she fit. But there had been a lot of hustle and bustle lately and she needed to just be for a while. She had actually been able to catch the last of the stars as they disappeared from the sky. Calypso had always loved stars. For as long as she could remember, the stars had always been there. Of course, she couldn't always see them, but they were, no mater what was going on down on crazy, mixed-up earth, always there. Calypso laid back on the damp grass, listening to the sound of the lake moving. That's another thing Cal loved: water. Her favorite was the ocean, but water in any form (well, any natural form) always gave her a sense of peace. Calypso would have gone up to the Astronomy Tower (which she loved), but classes went on there all through the night, and outside of them first years were not allowed up there without special permission. But this spot had turned out to be better, with its night sounds and the lapping of the water on the riverbank, and the smell of pine on the breeze. After around half an hour or so of just sitting and taking in the early-morning landscape, Calypso snuggled down into the blanket she had brought with her, and pulled out the book and flashlight from her bag. A couple hours later, and a good quarter into her book, the sky started to glow pink. A few rays of brilliant sun peaked out above the mountains in the east, and Calypso checked her watch. She smiled. 6:00, right on time. Then, over her shoulder she heard a voice. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
It was early in the morning. Like, really early. The sun was not yet up. Calypso wasn't usually much of a rule-breaker, but she had snuck out of the dormitory at 4:30 in the morning and walked down to the Great Lake. She actually wasn't entirely sure if she was breaking any rules. The curfew sheet said when you had to be in bed, and when it was time to go to breakfast, but not when it was acceptable to get up. In any case, she had felt the need to go somewhere by herself. To be in nature, in silence. To get away from everything. Don't get her wrong, Calypso absolutely loved Hogwarts. She had already made several good friends, learned so much, and just felt like she fit. But there had been a lot of hustle and bustle lately and she needed to just be for a while. She had actually been able to catch the last of the stars as they disappeared from the sky. Calypso had always loved stars. For as long as she could remember, the stars had always been there. Of course, she couldn't always see them, but they were, no mater what was going on down on crazy, mixed-up earth, always there. Calypso laid back on the damp grass, listening to the sound of the lake moving. That's another thing Cal loved: water. Her favorite was the ocean, but water in any form (well, any natural form) always gave her a sense of peace. Calypso would have gone up to the Astronomy Tower (which she loved), but classes went on there all through the night, and outside of them first years were not allowed up there without special permission. But this spot had turned out to be better, with its night sounds and the lapping of the water on the riverbank, and the smell of pine on the breeze. After around half an hour or so of just sitting and taking in the early-morning landscape, Calypso snuggled down into the blanket she had brought with her, and pulled out the book and flashlight from her bag. A couple hours later, and a good quarter into her book, the sky started to glow pink. A few rays of brilliant sun peaked out above the mountains in the east, and Calypso checked her watch. She smiled. 6:00, right on time. Then, over her shoulder she heard a voice. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be
insane by those who could not hear the music."
Ashley Coulson
3 Dec 2020, 22:16
Stars and the Sunrise
@Calypso Starling
Ashley couldn't sleep. There were days like that sometimes, when the world is silent and beautiful and she starts thinking what am I doing inside, sleeping, wasting this miracle? Ashley looked at the clock. 5:30 AM. She quietly rolled out of bed, got dressed, grabbed a throw blanket and her notebook, and crept out of the Ravenclaw Tower. After quietly walking outside, she made her way across the grounds to the Great Lake. So far, the lake was her favorite thinking spot at Hogwarts. Especially this early in the morning, when everyone else was still asleep. It was still dark outside, but Ashley didn't mind. Unlike most people, she found the dark comforting. It wrapped around her like a blanket, protecting her. Not that she couldn't protect herself. When Ashley got to the lake, she spread her blanket out over the dew-dropped grass and sat down. The water was so still and clear it looked like glass. She sighed with contentment and pulled her notebook. Her number one rule as an aspiring writer was to never go anywhere without one. She scribbled down water like glass on her page of descriptions. She looked up at the stars. They were so much brighter here than they were at home. Suddenly, she heard a rustling sound. Ashley looked around. She wasn't scared, exactly, but she had heard the stories of the kinds of creatures that lurked in the dark, waiting. Her eyes came to rest upon a figure about ten yards away. It looked like Calypso, her friend she had met at Flourish and Blotts. Should I go over? Ashley wondered. She knew that usually when people came out to the lake alone early in the morning, they usually wanted to be by themselves. But not always...Ashley decided to go over and say hello. As she was making her way over, the sun began to rise. Even though she had seen it several times at Hogwarts already, it never failed to take her breath away. The bright, pastel colors blended flawlessly all around her. After staring at the sunrise for a moment, she continued towards Calypso. Ashley stood quietly a couple feet away. Calypso, lost in a book, had not seen her yet. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Ashley murmured. Her voice was filled with awe. Calypso looked up and smiled. "Yes, it is."
Ashley laid down her blanket again and sat down beside her. "I've never seen anyone else out here this early before," she commented.
Ashley couldn't sleep. There were days like that sometimes, when the world is silent and beautiful and she starts thinking what am I doing inside, sleeping, wasting this miracle? Ashley looked at the clock. 5:30 AM. She quietly rolled out of bed, got dressed, grabbed a throw blanket and her notebook, and crept out of the Ravenclaw Tower. After quietly walking outside, she made her way across the grounds to the Great Lake. So far, the lake was her favorite thinking spot at Hogwarts. Especially this early in the morning, when everyone else was still asleep. It was still dark outside, but Ashley didn't mind. Unlike most people, she found the dark comforting. It wrapped around her like a blanket, protecting her. Not that she couldn't protect herself. When Ashley got to the lake, she spread her blanket out over the dew-dropped grass and sat down. The water was so still and clear it looked like glass. She sighed with contentment and pulled her notebook. Her number one rule as an aspiring writer was to never go anywhere without one. She scribbled down water like glass on her page of descriptions. She looked up at the stars. They were so much brighter here than they were at home. Suddenly, she heard a rustling sound. Ashley looked around. She wasn't scared, exactly, but she had heard the stories of the kinds of creatures that lurked in the dark, waiting. Her eyes came to rest upon a figure about ten yards away. It looked like Calypso, her friend she had met at Flourish and Blotts. Should I go over? Ashley wondered. She knew that usually when people came out to the lake alone early in the morning, they usually wanted to be by themselves. But not always...Ashley decided to go over and say hello. As she was making her way over, the sun began to rise. Even though she had seen it several times at Hogwarts already, it never failed to take her breath away. The bright, pastel colors blended flawlessly all around her. After staring at the sunrise for a moment, she continued towards Calypso. Ashley stood quietly a couple feet away. Calypso, lost in a book, had not seen her yet. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Ashley murmured. Her voice was filled with awe. Calypso looked up and smiled. "Yes, it is."
Ashley laid down her blanket again and sat down beside her. "I've never seen anyone else out here this early before," she commented.
4 Dec 2020, 02:33
Stars and the Sunrise
@Ashley Coulson
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
It was Ashley. Calypso smiled. "Yes, it is." "I've never seen anyone else out here this early before." "I um, actually haven't come here other than during the day before now. I've gone other places, though. The quidditch pitch, the courtyard." She patted the ground next to her, indicating that Ashley should sit. "This is my favorite spot so far, though. It's so peaceful when it's dark and quiet out." Calypso gestured around her. "The lapping of the water, the stars. I read or write, usually. Sometimes I just listen. Do you come out here a lot?" Ashley nodded. "Yeah, I do. Usually around this time. I don't really have a schedule. Just kinda whenever I feel like it." Calypso nodded her head thoughtfully. The sun continued to rise, bathing the landscape in golden light. "I just can't believe this actually happens in nature," Calypso sighed. "Right?" The two sat there, talking. When the sun was half up, Calypso glanced at her watch. "Hey, Ash? We should start heading back. It's 6:30 and breakfast is at 7:00." "Oh wow, you're right," Ashley said, checking her own wristwatch. And so they rose, gathered their belongings and started walking along the treeline of the Forbidden Forest, back toward the castle. A few minutes into their walk, there was a rustling in the trees. "What was that?" Calypso asked. Ashley looked a mixture of wary and indifferent. "I'm not sure. Probably some forest creature or another. I think we should keep going." Calypso knew her friend was right, but she couldn't shake this feeling she had that she was supposed to check this out. That she needed to know. "I know this is going to sound weird," she started. "But I feel like I need to check this out. It's like a strange gut feeling or something." Ashley looked puzzled. "Well, ok then. I've read enough books to know not to ignore a strange gut feeling." she smiled. "But let's not go very far in. You know how dangerous the Forbidden Forest is. And it's breaking a rule. It's right there in the name." "Agreed." Cautiously, the two crept through the tree line and into the outskirts of the forest. They looked around a bit, and Calypso gasped. Ashley looked confused. "What is it? I don't see anyth-" "Shh!" Calypso whispered, cutting her friend off. There before her stood a beautiful, angular black horse. It had milky white eyes, a sort of gentleness in them. Folded at its sides were a pair of large, batlike wings. "I think, I think that's a thestral." "Seriously?" Ashley whisper-yelled in astonishment. "That's amazing! They're super rare-" But she stopped, midsentence. "Wait. So...you can see them?" Calypso nodded, taking a slow step in the direction of the creature. The thestral did the same towards her. "Who..?" Ashley trailed off. "My sister." Now Calypso was reaching out her hand to the thestral. Tears welled in her eyes and threatened to spill over. "Anastasia." Speaking the name aloud still hurt, even all these years later. A rawness opened up inside her, like a scab being picked off a wound. "She, she was a potion maker." Now Cal's voice was breaking. "She was experimenting to cure diseases an-and accidentally created a powerful poison." her voice got small, barely beyond a whisper. "It killed her." Then, at once, she felt two things. The first was a velvety beak against her hand -the thestral! The second was her friend's arms around her. "I am so, so sorry Cal," Ashley whispered. "That's completely awful." Silently, Calypso took Ash's hand and placed it on the thestral's forehead. 'Is that..?" Ashley asked in awe. Smiling through her tears, Calypso nodded. "A thestral. They're quite beautiful, really."
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
It was Ashley. Calypso smiled. "Yes, it is." "I've never seen anyone else out here this early before." "I um, actually haven't come here other than during the day before now. I've gone other places, though. The quidditch pitch, the courtyard." She patted the ground next to her, indicating that Ashley should sit. "This is my favorite spot so far, though. It's so peaceful when it's dark and quiet out." Calypso gestured around her. "The lapping of the water, the stars. I read or write, usually. Sometimes I just listen. Do you come out here a lot?" Ashley nodded. "Yeah, I do. Usually around this time. I don't really have a schedule. Just kinda whenever I feel like it." Calypso nodded her head thoughtfully. The sun continued to rise, bathing the landscape in golden light. "I just can't believe this actually happens in nature," Calypso sighed. "Right?" The two sat there, talking. When the sun was half up, Calypso glanced at her watch. "Hey, Ash? We should start heading back. It's 6:30 and breakfast is at 7:00." "Oh wow, you're right," Ashley said, checking her own wristwatch. And so they rose, gathered their belongings and started walking along the treeline of the Forbidden Forest, back toward the castle. A few minutes into their walk, there was a rustling in the trees. "What was that?" Calypso asked. Ashley looked a mixture of wary and indifferent. "I'm not sure. Probably some forest creature or another. I think we should keep going." Calypso knew her friend was right, but she couldn't shake this feeling she had that she was supposed to check this out. That she needed to know. "I know this is going to sound weird," she started. "But I feel like I need to check this out. It's like a strange gut feeling or something." Ashley looked puzzled. "Well, ok then. I've read enough books to know not to ignore a strange gut feeling." she smiled. "But let's not go very far in. You know how dangerous the Forbidden Forest is. And it's breaking a rule. It's right there in the name." "Agreed." Cautiously, the two crept through the tree line and into the outskirts of the forest. They looked around a bit, and Calypso gasped. Ashley looked confused. "What is it? I don't see anyth-" "Shh!" Calypso whispered, cutting her friend off. There before her stood a beautiful, angular black horse. It had milky white eyes, a sort of gentleness in them. Folded at its sides were a pair of large, batlike wings. "I think, I think that's a thestral." "Seriously?" Ashley whisper-yelled in astonishment. "That's amazing! They're super rare-" But she stopped, midsentence. "Wait. So...you can see them?" Calypso nodded, taking a slow step in the direction of the creature. The thestral did the same towards her. "Who..?" Ashley trailed off. "My sister." Now Calypso was reaching out her hand to the thestral. Tears welled in her eyes and threatened to spill over. "Anastasia." Speaking the name aloud still hurt, even all these years later. A rawness opened up inside her, like a scab being picked off a wound. "She, she was a potion maker." Now Cal's voice was breaking. "She was experimenting to cure diseases an-and accidentally created a powerful poison." her voice got small, barely beyond a whisper. "It killed her." Then, at once, she felt two things. The first was a velvety beak against her hand -the thestral! The second was her friend's arms around her. "I am so, so sorry Cal," Ashley whispered. "That's completely awful." Silently, Calypso took Ash's hand and placed it on the thestral's forehead. 'Is that..?" Ashley asked in awe. Smiling through her tears, Calypso nodded. "A thestral. They're quite beautiful, really."
Reducio
Permission to god-mod given by @Ashley Coulson.
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be
insane by those who could not hear the music."