Closed saudade PV Tesla Stone

Tes's hands clenched in what she didn't want to admit was anger. Her grandmother had been writing her regularly since that summer, and while Tes's mum had told her that she had no obligation to answer her, she knew it was for the best that she didn't just leave the letters unopened. It wouldn't help anyone in the long run, and she'd rather face her issues head on

It was just... Difficult when facing those issues kept coming back with notes and corrections on her handwriting instead of any real comment on what she'd told her grandmother. This one had torn into her spelling of a few words, and she was told in no uncertain terms that her handwriting was not up to par with how she'd been taught after writing for hours over the summer until her grandmother was satisfied with her letters not smudging together. That hurt, because Tes really was doing her best to make her letters look nice, and she didn't have hours to spend writing. It had also been brought up that her Grandmother shouldn't get any word back that Tes had been wearing her "gaudy and unseemly" clothes again, instead of the black finery she'd been sent with.

Seeing as how she was heading up to the owlery wearing her favorite fluffy yellow coat and jeans she hadn't taken the time to reparo hole in the knee of her jeans, Tes just had to hope there was no one that her grandmother was actually asking. She just didn't know how she could express herself, what with her struggles with writing and words on the best of days. She was hoping spending time in the owlery with the birds would help with her focus.

She was so busy watching her shoes, deep in thought as she quietly made her way through so as not to startle any of the birds, that she herself was startled when someone quietly called out moments after she scuffed her shoes petulantly along the ground. With a yelp, quickly smothering it as a few nearby owls ruffled their feathers angrily, she leaned past the wall she'd just walked behind to see a girl with a neat black bob sitting with a textbook in her lap.

"Oh, gosh! Sorry, I didn't think I'd see anyone up here. It's a bit cold, and usually it's empty," Tes bashfully rubbed the back of her neck, smiling sheepishly, "I hope I didn't bother you. I just came to write a letter, but if you'd rather have the place to yourself again I can always go write somewhere else." She stepped closer, reaching out a hand in introduction. "I'm Tes, by the way. Tesla Stone, that is. I'm a second year Hufflepuff."

"No, please, I don't mind. Stay. It's warmer with more people around." Sage coaxed with a smile, putting her writing materials away. She stood there, knees unfurling, Sage stomped some feeling back into her feet. Gloved hands crossed over her chest and stuck under her armpits, Sage glanced at the brightly-dressed newcomer.

Under the lamplight, Sage could see the girl's features much clearer. Tall and slender, with wispy hair framing a gamine-featured face. "Tes, huh? Sage Lilly. Second Year, Gryffindor."

Now that introductions were out of the way, Sage thought to indulge herself in a bit of small talk. Maybe it was the cold seeping into her bones, or the foreign familiarity she felt around Tesla, or the longing for that vulnerability between close friends - whatever it was, it made her tongue loose and her heart tender.

"You must be writing pretty 'heavy' stuff… choosing to draft your letter now, that is. I know the feeling - wanting to get it all out." The girl paused, realizing how meddlesome she sounded and looked away. People don't divulge every cumbersome detail of their life to someone they've just met. It was rude and burdensome and spoke volumes of her state of mind. Not that she cared much about what people think, but she didn't like to inconvenience others with her feelings.

Her fingers found their way around her thermal bottle. Popping off the lid, steam lapped at the rim before vanishing into the chilly air. She took a scrap of parchment, tore it in half and envisioned its target shape and weight in her hand. Two taps of her wand managed to transfigure the scraps into two delicate cups. Her grip was steady as she poured the hot chocolate beverage, filling both cups up to the brim.

Sage offered one to Tesla.

"Here, this'll keep you warm as you write."

@Tesla Stone

Sorry for the super late reply!

Tes smiled fondly as Sage attempted to work some warmth back into her feet and hands. She hadn't been up here long at all herself, and she was starting to really rethink the decision to try to write her letter in the owlery. She might not get through it before her ink froze, at this rate! "It's a pleasure to meet you! Your name is beautiful, by the way. My mum's name consists of three middle names that are all plants, so I think it's neat that technically your first name and last name are plants too!" Tes blushed, laughing a bit self-consciously. "That is to say, I just think it's neat to meet someone with a more nature-based name like that."

She settled in along the wall next to the other second year, dropping the small satchel she'd brought with some parchment rather carelessly on the ground, hoping that her ink was cushioned enough it wouldn't break and listening as Sage spoke. "I... Yeah, actually. I normally like to see the positives in everything, not to mention I'm not great at writing but usually I'm happy enough to get to talk to someone far away that I'll be excited to write my letters, but not tonight," Tes huffed, tilting her head back to stare listlessly at the ceiling as she continued, "My grandmother, who I just met for the first time in first year, has been sending all sorts of owls demanding I improve my grades, or my writing, or dress nicer, or all sorts of frustrating things. It's just really hard to know what to say, when it seems like all she does is correct my spelling or tell me she won't read my letters until I write them neater."

Tes went silent for a moment as she watched Sage curiously, admiring the ease with which she transfigured two mugs, and the combination of a muggle thermos alongside magic to hand her a hot drink. Tes breathed in deeply, catching the delicious smell of hot chocolate and grinning, cupping her hands around it to soak up some warmth. "Thank you! This just might keep my hands from freezing long enough," she paused glancing at Sage, "Sorry to be such a downer. I guess I didn't even realize how I was really feeling. Or, well, no. That's not true. I just don't like to think about anything that's not going my way if I don't have to. Speaking of, what are you doing up here? It's not exactly good lighting for writing." Tes surreptitiously slid her bag away from her, eager for a chance to talk, rather than write her letter.

Sage had always been the sort of person who was easy to fluster, seeing that the 2nd-year Gryff got tomato-cheeked with a few choice words. She realised lately, how she'd grown better at expressing herself; even so, receiving affection or compliments still managed to ruffle her feathers.

"Um, thank you." Reflecting upon it now, she didn't quite give her name that much thought. "Your mother doesn't happen to be a Herbologist, does she?" Sage chuckled, her own mother couldn't have been more obvious about her love for plants.

"Yours is rather unique. Has it got any special meaning to it?"

Sage listened empathically as Tes discussed her predicament. She could see why the girl would feel like writing her folks felt like a chore. If the replies to her own letters were just as stuffy and full of admonishment, Sage wouldn't even bother writing back.

"Your nan sounds awfully strict." murmured the bob-haired teen, noticing how Tes had fallen silent. "I can see why you would dread it so."

Sage felt bad for the girl, knowing a bit of her pain.

To be fair, Sage wasn't very close to her grandparents, anyway - she only ever met them at family gatherings, during which she'd usually be eclipsed by her stupidly brilliant older brother - she had very few fond memories of them, really. This was especially true with her father's side of the family; the Lillys were a bunch of self-important scholars, and standing before them always felt like an evaluation of one's worth.

As Tesla cradled her cup of cocoa, breathing in its chocolatey aroma with a grin, Sage felt her chest suffuse with a familiar warmth. Having lost a precious friendship in the past, Sage thought she would never open up to anyone else - lest she get hurt again. Wasn't it her involuntary longing for companionship that would eventually bring her walls down? Perhaps she'd gotten tired of keeping her guard up for way too long? Whatever it was, something had chipped away in her, allowing a sliver of hope to bloom once more.

"It's alright," Sage nodded at the cup. "I suppose I was looking for an excuse to drink hot cocoa - but no, really - if it weren't for the cold, I might not have written my letter the way I did, if that makes any sense? I agree, though, I could have definitely chosen a place much better lit than the Owlery."

@Tesla Stone

Tes shook her head with a small grin, understanding immediately that Sage's mum must be a herbologist, which made sense with a fun name like that. "Not quite, my mums own a small farm together. My mum, that's the one with the plant names, comes from a muggle family that's super into nature. They talk about stuff like grounding all the time, and I'm not allowed any food that isn't homemade when I'm there, but it's really fun so I don't mind!" she explained, thinking fondly of hours running barefoot through open fields. "I'm guessing your mother is a Herbologist, though?"

Tesla shrugged casually, thinking about what she'd been told about her name. "Honestly, I don't think my name has any special meaning. My mum told me I'm named after a muggle scientist named Nikola Tesla, but Tesla is pretty long and I like Tes better. I think Momma went along with it mostly because she thought it'd be funny if I was named after a muggle scientist, since her family is all about old-timey names and whatnot."

Tes's gaze lowered to her feet, thankful for Sage's patience in listening to her, and beginning to feel a bit guilty for chattering most of the conversation. She muttered quietly, "I just wish she'd be happy with who I am, as I am. That's all I'm trying to do, is convince her that I don't need to change for the world to accept me, I'm happy as I am."

She took a deep breath, allowing the warmth sinking into her hands to calm her and bring a sense of happiness back to her. Something about a warm drink and a conversation was making her feel much better about her own letters. Humming thoughtfully, she responds to Sage, "I guess it makes sense, the owlery does have a sense of chaotic peace to it, especially in the cold!" Tes paused, hesitating a moment before asking, "If it's none of my business, that's alright, but this isn't exactly a cozy environment. I mean, I wouldn't be up here if I wasn't feeling a bit grumpy about what I was planning to write. So, what brings you all the way up here in this miserable weather?" Tes watched Sage out of the corner of her eye, trying to gauge if she'd overstepped with her question.

There was still a lot to know about the world, much of it Sage still struggled to understand but if there's one thing she ought to know by now, it would be to expect the unexpected and remain open to all possibilities.

"Homemade?" It sounded pretty cool to Sage, honestly. She understood the wonder of crafting all too well - she loved drying flowers and adding them to soaps!

"Yes, she is. An absolute nutter when it comes to plants." Sage piped up, then chewed her lip thoughtfully. She had expected to be named after a flower though she couldn't imagine being named anything other than Sage.

Sage wasn't familiar with muggle scientists or their work but she reckoned they were similar to learned scholars who ended up writing textbooks for kids like her. If so, Tes must have been named after a very prominent individual.

"That's cool of your mum, I think."

Shutting out the sounds of a howling wind outside the owlery, Sage could hear the sadness in Tes' voice - she recognized the pain mirrorred in her own chest. Feeling not 'good enough' was possibly the worst feeling there was in the world, wouldn't wish it on anyone, least of all someone as bright as Tes.

"I'm sorry, Tes. I think that's honestly brave of you - to be just as you are." Sage truly thought so; people like Tes were hard to find, someone comfortable in their own skin, someone so unapologetically themselves others felt threatened by them. How powerful it was, Sage thought, to be your own person - most people she knew lived for the sake of others, herself included.

Another gulp of hot cocoa warmed up Sage's belly. The night grew somber as it wore on, the lamplights flickering across the floorboards, like ships on a dark, stormy sea.

"I used to avoid this place until recently." The dark-haired girl began, playing with the hem of her woolen socks. She wasn't used to talking about an old friendship to anyone else - she'd only ever told her mum and dad because they were asking questions... but she felt a kindred spirit within Tes and felt comfortable discussing the heartbreak.

"I was writing a letter to someone I used to be friends with. This place meant a lot to both of us - I guess that's why I'm here. I thought... I thought a letter would help. There were things I wanted to say but couldn't."

Sage looked up at Tes, wondering if she was talking too much, then back down at her shoes. She felt the sting coming on behind her eyes, so she rubbed her hands together and blew some warmth into them. She promised not to cry anymore.

"Before I moved on, you know?"

@Tesla Stone

Tes smiled softly, sipping her hot coco as Sage spoke. "Yeah, my mum is pretty cool alright. Sounds like yours is too, if she's so into plants. That's good fun." Her smile quickly faded, and she settled back, gripping onto the mug as the conversation turned somber.

"I- Tes paused, starting to speak and then shaking her head slightly, "I don't feel brave. Not usually. Honestly, I just feel like I'm being a rebellious teen or something, even though I don't think I am. I really appreciate you saying that." The cheerful girl found herself enjoying a chance to sit and think in silence, much to her own surprise. Usually, she enjoyed filling every moment with chatter or movement, but the quiet of the owlery as it grew dark had her feeling peaceful, with no urge to fidget.

She watched Sage out of the corner of her eye as she explained why she'd been up here, trying to write letters as well. She could feel her own eyes prickling at the thought of what the other girl was going through, and she swallowed before she could answer. "I'm sorry you lost your friend. I hope you can write whatever was going to be in your letter, and that it can help you." Tes fidgeted with her hands for a moment, looking out a window at the stars outside. "I think it's really brave of you to come here. It sounds tough, but I think you're doing a good job by facing your fears, even if it's for something that's really hard, like trying to move on."

She offered Sage what she hoped was a reassuring smile, setting down her now empty mug on the ground. Casting a quick Lumos to counteract the increased darkness Tes settled in to finally write her own letter, relaxing in peaceful silence beside her unlikely companion in the darkness of the owlery.