Depth Charge PV - Astrea N. Closed

"Morning bells are ringing. Morning bells are ringing."

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The morning air was crisp and humid as the time ticked on slowly, the soft breezes blowing through Hogwarts' grounds causing the water-laden greenery to drip their liquid occupants down to the taupe brown dirt walkways and gently shorn grass. The delft blue sky above soon paled as a droplet of light spread through it, late stars fading languidly out of view just as a crescent moon of the sun pulled up smoothly from the tree-marred horizon with all the brilliance of a thousand freshly polished jewels.

The sky was dyed with shades of independence and cornflower blues, of lavender and pink carnations, of amber and vivid blooming goldenrod flowers as the sun rose. Wispy tendrils of pastel clouds gathered high in the air and the reflection of the sunset in the Great Lake mimicked a grand mirror as it struck a balance between the depths of night and brightness of day, glimmering with a new light that spread buttery over the world around the castle. Wayward avians began their daily flight through the expanse of the brightening day, black specks against a suddenly swelling sunrise dragging itself up halfway past the mountainous horizon.

It was to this awakening of the world that Astrea found herself perched atop one of the many low wayward spindly branches of the ancient oak tree extending over the shores of the Great Lake, fine leather boots kicked off and placed neatly a few feet below near the base of the trunk. Hidden within the thicket of interlaced branches surrounding her back and shielded from the full impact of blinding light resonating from the sun's reflection, she was quite content to stay there until she was required to make an appearance to the world for the day. Her pale feet, clad in a pair of semi-opaque charcoal grey tights, dangled near the water's surface, and the flowy pair of high-waisted, thigh-high Spanish grey shorts did nothing to protect her legs from the bumpy texture of the tree branch she sat upon. It was the first weekend of her second year and the free dress was something she took advantage of- if the loose black button up blouse and slightly oversized hooded coat she wore told anything. Her slightly squinted eyes shone like coined silver as she stared down at the neon-tinted water below, mind swirling with nudging thoughts of hollowness.

The Neptune-Chou heir had awoken from slumber far earlier than what was considered 'usual' perhaps near two hours or so before sunrise- used to the daily morning routine she had built up over the last few weeks of summer in an attempt to avoid interactions with her parents, who seemed all the more unapproachable framed by golden light and muttering portraits- and warmed herself by the common room's fireplace for quite some time to stave away the chilly Scottish night air that had drafted downwards into the dungeons. Partaking in a small bowl of porridge- was this kind of food always this sweet? She couldn't remember, it seemed that her tastebuds had acclimated once more to the Four Bloodline's ethnic food fixed up by the house elves- and a requested mug of green tea took no time at all to consume.

If anything, it was the restless energy that had consumed Astrea over the week of becoming idle, insatiable energy that drove her out of the slumbering castle and into the dewy grounds surrounding. With this energy, she had taken the trek forward past the various classrooms and practice fields situated outside and hid away at the shallow end of the Great Lake. If she were to overthink ideas than might as well overthink them in isolation, after all.

Her half-finished, disconnected thoughts were cut off as the faint sound of rustling leaves sounded from the other side of the oak tree she dangled from, slow and hurried with enthusiastic caution. The Slytherin froze, back ramrod straight as she stilled her swaying legs. Her abandoned boots seemed to mock her as the leather shone off the sunlight, their buckles locked firmly together attached to a miracle growing root. Yet even as she could scarcely breathe from instilled survival skills, her idle brain yelled at her smilingly with calls of possible interaction. Interesting.

She hadn't expected to meet anyone else here.

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"Ding dang dong. Ding dang dong."

♦♦♦
'is arms can catch any Quaffle

Practiced fingers gripped each branch as she ascended in what one could almost assume was a graceful manner, though all likelihood they had never even met Julie or had never known just how she could really be. Trainers found sure footholds as she climbed to the top, dark ruddy brown hair whisking around her head as she did so, her blue eyes glinting with infinite glee as they peered up at her intended roost. This felt natural, as easy as blinking or breathing came to an absent mind, the bark cutting lightly against her palms as she made it half way up the tree and gazed out at the water. Her breath came in long drawing pulls, lungs clenching around the brisk morning air, though she wasn't nearly close to winded or tired. Nothing but wind teased the surface of the lake, tousling the water like a family member intent on tactile praise towards someone shorter or younger than it, and she struggled with a slight pang of uncertainty. Would going higher even show her anything? Her smile still plastered to her face as if it just grew that way, a shrug to herself moving her shoulders up and jostling the branch she was leaning her weight upon. She wouldn't know until she tried.

Higher and higher she climbed, hand over hand grasping tree limb to thick branch, only occasionally breaking the silence with a soft snap and what was an almost inaudible apology to the tree each and every time it happened. She was invigorated, and her excitement filled through her blood and hummed in her bones as though she herself were merely an instrument to propel the feeling further and farther. Her element was nature and the books she could study in it, and she absolutely loved it. Nearly at the top, she peered at the Lake once more, noticing a glint that kept nagging obstinately in the corner of her eye and eager to sort out if it was some magnanimous iridescent fish monster waving her hello. The wide near-still expanse offered her nothing but an even more evident flash to the left eye that caused her to blink slightly, necessitating her to look down to find the culprit. Distracted, she leaned around the oak's wide trunk, not understanding that what she saw was in-fact... A pair of boots? A long moment of puzzlement fizzled through her brain as, for the shortest of them all, she pondered whether or not magical trees needed boots. She grinned and shook her head, chiding herself as she was about to round on herself for the constant questioning that was now leading to ludicrous ideas, even for a world with magic. That is until..

CRACK

Julie's stomach skyrocketed to her throat as the branch she had been grasping to steady her body's weight against the tree snapped clean from the trunk, allowing her already leaning form to completely off-balance. Fear trickled up her spine as fingers scrabbled against the bark, all thoughts of seeking the ancient's forgiveness forgotten in a spike of self-preservation that had her grappling at anything slightly protruding for purchase. Several branches snapped and cracked as either her hands, or her back snapped through them, her leg spinning up and gratefully latching like a hook around a particularly thick branch and halting her momentum with a painful lurch. The world's perspective kilted off its axis and inverted completely as she hung upside down, her breath now coming in deep heaving gulps as adrenaline rushed through her body and made her arms shake with inaction. Directly below her lay the shallow end of the Lake's shore, and what surely would have been an exceptionally cold finality to her tumble, the distance now seeming much smaller than it had as she was falling.

It was then she noticed the other girl to her left, a bit further on around the trunk and obviously the owner of the boots that had caught her eye, and a bright red flush of embarrassment made her cheeks unbearably hot. She looked impeccably dressed, the kind of fancy attentive sort of choices that looked as though they belonged on a magazine and made her stare slightly. Her cheeks still hot, Julie looked up at her own appearance, twigs and leaves embedded in her jeans and her long-sleeve riding up(or was it down?) her stomach and making her hands flail to push it back into place. She sort of looked, at least to her eyes, like a disheveled bat that had forgotten how to hang properly upside down. She felt unsettled by this, like something odd or not-right was staring at her and making her normally demure self-consciousness flare up potently. "Hello, me name's Julie! What's down?" Despite herself and the uneasy feeling in her stomach, her smile returned and she chuckled brightly, her hands on her stomach as the sing-song tune of her voice coiled deep in her belly. How else were you meant to introduce yourself to someone when you looked this ridiculous?

Though he nae saw the bludger comin'
♦♦♦

"London Bridge is falling down.
Falling down, falling down."

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The mysterious rustling of leaves grew louder, faster- as if becoming even more enthusiastic then before as the figure scaled the ancient oak tree Astrea made her temporary home within the branches. Said heir gradually relaxed her overly stiff posture back into its ingrained straight-backed one, confident the intruder hadn't a clue of her whereabouts for the moment and soothed by the steady breeze caressing the Great Lake's water like a lover- to this thought she frowned, pale hand coming up to grasp at the thin silver chain wrapped around her neck loosely that carried her betrothal ring.

Merely a week or so had passed since Astrea had received the news from her father that the betrothal was called off. Less then two weeks ago the promising band was in its constant place upon her hand, a gleaming reminder of her secure future- even now she tended to attempt to twirling the band, only to come to a bare finger and a harrowing feeling of unfamiliar uncertainty. The corners of her mouth downturned fractionally as the pad of her index stroked over the smooth moonstone embedded firmly in its bed of goblin-wrought silver, briefly forgetting about the stranger- presumably- still in the tree she was sat in as she focused on the contemplations pressing down on her mind. A feeling of rebellion suddenly made itself known as she slowly began the cycle of swinging her legs back and forth, up and own.

In GleamGate, in France, anywhere the Slytherin was needed as an heir and not as a person, it was expected of her to be as prim as possible and according to traditions. Proper and calm posture, speak when spoken to. Know her place, whether as an inferior in comparison to the family hierarchy or superior when surrounded by those with Sparkless blood or ties. Respectful honorifics, correct pronunciation, impassive communication, correct hand gesturing when dining. Enter a room in order of succession, never travel as a pair of heirs to the bloodlines without company, part of the family jewels are to be passed to the heir just after graduation, and another part right before marriage. Things that had been driven into her from the day she was able to process mannerisms, used so often that it had become second nature for her when in the presence of the Four Bloodlines or associates. Yet- Hogwarts had proved itself to be considerably less formal and rigid then her previous years of life.

CRACK!

The sudden noise jolted Astrea out of her daze, hands flying down to grip the branch she sat upon and previously half-lidded eyes flickering upwards with surprise. The frantic sound of snapping branches and scrabbling hands came in quick succession, and all too soon there was a girl hanging upside down by the legs on a particularly thick bough hovering above the lake's surface. The young pureblood took a moment to observe the other closely- to clear up her still stricken mind of course. The other was dressed quite casually compared to the others she had previously interacted with, bearing a surprisingly long long-sleeved midnight shirt that crept up to reveal creamy stomach as she hung upside down, well-worn denim trousers and blue-black trainers- all of which scuffed slightly from the girl's impromptu fall, laden in twigs and leaves, and quite the picture of childhood mischief Astrea had previously read about in the snuck in storybooks from the family library.

"Hello, me name's Julie! What's down?" 'Julie' greeted with a babble of laughter, looking surprisingly okay to be hanging in such a vulnerable position. Astrea blinked in surprise, mind short-circuiting for a few short seconds as she drank in the sudden intrusion that had barged into her vision. It didn't take long for her to recover, cocking to her head to the right unconsciously in questioning toward the brunette.

"Good morning. How are you hanging?" A slightly uncharacteristic smile quirked the corners of Astrea's lips as she joked, a distant memory of one of her friends from France explaining to her exactly what the 'slang' phrase was. The new sentence felt strange on her tounge, told as smoothly as she could with how aristocratic her default accent was. Her French confidants could do this much better anyway, but to who did it matter? This was an interaction- she didn't get many of those, now that she thought of it- and quite the peculiar one indeed.

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"London Bridge is falling down-
My fair lady."

♦♦♦
With a WOP it cracked o'er 'is dome

Julie's life had never been what one could call particularly rich, either in interaction quality or in the overall living expenses or relationship building aspects. Her father was always aloof or angry, devolving from what one would assume a parent would be to more like a tornado bent on making a mess in Julie's common space. She'd had a Mum that was outstanding, but never really there due to the sheer amount of work hours it took to keep them in the flat they lived in for all the young girl's life. The rising prices of the neighborhood directly affected by the proximity to the fabled Loch Ness, and the lessening time she had to spend with her mother. Her clothes were common and simple, her trainers well-worn and scuffed and her hair style simple and short. The fanciest thing she'd ever come into contact with had been an exceptionally expensive poodle that had bitten her arm when she'd tried to pet it, and whom had promptly been turned a violent shade of lime thanks to her Luck-Ness Monster's abilities. Or rather, her own magical retaliation. So to be this close to someone who looked every bit the essence of affluence was a little jarring to be sure, though Julie didn't feel even the least bit intimidated by that fact, despite the nagging pit of unease that rolled in her stomach.

"Good morning. How are you hanging?"

Her flight through the branches had definitely surprised the girl, but she recovered smoothly, and the words that preceded the sweet smile on her face sent Julie through another fit of dizzy giggles. The older girl's voice was flowing and thickly accented, though having grown up in Scotland Julie was more than accustomed to picking out the meanings underneath such phonetic differences. As her laughter faded out, a wide cheerful smile fixed to the Hufflepuff's lips, taking in the appearance of her company and assessing quickly that she was super pretty. Her hands spread away from her stomach where they had been holding up her shirt, no longer embarrassed as it rode right back up where she'd banded it down before. "Bit roughly, but I dinnae fall all the way down!" She remarked happily, pointing to her leg which was the only saving grace of her entire downward tumble, grinning widely at the ludicrousness of their initial greeting. With an effort, Julie scrunched upwards in an attempt to right herself, palms clasping the thick trunk her limb was wrapped around and alleviating the pinching at the back of her leg. She pulled her leg free, and still holding onto the branch she began to lower herself down towards the other girl's level.

"Hope ya don't mind if I join ya." She said, almost apologetically as that uneasy feeling bubbled the nearer she got to the other girl, chocking up the feeling that came from it as nothing more than nerves from meeting someone who was clearly super important to someone. She settled herself a meter or so away from the darker haired girl, facing towards her as she balanced cross-legged on the branch after making sure it would definitely have no problem supporting the both of them. Finally able to pick out more details now that she was no longer seeing the world from an inverted perspective, Julie eyed the girl's attire and the expressions on her face with a curious friendliness. The small glint of the silver ring catching dark blue eyes as they pondered about, fixing them as she viewed the ornate detail of the leafy metal and how it clasped about that opaque almost ethereal looking stone. Subconciously she let out a low whistle of appreciation, nodding her head towards the amazing craftsmanship held in the other girl's fingers. Julie had never had any jewelry of any sort growing up, a useless purchase that had no purpose when it could be better spent on books or school supplies, the only splurge item the girl owned was the fancy comforter with dinosaurs on it. "That's bloody gorgeous!" She said, wanting to compliment the older girl on something to distract from the fact that everything the girl had fit that description to the letter. She only winced inwardly at how often the girl must hear things like that, that nagging unease settling a bit of doubt in her normally strong confidence, deciding to roll with it as she waited for the other student to introduce herself.

Sendin' the Quaffle off on its own adventure
♦♦♦

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star-
How I wonder what you are."

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The upside-down girlie was set into a fit of high giggles and broke into a bright grin of untainted joy that seemed near contagious. Astrea's smile widened a fraction, the sound of unbridled, free laughter refreshingly different from the world of blacks and whites she lived in in the family, a time spent bouncing from free contentment to forcedly cool detachment. Perhaps Sauron was correct, schoolwork did change you- at least within the campus grounds, it was quite risky to slip up when in the presence of the family disciplines, after all. The Slytherin could feel Julie's eyes upon her, the other girl's hand coming down once more as the brunette stopped trying to pull her shirt back properly and showcasing just a sliver more of skin.

"Bit roughly, but I dinnae fall all the way down!" At this quip, Astrea had to take the glance down at the lapping water Julie was swinging just overhead of, the Great Lake's shores growing bright with golden light. "Hope ya don't mind if I join ya." When she looked up, the other had begun to haul herself down toward the sturdy bough the heir was perched comfortably upon. "No, no worries. I wasn't expecting to meet anyone here. Especially with that introduction." Astrea's grey eyes gleamed with mirth, catching the sun's light for a brief second as she raised her hand to invite a handshake and seeming as if molten silver. "Astrea. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Her greeting was accompanied with a slight nod, her smile coming back to its usual reserved curve of the mouth.

From closer inspection, it was clear that Julie was approachable and admittedly easy upon the eyes, even from Astrea's discerning and often unpredictable opinion. Though dressed quite plainly and voice thick with quite the accent that left Astrea relying on her rusty, detached social skills to decipher, the other's easy grin and bright blue eyes made her all the more seeming a child of the sun. The fact of her spunky attitude so far and ruddy brown hair only coupled that information, to the point that Astrea couldn't help but distantly wonder if the girl in front of her was sent down from the stars themselves to brighten up some poor soul's life. But of course, the heir was not some damsel in distress or person in need of saving. Just- just a bit less bright than this sunstroke. The pureblood took to looking over at the steady low water waves below, face slowly drawing back to neutral as a lull in conversation occurred.

And if Julie was a stray star that had come down- how had she taken to this girl so much so quickly that mentally she was referring to Julie as a star? It was true, yes, but it was thoroughly inappropriate and unneeded for a mere first meeting- then what did that make Astrea? She wasn't a Chou this time around, she wasn't a Neptune, she didn't even introduce herself with a surname or ancestry line. If this child in front of her- who looked significantly larger in sheer mass, yet acted much younger- was claimed as the day's affection, then Astrea couldn't possibly compete for the status of moon. Oh no, she wasn't bright enough for that, wasn't docile enough in mind and considerably too powerful in soul to be chained to such an ethereal figure such as the moon. She knew this- she had known this for such a long time, why is she going back to that? Such a waste of time, such a waste of energy, such a waste of emotion-

Her thoughts were interrupted abruptly as she realized the SunChild's eyes roaming her once more with curiosity, taking in all the Slytherin had to offer- which wasn't much. "That's bloody gorgeous!" Ah- Of course Julie would notice her betrothal ring wrapped around the silver chain she carried on her person, she must have brought her hand up again to clasp it after failing to twirl it around her finger earlier. The Asian pureblood's expression suddenly turned incomprehensible for a second before becoming mildly sheepish, eyes fluttering back toward the lake underneath and debating to what to say. "Thank you. It was- a gift." Yes. A gift. Technically it was, technically she had been told that the sheer spark of affection cultivated over the years was a miracle work gifted by the ancestors. Yet that portion of thought did little to settle the unfamiliarity that had pooled in her chest as she rejected her now broken off betrothal.

Perhaps her father was right, perhaps her heart was right. But what did it matter now- the family reputation was at stake. And compared to the Four Bloodlines as a whole, she was a mere blip, glorified as the next in line of a long row of traditionalists. That was her fate, for now, that was her fate for the future. Unless she were to do something about that.

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"Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky."

♦♦♦
With a waft of water did 'e fall

Julie's attention was keenly aware of the other girl's wandering eyes and her shifting and pleasant expressions, completely rapt. She was so calm and seemingly collected, though the Hufflepuff had coaxed out a few dazzling smiles from her that only made the grin on her face widen further, and so completely different to everyone she'd ever met. It appeared at least to Julie that the other girl was just as curious about her as she was about the Slytherin. It was infinitely fascinating, and it made her want to know as much as was possible to understand everything there was to know about the girl, and to earn a few more of those smiles. They made her feel warm despite the unease that continued to twist and jostle her insides, laying forgotten in the back of her mind as her focus was fixed.

"No, no worries. I wasn't expecting to meet anyone here. Especially with that introduction."

The grin grew into an even more excited smile as she chuckled at the girl's words, her nose scrunching up playfully as just a sliver of embarrassment colored her cheeks. Blue eyes were snared as the light poured into the depths of the other girl's grey, taking in the pattern of the iris as her smile faltered a beat with her heart, her old habit of biting her lower lip flaring for the briefest of seconds as her breath caught. What was that? "Astrea. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance." The Hufflepuff blinked back to reality as the girl, Astrea, extended her hand, quickly moving to take it in her own as her beaming smile spread across her lips again. "Tha's bloody belter! I mean, that 'as gotta be one of the coolest names I've ever heard!" She faltered a bit, pulling back the thickness of her accent for the second portion of her words to make sure she didn't start drifting towards Glaswegian levels of tongue work. The handshake she offered was a full one, soft but not too dainty, not knowing anything of the sort about other kinds or types of handshakes given to some of the fairer folk of society, betraying her commoner upbringing even further. Astrea's smile smoothed again then, and Julie felt the urge to make her laugh or smile again, her hand fidgeting with her sleeve once their handshake concluded.

Quiet fell between them for a time, but it wasn't that uncomfortable awkward silence that tended to stretch into the expanse and make you want to run back to your books. At least for Julie, it was that subtle calm serenity as they began to get comfortable with the newness of the interaction, and she enjoyed it. The more she watched Astrea, the more she noticed just how pale the girl was, only brief touches of pink here and there that contrasted so completely and so infinitely with the abyssal black of her hair. The way her jaw set in her head with a slight forward tilt that colored the way she spoke only minutely, those impossibly silver eyes that turned then to view the water's tousling complexion, how Julie felt impossibly gigantic in comparison to this petite excellence. Finding her manners, Julie looked over the water as well, the action requiring a bit more effort than she wanted to believe it would. She didn't understand what this was, this giddy and simultaneously terrifying feeling that roiled and danced through her in an abstract display of theater. Was she just nervous to meet someone new? Scared of making a bad impression?

As her mind wandered, more of that fear trickled into her blood, cooling the smile on her lips to a simple smile of contentment. She was uneasy about something, but she had no idea what it could be or why, but she absolutely refused to let it get in the way of this. Meeting? Conversation? Happiest interaction she'd ever had by a lake? Her smile widened again at her own musings, imagining that meeting Nessie herself would be as equal parts terrifying and exciting as speaking to Astrea. As her words left her mouth about the ring, Julie's attention shifted back to Astrea's face, and dismay wound tightly through her core as she watched the discernible features disappear completely from that immaculate face. It was as though the finely crafted silver essence of the girl had gone back to kiln and made flat and impassive. She felt herself inwardly clawing for it to stop, to undo what she'd done to wipe the slate, and she noticed herself sway slightly on the branch from the abruptness of it.

"Thank you. It was- a gift."

If it was a gift it sure as salt in the sea was a bitter one, a crease of concern falling on the Hufflepuff's face as her smile slid down too. "My Dad got me a bottle of scotch once for a birthdae. Told me to wait 'til I was older to open it. Accidentally dropped it while I was cleanin' next day." The words fell from her mouth before she could stop them, her face flushing a deep red as she looked down at her hands. She hated talking about her Dad, but she'd felt such an intense need to share a gift that made her feel bitter too, and maybe hope she'd find common ground or at least some mirth in her clumsiness. She fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve again, teeth gnawing on her pink lip. "D'ya pick out yer own clothes? They look all sorts'a fancy." Her smile worked its way up her lips as she looked back to Astrea, though her lower lip still remained trapped between her teeth after she was done speaking. She wanted to know so much about this girl, but the unease and fear of scaring her off forever made the sensation of gunshy dance a daring duel with her confidence level.

Tentacles flailing wide in a grand sprawl
♦♦♦

Reducio

Gif reference for the lip biting!

"Hush little baby, don't say a word-
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring."

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Julie's grin grew even larger as her cheeks coloured slightly, nose bunnying up and Astrea was struck with the surreal feeling that perhaps this girl in front of her was a literal reincarnation of the sun's form, come down just as the day made its way to Earth. The other's breath suddenly hitched, bottom lip being caught between pearly whites as the Hufflepuff's smile lowered itself the slightest amount- what had Astrea done?

A pang of consternation wriggled itself into her core as she witnessed this shift, something pricking and sharp driving itself into her soul reminding her of a needle of retribution for making the sunstroke in front of her doubt her words. The corners of her mouth turned down slightly even more as she glanced over to Julie, eyebrows lowering microscopically in a microexpression of dismay. And yet that reaction did not last long as the girlie in front of her took in Astrea's introduction, blinding smile returning once more with gusto.

"Tha's bloody belter! I mean, that 'as gotta be one of the coolest names I've ever heard!" The mid-sentence falter did not go unnoticed, though the heir's mind was still caught up attempting to decipher what a 'bloody belter' was- or at least that is what she believed the accented other exclaimed. "Why thank you, your name is quite the charming one as well~" Astrea complimented with another soft smile as she took the handshake, Julie's hand large, full and pliant in her practised firm grip. Pump up once, up twice- good. She could practically hear the echo of her negotiation tutor ringing in her head, voice high and snobby with aristocracy that seemed- in her tutor's opinion, embarrassingly less high as Astrea's naturalized accent.

She retracted her hand gracefully and pulled herself back the few inches to seat herself with both legs swung in the direction of the coming sun and arms coming down to rest upon the rough bark of the branch. By now, the clouds had been dip-dyed pastel pinks and shades tangerines, the sun becoming a half-circle as it rose above the horizon and glimmered reflectively off of the Great Lake's near still surface. It was quite the dramatically soft lighting, Hogwart's slate bricking behind Astrea and her companion becoming slowly illuminated with lavender and gold. Unbeknownst to the young Slytherin, red threaded good-luck bracelet falling to hook upon a stray half-uplifted patch.

"My Dad got me a bottle of scotch once for a birthdae. Told me to wait 'til I was older to open it. Accidentally dropped it while I was cleanin' next day." Julie's clear attempt at trying to- relate? Perhaps it was so, considering the redness that crept up the sun child's face and left her words bitter. "I see- Apologies, but may you please explain to me what exactly 'scotch' is? I don't think I've caught the word often." Astrea attempted at lightening the mood slightly, unwilling to turn the pleasant morning conversation into an unnecessarily melancholy therapy session that could easily drag on and become the focal point of the interaction.

"D'ya pick out yer own clothes? They look all sorts'a fancy." Astrea looked up at Julie abruptly at the question, momentarily distracted in an attempt to bring her left hand up to straighten out her shirt's tuck but was stopped quickly by the little predicament her thread bracelet had gotten into. "Ah, I did indeed pick out my clothes today. I received my boots- down there by the base of the tree with the shiny buckles and leather material, you see?-" She leaned precariously backwards off the branch to gesture politely at said shoes sitting in a pair reflecting the morning sun's light. "-a few days before leaving from-" Astrea's words faltered minutely with a flash of fleeting conflict darkening her eyes before brushing it off in favour of keeping face, pulling her attention to the brand new, custom made boots sitting innocently together and trying not to remember how proud Virgil and Sauron had been once they revealed their gift for the new year. "That friend I mentioned earlier. As well as a mutual close friend. A shared confidant, if you will." She turned her head to the side to glance up at Julie, tone pleasant and face devoid of the dismay that had coloured her eyes previously.

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"And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass."

♦♦♦
To and Fro they arced in searching,

The sensation of fear and unease still remained buried in Julie's belly, though the more time that she spent with Astrea the more accustomed to it she was becoming, the more rational she thought. She liked being around the girl and learning things about her, and the brief flashes of unease or intense fear were a result of wanting to impress someone who to Julie seemed to have everything she'd never though even existed. It was a paradigm that while exceptionally common, was abstract in sensation once one actually went through the experience of it. She the essence of moderate living and lack of parental direction, Astrea the exquisite example of the finer things in life. Unlike in most the books Julie read, she was fascinated by the utter opposites that existed in the interaction, and she would be damned if she was going to let a little uncertainty and fear muddle it. She may be no Gryffindor, but she damn sure would give them a run for their money.

Blue eyes watched the smaller girl in equal intensity that she was now quite aware the other was giving her, and her lips curled up slightly at the ends to know she wasn't the only one engaged. "Why thank you, your name is quite the charming one as well~" Julie took the compliment with a flush of red to her cheeks and her customary wide smile sprawling apart her lips and freeing the one that had lain trapped there, never having heard anyone say something like that before. That dazzling smile fixed on Astrea's face as she said it too, and as their hands shook Julie felt no dainty uncertainty, just a familiar firmness that she was used to. Everything about Astrea seemed to be that pleasant level of cool, the porcelain skin, the deep black hair, the grey of her eyes, an example of moonlight in its finest form. As the smaller girl's eyes wandered to the water, the Hufflepuff watched the sun's rays glint in those grey eyes again before she looked in the same direction, a weird-yet absurdly pleasant-feeling quelling the unease to a quiet hum in the back of her head once again. The sunlight was fantastic, and something that Julie absolutely adored about Hogwarts, as it always seemed brighter and more beautiful beneath the looming elegance of the castle above. "It's gorgeous here." The words were spoken in awe as today it seemed she could see even more of the colors that were usually overpowered by the warm glow of the sun, the rich purples and pinks becoming more predominant in the cool air, and she idly wondered if it was such because of her company.

"I see- Apologies, but may you please explain to me what exactly 'scotch' is? I don't think I've caught the word often."

As the girl spoke, her fidgeting settled and the redness slowly seeped away from her cheeks as she focused back on Astrea, Julie chuckling lightly at the proffered levity and nodding imperceptibly in thanks. "It's this ruddy stuff that looks like burnt amber, nothin' I'd recommend to anyone who likes to taste stuff." Her voice rang with a chuckle as her nose scrunched up again above a now beaming smile, further expressing the point that the liquid was not a tasty thing at all. The mood thoroughly lightened, Julie regarded the dark haired girl with an appreciative grin settling her smile to something softer, lifting her leg up to rest her foot on the root and wrapping her arms around the limb as she regarded her, the fidgeting completely stopped. It was weird, how when her attention was completely focused the unease and the fear muddled back into the depths of her brain, as if it didn't even exist or matter.

When Julie asked, it did not go unnoticed when the other girl's bracelet caught in her clothing and Julie's fingers itched with the intense need to help, her blue eyes darting back to Astrea's face as she began to speak. "Ah, I did indeed pick out my clothes today. I received my boots- down there by the base of the tree with the shiny buckles and leather material, you see?-" As the girl leaned, Julie moved with her subconsciously, only turning her head to look when she pointed at the boots that had caught her attention right before Julie had fallen out of the tree. "-a few days before leaving from-" She turned back quickly, worried that her balance would throw her off kilter and rolling into the water below, catching the tail end of the darkness that flitted through those molten silver eyes. Astrea had only faltered for a moment, and though Julie had noticed it she wouldn't let the fact that she had color her face, continuing on as her voice remained completely level. "That friend I mentioned earlier. As well as a mutual close friend. A shared confidant, if you will." Whomever the "confidant" may be, it was evident to Julie that they were not a happy memory for the silver glow in front of her, and she had to wrangle a little defensive urge inside that wanted to stop the bad memories from happening. Like a dog howling at the clouds for blocking out the moon. "They are bloody lovely, an' I think they look comfy too!" Her smile never faltered on her face, and she nodded appreciatively at the conversation, pointing to her own blue-black trainers as it widened even further. "Mum bought me these at the shop, used ta have a dinosaur on the sole before I went street skii-ing with a mate of mine." Julie's words were full of mirth, her shoe lifting up to display a worn imprint of what could have been the face of a large carnivorous theropod on the sole.

'Till 'e caught it sure and true.
♦♦♦

Reducio

Julie's soles look like the side of this shoe, though its hard to tell detail due to wear

"Then let me to the valley go,
This pretty flow'r to see,"

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Julie was near almost a fairytale girl, Astrea realized with an internal jolt as she stared down into the water's surface, mind soothed by her companion's steady presence. The protagonist of the many "Grimm Fairy Tales" that she had snuck into her room when she was much younger and much more naive. With hardships numbering many and starting from the bottom and working their way up, with just as much of an open heart and kind eyes as before their tragedies. A part of Astrea knew that Julie fit the bill perfectly, pretty, kind, and a genuine character at heart. Just the right amount of class for pleasurable interaction, and just enough reality to be able to adapt to the ever-changing world. If that was the case, what did that make Astrea?

What fairytale included such a situation as she, one of pure blood and restricted, classy surroundings practically dripping in old wealth? Filled with strict tutoring and fancy nightgowns and finely genuine jewellery, of too many rules and too little human interaction? Cinderella was born into riches, but reduced to rags and pulled back into the fair life with gory punishment dealt to the rich who had tortured her. The Little Mermaid was a princess of the sea, who fell in love with a human prince, only to dissolve into a seafoamed nothingness. The thought of story favouring the ones left to nothing and the ones born into everything being vilified made her heart scream with calls of unfairness. She didn't want to be the antagonist in a story, didn't want to be taken as another one of the stuck up, bratty egotists from someone she had never even known before. The thought made her throat feel tight and scratchy, uncomfortableness that she resolved to swallow down and mull upon later. After she left the pure child in front of her. After she secured a truely secluded area.

Astrea's pleasant greeting was rewarded with a dazzling smile from Julie, coupled with pretty flushing holding high in the apple of the SunChild's cheeks that made the Slytherin feel a bit fuzzier around the edges than normal. Fuzzy- and soft. Nothing like the steady contentedness she held when mounted an equine at the manor, or the stringy detachedness that crashed over her at public events, or even the tender comforting contentedness the heir acquired around her closest French confidants. This feeling cropping up in her heart was warmer. Enveloping. Something that brought a bit of energy upon her very soul, sparking and as refreshingly new as the girl who sat directly in front of her, balancing steadily upon the sturdy branch with all the grace of someone who- decidedly and unabashedly- did not fall from very high heights while scaling trees before swinging into a heap of upside-down fodder. Yet the action, as the Neptune thought back upon it briefly, only gave more character to this undoubtedly irreproachable person. 

Is this what fondness was? Foolish work- she had only met this girl for a few minutes. And already Astrea was being so selfish. To think that she was already becoming interested in interacting with Julie more than this one pocket of time- Work of idiots. She was becoming soft, wasn't she? Merely a week has passed by since the beginning of the term, and already her chest felt strained from the sudden influx of emotion that bombarded her in the presence of this absolute puppy of a human being.

"It's gorgeous here." Astrea slowly lifted her head from where it was tilted downwards to stare up into the pastel skies, the colours drawn pale and bright with the coming of the buttery sun to reflect like wildfire upon the Great Lake's ink-stained depths. From the corner of her eye, she could see Julie's gaze upon the dome of soon-to-be-blue with awe, cerulean eyes sparkling with wonder that- dare she say- seemed to outglow the sun in purity. "Indeed it is." Her tone was impressed, a hint of fondness seeping out as her gaze flickered over to track the significantly larger figure of Julie and being quickly diluted with muddled accented as it came out of her mouth. Her voice jostled slightly as the sun bore a few rays directly into her eyes and caused them to apparently flare up like stars, brilliantly silver in the golden light that wasn't all just showing from the sun in front of her- but also by the excess gleam she readily and selfishly soaked up from the day's blessed child next to her.

Her attempt at lightening the mood worked like a real charm, her companion picking up the question without questioning. "It's this ruddy stuff that looks like burnt amber, nothin' I'd recommend to anyone who likes to taste stuff." Julie's nose scrunched in what Astrea perceived as disgust, though her effulgent grin and bright eyes merely served to seem amusedly disdainful. The smile smoothed out into something a bit more appreciative, eyes bright with encouragement and pearly white teeth showcased in a bit more intimate of a look than Astrea was ever given before. It made her feel uncomfortable. Yet they didn't at the same time. Her tumbling emotions teetered on the edge of near-disturbed in how exuberant this SunStroke was to touched that Julie would even bother continuing to interact with her. And so she settled for one of positivity, a hum of understanding passing through her lips. The Slytherin couldn't help but notice Julie's little microexpressions as she told her hesitant story of previous boot ownership- from how the ruddy-brunette's fingers twitched with an aborted movement to help her untangle her bracelet to how completely focused the other was throughout the stilted process. "They are bloody lovely, an' I think they look comfy too!" And most of all, how kind Julie was. A soft almost-smile wrought itself upon Astrea's lips in thanks as she focused her attention upon her companion once more, only for the other to lift up a shoe and showcase a worn imprint of a tooth-and-scale armed creature with a smudged off lemon yellow iris. "Mum bought me these at the shop, used ta have a dinosaur on the sole before I went street ski-ing with a mate of mine." Astrea hummed in approval in regards to the confusing information, leaning in a bit closer to observe the trainer and mind trudging up memories of dipped ink and marked parchment paper and careful lecturing about the reptilian-like creatures of the past. "They're very nice, and I see you've worn them very regularly. I like it." Astrea's smile turned up a bit more in encouragement, eyes soft and voice hushed slightly as she peered upon the well-loved design.

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"That I may also learn to grow
In sweet humility."