The First Step to Belonging
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Interacting With: |
Hair and Outfit: |
Date: |
Reducio @Renelle Dalton |
Reducio   |
Reducio September 20th |
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Rosalina Crowe clutched the strap of her bag as she wandered through the corridors of Hogwarts, her heart pounding against her ribs. The castle was magnificent, but right now, it felt like a labyrinth designed specifically to make her feel small and hopelessly lost. She had been trying to find the Ravenclaw common room for what felt like ages, but every turn led her somewhere unfamiliar.
The hallways bustled with students, their hurried voices blending into an overwhelming hum. Some rushed past, robes swishing behind them, while others lingered in small clusters, laughing and chatting as if they had known each other forever. Rosalina envied them. She wished she had someone to walk with — someone who already knew the way and could steer her through the chaos. Instead, she was left navigating the twisting corridors alone, her anxiety growing with every wrong turn.
The castle itself was alive in a way she hadn’t expected. Portraits muttered and grumbled as she passed, some eyeing her with amusement while others paid her no mind. A particularly irritable one scoffed as she hesitated near his frame. “Another lost first-year,” he muttered, shaking his head before turning away.
Rosalina swallowed, pressing forward. The stone walls felt impossibly tall, the ceiling arching high above her, making her feel like an intruder in a place steeped in centuries of history. The flickering torchlight cast restless shadows along the walls, only adding to her unease. She felt out of place, a puzzle piece forced into the wrong spot.
A group of students passed, deep in conversation, and she thought about asking them for help. But her voice caught in her throat, and by the time she mustered the courage, they were already gone. Frustration and anxiety twisted inside her. What if she never found the common room? What if she wandered the halls forever like some ghostly first-year cautionary tale?
Then, through the shifting crowd, she spotted an older girl standing nearby. She looked to be a second-year, taller than Rosalina, with straight brown hair and sharp bluish-grey eyes. There was something composed about her, as if she belonged in the castle in a way Rosalina didn’t — at least, not yet. Taking a deep breath, Rosalina forced herself to step forward, her pulse hammering in her ears.
“Um, excuse me,” she said softly, voice barely above the din of the corridor. “Do you know how to get to the Ravenclaw common room?”
Word Count: 403
The First Step to Belonging
banner tbaStarting her second year at Hogwarts was equal parts daunting and invigorating. At long last, Renelle was no longer amongst the youngest in the school, and she was excited to be able to see timid little first years and bask in the knowledge she was no longer so small and clueless.
Classes were over for the day, and the corridors were packed with students rushing off to various places. Having quit all her extracurricular activities in order to find more time for herself, Renelle was quite excited to get back to the Ravenclaw common room, always a welcome distraction from the hecticness of the school day.
Easier said than done. With the people blocking up everywhere she looked, Renelle was going to be lucky if she got back to her dorm by curfew. She sighed softly to herself, adjusting the satchel slung over her shoulder. Oh, if only she could just fly away like those ghosts.
Renelle was so absorbed in her wallowing, she almost didn’t notice it when someone stepped forward, right in front of her. She raised an eyebrow, looking down at the girl. A fellow Ravenclaw, by the looks of it, and most likely a first year- judging by the general apprehension in her frame.
The girl spoke first. "Um, excuse me." Geez, her voice was awfully small. For god’s sake, it wasn’t like Renelle was going to eat her. "Do you know how to get to the Ravenclaw common room?"
Ah, so her suspicions were correct. Well, always happy to help a fellow student in need!
Not really, but Renelle was going to their common room anyways, so she might as well pretend to be nice. "Actually, I’m heading there right now. Do you wanna come with?"Interacting with @Rosalina Crowe
From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes
The First Step to Belonging
After Rose finished asking her question, she watched as the girl looked down at her, expression unreadable. For a brief moment, Rosalina worried she had made a mistake in asking, but then the older student spoke. "I’m heading there right now. Do you wanna come with?"
Relief flooded Rosalina’s chest, but her anxiety didn’t fully fade. She nodded quickly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh! Yes, please,” she said, her voice still quiet but laced with gratitude. “I’ve been trying to find it for a while now.”
Falling into step beside the second-year, Rosalina glanced around at the endless corridors. It felt easier to breathe now that she wasn’t alone, though she still struggled to find the right words. After a pause, she mustered up enough courage to speak again. “I’m Rosalina, by the way.”
She hesitated momentarily, unsure if she should keep talking, but the silence between them felt awkward. “I—uh—this place is so much bigger than I thought it’d be. I thought I memorized the way, but I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.” She let out a small, self-conscious laugh, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
The corridor ahead was still bustling with students, but having someone next to her made the noise seem less overwhelming. As they walked, Rosalina stole a glance at her companion. She seemed confident, at ease in a way Rosalina wished she could be. If she stuck close, some of that confidence would rub off on her.
Trying to fill the silence again, she asked, “Does it ever get easier, finding your way around here?”
Word Count: 271