3 Oct 2019, 21:00
A Confusing Return
Reducio
OOC: Missed Heather's whole 1st Year due to joining the site at the tail end of it. So most of my posts for her are going to include flashbacks as well as present-day events.
Flashback: 1st Year Arrival - Class of 2018-2019
Reducio
Heather Ruby stepped off the Hogwarts Express, trying not to get in the way of other students. It was the first time she had ever taken a train by herself, a little nerve-wracking at first, but overall the trip had gone well. Heather had wanted to go back for her luggage, but the tide of students had quickly herded her out the door. Hearing an adult voice call out to leave their things confused her at first, but she relaxed on learning that their stuff would be brought in later. Heather looked around for her friend Andy, but couldn't find him in the crowd. Maybe they would meet up again once inside the school--whatever that was. The other students didn't seem to be heading inside any of the buildings around them. Those seemed too small to be the school anyway.
She moved her cane carefully through the crowd, doing her best not to trip anyone and headed towards the voice calling them. Boats? Why would they be getting into boats? Even with the lamppost light, everything around her was a dark blur of shapes and shadows.
As they moved over the grassy earth, all Heather could hear was the bubble of voices around her, but a scent soon reached her nose. Water and wet dirt, and the plants that made it home. There was moonlight ahead in the darkness where there were no lamps--but wait. Why were there two moons? The moon on the ground rippled, and she realized it was a reflection. They stood at the edge of a vast lake.
The adult guided them down to the shore and a fleet of small boats. Heather carefully felt her way into it, gratefully accepting help from the student already inside. She noticed with confusion that her craft had no oars, but before she could ask about that, the boat rocked gently, and she felt it moving across the water. Magic, she thought to herself, riiight... I don't know if I'll ever get used to this.
In the silence that followed, she heard a few of the other students mentioning some sort of monster in the lake and gripped the sides of the boat tightly. Their guide wouldn't let anything happen to them, right? They weren't even wearing life-vests! She could swim, of course, but still...
Gasps and other sounds of amazement distracted Heather from her troubled thoughts, and she looked around, trying to see what had them all so awestruck. There was a massive shape in the moonlight before them, all blurred shadow and points of light.
Is that the school? What's so impressive about--oooooh... Her thought trailed off as they finally sailed close enough for her to truly see the imposing, majestic castle that was Hogwarts. She stared at it, dumbstruck and overwhelmed until they entered the cavern docks, and her boatmate gave her a gentle shove, helping her back onto dry land. The rest of the trip to the Entrance Hall was made in stunned silence, her limbs moving mostly on auto-pilot.
She moved her cane carefully through the crowd, doing her best not to trip anyone and headed towards the voice calling them. Boats? Why would they be getting into boats? Even with the lamppost light, everything around her was a dark blur of shapes and shadows.
As they moved over the grassy earth, all Heather could hear was the bubble of voices around her, but a scent soon reached her nose. Water and wet dirt, and the plants that made it home. There was moonlight ahead in the darkness where there were no lamps--but wait. Why were there two moons? The moon on the ground rippled, and she realized it was a reflection. They stood at the edge of a vast lake.
The adult guided them down to the shore and a fleet of small boats. Heather carefully felt her way into it, gratefully accepting help from the student already inside. She noticed with confusion that her craft had no oars, but before she could ask about that, the boat rocked gently, and she felt it moving across the water. Magic, she thought to herself, riiight... I don't know if I'll ever get used to this.
In the silence that followed, she heard a few of the other students mentioning some sort of monster in the lake and gripped the sides of the boat tightly. Their guide wouldn't let anything happen to them, right? They weren't even wearing life-vests! She could swim, of course, but still...
Gasps and other sounds of amazement distracted Heather from her troubled thoughts, and she looked around, trying to see what had them all so awestruck. There was a massive shape in the moonlight before them, all blurred shadow and points of light.
Is that the school? What's so impressive about--oooooh... Her thought trailed off as they finally sailed close enough for her to truly see the imposing, majestic castle that was Hogwarts. She stared at it, dumbstruck and overwhelmed until they entered the cavern docks, and her boatmate gave her a gentle shove, helping her back onto dry land. The rest of the trip to the Entrance Hall was made in stunned silence, her limbs moving mostly on auto-pilot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Heather Ruby stepped off the train with the other students, her mind was burdened by troubled thoughts. Heather hadn't graduated onward to 2nd Year. Her grades had been too poor to pass 1st Year, but not poor enough that she would flunk out of the school entirely. She knew that in non-magical schools when a student failed, they would repeat that year's classes and be held back a grade. She was glad that Hogwarts had the same mindset when it came to teaching, but it still felt embarrassing all the same. A 12-year-old in the same grade as everyone younger than her? What would happen when the other students found out? She shook her head hard, driving away that distressing thought. She couldn't be the only one who had been held back, surely? There had to be others, right? So at least she wouldn't be completely alone. She hoped. At least this year she had brought something along that might help, and dearly hoped that whoever fetched the luggage would be careful with it. The little machine was a hardy piece of technology, and not electrical, so magic shouldn't be able to hurt it, as she had been told it shorted out other muggle devices like cell phones and computers, but even so, she worried.2nd Year Arrival - Class of 2019-2020
As the call for first-years to board the waiting boats rang out, she froze in her tracks, looking around in sudden realization that she had no idea where to go. Did she follow the other 1st Years to the boats, or go with the older students to those carriages she had heard about?
Failed 1st Year at Hogwarts at age 11. Is repeating 1st Year classes.
4 Oct 2019, 16:27
A Confusing Return
interacting w/ @Heather Ruby
Stepping off the train was a great relief to Brielle, as the ride gave her a twinge of motion sickness. As she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, she glanced at the others hopping off as well. She scanned the crowds, trying to eye someone she knew, someone she road with, though there was no one in sight. Brielle let out a light sigh, noticing the boats pulled by the docks.
Serously?! She cursed under her breath, worried she'd might throw up over the side of the rowboat on the way to the Castle. As she stood in the sand of the lake, she could barely make out the silhouette of the Hogwarts castle in the fog. It was huge, causing her to gasp in amazement. She couldn't even fathom what it was like inside.
She noticed another girl, seeming to stand by herself as well. She pulled her hair into a messy yet intricate bun and made her way to her, tapping lightly on her shoulder from behind. "Hey, are you coming? The boat is this way, those carriages are for upperclassmen." She sneered, pointing her into the right direction.
Now that Brielle looked at her, she did look a year or two older, though she shrugged it off. She sat with the First Years on the train, therefore she was the same as Brielle, right? "That is, unless you.. failed your first year and you're thinking you can go with your friends that graduated." She said sweetly yet offensively. Brielle had heard about a girl who failed first year, yet she didn't know who. With the clues she had been given, she figured this was the one.
Saying Brielle wasn't trying to be mean was utterly false and untrue. She meant to be sickeningly rude, her harsh words and tone purely intentional.
Brielle Gray ﾟ･:*｡(ꈍᴗꈍ)ε｀*)~｡*:･ﾟ
Proudly Veela
Strength: 5 Evasion: 5 Stamina: 4 Wisdom: 5 Arcane Power: 5 Accuracy: 6
4 Oct 2019, 23:02
A Confusing Return
Heather jumped as the girl tapped her shoulder, jamming her cane hard into the dirt so as not to reflexively smack anyone with it. She turned to glare at the girl, then relaxed as she realized the other student was offering directions. "Oh. Thanks. Sorry. Uh... just don't do that again, alright? It's a bad idea to sneak up on blind people." Heather knew it was partly her own fault for being so distracted, but it was still good advice.
Heather's eyesight was bad enough that she could only see distinct facial expressions, but she could see and hear the sneer in the girl's voice, with how they were standing. "Do you not like the upper grades?"
And then came the other comment. Heather sighed heavily, rolling her eyes. Of course, someone would have found out, and of course, that would be the first person Heather just happened to meet on her first day back to school. Well, she supposed it could be worse. At least the girl wasn't teasing her about her eyesight or use of a cane, which had happened in a few cases back home. Going to a School for the Blind back in her elementary grades had much helped Heather in overcoming low self-esteem caused by that sort of bullying, but being made fun of for any reason was still embarrassing and annoying.
"Does the whole school know by now?" she asked, resignedly. Might as well see how bad the damage was. It would probably be even worse once the girl noticed the Ravenclaw house colors in Heather's school robe. Still, at least she wouldn't need to be Sorted again--hopefully.
@Brielle Gray
Heather's eyesight was bad enough that she could only see distinct facial expressions, but she could see and hear the sneer in the girl's voice, with how they were standing. "Do you not like the upper grades?"
And then came the other comment. Heather sighed heavily, rolling her eyes. Of course, someone would have found out, and of course, that would be the first person Heather just happened to meet on her first day back to school. Well, she supposed it could be worse. At least the girl wasn't teasing her about her eyesight or use of a cane, which had happened in a few cases back home. Going to a School for the Blind back in her elementary grades had much helped Heather in overcoming low self-esteem caused by that sort of bullying, but being made fun of for any reason was still embarrassing and annoying.
"Does the whole school know by now?" she asked, resignedly. Might as well see how bad the damage was. It would probably be even worse once the girl noticed the Ravenclaw house colors in Heather's school robe. Still, at least she wouldn't need to be Sorted again--hopefully.
@Brielle Gray
Failed 1st Year at Hogwarts at age 11. Is repeating 1st Year classes.
5 Oct 2019, 04:57
A Confusing Return
Interacting w/ @Heather Ruby
All Brielle did was laugh. "Everyone, knows. Why, it spread like wildfire on the train." Brielle then looked behind her shoulder, sneaking glances of people pointing at her and the girl standing in the sand. She didn't mind it, if anything being the one everyone had eyes on comforted her.
"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, there are some others too. Maybe you can sit with them. Ravenclaw.." She said bitterly, having much distaste for the house. It was like they we're trying to out wit the Slytherins, and personally, Brielle didn't favor little house one ups.
Brielle figured Slytherin would be a rather suitable choice of house for her anyway, with her cunning and sly sense of pride, she'd fit right in. Rather than some others who put on a brave face in public and break once they're in the safety of their dorms. That wasn't Brielle, instead Brielle is the type of girl to take what she wants, fearless of backing down to orders. She could thank her mother for that one.
As the horn blew, a large swarm of first years headed for the rafts. Brielle looked back at the girl standing in front of her, their glasses slipping down. Brielle then grabbed her hand and dragged her to the front of the line, hopping in a boat before all of the others that were there first.
"Hey lighten up, its your first day.. Well, first day redo."
Brielle Gray ﾟ･:*｡(ꈍᴗꈍ)ε｀*)~｡*:･ﾟ
Proudly Veela
Strength: 5 Evasion: 5 Stamina: 4 Wisdom: 5 Arcane Power: 5 Accuracy: 6
Andrew Vance
16 Oct 2019, 13:52
A Confusing Return
Reducio
OOC: @Emma Hill may or may not be posting in this thread, but has given me permission to mention her character ICly.
Last year had been a missed opportunity, but this year, Andrew had made extra sure to coordinate his arrival with Emma's at King's Cross station, for them to meet up and board the Hogwarts Express together. Throughout the long train ride, Andrew had dozed, stuffed himself with candy from the trolley, napped some more, snacked again, chatting with Emma along the way about his anticipations and plans for the new school year. Noticing the solid black robes of the incoming batch of first years, Andrew couldn't help but feel a small measure of pride, donning on his emerald-and-silver-lined uniform. No longer was he at the bottom of the pecking order. He had risen a tier and earned a notch of experience to his belt. It felt great to say that he was second year.
Disembarking from the train at Hogsmeade Station, he stuck close next to Emma, who knew which way for them to go, where the carriages would be waiting. Stepping onto the platform, Andrew scanned the swarm of students, gathering his whereabouts, when something white between the black-robed masses caught his eye. He did a double-take, realizing that the white thing was a cane. And there was only one person he knew who had a cane like that.
"Hey, I think that's Heather!" He nudged Emma, craning his neck to try and point out the brunette girl with thick round glasses in the midst of the crowd. Realizing the direction where Heather was heading off towards, he said hurriedly to Emma, "I'll get her," before bolting after the group of first years.
With them being in different Houses, plus his own time-consuming studies, in addition to learning the ropes of his new school, Andrew had hardly any opportunity to meet up with Heather Ruby during his first year at Hogwarts. Over the summer, he had tried to write as many owls as he could to catch up with old friends. One of them being Heather, who had broken the unfortunate news to him about her academic situation. His replies had been encouraging and supportive. This year, he would try his best to help Heather with her studies. But with the House separation issue, he hoped that Heather would get to buddy up with one of her fellow Ravenclaws as study partners (no shortage of those in that House). In that case, maybe Emma would know the best candidate to hook Heather up with.
"Heather! Heather, wait!" Andrew shouted. He could see why Heather might be misled to follow after the other first years, but he was fairly certain the Lake tour was for first-timers only. Catching up to them, Andrew halted behind Heather, spacing himself a few inches so as to allow Heather some room to turn around with her cane. Having already been acquainted with Heather's disability, Andrew knew the sound of his voice would be enough to direct her over to where he stood.
"Over here," Andrew called out, panting slightly from the run. "Finally, found you!" He beamed happily at Heather. "You're with us."