Scarf at the Stars

It wasn't uncommon for a dhampir to not be able to sleep. From what he had read through in information at the library on such creatures as himself, Simon saw it was common to have a far varied sleep schedule that his full-human counterparts. This lead for long nights sometimes, nights were Simon had completed all his schoolwork, conducted all his studying, composed all his music, read through all his books, and all out tired of everything within his little dormitory room within the Hufflepuff area of the Castle. It was these nights that he took to the benefit of being prefect and conducted some extra patrols because at least a walk offered some new views, a bit of exercise, and some fresh air.

He wandered those corridors - out of the Hufflepuff Common and past some of the classrooms - History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Muggle Studies.... they all were empty, dark, silent. As they should be.

Simon made his way to a staircase, and down to the Ground Level of the Castle. The night was clear, as he could tell from the Courtyard and it was nights like these that he couldn't resist seeing the stars fill the sky of the Scottish Highlands. The starts didn't shine like this in London and the urge to see the brilliance caused him to leave prefect patrol behind and head to the Astronomy Tower. No, even he shouldn't probably be there at this time of night, but he knew that he would leave everything untouched and that the professor of Astronomy would come back to the space exactly as it had been left. He would be respectful and he would be quiet, also not disturbing the Headmaster if he should be in his office located nearby at this late hour.

As he grew closer, Simon's pace slowed. He could hear some sort of singing - and it didn't sound like it was the Headmaster's voice. Nor did it sound like a language he understood.

When Simon finally came to the Astronomy tower, he saw a fellow student there - deep in her thoughts, deep in her song. He waited, not wanting to interrupt. She was doing no harm.

It wasn't until he finished that he softly broke the new silence. ".....Hello?" he said, loud enough to be heard but also at a sort of loud whisper; hoping not to startle her. Simon, for now, remained a bit of a distance - standing just a bit away from where she was.

The young Greek girl was living in the moment. Often enough, people didn’t enjoy the things happening around them. Eugenia was no exception. She was no god, but a simple person, like any other. This time though, she was living in the moment. Smiling. Feeling happy and complete. She felt like it was all okay, at least in the end. She smiled on as she sang. The starry embrace from her grandfather held her tight, it made her feel calm and close to him. She hadn’t felt like that for a while. It was a soft pat on the back. That she was doing okay.

It seemed like there was no one outside their common rooms. And if the song had been sung a bit less loudly, it may have sounded like a total silence. Well, unless the silence was so big, a single sigh could pierce it and shatter it in a thousand pieces. Eugenia sang in her normal voice though, her high-pitch notes sounding perfect. She had always felt awful singing this specific song again. But this time, the stars seemed to equalise the pressure and make her sit on a delicate balance. And as one song followed the other, her heart only swelled in elation and the bittersweet feelings. Of happiness and grief. All mixed in a soup.

At one point, the young girl thought she should stop. And she did. Looking around, the she suppressed a quiet sigh. Looking up at the stars, she was mesmerised. All the constellations, the moonlight bathing her in a white and cream shimmer. Her irises reflected a beautiful mixture of hazel, chocolate and vivid green, her long eyelashes moving up and down as she tried to take it all in. She looked down in an instant, still mesmerised. The floor was made of glass, just like the dome.In the pale light of the stars, it shined like a beautiful piece of crystal, a diamond. It was beautiful. She suppressed the tears welling in her eyes too. It was much easier to keep it in and let it out when she was alone.

Eugenia barely heard the older boy enter. Her fellow Hufflepuff stood behind her, watching intently. He stood a few meters away from where she sat, his soft “Hey” now being the thing piercing this eerily beautiful silence. Eugenia touched the yarn off her scarf. She had just finished it. And it was perfect. The stars had guided her. Putting it aside, she turned around to face the dhampir, recognising him as one of her prefects. Though if she was in trouble, he would have issued some detention right away. He hadn’t yet, so it was okay.

I apologise if I have disturbed you so late at night. Have you come to gaze at the stars? They are one of the best things here. Off course, the young Greek did have a plan B. She was an Astronomy Intern, she could be here observing the phenomena of the great cosmos. Professor Starwise did say they could do that. So she did have a leg to stand on. Her soft speech flew in the air as if it was a bird. A beautiful and graceful bird. Turning not just her legs but her head to, she smiled. And she stared at the boy, trying to see him in another eye; for he seemed to not just be a prefect, but a good man.

xxx

Stamina: 8 - Evasion: 7 - Strength: 1 - Wisdom: 10 - Arcane Power: 6 - Accuracy: 8
Perfectionist — Evasive Maneuvres
———————————————————————
Pings: @Simon Kincaid
I am giving Simon Kincaid permission to godmod some basic actions on Eugenia’s part.
Eugenia is an Intern, so technically, she can have permission to come here and observe the stars.

"I haven't. I was on my rounds," he said as he approached, coming closer to where she was. There was a stillness now between words since the singing had ended, interrupted just momentarily by a breeze rustling some of the trees within the grounds below.

"I heard a sound here and thought I should check it out," but he too owed her an apology. She was up here for a reason, up here singing, perhaps lost in her thoughts and he had interrupted. "My apologies for intruding but it is growing late and I wouldn't want any of our students to be in harm's way."

It was very unlikely that something from the Forbidden Forest would make its way towards the castle of Hogwarts but if something was going to, it would probably be at night. Besides, students seemed to get harmed at Hogwarts on a frequent basis, there was no need to test out the fates at night with no one around.

He recognized her as one of his fellow Hufflepuffs but couldn't seem to place the name and studied her for a moment. Simon then glanced downward though, not needing the girl to see his enlarged pupils due to being a dhampir. Maybe that would leave her feeling unsettled and she'd think of him as one one of the reasons she could potentially be in harm's way. That was quite far from the truth, but he had met students who had literally run in terror from him before.

"You alright?" he asked, inquiring as to the reason she was up there.

The boy opposite to her was a prefect. What would a prefect be doing in the middle of the night, per se? Rounds. Why was she surprised to hear such an answer from him though? Rounds hmm? You’re a prefect, so it’s very logical you were. He had heard her. Oh really, why did she think she could get away with literally singing, at night, at the topmost tower of Hogwarts? But never mind, he seemed quiet and calm enough. So she wasn’t such a bother to him. Maybe.

No reason to apologize. I suppose there could be a high chance of danger, judging what has happened the past few years at Hogwarts. It is indeed quite late. And after all, you are just fulfilling your prefect duties. The young Greek looked up at him. He seemed pretty quiet. And thoughtful. Why shouldn’t he had been? He had all the right to be. She rattled her head internally, trying to think off dangers at the top of the Astronomy Tower.

Honestly, there were many. Falling down, injuring yourself in various odd and weird ways, misuse or destruction of the astronomical instruments… The list seemed to go on. Heck, people could have had a date up here, since a great number of teenagers have relationships. And seem to believe that the stars were especially romantic. Well, to Eugenia, there were ok. Like, nice, but not something signaling love. Either way, it wasn’t time for such thoughts now.

He was looking downward. In the presence of the stars, such beautiful parts of the cosmos, why would anyone look down? Was he afraid? Of her? Or himself? There were many people who were afraid of themselves, even if they weren’t such menaces to society. Sometimes, they were some of the kindest and sweetest peeps too. The silence between them lingered like stars in the frosty September air. Yeah, it was cold out in Scotland.

Eugenia stared for a minute, her gaze turning soft. Something felt odd about him. She felt like something was wrong. Why was he facing the ground. He couldn’t be so scared after all? Why would he have come up here then? But it was his duty, she reminded herself. Then she turned, answering his inquiry. I’m fine, thank you. Just came up here to watch the stars and do some- duties. Of my own. They are connected deep in my family traditions and some, uh, sad events that happened about one and a half year back. She gestured with her head down to the finished scarf. As if she was trying to say that this was her duty to fulfill.

She looked at him again. That was when she realised she had to let out some of her concerns. So she spoke. Are you alright? Are you here just because of the rounds or something else too.

xxx

Stamina: 8 - Evasion: 7 - Strength: 1 - Wisdom: 10 - Arcane Power: 6 - Accuracy: 8
Perfectionist — Evasive Maneuvres
———————————————————————
Pings: @Simon Kincaid
I am giving Simon Kincaid permission to godmod some basic actions on Eugenia’s part.
Eugenia is an Intern, so technically, she can have permission to come here and observe the stars.

"I'm fine," he said. It was mostly the truth. He was more fine than not fine although there were always so many thoughts that seemed to go through his mind at any given time - more so now with summer's end and his visit with his father. It was becoming a bit overwhelming but Simon was glad he had a little more time to process it over in the nights since his body seemed to allow him less sleep than most.

The girl mentioned duties and traditions of her own but he only saw her with a scarf. Simon was curious, but he wasn't sure if he should pry with his curiosity having just met her. "You're in Hufflepuff, I've seen you and all but I can't say I can place the name. Simon Kincaid," he said as he offered out his hand, his eyes still more on the scarf than to her. "Did you make it?" maybe it was her he saw one day making it in the Hufflepuff Common Room. Perhaps that was someone else. Simon wasn't sure.

Maybe it was even made for her. Simon wished he had the ability for some of these more creative hobbies and while he wasn't too terrible at drawing, he wouldn't equate himself anywhere near an artist. No, he could copy lines and shapes and that's sort of where his artistic self rested when it came to the visual arts. He was a little more adept when it came to music.

The Greek stared in Simon’s eyes, taking in each and every one of his words. She kept quiet, not wishing to disturb his talking. He seemed to be fine; after all, he said just that. But something in Eugenia’s subconscious said otherwise, something she ignored for now. She barely knew the prefect boy, it definitely wasn’t time to distrust each other.

He couldn’t remember her name, of course, not surprising Eugenia. She wasn’t one for trouble, rather a calm child who preferred talking to authority only when needed. Needless to say was that nothing really important happened in her first year of Magical Schooling. So the customary things were needed.

”Eugenia Karageorgiadi. It’s nice to meet you Simon.” She looked at him politely, but at the same time inquisitively. And she returned the gesture, shaking a hand with him.

His eyes had travelled to the scarf and she now faces a seemingly easy, but extremely hard question. Momentarily, her eyes unfocused, with a small piece of emotional turmoil trying to surface, but she looked straight on. “Yes, I indeed made it. It’s a gift for my grandfather.” The Hufflepuff’s heart broke. Referring to someone dead as if they were alive was painful too. “The family tradition I mentioned earlier, you see.”

Chocolate and mint eyes looked away, the force of days’ worth of suppressed tears finally surfacing. But not for long. For the Greek painfully suppressed them. She needed to keep the promise to her sister. They’d be there for each other. They’d tell each other. First tell Ifigenia and then Simon, if ever. A familiar request. A promise she was acquainted with. ”Um, Simon, how’s your family like?”

xxx

Stamina: 8 - Evasion: 7 - Strength: 2 - Wisdom: 10 - Arcane Power: 6 - Accuracy: 8
Perfectionist — Evasive Maneuvres
———————————————————————
Pings: @Simon Kincaid
I am giving Simon Kincaid permission to godmod some basic actions on Eugenia’s part.
Eugenia is an Intern, so technically, she can have permission to come here and observe the stars.

Facination struck him some as she mentioned grandfather, although, he picked up on something that perhaps weighed heavy upon her and he wondered if her grandfather was very far away. He seemed to mean a lot to her and he wondered if she already had to say a farewell to him.

"My family? Oh.... it's....unconventional?" he said, thinking of the word and then glancing over to her quickly. Maybe that wasn't the word he should use but it certainly depended on what family member he was talking about to get the words differently. Unconvential was a good way to describe the entire lot.

"I never knew any of my grandparents. They all passed before I was born." While far too short lived, he was glad he had gotten to connect with his girlfriend's grandmother before her passing. Grandma Ruth was amazing.

Family histories could take awhile - maybe not his, as it was so small, but still he wanted to know hers after so he came to the edge where you could still see the stars clearly and sat down, patting the space beside him for her to join.

"My mum was on her own just after graduating Hogwarts and trying to raise her younger sister when I came along. Her relationship with my father was short lived and she left it before even knowing about me but chose not to tell him either." He was well starting to see why the more he connected with him.

"She got sick and passed when I was three, me mum. So my aunt took me on after that and she's done amazing. It was just Aunt Maggie and I for years up until somewhat recently. I found out my father's name and I've been working on establishing some sort of bond iwth him. He uhhh, hasn't made that so easy. He's a very egotistical vampire," better to get that out right now.

"...And Aunt Maggie got married this past spring to my now Uncle Mark and he's a great addition to our family."

That was it, for now.

"Tell me some about yours. Please." He didn't mind answering any questions she might have but also wanted her to share - and he was hoping some information on the grandfather was included.

She wanted to cry but she shut up. She was too tired to think of his death anymore. One more thought. One tear would roll. Actually, hearing Simon speak was a welcome distraction for her. It was now her turn to listen.

Unconventional. That was surely an odd way to describe a family. Her first thoughts were that maybe his family was of mixed nationality. Of a forced marriage, or with parents with less tame professions. But he didn’t pause so she had far too little time to ponder on what he meant.

No grandparents. She felt a drop of pity for him which would have been more if she wasn’t here for this reason. And if her head wasn’t so crowded with thoughts. Her psyche did not match the calamity of her tone while talking previously to the prefects. And her mood swings were questionable. When he patted the space next to him, she didn’t shift closer. She was alright. In fact, she went slightly backwards and then to her side, keeping at least some distance. She wasn’t up for closeness now. The mood swing was too much to show. And if she went close to him, he might have seen.

She heard of how his mother had become a parent for his aunt, and then of the short romance between his parents. Indeed, it was unconventional for your she usual pure blood. But was she usual? Was she pure? That was no matter. Now she’d listen. Oh. So your mother was left alone? And before she could make sense of it, his story just continued.

My condolences. She meant it but it came out automatic. It was laced with feeling, but not with ones that mimicked support. It was more like a sigh. Because she’d been through that too. Your aunt Maggie sounds like a great woman. And then came the information of his father being a vampire. She didn’t flinch. No thoughts. Just registered. It was a calm response compared to what others in her family might have done.

And then the dreadful question. She didn’t want to say, didn’t want to explain. Her life seemed much better sequenced compared to his. She had to ask. But she could not. Well, my family is big. It’s like a tree with many branches leading up to me. I lived in another country when I was younger, and my sister was born when I was four. The same year we moved to London and basically then we separated ourselves from the other branches. But they are fine with it, they didn’t disown us, they actually thought it was a good idea. I visit them often during the holidays, mostly the houses of my maternal and paternal grandparents.

Cool. Control. Keep it. She always could. The rest of the parts are really uninteresting. No surprising affiliations with criminals or anything, like other families from there are famous for. Just that. She shrugged. He probably wanted to hear more judging from the please. But she had to keep it collected, vague, she couldn’t just spill out. A last protective mechanism.

xxx

Stamina: 8 - Evasion: 7 - Strength: 2 - Wisdom: 10 - Arcane Power: 6 - Accuracy: 8
Perfectionist — Evasive Maneuvres
———————————————————————
Pings: @Simon Kincaid
I am giving Simon Kincaid permission to godmod some basic actions on Eugenia’s part.
Eugenia is an Intern, so technically, she can have permission to come here and observe the stars.