Stumbling Into You
TIME |
DATE | 5/09/2024
INTERACTING | @Nova Astron
Dialogue/Thoughts
Thoughts - #009e77┃ Speech - #007514ℭaspian tore down the corridor, his robes snapping behind him like a banner in the wind. His feet pounded the flagstones as though the castle itself was urging him on. Finally! Excitement surged in his chest and his pulse thrummed with anticipation. This was the sort of class he had been waiting for; Defence Against the Dark Arts. He was so focused on reaching the classroom that he barely noticed the blur of movement until—
Crash.
The impact sent them both sprawling, her books bursting from her arms and scattering like startled birds. Caspian landed hard, half on top of the girl he’d knocked down, the breath rushing out of him in a sharp grunt. For half a heartbeat he stayed there, stunned, his nose inches from hers.
Heat rushed to his face. He scrambled up, his movements jerky and unpolished, brushing at his robes as though that might erase the awkwardness of the moment. His heart thudded louder now, not from excitement but embarrassment.
The girl was a Hufflepuff, her yellow-trimmed robes marking her house clearly. Her curly brown - blondish hair fell softy on her face. Cute—Caspian noted it immediately, though he’d never admit the thought out loud.
“Sorry,” he said, the word rushed but edged with his usual quick wit. “Didn’t mean to mow you down. I didn’t see you there—clearly." He extended a hesitant hand toward her, quirking a grin that was half apology, half challenge. “You’re not hurt though, are you?”Word count --> 246 words
Stumbling Into You
x
Nova - #a88400
Caspian - #044503
@Caspian Villin
Backdated: 05/09/2024
Nova walked through the long, confusing halls of Hogwarts with her books clutched to her chest tightly. It had already been a few days since she had arrived at Hogwarts with the rest of the first years, but she was still rather confused about all the classrooms. She'd had to ask three people already, all of whom had given her different directions one by one. She grumbled exasperatedly, not even knowing what subject she had that hour.
Her curls bounced as her walking turned to a light sprint. Nova turned a corner, about to yell at a painting that was watching in interest when she completely collided with someone. Stumbling back, she fell to the ground with her books flying out of her grip. Why she hadn't decided to just keep them in her bookbag, she wouldn't be able to answer. The person ended up falling as well, right on top of her. A flash of blonde hair appeared in her eyes before soft brown eyes met her own. The person, a boy, scrambled off of her before quickly apologizing.
Nova looked up, noticing the green undertones of the boy's robes swishing at his feet. She stared at the hand he was offering before snapping out of it and reaching out, taking his warm hand in hers and allowing him to pull her up. "I'm alright," she replied, glancing at his blonde hair which was sticking up from his fall. "Are you alright?" Quickly remembering her own situation, she frowned and began to collect her books quickly. "Actually, do you know where—" she shoved a hand into her bookbag and pulled out a wrinkled timetable. "—Defense Against the Dark Arts is?"
She squinted at the page as if doing so would somehow make it less confusing. Noticing the boy's small grin, Nova returned it with a small smile of her own. "I'm Nova, by the way. What's your name?" Her voice was a bit lighter now, the initial panic of being late starting to fade just a bit. But as soon as it left, it returned. I'm definitely late now!
Stumbling Into You
TIME |
DATE | 5/09/2024
INTERACTING | @Nova Astron
Dialogue/Thoughts
Thoughts - #009e77┃ Speech - #007514ℭaspian tightened his grip just enough to steady her as she rose, then released her hand, the warmth of her grip lingering even after he helped her back to her feet. The corner of his mouth tugged upward when she asked about Defence Against the Dark Arts. Of all the places to be running, she’d chosen the one place he was desperate to reach. He let out a low chuckle, brushing dust off his sleeve with exaggerated flourish.
“Defence Against the Dark Arts?” His brows arched in mock offense, as if the very idea she’d have to ask was an insult. “Lucky for you, that happens to be exactly where I’m headed. And,” he added, equal parts smug and teasing, “I actually know the way.”
Her name, though—Nova. Caspian rolled it over in his mind, testing how it felt. Bright. Sharp. A little dazzling. It suited her—bright-eyed, curls bouncing even as she scrambled for her books. He couldn’t help the flicker of amusement in his chest. He liked it more than he meant to.
“Caspian,” he answered, giving her a quick half-bow as though he were announcing himself on a grand stage. “Slytherin. First-year. Future legend. At your service.” His eyes gleamed with mischief. Straightening, he gestured toward the corridor ahead. “Come on. We're already late.”
He set off at a pace that was quick but no longer reckless, glancing sideways at her as they fell into step. The heat of embarrassment was gone now, replaced by a spark of mischief.
After a moment, he cast her a sideways glance, his grin tugging wider. “So, Nova,” he drawled, “do you always take people out like that, or should I feel honored?”Word count --> 281 words
Stumbling Into You
x
Nova - #a88400
Caspian - #044503
@Caspian Villin
Backdated: 05/09/2024
Nova smiled slightly as the boy gave a small flourish, books firmly in hand once more. A Slytherin, of course. She didn’t know much about houses yet, but something about the way he introduced himself made her want to laugh. She stifled it, cheeks warming. The glint in his eyes intrigued Nova, and she gave a short, nervous laugh at his commentary. "I, um… no. I don’t usually run into people. At least, not on purpose.” She glanced sideways at him before adding timidly. “Sorry again for that.” The boy, Caspian as she now knew, seemed unbothered as he strolled off leisurely, leaving Nova to quickly jog after him.
She snuck another glance at him out of the corner of her eye. He was kind of funny, even if he was clearly very aware of it. Blonde hair still tousled from the fall. That half-grin he kept flashing like he’d been born with it. He probably had, and the thought made her giggle involuntarily. Tucking a curl behind her ear, she shook her head exasperatedly. "You're the first actually." She stated sheepishly, steps quickening to keep up. It was quiet for a moment between them, only the sound of their footsteps against the stone floors and the occasional scuffle Nova would hear from a student nearby.
A small wave of panic settled into her brain, and she turned her focus to the boy next to her once again. "Will the professors give us detention on the first day?" Her question was genuine, eyes wide in both curiosity and nervousness. The corner of her book dug into her ribs, but she hardly noticed the uncomfortable feeling. Her eyes flickered to the side as they turned a corner, finding a fluffy cat taking a long walk around the corridors. Nova smiled at it, resisting to urge to drop to her knees and stroke its fluffy white fur. Nova forced her eyes away from the cat, though it was difficult—cats were far less intimidating than corridors, confusing staircases, and running into Slytherin boys.
She adjusted her books again, one threatening to slip free from the stack, and let out a breath that came close to a sigh. Nova glanced at her timetable again despite the fact it had most definitely not changed in the last five minutes they had been moving. The whole situation was rather overwhelming for a first week at a school that was supposedly one of the best. She didn't doubt it, but it would have made a difference if they were given at least some sort of map so the poor first years like herself didn't end up miles away from their actual classes. "They should've given us some maps, if you ask me." She murmured absent-mindedly, still lost in her thoughts.
Stumbling Into You
Made by Meee!!!TIME |
DATE | 5/09/2024
INTERACTING | @Nova Astron
Dialogue/Thoughts
┃ Speech - #007514ℭaspian caught the way her voice dipped, that mix of nerves and curiosity, and he nearly laughed outright at the way her eyes went wide. “Detention?” he echoed, the word rolling off his tongue like it was a joke. "On the first week? Please."
He tilted his head, giving her a sidelong glance that sparkled with mischief. “Not unless we crash straight through the classroom door and knock over the professor. Which, for the record, I am not against, people do love a good dramatic entrance.” His grin widened, daring her to believe him.
The cat caught his attention too, tail curling like a question mark as it padded along. He slowed a fraction, eyes following it. “See that?” he said, jerking his chin toward it. “That cat knows exactly where it’s going. We should just follow it. Bet it’s on its way to Defence Against the Dark Arts right now.” He tilted his head thoughtfully, then smirked again. In a castle full of shifting staircases and trick corridors, who was to say a cat didn’t know better than them?
Glancing at her stack of books, threatening collapse with every step, he quickened his stride and darted a hand out and snagged the top one from her pile without asking, tucking it casually under his arm. “You’re about five seconds away from scattering these all over the floor again,” he said. “Can’t have Defence Against the Dark Arts turning into Defence Against Your Falling Textbooks, can we?” He opened her book, eyes skimming through the pages and the little notes scribbled along the margins. "Smartass." He muttered under his breath.
He glanced sideways at her again, catching the way she clutched her timetable like it might bite her. She murmured about maps, and Caspian gave a low chuckle. “Maps? Where’s the challenge in that?" He spread his arms theatrically as though presenting the passageways around them. “Getting lost is half the adventure."
word count --> 322
Stumbling Into You
x
Nova - #a88400
Caspian - #044503
@Caspian Villin
Backdated: 05/09/2024
Nova's eyes widened in disbelief at his example, and she shook her head adamantly. "No way is that happening. At all. Anytime soon." She muttered with a firm tone, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "You say that like getting lost on the way to class and potentially being given a month’s worth of cauldron-scrubbing is an adventure," she said with a sideways glance towards Caspian, who was grinning ear to ear.
When he grabbed a book off the top of her stack, she tried to protest. "Hey—!" She scoffed at his interruption, letting out an indignant sound as he flipped through her neatly annotated pages. "I am not! I'm just prepared." She huffed, reaching out to snatch it back before giving up. Glancing over to her book, a soft pink tinted her cheeks as she looked over the small doodles.
They rounded another corner, and Nova slowed slightly as the cat from before leapt gracefully up onto a windowsill and promptly began grooming itself, completely uninterested in their quest for direction. As they passed by, Nova reached out to quickly give it a scratch before walking away. The cat seemed to really enjoy that, because it began to follow the pair while purring loudly.
Nova giggled, shaking her head as she looked over her shoulder. “Great,” she murmured. “Now we’ve picked up a guide.” She looked ahead again, a little more at ease now, even if her arms still ached from carrying too many books. As they rounded yet another corner, the cat trotted in front of them, as if it really were their guide. Not that she minded, clearly, as she eagerly followed alongside it. "Come on, Caspian. I think it knows!"
Stumbling Into You
Sorry for the late reply.
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ℭaspian slowed when Nova tugged him forward, one brow lifting skeptically. “I’m officially questioning every life choice that led me to this moment,” he muttered. He slowed his pace just enough to fall in behind the fluffy self-appointed guide, watching its tail sway like a metronome of confidence. How had he ended up letting a cat lead him through Hogwarts?
The corridor stretched on, candles floating lazily above them, their flames flickering and casting dancing shadows across the stone walls. Students darted past in a blur of colors and robes—some laughing, others jostling each other in their rush to get to class or scolding friends. A few glanced curiously at the pair following the feline guide. Caspian raised his chin, as if asking them what they were looking at.
They passed under a stone archway, and Caspian’s eyes flicked to a familiar tapestry on the wall. His step faltered for half a heartbeat.
“Oh.” His grin sharpened. “Never mind. We’re definitely close.”
Caspian fell into step beside Nova, keeping one eye on the cat ahead and one on her. “So,” he said casually, letting his tone remain light, the words rolling off his tongue as if they had no weight at all. “first week at Hogwarts… brutal, isn’t it?” He shrugged, letting his robes sway slightly with the movement. “I mean, sure, there’s magic and everything, but the hallways alone are enough to make you reconsider your life choices. I spent ten minutes yesterday just trying to find the bathroom after class, and that was before I got lost in a moving staircase.”
He nudged the book she was balancing gently with his hands, letting his fingers brush against the worn cover. He was being careful not to knock it loose. “By the way, those notes of yours—tiny doodles, huh? You always… annotate this much?”
word count --> 305
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Stumbling Into You
x
Nova - #a88400
Caspian - #044503
@Caspian VillinSorry for lateness ;-;
Backdated: 05/09/2024
Nova glanced towards Caspian as he suddenly sped up, like his brain had just given him a hint on where the classroom was. She attempted to tug the book out of his hands when he asked her the question, shaking her head exasperatedly. Her ears pinked slightly in embarrassment, but nothing too noticeable. "I just do it so I remember better," she muttered, giving up and letting him hold the book for her.
She glanced up at him, gauging his reaction, then gestured vaguely with her free hand. “Besides, Hogwarts is a lot. Only a few of the ghosts are actually helpful. A portrait snapped at me for 'walking too loudly,' and I wasn't even near him!" She rolled her eyes. The cat upfront suddenly took a right turn, and she jogged to catch up. They passed beneath another archway, and Nova noticed the air shift. It seemed quieter, and there were more doors.
She looked at them all, trying to figure out which one of them was the correct one. Suits of armor stood against the walls, creaking occasionally as they shifted around. Caspian didn't look fazed at all. In fact, it was as if he was enjoying the whole "Guess the Door" game they seemed to be playing. Finally, the cat sat in front of a door where voices could be heard inside, tail swishing smugly. Nova started to grin, turning to Caspian. "I think we finally found it!" she said before leaning down to scratch the cat behind its ears.