Not-So-Private Sanctuary
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24th November, 2025
Great Lake
Interacting with: @Lindsey Bliss
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Speech -- Thoughts
The afternoon air was crisp and a little sharp, tugging at the edges of the scarf Pam was wearing, as she walked down the winding path that leads to the lake.
A cool breeze blew, touching her hair, and tugging at the loose strands, which made her shiver despite her coat. The great lake had already frozen over, but Pam had decided to be cautious--skating would come later, in December, when the ice was hard enough to be trust.
Better safe than sorry.
The sound of her boots against the frost-bitten grass was a comforting rhythm that reminded her that she was heading somewhere familiar, something sure in an otherwise unpredictable world. Every move carried a silent feeling of relief, the kind she only felt in moments like this: the wind, the crisp cold, the silent crunch of ice under her feet.
She had been anticipating this the whole day--an hour or two away from homework, without the chatter of the common room, without the constant swirl of her own mind. Only her, and a book she had been wanting to read weeks before, before getting swept off by schoolwork.
There was a tree near the Great Lake, which was her usual reading spot: away from the main walking trail, at enough of a distance to feel private, and yet close enough that the light reflecting off the water seemed to soften up everything around it, and gave it a kind of golden glimmer. It was her little sanctuary, a part of the world, created quietly, where the turning of pages and the slow pace of her breathing are the only requirements.
Others, who must have been impatient waiting until the ice should form, were already skating over the lake in circling figures, their laughter drifting through into the icy air. Pam slowed to stare at them, an aching desire growing in her heart. She missed yhat freedom, the feeling of her skates slicing through ice, the cold wind blowing on her face, the comfort of being lost in motion. But she was here with a purpose to-day. She had to have silence, an opportunity of letting the world rest and her own mind do the same. And she had a book to finish.
That at any rate could not wait.
She looked away from the skaters and walked on. The trees along the lake formed long thin shadows of skeletal forms, curving with the low sun. She breathed it in, the silence, the thiness of the frost moving upon the snow, the splash of a falling branch across the water, which was softened by the ice, in the distance. It was the sort of peace she could hardly have in the castle, in the quietest place in the Common Room.
Bending around the last corner of the road, she finally saw it: the tree. The familiar arch of branches stooping a little over the frozen water, the pale light shining through the leaves that were still remaining. And some one sitting under it.
Were her eyes deceiving her?
Pam paused several steps away, and squinting against the sun glinting off the lake. A figure sat there, very engrossed, not remotely conscious of her approach. Her stomach sank a little. She had always imagined the tree to be hers, untoichable, a little kingdom cut off the large areas of the castle.
And now... it wasn't.
Almost instantly the counter thought struck her, a small voice flashing inside her: it was not hers at all. The lake was a common place and the tree, just like every corner of Hogwarts, was a common place to every person who happened to be attracted to it. Nevertheless, her heart ached as she thought that she may not have her own, lovely time today at all.
In addition, logic never could win with her.
She stood for a second and pressed her hand to the side of her backpack, in which her own book was lying. She did not want to seek refuge elsewhere, did not want to go round the lake and only then to settle down in a less attractive place.
There was a tingling in her throat, and a twitch of irritation and curiosity. Who was brave enough-- or rather oblivious enough-- to occupy this place without taking a glance round? A protective proprietary feeling arose in her, along with an inexplicable interest, a wish to observe this stranger and know what had led them there, to her tree, her sacred, ritual area.
Pam carefully moved nearer, and the crunch of frost gave away her presence, despite her efforts. She noticed details now: how the sun had struck the curve of the hair of the stranger, how the tilt of their head, and how he had drawn another tiny breath, in little clouds that shone in the cold.
Her lips drew in an unwilling smile. Maybe it could be shared. Well, perhaps it was not the world to end because some other one found consolation here as well. After all... the lake was large enough to take two.
When she paused several strides behind the figure and had allowed her own shadow to extend across the frost-slick grass, Pam had the sensation of her heart rate decelerating. The annoyance became more diffident, musing.
She could have imagined that the world was spread out all around them the lake wide and waiting, the frozen reeds yellow and motionless, the branches overhead rustling in the wind. Time could stop, here, only temporarily, and she may do well to lapse into the warm cocoon of her thoughts, her book, and the peaceful beat of the lake. Even the fact that there was a stranger would not matter when her book was open.
Pam slightly bent, and unzipped her book off her backpack, taking care not to make a noise. Her hands slipped over the battered cover, familiar and comforting. She sighed and drew a deep breath of cold winter air into her lungs, and gave herself a slow exhale and felt the tension in her shoulders loosen.
Pam made herself comfortable on the grass, taking care to keep a due distance, and letting the frost stick to her coat slightly on the edges. Her bagpack lay next to her and the book was close to her lap, waiting to be flipped open. Sitting and gazing down the lake, with the skaters beyond, the sunlight shining down on ice and water, she had a contented feeling that all was well.
She imagined maybe it was possible to divide the world, and it would not lose its magic. Maybe her small kingdom may grow and then expand and maybe include another one and yet still be hers in the real sense of the word. And after what felt like a long time Pam just sat there, in the gentle silence of winter, and was happy with the world as it was.
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Last edited by Pamela Graham on 12 Jan 2026, 03:20, edited 1 time in total.
"I'd rather be heartless, than have my heart in pieces"
-Calming Presence- The Muggle Condition
iNPC: Hikari Fujimoto
Not-So-Private Sanctuary
Lindsey hadn’t heard the footsteps at first—not over the soft whisper of wind through the branches above her, or the faint scrape of skates on the frozen lake. She’d been too wrapped up in her book and the quiet comfort of her little hideaway beneath the tree. It wasn’t hers, not officially, but it felt like it. Like a blanket tucked over her shoulders. Safe. Warm, even in the cold
But then the crunch of frost got just a little too close, and Lindsey’s head lifted, eyes blinking against the bright winter sun.
Someone was standing nearby.
Lindsey froze, hands clasped around the spine of her book. A girl—older, maybe? Or just taller—stood a respectful distance away, like she wasn’t sure if she was allowed to get any closer. Her expression was a mix Lindsey recognized immediately: surprise, irritation, and something softer underneath.
“Oh!” Lindsey squeaked, her voice pitching embarrassingly high. She snapped her book shut on instinct, as if she’d been caught doing something wrong. “S-sorry! I didn’t know this spot was, um—yours?”
Her cheeks flushed hot despite the cold. She scrambled to sit up straighter, brushing frost off her skirt even though it didn’t help much.
“I—I can move!” she added quickly, already gathering her bag. “It’s just really pretty here and the light’s good for reading and I didn’t think anyone ever came this far down the path and—”
She cut herself off before she spiraled completely, biting her lip.
The girl didn’t look angry. In fact, she looked more conflicted than anything else. Lindsey’s shoulders dropped a little, her voice softening.
“…I don’t mind sharing,” she said, almost shyly. “If you wanted to sit too, I mean. There’s loads of space.”
She nodded toward the lake, where the sunlight hit the frozen surface just right, making everything glow like something out of a painting.
“It’s nicer with someone else here anyway,” she admitted, fiddling with the corner of her bookmark. “Feels less like I stole a secret.”
Not-So-Private Sanctuary
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24th November, 2025
Great Lake
Interacting with: @Lindsey Bliss
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Speech -- Thoughts
Pam hadn't meant to startle her.
She hadn't actually expected the girl to get so flustered when she'd approached her. After all, it wasn't like reading under a tree was illegal or uncommon.
She had approached quietly– soft steps, even breathing, the whole I promise I'm not here to spook you routine--and, somehow, still startled the poor girl so much that she had to squeak. An actual squeak. Then the book snapped shut as though Pam had caught her in the act of a federal crime.
Guilt crashed down on Pam who stood frozen in her tracks.
...Oh no. She was now a walking jump-scare.
She looked at the girl, and took in the vaguely familiar face. She had noticed her anywhere--maybe in passing between Charms and Transfiguration, perhaps, she had sat two tables away at breakfast--but the name? Gone. Drifting somewhere in the sea of people whom she half knew and half did not know.
Pam put both her hands out--universal plead for don't panic; I mean no harm--. Her lips pulled into a sheepish half smile.
"Oh—no, no, no, it’s not my spot," she said quickly, the words dancing over one another as she attempted to fix the situation. "I just... come here a lot. The tree and I have some sort of a mutual understanding, but it doesn't charge rent or anything."
Her scarf immediately slipped to the side like it was embarrassed to be associated with her attempt at humor. Pam fixed it quickly, trying not to wince or grimace at how awkward the air between them had become.
Or have any of it show on her face at all really.
The girl started to speak,--rapid, nervous, disordered--and Pam experienced a kind of a pulling ache in the heart of her chest. She knew that tone too well. The frenzy of the desire to be polite, not to get in the way of somebody, to disappear and apologize simultaneously. She had always been like that in her muggle school, especially in front of seniors who had scared the lights out of her. The people at Hogwarts had appeared much nicer to Pam last year, except the occasional black sheep.
When the girl reached for her bag, shoulders drawn in tight, Pam reacted without thinking. She stepped forward and waved her hand lightly.
"Hey--don't move. Really." Her voice softened unconsciously. "You were here first.”
At least that appeared to stop the girl in motion.
Pam smiled a little, warmly, the way she had now learned to reserve to the new first years or the nervous library-visitors, who required assistance to locate the correct shelf. She eased down into a crouch beside her own backpack, placing it on the grass with deliberate calm, attempting to communicate in some way: You are all right. I'm not chasing you away.
Coldness of the frosty-tipped grass crept to her knees, but she did not mind. The winters made her more alive, anyway. The breeze tugged at her hair, but the irritation she'd carried earlier dissolved, replaced with something quieter, something protective. It was rather hard to feel annoyed or mad at an awkward, stuttering trespasser who's more than willing to go away if you told them to.
Pam was well aware of the fact that she was definitely not that. In these moments, her mind was first-come-first-served but she was not necessarily opposed to sharing either.
As long as it wasn't food. That's where she drew the line.
"And, thank you" said she, looking at the girl. "For offering to share. That was really nice of you."
There. A gentle bridge. Not too pushy, not too intense. Hopefully.
Pam sat down on the grass, at a place near enough to be friendly, and yet distant enough that the girl would not feel crowded. She had a weird talent for sensing the invisible bubble people needed, and she respected it like a solemn vow.
She placed her closed book on her lap but she did not open it yet. The winter sun sparkled on the lake, looking like gold sprinkles on the icy surface. The world felt quieter here. Softer.
She glanced at the girl, before shifting her attention to the lake, allowing the serenity to envelop them like a blanket.
"It really is prettier with someone else around," Pam murmured, her voice barely above the whisper of wind. "When I'm alone, it feels like I’m just hiding from everything. But on some days, it feels more like choosing a nicer corner of the world."
Pam smiled and a gentle radiance, light, illuminated her face.
"So..." she tilted her chin at the book in the hands of the girl, "what about you? what are you reading?"
Pam leaned back on her palms, feeling the cold grass press into her hands. "I'm just curious. You shut that book as though it contained classified information there and now my interest is officially aroused."
The wind softened. The lake shimmered. And the small, clumsy instant of embarrassment turned into something of a delicate, serene type of relationship--the one that was as though the beginning of something weightlessly significant.
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Last edited by Pamela Graham on 13 Jan 2026, 10:45, edited 1 time in total.
"I'd rather be heartless, than have my heart in pieces"
-Calming Presence- The Muggle Condition
iNPC: Hikari Fujimoto
Not-So-Private Sanctuary
"Oh thanks, "I mumbled under my breath.
I rearranged my robes to drape around my legs because I was a tad cold. "The book, oh it's just a school book." I lied. I just didn't want to say it. It would bring back my family memories and then I would cry. I then felt a tear leak through. "I'm sorry, I'm not normally like this. I.... it's just the book brings back my favorite memories with my brother and mom before they died in a horrible car accident."
Lindsey couldn't understand. She was crying in front of girl she had probably never met. Wait, now that she thinks about it, she never looked at the girl. Looking up, she looked at the girl and stood up so fast and stumbled as she gasped. It was one of Jose's other girlfriends or maybe girlfriends? Lindsey had no clue. "You," she said in a whisper tone. She had never actually talked to the girl but she was just someone she met. She remembered the moment so clearly. Jose, the other girls, took a break, they show up and then Lindsey yelled at him. It was her worse and first ever ball that had gone to. She spilled everything out at that girl and then realized who she was.
I rearranged my robes to drape around my legs because I was a tad cold. "The book, oh it's just a school book." I lied. I just didn't want to say it. It would bring back my family memories and then I would cry. I then felt a tear leak through. "I'm sorry, I'm not normally like this. I.... it's just the book brings back my favorite memories with my brother and mom before they died in a horrible car accident."
Lindsey couldn't understand. She was crying in front of girl she had probably never met. Wait, now that she thinks about it, she never looked at the girl. Looking up, she looked at the girl and stood up so fast and stumbled as she gasped. It was one of Jose's other girlfriends or maybe girlfriends? Lindsey had no clue. "You," she said in a whisper tone. She had never actually talked to the girl but she was just someone she met. She remembered the moment so clearly. Jose, the other girls, took a break, they show up and then Lindsey yelled at him. It was her worse and first ever ball that had gone to. She spilled everything out at that girl and then realized who she was.
Not-So-Private Sanctuary
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24th November, 2025
Great Lake
Interacting with: @Lindsey Bliss
Mentions: @Joseph Sims
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Speech -- Thoughts
Pam had been listening to what Lindsey said with close concentration.
She saw herself in the younger girl--the same empty soreness of loss, the same silent lack of family. The only contrast was that Pam was yet to find out how her mother had died. She had never asked her dad when it first happened, and as the years passed, realized it didn't really matter. Being aware would not help the suffering.
She flushed as Lindsey stood up abruptly, and scrambled away before Pam himself could quite comprehend what had happened.
You. The word barely reached her at first.
Me? Pam frowned, her face flushed with bewilderment. She searched Lindsey's face, the tightness of her grip on her book, whether it was the set of her shoulders which shrunk in, as though she were bracing to receive a blow.
For a moment, nothing came. Just an unaware, uncomfortable feeling.
Then--pieces. A ballroom washed in gold. Too much noise. A voice that was lifted and cracked.A boy in a pirate costume. A girl in blue.
Pam's breath caught, faint and indisputable. "Oh," she muttered to herself--not a reply but the voice of familiarity coming to rest. She did not look away, or step closer to Lindsey. Her shoulders relaxed when the memory came together, tension draining from her shoulders.
"I... yeah,"Pam said after a moment. "I remember now." Her eyes fell momentarily on the frozen grass between them.
At the time, the entire event had been nearly comical. And when she looked at Lindsey now, all she could remember was her standing rigid and shivering in the cold and the humor died. What was left was something more weighty, with an element of guilt.
"I didn't at first though,"Pam added. "Sorry." There was a pause. A loud awkward one. Pam shifted slightly, rubbing her gloves hand along the side of her sleeve. She just had to say it.
"Just--um." She paused, sighed and made another attempt. "About... that night." Another beat. She opened her mouth, closed it and gave a low breath through her nose.
"We--" She winced. "We aren't--"
Shut up. Shut up.
"Together," she said, and the little word ended rather sharply, rather aggressively. "Not--dating. Or--anything."
Her facial expressions were probably awkward as the words that came out of her mouth. This idea of dating Joseph came through her brain and seemed so absurd she almost burst into laughter. She bit it back, lips pursed tohether. The thought was remote and somehow weird--not just him, but to date in general, felt like something that was meant for someone else.
"It was just--" Pam made some ineffective gestures, and gave up. "Friends. We're just friends."
She nodded once, as though she was attempting to convince herself more than Lindsey. She really wished she could rewind the last ten seconds. Her eyes flicked back up to Lindsey, then away again, cheeks faintly warm. I only thought I ought... ought to... say it, Pam said to herself. "In case it was--uh--unclear."
Gods, what was she doing.
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"I'd rather be heartless, than have my heart in pieces"
-Calming Presence- The Muggle Condition
iNPC: Hikari Fujimoto