Hello Again, Friend PV

[quote]Zephyr was on his way back from dinner, just moving through the hall at his usual lazy pace, and both his hands were inside his sleeves because the castle was always colder at night than expected. His head was full of simple things: whether he should finish his Herbology reading, or if he would do his homework for Potions; there was also the Astronomy task, and lastly, whether he should write home before bed. He was in that predicament when he heard a voice.

He would have ignored it, as it wasn't his name he heard, not Zephyr. “Windy?” He stopped so suddenly that he almost tripped over his own foot.

For a second, his brain almost didn't register the word she used only because that name didn’t belong here. It was associated with the version of him that has muddy shoes, summer fields, and long days that ended with scraped knees and laughter. He turned slowly, expecting to be wrong.

And there she was. Rosalyn.

She looked more confident somehow, but it was still her, same face, same way she held herself. Seeing her again caused an unexplained sensation in his stomach, which then settled into something warm and unreal.

“Bubbles?” The word slipping out before he could stop it. That particular pet name stuck with him due to an incident when they were kids, no matter how much she hated it at first. He stared at her with wide eyes, then a disbelieving laugh came out. “Whoa!! It's you, you’re actually here. I thought I was seeing things.”

“I—wow...” He was still unsure how he should react, but one thing was definitely sure, he was happy to see her again. “I didn’t know you were a witch. You never said anything.” Then he stopped once he realised the irony and gave an awkward huff. "I guess I didn’t either.”

There was a flicker of guilt in his jade eyes. He went quiet before Hogwarts and stayed on the farm. He avoided visits to avoid questions. He didn't want anyone to notice something was different, or start asking why he disappeared to London. “I didn’t mean to vanish.” He said sincerely. “Things got busy and I didn’t want anyone thinking something strange was going on.” He shrugged. “Turns out, something was.”

His eyes searched her face again, needing to be sure she was real. “I can’t believe I missed you at the Sorting ceremony. I don’t remember much from that night.” He shook his head. “I was so nervous, I don’t even know if I ate properly. Everyone was loud and talking and—” He trailed off and smiled sheepishly. “You know me. I shut down when it's too much for me."

"I was going to visit you over the holidays.” There was comfort in knowing someone familiar, someone he knew from his normal life, was also here. “It’s really good to see you again, Bubbles.” Meaning it in the simplest, truest way. “We’re both full of surprises today, aren't we.”

“I guess we are.” Rosalyn said, still in disbelief. How could it be him, how could he be there? Well, she supposed that she could ask the same thing of herself.

She reached up to her hair and pulled on one of the lower strands, loosening one of the curls. She would do that all the time when she was younger, and still does now. It’s just a habit at this point.

“I didn’t even know I was a witch until a few days before the school year began. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I felt the same, I didn’t want you to think I was weird.” she said, and that was the truth. She hadn’t wanted Windy- or, well, Zephyr, to be official- to think that she was strange, or think that something was wrong with her.

She let go of the curl, trying not to pull it too hard.

“I am sorry though, I should have trusted you. You are my best friend, after all. And I’m so glad you’re here!” she said, truly meaning it. She had been missing home, and him most of all, if she was being honest with herself.

“So, Windy, how’s Hogwarts treating you? Are you enjoying classes, or do you miss the farm?” she asked, remembering how cool his farm was. They would always play outside, running through the fields and playing hide and seek in the pens of animals. She would always end up muddy, and he would have grass in his hair, but they would laugh and laugh until her parents had to take her home for bed.

The fact that her best friend, her favorite person, Windy, was at Hogwarts?

Well, even without the pens, the fields, and the farm, this place just got so much better.

[quote]Zephyr understood her more than she realized. When she said she didn’t know she was a witch until just before school started, it was the same for him. There may be some instances where he did some unquestionable things, things that he couldn’t explain, but he usually ignored those things. But the arrival of the Acceptance letter was the tangible truth he couldn’t avoid now. It was only when his dad explained to him everything he needed to know did he fully understand and believed that there’s another world beyond theirs.

“It’s true, it’s the same for me. I didn’t even know how to explain it myself.” Finding out that they are both magical only now is confusing, but it also brought realization that they were both living normal lives, side by side, not knowing this big thing about themselves. It feels strange that such a big truth came so late, but also it gave him reassurance that they’re going to be learning it together.

When she apologized and said she should have trusted him, he shook his head right away. “You don’t need to be sorry, we’re both just confused and maybe scared too, that’s all.” It was unreal at first when he learned about it himself, his brain took a moment to catch up with his heart. He looked at her with a smile, not hiding it from her, he didn’t need to anyway. “I’m really glad you’re here too.”

When she asked about his stay at Hogwarts, it took a while for him to answer. “It’s a lot, there are days I like it and days that’s are overwhelming. There are so many people, I’m still getting used to that.” He shrugged. “The classes are okay. Herbology is my favorite. Potions is okay but challenging, I’m doing my best. And how about you? You’re the more social butterfly between the two of us.” He wondered if she ever adjusted better than him? And faster too?

“I do miss the farm… especially my family.” But he also told himself feeling homesick was normal, it’s common for anyone who left home for the first time to stay in an unfamiliar place for a while. “But Hogwarts isn’t all bad, I started flying on a broom, and I really like it, I didn’t expect that. I joined unofficial broom racing and quidditch.” He still got homesick sometimes, and nights are the hardest. Even though everything changed, some important things stayed the same. They’re still them, just with wands now. “Have you found something you like here?”

"Right? It was just all of a sudden, you know? Like, I had some incidences, you know about those, like the whole bubble thing. I just never put together that it could be anything more than coincidences or flukes." Rosalyn said, remembering all of the times she tried to convince herself that she wasn't special, just worse at hiding the strange things that always seemed to happen to her. Now she knew that she was special all along, and so was her very best friend.

"I am very confused, and so are my poor parents! You remember them, right, my mum and dad, neither of them expected any of this." she said, remembering how her mum had dropped the batter she was mixing to make a cake when they were told that Rosalyn was a witch.

"I am a bit scared, but it's nothing I can't handle. Do you remember that one time that we were out in the fields too late, and it got really dark and neither of us could figure out where we were going? At first, this place felt like that, but now it feels a bit better." she said, and it was true. At first, everything was like trying to find her way in a world that she now didn't understand, but she was growing to like it. The mystery, the adventure, it was all new and exciting and she loved that.

"Herbology is one of my favorites, too! You remember how I always kept the plants at home because my mum would buy them and never remember to water them, right?" she asked, remembering all of the times she would be the one thing keeping those things from just withering away.

She fidgeted with the sleeve of her robe, still in disbelief about all of this. She couldn't believe that he was here, but there he was!

"I miss my family too, but I know that they'll be fine without me, at least for a bit." she said, and it was quite true. They could survive without her, everything would be fine. It wasn't like she saw them much anyways, but she did still love them.

"I've been focusing a lot on classes and meeting new people, but dueling does sound pretty fun. Have you seen the library here, Windy? You probably have. I keep getting lost and somehow finding my way there again and again! There are so, so many books! A lot more than I had at home!" she said, letting go of her sleeve for a moment.

Zephyr was trying not to smile while Rosalyn was speaking animatedly. She could be very hyper when she talked about differrnt stories, incidents and other things ranging from weird to exciting. He remembered those moments clearly. At the time, he never thought much of them either. They were just odd things that happened, things you laughed off later. Now, thinking back, it all explained everything. “Initially, I thought they’re weird luck and not something big. I did the same thing and told myself it was nothing. Easier that way.” Rather than think that there was something wrong with him.

When she mentioned her parents being confused, his mouth curved into an understanding smile. They were always nice to him. “I can imagine that happening. Anyone would be shocked, even my mum was confused too.” At least she was not holding anything or doing something when the letter arrived. “My dad knew, he’s a wizard, who came from a pureblood family, but he waited until I read the letter before saying anything. He wanted me to have a normal childhood for as long as possible.”

She talked about being scared but handling it, and brought up that night in the fields, it was something memorable for both of them. He remembered it clearly, how two of them pretended they were not scared so the other wouldn’t panic. Chuckling, he nodded. “We kept walking in circles for ages. That’s a good way to explain it. Hogwarts felt like that for me too, lost at first, still is sometimes but it’s getting better.”

She reminded him about Herbology, that one he actually laughed. “You were better with plants than most adults. But not better than me.” His voice took on a smug tone. They both missed their families but knew they would be okay. “Same here, but I know the farm keeps going. My sister probably thinks she’s in charge now.” She always does even if he’s present or not.

“The library is huge, I got lost too. I go in looking for one book and somehow ended up in a different section every time.” He shook his head, slightly amused. “I like it, though. It’s quiet. And dueling…” he had not explore that side yet, “I’m not great at fast spells yet, but I want to try. What I am interested right now are magical creatures. I read this book Fantastic Beast and Where to Find them. I can’t wait to meet any of those magical creatures in person.” He was glad to know she’s gaining a lot of friends now, the same could be said for him. It may be luck, or fate, to have met those amazing students who make adjustment easier and more tolerable for him.

"Your dad's a wizard? Really? Huh, I didn't put that together. I guess you didn't either. Well, it's okay, we're allowed to have temporary blindness to the truth!" Rosalyn said, joking around with him. But seriously, she truly had no clue that Windy's-well, Zephyr's-father was a wizard all this time.

She started to twirl another curl around her finger, but then it brushed her nose and it tickled. She sneezed, high pitched as always, and she decided to put it down before it happened again.

"And yeah, it is just easier that way. But, I guess this is the truth! I just wish that we'd known before, I know that it would have made me feel a lot less weird about myself." she said, imagining what her life could have been like if she didn't think something about her was messed up or something. It didn't help that, for years, her parents refused to believe her, claiming a 'wild imagination' or a 'dramatic child', when Rosie was neither.

"Oh, I see how it is! I let one plant die-ONE!-because I was on a trip with my family, and I can't ever live it down?" she said, faking indignation, being dramatic as she sometimes(fine, always) was.

"I remember your sister. She always was a bit...eager to take charge!" she said, trying not to be rude or anything. She did like his sister, she was a pretty cool person!

"Ooh, Care of Magical Creatures is fun too! I may have to check that book out, since I do need something good to read." she said, adding that to her mental TBR(To Be Read list).

She found a stray caramel in her pocket, still wrapped and fresh, and she pulled it out and ate it. She found another and held it out to Windy, offering it.

"Are you interested in getting any magical pets? I'm pretty sure that Murphy could use some company when I come home for holidays and things, so I'm thinking about getting something cool! What about you? I know you already have a lot of animals, but they aren't quite the same as a pet of your own." she asked, curious to know if he wanted to get any. She was sure he would be great with them. She had seen him at his farm before(a lot), and she knew how good he was with animals.

[quote]"Apparently, he is. He kept it a secret all these years.” How his dad was able to pull that off without anyone noticing was beyond him. “I didn’t notice or suspect anything until the letter came. He didn't react either when I would do something weird or unexpected when I was young." But not that he thought about it, he must have mentioned weird terms, but it was he who didn't pay enough attention. "It's those things you don’t see coming, even though it’s already right in front of you.” He grinned at her joke. “Temporary blindness to the truth, exactly. We are both pretty good at ignoring it, aren't we?”

He was amused at the thought. “Even I had to take a moment to wrap my head around it. Now that we know, it's good to know we do magic. It's amazing as it is overwhelming.” She's always doing that, twirling her hair, but what made him laugh was the sneeze. “Bless you...” he chuckled. He could never get over how animated she can be, even with sneezing.

“I feel the same way when I found out. Before the letter, I just thought I was clumsy or unlucky, or the things that were happening to me were weird for no reason. I kept it to myself most of the time because I don't want to be called a freak.” People often do that when faced with the unknown. But then again, he also understood his dad for keeping it from him; he wanted him to have a normal life and not be bound to magic like his dad once was.

Rosalyn’s dramatic complaint about the plant was funny. “One plant is already a big deal! Don’t worry, you’re still the plant boss in my book.” They're both not bad with plants; it just so happens that he was devoted. He would attribute it to the fact that his mom always brought him to their vegetable patch to help her plant or harvest. The motivation and dedication were ingrained in him at such a young age.

When she mentioned his sister, he rolled his eyes, remembering her personality. “She’s definitely bossy. She’s fun, but she’ll take charge of anything and everything if you let her. You’ve got a good memory.”

"I recommend that book, you'll love it." Pertaining to the Fantastic Beasts. It had become one of his favourite books that he had read so far. At the offered caramel, he smiled and took it, unwrapping it carefully. “Thanks, I’ve been needing a little sugar anyway.” He popped it into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully, then nodded at her question about magical pets.

“I’ve thought about it,” he admitted. “We have animals at home, but having one here with me would be different. But...I'll probably save money first, I don't have the budget, I have other priorities such as a reliable broom." If he wanted to compete on the pitch someday, or even in racing, he would need a good broom. "Are you going to join the duelling team?"

"A reliable broom, you say? That sounds like a pretty fun thing to save up for, especially if you want to do well at...what did you say, unofficial racing and quidditch?" Rosalyn said, trying to remember what it was that he had mentioned joining. She thought that she was correct with the racing and quidditch, but she could be wrong.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't, it all depends on my schedule. I'm focusing a lot on classes right now and trying to not get lost here, but that never seems to work. I am still trying, though!" she joked, laughing a bit. It was true, she really hated getting lost, but had learned to embrace all parts of herself, even the clumsy or accident-prone bits.

"Thanks, I try to remember things!" she said. She had a relatively good long-term memory, but a horrible short-term memory. She truly had no idea what she'd even had for breakfast that morning, but she could remember the exact layout of his farm. Perhaps because she'd spent so much time there, but still.

"Did your parents give you any money, with your father being a secret wizard and all? Mine didn't, because they don't have any galleons or anything. Sometimes I wish that they were magical, but, honestly, I'm sort of happy they aren't. I like to figure things out myself, and this is one of those things where I don't want them coddling me or something. They're just as clueless as I am!" she said, smiling at the irony. The adults in the situation had even less of an idea of what was going on than Rosalyn did.

"Are you doing anything else fun? Like, extracurricular things? I'm part of a couple clubs, unofficial, but nothing too much." she said, curious if he had anything but the flying things going on.

[quote]"That’s right, it’s unofficial racing and Quidditch too." Zephyr was still new to flying, so he wasn't great yet, but he wanted to improve. "It’s exciting being up in the air, although I shake a lot at first.” He laughed at the thought of some of his early clumsy attempts. “I fell more times than I can count, but that’s okay, it's part of learning.” Rosalyn admitted she was not sure yet if she's joining the duelling team. Classes and getting used to Hogwarts are a lot to handle. "The duelling team can wait until you feel more comfortable."

He laughed with her about getting lost, his cheeks noticeably reddening as he remembered his own struggles for the first few weeks. “This place is huge, and the staircases move a lot of times, it's frustrating to get to classes, especially when you're about to get late.” He'd called all the dieties in the world, and yet, he still got lost. “What’s making it hard for you, though? You said it never seems to work. Is it the staircases or just remembering where things are?” There was a moment of curiosity flickering across his eyes as he regarded her. Adjusting was one thing, but if she's having issues with someone or something, then he wanted to know so he could help her.

As he thought about their conversation further, he realized that Hogwarts was like a puzzle they were both just starting to figure out. Every place and piece he had to learn, but it was not all that bad. It was fun in its own way. To answer her question about the money, Zephyr shook his head, a small smile forming. “My dad gave me just enough to last me a year in school. He has money, but was disinherited by his pureblood relatives, and most of what we have goes into running the farm. I’ve been doing extra chores and errands around Hogwarts when I can, just to save up for a broom and other things I want.” He shrugged. "There's an advantage to it, I feel good earning things myself.” His dad didn't coddle him either, it’s better this way. He would learn faster when he does things on his own.

When she asked about extracurriculars, he laughed in embarrassment, “I might have overdone it a bit. I joined many clubs, more than I probably should have, basically anything that sounded interesting." He needs to learn how to balance everything. "What about you? You said you’re in a couple of clubs, which ones? I’d love to hear about them.”

Being busy helped him focus on things that were not just the confusion of Hogwarts. It was a way to continue learning and improving at magic while also meeting new people. And now, talking to Rosalyn, he thought maybe they could help each other give tips if they ever wanted to try any of them.