"I guess I'll drown in my own tears" soloish semi-open

@Lyanna Oak

Harvey wrapped his winter cloak tightly around himself as he made his way out of the castle. Days like this required a quiet area for contemplation, but in a school full of countless other witches and wizards, where does one go for solitude? The shores of the Great Lake perhaps? A decent spot this time of year as the frigid winds often kept the population inside. Still, the chance that many others would seek out this refuge was high. Maybe one of the unused classrooms? No, someone was bound to wander in. So, Harvey had taken to visiting the boathouse when in need of a quiet spot to think.

Now, Harvey was not an antisocial person. While no one would describe him as the life of the party, he did enjoy the chance to mingle with his peers. He was the kind of kid to skirt around the perimeter of the crowd. Ducking in and out when he saw the opportunity to thrust himself into the right situations. Mostly to collect juicy bits of detail for gossiping. Perhaps add a laugh so that the star quidditch player might notice him. Maybe add an opinion or two to whatever current event gripped the academics to show he could keep up the pace. However, there were days like today when you just need a little “me” time.

Ever since he was a young lad, Harvey had appreciated his time alone. Perhaps because he was an only child? Maybe it was just a part of his nature? Regardless, the boy needed quiet places to organize his thoughts and process his emotions. Left unchecked and they would begin to twist and spiral. Too long like that and it would rattle his mind. Unfocused, impulsive, hot tempered. While he cared little what others thought about him, keeping up his reputation as a well-centered boy was of the upmost importance. You can have cracks, just don’t let the others see them. His grandfather’s words echoed in his thoughts.

Yet as Harvey entered the boathouse this fortress of solitude would be immediately shattered by the sound of a young girl’s cry. The boy couldn’t help the eye roll when he spotted her curled up on the floor. It wouldn’t be the first time he had stumbled across another first year have some sort of emotional breakdown. Homesick, bad grades, some upper-level student made fun of your hair tie. What was so hard about adjusting to life at a boarding school? He had handled it just fine! Why couldn’t they?

However, as this girl continued to weep it became apparent that this was perhaps more than the sniffles of hurt feelings. The tone carried a hint of true heartbreak. Harvey had heard it from his mother countless times. Still, he could just turn and leave her be. He really didn’t want this right now. The rock that Harvey stepped on as he thought of leaving would skitter out from under his foot, betraying his whereabouts…

Banner by Elena Clark

@Lyanna Oak

The girl cast her tear stained gaze towards Harvey and there was no turning away unseen now. Perhaps in that moment the strings of fate vibrated around them. One of those moments that changes the direction of your life for better or worse. Or sometimes both. The annoyance that he felt towards this girl taking up a space he wanted for himself quickly began to dissipate as they locked eyes with each other. In Harvey she would see no pity or discomfort that was so often prevalent in people when they were faced with someone else's sorrow. No, the boy was hardly empathetic. Perhaps a bit too cold and practical for his own good, but not unfeeling altogether. While this gaze of his was frigid in it too the girl would see understanding. There was something about the pain in her stare that he knew all too well. That crack in her aura that only heartache could form. He still wondered why it was possible to feel something that could disable you so. What purpose did it serve us, but maybe that's just what it meant to be human.

You should go...

A phrase Harvey had heard many times. Usually late at night when he drifted away from his bed. His mother's room just down the hall from his own and from within the sounds of sorrow would emanate. He would tiptoe to her side. Their large hands intertwining as they sat together in her own silent heartache. The boy would question why, but there was never any answer. Some people just cannot escape the darkness of their minds. Some wounds just cannot heal. While this scared him at first he grew to learn that sometimes all you can do is provide a presence. To let people know that they are not alone no matter how much it may feel that way, even when they try to send you away. They tell you that you should go, but sometimes the best thing you can do is to simply just stay.

"It won't serve you well to be alone in your current state." Again, Harvey was not a gentle person. His tone was dry and informative, but his actions spoke of someone who was not a complete monster. Nimble fingers loosened the clasp of his winter cloak as he let it fall from his shoulders. The girl was trembling. Probably because of the heightened emotions, but the evening breeze off of the lake was beginning to bite. Harvey kneeled beside her and offered the cloak, either handing it to her or draping it around her shoulders if she allowed. From there he would allow her space. It pained him to sit on the damp, stone floor of the boathouse in such nice trousers, but the circumstances offered no other option as he sat a few feet away.

Pressure never helped in these situations. Emotions were hard to reason with and time was almost always the solution. So, Harvey sat quietly for a moment before offering a distraction. "It's an odd thing. Crying, I mean. It's literally the first thing we do in life, but doesn't seem to have any physical benefit whatsoever. Would you like to talk about it?" Harvey's beady, dark eyes shifted back her way. "I'm Harvey by the way."