Lost in Thought PV Taylor Haywood Closed

"I uh, I like steak," he said, hoping that wasn't a weird response. A lot of kids at Hogwarts probably would have said chocolate. "Yeah, steak would be my favorite." Truth was food was a weird thing with Simon. Of course he ate because everyone had to eat to survive but it was as if he couldn't hardly stomach most things and what he did didn't fully satisfy him. He was left hungry almost all the time. It had gotten used to it.

"My aunt cooks. Well, bakes." He supposed there was a difference. "She works in this bookstore and bakery and she's always making something new and hoping I'll just LOVE it but honestly I don't like sweets at all. None of it. I'll take a lemon drop now and again but I think it's because they're sour. No cupcakes, cookies, or brownies for me though. Can't stand chocolate." Or butterscotch. Or vanilla.

He knew it probably sounded weird. Everyone always told him it was. But hey, thats just how things were. "They say there's great pasta in Italy," he brought up, unsure how well traveled she was. His first time out of England was actually coming to the highlands of Scotland for Hogwarts.

"Oh, I've got some nice parchment in my bag. Almost forgot," he said, shuffling through some stuff. He took it out and folded it in half. "You can get started on your card for him. I'd do more of a ...thinking of you, granddad type deal, not so much as a get well soon or get better soon. I mean, I don't know him or his situation but knowing what my mum went through...I think she would have liked that better." - Since she wasn't going to feel better or get better. Thinking of you was best.

"What does liking steak say about me?"

"Well in my experience, people that like steak have always been very...content. I believe that is the right word. Y'know, happy with how their life is. Not wanting change. Which is pretty spot on for you I'd say." She said this, but could tell that Simon had questions about his past. Questions that would need to be answered eventually. Although how, is a whole other matter.

Taylor takes the paper out of Simons hands and starts writing on it.



Taylor signs off the letter and draws a big heart at the bottom. "Is this good do you think?" She said as she passed the letter to Simone. Taylor had never been the best at communicating over letters. People were always too far when you were writing a letter. No real way to make sure they can understand the emotions you're trying to convey.

@Simon Kincaid

He read over the words that she had written on the card for her grandfather. "I think he'll like that a lot," he said and then flipped it over to the front. "Now you just have to decorate this side. Any ideas?" Simon was a fan of art although he really didn't feel he had all too much artistic ability himself.

He liked taking photographs with his phone back home, if that counted. And he had taken art as it was a requirement back in his former school but beyond that he really wasn't skilled in it. Still, he knew that her grandfather would probably like anything that she chose to decorate it with because family liked that sort of thing. It didn't really matter what it was or how it turned out, as it was the thought that someone took the tie to do something thoughtful for another.

Or maybe that was the Hufflepuff coming out in him. Still, from one hufflepuff's opinion thinking of another (her grandfather's), Simon was pretty sure that he was right in this sort of thinking.

"Do you want me to go find Paige now to see if she's got any thread for the bookmark or did you want to find her later?"

[Doesn't matter to me but we could even tag her in the thread and see if she joins. Totally up to you!]

Taylor had always been a terrible artist. She could barely even draw a stick figure and that was just some lines and a circle. It frustrated her. Not being good at something. She had always had things come easily to her so when something didn't, she hated doing that particular thing. "Maybe you could draw something? Well maybe not...it is not your grandpa's card after all..." She decided to just draw some snowflakes and a Christmas tree. It was still the holiday season so why not?

"Where do you think Paige would be? You do seem to know her better than I do. Any ideas?" Taylor looked around the library. She would not be surprised to see her here. She was a fellow Ravenclaw of course. but she unfortunately was not. "How long have you two been friends? I only just met her a couple days ago." she found herself being slightly jealous of their friendship but she quickly pushed those feelings down. She had only known these people for a few days, friendship takes time, it's not instantaneous. She was just being silly. She hoped that this friend ship would last a long time, considering she was already starting to feel attached to this Hufflepuff boy.

(sorry for taking so long. I've been extremely busy but I wont be busy that much for the rest of the day.)

@Simon Kincaid @Paige Chase

"Oh, probably since shortly before the school year began," he said, trying to think back to when he first met his friend. "We did some research on werewolves here in the library, we've gone to the Great Lake in hopes of seeing one on the night of a full moon, ...and oh, don't enter into a snowball fight with her, she's vicious," he laughed, thinking back to how Paige won.

"Over the break I went to her house and then also we went to dinner and ice skating." In fact, Paige Chase might have been his closest friend there at Hogwarts but that didn't mean there wasn't room for more. He enjoyed talking with Taylor and was glad to have met her that particular day.

"I think that looks good," he said of her design on the front of the card. "Really, he's going to love it." Simon just hoped he wasn't too ill because he could tell how much that he meant to Taylor. He'd hate for his new friend to lose someone she cared about so quickly.

He really didn't know what connections to one's grandparents felt like though. His father was nonexistant in his life which meant his father's parents were as well. His mother's parents both passed away in an accident just after his mother's graduation and before he was conceived so he didn't know them either. Still, his aunt liked to do a lot of volunteer work with the widows at church and so he knew some older people. He loved talking to them about things - especially music.

Taylor couldn't tell if he was just being nice or if he actually liked her drawings but she felt herself smile either way. She was so excited to send it to him but she still had the bracelet to make. She wanted to make one for herself too, maybe even for Simon, if he wanted.

The stories Simon told her about Paige reminded her of a friend she had when she was younger. Her only real close friend, up until now that is. "Paige reminds me of my old friend. Her name was Sasha. We used to hang out every. single. day. Her parents didn't like me though. They didn't like my mom either. Honestly I think they were also magical and they didn't like that she married a muggle. They moved to the states shortly after my mom passed." Taylor had not really thought of Sasha since she moved. She tended to do that. Suppress memories of people that hurt her or that she missed. Only remembering the good things.

"You and my grandpa would be friends. I can tell. And not just because you're both Hufflepuffs, you have a lot of similar interests honestly. He would love you. Do you want to write to him too? Even though you don't really know him...you don't have to of course." She had remembered something about his mothers parents passing away and felt bad that he had never really experienced grandparents. She held out the note and quill.

@Simon Kincaid

"I'd love to," he said. It was now his turn to make a card and it would be rather difficult because this was someone he had never met before. Simon never really had a pen pal assignment as a kid before or anything like that to make this kind of connection. Still, he knew the importance. Behind this letter was an older gentleman who had family that cared about him a lot, who wasn't doing so well health-wise. Someone that needed some extra cheer.

Simon took the quill and thanked her before taking a moment to gather his thoughts. What would he write?

Greetings!

Wishing you all the best as the holidays come to a close! With the colder weather many have found themselves breaking out the sweaters. I hope you're warm and comfortable as those winter winds pick up.

Your granddaughter Taylor is a new friend of mine here at Hogwarts. She tells me that you're a Hufflepuff as well. I'm proud to be in this house and know that you must be a rather valiant man to have been sorted here. She speaks fondly of you as well. She cares about you very much.

If you should ever get the notion to have some time on your hands and find yourself bored, please reach out and write to me. I'm sure you could offer me some advice, one Hufflepuff to another.

Kindest Regards,
Simon Kincaid

"...How's that?" he asked, looking over the words, not really sure.

I have been called upon by an at sign, so I have arrived.

The library. It was a wonderful place. The steel of books, the comfy chairs, the scratching of the quills, and even the soft whisper of the students. Not to mention that its open to all. Paige was sitting in a blanket fort she made when she began to think that. The cold hard... Okay soft carpet was nothing compared to the library. Paige quickly finished her chapter and then grabbed her bag.

Her new boots padded the floor. They were short, brown, with blue butterflies at the top. She thought they were rather cute, and it was a Christmas present from her mother. She pushed open the door to the library. And who did she see but two of her friends chatting. One of her most closest friends, @Simon Kincaid , and her newest friend, @Taylor Haywood . She waved. Wow. Things like this happen all the time. Friends become friends with your other friends and then it's one big friends group. It looked like they had some supplies out for a craft. Of they needed more, Paige had plenty. She ALWAYS carries supplies. She ran over and smiled. "Hey guys!" She waved at both of her friends. "What's up?"

"Oh my, you are so good at writing bloody hell. You need to like teach me your ways. So formal too..." Taylor read over the note again, making sure it was good to go before she put it in her bag along with her book and bookmark. "I guess all that is left is the bracelets." she was somewhat sad that they may need to part to find Paige.

Just as she thought this, she heard a familiar voice and looked up. "Hey Paige! We were just talking about you." she told her with a big smile as she stood up and gave her a big hug. She had missed Paige, even tough it had only been a couple of days. She was always so bright and cheery, the opposite of Taylor but it was nice. "We were wondering if you had any string to make bracelets? I want to make one for my grandpa but I don't have any and neither does Simon." she was super excited to finally be able to make the braclets. She had never made one but was sure it couldn't be too hard. Especially with Paige teaching her. Taylor moved her book bag so that she would have a place to sit.

@Paige Chase @Simon Kincaid

It was nice when two friends knew each other and Simon smiled, glad to see Paige. "Hey you," he said as he got up from the chair he was sitting in and came over to give her a hug. He was careful, as she was so petite and he was much larger in stature.

"Yeah, we were hoping maybe you had something like that. I know you gave Harmony a bracelet just before the holidays and thought maybe you had some with you." Simon always carried extra things for himself just in case - a calendar, a notepad, a book that he was reading.

Plus, Paige was another Ravenclaw. Weren't Ravenclaws smart and prepared and all that? He was pretty sure she'd have something they could use to make that bookmark for Taylor's grandfather. He then realized he still had to sketch out the front of his card so he sat back down and took his quill in hand. What to draw, what to draw?

He sat there thinking for a moment. Taylor's grandfather. Not feeling well. The holidays were ending. It was winter. No...none of those felt right.

Then he got it!

Simon sat down and began doing his best sketch of a badger that he possibly could. When he was finished, he blew gently on the ink and took a good look at it. It was actually kind of impressive for a first ever attempt at his house mascot.