*Gasp* What's this?
| Mentioning @Jack Burnett
... Destruction of school property with permission?
Well, what idiot would miss their chance to let out some steam without getting detention for it? Certainly not Opeila. Although she was participating for an entirely different reason. When the errand had been announced, the young Slytherin had written to Flash, the friend she had spent fairly little time with in the last month, and asked him if her wanted to participate with her. When had she spoken to him last time, more than a few words when passing in the corridors or in class? At the disastrous Valentine's date, that was it. Where he had stormed of at the edge of tears.
Maybe that was the reason why she was so anxious now. After how they parted last time, she was not sure how to talk to him now. A part of her was convinced that she should have told Jack to shut up more clearly, that she could have stopped that chaos. Another knew that Jack would have never listened to such a request. Oh well, that day was over and thinking of what could have gone differently would hardly help, right? Besides, Opeila wasn't even sure if her.. friend would come.
That was another doubt that Jack had successfully planted inside her head. He had said that Flash and her weren't friends at all and those words had not left her mind again. On that day, she had refused to show any weakness to Jack and reacted rather cool. If the redhead even knew how long some of the things he said were staying with her? Probably not. Why would he even be wasting a thought on it.
Were Flash and her friends? Until it had been questioned, Opeila had thought that the 'friends' label mattered less to her.
She arrived relatively early, quickly greeted Mr. Céspedes and decided to grab a shovel. The Slytherin could have probably used magic to get the plants out, but she actually looked forward to doing some things the muggle way. Opeila enjoyed magic, but it was the muggle world she grew up in and a part of her would always be muggle. Her father would probably be proud if he knew her thoughts at this moment.
Opeila decided to walk over to the campgrounds. If Flash decided to come, he would be able to see her from the spot where Mr. Céspedes had gathered the tools. As soon as the young girl started to dig, she knew that she had made two choices she would not regret to day. For one, she didn't bring Loras. So she could use the time she would have otherwise spent on giving him a bath for something else. Reading a book maybe. Or going through the common room looking for someone who had brought plasters to school, because she would definitely have blisters later, she could almost feel it already. Honestly, next year Opeila would bring a first aid kit. After two years in Hogwarts, she was certain that one of those would not be an unnecessary purchase.
Two- She had put on old clothes. Who would have thought that dirt would get just about everywhere during work such as that? It was a blessing, that Opeila owned an almost unreasonable amount of jeans and slowly she also ran out of ideas what to use them for or when to wear them. Especially as here in Hogwarts, she wore her uniform most of the time. Maybe she could get rid of some of them in another way. Jeans fabric could be used for just about anything, right? It always looked fashionable, or at least so she found.
Wordcount: 609/600
*Gasp* What's this?
Mid-June had its share of unsavory anxieties for Flash, as finals were taken and families were waiting. Most of his year had been a wreck, and very little had been gained from it. At most, he had learned just how easy it was to run away, and how pointless it was. Giving up wouldn't spare him from knowing what he could be doing, or from darkness finding him. He was better off suffering through endless trials, at least then he could say he tried his hardest, even if he failed.
It was a relief then when he received a note from Opeila. It was almost like clockwork, whenever he would feel out of sorts and lost, Opeila would invite him to an errand, filling him with a sense of childlike nostalgia. This event was even one in nature, doing physical activity, two more things that helped Flash get his mind off things. Lately, that had been the only thing that stayed the same about their relationship. He was so quick to go along, he almost forgot how badly their last real interaction went.
Not that it was too bad, it had really been Burnett that he lost his temper with, he and Opeila had been talking normally besides that. Burnett's constant insistence that he and Opeila weren't friends just didn't hold water, and his parameters for friendship were clearly not the same as Flash's. He thought friendship was a curse, after all, and Flash saw them as nodes along a web that kept it healthy and strong. Having lots of friends was like having a network of minds, abilities, and personalities to construct and connect. Opeila's part in his web was no less important than anyone elses', and her purpose was multitudinous. Well, if either of them heard him talking about them like that, the Valentine Dinner would likely have gone very badly for him. That's why he had kept his mouth shut.
He was overjoyed on his way to the errand, ready to catch up and put in a good day's work. Once he grabbed a few tools from the Groundskeeper, he hustled over to Opeila's spot at the campgrounds. He hadn't been in the area before, and presumed it would be the one most in need of work, since it was only used a short time during the year, and not at all the year before. It wasn't overrun, but there were certainly plenty of weeds to yank and young trees planted by careless birds in inappropriate places. He had done work weeding at one of his father's stables during the summer in the past, and they were something of a fond memory of his. He'd be smiling as he approached her.
"Hello!" He say cheerfully, setting down his things on the ground. They would probably be all over the place, so there didn't seem to be a clear 'best place' to put it. "Are you already wearing sunscreen? I have some if you need it. You shouldn't be working in the sun like this without it."
Flash himself was sporting a short-sleeved button-up and long pants, with a rare baseball cap on his head to keep the sun out of his eyes and off his scalp. This too was knowledge imparted to him by his dear older sister, who warned him of the dangers of sunlight for ones' skin. The long pants he learned the hard way a few summers ago. It was hot, but worth it for protection amidst all that untamed flora. Looking around, there was a lot of it, and they could certainly be kept busy for a few hours if they weren't stopped. He was already searching the area, trying to decide which points were the highest priority and how long they would take.
It was a relief then when he received a note from Opeila. It was almost like clockwork, whenever he would feel out of sorts and lost, Opeila would invite him to an errand, filling him with a sense of childlike nostalgia. This event was even one in nature, doing physical activity, two more things that helped Flash get his mind off things. Lately, that had been the only thing that stayed the same about their relationship. He was so quick to go along, he almost forgot how badly their last real interaction went.
Not that it was too bad, it had really been Burnett that he lost his temper with, he and Opeila had been talking normally besides that. Burnett's constant insistence that he and Opeila weren't friends just didn't hold water, and his parameters for friendship were clearly not the same as Flash's. He thought friendship was a curse, after all, and Flash saw them as nodes along a web that kept it healthy and strong. Having lots of friends was like having a network of minds, abilities, and personalities to construct and connect. Opeila's part in his web was no less important than anyone elses', and her purpose was multitudinous. Well, if either of them heard him talking about them like that, the Valentine Dinner would likely have gone very badly for him. That's why he had kept his mouth shut.
He was overjoyed on his way to the errand, ready to catch up and put in a good day's work. Once he grabbed a few tools from the Groundskeeper, he hustled over to Opeila's spot at the campgrounds. He hadn't been in the area before, and presumed it would be the one most in need of work, since it was only used a short time during the year, and not at all the year before. It wasn't overrun, but there were certainly plenty of weeds to yank and young trees planted by careless birds in inappropriate places. He had done work weeding at one of his father's stables during the summer in the past, and they were something of a fond memory of his. He'd be smiling as he approached her.
"Hello!" He say cheerfully, setting down his things on the ground. They would probably be all over the place, so there didn't seem to be a clear 'best place' to put it. "Are you already wearing sunscreen? I have some if you need it. You shouldn't be working in the sun like this without it."
Flash himself was sporting a short-sleeved button-up and long pants, with a rare baseball cap on his head to keep the sun out of his eyes and off his scalp. This too was knowledge imparted to him by his dear older sister, who warned him of the dangers of sunlight for ones' skin. The long pants he learned the hard way a few summers ago. It was hot, but worth it for protection amidst all that untamed flora. Looking around, there was a lot of it, and they could certainly be kept busy for a few hours if they weren't stopped. He was already searching the area, trying to decide which points were the highest priority and how long they would take.
@Opeila Winters
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
*Gasp* What's this?
@Flash Holmwood
Flash arrived soon and Opeila was glad to see that he seemed just as happy as her to get back into what could as well be called a ritual at this point; The two of them doing errands together. Smiling she waved at her housemate when he came to join her on the campgrounds. "Hi!", she greeted him back, just as cheerfully and watched him putting down his things. His question if she was wearing sunscreen threw her off for a moment though. "Sunscreen? Erm... I actually didn't think of that."
When had she thought of using sunscreen the last time? Had to be one of the summer trips she used to go on with her dad, he would always make sure that she wore sunscreen. Flash was probably right, sunscreen was no bad idea in the middle of June when working in the sun for probably several hours. Did anyone ever look after the campground? When had it been taken care of the last time? "Oh, that would be great, thanks.", she responded to his offer to use his sunscreen. "I can't remember when we did this the last time. Doing an errand together. Oh wait, actually I do! That was the campfire in a snowstorm." Opeila chuckled at the memory. It felt like an eternity ago...
"Can you believe that we will be third years in a few months?", she asked her friend. "That will be so different! With the new classes and the permission to go to Hogsmeade and all that." Despite the joy she felt spending time with Flash, she was almost scared to let an awkward silence come up. The question how are you was on the tip of her tongue but after their last meeting she had a feeling that he was more than a little unwell. That was a topic for sometime else. She would actually write letters to her friends this summer, she decided. If he was in a cheerful mood right now, the hell she would do to ruin the day.
*Gasp* What's this?
Opeila's smile kept Flash's afloat, there was no inkling of hidden regrets or dread for the future. The fact was, the two of them usually had a good time when they were together lately. It had been a long time since Opeila last pulled Flash aside to inform him of some terrible mistake she made, or a horrifying new element to the mystery of the curse. Flash had things that he could tell her, he hadn't given up researching and seeking the truth. He preferred the smiling and light conversation though, darker subjects could wait.
Pulling a bottle of sunscreen out of his bag, Flash handed it to her as he started to explain. "Be sure to get your ears, nose, and neck." He worried about how much she might have not been taught about self care by her parents. It seemed they had a lot more on their minds besides her. "And be sure to wash it off before you go to bed."
Opeila continued talking about errands, mentioning the last one they did together and chuckling to herself. That had been an interesting one for sure, a smile stretched across his face as well before he remembered how Kazuo had been there as well. The next time Kazuo saw Flash... was not a good memory. In fact, it almost didn't seem real. Flash's smile would falter, briefly thinking of all the horrible things he was trying to forget.
Luckily, Opeila made conversation easy, and the next subject was quickly brought up. Best not to waste such a lovely day on sad feelings. Flash would put the past behind him, and pick up a shovel. It seemed to him that it was best to uproot the fledgling trees first, they would be harder to remove the longer they were there.
"Yeah. I can remember when I thought third years were so much older and smarter. I don't feel much older or smarter though." Flash chuckled a bit, his observation only being partly true.
He was a very different person than he was at the start of school, he could only imagine how else he would change. If he survived. He would walk to the nearest twig of a sapling and cut the blade of the shovel into the dirt. It wasn't only intelligence than came with age, but his steady growth in height and muscle as well. Everyone he had been close to in his first year were getting taller, stronger, prettier. It was fascinating to watch.
"Let me think... Study of Ancient Runes, Muggles Studies... Divination and Care of Magical Creatures..." Flash continued speaking as he wedged further into the ground, severing any roots binding the sapling to the earth. "That's all of the new electives, right? Is there one you've been most interested in?"
After working with the shovel enough, Flash would switch to yanking the sapling free with his gloved hands, a fairly easy task after the soil around it had been properly disturbed.
Pulling a bottle of sunscreen out of his bag, Flash handed it to her as he started to explain. "Be sure to get your ears, nose, and neck." He worried about how much she might have not been taught about self care by her parents. It seemed they had a lot more on their minds besides her. "And be sure to wash it off before you go to bed."
Opeila continued talking about errands, mentioning the last one they did together and chuckling to herself. That had been an interesting one for sure, a smile stretched across his face as well before he remembered how Kazuo had been there as well. The next time Kazuo saw Flash... was not a good memory. In fact, it almost didn't seem real. Flash's smile would falter, briefly thinking of all the horrible things he was trying to forget.
Luckily, Opeila made conversation easy, and the next subject was quickly brought up. Best not to waste such a lovely day on sad feelings. Flash would put the past behind him, and pick up a shovel. It seemed to him that it was best to uproot the fledgling trees first, they would be harder to remove the longer they were there.
"Yeah. I can remember when I thought third years were so much older and smarter. I don't feel much older or smarter though." Flash chuckled a bit, his observation only being partly true.
He was a very different person than he was at the start of school, he could only imagine how else he would change. If he survived. He would walk to the nearest twig of a sapling and cut the blade of the shovel into the dirt. It wasn't only intelligence than came with age, but his steady growth in height and muscle as well. Everyone he had been close to in his first year were getting taller, stronger, prettier. It was fascinating to watch.
"Let me think... Study of Ancient Runes, Muggles Studies... Divination and Care of Magical Creatures..." Flash continued speaking as he wedged further into the ground, severing any roots binding the sapling to the earth. "That's all of the new electives, right? Is there one you've been most interested in?"
After working with the shovel enough, Flash would switch to yanking the sapling free with his gloved hands, a fairly easy task after the soil around it had been properly disturbed.
@Opeila Winters
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
*Gasp* What's this?
@Flash Holmwood
Opeila grinned when Flash handed her the bottle of sunscreen and told her to make sure to cover ears, nose and neck as well to wash it off before going to bed. She put on a playful serious face, and nodded sharply. "Yes, Sir..." While putting sunscreen on her face, she chuckled. "My dad always used to complain about our sunscreen because it left yellow stains on our clothes... But he wouldn't get a different branch anyway. I suppose this one could just be cleaned off with the cleaning spell if it got into our clothes." She handed him the bottle again. "Thanks."
Errands... Opeila was alarmed when she saw Flash's smile disappear at the mention of the snowstorm errand. It was a nice memory to her, wasn't it to him? What had happened? Not the right time to ask. Fortunately the smile returned with the next topic. "Yeah, right? Remember Erin Ryan as a third year... Somehow she didn't get less scary with age." Opeila chuckled. "And yes, same. In some way I still feel like a first year. Like some things didn't change." Although everything had changed. One thing that had stayed was the black marks all over her body. That had stayed. Maybe it was that what still made her feel like a helpless first year. The enemy was still under her skin.
Electives were a great topic. Although difficult too. Opeila sighed. "Yeah, that's them. God, I have no idea what to pick, except for the obvious. Divination. With my heritage I'm kind of obligated to pick that one, simply to learn more about what I am." Lady Margary couldn't teach her anymore, so all that stayed was what Hogwarts had to offer her. She would be stupid not to take that offer. "And... Well, I suppose Ancient Runes sounds super fascinating. The introduction we got in History of Magic kind of hooked me." Care of Magical Creatures was definitely tempting too, the only one that didn't catch Opeila so much yet was Muggle Studies. After all she grew up in the muggle world...
Opeila picked up her shovel again and dug it deep into the ground. For some time she worked next to her friend, until her back ached and sweat ran down her face, but she enjoyed the physical challenge. In some way this had the same effect like her jogging every day.
May be used as Ending Post.