Hello again pv Maggie Hawkins Finished

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MAGGIE HAWKINS

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interacting with: @Edme Achillian mentioning:

January, 2022

XXXXWith the joy and merry of Christmas gone, nothing but a bitter taste left in Maggie's mouth, there wasn't much left to do. Not that there was anything wrong with Hogwarts, but regular school stuff just didn't compare to winter break and the complete parade that was Christmas at a wizarding school. At the best of times, Maggie adored being around people. The rush she felt when being around others was everything, but sometimes life needed to slow down. Admittedly not aptly dressed for the weather, Maggie wandered through the snow, brown strappy loafers leaving indents in the snow, knee-length pink skirt beating against her thighs with the gentle wind. White leg warmers kept everything shin-down nice and cozy. A sweater over a button-down, dull green with dinosaur knit (courtesy of her mother on Christmas), was hanging heavy on her frame, and a black pea coat with pretty silver buttons covered the Slytherin scarf knit around her neck. The Great Lake, looking serene and still under a light coating of frost, stared out at Maggie under its gentle charm. Beautiful. Of course, Maggie didn't anticipate seeing anyone else standing around the lake. When she did, she made a beeline for them, surprised to see that the figure was none other than Edme Achillian, Ravenclaw lunch buddy. "Howdy, Parker," she paused, going still a few feet away from Edme, shoes sinking into the snow beneath. Powdery white and soft as a pillow. "I know your name's not actually Parker, though. I remembered. But--I said you seemed like a Parker," far too much explanation for a little joke, but Maggie wasn't one to risk not being understood. "It's Maggie. In case you forgot," she explained, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

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@Maggie Hawkins

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Snow sprinkled the eyelashes of the first year, cold and wet as she blinked them onto her cheeks. The cold was getting to them, however long it took, and she turned to go back inside when a familiar voice broke through the silence and stepped over to her.

"Oh- Maggie." Edme stood for a moment, eyebrows raising at the face, "It's been a moment, though I remember." they tried on a smile, waving cooly.

Maggie, infamous Slytherin lunch buddy and floppy-named conversationalist was trotting over, shoes leaving prints in the snow beneath. She used the name Parker, one Edme remembered all too well. It was a funny little memory that had stuck to the back of Edme's head for quite a while now.

"It's awfully cold out." Edme stated, mirroring Maggie's motion of placing her hands in her pockets, "Is there a reason for you coming out here?" the barren land that had become of most of the outdoors surrounding Hogwarts was enough to know it wasn't outdoor weather.

Maybe she had the same reasons as Edme? Get away from the crazy and get into the cold? You never know. Edme shuffled their feet, listening to the crunch of the snow as her boots moved left and right.

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WC:219

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MAGGIE HAWKINS

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interacting with: @Edme Achillian mentioning:

January, 2022

XXXXIt was a funny coincidence, that the two of them would meet where they had gone to get away from it all. did it often happen? Did people often connect at moments where it seemed too coincidental to be a coincidence, but too unplanned to truly be unplanned? Did that even make sense? The admission that Edme did, in fact, remember miss Maggie Hawkins, in all her floppy-named glory, brought a smile to the Slytherin girl's face. A budding friendship, she should think. "Didn't think I was all so forgettable," she boasted, sinking her feet into the snow and tugging her hands out of her pockets. "Is it cold? I hardly noticed." She had. The wind had nipped at her nose, rendering it red and shiny, and bitten at her lips. Plus, she was shivering. "Guess I was just bored. You know, everything looks so unimpressive after a great big Hogwarts Christmas. I guess that's fair, but everything just looks so very," Maggie gestured broadly to the snow which surrounded them, inches deep, "boring. Plus, I wanted to come out and see if the giant squid in the lake is feeling okay. Not freezing." Tricky little bugger, it was. "You know, I saw one of the other first-year students fall out of the boat and totally get tugged underwater by the squid. With my own two eyes. He's my friend, now," sure, stretching the truth just a bit. Hey, she'd been in another boat! And wasn't necessarily the closest to the situation! Sometimes a little white lie didn't hurt a fly.

@Maggie Hawkins

Edme couldn't tell if it was refreshing or strange to have the other first year out there with her. I mean, it was probably what she had been waiting for, but the convenience of it all seemed a bit timed. Maybe it was a surprise late birthday. No, probably not.

Edme let out a fond chuckle at Maggie's words, though was a tad confused as to whether the statement about not being cold was genuine considering Maggie was beginning to look a tad like Rudolph with her reddening nose. Not to mention she was quite obviously shivering.

"It's very plain." Edme agreed a bit solemnly, the joy and impatience of Christmas dying soon after the holiday. "I guess it never occurred to me that the squid might not be taking too well to cold." they felt a bit bad for not considering it before.

Edme's eyebrows shot up at the story, her jaw falling a bit. "Was he okay?" they asked quickly. She supposed that since Maggie said they were friends now he probably survived the ordeal. "I met this girl who had this strange attraction to the squid. Called it 'Squidward' I believe? I'm not entirely sure." Juniper was quite the gal.

Turning back to the lake, Edme wondered if she could see the squid under the surface. Or was that impossible? They weren't very well versed in the ways of a squid.

WC:244

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MAGGIE HAWKINS

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interacting with: @Edme Achillian mentioning:

January, 2022

XXXXPerhaps a strange turn of fate. Perhaps it was meant to be, the two of them, entangled yet again without any rhyme or reason. Again, Maggie found herself pondering the meaning of this. Was there any meaning? After all, Hogwarts was a big place. What were the odds, honestly, that Maggie Hawkins and Edme Achillian would find each other again, much less when they were attempting to just get away from the world? Kindred spirits, perhaps. Maybe it was a friendship that was meant to be. Or maybe it was a sheer coincidence. "You think that squid celebrates Christmas? You know, the lake is right next to the Slytherin Common Room. So. I bet that if I asked, I could probably get him to come out and say hi," that was no promise. In actuality, Maggie hadn't the faintest idea of how to communicate with a giant squid, much less how to convince him to come out and play. Convince him to celebrate Christmas with them. "Makes me feel kinda bad, really. Poor guy sits out there in the cold, cold lake all day with nothing to do but watch everyone else have fun. I mean, even the House Elves get to spend time inside, at least. Squid just sits in the water." But that just boasted an even bigger dilemma. How did the lake work? How far down did it go? How could it possibly host a giant squid? These were questions for Solomon Lear, if anyone. Maggie made a mental note to pay him a visit in his office. "Oh, him? Yeah, he's completely fine. Avery's a tough guy," Maggie shrugged and bumped Edme slightly with her shoulder, glancing over at the other and chewing thoughtfully on the inside of her cheek. "That's a bit strange, though. An obsession with the squid. You think he's got a name? Actually?

@Maggie Hawkins

Whaetever magnet had pulled the two together clearly had expectations. It was no accident that the two had met twice in such ways. Edme supposed it was like friendship fate, if that were a thing. Maggie had something about her that seemed so nice to be around, it wasn't placeable though, sort of floating in the back of Edme's head.

"Christmas for a squid." Edme chuckled, "I wonder what that would look like. Do you think it has family? Squid family?" It was a bubbly thought. "Yeah. I would hate to be out in the cold like that. It'd be so... cold. And lonely."

Edme had wondered how truly giant the giant squid was, if it was big or bigger than normal. Maybe bigger than big even. It was giant after all. The Ravenclaw considered it may be a bit stuffy in there, a giant squid in a lake. Maybe a bit of a tight fit. Anyhow, they didn't study animals and didn't really plan on it in the future.

"Oh, good, good." Edme held off on the extra questions, deciding it was best to leave it at safety. "I don't know. She wasn't too... well no, it was pretty extreme." she laughed a bit at the memories, "I remember her screaming at it. Don't remember what about though, some love deceleration. Hm... maybe it really is Squidward."

WC:234

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MAGGIE HAWKINS

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interacting with: @Edme Achillian mentioning:

January, 2022

XXXX"Oh, well, that seems pretty lonesome to me. I mean, I don't really know how big the lake actually is. Maybe it's huge and we just can't see it?" Maggie suggested. Hopefully, it was, because she'd feel just awful to know that the poor squid was all alone down there. Without knowing how big the lake really was or if there were more squids, it could probably safely be assumed that the squid was all on his own down there. Which was kinda immoral. "If it's big enough down there then maybe there's a family. Otherwise, I really think it's kinda immoral to keep the squid down there at all, y'know? I mean, to be kept underwater in a lake that may or may not be big enough for a family. All alone. For stupid kids to gawk at. That doesn't seem very fair, does it?" It didn't, but Edme probably didn't come here to see Maggie stand up on her soapbox waxing poetry about Hogwarts' giant squid. "Or maybe he's happy. I dunno. He can't talk." "What was her name?" Maggie knew quite a few curious and perhaps suspicious characters; maybe she knew Edme's mystery squid admirer, too! Really, though, Maggie was enjoying the time spent at Edme's side, even if unexpected and unplanned. It was nice, for lack of a better word. Comfortable.

@Maggie Hawkins

"I feel as though with the magical mechanics of Hogwarts, chances are it's massive." Edme imagined falling into the lake and being met with a dessert of rocks and sand, the only other life being a giant squid with tentacles as long as buildings. "Not at all. It seems quite cruel when you consider it for just a moment."

Edme had quite enjoyed listening to Maggie's analogy, the thoughts she had about problems with the wizard world. It seemed to be a bit wrapped up with the final words, though Edme added a bit quietly, "Maybe."

The fond memory of first getting to the school in the early fall air, the strange meeting with the other first year at the Great Leak months before. "Juniper." they hadn't seen the other in a bit, just that strange encounter in the cold gray of the afternoon. "Do you know her?" The two seemed enough like each other, though Edme wasn't sure they were the two to share tea.

The Ravenclaw fiddled mindlessly with the button on their coat, looking out over the lake and basking in the uninterrupted and beautifully peaceful peace. They hadn't expected Maggie to come walking out and sparking conversation, but Edme couldn't deny that it was a nice break from overloaded chatter and nonsensical banter. She was enjoying herself.

WC: 227

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MAGGIE HAWKINS

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interacting with: @Edme Achillian mentioning:

January, 2022

XXXXThat Juniper Kelly. Oh, yes, Maggie knew her. Never had a personal encounter. Perhaps if the two had taken the time to get to know one another, explore friendship with each other in any sort of way, then it would be a different story. However, Maggie was awful judgemental. Awfully judgemental, in all honesty. Which didn't make much sense considering many might say that the two, Juniper and Maggie, were quite similar. "Uh, yeah, I know her. I know of her," again, no personal experience. None aside from the one unfortunate encounter after Slytherin's house cup victory a few months before. "We won. Slytherin won the house cup a few months back, so we were throwing a little party. Juniper showed up and tried to fight everyone, you know! Jealous, I guess, I don't know." Maybe it was a harsh, unfair judgment to make, but Maggie didn't much care. There were bigger things to worry about, standing here in the snow with Edme Achillian. A strange, strange person in the most uncharacteristic of ways. They weren't outwardly odd, no. She wasn't totally wild. But she was strange. They were odd in just the way Maggie liked, just odd enough. "Got your hands on a fake permission slip?" Maggie asked, almost sudden in the cold quiet of the day. "If--if you do, we could go to Hogsmeade sometime. That would be pretty cool, wouldn't it?"