20 Mar 2022, 13:53
A pleasant surprise
@Simon Kincaid as MilesThe Goblet of Fire - Haley had spent many nights thinking about whether to throw her name in and to this day she has not come to a decision. At first it was clear to her that she wouldn't do it, too many things had happened here, too many had been hurt and she didn't want to put herself or others in danger. But things had changed since then. In short - she didn't care now whether she would be in danger or not. Besides, she could use some adrenaline, some distraction, and yet there was this one hurdle in her that she hadn't gotten around yet.
The last few days she spent a lot of time in the great hall. Mostly she sat quietly at the table, reading, doing homework, watching all the students throw their names into the goblet. Every day she thought about just getting up, going there and doing the same, but she did not. Something was holding her back and she wouldn't have much time left to do it. A decision would be made sooner or later, maybe she would regret it, maybe not.
This afternoon she sat here again, trying to concentrate on the book in front of her but ended up scribbling something in her notebook, lost in thought, and looking blankly around, her eyes always on the Goblet of Fire. Her thoughts kept wandering until she noticed in the corner of her eye another student making his way to the Goblet. By now it was no longer a highlight for her, she had already watched many do so. They tossed the note, some visibly tense, others celebrating with their friends and classmates, and others again full of pride. Haley just sat there, scribbling away, not looking at the person who decided to do the same.
Nevertheless something inside her, perhaps it was her curiosity, forced her to lift her head. Eventually she turned her gaze in the direction of the boy who was about to throw a piece of paper into the blue fire. A quick glance and she turned back to her notebook until her brain realised it was not an unknown boy. "Miles?" she whispered softly as she turned her gaze back towards Goblet and surveyed him with a furrowed brow. No, her brain had not deceived her, it was indeed Miles. A student from america she had met during the last winter holidays and they had had a legendary snowball fight.
"Miles!" she shouted louder this time, folding her book shut and jumping up from the table, walking in quick steps in his direction. She didn't know if he would remember her, but there was no way she had forgotten him. She smiled broadly at him, a smile that had been far too rare on her lips lately. She came to stand directly in front of him and had the unusual urge to hug him in greeting, but before her body completed the movement, she stopped herself. "Um, hey, how are you? Do you remember me?" she asked him sheepishly and began to giggle.
The only one who fear death are those with regrets
12 Jun 2022, 15:17
A pleasant surprise
Glad to see @Haley Rose
The only hesitation all along, upon tossing his name into the Goblet, was that in not doing so he could annoy his parents. When his parents asked him why he had not been chosen, he could annoy them by saying he didn't bother to put his name in to begin with so it wasn't among the choices. He could also use that as an excuse, because honestly, what were the chances of a second year student being chosen to be the Ilvermorny Champion for the Hexwizard Tournament? Still, this was a chance for adventure and Miles Thatcher needed to satisfy that thirst.
He had written his name down on a piece of paper and walked up to the blazing flames and was about to drop his entry in when he heard his name being called. He glanced over his shoulder to see the girl with the green eyes and brilliant red hair that he had first met at the quidditch shop in Diagon Alley over Winter Break in London. "I don't think someone can forget someone with such radiant hair and a competitive streak to match," he said with a smile. Rose. He remembered it because her hair was red and lots of roses were red. "Haley Rose, right?" he said as his smile widened, not because he was proud of remembering but because it was good seeing her again.
"I thought to seek you out when we first got here but I couldn't remember what house you were in and gosh, let me just say how many redheads there are at Hogwarts! There's an entire scourge of you all!" He leaned in closer to her so he could literally whisper into her ear, "...are you planning a takeover? I won't tell."
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
12 Jun 2022, 15:36
A pleasant surprise
@Simon Kincaid as MilesHaley giggled, hoping her cheeks wouldn't turn red. "Right, Haley Rose." She nodded and grinned broadly at him. It was good to see him again and luckily for him there was no snow now, so there wouldn't be another snowball fight that he probably wouldn't win. She led the boy with her to one of the empty benches so they weren't in the middle of the hall and sat down with one leg on the left and the other on the right so she could look directly at him.
"And yet I found you today, what a coincidence." She laughed at his comment about all the redheads here. "I always thought I was special. Well, with the red hair, the green eyes and all the freckles." She glanced around the large room once and shrugged. "Guess I'm not so unique after all." Laughing out loud, she quickly fell silent again before it was now her who leaned towards him. "I can't tell you. Not here. Too many eyes and ears." Leaning back again, she winked at him.
"But before anything is taken over here, you have decided you want to be in the Tournament?" she asked the boy curiously. Maybe he would give her good reasons why she should also decide but all she could feel was apprehension. She really hoped it would not be a danger to him or any of the other students. She still had a bad feeling about the whole thing.
"How are you liking Hogwarts so far? Seen the Quidditch pitch yet?" She of course still knew he had a passion for Quidditch as well, after all they had met in a Quidditch shop. "I hope you've already been given a private sightseeing tour. I think that's the least you visitors should be offered." Haley didn't know much about the things planned for the visiting schools, as she tended to avoid people lately. So it was all the better that she had bumped into Miles and even if she didn't realise it herself, the interaction did her good.
The only one who fear death are those with regrets
12 Jun 2022, 18:32
A pleasant surprise
Taking a moment with @Haley Rose
Miles lifted up the note in his hand which was a piece of parchment with his name scribbled across. "Decision made. I was just about to place my name in when came up and distracted me. What about you? Did you already submit or do you want to go up and put yours in with me?" He stated it such as if not giving her any other option. She was in the Gryffindor House of Hogwarts and all, the brave, the courageous. Plus, if she fought in the Hexwizard the way she did in the Diagon Alley streets, he saw her being a viable option for the Hogwarts champion.
"Hogwarts is alright," he said honestly, but it wasn't home. "The Highlands are absolutely amazing and I wish I could just take off sometime and go explore it, camp out one night even," he said with a sigh. He meant it too. Just some weekend, wake before dawn and hike, maybe even skip out a night and campout. "And your quidditch pitch is pretty amazing. You can tell your school is rather focused on that." More seemed to be dedicated to that sport than dueling or broom racing, but rightfully so in Miles's opinion. Quidditch was the best.
Miles looked over to Haley with a smile, waiting to see if she was going to place her name in with him or take his bait about wanting to explore the grounds more - even if that option had the potential for getting them in some trouble. What was life without a little risk?
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
12 Jun 2022, 18:51
A pleasant surprise
@Simon Kincaid as Miles"Well excuse me sir for distracting you." She replied and rolled her eyes. She didn't want to think any further about throwing her name in as well, so she avoided his question. She would make a decision sooner or later but today would not be the day.
It seemed Miles wasn't really happy, maybe he was just annoyed because Haley had stopped him from throwing his name into the goblet. She could barely pay attention to his words, everything in her head was now about whether she had done something wrong. Whether she had behaved wrongly and had shown too little consideration. Immediately she thought she had made a mistake again, when she had had enough of mistakes.
"Okay, a suggestion: you go ahead there now." She pointed her gaze at the goblet. "Throw your name in, have your great moment of courage and ambition, let your friends and all the admirers celebrate you." The sarcastic tone was hard to miss, but Haley only joked. "And then if you don't have any plans I could help you explore Hogwarts a bit." She suggested, hoping very much that she could somehow make it up to him or cheer him up a bit.
Haley gently pushed him off the bench. "Go on Miles." Then she began to cheer him softly. "Miles! Miles! You gonna be the next champion whoo." Laughing, she shook her head and waited for him to finally throw his name into the goblet. Once it was done, the blue flames blazing and she could see the pride in him she would wait until he was back with her and clap softly just for him. "Great!"
She turned and walked towards the door before turning back after a few steps and looking at Miles promptly. "Well what are you waiting for, the world won't wait for us forever." With a wink, she turned again and left the great hall, the castle and strolled towards the campgrounds.
The only one who fear death are those with regrets