25 Nov 2022, 01:36
It's never too late to try
Nighttime had always been hard for Alora. There was just so much that could happen while she was asleep that she wasn't supposed to be privy to, and a new school to discover every nook and cranny hadn't helped—quite the contrary. There was just this great big out there for her to find, and classes and meals took up so much of her time that she barely had time to fit in her musings. Significantly if one factored in homework, perhaps some of her classmates had it right to find someone to do it for them, but she enjoyed all these new things to learn even if it was hard.
Alora should have been tired; she should have been truly exhausted. Between flying, homework, and getting around a school with a schedule of its own, it liked to keep was certainly something. Stairs moved, and she swore entire halls shifted at times. At least she no longer got to class late, which was a considerable improvement. After tossing and turning for some time, she threw the blankets aside and looked around her room to ensure her peers were asleep. From the snoring, she figured it was safe to pad away discreetly.
With the cold of winter creeping in, she had gone to bed with some insulated leggings and a band t-shirt she'd inherited from one of her siblings. She hadn't listened to Misfits, but she liked the look of it. Perhaps someday, she'd not be that person. Until then, she was stuck without any electronics, a lesson that had been learned the hard way. Silently she grabbed her Slytherin sweater and black cloaks and slipped on some wool socks she'd gotten from a sweet elderly neighbor back home in the Fal that seemed to like her.
The floor creaked as she neared the door, and she paused just in case. Then, with no sign of a stir, she quickly descended the stairs and into the common room. From there, she made a quick exit to find a new part of the castle to venture into. Through mullioned windows, the silver gleam of the moon lit the ground. It was warmer on the ground floor than in the basements, but she still felt a chill. A feeling lingered that she wasn't alone to pad in quietly in the castle's shadows, avoiding the risk of watchful gazes.
Beyond the Great Hall and down a hall, a door was opened. She rarely saw so at such a time. One that held an inviting glow that lured her forward. She remained cautious, looking around before moving towards it. She had wanted to visit the rehearsal room but hadn't had a reason to. The only thing she had to rehearse was excuses; even now, she had a number going through her mind of reasons she could reasonably be out at such an hour.
"Dang," she sounded as she looked around the room and its suspended vaults. It was gorgeous. It almost made her want to sing, but short of jingle bells, she didn't know much in terms of lyrics. And there were cushions on the floor, to boot. So she started grabbing a few and building a bit of a nest.About 10:30 pm
STA 8 • EVA 8 • STR 4 • WIS 6 • ARC 6 • ACC 8
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
26 Nov 2022, 15:13
It's never too late to try
Coming upon @Alora J. Graves
It was Monday night and it was the one day in the weekdays that gave prefects the most trouble. During the weekends, students were always trying to stay out past curfew and when Monday rolled along, many of them were still desperately trying to hold onto 'weekend mode.'
So when Simon was making his way down the Fourth Floor Corridors and saw light coming from the Rehearsal Room with the door ajar, he knew he should check it out. The portraits surely didn't have the lights on and it didn't seem to be a room that would be visited by staff members very often. He could be wrong, but he figured if any of the professors at Hogwarts wanted to play the piano, they would have a piano in their very own quarters. That's what he would do if he ever were a professor, anyway.
While he enjoyed people, he didn't think that being a professor would be something he ever wanted to do. It hadn't come across his mind all his years prior to Hogwarts at his muggle schools and it didn't here as well. What had were ideas of a priest, architect, dragon tamer, healer. Right now they were all ideas in the thirteen year old's mind and nothing had remotely been decided. Still, dealing with preteen and teen students didn't seem to be something he particularly wanted to make be his future - but it was going to be his present.
As he came to the door, he paused, looking at a girl in a Slytherin sweater creating something. She was a bit of an architect herself with the pillow fort she was creating. It looked as though perhaps the school elves had brought some of the comfortable pillows used for hot chocolate parties or Divination into here for some reason or another - perhaps to clean them, perhaps to store them, perhaps so certain Slytherin sweater wearers could create pillow forts.
"Quite impressive," he said as he slipped through the door and came toward the girl. There was a smile on his face that might show he wasn't necessarily there on business - although he was adorned in his Hufflepuff attire, prefect badge and all.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
26 Nov 2022, 16:41
It's never too late to try
There was a reason to hate Mondays, and though Alora hadn't quite discovered it yet beyond conditioning, hearing a voice certainly began to shape that sentiment. Even though it was praise, she knew better than to take anything at face value in the wizarding world. She had to be cautious. Prefects could be everywhere, and though she'd escaped detention so far, building pillow forts after hours didn't feel like the pinnacle of reputation building. Quite the contrary.
"I...thanks," she sounded with more of a squeak. As much as Alora Jean Graves could have cat's grace, she could just as much be the clumsiest girl in the world. In the moment it took to turn around and look at the goldenrod and black-robed boy, prefect badge and all, and utter a single word, an entire wall collapsed against her.
"There's room for one more, though I can't say I have snacks, didn't really think that far..." she sighed. It made her wonder if there was a hot chocolate conjuring charm or something. Now that would be amazing, marshmallows and all. Definitely kinder than transforming snails into teapots. She still wasn't sold on whether or not they could feel the heat while in teapot form and that disturbed her. Perhaps if she invited the boy he wouldn't give her detention which would be better than being caught and made to clean something by hand. She had enough of that back home, and it wasn't even punishment. It was just chores.
Where life would lead, Alora didn't quite know, but now with magic in the mix, she was ever more lost. There was so much on her brain that it felt like it could never turn off. "I mean unless you have a quota to fill, in which case, I'm pretty sure I saw a couple of Ravenclaws snogging down the hall, not that I usually throw people under the bus, but let's face it, this isn't exactly groundbreaking..." she motioned around her.
STA 8 • EVA 8 • STR 4 • WIS 6 • ARC 6 • ACC 8
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
11 Jan 2023, 14:23
It's never too late to try
Entering the fort of @Alora J. Graves
"Hey now, who am I to get in the way of young love?" he said, speaking of her scapegoat of a diversion. No, his focus wouldn't be on some Ravenclaws although his mind did momentarily wonder as to why, if they truly were just down the corridor, they didn't remain in their Common Room as to be less undetected but then again - love was blind.
"Do you always roam the castle at night making fantastic pillow forts?" he asked as he came closer, surveying it. She had invited him in and while he was pretty sure it was as a notion to either 1) try and diminish her punishment or 2) be a snarky Slytherin, he took her up on it.
Simon crouched down and came over to where she was. Truthfully, he was probably as milquetoast of a prefect as one could be and he knew it and soon the girl would too. The only detention he had ever given out was one of selfish means (not that they didn't deserve it though).
"This is approaching professional-grade fort building here," he said and flashed a smile to her now that he was under/inside near her. "Simon Kincaid, admirer of your work," he added, outstretching his hand carefully toward her for a handshake - making sure he didn't knock anything down.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
12 Jan 2023, 19:01
It's never too late to try
Although Alora was certainly a Slytherin through and through, she wasn't the typical type. She had no issues with purity, no notions of house rivalries, and honestly, she didn't really need to be the best at anything. What she did, she did well, and what she wasn't good at, she normally gave up on. Mostly, she was self-preserving. It wasn't something that was mean, or ill-intentioned. As the youngest of seven kids in a not-too-great part of town, life wasn't always easy. She'd learned to grow up fast, and did what she had to to stay safe and out of dodge, especially given her penchant for mischief.
"Only when I can't sleep," she admitted sheepishly. "Can't say I've had a long life of crime to tout," she chuckled. "It is a pretty sweet fort though, she agreed. The only thing that could make it better was magic, but that would take a lot more classes to get some spells down to achieve. One day though, she swore she'd have some amazing skills to add to those she had learned in the muggle world.
"I'm glad you like it," she said looking at him more closely. Judging by the robes, she certainly knew that cheery canary color as one of Hufflepuff. She didn't really understand the bad rap they got. They had such a cheery color and they were close to the kitchens, honestly, that sounded pretty darn sweet to her, not that she would say that. At least, not anywhere near her common room. "Alora, but you can call me A.J." she introduced, offering him a hand. It seemed common among students. It was so formal, but when at Hogwarts she supposed...
STA 8 • EVA 8 • STR 4 • WIS 6 • ARC 6 • ACC 8
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
31 Mar 2023, 14:09
It's never too late to try
Hoping to open up a conversation with @Alora J. Graves
"Pleasure to meet you, A.J.," he said as he turned to her and took her hand, giving it a shake. Perhaps she noticed his touch was a little colder than normal, perhaps she did not, but Simon never turned down an introduction even due to his dhamprism.
"Most would say snacks would make this absolutely perfect," he agreed with her prior statement. "I've got some lemon drops, but that's all." He placed his enchanted satchel on the ground and knelt down to fish down through it to find the transparent cellophane baggie that contained the yellow candies. When he did find them, he brought it out and held it up to her so he could offer her some. "I'm not much a fan of snacks," but then again he wasn't much a fan of eating, either. It was so often that he skipped meals at the Great Hall - not because he had anything against it, but rather that he gained some of his needed nutrition from his daily ration that was supplied by the Ministry.
He looked over her creation a bit more before turning his eyes to her. "I take it you couldn't sleep?" It wasn't too terribly far past curfew, but still passed. He wondered if she was perhaps having difficulty in a class, or had a fight with a friend, perhaps she was lonely, or feeling homesick. Not always, but quite often, troubles made for late nights.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
6 Apr 2023, 13:23
It's never too late to try
Although not a vampire by any means, Alora had always had poor circulation in her limbs causing her fingers and toes to often mimic tiny icicles. At least, any sibling that had had the misfortune of putting her to sleep had said as much when small feet or tiny hands had found their way to warm unsuspecting flesh between sheets. So when their hands met, she merely felt a kindred spirit of sorts, and she graciously shook it without falter. In fact, she had no thought for it.
"Lemon drops are what mum gives me when I'm sick," she chuckled at the memory. It didn't dawn on her that it probably wasn't a healthy choice or a smart one in the slightest, but care in her home had always been a sprite and some lemon drops and a warm cuppa. That and reruns of Coronation Street. "Not that I don't appreciate the offer," she added, not wanting to be contrite. She didn't want to hurt him or offend him. Not only because he was a prefect but because he seemed to genuinely enjoy her fort. At his offer, she beamed and took the bag. It wasn't often that breaking rules was met with candy, even less the type that was sold in the muggle world.
"Snacks make the world go round. Much more convenient than meals, you can take them on the go," she said, a first yellow ball of lemon goodness disappearing behind her lips. She let it roll on her tongue and enjoyed it before reaching for her pockets to see what forgotten snacks she might have. Surely she had squirreled something away that had forgotten about. Her hands went to her pant pockets only to find lint, a piece of parchment, and a whistle. She shook her head and went to the next set of pockets before finding the ones from her cloak. Though one held nothing but lint and wrappers the other had a small unopened box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans she had forgotten she had.
"I have trouble sleeping most nights," she admitted. "I'd like to blame the castle, but I was that way when I was at home too." She set the beans between them and hugged her sides as she sat on the pillows and settled for her fort.
"So what year are you in?" she asked curiously. "Do you have a favorite dinosaur? What's your favorite thing here at the castle?" To say she was curious by nature was an understatement.
STA 8 • EVA 8 • STR 4 • WIS 6 • ARC 6 • ACC 8
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
2 Jun 2023, 05:06
It's never too late to try
Questions and answers with @Alora J. Graves
"Hmm, trouble sleeping most nights? Not just here? Sounds suspiciously like you're either a nocturnal animal in a weird humanagus form, you know, like how humans can be an animagus, orrrrr, that you're a vampire." Simon popped one of his lemon candies into his mouth. "Are you a vampire, AJ?"
That was his big question for her for the moment, but she had some for him. He smiled widely, thinking she probably would have made a pretty decent Ravenclaw. "I'm in Third Year. Getting pretty ancient and all. My favorite dinosaur - hmm.... I'm more of a dragon kind of guy but let's see.... give me a second...." He thought about some of the dinosaurs. "Maybe the spinosaurus. They were pretty good swimmers and that's pretty cool for something that big. As for favorite thing here at the Castle, I've got too many to list them all - the fact that we're all here in the first place and learning MAGIC is amazing. I like Herbology and Potions best. I like broom racing. I love my girlfriend and the friends I've made. I love the ancient feel to everything, the whole society of being non-reliant on technology. I love Herman, the giant squid and the portrait people. I like this place because one can make some really great strides in music, as well as construct some pretty kickass pillow forts. What do you like best about Hogwarts?"
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
21 Jun 2023, 02:05
It's never too late to try
Alora chuckled at his words. It was like listening to an alien. She had never heard about animagus until then, and vampires were just sparkly things her sisters gushed over weren't they? Though she spent many years terrified of vampires, Twilight and its saga had definitely made them laughable. What was next? He was going to tell her werewolves were real?
"Do I look like I sparkle in the sunlight there, Simon?" she asked with a roll of her eyes. "Vampires don't exist," she said with a shake of head.
Now dragons, those were cool. She'd read about them in the library. Like dinosaurs but in real life. As he mentioned Spinosaurus, she smiled. That was a good one, and she remembered it from her book back home. "I relate to t-rexes, what with the short arms, but I definitely enjoy velociraptors and pterodactyls..." Truth was, she had many favorites. It was just so hard to choose.
"Magic IS amazing," she agreed with a grin. I really like the food. She knew it was lame, but man did that kitchen know how to produce. "And astronomy, that's fun. I haven't found a class I dislike yet," she offered with a smile. "And though it's not school related, the wizarding world offers quite an amazing array of pranks," she grinned. She enthusiastically began describing the small wooden figure she had purchased prior to coming to school at the Weasley's place. An annoy-a-tron !
STA 8 • EVA 8 • STR 4 • WIS 6 • ARC 6 • ACC 8
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
#219a82 | C A T 'S G R A C E + Muggle Condition
25 Jun 2023, 03:04
It's never too late to try
Talking with @Alora J. Graves
Vampires don't exist? Simon listened to her make that statement and couldn't help but tilt hi s head to the side upon her saying it. Of course they existed. He had met one. He was half one. Did she truly think they did not?
Granted, one didn't particularly learn about vampires in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class in their First Year, nor were they brought up in places like Care of Magical Creatures which started in Third Year. No, Simon only knew of them because he had kept up on The Hogwarts Headliner from years passed which mentioned things such as dhampirs - half vampires, half witch/wizard. That led him down quite the path of self discovery, little did he know at first.
He wasn't sure he should say anything. Would he scare her off? If so, he'd ruin the potential of making a new friend. Maybe it was best not to.....
"That doll sounds quite amusing," he said with a laugh. It was a product he had yet to come across in the stores but that was one of the most fascinating things about the wizarding world - there were so many wondrous things to behold. He himself had enjoyed many of the items that he found in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade and he wondered what other entirely magical communities and marketplaces were out there.
"Do you come from a magical background?" he asked curiously. He was pretty certain from their short conversation thus far that she might be muggleborn, but one truly didn't know until told.
"And oh, for the record, I don't believe that vampires sparkle in sunlight."
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)