Pumpkins and Rain Showers PV Madison Bennett Finished

Madison loved Autumn, it was her favourite season. Not because of the leaves, or the pumpkins or the candy you get on Halloween, but because of the clouds. They were pink, orange, white and yellow, all mixed into the fluffy clouds, making the sky look like cotton candy.

Over the last few weeks, Madison had been spending a lot of time with Simon in the library, trying to find out anything about her scar that could help link the incident that happened 100 years ago, to what happened to her somehow. As a way to get her mind off things, Madison had been helping Simon with broom flying when they didn't have classes and he was getting really good. Although it hurt her scar a lot, it was worth it to see the progress her friend was making. She'd suggested hanging out together because she wanted to hang out with him away from school, though still in school grounds, but away from classrooms and the library, somewhere different but still familiar in a way.

Madison had her hair in two dutch braids and was wearing a denim skirt, black tights, her light blue Jack Wills jumper and her white converse with black rims that she drew patterns of stars on one and then sunset on the other. As she headed down to the lake and saw Simon, she smiled, the two of them had been spending so much time together that she couldn't imagine what the past eight weeks would have been like without him.

She walked over and hugged him as she smiled and replied "Hey there friend, i think we need to come up with nicknames for eachother, rather than just friend" she said with a giggle. "I know right, I need this weekend to finally relax and not have to sit in a classroom listening to someone talk to me" she says with a smile. "Not really, I spent most of the night looking at the sky again, I just had a lot on my mind I guess" she says with a sigh.

As they walk next to the lake, Madison looked around them. The leaves rustled on the ground, the water was calm and still and the lights of Hogwarts shone brightly down onto the lake, creating a reflection in the water.

"This is nice, getting to hangout together outside of the library or the classroom, also, i've been loving the box of stuff you got from your sister, the hand cream that was in there, has been a lifesaver for me, it's the only hand cream i can use on my hands that doesn't irritate my scar and also doesn't smell like Betadine either" she says with a giggle, as she and Simon kept walking together.

@Simon Tilia

"Hey there friend", she said and hugged him (Madison was the only one who used to greet him with a hug at Hogwarts). "I think we need to come up with nicknames for each other, rather than just friend."

"You think? Isn't 'Madi' good enough?", he said jokingly.

Hearing that Madi had a sleepless night made him wonder what kept her awake, whether something had happened, or if she worried about her scar or if she was just tired of all the school work.

"Really?", he said. "You should have owled me. I was awake too. I didn't fall asleep until, like, 12..."

They started walking along the shore, listening to the sloshing sounds from the lake. A group of crows landed on the hill. Sun rays occasionally broke through the clouds but it felt like it could start to rain again at any point.

"... Also, I've been loving the box of stuff you got from your sister, the hand cream that was in there, has been a lifesaver for me, it's the only hand cream i can use on my hands that doesn't irritate my scar and also doesn't smell like Betadine either."

"I'm glad you enjoyed the box. Clara will be glad to know that she's got at least one fan here at Hogwarts!" He chuckled.

As the wind blew by he could feel her scent. It was weird because he never really thought of the scent as one of his sister's products. Since Madison had been using these products since the first time they met, he had come to associate the scent with Madison rather than think of it as a characteristic scent from his sister's brand.

"I love what you've done with your hair by the way. The braids and all", he said. He was not used to seeing Madison like that, but it was a cool hair style that suited her well, somehow reflecting her self-confidence and more mischievous sides.

@Madison Bennett

"You think? Isn't 'Madi' good enough?", he said with a cheeky smile.

Madison giggled and nudged him playfully "I guess so, I was just thinking that maybe it would be cool to come up with nicknames for eachother that only we use, no one else, what do you think?" she says, waiting to hear his response.

As they walked, she felt the leaves crunch under her feet and the branches shake, as if they were singing along with the leaves. Watching nature work in harmony together made Madison smile, as a child she'd loved listening to nature during each season, watching the leaves disappear and then come back, it was as if the whole world was one big song and dance, with nature as the orchestra and the people living in the world as it's dancers and singers.

"Really?", he said. "You should have owled me. I was awake too. I didn't fall asleep until, like, 12..."

Madi sighed, but smiled soon when she saw a few squirrels wandering around, each holding a massive Fungi. "I will next time, I just needed time to process some stuff my dad wrote to me in a letter..." she said, sighing again, looking up at the clouds and seeing the grey approach. She felt her heart beating faster, but when the sun rays appeared, she felt herself calm down and relax again.

As Madison and Simon walk along the lake, talking about school, family and Madison trying to convince him to meet her in London during the school break. "Just consider it, I know some pretty cool hidden spots around London that not many know of, if you want to see them of course" she says with a giggle, dodging the leaf pile Simon tried to throw at her.

"I love what you've done with your hair by the way. The braids and all"
Madison smiled and kicked some leaves into the air, "thanks, I figured I'd try something other than a ponytail or bun" she says with a giggle. She could tell from the feeling she got off Simon that he was starting to like her more and associate different things to her. "You like the scent huh? It's the Vanilla and Marshmallow one from your sister's brand, it reminds me of the dream I used to have as a child, of camping under the stars, roasting marshmallows on an open fire and eating them with freshly baked Vanilla cookies and a piece of chocolate inside" she said with a sweet smile.

As they keep walking down the steps from the courtyard, Madison notices that Simon pointed at the Boathouse and suggested they go there. Madi nods and, as soon as they start heading down there, it starts raining. Madison grabs Simon's hand and runs with him down the stairs and they soon both get under the cover of the Boathouse safely. They hadn't been since their first year and it felt good to be back, as all the happy memories started coming back to Madison, even as the rain came down harder. Madison knew they'd be here a while and so she and Simon went inside the Boathouse to stay dry and warm.

@Simon Tilia

"Maybe it would be cool to come up with nicknames for eachother that only we use, no one else, what do you think?"

Simon laughed a little. "Yes, maybe. I'll have to think about what I would call you."

"Just consider it, I know some pretty cool hidden spots around London that not many know of, if you want to see them of course."

"Absolutely! I'd love that. I haven't been in London in ages."

Madison told him about how she used to camp under the stars when she was little, which reminded Simon of the times he used to star gaze with his father in Edinburgh. They did not roast marshmallows, but ending the night with lightening a fire was just good enough to make him feel even closer to his dad. His dad would tell him these stories – stories about Hogwarts, about magic, about growing up as a wizard. Simon was always captivated by these stories.

After a while of walking they eventually got the idea to visit the Boathouse instead. They had not been there since the start of the term. As they walked down the stairs from the courtyard he suddenly felt a drop of water landing on his forehead and looked up. Another rain shower was coming, and it was coming in quickly.

"We better hurry!"

They ran together down the stairs as the rain started pouring over them. When they finally reached the Boathouse, Simon halted under the roof and dried his face with his sleeve before looking at Madison. She was quite wet as well.

"Damn", he said, laughing. "Guess we'll have to wait until the rain stops till we get back. Maybe we should head inside?"

@Madison Bennett

Madison smiled and nodded as they walked into the Boathouse. She was glad that they were getting a chance to just hang out together, outside of classes and away from the big building that is the Hogwarts Castle.

"Maybe we should head inside?"
Madison looked up and saw Simon's hand on her arm and nodded as the rain came down even harder. Once they were inside the Boathouse, Madison stood by the window and sighed "I'm glad we're finally getting to have some time just hanging out as friends, away from classes and stuff", Madison says as she turns and smiles at Simon. She went over to him and sat beside him on the floor as they had their backs against the wall. "I'd love to come to Edinburgh too, though you're going to have to show me around cause I've never been there" she says with a giggle.

Madison looked at Simon and smiled, as a memory flashed through her mind "being back here brings me back to our very first day, which feels like a lifetime ago" she says, turning to Simon with a soft smile as she watches the rain fall against the window. "It's strange huh, to think about how many other friends may have found themselves stuck in here if it was raining really bad outside" Madison said with a smile as she saw writing on the wall next to her. "Hey look, people have left their names here, maybe we should add ours too, but let's think of our nicknames for eachother first and then write it, that way the only people who will know who wrote them, are us" Madison said with a smile as she looked at Simon.

"Think of it as a way of cemementing our friendship once and for all, where we write our own legacies and not the ones other people want us to write, together" she says, turning back to face Simon as she looks into his eyes and see them smile. She giggles and as a unconscious reflex, when she hears thunder from outside, she grabs hold of on of the sleeves on Simon's jumper since his coat was on one of the chairs. Once the thunder ends, Madison realises what she was holding and lets go, "sorry, reflex" she says but, when she sees his reaction she smiles and tucks some hair behind her ears.

"Anyway, have you thought of a nickname that might suit me cause I'm still trying to figure out one for you. I want to try and relate it to the kind of friend you are to me, one that is very loyal, protective, caring, understanding and always there for me", she says with a sweet smile, wondering what Simon might pick for her.

@Simon Tilia

They went inside the Boathouse, closed the door behind them and sat down beside each other against one of the wooden walls, listening to the thrumming of the rain on the roof. Beside them was a chair and a table with ropes and tools, and to their right was a wooden boat turned upside down.

"I'd love to come to Edinburgh too, though you're going to have to show me around cause I've never been there."

"Of course! I will. Although it's not as cool as London perhaps." He smiled.

After a while, Madison noticed that there were names scribbled and carved out on the wooden wall behind them. Clearly, they were not the first to find this hideout. He liked the idea of cementing their friendship on the wall next to the other names, and even more so to come up with secret nicknames that only they would know about.

"Hey, that's a great idea! Hmm... Let me think for a moment...", said Simon, looking at the names on the wall and trying thinking about what kind of names would be suitable for them.

A rumbling thunder interrupted his thoughts and he felt Madison grab his jumper.

"Scared of thunder, are you?", he said with a cheeky smile. "I'm sure we are fine in here. But let's wait until it passes before we go up that long stair back to the castle." 

"Anyway, have you thought of a nickname that might suit me cause I'm still trying to figure out one for you. I want to try and relate it to the kind of friend you are to me, one that is very loyal, protective, caring, understanding and always there for me."

"That's very sweet of you, Madi! But don't forget to include my good sense of humor and level of coolness also", said Simon jokingly and pinched her in the side. "Kidding. Okay... For you... I would say... I mean, you are Aquila Girl. The one and only. Since that's your favorite constellation. If you would have a super heroine name, that would be it. But how about... Aqi? No one would know it's you! Except for me. And maybe some one you know who is smart enough to put two and two together." He smiled.

@Madison Bennett

"Of course! I will. Although it's not as cool as London perhaps." He smiled.

Madison smiled "Maybe, though I'm sure Edinburgh is cool in its own ways. All the castles and the history, that's something both places have in common. Dad told me about his trip to Scotland when he played Quidditch and he said it was beautiful, bloody cold, but beautiful" Madi said with a giggle.

"Scared of thunder, are you?", he said with a cheeky smile. "I'm sure we are fine in here. But let's wait until it passes before we go up that long stair back to the castle."

Madi blushed and nudged him playfully "Yes, aren't you?" she asks and nods when Simon suggests they wait till it passes.

"That's very sweet of you, Madi! But don't forget to include my good sense of humor and level of coolness also", said Simon jokingly and pinched her in the side. "Kidding. Okay... For you... I would say... I mean, you are Aquila Girl. The one and only. Since that's your favorite constellation. If you would have a super heroine name, that would be it. But how about... Aqi? No one would know it's you! Except for me. And maybe someone you know who is smart enough to put two and two together." He smiled.

Madison chuckled "right good point" she says when Simon playfully nudges her back as she giggles. Madison listened to Simon with fascination, she'd never considered looking at it in that way. She'd only ever seen her scar as an injury and something that was very painful, never as a cool thing. She smiles and waits for him to finish before responding "true, i guess i'd never thought about that constellation that way before, i'd only ever associated it with my injury. Aqi is cute, I like it, a lot. It sounds like a name for someone who is sweet but can also roughen someone up if need be" Madi says with a giggle as Simon looks at her after she finishes her sentence. "Don't worry Simon, i'd never roughen you up in that way, you're my best friend and I don't do that kind of thing to my best friends" Madi says with a smile as writes her nickname up there in beautiful cursive writing and Orion next to it. Once she's done, Madi turns around and smiles "what do you think? Orion is the constellation that your favourite star is in and I thought it would work with Aqi" Madi says as she sees the rain slowly start to calm down. "Looks like the rain is calming down, I wonder if we'll get to see a rainbow once the rain stops" Madi says, her face lighting up at the thought of seeing her first rainbow at Hogwarts

@Simon Tilia

"True, I guess I'd never thought about that constellation that way before, I'd only ever associated it with my injury. Aqi is cute, I like it, a lot. It sounds like a name for someone who is sweet but can also roughen someone up if need be. Don't worry Simon, i'd never roughen you up in that way, you're my best friend and I don't do that kind of thing to my best friends"

Simon chuckled. "It's okay, I know you wouldn't. And you're not that scary. Not in my eyes, at least." He gave a cheeky smile. "Sorry, by the way. I didn't want to remind you about your scar. But maybe that could be a good thing? We turn it into something positive instead!"

Beside the nickname Aki, Madison suggested Orion for Simon. He quite liked the sound of that.

"Hmm... Honestly, I think it's perfect. Aqi and Orion. Two constellations on the night sky. And from now on, on this wall too." He stood up and searched around for something sharp on the table.

"Looks like the rain is calming down, I wonder if we'll get to see a rainbow once the rain stops."

He found a rusty old nail and thought that it would have to do, before getting down on his knee in front of the wall beside Madison. "Okay. Here we go... A... q.... i... and... O... r... i... o... n. What do you think? Not a bad start of our legacy, huh?", he said with a smile.

From all of a sudden, voices broke through the patter of the rain. Someone was coming. Simon quickly looked at Madison.

"Are we allowed to be in here, by the way?" When he realized neither of them knew the answer to that question he got a spontaneous idea. "The boat!", he said, went over to the upside down rowboat and lifted it up so that Madison could crawl under it. She was half-way under it when he heard someone grabbed the door handle, so he quickly pushed her inside and got under it as well, before gently putting the boat down to the ground.

From the thin gap between the ground and the railing he could see the feet of two people entering the Boathouse. The ground was dirty and there was an earthy smell. Although the stone was cold, at least the boat gave them some shelter from the wind.

It appeared as if there were two older girls. The girls put their umbrellas down and from what he could hear they were talking about some boys they fancied and gossip about the other girls in their class. Simon lay silently beside Madison and listened, only seeing their shoes, before looking at her: "Girls", he mimed and rolled his eyes before smiling. "Let's wait until they're gone" Since they were already hiding, making their presence known was probably not a good idea, because that would raise questions what they were doing under the boat and why they were eavesdropping. But the girls did not leave. They went on and on for what seemed like ages as the thunder roared over the lake, muffling their voices. "Hey, don't push. Give me some space too", Simon whispered and tackled her in the side with a cheeky grin.

@Madison Bennett

"It's okay, I know you wouldn't. And you're not that scary. Not in my eyes, at least."He gave a cheeky smile. "Sorry, by the way. I didn't want to remind you about your scar. But maybe that could be a good thing? We turn it into something positive instead!"

Madison giggled and nudged him gently "Thanks, that means a lot to me to hear you say that. It's ok, I'm actually already starting to associate my scar with us and this boathouse, now that our nicknames are on the wall, maybe this could be our little hideaway, without leaving Hogwarts" she says and smiles at Simon.

"Okay. Here we go... A... q.... i... and... O... r... i... o... n. What do you think? Not a bad start of our legacy, huh?"

Madison looked over and smiled "I love it, very well done considering you had to use a nail" she said with a smile.

"Are we allowed to be in here, by the way?"
Madison shrugged her shoulders because she wasn't sure. She'd never seen a sign saying No students allowed, so she figured it's ok. Eventually Madison found herself underneath a boat with Simon as they were hiding from two older girls who had walked into the Boathouse. She recognised one of them as a girl who was in her brothers year at Hogwarts and therefore the other one probably was too.
Madison smiled as Simon mimed that the people walking in were girls and nudged him softly as he rolled his eyes, though not hard enough to rock the boat they were under.

Madison moved over to give Simon more space and giggled softly, which thankfully was muffled by the noise of the storm. As the girls eventually left, after what seemed like forever, Madison helped Simon lift the boat off them both and stood up stretching her muscles after being under that boat for so long. "Finally they left, I thought they were gonna keep talking for ages" she says and giggled at Simon's reaction to what the girls had been talking about "too much girl talk for you huh Orion" Madison said with a giggle. Madison opened the door and saw that the rain had stopped. She walked outside and saw the biggest rainbow over the lake, that she'd ever seen in her life. "Woah, Simon come look at this, it's the biggest Rainbow i've ever seen" she says with a massive smile on her face. All the colours were so bright and you could see each one, from the deep red at the top, all the way down to the indigo at the bottom.

@Simon Tilia