Happy Landings Finished

Satchel

Dakota had planned for a peaceful day in the courtyard away from the tight halls and students that felt like they’d close in around her. She hated enclosed spaces and that’s what the Hogwarts halls were to her, especially when there were many students bustling about. It was why when her friends tried to track the young Hufflepuff down they’d normally find her outside, in the quiet. Seeing as it was January and snow littered the ground she found no use for her rollerskates, pity..Dakotas thoughts rang ..I wouldn’t have minded skating.. So, instead of carrying either pair of her skates, she carried her sketchbook in a leather satchel with a few other books for reading.

Dakota grimaced when she had gone outside, her favorite time of the year was fall, when the leaves fell and she could have a comfortable breeze on her, but now it was winter and quickly would become spring. Stepping along the snow covered ground she made her way to the fountain, her normal resting spot for when she was out here, maybe it wasn’t the most comfortable thing ever but it gave her a place to curl up. Plopping down she set her bag by the side of the fountain and curled up, her feet resting against the stone and her back on the pillar. Reaching over she plucked a book out of her bag and began to read, well, till she felt something fall onto her head.

Confused, Dakota glanced up, she had no idea what exactly had just fell down but she could feel it. More specifically, she felt it moving. Jumping up and off the fountain which she had been comfortable yet settled at just moments before she began to scream. She hated bugs but it felt too heavy to be one so what could this heavy blob that feel onto her head be? Then it clicked in her mind before she even saw Kitty, it was a spider, the combination of it falling onto her head, the feeling of hairs and a odd movement gave her that idea. She was not very happy about this though Kitty didn’t seem to understand that. When the spider did come into Dakotas view however, her screams turned to squeals, her voice hoarse. Now she could see what had landed on her head and in all honesty she did not like it.

Shake it off you! she hissed at herself in her brain, she had been trying, her heart racing as she had no idea why this spider had landed on her. Of course, Dakota supposed it would be her dumb luck. She had been preparing to brush the spider away when it tugged at her scarf, her breathing quick and anxious as she peered down at Kitty. She was still quite upset but also still..confused, her squealing having slowly ceased as her throat now aches, she wouldn’t have been able to keep up that noise much longer anyway. She was sure what this spider wanted from her but clearly it wanted something and Dakotas instincts told her not to sweep it away.

Of course, Dakota would’ve been more favorable towards any other kind of animal. She did know spiders were a type of animal after all, she had been studying magical and non-magical since she arrived here but she still didn’t know whatever it could want from her. She guessed it was someone’s pet, she doubted that any sort of normal wouldn’t be in this castle unless it arrived with the students or was set up by the professors.

@ Elsian Cox

Hmm…

The girl was a little slow. Had she not been clear enough? Did she not know proper perch rules? Elsian was never this slow…

Hovering, she abandoned her tugs for attention, taking the initiative herself to crawl higher along the golden humans scarf to force her way through the folds towards her shoulder. She did get a bit distracted but you would hardly blame her, arms curiously tugging at the loose end trailing down the girls front to feel the knitted thing that was like a web but also very much not! Curious. Although she was sure she could make a finer thing, still it was very pretty, very different from her Elsi and any thoughts on perch etiquette and the girl's slow nature was forgotten in favor of understanding this new friend.

Fretting to and fro, playing with the loose strands of the scarf and showing a single minded interest in the yellow of the girls uniform. Nothing like Elsians red. She liked it, it would look dashing against her wonderful webs. She was sure Elsi and this girl would agree but first..

Oh yes! Up! She wanted up, hanging from robes was fine of course but she wasn’t sure this girl would be up to tat. What if she fell after all? Only her boy knew how she liked to be picked up. Struggling past the scarf bunched around the human's neck she dragged herself to the shoulder. A win for sure! But there was none of the yellow on the inside of the girls' robes here! The flimsy fabric on the girl's arm was what she wanted! No. Needed really.

Yes it was a matter of need really. What if that yellow was nicer than the scarfs yellow?

She would not be denied.

Again she tugged, crawling downwards on the arm before aborting it. Tugging and pacing insistently on the fabric of her shoulder and the scarf near her, dragging the scarf a bit looser for her troubles. A hand! Or her elbow! Why wouldn't she just lift up her arm!? It would baffle any spider!

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Today was...interesting.

Elsian had known, understood distantly in some part of his head that Kitty would wander. It’d been clear from the get go when she’d continuously escaped or demanded for her cage to be cracked open for her at night that he would not be able to keep her locked up like some students did for their pets.

He didn’t really mind it. Not really, she was smart and seemed to always track him down when she needed him. She could take care of herself when she couldn't be with him but wanted to wander, he knew that.

But usually she’d have found him by now. Or he would have been able to track her down to the warm places because while she could take care of herself she also didn’t like the cold. And from what he’d read after showing her to Sage spiders didn’t do the best in the cold. What if she got sick? What if she got hurt by someone because she wanted in their hood? It wasn’t pleasant to think about and instead of waiting for her in the common room and doing the sewing he should really stop putting off he’d set off to find her.

Except her usual haunts weren’t cutting it. In that moment he couldn’t help but regret how much his wandering seemed to be rubbing off on her…

“I swear if I find out she was hanging out with Sage in the girls dorms…” he grumbled aloud, hanging out a window to peer at rafters. Hearing a scream he perked up, head whipping towards the sound with the sudden thought of ‘what are the chances’.

High. The chances were very high and that was enough to send him running, robes billowing behind him and his long Gryffindor scarf flapping in the wind. He was unwilling to play another game of catch the spider with kids clearly running away in terror and Kitty giving chase happily like some twisted game of tag. Skidding to a stop near the courtyards he threw glances to and fro down different halls, aggressively running a hand through messy black hair to get the bangs out of his eyes.

Again, a high pitched squeal. So ridiculously close, leading him straight to the middle of the courtyards to see the peculiar sight of Kitty apparently holding a Hufflepuff girl hostage. Thankfully without any violence to be seen…

“Kitty!” he hissed, leaning haphazardly out one of the many stone ‘windows’ peppering the walls. A bit ruffled and very obviously exasperated he leaned back, rushing to one of the arch ways towards Kitty and her newest victim, said spider looking all too pleased and leaping at him to excitedly crawl up and down the long scarf bundled around his neck and yet still almost reaching his shins.

Huffing he cupped a hand to nudge her up when she faltered, eyes trailing to the younger Hufflepuff with a put upon sigh and obvious look of gratitude. “I’m sorry. She didn’t mean any harm…” he trailed off, wincing a bit when cold legs touched his neck as she burrowed.

“Yeah, yeah, I'm wearing the scarf you like. You are still in trouble!”

Squinting at kitty with an unimpressed look he continued, voice sheepish, “Thanks for not...well, squishing her.” He shifted in place, for the first time actually taking the other girl in, probably a first year, and that fact made him feel the littlest bit worse for some reason.

"Honestly, I think she might've just really wanted the yellow of your uniform." He began. Kitty, as if to prove a point shifted in a way that normally looked as if she was simply trying to crawl, but he knew her better. Better enough to tense up and grab her mid air when she made another leap for the ever distant golden interior, squirming and making a fuss when she didn't get her demands.

"Kitty no!" He hissed, torn between mortified & wanting to laugh.

Though Dakotas initial reaction had been terror from not knowing what had landed on her and then the shock of finding a spider she was no longer screaming or trying to flick the spider away. Her shoulders had tensed but she watched now, realizing just how much the screaming had hurt her throat. She peered at the spider as it played with the ends of Dakotas scarf, taking in a deep breath as she tried to keep her emotions under control.

Amusement now prickled her skin, mixed with anxiety as she watched the spider begin to make its way up her scarf. She still had no idea what this creature could want from her as the only times she herself had ever interacted with spiders was at the farm and those never ended well. Watching silently as the spider crawled up onto her shoulder Dakota tensed even more, it was interesting to watch but most definitely was not her favorite. So when the spider started making its way down her sleeve she could feel her heartbeat pick up, she hadn’t been expecting this and in fact was silently hoping it would stay still on her shoulder, yet, of course she wasn’t going to get what she wanted.

As this was happening she heard a voice, twitching in response to it as she looked in its direction. A boy, someone who she didn’t recognize, leaning out of a window of the castle. Ah..this must be his. now she was thankful she didn’t harm the spider, her blue eyed gaze landing on him once he ran out into the courtyard.

”no need to fret.” that was amusing coming from her as just seconds ago she had been screaming bloody murder as she tried to get the spider off her. Giving him a soft smile she nodded, eyes gleaming as she watched Kitty crawl around ”I guessed it was a students spider, it’s name is Kitty?” she seemed a bit surprised at the name choice but wasn’t going to judge it. Nodding, she seemed to agree with his statement of the spider just wanting the yellow of her uniform, it made sense after all.

When Kitty tried jumping back into her she flinched, shifting backwards lightly and starring at the spider. Her lips curved up into a light smile, though she had seemed afraid again seconds before a light giggle was now escaping her. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about the spider landing on her head or crawling on her but she could appreciate how the boy was. “Dakota Olson’s my name, seems your spider also liked my golden-brown hair-“ she was referring to the landing when she said this, not completely sure if it was true or not.

@Elsian Cox

There was a bit of a pause between her words, not quite an awkward silence but similar enough when he didn’t immediately reply. It was bad manners, his aunt would say, not paying attention to the person in front of you but in his defense Kitty was...certainly making things harder.

Still, the younger student got a small curl of a smile for her efforts. He was unsure whether or not he believed her but he wasn’t about to call her a liar, so he nodded and gave a small half shrug that jumbled the spider's balance when she tugged at his hair.

“Yeah...She acts snooty enough to be one at least, wandering off like she does.” Kitty simply hung from her newest perch on the scarf innocently. As if he hadn't had to corral her there after another jumping assault, the brat.

The laughter was definitely a welcome change of pace though, aside from the small flinch that is. Better than the screams and panic she tended to cause. Just in case he kept a hand near the spider, ignoring the annoyed legs prodding him for space; maybe then she’d learn she couldn't get everything she wanted.

“I’m Elsian.” He grinned, smile a tad more relaxed. More real. “And you’ve already met kitty.”

“I’d offer my hand, but she’d probably just try to climb to you.” He began wryly. “You’re probably right about the hair, though, that’s actually probably my fault for letting her hide in my hood too much.”

“Then again,” he tilted his head, smile playful, “it’s also kinda your fault for having golden hair.” Kitty surely agreed because she seemed dead set on being near Dakota. Stubbornly fiddling with the gold of his scarf and none of the red.

Dakota nodded as the boy told her his name, Elsian.. now, she could pair a name to a voice and face, making it easier for her to memorize the Gryffindor. Smiling lightly at his next comment she gave another soft laugh as this and the fact that Elsian had to try and contain his spider was amusing to her. Opening her mouth she began to speak again, watching the hand that stopped Kitty from jumping back onto her robes “maybe your spider just prefers me.” her voice had a joking tone to it, seeming to be enjoying the interaction. She herself wasn’t sure if she preferred the spider but the owner of it she could get along with quite nicely.

Dakota had raised a eyebrow at Elsians comment about keeping Kitty in his hood ”so..she hangs out in your hood? Do you walk around with her in it?” that was something the small girl would never do, let a spider ride in her hood, now a cat was a different story.

Giving him a smile at the comment on her hair she rolled her eyes “it’s not like I can control the hair color I was born with.” it almost sounded like her voice had a purr to it mixed with the soft and sweet. Maybe this meeting had gotten off to a rocky start but now Dakota was quite relaxed and enjoying it. Tucking her hands into the pockets on her robes she blinked “plus, with the colors I’ve thought about dying my hair, she would’ve just scurried on faster into it.” having contemplated many colors that would almost look like it was shimmering in the sunlight, she suspected the spider would’ve just landed in her hair quicker than it had already happened.

@Elsian Cox

He gave her an aghast look, hand clutching at the robes of his chest with an affronted gasp. “How dare you, Kitty would never! She adores me. Don’t you Kitty?”

She twirled two of her legs up at him. An obvious agreement.

“See? Not even your flashy colors could come between-”

Kitty lunged, a truly majestic jump in any spider's eye surely. If not for the fact she only made it halfway, colliding with the snow with a wondrous splat, Elsi felt something in him die a little.

“Kitty.” He whispered over a choked snicker, “Kitty please you are not helping.”

With a dry look and poorly hidden giggles he bent to pick up the trouble child, leveling a fake glare at Dakota as he straightened.

“This proves nothing.”


Cradling what could only pass for a very broody, disgruntled spider he plopped her atop his shoulder although this was apparently not enough for her. Similar to the way she’d tugged and paced in her rightful demands when bestowing her wonderful presence to Dakota, Kitty made herself known in what most likely served a peculiar sight.

“Sometimes she does…”

By now knowing exactly what the spider meant Elsian wordlessly lifted his arm, bending his elbow to offer his hand and letting the spider crawl into his gloved palm. Spreading out the arm to his side Kitty rejoiced, skittering and crawling around his arm to hang and swing with the small breeze, just as quickly returning to his palm and wrist to tug and fiddle with the red interior of the sleeves as if pointedly trying to make some sort of statement towards the Hufflepuff.

Snorting he twisted his wrist, ruining the spider's odd movements. Ignoring the spider's attempts to pull at his gloves and bringing his hand up to let her climb the folds of the bulky scarf around his neck when a colder wind blew right through him.

“She likes to be under my hats and mess with my hair as well, she feels taller I think. But when it’s cold,” he shrugged in answer, tugging at his neck for the spider to hide in a fold away from the icy breeze, “she’ll hide in the scarf or my jacket then. It might’ve been part of the reason she seems to want your scarf.”

Dakota couldn’t help but laugh at the way Elsian reacted to her words, of course the girl was sure he was doing this to be dramatic and rouse amusement but still. When Kitty lunged for Dakota a second time Dakota didn’t flinch, instead, watching the spider with her gleaming blue eyes as she bit her lip to keep from giggling. Grinning at Elsian she rolled her eyes yet again as her lips parted to allow her to speak “of course it doesn’t.” using a sarcastic yet joking tone she let out a soft, happy sigh. Seeing someone else clearly having fun alongside the young Hufflepuff made her extremely happy due to her people pleaser trait.

Dakota watched as Kitty tugged on Elsi, another smile turning the corners of the girls lips upwards as she tried not to snort. She continued to watch as he lifted his arm, causing Dakota to raise her eyebrow and seem a bit confused what he was doing. Smiling softly as she watched Kitty now she let out a soft sigh “is that what she wanted me to do?” now Dakota was genuinely curious, blinking back at Elsian. She wanted to know why Kitty had tugged on her clothing so much and now she was able to guess but wanted to be sure.

After Elsian had lifted Kitty towards his scarf Dakota had stepped forward and seemed to cautiously offer her hand to Kitty. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was doing as mostly anytime they found spider in the farmhouse or their home in Scotland they were squashed quickly after. As well as the fact that Dakota still wasn’t sure how she felt about spiders, but, she decided to allow Kitty to crawl back along her if the spider pleased.

Nodding her again she takes in a soft breath “that actually sounds quite cute—you and Kitty may be the reason I actually start to like spiders.” as Dakota says this she watched Kitty with a bit of interest. She hadn’t expected something that spooked her so much in childhood to be so gentle and sweet. Smiling she nodded yet again, it made sense that Kitty would’ve wanted to hide in her scarf to get away from the cold, especially since her scarf has the same gold coloring her robes do.

@Elsian Cox

“Glad we understand each other,” he sassed back, holding the glare for the whole 5 seconds he could. Snickering he shook his head, unable to really say anything in his or Kitty's defense. Not after belly flopping into the snow.

“And probably? She might’ve been asking for your hair. Or, well, to be on your head.”

He’d been glad the other wasn’t as freaked out. Even better she didn’t seem to be itching to make a break for it; that would only make Kitty try and find her after all. But there was a difference between being cautiously tolerant and wanting to pet the creature.

Elsian, understandably, had not been expecting the latter.

“Ah- are you sur…” He trailed off. The fact the other still seemed cautious along with how excitable Kitty could get when she got her way made him a little nervous. Not quite sure this was such a good idea but who was he to decide if someone else was ready or not? Especially someone he’d just met.

Hmm. No, it’d be fine. He was probably just worrying too much after the last game of tag; and if it wasn’t well, he was a very good spider catcher.

That thought in mind he stepped closer, avoiding the possibility for Kitty to make another snowy failure and let her climb his wrist after a small nudge or two. Safe, he put her up at eye level, so she could actually see the Hufflepuff's offer. One could gather the spider was thrilled. Though she didn’t jump or lunge, perhaps seeing the offer for what it was, instead happy to waltz forward as if she had all the time in the world off of Elsi's arm and onto Dakotas hand.

She gently hovered, why, any human would likely have a hard time. But if one was a spider then they’d understand the delicate nature of choosing the best places to rest and walk. The hand and arm attached to it must've been a very good place to start because she wasted on time on claiming the yellow peeking out from the black of the girl's robes, as was her right. It would look similar to how a spider would fiddle with one's webs, with delicate but firm tugs towards the yellow once she folded back the others sleeves enough to have what she desired.

But Elsian knew well enough what that move actually meant and he laughed, a small but sharp thing. “Well, don’t go making promises yet,” he grinned, “cause she’s trying to pull the robe apart.”

A small tug of his own sleeve revealed the loose strings of red and gold he’d constantly sewn back together. “She’ll stop if you tug back though I can grab her if you need me to.”

Giggling softly at his words her eyes shined with amusement, had she have known she would be meeting someone and having a spider who loves yellow she’d have worn her Hufflepuff sweater. A bit more happiness shot through her hearing his snicker, it made her feel good that he was laughing. Nodding as he spoke again she blinked, she had no idea that Kitty would enjoy being on her head. Then again, she didn’t really research into spiders all that often. But at least it made sense now “well, actually, that does seem plausible.”.

Puffing out a soft breath which was white in the cold air, Dakota watched as Kitty walked back along her. Her heart rate picked back up but she held still and watched, quietly. Smiling a bit while watching Kitty Dakota let’s put a breath and blinks at Elsi “geez—she’s almost as destructive as cats.” letting out a soft laugh Dakota grinned back at Elsi. Or a puppy.. thinking this, a groan escaped the girl remembering how the chocolate lab that is on her grandparents farm nearly tore her slip-on sandals to pieces.

Listening to Elsian Dakota gave a light tug of her sleeve and turned her gaze back to Kitty. Smiling just a bit she rested her hands along her up held arm “nah, I think I’m alright with her there.” she was as alright as she could be. She still didn’t know how she felt about Kitty but a light laugh came from her “boy, just be glad my younger sister isn’t here.” knowing exactly how Lynn would react was amusing to her. She was quite content with how today had gone so far, well, aside from the shock of a spider landing in her head. But now, she had met someone new and was starting to relax with Kitty.

@Elsian Cox