Unfathomable boredom open Closed

The Library was one of the first places one might come looking for Simon Kincaid. It seemed he was almost always there or in the Rehersal Room. Today, he was there to gather his thoughts on some matters and it always was a better place to think than his dormitory or Common Room. The Study Room was a quiet place to think as well but he had avoided that since an altercation with a couple Ravenclaws the year prior. The library it was.

He brainstormed and gathered notes, scribbled out ideas on his notebook. There were lots of things crossed out as he thought of something else. No, that wasn't right. There had to be something better? He kept thinking over and over until he shut his notebook with a rather loud sigh.

He needed do take his mind off this for awhile and concentrate on something else. Simon got up and decided he might check out a book on dragons so he headed over to the Magical Creature section, a section of the Library that he knew quite well. He browsed over the titles on the spines on several familiar books about dhampirs and the like until he got to the more 'magical beasts' than halfbreed like creatures. No, he'd stay away from those books for a bit since The Daily Prophet was now spewing out anti halfblood messages.

He took a book on dragons titled "Dragons: A Natural History" and opened it, beginning to leaf through the pages as he headed to a more comfortable place to look through it. Someone had left a paper on the floor though, a piece of parchment perhaps belonging to an abandoned assignment, and Simon slid, just slightly, and knocked gently into a red armchair in a seating area. He glanced up to see a fellow student there trying to read. "My apologies!" he said, hoping he hadn't startled them. "Should watch where I'm going, shouldn't I?"

Rayne stared at the words patterning the pages, seeing them, but not able to piece together the phrases, still not focused. They ran their finger, distracted, over the fabric of their armchair, unsure quite how long they had been sat there. Just as Rayne was about to close the book, someone bumped slightly into their chair, apologising. He was taller than Rayne, and must have been a few years older too, but he seemed nice.
'Oh don't worry, please' Rayne replied. 'It happens to everyone.
They spotted a stray piece of parchment paper, slightly crumpled, and assumed it was the culprit.
'I once fell up a staircase, in front of my entire class back in my old school.' They assured 'I took 3 people down with me.' The mention of their old school and the thought of their family came with a slight pang of sadness.
'I'm Rayne.' They smiled, stuffing their book back into their bag.
A slight frown played across their brow as they tugged on the zip of their bag. The stupid thing was jammed, now of all times? After a few more tries, Rayne eventually gave up trying to zip up their bag and stood up to properly greet the student.
'Nice to meet you,' they said, sticking out their hand.

"Dang, three people with you? Hopefully no one broke a bone or you didn't make any mortal enemies," he said with a soft smile as the student introduced themselves. "Nice to meet you, Rayne. I'm Simon. Simon Kincaid."

Simon looked to the student's attire, pretty sure that he had seen them in the Common Room before and sure enough, the colors of the house of Hufflepuff. He smiled a little, always appreciating getting to know a fellow housemate. Once the Hufflepuff stood up, Simon brought his hand out to shake theirs. "Mind if I sit over there?" he said, looking to the chair that was somewhat close to the red armchair that the other student was occupying. "The workspaces are nice if you're doing work but a little too stiff for my liking when just doing some casual reading."

He was eager to talk more to the Hufflepuff, but that was only if the Hufflepuff wanted to speak with them. After all, he had already interrupted their reading and maybe they wanted to get back to that. Luckily though, Hufflepuffs, on average, seemed a little more forgiving when their work or reading was interrupted than the Ravenclaws. Man, those eagles could get vicious sometimes!

Rayne smiled, recalling the memory. What they hadn't mentioned was that the fall wasn't entirely accidental, for one of the people they managed to pull down with them was in fact already a mortal enemy, as Simon had put it.

'No, of course I don't mind, feel free to sit wherever.' Rayne assured. 'I can't focus anyway, and you're right, the workspaces aren't the most comfy.' As Rayne said this, they looked over at the workspace, about 30 foot away. A group of Slytherin boys were there, crouched over a something together, likely doing a group assignment.

Rayne glanced absently at the window. Dark clouds were forming in the sky. It looked like a storm was coming. This prediction was proven to be true as seconds later, thunder rumbled deeply throughout the sky, a flash of lightning following seconds later.
Rayne loved thunder, it reminded them of staying up late, snuggled under a blanket with their younger twin sisters. It was one of the few times they got along. Rayne's mum would often make hot chocolate for them, which they would have with biscuits from a tin. Sometimes they would watch films, sometimes race with the raindrops on the window, occasionally, the three would create a pillow fort that they would hide under, playing make-believe. This was until Rayne's sisters got a bit older, and decided they were 'too mature for this'. Granted, Rayne being a few years older wasn't the biggest fan of pretend games, but part of them missed the giggles of their sisters playing. The twins didn't even show up to say goodbye when they left for school, meaning their dad had to stay home too.

He followed Rayne's gaze from the Slytherin study session to the windows where he too noted the dark clouds looming above. It was always a nice site and not one foreign to him having been born and raised in London. Thunder rumbled in and lightning flashed. "I always like a good storm," Simon said, turning his attention back to the other Hufflepuff.

"So how's things going for you here? Hogwarts? First Year was a bit of a struggle for me honestly, lots of homesickness and an overwhelming amount of information. Of course, I didn't come from knowing about magic so even something as basic as chocolate frogs and shrivelfigs were new to me," he smiled kindly. "And what of the house? Hufflepuff treating you well or do you think you were better suited elsewhere?"

There were some that absolutely hated the house of Hufflepuff and he truly wasn't sure why sometimes it got such a bad name. To him, a little bit of traits from every single house made up Hufflepuff and therefore made them the best of all. They had the hardwork and loyalty that rivaled bravery in Gryffindor, they had the determination and dedication of Slytherin. They had the tenacity and strongwill of a Ravenclaw, and then they had kindness. People often underestimated the power of kindness in the world.

Rayne thought for a moment about their answer. 'It is a lot to process all at once, the castle, the magic, the lack of muggle technology as well. its surprising, I never realise how mich i use the internet until its not there, you know?' Rayne stopped for a breath. 'I'm muggle-born' they added in explanation. 'I miss my family, a lot, but it helps to write to them. Sometimes I do wish I was back home, and not here,' Rayne confessed. 'But I do love Hogwarts, truly.'

The Slytherin group appeared to be getting angry, arguing over something. 'I think I'm glad I'm in Hufflepuff, it feels more...' Rayne couldn't think of the right word, 'Well individual I guess. In Ravenclaw, you have to be super smart, and get some prestigious job, in Gryffindor you're expected to be brave and become an Aurour or something. As for Slytherins, well they are expected to turn out evil.' It was the first time Rayne had expressed this idea. 'I think that in Hufflepuff there is so much more freedom to be a unique person, without having to live up to the expectations of others.' Rayne smiled. 'Anyway, everyone is so kind in Hufflepuff,'

They realised how much they were going on. 'Sorry, I must be boring you half to death. Anyways, tell me about yourself, if you don't mind telling me.'

"Not at all," he said, liking the way Rayne was thinking. Simon thought the fellow Hufflepuff was sort of right with the way the other houses were sort of pigeonholed into other things but Hufflepuff did have the freedom. Hufflepuff ruled!

"Music is my thing, I suppose. I've been playing the piano since four and learned the guitar shortly after that. I'm slowly learning a couple more instruments but they're back in London. I like to write music - both the lyrics and the melody - and I like to sing. I'll dance and not care if anyone's watching," he smiled. He had been known QUITE often to break out into song and then there was the Dirty Dancing routine on ice at the Great Lake.

"I also have a pretty strong faith and I like to read and I spend a lot of time here but at those heavy wooden workspaces trying to research questions about the magical world. I too didn't know it existed until getting my letter. I like to hang out with my friends and meet new people and I did hockey back in London but here I do broom racing."

"I enjoy Herbology and Potions the most out of my classes and struggle quite a bit with Trasnfiguration and Charms." He had read once something about that dhampirs struggled with that and maybe that were true. It was in his case.

"What do you find most fascinating about magic?"

Simon mentioned liking music. Rayne adored music, writing, playing and listening. Often when they were home alone they would play and compose songs. They played the drums, and similar to Simon, guitar. They lived in quite a musical home, their mum and dad both played, and went to the local folk music club on Saturday evenings. Both of their sisters played clarinet. Not very well of course, quite badly actually. Whenever the twins' dusty instruments came out, the house would be filled by obnoxiously loud, off pitch and squeaky music. The girls also often found themselves just out of time with each other. It was needless to say, the two girls did not play at the local folk club, thankfully.
'We should start a band,' Remarked Rayne with an amused smile. 'The Simon and Rayne Library Dwellers. Rolls right off the tongue,' The laughed. 'I play drums and guitar.'

'I love reading too, and art, painting, drawing, even acting.' Rayne observed that they both seemed quite similar. It was like a breath of fresh air to be so.. alike someone, and be able share interests without boring people. That was one thing Rayne worried about, people getting bored of their opinions.

'Honestly, I love the plants and animals. I've always been interested in nature, you should see my room back home, I have about 5 thousand different plants everywhere. I have quite a few pets too, a pair of cats, three rats, a frog and a snake.' Rayne was lost in thoughts for a moment. 'Technically, the rays are shared, and one of the cats is my sisters', but I do most of the looking after.' It certainly a slightly unbelievable claim. 'My parents are quite chill with this kind of thing. I want to bring one of my cats here soon. She's called Ferris.' Rayne realised they had been rambling, again.

"Not sure the library elves would appreciate us performing here in the Library," Simon smiled. "But you know, there is the rehearsal room. Maybe we could meet up there someday. Did you bring your guitar with you?" Even if Rayne hadn't, they could play his guitar and he could play the piano. "We could build ourselves up, perfect our craft, and then start having a battle of the bands one by one with the rest of the bands here at school." The rest of them? Were there even others? Maybe.

Simon thought back to the school's talent show earlier that year. There were quite a few musical acts. "Reading and action would be two other of our shared interests. I wouldn't say acting is really my thing so much but I was part of theater club back at my muggle school in England. I helped with all the sound and that sort of thing, but I took a part or two here and there when needed."

Rayne then got on the subject of nature and that was something Simon didn't get to experience too much of. By the time it got dark and he could really be outside - well, most of the animals had gone to bed and flowers had closed up. No, nature wasn't really the way of the dhampir.

"I've got a rat named Rascal," Simon said as he leaned down and opened the top flap of his messenger bag and pulled out a scarf adorned with the hufflepuff colors. "He's super cool." Simon wasn't big on animals either but Rascal had belonged to a friend that passed away. The little rat needed someone to help get over his girl and Simon needed the rat to help keep a connection with his friend. "Rascal, dude. Wake up. Someone wants to see you and your super awesome rat swagger. Go on then."