Finished Just Walking PV Jam Chong

A tranquil winter scene unfolds at Hogwarts as a soft blanket of snow covers the castle grounds. The towering turrets and spires of Hogwarts Castle are adorned with glistening icicles, catching the muted light of the winter sun. Jam was wrapped in layers of warm clothing, holding a cup of hot chocolate in her gloved hand. She admired the dancing snowflakes in the air as she sipped on the hot beverage, occasionally shaking off the cold fluff that landed on her beanie.

The brunette had been in a trance when a blur of red in her peripheral vision caught her eye. Jam snapped out of her daze as her eyes focused on the familiar face just a short walk away. It seemed like the redhead had also noticed Jam and sent a friendly gesture to the brown-eyed girl’s way as she raised her hand. Jam grinned a grin that reached her eyes as she returned the wave, pleasantly surprised to find her book-loving friend outside of the library.

Jam felt a chill in her feet and was desperate to walk it out, which influenced her to step towards her friend and closing the gap between them. The girl avoided the seemingly slippery spots of the path and greeted Willow with a hug when they are finally in each other’s presence. “It’s great to see you! What bring’s you to this corner of the campus?” Jam asked when they pull apart from the embrace.

Willow smiled and tugged her glove up to cover her wrist, which was becoming cold. She was glad to see her friend; walks alone were lovely, but she welcomed the company on such a chilly day. Nothing could beat the warmth of companionship.

"I love the snow. I don't get much of it back home," She said and glanced up at the whirling flakes that danced in the sky. It was true that she spent most of her time tucked into a corner of the library or curled up in the common room with her cat, simply because she relished the quiet alone time. But she had to admit the fresh air would do her good and had taken to going outside most days to read or walk for a little while.

She resumed her walk, Jam at her side, and the two girls ventured down the path together in silence for a moment. Then Willow said,

"So, um, how are you fairing at Hogwarts? Do you like it here?" It was a slightly dry question, but she congratulated herself on thinking of anything at all. She knew that she liked the towering castle very much and assumed that Jam did too, but she would like to hear some of the other girl's thoughts on the school.

Jam wasn’t at all hesitant to answer the question, as it was one she had an immediate response to. “I love it here! It’s like being in a second home,” Jam stuck her hands into her pocket before continuing in a dreamlike tone, “I don’t know why, but the moment I stepped off the Hogwarts Express I felt right at home; like I belonged.”

The girl shrugged her shoulders with a crooked grin and kicked a pile of fluffy snow in front of her as she walked. Her foot sent a flurry of white up to the hem of her coat, staining it wet. Jam let out a soft hum as she tried to form a question to ask her friend. It would have been slightly awkward if that was the exhaust of their conversation.

Playing it safe, the brunette returned Willow’s question, “How about you? What’s your take on the Hogwarts life?” The Ravenclaw girl asked the latter as she lifted her still steaming cup of hot chocolate to her mouth. She sipped on it gingerly to prevent her tongue from getting burnt and enjoyed the chocolatey taste that was perfect for the chilly weather. The girl considered mixing up a drink for the redhead when they got back, planning the mixture as she linked her arm with Willow’s, awaiting a response from her.

Willow's eyes sparkled as she thought about her life at Hogwarts. It had certainly been overwhelming at first, what with all the new people and the sheer size of the castle, but she had gotten used to it- at least for the most part. There were some things, like the ghosts or the talking portraits, that she was pretty sure she would always marvel about.

She loved the library and the classes, the common room and the grounds. The professors were good at what they did and the Ravenclaw girl was happy to say that she had been learning a lot, and discovering things she had never known before. Perhaps the best part was that she had met people like her, such as Jam, who had become her friends. She wasn't sure how to say all of this, though, so she instead smiled and said,

"It's amazing. I'm learning a lot, and you know I love the library. And it's nice to be around the other Ravenclaws, you know, people who seem to understand me." She said thoughtfully. Getting into the groove of conversation, she asked the brunette, "Have you thought about careers? I know O.W.Ls are a long way off, but do you have any ideas of what you want to be when you grow up?" She cocked her head at the other Ravenclaw girl and added, "I've wanted to be an author since I was really little."

One arm still linked through Jam's, she raised her other hand and caught little snow crystals in her palm, then stuck out her tongue to taste the frosty precipitation. She giggled at the cold as she waited for her friend's answer.

Catching sight of Willow’s action, Jam swiftly followed, sticking out her tongue and letting the frost prick it innocently before answering the redhead’s question.

Honestly, Jam hated this question. She was jealous of people who knew exactly what they wanted to accomplish in life since a young age. She knew eleven was still really young to be so sure, but everyone around her just expected her to have a plan in mind. The girl could feel a growing pain in her heart but shook it off.

“Um…I don’t really have a plan in mind,” Jam said, “Ah! But it’s not like I haven’t thought about it! I swear I’m reallyreally serious about these things and um, I know I want to help society?” Jam continued quickly, not wanting her friend to get the wrong idea about her. She gave a small, unsure smile and shrugged.

The girl wasn’t used to being uncertain about things in her life. It had always just been working towards a particular goal. However, a career is a big thing, she only had one life, which meant room for only one career. How in the world was she supposed to decide?

Jam wrapped her scarf slightly tighter around her neck, starting to fidget with the rest of her clothing as the girls continued walking. The brown-eyed girl sighed sadly, clearly quite embarrassed of her own indecisiveness.

Willow sensed that the other girl was down and bumped her lightly with her shoulder, not wanting to leave her upset. In truth, there was nothing wrong with not having plans for the future- they were only first-years, after all! She was sure that Jam, with her many talents, would find something extraordinary to do with her adult life.

"Hey, it's okay! We have forever to figure it out, and I'm sure you'll find what you're meant to do. There are a lot of things that you are good at!" She said reassuringly and hoped that Jam wouldn't feel bad about it. Willow smiled sweetly at her friend and added, "I love your scarf. It's very pretty," and readjusted her own, which was plain dark blue.

The snow was falling thicker now, settling on their cloaks and the trees, making the ground glow with a deep layer of white powder. "Reading anything good? I started on this book of poems, it's fantastic," She was hoping to direct the conversation towards something they both were sure about; that books were amazing! It was the thing she fell back on when she was at loss for what to say.

Willow listened to the giggles of the students and the rustle of the trees as she waited for the brunette to respond. What a beautiful day, the thought as her boots crunched in the snow.

Jam’s mood was instantly uplifted the moment she heard Willow’s question, and it was visible on her face. Honestly, everything about books could put a smile on her face. “I love poems! I’ve been writing some and I’ll definitely share them with you someday~” The girl teased. “Right now I’m reading a more adventurous book about friends who go off on a journey together! I heard a group of third-years talking about it, and I just had to make a run for the library the very moment I heard of it!”

A smile was seeming permanently etched on the young Ravenclaw’s face. She knew it was cliché for someone like her to be passionate about books, I mean, hello? She’s in Ravenclaw after all! But nothing brought her joy more than good book, except maybe sharing a good book with an equally good friend.

The girl was afraid to keep rambling on about her own interests, so she shot Willow a question about herself. “You mentioned something about music once before, when we were in the dorm, right? What music do you listen to?”

Jam was definitely expectant for the blue-eyed girl’s answer, since music was another thing she was hoping she could bond with Willow about. She kicked a snow-covered rock on the path, watching it jump and roll away on the thick blanket of snow as she linked her arms tighter to Willow’s, becoming slightly more aware of the increasing lightness of the snow falling around them.

Arm though Jam's, Willow smiled and nodded. She was surprised that her friend had even remembered her mention music; she hadn't expected her to have listened to what she said that well, though from what she had learned about Jam, she was certainly the type of person to genuinely care about what you were saying. The redhead was a big fan of listening to it and creating it, though not singing- she didn't have the best voice.

She thought for a moment, watching the light flakes swirl in the sky.

"Well, I play the violin and the piano," She said happily. Her instruments brought her immense joy- she had brought her violin along and its case was lovingly stored under her four-poster bed, waiting to be played when the girl had the chance. "My favorite kind of music is indie folk- muggle music, of course." She added, almost an afterthought. Jam was a half-blood too, but she wasn't sure if she had grown up with wizarding radio, muggle music, or both.

"Do you have any favorite bands? Mine are The Lumineers and of Monsters and Men." The Irish lass said nervously, hoping that the other Ravenclaw wouldn't think her music taste was weird. Her father had enjoyed wizarding bands, so she shared taste more with her mam, a muggle. The afternoon sun glowed across the snowdrifts and shone into her eyes, warming her heart though her body was chilly. She hoped that Jam would share another of her interests and that their friendship could bond closer.

Letting out a quiet noise that resembled that of a squeal, Jam replied with wide eyes. “Are you kidding? I love of Monsters and Men! But personally my favourites are Fleet Foxes, wave to earth, and The Cardigans!” Jam was quite into indie folk, which she had been introduced to by her grandmother. Of course, her grandmother’s collection consisted of those from older times, but all the same the music is fantastic.

So Willow is an indie folk kind of girl! Jam thought with a smile. It shouldn’t have been a surprise to her, especially since everything about Willow’s character screamed folk. It was the best natural fit.

The Ravenclaw girl took her fogging glasses off to clean it, speaking trying to keep the conversation going. “I also play guitar - both acoustic and electric, and bass, and piano! Though I’m not very good at piano, but I plan to take lessons over the holidays when we get sent back home.”

Jam thought about her instruments lying at home in the muggle world and wondered if she would still be able to play them when she got back. She had never gone this long without so much as playing a note on any instrument, and she hoped she didn’t need to start again from the beginning.