A Chance for Bonding
A quiet hum escaped Kaitlyn’s lips as she gently glided through the corridors. Her satchel gently bounced at her hip as she moved. Ever so careful, like the dancer that she knew how to be. The young fourteen-year-old tried to be as productive as possible. As it was, she had to be extra careful as a role model, considering the fact that she was a prefect. And yet, she wasn’t a stickler for the rules … at least not for every rule.
After the break for the holidays, the castle seemed to be colder to her. The numerous fireplaces around the castle certainly helped, but there would be the occasional chill, especially near one of the windows. Yet, that didn’t stop this particular Slytherin girl. Her mind often raced with thoughts, overthinking everything she possibly encountered. It was a bad habit, certainly, but it was difficult for her to try to turn it off.
The young fourteen-year-old did not rest over the break. Most certainly not! Why rest, when there was just so much more learning that could be done? After all, there was just so much more to learn from these awesome new classes she had. Care of Magical Creatures. Divination. Study of Ancient Runes. Even Muggle Studies … ironically. She was a muggleborn, herself, but she’d regret it if she didn’t sign up for the course. Not to mention all the core classes as well. She had to maintain her love for magical plants and Herbology, after all!
With a graceful slide, Kaitlyn entered the Great Hall. As it wasn’t meal time yet, she simply sat at the end seat closest to the door at the Slytherin table, her satchel resting by her low-heeled shoes. With a smile, she took out her Herbology textbook and opened it to the section on Mandrakes. With ease, she also extracted her plant journal from her satchel along with her quill and inkwell. In a very unladylike fashion, she slouched over the table and began to take notes on the Mandrakes using her perfectly scripted penmanship. She enjoyed reading ahead and keeping her journal. Now was a great time to do so!
Word Count: 360 words
A Chance for Bonding
Banner by Hazel Nelson
Mikey exited the Ravenclaw common room earlier than he had to, for the most part because the notion of a few minutes of peace prior to lunch called to him. He wasn't paying attention to what he was doing after that. His feet just knew the way. He drifted past the high windows and the familiar staircases on autopilot. His thoughts wandered wherever they pleased. Winter had that kind of influence on Hogwarts. It was as if the castle had just got colder and quieter, as if it encouraged too much thinking. His hands were buried in his pockets as Mikey thought back to lessons he'd failed to finish preparing for and essays he'd been putting off. He was pretty sure he could get to the Great Hall with his eyes closed.
As he pushed open the doors, it brought him back to the present. The Great Hall was nearly empty. Sunlight poured through the high windows, spreading across the tables and glinting off the dust that swirled through the air. It had a deliberate quality to it, as if the castle were flaunting its age and its heritage. Silence closed around him, its presence palpable enough that he cut back his pace.
He surveyed the area and spotted a girl sitting alone at the end of the Slytherin table. She was a bit older and intense, her quill rising and falling as she studied her notes. Her bag was beside her feet. She seemed to be a part of the surroundings in a way that had nothing to do with the other students.
Mikey almost turned to the Ravenclaw table out of instinct, thinking to take a seat and blend into the background until lunch began. He even started to move this way before changing his mind. It seemed too quiet, as if the room needed a slight shake-up. The girl wasn’t unfriendly looking, not exactly and the solitude he’d sought no longer seemed quite so attractive.
He shifted the strap of his backpack to his shoulder and took a quiet breath before making his way towards the Slytherin table. With each step closer, he made sure she saw him without startling her. “Hey—um, hi,” he said softly, giving a small nervous smile. “Sorry if I’m interrupting. I came down early and it's pretty empty in here,” he said gesturing awkwardly to the empty seats around him. “Would you mind if I sat with you?” As he waited for a response, his eyes drifted for a moment to the open book and neatly scribbled notes she had made. It helped ease his nervousness a little bit.
Reducio
@Kaitlyn Connor @Clodagh O’Donnell