Lakeside meeting PV Venice Smith Closed

Being in Hogwarts is weird. She didn’t feel ‘normal’ here — but technically, she didn’t feel normal anywhere else. The only difference is here, everything feels so new. She was used to the noisy city, cars and traffic, kids playing around the block. There was something with that normalcy that she missed, craved for. It wasn’t even just the noise — home was concrete, Hogwarts is castle AND jungle. And then there’s magic. She doesn’t know when she’d ever get used to it — the spells, the creatures, the talking portraits, the ghosts, the jumping chocolate frogs.

She walked towards the Great Lake, book in tow. She brought a Magical Theory textbooks, finding it weird that it was part of the list of books required of first years but the subject doesn’t come up on their schedule at all. ‘Maybe it’s a History of Magic supplementary book?’ She asked herself, a rhetorical question of course. She tightened her grip on her book as the breeze blew. It was a bit chilly that day, but it complements the warm sun nicely. It wasn’t surprising that there were plenty of students outside as well and almost all of the benches and spaces under the trees are occupied.

She saw a bench with a space at the far end of the road and hurried to it, worried that someone might get to it first despite no one being near who took an interest. It was taken, sure, but at least there was still space. She usually preferred sitting under the trees but the odds were not in her favor.

“Hello t-there,” She greets him between gasps, she wasn’t very used to running or brisk walking. She takes a minute to breathe then continues, “Do you mind if I sit here? There’s no other space available.”

It would be embarrassing if he rejects her, but she was also ready to point out that it would be wrong to hog an entire bench for himself if there was no other space available around. She just wanted to read her book and he won’t even notice she’s there if he really wanted the quiet.

"Please." It had just occurred to Ash that he had sat down in the middle of the bench leaving no room for others. It wasn't that he didn't want someone to join him, he just had't thought it through. "I was just admiring the view here. There's something calming about looking out of this Lake. There's a glisten from the sun that is perfect this time of day." The breeze off the Lake was chilly, but after four years living in the snow, even a large gust of wind was nothing. Ash paused, he had allowed himself to get caught up in the view.

"I'm sorry. Here." Embarrassed that he had been distracted, Ash finally moved over to make room for Venice to sit down. He noticed the book in her hand. I came here to write, maybe she came here to read? Do I say hello? It would be rude not to.

"I'm Ash... well Ashton... but my friends call me Ash." He'd introduced himself so many times that day, the line started to feel trite. Spare her the backstory, Ash! If she asks, then that's different.

"Are you a first year too? I'm a Ravenclaw." Lacking awareness, Ash had missed the signs that she too was from Ravenclaw.

She watches him shift to make space and gives him a grateful smile. She follows his eyes to the view and nods, agreeing with him. "It does look very peaceful," She says, moving to sit on the now available space, "Do you ever wonder what's in it though? It's beautiful, sure, but it also looks terrifying, like the peace is somewhat false... if that makes sense."

Her cheeks reflect a soft pink as she realizes she's rambling, it happens when she's embarrassed. It was always either her ears or her cheeks that turns red. She turns to face him as he introduced himself, thankful that he seemed not to mind the company. No one would make conversation when they wanted to be left alone, right?

"My name's Venice." She answers him, "It's a pleasure to meet you... Ash." She wonders if it was alright to have used the nickname his friends call him, they weren't friends, not yet? But perhaps he would be comfortable with this name and so she uses it. She figured it may be fair to introduce her own nickname in exchange, "My friends call me Vee."

"I'm in Ravenclaw, too." She says, noticing that they haven't met before today which was odd considering how few the students are. She knew the school wasn't new, but there were no students before them. She was hoping to find someone who she could ask about it but figured it would have to wait until things have settled with their classes and everything.

She sets her book on her lap, still closed, when she remembers that she's still holding on to it. She allows her shoulders to sag and be comfortable in the bench. Unsure of what else to say, she goes, "What were you writing? You looked really deep in thought."

“Do you ever wonder what’s in it though?” The young girl asked.

Ash had seen fish jump out from time to time, and a host of birds plunge under the water presumably searching for food. What’s in it? had never crossed his mind.

“My friends call me Vee.” Everyone had a shortened name at Hogwarts reserved only for use by their friends. And, everyone offered their nickname as if to immediately establish friendship. A new friend! A new friend! And she’s in my House! … Our house!

Ash had returned his gaze to the Lake when he heard Vee ask, “What were you writing?”

“Nothing… nothing really.” He felt embarrassed. Of course he was writing something. He had just scrawled “Life at Hogwarts” in his journal when she asked to sit down on the bench.

“Um… my memoirs…” Ash: Who at the age of 11 is writing their memoirs?!?!?

Ash uncomfortably laughed, something else to be embarrassed over.

“Actually, I like to write. Today has been such a whirlwind, I thought I’d come down and compose my thoughts.”

“I used to sit on the lakeside outside of Hogsmeade and write. The Lake is different there.”

What had Ash meant by that comment? Different? It’s the same Lake, same water, same reflections. Had the Lake changed? Had I changed? Ash: You’ve been here less than a week! You couldn’t have changed THAT much!

Ash had a way of running down a rabbit hole of personal reflection that even contemplatives considered deep.

Vee! He had almost forgotten about Vee.

“I’m sorry,” Ash uttered. “Sometimes, I go off in my head…” He was certain Vee didn’t care.

“Getting ready for class tomorrow?” He asked. Vee had come to the Lake carrying a book.

She watches him intently, it made her much more comfortable when he seemed happy that she gave him her name, her nickname. He answered her carefully, to which she wonders if he was embarrassed of his writing. "Oh, you don't need to be embarrassed," She reassures him. Of course, she wanted him to feel comfortable and didn't want to pry.

"You don't--," She starts, wanting to tell him that it was okay for him to keep it to himself if he wanted. But she was cut short by his answer. 'Memoirs...' She repeats to herself. She must have looked confused or something for him to have felt that this was something he needed to explain or be embarrassed of. She gives his a reassuring smile as he laughed uncomfortably, shaking her head, "This isn't something to be embarrassed of. It's uhm... nice that you have writing as a positive outlet."

"Hogsmeade?" She adds the word to one of the many new words she's still not used to from this world, as if it is much much further away from her own, "Is that your home? Do you live on the other side of the lake?"

Of course, she didn't expect the lake to be large. It was still a lake after all. But to live on the other side of it made the space closer than how it felt for her. Hogwarts and home, for these two to be so close to each other was something she never really thought about. It was easier to assume that everyone were, like her, raised in a non-magical environment.

She was lost to her thoughts that she didn't realise that Ash did it as well until he apologised for it. She waves her hand dismissively, gently shaking her head. She give him a shy smile and says, "I kind of zoned out a little bit too."

Ash asked her about the book she carried, making her look at it. Her index finger mindlessly tracing the pages at the side. "I read when I'm anxious." She confesses, "This seamed to be the perfect book to read, to catch up with everyone... I'm in Ravenclaw and I don't know what it means. I was told I had to be smart? But I don't understand any of this, and I don't know what this is for. It's not in any of our lessons currently."