Potterheads Unite! discussion

Winter sighed, stretching out her legs. The night had been quite for her, as she was avoiding everyone else, like always.

((Can she RP with Sparrow right now?))

((I'd love to! Can't post right now, but I'll be back in a bit!))

((Ok!!!:)))

Sparrow timidly walked onto the balcony, relieved to escape the noise and overwhelming vicinity.
She almost tripped over her ball gown's skirt, and she stumbled a little, her hair falling into her face as she blushed, another girl staring at her in silence.

Sparrow opened her mouth, trying to speak. "I apologize," she said shortly, and turned preparing to walk away.

"No!" Winter said, before lowering her voice. "It's nice, you know? To get away. Everyone's too loud, just like the world is quiet. You can hear the birds from here." Winter sighed, her expression turning a bit dreamy. "I rarely am able to find such peace and quiet."

Sparrow turned around at the girl's protests. "Okay," she said weakly, hoisting up her skirts to walk across the balcony to sit in a chair opposite the other girl's.

She smiled shyly, looking at the girl. She was lovely, and Sparrow recognized her, maybe from a class or in the corridors. "I...I'm," she stuttered a little, cursing in her mind. "I'm Sparrow," was all she was able to say. She wanted to ask the girl about herself, make a new friend.

But the words just wouldn't come.

"I'm Winter." She said. "I would ask you to be my friend, but most people might be scared. They think I'm crazy." Winter shrugged. "But we all have our faults. Don't worry, though, Aster's always there to help me. She's my sister." She felt that it was fair to give the girl a chance to back out first. Most people, once they heard about her 'condition', found rather amusing excuses to go the other way when they saw her, or were downright mean. Winter didn't like it, but she knew that everyone was different, so she hid it well.

Sparrow shook her head. She could tell from experience that this girl, Winter, also had some sort of...condition. Unlike Sparrow, Winter was open.

"I'm...I don't mind," Sparrow said, wishing to be able to expound further. "I'm sorry, I don't speak well," she said, rather lamely in her opinion. Winter gave her a sympathetic look, and Sparrow bristled. She wasn't angry, it bothered her when people felt bad for her. There were people who deserved sympathy much more than she did.

"I don't mind either." Winter said. "The birds are singing, see? The stars can show me whatever destiny they want to show me. But that does not mean I have to pay attention, or care. Maybe now, dozens of people are dying, and we wouldn't know. Maybe people wouldn't care. But at least someone knows, someone cares. And that's all anyone ever needs. Nothing else. See, Sparrow-friend? I do not mind, like you do not mind. I will talk and share feelings enough for the both of us." Winter sighed, humming and swinging her legs back and forth.

((It just hit me. Your charrie is Winter from the Lunar Chronicles!! Scarlett-friend!))

Sparrow looked up, and indeed, the moonlight lit up everything in a silvery pattern, and the stars glowed gold overhead. It was a beautiful night. "Winter, what brings you to the um...dance?" She asked timidly, smiling a little at the blissful & kind look on Winter's pretty face.

((Yep, your right! ;) ))
"The stars called me here, and the sun told me to go. So I listened." Winter replied simply. The voices in her head were all different. The stars were like windchimes, and were very bright. The sun was even brighter, yet had a deep sound.

Sparrow nodded, pretending to whole heartedly know what she was talking about. She didn't judge though, and smiled kindly. "I myself have never been spoken to by the sun, or stars," Sparrow said, again rather lamely in her opinion.

Sparrow wanted to ask more about Winter, ask her house, her age. But the words wouldn't form in her mouth.

"I never would have imagined I would one day be in the House of Serpents." Winter went on. I always imagined myself more as of that of the Bird. But now I am 16, and I know so much more than I did when I first heard the Voices. Now all I can see are illusions, and most of the time, I'm not sure what's real and what isn't. So I have a hard time conversing, but not with you. The Voices are quiet when I am here talking to you, so I am content to stay here with you, for as long as you would like me to."

Sparrow smiled. Winter was good with words, and even if you didn't understand what she was saying, exactly, it still made sense in some strange, beautiful way. "I agree. I'm only 14," she stopped, choosing her words so they would match up with Winter's. "I never pictured myself in the house of... Um, badger. I thought myself more a lion," she confessed, and grinned broadly. She'd almost managed to string together an entire thought without pausing even once.

"I've found my house isn't as, well, dumb, as other students seem to believe," she added as an afterthought. It was true, and Sparrow was proud she was able to speak so fluently with Winter. She processed the second part of Winter's thought. "What... voices?"

"Everything has a Voice." Winter said. "If you try, you could hear them. But, when I was 11, I started hearing four different Voices in my head. Two men, two women. They sometimes argue, or be polite." Winter hesitated. She had never told anyone this, but somehow, speaking with Sparrow seemed... natural. "I hate it when they argue." She blurted out. "I get headaches, and when it's really bad, I... I blackout." Winter whispered.

"Sometimes, I have outbursts, and I know what I'm doing, but it's like I'm not in control of my body, and I hurt a lot of people, and I know it's what got Aster kicked out, and no one likes me, because I'm dangerous, and everyone hates me, the Voices said so, and they're always right, and you must hate me too, because I'm crazy. Aster says the Voices aren't real, but they are, I can hear them, but no one else can, and I don't know what's wrong with me." Winter finished, her voice slightly breaking.

Sparrow's eyes widened. She searched for words, wanting to explain to this sweet troubled girl that they weren't real.

"I don't hate you," she said simply. And she stood and hugged winter. "I like you. The voices aren't real, they certainly aren't...always right," she added, holding Winter close.

"You shouldn't listen to them. They're...uh, figments of your imagination," she whispered into her ear.

"But how can I know that, and be certain of it? It's so hard, because everything is lying to me, so how can I know what to trust is real, and what isn't?" Winter asked. "I'm just broken, and no one can fix me, because I am a lost cause. Even Aster feels that way. I can see it in her eyes. She tries to deny it, and I feel horrible, because I know it's because I'm her sister, and She wants to love me, but who can ever love someone so empty?" Winter put her face in her hands.

Sparrow pulled away from the hug.
"You aren't empty," she said simply, looking matter of fact. "And you can trust me, and your sister. They aren't..." real she thought. Just say real.

Frustrated, Sparrow stood and began to pace, her gown getting in her way.

"I'm sorry. I have upset you." Winter frowned. Her tears disappeared as soon as they had appeared.

"No," she said firmly. "You did not make me angry," she said absently, "not angry," she repeated quietly.

Winter looked upset, sitting primly in her chair. Her legs were crossed, posture perfect. Sparrow turned away from her, staring off the terrace. It was late evening, about half past seven maybe. The moon shimmered through thin clouds, casting a silvery glow on the forest and grounds. The rain still hadn't dried up and the water reflected the moon & stars perfectly, as did the lake.

She turned back, and shivered. It wasn't due to the chilly air, it was something else entirely.

"Is something the matter?" Winter asked, noticing Sparrow's shiver. "If you would like, we could go to the library. I think the librarian would rather die than let the quiet be interrupted there. Besides, the wind cannot reach you there."

Sparrow shook her head. "I'm not cold. We can stay," she said with a dry smile.

She went back to her chair, and sat down, slumping in it a little. Her evening was not going as planned, but Sparrow didn't particularly mind. She hoped she'd made a new friend, this Winter girl.

She was sure however that Tuesday would become exasperated with her and a giggle escaped Sparrow, and she covered her mouth.

"What's so funny?" Winter asked, the edges of her lips twitching slightly. "I do hope I haven't made a fool of myself. You are my first friend that isn't my sister. I'm not sure I did things correctly, though I do hope I did not mess up in any way."

((sorry I was distracted))

Sparrow stifled her laughter. "No. It's not you!" She said smiling genuinely.

"You've done wondrously, and I doubt I'm your first friend. You are lovely and sweet," she said patting winter's shoulder. "Thank you for talking with me, I fear however I must go," she said sadly, wishing she could stay and talk the day away.

"I've promised to meet my friend Tuesday for dinner, and I...I may be late," she said forlornly, standing up.

"Thanks again. We should talk soon," she said earnestly, nodding her head.

Without waiting for winter to reply, she turned on her heal, walking lightly out the door, a big smile plastered on her face.

Winter shook her head with bemusement, before leaving as well. Maybe she could find some other interesting people as nice as Sparrow had been, who understood.

hey night, can you send me a pm? i wanna chat with u but i can't answer the question :(

((pm?))

((private message please))

((Okay))

((thank you-goodreads isn't allowing me to for some reason))

((Here Lyra!))

Elle led Andrew by the hand out of the chaos of the ballroom, giggling a little. "I'm so sorry," she laughed, "I've probably broken all your toes with the countless times I trod on them, I'm the worst," she giggled madly, throwing herself on the chair beside them.

The balcony was secluded, and no one was bothering them. "Its a beautiful night," she commented, looking at the countless stars shining about.

As Elle and him thrust themselves to the balcony, Andrew could feel the night breeze refreshing him. He felt so good at that moment, the moment Elle held his hand, the moment she sat down, looking like she's having the best time.

Andrew leaned on the railing, close to Elle, and gazed the starlight with her.
"You didn't break anything, otherwise we'd be in the Hospital Wing now, wouldn't we?" he said laughing. The small pause between his words allowed him to take it all in again.

"A beautiful night indeed." he said, looking at Elle's eyes that sparkled more than the stars ever could.
"I'm really glad we came here together, Elle." he said, giving her a soft smile, his perfect teeth glistening in the moonlight.

((Sorry! Just saw this.))

Elle blushed. How could he do that? Every word that came out of Andrew's mouth felt perfect, and made her feel perfect. "I am too," was all she could say.

It was quiet for a long time, and she could only hear the rustle of the wind and a few crickets chirping in the summer air.

Andrew's smiled grew wider with just few of her words. all the hardships he'd been through, the way his life ever made sense to him, everything disappeared that night. There was nothing but him and her.

He turned his gaze to the view and sighed deeply. "You know..." he said, "back home, I'd always find myself sitting on the beach, gazing at the horizon. The sea always sparkled, day and night, and its sound always rang sweetly in my ears." he paused and turned to face her.

"I'd dream of long voyages, travels around the world, writing my adventures and telling stories of the things that I'd see." He said theatrically, moving his body around as if he were a kid.

He then stopped. "It's strange, how life turns things around. When I couldn't go back, all I wanted was to sit on that soft sand and stare at the salty water."

He then looked up to her and took a step closer. "When I met you at the Lake that day, it felt as if I had found someone to share the sand with. Elle, it felt as if I was home." He approached her and sat next to hair, on a chair that was slightly smaller than hers, resulting in his head being a tad lower.

"Thank you." he muttered, his eyes glistening with a small amount of water.

Elle was silent. She was so deeply touched, she didn't know what to say. "Andrew..." She closed her mouth. "I'm worried if I say something, I'll ruin this moment, and I really don't want to," she said out loud, then covered her mouth with her hands. She let out a small laugh.

"See? It's ruined."

Andrew took her hand. "You can't ruin anything, I don't think it's in your DNA." he said, giggling.

The music from the ballroom accompanied their discussion in a more calm and smooth tone, as if it was made for a movie.

The magic in Hogwarts never seized to surprise Andrew. Not the charms and the wands; not the creatures and the professors. But the people, its ancient stone, the scenery...
Elle.

He must have looked so happy.
"Elle, don't you know, magic isn't only in our wands. I can sense it all around you. I think-" he said. He paused, not because he wasn't sure, but because he was scared.

"I think I'm falling in love with you." he said, with a serious face, looking directly in her eyes.

(( I know, I got all teared up writing it :') ))

Elle, again, was at a loss for words. "Well that's good," she began with a shaky laugh, "because I'm beginning to think that I'm falling for you, Mr. Lort," she smiled, feeling happier than she ever had.

The pair of them sat there in silence, smiling stupidly at each other, in their own world.

Andrew gave out a small laugh. "Mr. Lort! Hahaha, what's up with that? Using my last name, you're so weird." he said playfully, squeezing her hand.

But his heart fluttered. Elle loved him. Him. Not his popularity, not his simply his good looks, not his distant origins. Just him.

((Sorry for the short post!))

((You're fine! Mine will be shorter as well))

Elle laughed, covering her face. "It sounded so much more romantic in my head," she admitted, speaking through her fingers.

"I'm weird? You're uh, weirder!" she shot back, laughing at the lameness of her comeback.

Andrew laughed joyfully.

((Arrgh, I don't know where to go with this, I'm not good with the romantic stuff! Give me an Evil dark lord who's trying to obliterate everything, I can handle that. But love, no :P))

((Lyra, whatcha gonna do when Nicolas finds a love interest? XD))

((Haha, sweet Fangirl, Nicolas can't love, only obsess over someone at best! :3))

((Awww that's so sad! It makes sense but it's still sad! Even evil little Nicolas needs someone to love. :'( ))

((Hmm, I don't either.))

((So should we end it? Like make them go inside again or something? :) Fangirl, it's okay, Nicolas has other worries to figure out, love life is still very distant :P))

((That sounds good, I'll try to wrap it up here :P))

Elle's ears pricked up, hearing the melody of her favorite song, back in the ballroom. "C'mon! Lets go back inside, that's a really good song!" she dragged Andrew off the balcony, and back into the thriving ballroom.

Andrew followed Elle, watching her hair dancing as she ran off inside, with him running behind her. True bliss was there; and this time it wasn't the lonely horizon back at the beach.

It was a festive evening, full of close friends, lively music, magic in the air, and a special someone's smile that made his heart feel complete.

((Tah-daaaah! I can be romantic as hell :P))

((Taaaa daaaah in deed!))