Escape

[Sydney Benoit]

Sydney shivered as she walked along the grounds of Beauxbatons academy, it was a cold September evening and most of the school was at the Goblet of fire ceremony. Trying at their shot for glory or mooning over those who were. Sydney was proud of her school hosting such a prestigious event of course but all of the noise from the sea of light blue gave her a headache so she had skipped out a few minutes after it started, paying the Durmstrang and Hogwarts New Zealand students no mind as she passed them to get to her dormitory to change out of her light blue Beauxbatons uniform, which was for once not adorned with multiple funky accessories.

She pulled her wand out of it's holder and cast a warming charm on herself as she walked, her bright red heels making a loud clacking sound against the stone pathway with every step. Before long the clicking was replaced with the soft crunching of newly fallen leaves on the ground as she made her way towards the lake, standing at it's edge she looked out over the expansive surface before turning her gaze to the stars. The sky was an inky black dotted by little bits of light and the whole sky was illuminated by the nearly full moon. Which threw a serene silver glow down upon the world below. She exhaled slowly looked back to the waters, which were a mirror of the night sky. Definitely better than the headache in the Great Hall.

 

[Grande Fuego]

The Goblet of Fire ceremony, had been something that Grande had been debating over whether or not to go to. In the end he had gone. He watched as people he used to know from Hogwarts New Zealand entered the hall. He hadn't stayed much longer than the annoucments of who were the School champions. Very glad to here for Hogwarts it was someone he had known and a Gryffindor. He wanted Beauxbaton to win, because he was at the school now, but really if Hogwarts New Zealand won, Grande knew he'd be just as happy. After having left, Grande had gone to his dorm, and even in his books he'd been rather bored. So with the most fleeting of glances out the window and to the grounds, Grande decided what he'd do with the rest of his nights, while others ate and talked about this Grande, didn't really care all that much about.

The ground of Beauxbatons, both in summer and in the colder months, Grande had to admit, they were amazing. The way the moonlight shone down upon the cold dry grass made Grande wonder why people bother with feasts and being indoors, when there was so much on offer outside. Grande was dressed, in his usual long sleeved shirt under and short sleeved one, with his dark jeans, and kicking pair of DC's. It was a casual look, that worked well for Grande. He didn't really suit uniforms. Which he knew would make it hard in later life, but this was the present not the future. As Grande walked he noticed someone sitting in, what he found was the quietest spot of the grounds. He knew that he wouldn't know whoever it was, as Grande spoke to barely anyone and he knew next to no one. But knowing that this was his last year and maybe a friend from this school, wouldn't be a bad idea, he decided to speak to the girl.

The grey of his eyes, seemed to be turned to a silvery colour everytime, he looked up and looked at the moon, which gazed in equal silverness back down at him. He was quickly to where the girl was. He took a seat on the grass, and cleared his throat. He didin't want to scare the girl. That would be a bad thing to do.

"Couldn't handle the Hall either?" Grande said, in a slightly quieter tone, just because the general mood of the night seemed to call for a lowered tone.

 

[Sydney Benoit]

Sydneys gaze kept turning from the lake to the sky and back to the lake again, it truly was stunning how similar the two looked on nights like these. The lake was eerily still, as if the depths of water had been replaced with a sheet of glass, a perfect mirror of the night sky. Blending in with the ground around it, very hazardous if one wasn't paying attention to their surroundings. It was odd to see the grounds so calm, even at this time of night. The curfew at Beauxbatons was near nonexistent and nobody really paid any attention to it anyways. so the grounds were alive with activity nearly Twenty-Four Seven. Usually something Sydney could dive into quite easily but she loved the peaceful feeling she got when she was alone, like all of her cares had floated away.

There was the light rustling of leaves behind her but she paid it no mind, the grounds were huge and she had no problem sharing them, they weren't really hers to claim either way. But even with this warning she jumped slightly when she heard a voice address her. She turned around and looked towards the source, it was a boy she had seen around the school a few times but didn't really know that well. Was he in her year? She believed he was but wasn't completely sure. Either way it felt odd to be standing, looming over him the way she was at the moment. So she settled herself down on a soft patch of dry grass beside of him, stretching her lengthy, tight clad legs out in front of her and crossing them at the ankles. "No... It was exciting for a bit, but then I started getting a headache." she said softly, not wanting to ruin the essence of the surroundings.

 

[Grande Fuego]

Grande couldn't help but let the smallest of smiles flash across his face when the girl jumped slightly. He used to always be the one that got scared when people walked up to him without realising it. This didn't happen so much now. Mainly as he wasn't a clear figure in most peoples lives. He was a shadow. That moved around quickly and quietly. Someone who wasn't too bother if the person next to him struck up a conversation or pushed by him. He had taken to a policy of appeasement. He would speak to someone if spoken to, and make it clear that he wasn't interested in speaking. Appeasing there need for conversation. Grande looked at the girl as she sat down and smiled at her. He was sure she was in his year. But he wasn't and couldn't be positive, as he lived in the shadows, ignoring all those around him. And just hoping that everyone would get the hint.

7th Year was different. He told himself it would be different. He'd live more at Beauxbatons, rather than just reserving his fun for his group outside the school. Most of whom were moving away. Grande nodded, ever so slightly. A headache would be annoying and not helped by a rather loud and noise hall, filled with more students than the norm. Grande agreed that it had been exciting. But not something he wanted to stay in.

"That's annoying, I just grew bored. The exciting bit was over and I'd eaten already." Grande said, smiling slightly at the girl. He held out a hand to her. "I'm sure your in the same year as me, but I have to be honest, I have no clue who you are. I'm Grande Fuego. 7th Year."

 

[Sydney Benoit]

"Already over eh?" she asked, figuring that the headmaster and the staff would drag out the process. Milk this event for all it was worth to the school. "Did you stick around enough to see who got the champion spots?" she inquired, having not stuck around the event long enough to find out herself. She found it strange that all of the fan fare had given her such a headache, she was usually just fine with such events... thrived for them really, while she didn't dive right into the thick of things she liked to be in a good atmosphere and she wouldn't call herself shy by any stretch of the imagination though really compared to alot of people she knew she was. Her headache had lifted quite a while ago, but she had been too entranced to really notice when. Either way she couldn't head back inside now, that would be rude to the boy sitting beside her, whos name was apparently Grande.

When he extended his hand towards her she took it, giving a firm handshake before releasing it once more. She listened to him speak and nodded, "Well, that makes me feel better. To be honest I couldn't remember if I knew you or not." she admitted, a small sheepish smile forming on her face as she gave a light shrug of her shoulders. "But it seems we were both right about one thing, I thought you were in my year." she said, before remembering that she still hadn't given him her name. "It's a pleasure to meet you Grande, My name is Sydney Benoit. 7th year as well... Though I kind of already said that." she ended, letting out a small chuckle at her own expense.

 

[Grande Fuego]

Grande had stayed to here who had become the champions, but between then and his coming outside, he'd forgotten. Grande shrugged at this thought and smiled to himself. Of course he'd be the type to forget something that was as important as that. But he was trying to remember as the girl introduced herself. At this, he completely left remembering who the champions were and smiled at her, taking in the name Sydney. Yeah, he knew no Sydney's and she confirmed that they didn't know each other until that very moment. He wasn't surprised about that either. Grande took back his hand and wiped it against his jeans on impulse. This was something that he did often. He had these little habits.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too Sydney." Grande said smiling at her. "And I can't remember who the champions are. No one I knew. Which I'll admit is basically everyone. Seeing as you are a 7th year, What are your plans for next year?"

 

[Sydney Benoit]

Sydney had been planning to stay to hear who had become the champions, but to be entirely honest she didn't really care if she knew right away or not. This whole thing just wasn't too exciting for her. She would have preferred to spend her last year at the school in relative peace and not bombarded by all of these new people, though she thought of the Seventh years from other schools coming here for their last year and wondered if maybe she just had a selfish point of view on the whole thing. Either way she wasn't going to complain, the people could be avoided if she didn't want to talk to them.

"Oh, well I guess I'll hear about it eventually. I'm not really on the edge of my seat about it anyways." she admitted with a small shrug of her shoulders, hoping she had gotten her feelings out there without sounding too ruffled about it. "I don't really know what I want to do next year to be honest... Right now I just want to get through school. Can't get anywhere without good exam grades." she started "I guess I'm just figuring things out as I go along." she ended, feeling that was the best way to describe her plans for the future, that she really didn't have any.

 

[Grande Fuego]

Grande had to agree he was neither excited nor anything else about the entire thing. He would maybe go to the tasks, but that was if he was free, Grande tended to be busy with work and homework. It normally all added up to him having little spare time. Grande didn't mind working, it was good, and seeing as he had to support himself it was useful. Grande nodded along, he too, was just hoping for good grades, just so that he could get out. School to him, was an endless stream of boring. He wanted to move on, start the next step. Have fun and go wild. Be carefree and just enjoy the time to be had. Of course he would eventually have to think of a career path, but that was the future. He could black that out for a little while longer.

"Go where the wind takes you approach. I'm think of taking a gap year and just having fun. Have fun go mad." Grande said, thinking of the next year. "So where you from Sydney?"

 

[Sydney Benoit]

Sydney listened as Grande told her his plan for the next year, taking a year off to just have fun and party sure was a tempting idea but Sydney was far too practical and ambitious to consider it. She may not have a concrete plan but she knew that she was going to get a career of some sort. "Taking a year off sure does sound tempting, but I know I wouldn't stick with it. Chances are my parents would cut me off if I tried it and I'd end up having to get a job anyways. I'd get too restless." she said, which wouldn't be so bad except she needed to make a lot of money to keep the lifestyle to which she was accustomed, which her parents agreed to help with a bit until she had a stable job. She wasn't super rich or anything, but she did live comfortably and wanted to continue living as such. "Oh, I grew up near the German border in Strasbourg, But I moved to Marseille over the summer." she answered, "Where are you from?" she asked

 

[Grande Fuego]

Grande smiled when she talked of being cut off, Grande knew what it was like to be cut off. He had cut himself off. Grande wasn't a family person. He was close to his mum, but very distant with his dad. For these reasons, Grande had moved out, gotten a job and paved his own way in life. He was smiling, almost secretively, thinking how much easier life was without being held back by his family. He was able to do what he wanted. He learned to stand on his own two feet and it was bliss, that was all he had to say. The first year, was the hardest, but thanks to school, it had been slightly easier on Grande. And the school, had been lient with Grande.

"You know, being cut off isn't as hard as it might seem. I'm doing okay." Grande said looking at Sydney and smiling at her. Grande then smiled and nodded. He'd been to Marseille, often, with some of his muggle friends. It was a lovely city. Full of life and wonder. "Marseille is Amazing, never been that far north. I lived in Dijon, then Barcelona, New Zealand for a year and half, back to Barcelona, and now I live in Cadolive. About an hour away from Marseille."

 

[Sydney Benoit]

Sydney listened to Grande and his words made her curious. But of course out of respect she didn't pry into his business, deciding instead to just say "Well, that may be true... I'm pretty self sufficient already. But I just like having a sort of safety net, bravery is not my strong suit." she admitted softly, her finger tracing random patterns in the grass as she did so. When she heard where all he had lived her jaw dropped, "Wow... certainly well traveled then. I don't think I've ever been out of France or Germany to be honest. Though that will definitely change after I graduate, I want to get out there and see the world." she said, a small smile setting on her face at the thought of it.

They sat in silence for a few moments, a calm enveloping the grounds as a whole. It was comforting, but unfortunately it didn't last long as another round of celebration rang out from the Great Hall in the distance. "Damn, they must have gotten a second wind or something." she noted as she whipped her head back towards the Beauxbatons castle. When she looked back out towards the lake she realized it had started moving again, the wind had picked up and the water was getting dangerously close to her feet. It was tempting to kick off her shoes and scoot a bit closer to the water, If only I hadn't worn these damn tights... she thought.

 

[Grande Fuego]

Grande had travelled, that he couldn't and wouldn't ever deny. He liked traveling. He liked having the option of traveling. It was better, it made him feel so free, like he was able to do anything. It was because of this that Grande was rarely in his house. He worked, he worked, and he traveled. It really was in his view the best to live. There would be a time for him to settle down, but he was 17, and could literally go anywhere he wanted to. Have fun, go mad. His favourite saying of all time. He looked up at the castle and nodded. They were missing out on so much. The little losers. Grande glanced at the girl and smiled at her. She seemed quite nice.

"It'll like that until everyone is forced to bed." Grande said smiling at her. "You should travel. It's amazing. The wonders the world holds. Wow. All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not a muggle. Where have you been in France?"