A Fine Line Between

[River Dallas]

River had not ventured out of the Gryffindor Tower for a long time it seemed. She hated to admit it but finally homesickness had taken this young Gryffindor over. It wasn't that she didn't love Hogwarts. No she loved this place but after the break had ended, after seeing her whole family once more even Sage, River missed them all. Each and everyone one of them. She missed her annoying and competive brother always trying to egg her on. She missed her sister Secret who barely spoke at all anymore. She missed her youngest sibling Morning and all the cookies the too of them would attempt to bake together. Yet as River walked through the corridors she had to remind herself that she would see them all later. She would get to see her brother all next year when he to came to Hogwarts. "Bloody Brilliant" She said rolling her eyes though deep down loving that she would be seeing her brother on a daily basis. That was if he wasn't too busy with his own crowd of friends.

This was just another thing that River was not quite happy about. When she first arrived in New Zealand she had met friends right away, Oscar being her best friend. Yet she had not seen any of her so called friends. Oscar was no where to be found and sadly River forgot most of the other's names. Dumb memory she cursed mentally wondering why she just couldn't remember herself. Someday she would find out why her memory was indeed so bad. It couldn't be genetics for everyone else in her family seemed to have a brilliant memory. It was just this gryffindor redhead that was completely lost with her long term and short term memory. Though River persisted on as she did walking down towards the dungeons.

Her long legs carried her about not seeing anyone in sight. Even if she had it wouldn't be a big deal. Everyone was aloud in the dugeons. No matter who they were. This Irish Redhead looked about the area, wondering what she was going to do after her short walk. Maybe she would go out for a run or go up to the North tower and look at the view for hours on end. Either way she knew she was going to be more out there and get out more. Being an outcast did not work for her. And whenever something was not to her liking, like she was always told, River worked to make it more to her liking.

 

[Ai Adlam]

Ai was seeking the silence of the dungeons. Everywhere else there seemed to be some sort of noise but here the only sound she usually heard was that of her footsteps and when she sitting and reading, her heart. It comperting to know that even when she didn't feel it in her chest, biologicly she still did have a heart. It had just turned black after the demise of her twin brother. Not that Ai thought very much of him anymore. It was a little under a year and still Ai was starting to forget what his voice sounded like and the exsact features of his face. Like always there was a large tomb in her hands though she wasn't reading it at the time. She was looking for the right place to take a seat. A place that was not to damp with the mist that always seemed to cling to the walls though she was sure that no pipes leaked within the walls of Hogwarts.

Ai's analitical mind shifted then from the place she was looking for to the people she had met. Sam Moor was a strong carecter though she still labled him an idiot mudblood. Brodie and Aleyah where her best friends though Aleyah more that Brodie then agian Ai did have a natural dislikeing for boys. She didn't know why but the only boy she could truly stand was Kai though she didn't often show it. Jerrod was an insufferable moron that wouldn't be able to find his own behind even if he where gifted with a map. Still there was something she liked about him. Maybe the fact that he had stood up to her and forgiven her acid mouth.

There where others but she thought them too insugnifficent to really give them much thought. She came back to the face of a certen Oscar Edwards. Why his face was popping up in her head was something of a mystery. The boy was the biggest mudblood had ever the displeasure of meeting and that included that mouthy piece of trash Kaedie. Not for the first time Ai thought that she should have unleashed the fury of her reasearch on her. Things where said and done and Ai couldn't do anything about them without a time tuner. Ai finally found her spot and sat down with her legs crossed indan style. She was not ten minutes into her book when she heard someone approce the spot she was sitting in. Ai looked up by the light of her wand and saw flaming red hair. "A little out of place down here arn't you River." She said the icyness seeming to drip from every slible. Something not that didn't seem entirely possable for such a tiny girl.

 

[River Dallas]

River's mind wondered letting her throughts be free to focus on anything and everything that was ever thought about by this young girl. Thoughts of classes, camping, star watching, friends, Sage, Morning, Secret, and even Rose. All her thoughts however disappeared with one cold voice. Turning her eyes to see where the voice was coming from and where the light was shining. Carefully and slowly River took out her wand feeling slightly safer with it out and at the ready. Not that anything would happen. Surprisingly this Irish girl had a very good skill of holding her temper. Only certain people were able to set her off, Sage being the only one River knew so far.

Focusing on the girl who could possibly send chills up the spine of any normal person, a small smile slid onto the face of this Gryffindor girl. The face looked familiar. Didn't it? Darn Memory River thought cursing herself mentally for not remembering the girl. Had the two of them met? In classes possible? Shaking her head slightly, River kept the smile on her face. "Me out of place" She let out a soft laugh. "never" the redhead continued. In a way she did feel slightly out of place. Not that she would let that be known by anyone even the girl who seemed to think that she better belonged in this part of the castle.

"You're not exactly one that is fitting into this area either" River said "Though I do have to say I don't remember you" River added a sad note in her voice. Whether it was forced or real was entirely up in the air. "Mind sharing your name since you certainly seem to know me" River continued her voice friendly. You always catch more flies with honey than with vinager She thought.

 

[Ai Adlam]

Ai turned her head to snarl into the darkness. Ai did remember River from somewhere. Two other girls had started grilling the people around them because of thier style. Ai herself was in all black with the skirt falling down to her tops of her neat marie jaines and top spelling out the words "Shove Off" in loopy cursive. Her pitch black almost blue hair was in a pair of messy loose braids. The two girls she had considered enemies from that day on. This girl she hadn't given a thought to since.

Better that way really. She didn't really know much about her but River seemed like a rightose sort. "I fit in better in the darkness than most people. The shadows are my home, the pages are my friends. As for my name people call me simply Ai." She said the monotone not brakeing an moment. Ai disliked everyone on first meeting it was rare when someone actually got on her good side. Izzy being an exsample of someone that had worked on her lighter side.

A lighter side that had darkened with the final act of her brother's life. "Where as you River seem more like a creature of light and laughter. The darkness of the desolet places does not do justace to the fire of your hair and more than likely your heart." She said. If she meant it in any way positive or negitive there was no sign of it. "We met while to girls where spewing useless nonsence like a hose would let water spray. They where made to quite thier mouthes eventually. Not that I was paying much attention to them." She said turing her wand back the book on her lap. Arcain symbols which looked more like Dark Arts than anything else where dimly lit on the page. Ai started to read.

 

[River Dallas]

The girl in front of River seemed familiar yet still this redhead couldn't remember where she had once seen the face. Come on remember The young witch thought closing her eyes for a moment hoping that this would jog her memory. This method had worked in the past, helped bring up faces that were forgotten. Not this time. Nothing came to mind. Opening her eyes slowly she refocused on the girl.

She spoke using a tone that almost seemed uninterested. Ai The name repeated in River's mind. Still she was unsure as to where she remembered the girl from. Though this didn't keep River was listening as the girl spoke. "I guess the darkness doesn't quite fit me. But to say I'm out of place" River continued her tone light as she shook her head slightly at the last part.

Finally it hit her when she had met Ai. Sure it hadn't been one of those happy meetings in which after ward the two girls go out and shop or something to that effect. In reality, River remember just glimpses of the meeting absentmindedly running her fingers through her hair as she thought about it. The Past was the past for now River was able to push that out of mind.

"What are you reading?" River wondered as she sat down onto the ground crossing her legs pretzal style.