A hunt for books

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley had never tried to learn her way around a new environment before, and even the trip between her bedroom and the dining hall had been stressful. Ainsley wasn't sure she would have made it at all without a group of other lost first years to trail after. But she had heard something about there being a library around here, and she was determined to find it.

Ainsley hadn't bothered to wear shoes today, but the cold stone floor felt unfamiliar and unwelcoming, and she found herself regretting the decision as she padded down the hallway, one hand trailing along the wall behind her, feeling the texture of the stone under her fingertips, rougher than the stone under her feet. Ainsley felt almost numbed by all the newness all at once, after the routine of the last eleven years of her life. Everything was so strange there seemed no point in trying to predict anything at all, since anything might as well be possible or true.

Books would make it better though. Books were familiar, soothing, a slice of home in this strange new world. Books could tell her what this strange magical world considered real, and what was truly fantasy, and maybe even take her away on a new fantasy. Surely wizard novels must be worlds beyond anything she had read before, and the thought filled Ainsley with renewed vigour, wide eyes searching the corridor as she padded along on her quest.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron found himself walking aimlessly along the fourth floor corridor not heading in any particular direction or looking for any specific place. He was just happy to be exploring the different avenues of the castle and all of its nooks and crannies. As he turned around a corner he saw a figure in front of him who seemed to be walking along the cold stone floor barefoot. He couldn't make out who it was, he didn't think he had seen the person in front of him before, he was pretty sure that he would have remembered if he had. The person seemed to be on quite the mission. They were moving pretty quickly down the corridor without any sense of stopping. He wondered if he should call out to them and ask them if they needed help but maybe they didn't want the intrusion. However, Aaron liked meeting new people so he decided against his better judgement to talk to them. He jogged up to meet the person in front "need any help?" he asked "you seem to have misplaced your shoes..." he added looking at the person's feet.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley jumped a little, startled at the sudden interruption of her thoughts, and turned with wide eyes to face the person who had spoken, her tangled hair hanging around her face wildly. His question was puzzling, and Ainsley frowned a little, wiggling her toes slightly as she replied. "I'm not looking for my shoes. I know where they are." She paused, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet and unconsciously making herself even taller than her already lanky height, trying to figure out what her shoes had to do with anything. "I'm looking for the library... I don't know where it is."

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron grimaced as the girl jumped because of his intrusion "sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" he said "I didn't know any other way to get your attention" he explained shrugging. He raised his eyebrow when the girl mentioned that she knew where her shoes were "so you chose to go out like that?" he asked the girl. She revealed that the mission that she seemed to be on was to find the library. Aaron broke into a devious smile "Oh yeah I know where that is!" he said to the girl in front of him. "Do you want me to show you?" he asked "It's this way" he lied pointing in the opposite direction to the actual library.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley looked down at her feet, then back up at the boy. "I don't like shoes... my feet feel trapped and sweaty. I only wear them if I'm going somewhere the ground might hurt my feet." She shifted a little, toes curling around the stones of the floor, enjoying how many different textures there were in this castle. Ainsley broke into a smile when the boy spoke again, relieved to have someone helping her. "Oh! Thank you!" She smiled. "I was going the wrong way entirely..."

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron raised his eyebrow, this Hufflepuff girl seemed strange... and he liked her all the more for it. He grinned at her explanation "I see... well you've convinced me!" he exclaimed and he took off his own shoes and socks and left them on one of the windowsills in the corridor. "You're right, that feels so much better" he said to the girl, his eyes shining and his toes wiggling. "I feel so much more free now" he said kicking his legs out in front of him. He turned to the girl "So... shall we?" he asked giving the girl his arm to link with hers.


Sorry it's so late!

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley giggled delightedly as she watched the boy take off his shoes and socks. "Yes!" She beamed happily. "Doesn't it feel so much better? The stone is so nice and solid to walk on, though grass is even better, it tickles between your toes and makes your feet feel all soft, like you're part of the earth..." Smiling delightedly at the offer, Ainsley linked her arm with the boy's without a moment's hesitation. "We shall indeed!"

Out of Character:

EEP sorry right back at you haha, I haven't had the time to get on for ages

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron shrugged "feels kinda weird... But a nice weird. Yeah! I guess it does feel good" he said smiling at the Hufflepuff girl. He bowed his head as the girl linked her arm with his and he set off down the corridor, almost skipping. He had no idea where he was taking the girl but hoped he would make up something on the way. After all, wherever they ended up it would be so much better than the boring old library. He looked at her and smiled "so what's your name anyway?" he asked the girl casually as they sprinted down a stairway. He hoped the chat would distract her from what she was originally looking for.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley was happy to follow, pleased to have met such a friendly person so willing to help her. After all the difficulties she had had adjusting to being around so many people and so much noise all at once, it was a relief for meeting someone to be easy and fun, the kind of delightful, whimsical encounter she had envisioned when she first imagined a magical school.

"My name is Ainsley Lynch." She answered happily. "What's yours? We must be the same age, I've seen you in some of my classes..." Ainsley trailed off, trying to remember which classes she had with the boy, mind wandering back to the amazing and varied things they were learning in her new classes, eyes going a little vacant as her thoughts drifted.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron was pleased that the girl seemed to want to follow him, he hoped that she wouldn't be too angry with him when she realised that they were no longer going to the library. Aaron had something much better in store for the two young students anyway. "Just down a couple more flights of stairs..." he mumbled as he led the Hufflepuff girl around the castle. "Cool, nice to meet you Ainsley" he said, smiling at her. "I'm Aaron" he replied "yeah I think i've seen you around, Charms maybe?" he guessed.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

After thinking back a moment, Ainsley nodded with a smile. "I think so, you must be in..." She paused, thinking. "Um, the red one. I don't know how we're supposed to remember all these long funny names, schools have so many odd ways I never expected..." She trailed off, looking around the hall quietly. "There are so many people too, everything's so big and confusing, and everyone else seems to just know what they're doing..."

 

[Aaron Walden]

"Gryffindor!" Aaron exclaimed, striking a pose "the house of the brave" he continued "or so they say" he finished, chuckling to himself. "I only know the names of all these things because I have an older sister that goes here and it's all she talked about when she came back for the holidays. She's in Gryffindor too" he explained. "Must be hard for new people though, getting used to the school and classes and stuff" he chatted "I mean, I find some of the stuff hard and I come from a half muggle/half magical family. So muggleborns have no chance really" he said to the Hufflepuff girl as they carried on down another staircase. He guessed that they were back by the Great Hall by now but if he kept the other girl distracted he could probably get them to the Kitchens without her even realising.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley giggled a little at Aaron's dramatic effect, enjoying spending time with someone who seemed so carefree. "Gryffindor!" She repeated, then listened with interest to his explanation, nodding in agreement. "I only just learned magic's real... I still don't really feel like I know anything about it, even though I used to feel like I knew a lot, from books I read. But everything here is so different to how I imagined it from books, and there's so much of it, and all of it's so new, all at once... it feels like everyone else knows exactly what they're doing and I don't know anything." Ainsley paused, realising her bad habit of talking too much all at once was kicking in again, but this... felt different. She had spent so long bemoaning the stress and troubles she was suffering trying to understand this school, but this was just... talking, she wasn't really as upset about it as before, just stating a fact. Ainsley didn't know exactly where this confidence was coming from, but it felt good, and she smiled a little, pleased at the change from the anxious and uncertain mood that had become normal since coming here.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron was glad that he could make the Hufflepuff girl laugh, she seemed a little nervous at the start of their encounter but he hoped that his stupid behaviour made her feel a little more at ease. He hoped that the girl wouldn't be too angry or upset at him for taking her off course. He was taking her somewhere a little more interesting at the Library at least, well in his mind anyway. He listened to her concerns and sympathised with her, if he was finding it hard how must she be feeling? "Listen, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Trust me, you'll get used to all this magic stuff. One day it will just click and you'll find it all amazing rather than overwhelming, and if you still do, come and find me and I can help. Or take your mind off of it for a while. Whatever you need really" he said, flashing her a sympathetic smile.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley smiled back, her heart filling with encouragement at Aaron's support. "Thank you!" She beamed, relieved and happy. "It... still sometimes feels like it's never going to make sense, but I'll keep waiting." Ainsley smiled, glancing up at Aaron for a moment before looking away, realising for the first time how long they've been walking. "Wow... I suppose I was really in the wrong place before, wasn't I?"

 

[Aaron Walden]

"It takes everyone time to adjust. Heck, I don't even know what i'm doing half the time" Aaron told the Hufflpuff girl. "I'll let you into a secret" he half whispered, motioning Ainsley to move closer "I just copy what the others do. Homework, classwork.. you name it" he chuckled.

Aaron coughed when the Hufflepuff girl mentioned how long they had been walking. "Er.. yeah. Wrong side of the castle" he stammered. Coincidentally, they had soon reached where Aaron had wanted to take her in the first place, the Kitchens. Ever since the night that he had met Lizzie outside the Kitchens he had wanted to go back and now he knew how to actually get in there this was the perfect time. He stood outside the portrait and turned to Ainsley "so... I have a confession to make. We've kind of made a diversion from the Library to the Kitchens..." he said, looking at the floor. "Don't be mad, but the Library is so boring anyway and the Kitchens are far more fun!" he said, trying to reassure the young Hufflepuff.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley giggled happily. "Really?" She whispered back, leaning close to Aaron. "I didn't think that was allowed in schools... I've been doing everything myself, can you really just copy?"

Ainsley froze in place at Aaron's revelation, her eyes wide and distant. Not... at the library. She had always had a lot of trouble with change, and things not being the way she expected them, and the difference between library and kitchen was... a pretty significant one. Ainsley looked around worriedly, her eyes wide and mind completely blanking with shock. "I... but... where's the library?" She asked shakily, hands bunching and unbunching in her skirt anxiously.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron shrugged his shoulders, it probably wasn't allowed but he wasn't going to stop anytime soon. "It's probably not allowed..." he said "but as long as we keep it between us" he patted his nose with his finger "who's going to find out?" he winked. It wasn't like he was completely cheating, he thought of it as a little help along the way. "It's probably best that you do it all yourself and if you like reading and learning then it doesn't seem like a chore" he said.

He looked around quickly to see if there was anyone around that could help the two young students. His revelation had not gone down well, not well at all. He was expecting a little resistance since she did want to go to the library but who would turn down a tour of the kitchens? "erm... look, i'm sorry... I didn't realise the library meant so much to you. But we're here now and i'm pretty sure there will be recipe books in the kitchens. That's something you can read right?" he asked her desperately "besides, there will be food and stuff, that's always good right?" he panicked.

He tickled the specific fruit on the portrait behind him and sure enough the portrait opened to reveal the kitchens that was concealed behind it. The smell of bread that was baking in the ovens hit Aaron's nostrils and it was like heaven. His stomach responded in grumbles and he took a step into the kitchen and turned back to Ainsley "we've come all this way, do you want to see?"

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley kept scrunching her hands in her skirt repetitively as she looked around, realising she had no idea at all where they were in the castle. They weren't... at the library. They were somewhere else. Somewhere not the library. A different place entirely, that wasn't the library, where she had expected to be. The kitchen, instead, which was not the library. "I... this... why are... we here?" Ainsley asked shakily, looking up at Aaron's face, feeling betrayed by her guide. "I didn't... I said I was... looking for the library..."

Under other circumstances, Ainsley would have been overjoyed to discover the location of the kitchens. But unexpected surprises weren't something she was well equipped to deal with, and she didn't know how to adapt, still stuck on her thoughts of the library. At least, until the scent of fresh bread hit her nose, warm and inviting, and Ainsley froze, sniffing at the familiar, tempting scent. Her thoughts resetting, Ainsley nodded shyly at Aaron's question, hands still curled tightly in her long skirt, but the prospect of fresh bread was enough to draw her out of the worst of her panic.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron had never felt more guilty than he had at that very moment. The Hufflepuff girl had trusted him to take her to the library, the place that she wanted to find above all others and he repaid that trust by leading her on a wild goose chase around the castle and ended up outside the kitchens. Even if he offered to take her to the real library, he doubted that the girl would ever trust him again and he couldn't blame her either. He sighed, what he thought would be a great adventure for the two young students had backfired. I'm sorry Ainsley, I though this would be more fun.. Finding the kitchens. But now I see I was wrong, can you forgive me?" he pleaded with the Hufflepuff girl. Aaron didntt blame her if she would never talk to him again but he hoped that she would.

However, something happened that Aaron was not expecting at all. Ainsley nodded her head at his invitation into the kitchen! He broke into a wide smile "YES! Okay. Great. You're going to love it in here, just wait!" he said, excitably. He led her into the large, warm room which was lined with stove's and counter tops and the walls were adorned with pots and pans. Aaron took in a deep breath and the smell of baking filled his nostrils. This was truly his favourite place in Hogwarts. "What do you think?" he asked Ainsley, tentatively.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley listened to Aaron's apology warily, her toes wiggling and tapping to help her try to process her thoughts into words. "But... I said I was looking for the library... why would... where I didn't want to go be better than.... where I did?" She asked shakily, struggling a little with speaking. "I... I said where I wanted to go."

Still tense with shock, Ainsley uncertainly followed Aaron into the kitchen. The familiar smells and sounds were comforting, and did help her relax a little, Ainsley rocking up on her toes a little to bring her already tall viewpoint even higher as she looked around. "It's... smells nice." She said quietly. "What... did you... want to cook here?" Ainsley asked, glancing back at Aaron with nervous eyes.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron shook his head, this was definitely one his more stupider plans. He sighed and wondered how he could make it up to the young Hufflepuff but nothing came to his mind. He had never met anyone before who didn't want to go on adventure or go somewhere that he thought was more fun. Maybe next time he'd think about what he was doing before he dragged an unsuspecting fellow student from their plans. "I'm really sorry... I could take you back if you wanted?" he mumbled "I promise it would be the right place this time" he said, smiling sheepishly. He really hoped that she would choose to stay though.

He shrugged his shoulders at Ainsley's question, he wasn't exactly planning on cooking anything in the kitchens but he wasn't going to tell her that. If he had no point in going to the kitchens he doubted that she would appreciate the fact that he took her away from the library. "Well.. last time I was here there was already food made.." he said "but how hard could it be to make our own cake or something?" he asked.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley stared around the kitchen with wide eyes, still bouncing on her toes slightly. "It's. A big kitchen." She said slowly, barely aware she was speaking her thoughts out loud, her tone vague and distant. She looked back over at Aaron's offer, taking a couple of breaths and calming down enough to consider it for a long moment. "I... well. We're in the kitchen now." She said slowly. "So... we're in the kitchen."

Ainsley relaxed a little at that, settling into the fact that they were, in fact, in the kitchen, and that was just the reality of the situation. It wasn't the one Ainsley had planned for, but that certainly didn't mean it was a situation without merit, and the warm smell of fresh bread was reminding her stomach of what those merits could be. She giggled a little as Aaron spoke, shaking her head more cheerfully. "Don't be silly, cakes are hard to make! You have to be so careful and precise, or it all turns out wrong... maybe if we... is there a recipe? You said recipe books... if we find a cake recipe, we could try to make one..." Ainsley started looking around, much calmer now that she had a new plan and had settled into her situation.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron nodded enthusiastically "yep, we're in the Kitchen, and... it's great!" he said trying to keep Ainsley positive. "If you ask one of the house elves to get you something they will!" he explained but decided not to dwell on the fact in case Ainsley didn't like the idea of house elves serving them. He knew that some people didn't agree with the fact that the house elves worked in the Kitchens. "buuuuut, I think it would be far more fun to bake something ourselves. Right?" he wondered out loud, hoping the girl would agree with him.

"Yes! Exactly! Cakes are difficult... but i'm sure if we put our heads together we can do it!" he said while looking around the room for some kind of recipe book. "books.. books.. books" he mumbled "can you see any around?" he asked Ainlsey. Keen to get her involved and excited.