Closed A Long Way Down

[Eris Athanasiou]

Eris was so annoyed with Gaia right now, she'd had one question but the girl was nowhere to be seen. Seriously she'd thought sharing a common room with the girl would make it easier to find her, but no when she had a question the redhead had disappeared like a fart in the desert. Instead she'd had to resort to climb all the way to the seventh floor and wait outside the Gryffindor common room doors like a lost puppy. It wasn't like the stairs were that bad to climb really, but Eris had better things to do than climb them. However if she wanted said question answered, she'd have to find one of her sisters sooner or later.

As she waited patiently, for the off chance that Mania would appear from the doors Eris looked around her. She assumed she'd be here for a bit so might as well just see what else was around. She walked to the railing of the stairs she'd just climbed up and curiosity took over. Leaning against the railing she looked at the stairs, but she couldn't see as much as she'd perhaps liked. So instead she leaned just a bit over it, her waist connecting with the railing. Her feet were still fully on the ground but she was itching to get on her toes, just to glance a bit further. People were walking the stairs up and down and the way down looked far further than it had really felt.

 

[Oliver Harper]

Oliver couldn't believe he was finally here. After hearing stories from both his parents and his older brother, it was finally his turn to experience it all. The Gryffindor knew he needed to explore the place himself. And that's exactly what he had done. Ollie made his way out of the common room, ready to explore the castle a little. As he was about to take the stairs to go down, he noticed a girl nearby who looked like she was leaning over the rails. Oliver wasn't concerned that she might fall face forward, but was more concerned about what she was looking at. The Gryffindor tilted his head, watching her for a bit. Either thinking of joining her and asking what she was looking at, or continuing his exploration. Ollie had decided to join her instead. "Ooooh! What are you looking at? Anything interesting?" Oliver asked the girl, as he stood next to her, trying to get a good look at whatever she was looking at, without trying to lean forward like she was.

 

[Eris Athanasiou]

Eris had taken it upon herself to observe a certain student walking up the stairs, they seemed to have way more books than they were capable of handling. She felt a little bad, but perhaps not bad enough to rush down to help them. they did seem to have it under control after all, for now anyways. As someone appeared next to her and asked what she was doing Eris glanced he boy's way skeptically. "Um, just people watching?" She offered, glancing back down. "Wouldn't say it's that interesting though, but it's better than staring at a wall." The Slytherin added. "Oh, that kid is about to walk into the other one's back." Eris said pointing at the one with their nose in the book, approaching a boy that was taking his sweet time walking up the stairs.

 

[Oliver Harper]

Oliver tilted his head to the side in confusion. People watching? He guessed that was... interesting. He then watched as she pointed to a couple of students down below, anticipating what they'd be doing next. "What are you predicting would happen? You reckon they'd argue? Or say sorry and go on with their day?" Oliver questioned the girl, thinking of scenarios of what they'd possibly do. There were different outcomes of what could happen, but he'd like to play this fun little game of predictions.

 

[Eris Athanasiou]

Eris glanced at the boy and then back at the students, considering the question. "The one with the book is going to walk into his back and stumble backwards, the one being walked into is gonna stumble forward a little bit then he is going to turn around, with a frown." She explained. "The one with the book is going to apologize and get all awkward and then the other one will be like 'what are you doing watch where you go'." Eris was now making her voice go lower, just to play the part. "They'll have a few awkward moments where they just stare at each other then they'll either move on with their day or think about it for the rest of it." As the Slytherin finished her prediction she turned to the boy, tilting her head slightly. "Your turn, what do you think will happen?"

 

[Oliver Harper]

Oliver keeps watching the pair down below as the girl explains her prediction. He guessed she made sense, and that was a good theory. He nodded along. Ollie then thought for a moment of what his prediction was. "Hmm" He says as he thought aloud. "I reckon there's gonna be like, a huge argument once they bump into each other. Maybe they might become enemies or something forever" Ollie theorises as he explains it like he's telling a scary story. "Maybe a lot of yelling that someone might need to get involved to stop it" Ollie explains. He liked this game, predicting what these people would do just from people watching.

 

[Eris Athanasiou]

Eris hummed at the boys prediction. It was a good one, though she doubted the two would become mortal enemies from just a silly little hallway clash. She didn't say that to the boy out loud though. "Oh, it's happening drum roll." Eris said conspiratorially and watched the two students like a hawk. Ad they collided the book fell out of the hand of its holder, there was a loud screech, from both students, a panicked look up and multiple apologies from the one that had just rad a book and then..... nothing. They just stared at each other and burst out into laughter. "Oh-" Eris said her brows furrowing as she glanced next to her to the boy. "Well I guess neither of us saw that one coming?" She said with a soft laugh and as she turned to the two students down they were now walking together, looking like they were friends or something.

 

[Oliver Harper]

Oliver did a small drum roll on top of the railing, as the girl had spoken about a drumroll, watching in anticipation of what was going to happen. He frowned a little as neither of their theories had stuck. He laughed quietly along with the girl. "Nope, I don't think so" Ollie says with a chuckle and shake of his head. He looked around to see if there were any other students who could guess what would happen next. Ollie then noticed another student nearby talking to a painting, though he couldn't make out if they were arguing or not. "Look over there, do you think they're talking or arguing about something?" Oliver says, as he points below to the student and the painting, thinking of a theory of what would happen next.

 

[Eris Athanasiou]

Eris laughed as the boy agreed with her that that had not been what either of them had expected. She liked this game though, it was much more fun than just waiting around on her own. She was looking for more possible disasters brewing when the boy pointed out to a student talking to a painting. "I think that the girl is asking the painting for how to get back to her common room. She kind of looks like a first year so probably got lost. The guy in the painting though looks like he'd much rather be doing anything else right about now so I think he might tell her off any second now." She theorized looking at the scene unfolding. "Could be also having a friendly chat but the girl looks a bit lost I'm not going to lie..." Eris clarified looking at the student who seemed to be looking from the painting to around her for someone to perhaps point her to a way or another.

 

[Oliver Harper]

Ollie nods at what the girl says about the student and the painting, somewhat agreeing to what she had to say about it. "Yeah, he doesn't seem all cheery. No sunshine and rainbows in sight" Oliver says with a small frown and shake of his head. "I reckon he's gonna be annoyed at her and then walk off" Oliver says, as he tries to crane his neck in at the sight of the first year and the painting, unsure of what to make of the situation would turn out to be. He did feel a little bad for the girl down below, though. He then turned his head towards the girl beside him. "I'm Oliver by the way, but you can call me Ollie if you wanna"

 

[Eris Athanasiou]

Eris nodded as the boy agreed with her. Definitely no sunshine nor rainbows in sight. "Probably yeah, could have found a nicer portrait, more helpful maybe." She said with a shrug. She could have ran down and tried to help the girl herself but that seemed like a bit too much trouble right now. Everyone had to learn to find their own way. "I'm Eris, just Eris there's not much you can do to shorten that one I fear, but nice to meet you." Eris said turning to look at Ollie.

 

[Oliver Harper]

Oliver nodded quickly. "Yeah, I guess the portrait isn't child-friendly" Oliver joked with a shake of his head, as he then watched the girl walk away from the portrait, looking more upset than she had been initially. He grinned when the Slytherin girl had introduced herself. "Nice to meet ya Eris" Oliver says with a smile and nod. He then looked around. "Is standing on the edge of staircases something you usually do?"

 

[Eris Athanasiou]

Eris nodded, agreeing with Ollie on that one. She leaned further into the railing just to see the stairs, but still not going too far over so she wouldn't fall down. She grinned conspiratorially when the boy asked if this was something she usually did. "Actually last time I got caught hanging halfway out the window in the owlery, so I suppose." She gave a nonchalant shrug, as if that hadn't almost started a whole archnemesis situation with another first year. However the Slytherin had avoided that situation by the skin of her teeth. "I suppose I should try to be less reckless with it though," she said a bit more seriously now and to make the point leaned back so she wasn't so far over the railing.