After Flying

[Lily Cliffeton]

Lily couldn't believe that she'd gone to the stupid flying lesson. That had been a stupid idea. Lily had just stood there, refusing to do anything. Lily hadn't known why she hadn't just skipped the lesson, she was of no use. Lily couldn't help but be annoyed about the fact she'd gone. Lily in this first week had been pretty much religious in everything she did. Classes included. Even the no wearing uniform thing. Lily had not once this week worn the uniform she'd bought. Which meant that she generally looked ten times better than most. So this was one of the only factors which left Lily thinking that the school wasn't bad. Still wearing the same clothes from the previous lesson, Lily made her way to the cliffs. Like usual. She slipped the sunglasses which had been holding back her hair over eyes and took the tie off and place it inside her bag. Lily liked the cliffs they were tranquil and nice. They were her favourite spot.

After taking a seat on the very edge, with her legs hanging over the edge. Lily could relax. No one ever came to the lakes, when she was there. It was her spot. It would always be her spot. She would hate to be disturbed in this moment. Lily place her hands on top of her legs and clasped them. She loved this spot. It was the only place in hogwarts worth sticking around for.

 

[Jessame Rose Trewelly]

Jessame Rose had watched Livia with interest during the flying lesson, and when she say her head off in a different direction to everyone else afterwards, she decided to follow. She was actually quite excited to speak to her, one of the few people she'd known before Hogwarts began. She'd been so nice then, and J.R. actually felt kind of bad for having run away.

It seemed Livia was headed towards the cliffs. Jess had only been there once before, and that wasn't entirely intentional. She felt awkward about breaking the school rules, but for some reason was determined to talk to Livia. She was too shy to call out to her, so just followed until the Slytherin came to a halt and sat down on the very edge of what seemed like the world. Jess approached silently.

"Livia?" she spoke softly, shyly, "I saw you at the lesson." Jess stood awkwardly, not at all sure what to do now that she'd caught up to Livia.

 

[Lily Cliffeton]

Lily looked up quite surprised that not only someone else was at the cliffs but actually knew her name, her fake one of course. Lily tried to not be too surprised at the sight of the girl. She had quite liked Jess. Her fashion sense, was of course quite awful, but the girl, just like Lily hated magic. The girl maybe more than Lily. She hadn't really gotten the time to know Jess, since Jess had run out the hall and was a hufflepuff, where Lily was Slytherin. And this meant that she couldn't really be friends with the girl. Or be seen to be friends with the girl.

"Did you now." Lily said, a little coldly and as if she wanted the girl to go away. But Lily reminded herself that Jess, wasn't as bad as the others. They did have one thing in common, hatred of magic. Lily moved slightly to say, you can sit down.

"I didn't see you." Lily said, with a slightly fake smile. "You can sit down if you want. Liking magic yet?" Lily said a little jokingly, knowing that the girls most likely answer was no.

 

[Jessame Rose Trewelly]

Jess, in turn, was surprised at Livia's cold attitude. What had happened to the friendly girl she'd met at the meeting? Jess hesitated before sitting down, but rationalised that she herself had probably become a lot more cynical and stand-offish since discovering magic, too. In any case, she did sit, albeit nervously, and replied. "I'll never like it. And if I do, I hope someone puts me out of my misery before I become like the rest of them." Jess only spoke her true thoughts to Livia because she had read the contempt the Slytherin had for magic in her eyes. She would never have said it to anyone else. Well, she'd said something similar to Sam, but that was a mistake. She wouldn't do that again.

"I like your shorts." Jess offered. She'd become painfully aware, in the last week, how much she stood out in her scruffy, comfortable clothes. Even the uniform she was currently wearing looked scruffy on her. She wondered how she might go about changing her own style. She'd never thought about it before. She'd never given much thought to what she wore at all. She just threw on whatever was in her closet. She never shopped; her foster mother did that for her, and even when Sarah did buy anything 'nice,' J.R. usually rejected it on the grounds of impracticality. "I noticed you didn't touch a broomstick. I didn't either. I never want to."

 

[Lily Cliffeton]

Lily did think she was slowly coming round to the idea of magic and this did scare her slightly. She didn't want to be a witch. She was a dancer. Lily wouldn't go to such extremes as Jess, said she might but Lily was beginning to see the advantages of magic. Lily looked down at her shorts as Jess commented on them.

"I like them too." Lily said smiling at them. But wondering what Jess knew about fashion. The girl, didn't exactly have a style. Lily had to admit, Jess was quite pretty, and would be if she tried. Lily would happily help this girl improve her style. Though Lily didn't exact want to be seen, ever with this girl. Maybe when she had style, but not now. Lily was trying to create an image for herself as a worthy, fashionable Slytherin. Lily gave a cold laugh at Jess' last comment.

"Good for you." Lily said, in usual soft and slightly cold voice. "I don't see why we even have to go to the lesson. It's just so stupid. I don't to fly. It's just not human"

 

[Jessame Rose Trewelly]

Jessame Rose wasn't entirely sure what to make of Livia. She didn't know how to talk to her, and she knew for certain the Slytherin had judged her clothing already. She wondered if she could tell that it was all second hand. She'd gone to teh second hand shop primarily because it meant getting everything in one place, and saved her heaps of time. Now, however, she was beginning to think that it was a good thing that she had some galleons left over. Jess made up her mind there and then that she would start to dress like Livia. But how to go about it?

"That's right. Magic is so wrong. Um... where did you get those shorts? It's just... I uh, I think I'm going to buy some new clothes and... " Jess trailed off. She avoided Livia's eyes, but was tuned in to her every movement.

 

[Lily Cliffeton]

Lily nodded. She then looked up curiously to Jess. Maybe the girl had seen the errors of her fashion ways. Lily had to smile at this. The girl had terrible fashion sense and Lily was more than happy to help. Even though Jess hadn't really asked for help. Lily was going to give it to her if she liked it or not. Though, there was the problem, of the fact that Lily didn't really want to be seen with Jess. They'd have to do it either really early or late. That was if Jess agreed to it.

"I got them from a muggle store, not too far from my house. Muggle fashion tends to be better than wizarding." Lily said a little excitedly. "I can help you find new clothes. I know all about fashion. I can make you fashionable. If you want"

 

[Jessame Rose Trewelly]

Jess couldn't believe it. This was exactly what she wanted to hear! She looked at Livia suspiciously, trying to judge if she was having a laugh at her expense, but Jess only saw an honest desire to help in Livia's eyes. She smiled gratefully. "That would help. A lot." She looked down at her sensible but worn lace-up school shoes and back to Livia. "I have no idea where to begin."

 

[Lily Cliffeton]

Lily smiled happily. She was very happy at being able to help Jess. She was very happy to help a girl in a fashion crisis. Lily wanted to get started right away, she had to know what the girl did know about fashion and if the girl had anything remotely fashionable. This did cause a problem. Lily didn't want to be seen anywhere near the Hufflepuff common room.

"Okay, well, we have to go shopping." Lily stated, showing that Jess had no say in the matter, they were going shopping. "We don't have to buy anything straight away, we just need to find what suits you best. We should go at the first weekend in Brightstone. They aren't brilliant for clothes but they'll have to do."

 

[Jessame Rose Trewelly]

J.R. immediately began to relax. She was in capable hands. Livia would do everything and J.R. could just go along with it. This might be easier than she thought. When she had made the decision to change the way she dressed, she had felt awful thinking about all the new things she'd have to learn, all the mistakes she could unknowingly make, all the worry. It was as though Livia were giving her a gift. "Okay." She agreed obediently and gratefully. She'd do anything Livia told her if it would help her to blend in.

She sighed with relief and let a brief smile cross her face as she looked out over the open ocean. The fact that the cliffs were off limits to students made her feel a little bitter, as this had to be the most beautiful place at Dumbwarts. You could easily forget you were at a magic school with a giant cold castle looming over everything in the distance behind you. Jess wondered if she should spend more time out here. It would mean going against the rules, but... maybe it was worth it. She'd have to think on it. In the mean time, she had to figure out a way to get Livia a little more relaxed around her. She sensed it was something to do with her style, or lack of it. Livia seemed to be wary of being seen with her.

"Don't worry, you don't have to pretend to be friends if you don't want. We can pretend we just happened to be at the same shop at the same time," she offered, making it clear that she knew where she stood in their tentative relationship.

 

[Lily Cliffeton]

Lily wasn't too surprised that Jess had caught on to Lily's reluctantness to be openly friends with Jess. Lily gave a small nod. She would prefer that, but this girl had been nice to Lily and hated Magic and the school more than Lily did. Okay, this girl was a Hufflepuff but Lily could get over that fact, as long as Jess didn't say anything, wear anything or do anything that would make people see that she was a hufflepuff.

"It's fine. Really. As soon as you have good clothes, people will want to be your friend. And We'll be both very popular." Lily said. not too sure if popularity was what the girl was looking for but it was worth a shot. "So where shall we meet to go shopping?"

 

[Jessame Rose Trewelly]

((Huge apologies for huge delay. Busy busy in Emma-land!))

"It's fine. Really. As soon as you have good clothes, people will want to be your friend. And We'll be both very popular." Jess couldn't believe what she was hearing Livia say. Was it true? For the first time in her life (well, the second, but the first time didn't turn out so well), she began to hope she might have a chance of truly fitting in. Jess hated being noticed, but if people liked her, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. People wanting to be her friend? Popular? Jess let the idea sink in for a moment. She smiled widely and imitated the way Livia was sitting. She decided she would follow Livia's every instruction.

"This is the beginning of something great. I can feel it." Jess spoke with confidence. "I don't know Brightstone very well, or at all, so let's just go together." She smiled again. She was actually going to be popular!

((So we missed the first Brightstone weekend, shall we pretend we went or wait until next time?))

 

[Lily Cliffeton]

Lily nodded. She loved seeing the smile on the girls face. Of course in reality she didn't think that instant popularity would happen, but Lily knew enough people that were into fashion which would happily be pretend friends with another fashionable person. Lily just hoped that Jess wouldn't expect them all to be nice. Most people with fashion, were Slytherins. Lily smiled happily and nodded again.

"Yeah, lets go. I'll just meet you at the entrance." Lily said with a nod. She didn't know Brightstone village much better, but Lily had to pretend that she did. "Wear your best clothes for shopping and I promise you it will be the start of something great"


[I don't mind, how about pretend they went, If that's cool?]

 

[Jessame Rose Trewelly]

Jessame Rose could hardly contain herself. "Thanks, Livia. I'll see you there," she said and quickly stood up, not wanting to intrude on her new 'friend's' time any longer, although she still had a million questions. She rushed back to her dorm and looked through all of her clothes. She finally decided on what she would wear when the opportunity to go shopping arose.

((Sweet, pretending is good for me! I'm going to need a new banner - do you want to do it?))