Closed Almost Like Home

[Juniper Veritas]

Juniper had grown accustomed to leaving her family behind every year for school now, it was less dreadful than it had been her first few years. She'd been so terrified at first of coming to school and leaving mum and mama behind with her siblings, of being all on her own. It'd eaten her alive that first time she'd boarded the train. Now as she'd returned for her third year the longing for her home was still there, but instead of the constant terrible gnawing feeling at the pit of her stomach, for the familiarity that her family and home offered, there now was a dull pounding of longing every now and then.

It didn't accompany the Hufflepuff at all hours of the day. Instead it crept behind her like a shadow in the daylight would, unexpected and sudden. Today was one of those days that the home sickness had crept in. Juniper had enjoyed most of the day when she'd walked along the halls and saw something that reminded her of her mama. It had made Juniper miss the woman so much, she'd tried to sit with the jar of sand she'd gathered from home to dull the home sickness but when that hadn't worked the third year had made her way outside. She'd walked all the way over to the lakefront and sat down. She was watching the rippling water, her jar of sand next to her as she every now and then ran her fingers through the water.

"My first week of lessons went over fast, it was less terrifying than last year." She spoke to the water softly. There might have been nobody listening to her words, but it didn't matter. She often liked to talk to the ocean outside their house at home and this was the closest thing to the ocean she could get while tat the castle. "I still don't like the dungeons though, they... feel cold and dark, I like Potions but I hate going down there." She continued, still watching the water move softly as she frowned.

 

[Galaxias]

Sky-tides changing - warmer water near surfaces, light filtering through. Nice to swim up high. Nice to look too - just peek, watch four arms in the distance - never talk, only see! Warm, warm, enjoying water. Sound? Four arms! Talking! Close! Should go, swim down, hide, back to shoal! But... but maybe peek? Small look, small look - eyes out of water, tip head just enough to hear - sound so icy and strange in air! Quiet, quiet, try not to be seen, listen to strange four arms language!

 

[Juniper Veritas]

Juniper drew in a long breath as she stared at the water. It calmed her, as much as sitting on the ground that was slightly damp under her did. As she stared at the water she imagined it listening to her, imagined there was someone or something besides her friends that heard her and didn't judge her. "I think I am becoming braver. I want to be braver." She admitted, watching the water as it rippled.

"Sometimes I wish I was like the others I see putting themselves out there. That I was sure of myself and didn't doubt every move I make and worry about what others might think." It was pouring out of her now because nobody was actually listening, it was just her and the water. At least that was what Juniper thought it was, there was something in the water but she was just putting it down on as a shade from a tree or maybe a wave? Juni wasn't sure but she kept talking. "Mum says it isn't wrong to be soft, that it can be my superpower but what if she is wrong?" Being soft meant that the world could take advantage of that, that peoples actions got to her easier.