Along the sands of time

[Andromeda Zhefarovich]

Andromeda Zhefarovich hated herself right now. With Jaime missing, it was like she had no one to hang out with despite saying how much she wanted him to leave her alone. Seeking out someone else to hang out with was hard work since a lot of people were just not good enough. After all, not everyone had pure-blood. Andy kicked the rocks as she made her way to the lakefront for some fresh air. Andy sighed, and heard the water, which seemed to ease her mind a little bit. She heard that this was where her parents broke up once before, cause her mom hung around with a part-veela and her dad freaked out on them. Andy noticed another head of blonde hair, and cocked her head to the side. Slytherin. Slytherins were supposed to be the pureblood house, so maybe she got lucky just now. Andy strolled up to the boy, and looked to the water. What was he looking for? Or was he thinking about jumping in? Oh that water was so dirty and nasty. Surely, he wouldn't go for a swim. "Slytherin, what's your name? I sleep through most classes, so I don't listen to role call." She prayed to be magical, at least a mixed blood. Just not mudblood. She could never forgive herself if she spoke to one of those willingly.
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[Alistair Lancaster]

With his pants rolled up to his knees, and his toes splashing idly in the shores shallow water, Alistair spent his free time looking out across the lake, his thoughts straying to what lurked down below. He hadn't seen Pallos in a little while, or Triton, and he was starting to miss the merfolk. It was difficult to really "hang out" with them as much as he'd have liked to, given that he had to wait around for one to show up, and it seemed like they were spending more time in their city lately. At least, he could only assume that was the case. Perhaps it had something to do with the colder weather, with Winter on the horizon it was too cold for him to want to swim out into the water, and he thought maybe the merpeople also preferred their warmer huts or caves. He'd never seen the city to know what it was like down there.

A voice from nearby startled Alistair, and he almost jumped up from the rocky shore. People didn't usually talk to him, and he didn't really talk to people either, with Minerva and Marisol being specific exceptions, so it was a surprise to be approached by someone. Looking over his shoulder as he recovered, he noticed it was a girl from his year. A Zhefarovich, if he remembered well enough. His cousin had married one. It was one of the few family names that stood out, almost like nobility in the school. They certainly had a reputation. "I, um, I'm Alistair." He responded somewhat uneasily, unsure if she was asking for a good reason, or a bad one. He could only hope he hadn't done something to get on her, or anyone else's bad side. "Alistair Lancaster?" He added just in case, though really he couldn't be sure if that'd help or hinder him. If she knew of Esme, then maybe he'd be okay by association.
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[Andromeda Zhefarovich]

While Andy was not the friendliest of people, she did feel somewhat relieved when she heard his name. More specifically, his surname. Lancaster. That could only mean that he was related to Esme, who married her cousin. Second cousin maybe? Counting did nothing for her, so she wasn't about to say which relation in case she was wrong. "Oh good, someone with a surname I recognize." Unlike some of her other relatives that thought the same as she did, she did not know who was pure and who wasn't. Leviathan did not bother teaching that to her, thinking that she should learn on her own. It wasn't like she was going to ask anyone either, since she was a bit too much of a nuisance. Andy had a temper, and she exploded on a twitch. She also seemed bossy and very rude. Though, around some people, she did soften up a bit, but her attitude still could use some adjusting. Andy's lips curled into an almost smile, as she got a little closer to the Slytherin, but kept her distance. Not because she had the foggiest idea of what he was, but because of her own issues with being touched.

She just hated it. No physical contact for her. Andy barely tolerated hugs from her mom. It must have been something she received from her dad. "Okay, Alistair. I am Andromeda Zhefarovich, but you may call me Andy if you want. I know my name is a mouthful." She would not be surprised if she had the longest name in the school. Her parents really liked her name, and gave her that. Her siblings were named Lauden and Light, which was strange enough. Placing her arms over her chest, she cocked her head to the sides, wondering what he was doing out here. "What are you doing, anyway?" Andy wondered if he saw something interesting, but what could be fascinating about a lake? It was just water, with slimy things living under the surface.​

 

[Alistair Lancaster]

The girl seemed happy, if that was the proper term for the weird thing her mouth was doing, and didn't appear to be there for any particular bad reason as Alistair had feared. He relaxed his shoulders a little, though he thought it a little odd how she continued to speak to him from a distance, not approaching too much like she didn't want to get too close to him. Did she somehow know about what he was? Was she there to try and find out about him? He tried his best to keep his condition a secret from everyone, but he couldn't be sure those Zhefarovichs wouldn't find out now that their families had married. He'd also heard some of them had particular talents or abilities, and the thought struck him that perhaps she could read minds or something crazy like that. Despite how ridiculous that sounded, the boy did his best to not think about anything at all, instead listening closely to what the girl was saying, Andromeda, as she'd introduced herself. It was kind of a pretty name, one he preferred over Andy at least.

At being questioned over what he was doing at the lake, Alistair was quiet, not knowing how to respond without coming across as a bit weird. He didn't want to tell her he was hoping to see some merpeople, and it was too cold to pretend to be out for a swim. "I'm just...hanging out." He replied a little lamely, with no better excuse coming to mind, since he was already so focused on trying not to think about anything at all. It was a dumb plan, and he quickly realised how irrational it was to believe she really had any sort of mind reading powers. Now that he could think properly, he continued. "I was getting a headache studying - for the exams - so I came out here." An absolute lie, and one he wasn't sure sounded too solid given how much time he wasted coming up with an excuse. Anything sounded better than "waiting for mermaids", which he had a feeling someone as intimidating as a Zhefarovich wasn't going to be impressed by​

 

[Andromeda Zhefarovich]

Andy did not see that her distance would have said anything other than what she expected it. Then again, maybe she needed to explain herself at times. People didn't often understand personal space around here. She remembered that girl from her dorm, who did not take the hint at all. "I know a lot others don't get why I keep my distance, but I'll just tell you. I hate people touching me. No matter who they are. Nothing personal." Andy wanted to make sure that he knew that it was not against him. Last thing she wanted was to scare away a Lancaster. They were definitely good looking, even she could admit that. Esme was definitely beautiful. And this one, Alistair, was not bad on the eyes. Andy wasn't attracted to boys yet, but she could appreciate beauty when she saw it. Unfortunately, she did not see it in anything but those that were highly superior in society. Those among her kind anyway. That was unfortunately the way she was raised. Andy had no contrl over it, but that was how it was beaten into her brain. Her father was definitey prejudice and controlling, to the point where she was very iffy on how to make friends. She wasn't exactly allowed on the playgrounds when she was younger.

Ugh, studying was such a bore. Andy scoffed at the idea of someone actually enjoying the exams and studying for them. "I don't even bother with studying. I can't imagine anyone not wanting to die when they study." Good, he was not one of those nerds. She had them in her family. She knew one that was a prefect. Probably why she was a prefect. "Have you seen anything interesting out here? I heard there's a talking shark and a squid that might eat people." Andy shrugged her shoulders, since she didn't know if there was anything worth being out here for. Swimming here was unclean, from what she knew from her father. Andy might not show interest in anything but herself and other purebloods, but maybe if she was pointed in the right direction, she could develop a passion of her own.​

 

[Alistair Lancaster]

Alistair nodded his head in slow understanding as Andromeda explained her odd behaviour, feeling somewhat reassured by the fact it had nothing to do with him personally. It wasn't the strangest thing he'd heard, of all the things in a magical school, and he could understand it despite not prying into the exact reasons why. What made it most awkward was the fact he was sitting down and she continued to stand, and he wasn't sure if she intended to stay or move along. Though she continued to speak, and he turned slightly on the spot to better converse with her, chuckling a little at her comments on studying. It wasn't the most thrilling of things to do, and some of it, like his Transfiguration work, was harder than others. What came as a surprise was that she knew about the apparent talking shark and giant squid, mere rumours compared to what he'd seen in the water, but if she was interested in them then maybe she didn't think merpeople were lame. "I heard that there was a talking shark like over twenty years ago, but he's dead now or something. I guess he got old?" Alistair responded, looking back at the lake and wondering if a giant shark skeleton was at the bottom of its depths. It got him wondering how many mer-skeletons there were, and if they had an underwater graveyard. "I don't know anything about the giant squid, but I've seen sirens, and I think there's grindylows and hip...hippocampuses." He told her, though he couldn't be sure if she knew which species of mermaid sirens were. "I haven't seen anything yet though. Maybe some fish."
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[Andromeda Zhefarovich]

Andy did not know if she should continue standing where she was, or sit down to have a proper conversation. Andy decided on the former for now, since she was still unsure about this entire thing. But, her mind reassured her that he was a Lancaster, so he was of a worthy family. Andy crossed her legs as she sat down, folding the skirt down to not show anything. The thought of a talking shark did make her question the origin of such a thing. “I wonder if the talking shark was a transfiguration gone wrong, or just a really bad curse.” Andy shrugged her shoulders, not sure on which one that could possibly be. She hoped that it was not the former, since that would be unfortunate. Yet, it did seem like the best, logical information that she could think of. Andy turned her head toward Alistair as he explained what he had seen, and what he thought that existed down in the depths of the water. The last word, Andy did not understand. She cocked her head slightly, before dismissing it since she didn’t think it would be interesting at all. “Sirens? Like the merpeople I guess? I wonder how their songs can lead people when their talking above water is enough to wish deafness.” Andy smiled a little at the fact she even knew that much. Normally, she could be dismissed as someone who barely knew anything due to how much she slacked off, but sometimes, she even surprised herself with how much information she retained while she was sleeping in classes. It was better than nothing at all. "We might not see anything. Would be cool though."
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