An Important Message

[Alaska Waterhouse]

Alaska had taken the time to write a letter for her family almost two weeks ago; she knew her mother was fretting all the way from America yet she hadn't found the time to send it away. The Slytherin girl liked to think she knew her way to the owlery, it was in a tower and thanks to astronomy class - she knew where the towers where. Holding her letter tightly, Alaska just kept climbing the stairs, she knew that either she'd meet a dead end, a classroom, or the owlery. All three were an easily solvable option. The girl's thoughts had wandered back to her family frequently since coming to New Zealand. She missed her little sister's quirks that usually annoyed her, her mother's nagging, and her father's pats on the shoulder. Alaska couldn't believe everything that drove her crazy, became the things she missed most. Suddenly feeling a wave of home sickness, the Slytherin hoped nobody else was coming or going from the owlery. Alaska never enjoying crying, especially not in front of other people; but one by one tears came from the girl's eyes. Quickly drying her tears as they came, Alaska's sleeve getting damper; the girl hoped to not look puffy, she didn't want to be seen as a crybaby. Not wanting to trip and fall to her death, Alaska sat on the edge of a stair wondering if she should send her letter.
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[Desislav Zhefarovich]

Desislav was just busy walking around, only barely searching for the secret room. It wasn’t as fun to look around without Kayleigh. She kept them focused on the task, and without her present, Desi found himself more interested in watching the paintings. As a horse trotted out of his painting, Desi moved on. He thought he heard a noise ahead and wondered if that was where the horse had gone to. But, as he rushed up the steps, he found that it wasn’t. It was a young girl and she was crying. Ready to back down the stairs to let the girl have a moment alone, Desi paused. Lately, he’d been thinking more about what he should do in situations rather than what he wanted to do. He wanted to walk away but maybe just maybe that wasn’t what he should do. So, hesitantly the boy moved forward.

He didn’t have younger siblings, so it wasn’t like he knew how to deal with a younger brother or sister. Kayleigh was younger than him, but she was bossy and acted like she thought she was twenty, so he was pretty sure she didn’t count either. “Um…are you ok? Do you want me to get a professor?” Desi finally asked, his voice much deeper than it had been but thankfully no longer cracking as much as it once used to. This was one of the few times where he kind of wished a professor would come around. Surely, they'd know what to do for a crying student more than he did.

 

[Alaska Waterhouse]

Alaska knew homesickness was normal, her mother told her it happened to everybody. What was really making her embarrassed is that she started crying while walking to deliver her letter. A soft sniffle made the girl wipe her eyes on her sleeve, she hoped once her face looked normal again to find the owlery. Hearing an unexpected voice, Alaska head snapped up towards the boy, undeniably caught off guard. She took a second, giving him a quick scan; deeming he looked safe Alaska cleared her throat, "Yeah, sorry I was just heading to the owlery," Her American accent sounding loud in the tower; embarrassed by how pathetic she must've looked, answering the rest of the boy's question Alaska couldn't quite make eye contact. "Homesickness, I don't think that calls for a professor," she gave a closed smile. Standing back up, the slytherin brushed herself off - she thought of just turning around and heading upwards, but it occurred to her that she didn't actually know where she was going. Glancing up, Alaska tried to un-crumple her letter a bit; she didn't know if the older student was there or not, but she asked anyways, "Do you know where the owlery is exactly?" A light blush hit her cheeks as she turned back to face him, "I have a letter, but my owl is back home," she tried to explain herself, even though she probably didn't need to.


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[Desislav Zhefarovich]

Desislav kept a neutral expression on his face as he listened to the young girl speak. He felt bad to see her crying and was glad when she sort of stopped. As she explained what he believed to be the source of her crying, Desi let out a long “Ohhhhhhh.” It was hard for him to feel too homesick when he had his siblings with him and most of his cousins and uncles and other relatives everywhere he turned, but he knew what it was to miss people that you loved. He missed his sister a lot because she lived far away, and sometimes he missed talking about quidditch with his dad or eating with his mom.

“You’re in luck! You’ve found one of the best guides at Hogwarts New Zealand. ‘Course I can show you the way” Desislav brightened, glad that there was some way he could help her. He reached into his robe pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a small red handkerchief from it and held it out to her slightly, trying to keep her from seeing that there was a white and then a yellow and then a blue and orange before it actually ended. “Here” he stated easily. It was actually one of those ‘never-ending’ handkerchiefs that muggle magicians used, and he’d purchased it during the break. Desi hoped that the small joke would make the girl feel better.

 

[Alaska Waterhouse]

Chewing her lip, Alaska hoped the older boy wasn't annoyed by finding her stupidly sitting and crying on the staircase. The Slytherin didn't know his situation, if he ever felt homesick or if he had tons of family in New Zealand - or even at Hogwarts. He seemed kind, not a stone of a person; which Alaska could come off as at times. Hearing the boy's understanding, Alaska just nodded giving cheeks a wipe hoping she wasn't blotchy or puffy. There was no way the Slytherin would allow herself to look socially immature in front of someone more influential than herself.

Giving an excited smile, Alaska was unimaginably grateful to have run into the older boy. It was unlike her to admit to needing help, and luckily he seemed more than able; "Oh good! How lucky am I too have run into you?" she told the boy truthfully. Letting out an awkwardly shaky breath, Alaska blushed bright again. Curious to what was in his pocket Alaska tried to not crane her neck too obviously. Realizing it was a tissue, the girl reached out - needed to wipe her eyes. Seeing two or three more tissues come from his pocket she was confused, "Wha- oh!" giving a laugh, she recognized the string of handkerchiefs from a muggle movie she saw a few years ago. Giving her eyes a quick wipe, Alaska couldn't stop giggling. "Thank you, I can wash it and return it too you by dinner if that works?" Her mother taught her better than to return something dirty. Feeling much better she looked up the stairs, "Where to captain?" Alaska joked with the taller boy.
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[Desislav Zhefarovich]

Desislav chuckled as she kept on pulling, the handkerchief coming clear out of his pocket. At least, she laughed. It sure beat seeing her cry. Laughter he could work with. The Gryffindor shrugged his shoulders. "Sure" he replied, not really in a rush to get it back. Now that he had tried it out, it would be a while before he used that trick again. He couldn't let himself be a one-hit wonder. The young girl looked a lot happier already. Perhaps not being lost did thought, though she still technically was since they hadn't moved.

"Thattaway" he pointed towards the corridor to the right of the stairs, wondering which way she'd tried. "The best way to remember is that you've gotta pass the goblins in the Gringotts vault, the unicorn with the fairies, and when you get to the poodle on the flying carpet, it's the second staircase" he kept up a ramble as they walked, not even realizing that the girl probably had no clue he was talking about the paintings on the way there. Desi liked to watch them, though the goblins always seemed a bit grumpy when they were still in the painting. "What'd you say your name was again?" Desi added. "I'm Desislav" he finished, figuring that if this girl knew of him, it was probably by his nickname. He'd become known as a prankster which wasn't always a good thing to some people.