Closed Apologies & Portrait Ponder

[Harper Fletcher]

The last two months had gone on longer than Harper ever wished they could. His sister has found every reason under the sun to argue and fight with him and he has almost lost his patience with her. After writing home to his mom, she encouraged him to make amends with his sister. The problem is every time she sees him, she goes storming off somewhere else. Elizabeth spent a lot of time outside, but Harper didn't feel like wandering around the large grounds of Hogwarts. He made his way to the seventh-floor cooridor all the way from the dungeons. That was a walk that he didn't enjoy taking.

Harper walked down the corridor and lingered outside the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. His hope was that he could catch on her way back from wherever she was. He put his hands in his pocket and began to look at the artwork on the walls. Portraits of all sizes filled his view and he tried to seem interested; like he was there with a purpose.

 

[Rosalind Lockwood]

Rose needed to talk to Ren. After her talk with Professor Carter, Scott, and then Jasper, she was starting to think maybe she had taken things too far in protecting her siblings. She'd been so angry since arriving to school, and it was draining. She sighed as she walked back up to their dorms. Ren had to be up there, stashed away somewhere with his sketchbook. She rounded the corner, pausing as she saw someone new. Well... not new. Didn't they have classes together? She bit her lip and approached. "Hey, are you waiting for someone?" She tried to sound friendly, softer than she'd been all semester. Hostile and stand-off-ish wasn't going to keep her going for seven years here.

 

[Harper Fletcher]

Harper's gaze shifted from the portraits to a girl's voice. He recognized her from classes but hadn't paid much attention to her name. Removing his hands from his pocket, he folded his arms. "Admiring the portraits." He lied. There wasn't a good reason to lie, but Harper had already committed to looking like he was admiring the portraits. Besides, whose business was it if he was there for his sister? Certainly not somebody whose name he didn't know. "Are you waiting for someone?" Harper returned the question with a smile.

 

[Rosalind Lockwood]

Rose shrugged. The guy was a terrible liar. At least, she thought he was lying. Either way, she wouldn't challenge it. If he wanted to pretend to study portraits, who cared? She put a hand on the strap of her bag. "Yes and no. I'm going in since I stay there, but I was hoping to run into my stupid brother, too." She almost started to walk away, but stopped herself. Wasn't she supposed to be attempting to be less hostile now? She rubbed her neck awkwardly. "Rose. My name is Rose." She told him even though he didn't ask. "You're... in my class," She said lamely, not remembering his name.

 

[Harper Fletcher]

Harper relaxed his posture, she was doing the same thing he was. Her name was easy, he was surprised he hadn't remembered it from class. "I'm Harper." He said with a wave. "You are a roommate with my sister, Elizabeth." Harper shrugged, he had no idea how close they were or if they got along. He wished he would've thought about that before he said anything. Any class he and Rose had together, was one he had with Elizabeth.

 

[Rosalind Lockwood]

Rose nodded. "Lucky you. You're in a different house, aren't you?" She gave him a small smile. "I didn't want to be Gryffindor, honestly. My brother is, too. I wanted to be Hufflepuff with my older sister, but the hat didn't like that." She winced, shuffling her feet, unsure what to do. "You must be waiting for her then, she's friends with my cousin. I can get her if you want?" She offered, running a hand through her hair.

 

[Harper Fletcher]

Harper knew he wouldn't enjoy being in Gryffindor, they seemed to all run-around and get in trouble. Just like Elizabeth. "I'm Slytherin." He replied, folding his arms in front of his chest. "I like it." Harper didn't know what to expect when coming from Hogwarts, but he hoped that being in a house that valued ambition would aid him. After his father's death, he decided he wanted to make a name for himself and do something with his life, be able to take care of his mother when she gets old. His eyebrows raised and nose twitched when she mentioned he must be waiting for her.

Apologizing to Elizabeth was a chore and an adventure, she wouldn't stop to listen unless she was ready. Harper was more annoyed with her than anything and didn't believe he owed her an apology. He really didn't want to wait for her and didn't want to have to apologize, but that's what makes his mom happy. Harper would do anything for his mom. "No. That's alright. She'll see me if she wants to." He wondered who her cousin was, Elizabeth hasn't talked to him about her friends since they started fighting. Hogwarts wasn't going anything like he had expected. "Do you like it here?" Harper blurted his thoughts to Rose.

 

[Rosalind Lockwood]

Rose wondered if Slytherin would be better than Gryffindor. She shrugged as he said not to get his sister. Whatever then, it was his choice. He asked if she liked it here and the question caught her off guard. "No," She blurted, wincing at her bluntness. She rubbed the back of her neck. "It's just- pretty much everyone seems idiotic and bent on breaking all the rules, which were obviously there for a reason, but hey, anything for an adventure, right? It's stupid. My brother is lazy and doesn't care about anything but his art and my sister is naive and too trusting of idiots too willing to get her in trouble dragging her on stupid adventures and neither of them will listen to me." She shook her head, sighing. "Sorry, I- I didn't mean to go on like that." She bit her lip. "Do you like it here?" She asked in return.