As Easy As It Looks, Right?

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin sprawled near a gnarled tree about seven feet from the edge of the cliffs. A small group of rocks littered the ground in front of the large bolder he perched on. It was flat and wide, he likened it to an illegal flying carpet. From his pocket he withdrew the small stone statue his grandfather had given him. He didn't mistake it for a gift from the old man's heart, rather a useful learning tool. Yet he treasured this small statue and kept it safe with him.

He palmed his wand and leaned forward, forearms braced on knees after he'd set the statue carefully down. The stone beneath it was not smooth as the statue of a man with a monkeyish face. Concentrating, barely breathing, Crispin stared at the statue. "Piertotum Locomotor." Words spoken calmly yet firmly, with serious intent.

The tiny stone man began to slowly climb around the rocks. It would put its arms behind its back, scowl more deeply then walk around as though either deep in thought or planning something. Crispin's lips curved slightly. He loved this spell.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera was casually walking about the Hogwarts grounds. There wasn't logic for why she was doing this; it was still winter and she hated the cold. It certainly was cold outside today, but she was bundled up. Kiera had even conjured a few bluebells to follow her around. However she could still feel the chill of the wind when it blew.

Kiera had been doing a good bit of thinking lately about her new responsibility and promotion. She was incredibly nervous that she would mess up. Alex didn't want anything to do with the position so that left all the responsibility on her shoulders. Today, she was once again thinking about that. Kiera made her way to her favorite place to sit and think. The Cliffs. However, there was a boy already there.

As Kiera got closer, the boy looked more and more familiar. A face she had forgotten until now. Kiera stared incredulously at the boy. She knew him but had thought him a lost friend. "Crispin?" she asked as she made her final steps towards him.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Steps sounded behind him. Crispin cast finite nonverbally and scooped up the statue, pocketing it as he turned to face the newcomer. At first the young woman who called him by name was unfamiliar to him. Then he saw it in her smile. Flashes hit him of a gawky boy trying hard not to be afraid in front of two pretty girls. "Kiera? You-grew up," he finished lamely. She had grown up. Taller and if possible, more pretty than he remembered.

Awkwardly he shifted from foot to foot before shoving his hands deep in his coat pockets. The cold didn't bother him so much, he was used to freezing at his grandfather's drafty old house. They said heat rises but he'd never seen any evidence in his a frame bedroom in the attic. "How've you been?" He wondered what all he had missed during his years away.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera smiled brightly as he remembered her. She was still a tiny girl, only two inches taller than she had been when she knew him. Kiera was 5 feet tall with long curly brown hair. Her hair had grown and she looked older than before. Kiera examined Crispin as she got closer. He was different too. Definitely older and more mature looking. He was certainly handsome. Kiera laughed as Crispin said she grew up.

Her eyes sparkled with mischief as he told her that she had grown up. "It has been several years since I last saw you. I thought you had deserted me." she teased him. "I've been well. Did you hear? They made me Head Girl! I thought my head was going to explode when they told me." she said laughing. "But enough about me. How have you been?" she asked the handsome boy in front of her.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

If only it had been his choice when he'd left. He'd decided to be forthright with what had happened to him. He wouldn't hide anything anymore from the friends he'd once had. "My grandfather withdrew me to homeschool me. The statement was matter of fact yet held bitterness. "He passed away so I've returned here."

His lips quirked at the corners. "Head Girl? Impressive." His grin widened a bit more. "Since we're not supposed to really be here, am I in trouble?" He sidestepped her last question with his teasing. Telling her where he'd been and why was easy. Speaking of the nightmare he'd lived with Arcturus was another.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera didn't understand why Crispin's grandfather would pull him out of school. She frowned as Crispin said that he only returned because his grandfather died. He didn't exactly sound sad about the fact. Kiera thought that there must have been more to that story than he was letting on. Kiera wouldn't push him for details yet. "Wow, home schooled?" she said making a face. "I was homeschooled before I came to Hogwarts. I didn't like it. I didn't have any friends." she admitted. Kiera had only know one real friend. It was hard to make friends in the gymnastics world.

Kiera flashed her friend a grin as he complimented her on her new promotion. Then she laughed as he asked if he was in trouble for being out on the Cliffs. She shook her head. "Of course not. I'm out here too aren't I?" she teased back. "It really means that you are safe for trouble...at least for the time being." she said grinning mischievously. After all, Kiera got in her fair share of trouble not related to school.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin rather liked the vibe coming from his old friend. She seemed to have become a bit fun loving and mischievous. He envied her and wondered what it was like to seem to be so free. Hands in his pockets, he smirked and regarded her. "As long as I don't have to go into the Borely Mansion, I'd say we're good." A bit awkwardly, he cast about for something to talk about.

"Does Caysi still go here?" he wondered.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera grinned as he remembered back to all those years ago at the Borely Mansion. She smiled brightly at him and shook her head. "I say your safe from that." she said with a wink. "You know I don't think I have been there since I was last there with you." she mused, thinking it was a bit odd that she hadn't been there since that day. "I won't make any promises about the forest or the lake." she said, knowing you could find plenty of trouble there.

Kiera's eyes grew sad as he mentioned her best friend Caysi. She shook her head at his question. "I'm afraid she doesn't. I actually don't know what happened to her. She came back last year but then just vanished again. I've been worried about her." she admitted. Kiera smiled again at Crispin. "It is good to have you back though." she said honestly.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

"Oh." Crispin crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. It was hard to wade through who was left here from the life he'd once had. "I'm sorry. I would have liked to see her again. It's odd, being back." He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "But the squid's still at the lake right?"

He paused and let his eyes roam over the cliffs once more. The wild untamed country pulled at his heart. It was filled with beauty, wild beauty. His gaze cut back to Kiera. "Have you chosen your career yet?"

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera watched Crispin. Already she noticed there was something distinctly different about him. She didn't know if it was just because he had grown up or if it was something else. Kiera didn't say anything about it though. It was too soon for that. Kiera nodded her head when he said he would have liked to see Caysi. He wasn't the only one. Kiera smiled at his next sentence. "You'll get used to it again soon enough." she assured him. Kiera grinned if he asked if the squid was still in the lake. "As far as I know. I haven't seen it in a while luckily."

Kiera was afraid of the question that Crispin had asked her. She sighed before looking at him. "To be honest, I think I might go back to the muggle world. Just to go to the Olympics next year. After that, I'll probably end up playing Professional Quidditch. I'm getting pressured into it." she admitted, not really sure what he would think. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

When Crispin had turned nine years old, his birthday had been an even of mixed blessings. Amidst remnant tears for his dead parents and self pity, the boy had been left in the care of Miss Liza because Arcturus took ill and wanted the boy out of the house. The old man had been convinced children were the breeding ground for bacteria and would be the death of him. So Crispin had spent his birthday at her old house with her dotty sister, eating tea and cakes and watching muggle Olympics on a grainy black and white telly. It'd been mostly green because the screen was old but he'd found the way both boys and girls contorted themselves effortlessly.

"Are you not happy, to be competing?" He wondered why she was letting others choose her future for her. What sort of future would he have had if the old man had lived? Probably brewing potions for profit and soaking in bitterness. He fell silent until her last question was asked. "I've chosen to be an Obliviator. I was thinking about what marks I'll need for it." He wasn't being completely truthful in what he'd been thinking but those thoughts were best left to himself.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera frowned as she heard Crispin's question. She shook her head. "Of course I'm happy competing. Its the thing I love best. It's been my dream to be in the Olympics since I won my first gymnastics meet when I was only four. The only thing that can even compare to how I feel when I'm doing gymnastics is flying. I like Quidditch and I'm good at it." she admitted to her old friend. Kiera often had a habit of talking too much. "But do I really want to make my career out of a sport? Shouldn't I do something more worth while?" she asked him, truly wanting his opinion on the situation.

Kiera listened as he said that he was going to try and be an Obliviator. "That's the career that erases muggle memories right? Why do you want to do that? I mean how did you decide what to do?" she asked, trying to figure out how she should decided.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin thought about it then answered honestly, what he had asked himself many times. "I don't think it matters if it's a desk job or something physical. It matters what you want to do. What do you see yourself doing until you retire?" He had pondered on his future many times and as each month had passed stuck with a cruel old man who seemed to treat him more of a possession than a person, he had felt any control slip further and further away. He could have grabbed a bezoar and shoved it down Arcturus throat yet he hadn't. He'd wanted out, any means necessary.

Pulling himself with some difficulty out of that dark downward spiral of thoughts, he answered her. "They shouldn't have to live with the knowledge that magic is real, when they themselves cannot perform it. Or if a dark wizard does something to them or their families, they should be able to have that wiped away. So they can be normal again." He turned to look out over the horizon. He spoke of himself there, even though he didn't know how revealing it could be.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera listened thoughtfully as Crispin told her it only mattered about what she wanted to do. A little pucker formed in her brow as she frowned. What did she want to do? That question was simple. The answer immediately came to her mind. "I want to do gymnastics." she said positive that it was the thing that made her the happiest. "Only problem is that you can only do that until mid-twenties." she said with a shrug. "I will join a Quidditch team after that I guess. Maybe a little sooner than mid-twenties." she said thoughtfully.

Kiera looked up at Crispin. He towered over her small height of five feet tall. She looked like a tiny tall compared to him and she couldn't help but smile. Last time she had see him there had not been such a height difference. Kiera listened as he explained his choice. She nodded her head. "That's a really good reason. Its noble and kind." she said with a kind smile up at him.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin allowed a small smile to play on his mouth before he nodded and lightly scratched his cheeck with his thumb. "I guess we both have our futures lined out. At least we're the ones doing the choosing." He glanced over his shoulder toward the castle and then back toward her. "I should head back, nearly tea time. Could I walk you back?" he offered, not feeling comfortable leaving her there without having at least offering.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera grinned at Crispin as he said they both had their futures planned out. She knew that it was good to plan ahead but she didn't know if she liked doing it. "I hope there are some surprises in there though. It makes life more interesting, don't ya think?" she asked with a sly smile on her face. Kiera loved surprises. Kiera nodded her head as he said it was getting late. He offered to walk her out. "Sure. Let's head out then." she said with a charming smile.

 

[Crispin V. Cold]

Crispin grinned slightly and followed beside her back to the castle. "I've had a lot of surprises so far. Maybe it's not so bad." He shrugged in a playful manner that was unlike him. Maybe it was because of who he was around. If he could get past a certain red haired girl, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera grinned at Crispin. She noticed the way Crispin changed his manner just a bit. It suited him well. Kiera liked that he was loosing up slightly. She was intrigued by the way he talked about surprises. Her curiosity took over. "What kind of surprises?" she inquired with a pleasant smile on her face.