Away from the noise

[Ainsley Lynch]

The volume of conversation and volume of people bustling through the palace as Ainsley was placed in her house and told where her new room was had been beyond overwhelming, and after a restless night (how on earth was she supposed to sleep with other people in the same room?!) Ainsley took the very first chance she could to escape, hurrying outdoors and far away from the palace and its noise and crowding. She had never seen so many people together in her life, and the thought of spending the next seven years surrounded by them was enough to waver the draw of magic slightly, and make Ainsley wonder if she wouldn't be better off back at home.

Glancing at the forest and making a mental note to explore it when she was in a better frame of mind, (she had been far too distracted during the sorting to pay any attention to any speeches in which anyone might have told her anything discouraging such thoughts,) Ainsley plopped herself down in a patch of flowers, staring almost through her hands as she began making daisy chains and allowing her mind to decompress from the rush of people and noise and new situations. The soft sounds of nature and feel of flowers in her hands soothed her, and for the first time since leaving her home, the tension Ainsley didn't even realise she had been carrying began to melt, and a few unnoticed tears of relief and stress and exhaustion trickled down her cheeks.

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

Evangeline needed fresh air so she decided to go outside. A while ago she heard in which house she was sorted. It became Slytherin and Evangeline was pretty ok with it. She didn't cared about which house she would be into, as long as the most of the annoying people would leave her alone. And if they didn't Evangeline would make sure that they didn't like her anymore, so they would stay away from her. Her new home was into the dungeons, a quiet place and rather dark. It was perfect for Evangeline. She was satisfied with being away from home. This would be her place, were she could get good grades and after six years graduate.

Evangeline came at the Great Lawn, which she didn't knew. She didn't knew the route so she just walked and walked until she came somewhere quiet. When she wanted to sit down on a spot with a bunch of flowers she saw a girl sitting/lying down at a patch of flowers. Evangeline sighted for a moment but decided to sit on the grass. There wase some space between the girl and Evangeline, but when they would talk to each other they could hear eachother perfectly. She opened her bag that she got with her and grabbed a book out of it. She didn't said anything yet to the girl and started to read.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley didn't realise there was anyone approaching her until she heard the rustle of a person sitting down near her, spine tensing at once. Ainsley watched the girl get a book out silently, relieved that she didn't seem to want to break the peace Ainsley had been enjoying completely.

Ainsley tried to go back to her daisy chain, but her mind was filled with questions about the girl. Did she feel the same way about the noise of the palace, the overwhelming amount of people and things all happening at once? Ainsley felt like everyone here seemed to know just what they were doing and where they were going, and it would be a relief not to be the only one who was entirely lost and overwhelmed by it all. Staring at the girl again, Ainsley thought she looked nice, maybe. Her hair was dark like Ainsley's mums, and it reminded her of home. Ainsley's mum usually had books in her hand too, and Ainsley leaned a little closer, trying to see what the girl was reading, silently hoping she would recognise the title.

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

When Evangeline hit the next page of her book she saw from the corner of her eye that the girl next to her was looking at her. It was no suprise because when Evangeline would be in her place she also would look at the person who was about to get settled next to her. But it made her nervous, she wasn't a talker and liked to be on her own. But in the few days that she had been on Hogwarts she found out that, that was almost not possible. Everywere were students or professors. Evangeline was reading her book for potions, because she wanted to be prepared for her first lesson. How better the grades how sooner she would be out of here and have her own job.

Evangeline looked again from the corner of her eye towards the girl next to her. At a moment she noticed that the girl was coming a little closer, but Evangeline noticed it. When she read a book she could always hear and see what was going around her, because she was attentively person. The brown haired girl looked from her book towards the girl slowly. '' What are you doing?'' she said cold towards the girl.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley looked up at the girl's face when she spoke, surprised by the coldness of her tone. "I'm trying to see what you're reading." Ainsley said in a matter of fact way, choosing simply to disregard what she couldn't understand, namely the girl's tone. "Is it a school book, or a fantasy book? Do our school books count as fantasy books now too?" She paused, pondering that question a moment. Magic being real had thrown her whole perspective on things, and she wasn't sure how to feel about any previously fixed points in the world anymore. If magic could be real, just about anything else was surely possible, and any previously regarded facts were thrown into question. It was a lot to consider, and whether school spellbooks also counted as fantasy books felt like the barest tip of the iceberg, but Ainsley still found herself transfixed by the question.

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

Evangeline tried to read further, but ofcourse the girl responded on what she just said. '' Why do you want to know?'' Elizabeth responded at the girl. Still talking on the same volume and tone. '' It is a school book ofcourse, fantasy is dumb.'' Evangeline used to love fantasy books when she was younger, when her parents were still together they read to her before she went to sleep. But when the fighting and all the drama between her parents began they never read to her anymore, they only had eyes for each other. So Evangeline hated it now, she only had eyes for the reality and the future. Don't look back look forward was something she said to herself all the time. Evangeline inspected the girl that sat close to her. '' What were you even doing in here?''

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley's face slipped into a mask of horror as the girl insulted fantasy books. What on earth was she talking about?! Ainsley had never met anyone who spoke like this before, and she didn't know how to respond. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times wordlessly, tears of confusion and hurt springing to her eyes unbidden. Ainsley's eyes were still slightly damp from earlier, the tears she had cried of relief at getting away from the noise of the castle. But this time she scrubbed away her tears, frustrated, staring silently down at her now slightly crumpled daisy chain.

When the girl spoke again, Ainsley couldn't bring herself to lift her head to acknowledge it properly, only managing to mumble the word "Flowers..." in response to her question. It was only after speaking that Ainsley realised that didn't answer the question at all, and even if it had, it wouldn't be the right answer, but she stayed quiet, no idea how to salvage her response.

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

Evangeline and the girl were the only ones in the area. She looked around her but the only thing what she heard was herself and the girl speaking. And what there was said was not much. When Evangeline looked towards the girl she noticed that the girl kept silent about what she just said. She ignored the question that Evangeline just asked. The brown haired girl didn't cared about what the girl was thinking right now. But she knew for sure that the girl next to her was frustrated about what she just said about Fantasy books. Because why would she else say something dumb as flowers, what brought her here.
''For flowers you need to be outside yes, but I read that they also have greenhouses here.'' Evangeline didn't came for flowers to be outside. She never really cared about the nature and that kinda stuff.

Evangeline looked at her book again and ignored the uncomfortableness from the other girl. If she thought this was harsh, wake up fantasy is a lie. And that fact that they were on a magical school was reality, so why read even more fantasy. The book Evangeline was reading was very interesting and Evangeline couldn't wait for the lessons to begin. Different potions were described and the ingredients that belonged into them. '' If you desperately want to know, it is a book about potions.'' Evangeline said cold and kept looking to her book as she spoke.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley hugged her knees to her chest tightly, wiping at her eyes again, regretting ever having had anything to do with the other girl. What if all wizards were blunt, and thought the things she liked were silly? Sure, magic books would probably be similar, and certainly just as fascinating, but what if there weren't any in the library? Just the thought of all the already disorientating noise and bustle of the school directed inwards towards Ainsley in the same tone as this strange girl was using turned Ainsley's stomach and sent her heart into her throat with fear... how could she ever survive in a place like this, with so many people, if they thought she was silly? Even the draw of learning how to use real magic was swayed by Ainsley's sudden terror of her classmates.

Ainsley was so consumed by sudden fears she almost didn't hear the girl speaking again, something about potions? Maybe that was what the book was about. Ainsley didn't want to know anymore, she felt silly for asking. Ainsley knew she should say something in response, but there were no appropriate responses in her mind, so she settled for a weak, "Mmm..." sound, leaning away from the other girl slightly, arms still wrapped tight around her knees. After a moment's silence Ainsley knew she had to say more than that, her mum had reminded her about being polite to people when they expected her to hold up a conversation. With much effort, Ainsley eventually managed to mumble out a proper response, eyes still locked on her knees. "Are... potions... good?"

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

Evangeline turned to the next page of her potion book. Amortentia was the next one. There was written: Amortentia is the most powerful love potion in the world. It is distinctive for its mother-of-pearl sheen, and steam rises from the potion in spirals. Amortentia smells different to each person, according to what attracts them. So that was pretty weird, most powerful love potion. How long will it work? If she gave that to her parents all her problems were solved. But Evangeline didn't knew if she wanted to be the happy family again after she was neglected by her parents all those years. One of the reasons that she pushed away people that came to close to her, was because she didn't want questions about het home situation or family. Back in Londen lived a big part of her family, but at young age it wasn't possible to run away from home and go to your aunt or something.

Evangeline was so into reading the potion that she didn't thought about the girl anymore. What should she care about that girl? She didn't even knew her name. The girl murmed some mmm, but Evangeline didn't looked towards the girl anymore. After a long break of silence the girl asked some weird question. Were potions good? What was she asking? '' You don't know much about the classes and school don't you?'' Evangeline looked straight towards the girls eyes now. '' Potions are wonderfull. You can borrow books in the library. You should prepare yourself for classes, because obviously you don't know much.'' Evangeline was for the first time wondering in which house the girl was. She didn't hoped it would be Slytherin because what did this girl in the very first days here? '' So which house are you sorted?'' For self interest she asked the girl about her sorting.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley flinched when the girl said she didn't know much. Of course she didn't... how could Ainsley expect to get by in this magical school full of magical people, she didn't know anything about real magic, and apparently fantasy was silly, so how could she assume she knew anything? "Read... my school books. In the train." Ainsley mumbled, having trouble getting words out, still staring fixedly at her knees. She had found the books so fascinating, and done all she could to memorise them, but now it all felt worthless, like the knowledge was slipping away in light of this girl who already knew so much more.

Ainsley glanced at the girl for just a second when she asked another question, looking away quickly, up at the large, imposing school in the distance. What house was she in? It wasn't a house, really, it was a castle. Houses were much smaller. Ainsley was silent for a long time, trying to figure out how to answer, before she realised houses were what the teachers had called the different coloured tables when she arrived. There were so many new names and ideas to remember, it was impossible to keep it all together in her mind. "I'm um... the yellow one." She said quietly, trying to remember its name. "Huffingpuff?"

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

Evangeline was so suprised by some people. She didn't understand people who were only on Hogwarts New Zealand for the fun or that didn't take the classes seriously. She didn't knew about how seriously this girl took the classes. The girl next to her liked fantasy for sure and Evangeline got the impression that she didn't knew much about the content of the classes that they will have. Althought the girl said that she read her books in the train. How could she even? The train road was like a Zoo full of monkeys. Even Evangeline didn't got the concentration to read her books in all that fuss.'' Which books do you read then?'' Evangeline wasn't really interesting in the girl but she liked to show to others that she was smart and so that they would thought high of her.

How the girl spoke was absolutely strange. She stumbled with her words and Evangeline knew that she did a good job at scaring the girl with her tone. But this wasn't even her best at playing sly games. When she really wanted to scare somebody away she would do worse. Everything was for her own protection, she didn't want people come to close to her. When the girl said the yellow house, Evangeline couldn't help to grin a bit evil. And when she said Huffingpuff that made Evangeline shake her head. '' It is a good thing your not in Ravenclaw or Slytherin.'' Gosh this girl.. was she so dumb? Or made Evangeline her reactions to her, made her do like this? Evangeline was wondering if the girl even knew what she ment with not being in Ravenclaw or Slytherin, because obviously she wasn't aware of what the houses were and what content of them were.''It is Hufflepuff by the way.'' Evangeline looked at the next page of her book. Veritaserum was the next potions were she would read about.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley glanced over at the girl again when she asked a question, surprised. She couldn't figure the other girl out at all, she seemed not to like Ainsley, but she was asking questions anyway... Ainsley didn't have the brain space to ponder the subject and answer the question at the same time, so she focused on trying to answer. "I read... all kinds of books. It's my mum's job. Reading books. And fixing mistakes in them. So I read them too..." She said quietly, watching the other girl without meeting her eyes, arms still wrapped around her knees.

The talk about the houses confused Ainsley... was there a difference? She had just assumed it was so that people wouldn't fight over which table to sit at. But apparently Hufflepuff was better than Ravenclaw or Slytherin, so she filed that information away quietly to mull over. The other girl seemed to know all this already, like there was some class to teach people how this school worked, that Ainsley had just missed out on. She hesitated before asking another question, worried the girl would look at her disdainfully again. But she had to know where all this was coming from, what she had missed out on. "How do you... know the difference? Was there... a class to explain the houses? I don't think anyone told me about it. I haven't been to any classes yet. Was I... supposed to get a letter about that too? I only got one telling me about magic, and one for my school supplies..."

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

Evangeline got already tired of this girl. Why would she still waste her time at her, the only reason at this moment was the joy of prove that she was almighty and the girl was not. '' But you said you read some books for the classes, which of them did you read?'' Evangeline was sure that the girl couldn't name one class that they were gonna have in a few weeks. '' What is that for kinda job? Never heard of it in the magical world before. '' Evangeline had a passion for books and fixing mistakes in them how could that be done? The magic inside of them or did the girl meant something.

When the conversation got back at the four houses that brought Evangeline on an idea. It seemed that her parents never tought her something about Hogwarts, so she could ask about them. '' Did you parents never went to Hogwarts?'' The difference of the houses was so easy, Hufflepuff was a weak house in Evangeline her eyes some nature freaks. Then you had Gryffindor the wannabe hero's that always made trouble and Ravenclaw.. Ravenclaw was a house were Elizabeth didn't mind to be in, they were intelligent and her father also were in Ravenclaw when he was her age. '' No, no class. Just reading about it, because you sure want to be prepared before you come to a school like this. But you obviously didn't so.. Evangeline went lying on the ground with her book in her hands before her head.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ainsley blushed, realising she had misunderstood the other girl. "Oh... I read some of a book about charms, and, um... one about transmogrification, I think..." She hesitated, not sure how to explain her mum's job to someone, especially not someone who seemed to assume her family was magical. "My mum isn't magical, she... reads normal books and makes sure the writers didn't make any mistakes..."

Ainsley shook her head. "I only heard of this school a few weeks ago..." She said quietly, realising this meant she must be well behind other students, if they already knew these things. Ainsley wished someone, anyone, would explain how this world worked... "The books I was told to buy didn't say anything about the school itself, just the things we would be learning..."

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

Evangeline didn't felt the need to pay more attention untill Ainsley spoke about Transmogrification or something like that. Really, did this girl mean this seriously! '' Transfiguration you mean.'' The brown haired girl got a bit irritated by this. But when the girl explained that her mother wasn't magical it went all clear. This girl never heard anything about the magical world she assumed. Evangeline didn't had much interest in muggles, but she understood it now why the girl seemed so dumb. But the girl could prepare herself by reading books, if you would read books than you would learn the theory of magic. Not being raised with magic was no excuses for that. '' There are many books about this school, but only in the magcial world. You didn't read that I presume.'' Looking around the Great Lawn Evangeline thought about how it would be if you were a person like the girl, never raised with all the theoretic things from the magical world, that would be terrible. '' So do you have a name or something?'' Evangeline would forget it sure, but for now she could call the girl something when she would know her name.

I'm very very late, but we could end this in a good way perhaps?

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Out of Character:

Aaah no worries, I was away for a couple of weeks anyway haha... sure, we can go for a good ending Do you have any specific ideas you want to aim for?

Ainsley blushed as her mispronunciation was pointed out, nodding quietly. TransFIGURation... she'd have to remember what that class was called. She listened quietly, staring down at the flowers in her hands. "I... I only have the magical books the school told me to buy..." She said softly, running her fingertip through the petals of a daisy. "There were so many in the shop and I wanted to buy more, but I didn't know what any of them were about, and mum said I should stick to my school books for now..." Ainsley swallowed, making a mental note to ask mum if they could go back to the bookstore in her next holidays.

Ainsley glanced up at the other girl when she asked for her name, surprised, and realised that she didn't know the girl's name either. Ainsley always forgot to ask people's names, it was something mum had reminded her specifically to do when she was trying to make friends here, and she had already dropped the ball. Mentally kicking herself Ainsley replied in a soft tone. "My name's Ainsley Lynch..." She said gently. "What's yours?"

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

Out of Character:

I think we could end in a negative way. Evangeline will get bored of Ainsley pretty soon and just wants to be left alone. Maybe Evangeline could walk away or send Ainsley away. Let me know.

The girl nodded like a dog and it was a bit sad how insecure this girl looked in Evangelines point of view. When the girl spoke she had trouble with speaking out a sentence so Evangeline didn't always heard very well what she said. The girl had a name and it was Ainsley Lynch, now a face got a name and Evangeline was curious if she would remember it. Ofcourse if somebody made a impression in a positive or negative way she would remember somebodys name from that action. The Slytherin was sure she remembered the name of Ainsley of her stupidness about the lessons at Hogwarts. '' I'm Evangeline Campbell '' she said with confidence. It wasn't important for her that Ainsley will remember her name. But from previous experiences Evangeline knew that people wanted to avoid her. '' So are you keep sitting here or?'' She asked with her normal face expression.

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Out of Character:

Aaah ok yep, either of those sound good to me

Ainsley looked up at the other girl as she said her name, committing it to memory. Evangeline... Ainsley did her best to memorise it, though part of her, a negative part she had never really noticed before, was saying she didn't ever want to see this girl again, or have any reason to remember her name. Ainsley shook her head and looked away quickly, trying to shake the angry thought out, not quite sure where it had come from.

She looked up again when the other girl spoke, taking a moment to actually process her words. What... kind of question was that? "I... came here to sit in the flowers." She said slowly, looking down at the flowers dotting the grass around her knees.

 

[Evangeline Campbell]

Evangeline was a bit curious what Ainsley would say why she came here. It must be a stupid answer because so far everything was stupid and boring about this girl. But she didn't knew if it was just this girl or that she found every person at this school stupid. So far she didn't met anyone worth it, but she was gad about that. She wasn't really looking for a group of friends. And thought of it as fine to be alone, but in this school you could almost never be alone. In every corner there was a student, it was too crowded for Evangeline's taste. When the answer came out of Ainsley her mouth Evangeline chuckled. She didn't had interest for the nature and everything around it.
'' To sit between the flowers, how lovely.'' Evangeline said sarcastic. '' Well Hufflepuff students are lovers of nature right? So that means you are a perfect fit for your house.'' Evangeline looked up to the air and sighted for a moment.