Back in the saddle

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

The sun was just rising over the beautiful green landscape, the birds in the forest were like a perfectly tuned choir. The dew on the grass was like crystalised beads, everything seemed perfect as the lone Gryffindor left the castle and walked down to the pitch that she had always considered another home. The grounds that were beneath the most perfect of skies, the area of land that held her heart and soul. She had kept pretty much to herself for the first term of school after meeting Aries and recognising him from Durmstrang. Having spent the Christmas break hidden away at her godmothers house without even contacting her friends, Andromeda felt as if for the first time in many months she was finally coming out of a coccoon.

Her broomstick 'Falcon' was tightly clasped in her hands as she made her way to the quidditch pitch. She had made one excuse after another over the last few months not to get on her broom and fly, she had at one point given lessons to a first year but had managed not to fly too much herself that time. Her leg had ached something awful, now after spending the holidays with Esmerelda and having various spells done on her prosthetic leg to make it more like a real one, Andromeda finally felt confident to fly once more. In fact her false leg with its various charms on it worked exactly like her normal one nowadays, sometimes it seemed to work even better. Reminding her of a program she had once watched as a kid called the Bionic Woman. With this thought in mind, she smiled as she made her way out onto the pitch. The sun rising even higher and the cold of the morning beginning to dissipate.

She treated the flight like a maiden voyage and placed her broom on the ground, calling 'Up' to it and straddling it as if she were a first timer. Andromeda just wanted to enjoy every second, appreciate the feel of every moment. The touch, the scent, the sounds. It was all new once more to her ears but also so familiar. She kicked off and flying low circled the pitch a few times to build up momentum and her confidence. After ten minutes or so, she very slowly raised the top of her broom stick and climbed slowly upwards. The thrill of this hit her immediately and with a smile she leant forward and allowed her broom an even steeper ascent. The wind blew her hair gently but as she gained height, the wind began to whip about her.

With a quick turn on the broom and leaning in the same direction, Andromeda spun northwards and rotated the broom into a spiral loop. She had forgotten how breathtaking flying was, she had nearly forgotten how much it had meant to her and how much apart she was of the sky and the feeling of freedom it gave her. There seemed to be nothing in existence at that moment but for her, her broom and the sky. With a nudge downwards she set her broom into a dive, pulling up just as it came within a metre of the ground. Exhilarated (sp?) she allowed the broom its head once more about the pitch before pulling up and letting 'Falcon' simply glide at a low level about the grounds.

"I'm back" she smiled, Andromeda knew that no matter what was going to get thrown at her from here on in, she would handle it. Something had changed over Christmas, her way of thinking. Her mood, her self worth, everything had spun on a dime and she had come out on top. The wolf in her was triumphant once more as it claimed the life of the girl she was and willed her to be stronger, demanded it of her. Would expect nothing less anymore from her and she expected nothing less as well. She was stronger somehow and the change was visible. She didn't feel weak and worthless as she had done when she had returned in September, she felt a spring in her step and a lightness of air that she hadn't felt in ages. It was good to be back and she revelled in the energy that flooded through her.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

((is this joinable?))

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

yepp yepp yepp

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera left the castle, feeling the chill in the winter's air. She pulled her velvet cloak closer around her body as she shivered. She held her Streak in her left hand as she headed for the Quidditch Pitch. Kiera had been doing some serious slacking in her training and she meant to correct it as a new year's resolution. She smiled as she felt the sun come out. It would be a pretty day for the winter.

Kiera jumped on her broom and flew the rest of the way to the pitch. She was too excited to tolerate the slow pace of walking. She laughed as she felt the wind whip through her hair. Kiera zoomed into the pitch only to find it occupied. She was about to turn and go when she recongnised the flyer. It was her roommate, Andromeda, that Kiera never saw anymore.

"Andy?!" Kiera called out, not wanting to startle the girl like she once would have done. Andromeda had seem jumpy ever since her return to Hogwarts New Zealand though Kiera had no idea why. This girl she saw flying now reminded her of the pre-werewolf Andy, who was confident and merry. Kiera hoped she was returning to her former self.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Laying back almost on her broom, Andromeda was enjoying the lazy sensation that overwhelmed her. This just felt like an extension of herself and it felt good. Actually it felt great, flying before Christmas had been slightly painful but they had managed to work out alot of the kinks in her leg over the break, so that she could run, hop, skip and jump and fly without it hurting her at all. As her broom flew as if on cruise control, Andromeda began to hum quietly revelling in the moment when a voice called out her name. Startled, she nearly toppled off but just managed to regain her balance as she sat up on her broom and spun around only to see Kiera there.

A smile spread wide across her pale features, as she turned her broom around to fly towards her.
"Kiera, hi!" she called, raising a hand from her broom and waving it to her friend. The girl she had always considered her older sister. It was great to see her again, Andromeda knew she had alienated so many people before Christmas and she was so sorry for this and knew she would probably spend the most of this term trying to make up for it, attempting to expain it all but she knew it wouldn't be easy. The memories were still there, the nightmares were still there, not as vivid but still as horrific. The only difference now was that she was stronger in spirit so the dreams didn't spill over anymore into day light hours and she certainly didn't allow her dreams to dictate her life anymore or the person she was.

"How was your Christmas?" Andy hoped she sounded as delighted to see her friend as she felt, it just seemed so hard after all this time to talk normally again. Had it really been so long? She had found it easy enough to talk with her godmother over the break but having now to talk with students and her friends seemed somewhat daunting. Was all this newly found strength of spirit disappearing already, Andy hoped not.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera smiled a little brighter at Andromeda's seemingly better attitude. The younger girl, who Kiera called her little sister, had become a sort of recluse. Kiera was cheerful to find Andy out and about. She hopped on her broom and flew to where the younger girl idled in the air. She was happy to answer Andromeda's question even if she prefered not to mention it.

"Well I stayed here and managed to sucessfully avoid my mother." Kiera started with distaste. She shuttered as she remembered the last visit and the envasion of her mind. "Kat decided she would come back to school and now she is a year behind. She seems okay with that and we solved some of our problems. The bad part was I didnt get to see my brother or father though they both sent me Christmas presents." she said explaining the major points of her break.

Kiera looked Andy over before she continued. The younger Gryffindor seemed to be looking in better health. Kiera smiled happily. "How was your break? And before that too I guess?" she said trying to remember the last time they talked. She couldnt. "Andromeda? When did I last see you?" Kiera asked befuddled.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Dangling her legs precariously over the sides of her broom and letting them swing as she hovered it mid-air, Andromeda waited for Kiera to fly over to her. She smiled, it was good to see Kiera again. It honestly felt like an age, even when they were in the same house. She listened as her friend told her about her break and frowned, Kiera's mother had always been bad news but at least her sister was back at the school and things were looking good for them.
"Sorry you didn't get to see your brother or father" she meant it too, even knowing that Cameron was a Durmstrang student. She had concluded over the Christmas break that everyone could not be painted with the same brush. Andromeda knew she hated when all werewolves were treated like that and knew she had to stop doing it for every Durmstrang student. No matter how she was treated there.

"My break believe it or not was actually one of the better ones I've had in a long time" and it had been too. The fact that Esmerelda her godmother had managed with the help of some of the St. Mungos healers to recharm her leg, had only been the icing on the cake. The whole holiday had been good.
"I got a letter from my uncle Patrick for the first time in months, well nearly two years actually. I missed him so much but he's doing great."

She evaded alot of the questions that Kiera had asked her but thought that it wouldn't matter so much really, she was pulling herself back again. Not attempting to claw her way back as she had unsuccessfully attempted to do before christmas, no this time she was succeeding.
"I think we saw one another ..." Andy had to think about it and couldn't honestly remember. She frowned and bit her lip.
"Wow, sorry Kiera I guess I let studies shut me away alot". It was nearly the truth, her studies had kept her tied to her dorm and the library but other things had kept her to herself too.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera smiled sadly. "Its okay. I should get to see them for most of the summer if everything goes as I hope it does." she as she wiggled around on her broom. It was slightly uncomfortable after being off of it for such a long time. Kiera smiled as Andy mentioned Nurse Patrick. She had liked the man when she met him. "Where did he go to?" Kiera asked politely. "He was nice the one time I met him." she said truthfully. She hoped Andromeda's uncle was alright. It seemed odd to her that he would write his niece more often than she mentioned.

Kiera laughed as Andromeda had a hard time putting a date on their last meeting. "I hope to see you more this semester. I have missed you!" she told the younger girl. Kiera looked Andy dead in the eyes. She knew the girl had been avasive in her answers. So she would try once more. "Honestly, how are you?" she asked with concern, though all her face displayed was happiness.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda slid from her broom and stood on the green grass of the pitch, throwing her broom over her shoulder to balance it.
"He left to travel the world, apparently to find a cure for what my grandfather died from and for my 'condition'. He blamed himself for both. He being a healer he thought he should have been able to use his magic to save my grandfather but magical remedies can't cure everything and there's only wolfsbane to my knowledge, nothing else to help me" she inhaled deeply, wondering just how much knowledge Patrick had really gleaned on his travels.
"He was my hero growing up, I miss him. It was nice having family around here. I am good honestly Kiera, there was a time I was even worried about my own state of mind but not any more. I think I've boucned back alright."
She had told Kiera at the beginning of the semester what had happened to her at Durmstrang and knew she wouldn't have to explain it all again.
"I've been taught by the healers at St. Mungos how to meditate, to clear my mind and focus it on positive things. It seems to help, the nightmares aren't as bad. So what did you get for Christmas?"

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera looked at Andy critically. She sighed as she decided Andromeda really was okay. Kiera's face spread into a grin. She landed lightly on the ground. She hugged her friend. "Its good to have you back." she said honestly. Kiera had really missed her 'little sister'.
Kiera had listened to Andromeda's story about her uncle. Kiera felt bad for the younger girl since she knew how much Andy loved Patrick. It was Kiera's turn to answer Andy.
"Well, my dad and Cameron bought me a new saddle for my horse. It is the prettiest leather saddle you will ever see!" she said grinning happily. "Katheryn got me a new pair of earrings from Lucky. Jacqueline sent me a pearl necklace that I am not sure I will ever put around my neck. I dont know if she set spells in it or not." Kiera told Andromeda.
"What about you?" she asked curiously.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda laughed at Kiera's suspicions about her mother putting spells into the necklace.
"Better safe than sorry I suppose" she linked arms with Kiera, "Are you heading back to the castle or staying out for a flight like old times?"

Andy gave her a wink hoping that they could maybe get a quaffle and muck out like they used to.
"I got an oversized knitted jumper in the loudest orange from my godmother who insists on knitting without magic, so one arm is a lot longer than the other. My mom and her new husband just sent me money but my family from back home in Ireland sent me a huge hamper of all my favourite foods. Granny's christmas pudding, some white and black puddings, Clonakilty sausages and bacon. Crisps, chocolate all the brands I can't get over here. That was great but I'm sure I'll put on tons of weight the amount that they sent."

She smiled remembering the size of the thing, they were convinced Andy needed fatting up anyway but as she hadn't been back in the longest time they were worried she would be missing them and Irish food.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera laughed as Andy described her christmas presents. "Well I am sure it was made with love." she said grinning as she talked about the orange jumper. She looked critically and pursed her lips at the girl jokingly. "I believe you could use some fatting up." she teased, her face breaking out into a wide grin.
"I think I will stay out here a bit longer. What are you going to do?" Kiera asked curiously. She hoped the younger girl would join her.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy laughed at Kiera's remark about needing fattening up.
"Oh don't you start, that's all I ever get from Essie my godmother honestly no matter how much I eat, nothing goes on. It'll probably catch up on me when I'm in my twenties or something, a time no doubt when I certainly don't need it to catch up on me" she straddled her broom again and kicked off, circling Kiera and grinning broadly.

"Come on then big sis, lets see if you still got what it takes. Old timer" she laughed as she rotated her broom once more and then made a bee-line to the other end of the pitch.

 

[Kiera Kaster]

Kiera laughed as Andromeda took off into the air with a crack about Kiera being an oldtimer.
She hoped own her own broom. "We will just see about that little sis." she called with another laugh.
Kiera grinned happily as they soared through the air. Kiera caught up with Andy. She snuck about the girl and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Gotcha!" she said, laughing.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy felt the hand touch her shoulder and laughed.
"I'm obviously the one that's rusty, I haven't flown in a bit but have decided to make up for it so poor Falcon here doesn't get warped from lack of use" she turned on her broom, tilting it upwards so she could gain some ground. Keeping the pace slow as she did so though, she averted her broom some more so as to make the ascent steeper again. This was great, just what she needed. It was amazing to her just how much she had missed it all. The grip on the handle, the thrill of the flight, the wind in your face. It was all exhilarating.
"Somethings are just heavenly aren't they Kiera? How's the team doing this year?"
She was hoping that with enough practise this year she would be able to try out again next year but that was just way too far ahead to predict.