Castle Excursion

[Kialla Chase]

Kialla hadn't wanted to return home to Scotland. She would much have rathered to stay in the castle. It was such a nice place and wasn't anywhere near as empty as her home always felt. With Isla married and all moved out, it was weird not having her around. Even though she would be moving back after Grandmother died, it was common knowledge that Isla had been forced into a marriage and that she did not love her husband. He wasn't even good enough for Kialla to remember his name. Then again, Kialla had never met him, so why she would know anything about him was a good question. Regardless of her home problems, Kialla was happy to finally be back in school. She had never thought she would miss a place like this, but as it turned out, she did and she was sure that it was only going to get worse from here on in. She pulled her hair into a plait that hung down her back and pulled her skirt lower, no-one needed to see her thighs, girls like that gave her the irates. Though her navel was showing, but she still looked decent, and as she planned to be sitting down, it wouldn't be noticed as much. Not that she minded, the only attention she really wanted was Benji's and he always seemed to be oblivious to her anyway, so she was sure this would make absolutely no difference. She sighed and shook her head, heading down to the common room and noticing that Benjamin wasn't around. Well, she wasn't surprised, he was either still in bed, or he was out and about. Well, maybe she would run into him later. She still got lost easily in this castle, regardless of the fact that she had been here an entire year all ready, but her habits apparently did not ingrain that quickly, though at least she was able to find her way to the dungeons easily enough these days. Benji was no help though, he just thought it was too funny and would laugh at her. Not that she minded, he was her best friend and she didn't want to ruin that with all her moping about the fact that he seemed to have absolutely no interest in her what-so-ever. Maybe they were too close? After all, it was only recently that she had started to feel this way about him, so perhaps that was it.

Heading out of the common room, Kialla made her way to what she thought was the fourth floor. As it turned out however, it was the sixth floor. These moving staircases, were so hard to keep up with. Unfortunately, most of the castle looked the same as well, so it was hard to tell just by walking down a corridor. She sighed and folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot gently while she thought. She was on the sixth floor. So it made sense that she would need to go down two floors to get to the fourth floor. But the stairs kept moving, so she was never sure where she was going. Maybe she would be better going to the courtyard, or somewhere else that she wouldn't get so lost. Perhaps the entrance hall would be best? The Great hall even? She bit her lip lightly and headed out of the corridor and towards the staircase. Maybe the stairs would be nice to her and she would be able to find her way around. Merlin why did Benjamin leave her alone. He should make her a magic map or something. Like that thing they used to have at Scotland. She had heard rumours that a magical map existed that knew where everyone was at all times. That would definitely have been handy to have right now. Eventually Kialla gave up and slumped against the wall depressed. Her sense of direction was dismal at best and she refused to ask for directions from these people she didn't even know. Though admittedly, the last time she had asked directions, she had met Benji. So surely her luck was all run out. No, she would stay here until she was sure she could get to her destination without getting lost. Unfortunately, she no longer knew where her destination was.
​

 

[Benjamin Chase]

To go and escape to another world, apparition was not the best method of transportation, really. Nor were brooms and those muggle made technology that soared like a bird. Books were the best transporter, along with a person's imagination. A creative and colorful imagination was the best, since a dull and lifeless one would not correctly illustrate the beauty of the book's world. Not an avid reader, but an interested one nonetheless, the now sixth year was thoroughly enjoying his book in the library. Even with the slight hunger threatening for him to close it and place it back on the bookshelf, Benjamin refused to leave the library any time soon. He liked what he was reading, completely forgetting to see who the author of the novel was, if he were a pureblood or... something of completely lower blood. Benjamin regretted not searching for the book earlier - if he did, he would not have been bored out of his sanity in the mansion, in his massive room where he could technically hear the buzz of silence.

The minor pain of a sting in his eye was what perked up Benjamin, forcing him to remove his eyes from the pages before him. He blinked several times, watering his eyes to make up for its dryness. A giggle nearby was what caused him to look sharply around and then to his designer wristwatch. Why, he had been reading for almost two hours now! He was just at the start of the book, yet he was intensely engrossed with it. He slumped back at the back of his chair and rubbed his eyes. Knowing that he'd probably end up sleeping in the library later on, (excessive leisure reading made him sleepy, no matter how exciting the plot was) he decided to come back for the book tomorrow. He did not want to borrow it, or else one of the first years might steal it for fun. He amusingly thought that he was paranoid and he also feared of losing the book because his quills easily got lost, so what more for a book? Pushing his chair back, he stood up and hid the rather old looking novel in one of those bookshelves. Hopefully in that way, no one would be able to spot its tattered cover. "Psh, looks old enough for no one to even place a finger on it." Benjamin then smugly smiled and swaggered out of the library, planning to just go to the Great Hall and grab a rather, stomach filling snack.

The hallways had several students, and each of them were in good spirits. Benjamin felt rather light inside too, because the constant worry of having to study for those OWLs have long abandoned him. He hated having to work on essays each night, pondering on what he would have to do and need to do for the next day. Piles of homework stressed him out, which created unattractive dark circles under his eyes. Now that he was in his sixth year in the castle, he would not have to worry of studying the lessons that he took for the past five years. F***ing OWLs, indeed. He wanted to smile sweetly at the present fifth years and secretly wanted to await the nights wherein they had to make an essay that was due in a couple of days. Sweet torture, it was.

Taking his time, Benjamin walked and looked around whilst doing so. Nothing had changed too much in the castle. Its walls were the same and hallways too, albeit they were a tad bit cleaner than what it was like during his second term in his fifth year. Plus they weren't snogging couples hiding, which was a good thing because walking in on them was one of the things Benjamin hated handling. It was awkward not to mention tense. As he rounded the corner, in vain hope not to see a passionately close couple, he saw instead the stairs to descend for him to reach the Great Hall. A girl was slumped on the wall, frustration etched on her face clearly. The familiar face was just there and he immediately called out her name. "Kia?" The teen approached her and looked down at her, before squatting down boyishly. He blinked confusingly at her, along with concern clouding those green eyes of his. "What's wrong? Tired of walking?" Benjamin joked, aware of his corny tone. He grimaced at what he said internally. What a joke to offer to a girl who probably needed someone to accompany her. She was his best friend and his loyalty to Kialla as her best guy stretched to situations wherein he had to comfort his lady friend. Seeing that he needed to do that, he continued, "Okay, so that was a lame and sh!tty line, what's really wrong? Someone started a fight with you?" Little did he know that the reason behind her slumping on the wall was because she was frustrated with the moving stairs and Benjamin did not really think that she was lost for the hundredth time.
​

 

[Kialla Chase]

As Kialla leaned against the wall, she kept getting lower until finally she was sitting on the ground, her legs our in front of her so that her skirt didn't ride up and she head back against the wall. She couldn't believe she had really gotten lost, this was ridiculous, why did this happen, why did she have a ridiculous ability to always get lost. She sighed and rubbed her arms. She was actually kind of cold now, this castle was, after all, a little draughty and she found that she was managing to give herself goose bumps everywhere that the cold touched her bare skin. Her legs, her stomach, her chest and neck and her arms. She wasn't really although that surprised though. She kind of expected it actually. She sighed in exasperation and whacked her head against the wall, though it wasn't on purpose. Kialla hissed through her teeth and rubbed the back of her head, messing up her hair. She sighed again, she always managed to make things worse these days. If she was being honest with her self, and she so rarely was, then she would admit that she was more then a little frustrated over how things were going with Benji. This was because they weren't going and that was the problem. He didn't even notice when she was wearing something nice, never complimented her hair or her eyes, never complimented on a dress she was wearing or anything like that and even though she hated to admit it, that sort of thing made her so angry. Of course she was never going to come out and openly admit things to her best guy. She was just going to suffer in silence and wallow in self pity for as long as the universe allowed, then when she was done doing that, she would continue to wallow in self loathing and eventually die, there by immediately separating all issues from her life and disappearing them into the cosmos for all eternity.

It was only when she was Benji approaching that she stopped rubbing her head and ignored the coldness clawing at her body. She punched him lightly in the shoulder and frowned when he spoke, asking if she was tired of walking. Tired of walking? Just because she was slumped against the wall, looking as if she had no reason to live any more he had somehow attributed it to being tired of walking? So much for being Mister Observant. "Tired of walking Benji? Really?" She asked, rolling her eyes and sighing as she leaned away from the wall a little to discreetly rub the back of her head whilst she thought he wasn't paying attention. She nodded at his next words, as it seemed he had realised for himself how stupid he had just sounded. She sighed and scooted closer to him and wrapping herself into his arms, like she tended to do to try to get his attention. Not that it ever worked, but she gave it a good old college try anyway. "I'm lost you bone-head. Why else would I be out here, shivering and looking as if all life on the planet was about to die out, leaving only me to fend for myself against a bunch of stinky mud-bloods?" Geez, he was so thick sometimes. "I'm afraid you are going to have to carry me back to the common room. I am to distraught to walk." She told him laughing and squeezing closer. Guys as bestfriends were the bomb.
​

 

[Benjamin Chase]

With slender arms wrapping itself around his neck, Benjamin knew that his best friend wanted only comfort - or so he thought. He let her feel his warmth but did not really think that she meant something more. They were strictly best friends and Benjamin never pictured himself liking Kialla. That would be weird and gross. He clicked his tongue as she spoke, her words exaggerating her feelings. "How poetic of you," drawled the Slytherin as he let his hands hang on her hips in a friendly way. The boy was not one who found poetry intriguing for he found each syllable in poems dull and really, colorless. He rubbed her back like what he normally did to comfort his little sister. If Kialla desired some comfort, then there she had it. Benjamin always thought that girls were weird because of their random moods and sudden craves and he had to stop himself from asking Kialla for the hundredth time, what drove her miserable sense of direction to active again. Speaking of mudbloods, he glanced around to see if there was any he knew. He looked back at Kia amusingly to say, "Yup, looks like you need to fend for yourself." Benjamin chuckled jokingly.

What more ways of comfort could Benjamin do? Carry her bridal style all the way to her dorm? Hell no, he doubted he could even carry her more for three seconds without giggling and smirking and perhaps flinging her around mockingly. "Oh but I'm afraid you'll have to ask somebody else to do that for you," He shrugged but smirked boyishly once she figured that he was teasing again. But it was true that they had to stand up firmly on the ground. Tentatively he wrapped his arms around Kialla's hips and urged her upwards to stand erectly. "Come on, let's get you up." He pulled her up, letting her lean a little towards him. Pulling two bodies up was like exercise however the now prefect was not bothered. He was used to physical exertion so pulling up his friend - a girl too, was a wee easy. Finally up, he heard his knee joints crack and he felt relief massage his legs from the pressure he put there whilst squatting on the ground. He looked at Kialla properly now and was a little surprised at her choice of footwear. Did she say that she was distraught to walk? Better bring the observation up.

"Is it just me or this is my first time to see you wearing that kind of shoes?" He did not bother to say that they were stilettos because in reality, weren't stilettos just a part of the generalized idea of shoes? If Victoria was here, oh he was so sure that she would mention the real name of that type of footwear, its brand and where she got it. And how she was mighty proud of her choice of style. Benjamin sometimes teased her by saying the wrong idea of shoes like rubber shoes were just the same as chucks. And chucks were just the same as boat shoes. Basically, the whole thing about the industry of clothes was just not Benjamin's forte.

Benjamin was not so sure where to proceed now. To the Great Hall or the dungeons? He was hungry - well, most of the time he really was. His growing body was just demanding food all the time, and if he had no intake, his concentration on anything was not right. He wondered where Kialla should be going to. It was impossible that she planned to slump against the wall for the whole of the day. "So," started Benjamin rather awkwardly. He inhaled subtly and added, "Where are really you off to? Gonna study?" Benjamin looked around and leaned his one shoulder on the stone cold wall. He wondered if Kialla would tease him if he admitted that he was off to the Great Hall to grab a snack. Really, he was starving and starvation did him zero good. Maybe he could eat with her! Benjamin never really remembered Kialla mentioning that she was on a diet, unlike other girls who thought they were fat and miserable looking. What the hell was wrong with them? Still in question, he waited for her response.
​

 

[Kialla Chase]

Kialla shook her head as Benjamin clicked his tongue at her. He was most definitely teasing her of her words. If she didn't know any better, she might have said that he was teasing the way she spoke. Was it her fault if she liked to get creative with her sentencing? The simple fact that she was Scottish was usually enough to convince someone of what she was doing. But not Benji. Stubbornly enough, he continued to elude her in regards to poetry. She knew he didn't like it, but did he have to ruin it for everyone else? "Poetry? I do try. You would do well to accustom yourself to some phrases. I might give you a pop quiz later." She nodded. Pop quizzes were boring to be sure, but she was most excellent with challenges. Especially if they were about a subject she had knowledge in. Specifically, poetry, potions, charms and sarcasm. One could call her the sarcasm queen. Some had. She pouted when he decided that what she needed was a pat on the back. She had seen him do this to Victoria. Kialla had done this herself, one time or another for her younger siblings. It wasn't quite what she had in mind, but she supposed it was better than nothing. He was clueless after all. Clueless and aloof. She raised an eyebrow as she watched him looking around the corridor with some interest. What on earth was he doing? She often found it difficult to read her best friend, like he used some sort of a spell or something. She knew that wasn't true, but sometimes it felt like they were both completely on the same side. Then sometimes it was like they were both on two completely opposite sides of the universe. Like now. "I sometimes really don't get you, I hope you're happy."

Kialla rolled her eyes as Benjamin pulled her up. He was such a wuss. He could have tried at least. Her sighed and looked at him, some disappointment mixed into the initial emotions she had been feeling. She didn't know how he could be so oblivious to things all the time, yet somehow, he never managed to disappoint in that regard, just in every other it seemed. She pouted for the second time during this encounter and decided not to dignify his words with a response. He was being a Bone head. She had called him one earlier and it now seemed as if he was living up to it. Rude. She had been leaning against him before, but she decided that she no longer even wanted to do that and pushed herself away from him, stepping out of his grasp and leaning against the wall.

That'll teach you!

If she could, Kialla would have given the boy the silent treatment, and she did that, for all up of about five seconds. She could never be angry with him for too long. It was just this demeanour he had. She almost literally felt like she would break her heart if she yelled at him. It pissed her off. She noticed him looking at her shoes and looked down at them. Smiling to herself. She winked at Benjamin and brought her foot forward, to rest on her heel. She happened to like these shoes, though she didn't expect Benjamin to mention her shoes. There were other aspects of her clothing that she would have expected him to mention first. Still clueless. "It's not the first time I've worn them." She told him, looking away from him again. He never noticed anything when it came to her. Victoria was not as clueless as her older brother. Maybe Kialla should be talking to her and not the Bone head of a brother. Besides, at least Victoria could keep up with her fashion talk. Not that Kialla was as into it as the little Chase girl was.

Kialla was about to head on her way to where ever it was she had decided she was going to go when she stopped and had to turn to look at Benjamin. Her study? Did he not know her any more? She had to stifle a laugh with her hand and nearly tumbled over with the effort of trying to not hug her sides with the laughter. She never studied unless she had too. She had not even studied very much last year, which had been her OWLs year and everything too. She shook her head and leaned against the wall again. She had started calling him Benjamin in her mind. She must have been even more frustrated with him then she realised. Hopefully she could mask it well enough, or maybe he wouldn't notice. Though gauging from his initial cluelessness to all other aspects of her mind, she doubted him to pick it up. Still, anything was possible. "Well, you should know by now that I do not study Benjamin." She started, tilting her head to think on it a little. She had intended to head to the library for a short time, though now she could not remember for what. Then she had given up and had decided to go back to the common room, then, not really remembering which corridor she was even in, she had simply given up completely and decided sitting on the ground, was even better an idea for someone that was bad with directions. "I don't have anywhere specific to go now. Where are you going. I'll come with you. You know, as long as you aren't like going somewhere I can't." Like the toilet. She laughed and waited for him to answer.​

 

[Benjamin Chase]

How many moods could a girl acquire in sixty minutes? Those feelings of theirs were that unstable. Dealing with Victoria was almost not easy, and the older ones? By Merlin's magic, sometimes they were a pain in the ass. But that was what made some girls a good challenge. They had all these kinds of things going inside their minds that Benjamin had given up on figuring out a teenage girl's brain a long time ago. Kialla was already a complicated one and sometimes her words just go on from a jolly beat to a tone of sadness and sentimentality (that was what he thought). He replied with his thoughts about her not understanding him with a shrug. "Uh I don't get you too sometimes but you're my best girl so I don't really mind," Benjamin half smiled at her sincerely, really hoping that she would get the authenticity of his voice. The teenager was a loyal guy whose morals were a tad twisted but still, loyal to the end.

They were silent for a moment, which made Benjamin feel a little uncomfortable. He heard fading footsteps and then he felt as if he had done something wrong to let Kialla radiate the wrong vibes. Was she on her monthly cyle for her to do this to him? He caught the wink she gave him, not knowing if that was supposed to be something friendly or flirty. He decided to go with the former and looked at her from head to toe. She did not look bad at all - oh no, if anyone said that they'd surely be blind. It was just that Benjamin never bothered to comment on her daily choice of outfits. He just did not do that, at all. But now it just seemed right to say something about it so he nodded approvingly and looked at her casually. "Looks really girly and nice on you." He was not used to this kind of appeal unto him. She really looked nice, which was awesome if she was finally getting to know her sense for style. It emphasized her slender legs which was a little weird but regardless something that looked good on her. She was a girl after all; Benjamin was so used to having girls talk about fashion and make up all day long. "But I really think you are that jeans plus sneakers type of girl. Now that's awesome." Benjamin grinned at her, clearly showing that he liked that kind of more boyish look. She, with a rugged appearance was one of the many things Benjamin absolutely loved about Kialla. He felt more comfortable when she carried that type of look.

Benjamin sniggered when she stated she did not study. True, she really did not spend her free time being studious with some books on her table. Benjamin kind of liked that small, carefree attitude of hers. Unlike others who were paranoid on what grade they would get even if they knew that their past quizzes and home works had been given an Outstanding. He looked at the direction of the staircase first before admitting what his destination really was. "I'm starving." How normal was it already to him to feel hungry ninety percent of the time? Being an adolescent drove him nuts with all the food he wished to eat at the most random of times. "So no, I'm not going to the toilet. I'm heading to the Great Hall." A grin rapidly grew on those pale lips of his, followed by a silent rumble in his stomach. Then a series of images of various platters enticed him mentally. Kialla could laugh at him later when he would eat his heart out - all he wanted was to get his hands on something edible and delicious.

Out of Character:

Jeans and sneakers type of girl Well, something along those lines!