Courtyard Conversation

[Rhiannon Archer]

Rhiannon had returned to school a few days ago. she had had a fun christmas at home she had enjoyed her time with her family. her parents had had a few days of work and her brother was even on summer holidays so not busying himself with the textbooks he always otherwise seemed to have his nose in. Even Aunt Brige made a surprise visit arriving a few days after her and staying for the remainder of the break. it had been one of her favourite christmases in a long while. maybe it was because it had felt so enjoyable to be back home with her family after spending the previous three and a half months away at school.
Leaving on the other hand was hard. she loved school but she just missed her family so much she had wanted to stay with them longer. at the airport she was in tears as she walked through the terminal, with aunt brige who was heading home via New Zealand in order to accompany her to school. she had hugged her parents one last time before boarding the plane. She had been at school now for a couple of days and had just about gotten in the school routine. however this afternoon she had some time off and deciding that the weather was too nice to spend indoors and that maybe some extra Vitamin D would help her feel better headed outside sitting on a bench in the courtyard under a large tree yet still able to feel the sun on her arms the cream tunic keeping her cool. she then took out a book, it was the textbook for Defence against the dark arts. she had been itching to read it over the break but had been told in a letter from her aunt to leave all of her books at school incase someone found them like a friend. she had wanted to be ahead as she had heard that the professor for that subject was strict and she had wanted to make a good first impression by knowing What was going on. as she read the shadows around her moved some were just leaves on the trees, others were people passing by. she wondered if any of them were people she knew. most likely not. after a semester the young hufflepuff had been spending so much time she didn't really have many friends, she had met a few people and would call them friends but a few more would be nice.

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige was excited to be back at Hogwarts New-Zealand, this vacation she had spend in her home land England and it was a lovely vacation. Paige had gone Diagon Alley and visited other magical places in England, she almost wanted to stay there and attend Hogwarts England, but she would miss the friends she had made in New-Zealand. Paige arrived on time for her second semester to start and hoped that it would be as fun as her first, she had made friends and her grades were well enough for her liking. Paige was looking at the big trunk that laid open on her bed, Paige had stuffed her trunk a little bit too full with lots of goods from Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Paige was glad that she was alone in her Dormitory, she was still thinking about England and hoped that she could return there for her next Holiday break. Paige had also bought some books and some other things she might next in her second semester. Paige her cat was already running loose in the castle looking for something to eat probably. Paige decided that it was time to go and sit outside in the Courtyard, she closed her trunk and stuffed the big thing under her bed. The Slytherin Dormitory she slept in was not full and Paige had asked another girl to sleep with them, this girl her name was Andrea Focoso. Andrea and Paige were slowly becoming friends and Paige hoped that the two would still be friends in their seventh year, Paige had already looked for Andrea, but she had noticed that the girl has yet to arrive. Paige wrote on a piece of parchment were she was, so that her roommates knew that Paige had arrived already.

Paige loved books and was excited that she would have charms in the second semester, she had already read the normal charms book for this semester so she bought some more advanced Charms books to still her hunger for knowledge about Charms. A blue book was clenched into her hand, it was an Charms book for second year and Paige knew that she could actually preform this stuff when she was alone in a deserted corridor. Paige was walking to the Courtyard outside and saw that another girl was sitting there already, she knew that this girl was another first year she had seen her into some lessons they both had together. Paige was thinking and knew she was a Hufflepuff, she hoped that the girl would not hate her since she was a Slytherin and those had a bad reputation. The girl was wearing a cream tunic, it looked nice on her and Paige looked at what she was wearing herself. Paige was wearing a grey black dress and her hair was in loose curls, normally Paige would not wear a dress but this was one of her favourites. Paige saw more students walking by the Courtyard, but she did not know who they were. The Hufflepuf girl sat under a large tree on a bench and Paige decided to sit next to her, slowly opening her charms book. Paige hoped that the girl was not hating her already and would walk away the moment that she sat herself down next to her. Paige was reading the book and knew it would be nice to have a first year friend that was not a Slytherin. ''Hello.'' Paige muttered in her English accent to the girl, not looking away from her book. Normally Paige would not sound so English, but since she left England her accent was very hard to ignore. Paige could mimic a New-Zealand accent if she want too, but since she left England she did not now how she did that. Paige hoped that the exams in this semester would be as easy as the one she had in the first semester. Her charms book was interesting and Paige could not wait to find a deserted corridor and try some of the spells.

 

[Rhiannon Archer]

Rhiannon found the book she was reading fairly interesting. sure it wasnt as interesting as the transfiguration textbooks she had read the previous semester but it was still interesting. she was currently reading the first chapter which was an introduction to the dark arts and also the reasons for leaning defence against them. It took her a minute to even realise a girl had sat next to her. and a minute later to realise she had said hello. "Hello" she said "Sorry I was too caught up in the book" she said apologising for not replying sooner. "you were in my history of magic class last term weren't you" she said realising she had seen he girl before even if she hadn't been officially introduced to her yet. "I'm Rhiannon, It is great to meet you properly" she said introducing herself and offering her hand to shake using her other hand to bookmark her page and close the book on her lap. she did enjoy reading and learning but she also like making friends and she could do with more friends in the castle whilst she could finish the chapter later. she recognised the girl had an english accent and by the sounds of it it was from the south west though it was not that strong. sort of like she had been away from the country for a while, she guessed that was how her scottish accent sounded though people always said she had a clear accent she hardly noticed it. she didn't want to say anymore incase the other girl didn't want to speak she too seemed to be carrying a textbook and looked like she was about to be reading. one chance at it said that it was charms. she had enjoyed charms when she had done it last semester, almost as much as she had enjoyed what had become her favourite class, transfiguration. [/b]

 

[Paige Rivers]

The Charms book that was resting on her lap was fairly interesting, but this was the second time she had read it and with her eidetic memory it was horrible to read it again. Paige knew every word in this book and that made this book a whole less interesting. Paige closed the book and carefully stuffed into her brown leather bag, the book was really more as a decoration for Paige then a real reading book. The girl next to her responded to her short greeting. ''Oh, that is okay.. I get caught up sometimes too.'' Paige muttered her English accent still showing. The girl noticed her from their shared History of Magic class, Paige knew that was right she had seen the girl now and then. ''Yes, I was it was a nice class though.'' Paige liked to sit with the Hufflepuffs rather than to sit with the Gryffindors she did not like those on bit. ''I am Paige, indeed it is.'' Paige said to the girl, the girl must have noticed her English accent. When Paige spoke with her English accent some other students could not understand her and Paige figured that this girl must be from a place close to England maybe Scotland.

The Charms book was not as interesting, Paige loved books, but her memory made reading them over and over impossible since she could almost quote every letter in a book once read. It was not even fun to read a children story since she could remember all of them out of her head. It must have looked weird that Paige had closed her book very fast without actually begin reading a page. Paige noticed the book on the other girl her lap as the Defence Against the Dark Arts book, Paige had read it once and the book was already memorized. Defence Against the Dark Arts was a interesting subject to say the least, Professor Styx was a good Professor and the subject was really interesting, Paige knew that this would be one of her NEWTS in her Seventh Year. Paige was still gazing at the girl with her bright blue eyes, trying to remember what she knew about this girl. Paige had a good memory, but sometimes she let something slip and mostly it were names and other people their things. Paige was somewhat selfish sometimes and knew that this was one of her problems. ''How was your vacation?'' Paige really wanted to know this, she wanted to know more about this girl and a genuine conversation was a start. Paige did not smile very often, but a slight smile appeared on her face. Paige pulled at the seam of her dress and made it look more decent.

 

[Rhiannon Archer]

Rhiannon nodded when the girl said she got caught i sometimes too. occasionally for her if she really was caught in the book the rest of the world would vanish and she wouldn't even hear her mum calling her for dinner. "it was a nice class. and the topics were interesting. a lot more so than the history i studied before" she said. then Page introduced herself Rhiannon smiled and offered out her hand. these interactions were the kind of thing that had been drilled into her since she could remember so that they by now seemed almost natural.
Rhiannon then opened her bag, out the book in it before closing it again securely. as Paige asked her how her holidays were. "they were good. my aunt came to visit and we all went up to port arthur for a day. and we had a traditional christmas but mum was at work in the evening" she said, answering the best she could as it seemed like the girl wanted to know but she couldn't be sure. she liked port arthur, something about it seemed safe. maybe it was the set order of the place and how it hadn't changed for a hundred years or maybe it was just because it was a nice place. "how were your holidays" she asked she had also learned that the politest way to continue a conversation was to return the questions you have been asked however interested you were in the answer or not. "have you had charms yet? are you looking forward to it" she asked gesturing to the book in the girls hand. 'I enjoyed it, though not as much as transfiguration" she said. maybe she would have done if perseas wasn't in the class purposely annoying her.

Out of Character:

sorry if she has changed slightly. I decided this morning it may be interesting to have Rhiannon with a rather mild Aspergers syndrome/autism so i am giving it a trial for a bit.

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige was caught up when she was reading books or was thinking about something important like her homework. Paige was smart, but sometimes she did not want to handle all of her first year problems so then was getting caught up kind of nice. ''I was home schooled.'' Paige muttered she was home schooled for a reason when she attended a normal Muggle school she was failing badly since the knew more and to be honestly Paige was somewhat of a blabber mouth so when Paige called a student a 'Stupid Muggle' her parents decided that it was better to have her home schooled.

Paige decided that it was better that she would put her book away back in her bag and have a nice conversation with the girl. Paige closed her bag and laid it on the ground next to her. Paige listened how the girl her vacation had went and it was kind of interesting to hear it all. ''My Holiday was fine I went to England and I almost wanted to stay there.'' Paige loved England, she even liked the weather there. ''England is quite nice and I loved Diagon Alley and I was tempted to stay at Hogwarts England, but I would miss my friends.'' Paige said to girl, she was honest and Paige tried to be nice to her. Paige knew that the girl had recognised her book and that was the reason that the girl asked about the subject of Charms. ''No, actually I have not.. I am looking forward to it immensely.'' Paige was already trying out spells and reading books that were not supposed to be read by a first year student at Hogwarts.

Paige did not really Transfiguration, since it was one bunch of bundled up Ministry rules, the Ministry controlled almost everything in the subject of Transfiguration. Paige knew that is was needed since the subject was highly dangerous and could be used for the wrong reasons, but so much rules made the subject not interesting. Andrea another friend of Paige liked the subject, but Paige thought it was only decent and somewhat complicated by a bunch of rules. Paige thought it was not good to rant about Transfiguration, that would bore the girl to death.

 

[Rhiannon Archer]

Rhiannon nodded when paige said she was home schooled. she didn't really know what else to say about it but it was just a fact. it wasn't a surprise to learn that she had attended muggle school seeing as her parents were doctors and she would have thought Accio was some kind of health food before she had brought her school books. "that sounds like you ha a good time" she said with regards to the girls holiday. "next break i am most likely going back to scotland to stay with my aunt." she sad as if to emphasise the point they were from the same country originally just different enough to be classes as different. but really in most politics scotland was just part of Great Britton but not its own country.
when the girl said she hadn't taken charms but she hadn't taken it yet she nodded. "you should, it is a good class, but watch out things have a tendency to go flying across the room." she said in warning, not mentioning the specific people who had been in her charms class almost intentionally annoying her and each other with their antics. as if they were in her class last semester it would be unlikely they would be taking it again.
Rhiannon hadn't quite picked up that Paige didn't really find transfiguration that appealing. "in transfiguration we got to make jewellery boxes" she said. she was quite a fan of jewellery her aunt brige made it in a small workshop at her house and she always enjoyed the summers staying with her whilst her parents were working and attending an annual conference. she would often come home with some interesting unique silver. the ones that she made often fell apart in a couple of days but some of it lasted really well. in fact the interesting shaped necklace she almost always wore under her clothing was one of her first creations and one of her most well lasting. little did she know that when she made it was the first time she had shown any magic, and it was actually held to together by magic a lot more than the metal its self.

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige was actually smiling, the girl did not mind that she was a Slytherin. Paige was home schooled and the girl did not mind that fact, lots of other children had gone to a regular Muggle school, but Paige said too much there was no change that Paige could keep her mouth shut while being on her old Muggle school. Paige knew too much when she was younger and Paige was a blabber mouth and could not keep 'secrets' very well. Paige her parents had jobs that were not spoken of really, Paige knew that her mother worked at the Ministry and Paige did not even know where her dad worked for. Paige had a good time in England and almost wanted to stay there, but that was not the point. ''Yes, it was a good time.'' Paige muttered while almost sunken in thought. ''Scotland is a nice country, especially with Hogwarts there.'' Paige said to the girl, Paige saw the Castle from a distance but it was impressive and that one was the first of the Hogwarts Castles. Paige knew that the girl was also not from New Zealand and Paige liked that fact, she was missing some English spirit. ''It is nice to talk too someone else that is not from around her really.'' Paige said to the girl, she liked to have someone to talk too that was also from the United Kingdom.

''I bet, Wingardium Leviosa is a first year spell right?'' Paige said to the girl, she would love Charms. Paige would bet that there were some students that liked to misuse their learned spells, but Paige would never do that. ''Oh, that would be amazing making a Jewellery Box.'' Paige muttered, she needed something to put her necklaces in, she had too many laying around in her trunk. ''But, Transfiguration is one bunch of Ministry rules, you must know that since you got Transfiguration in your first semester.'' Paige finally got her word out about Transfiguration and hoped that the girl would not get angry on her. Paige wondered what the girl thought about her vision on Transfiguration, she would love to become a Animagus, but all the rules made it not easy for her.

Paige was still thinking on the idea of making a jewellery box, she hoped that you could choose the design yourself. Paige had some ideas on how the box was supposed to look like. Paige had accidentally transfigured her favourite ring into a small rattle snake and her dad could not transfigure it back to its original shape. Paige was sad that she lost her ring that day, but the snake proved her some fun too she kept him, but he died a couple of years ago by a tragic accident. Paige thought about the day that her cat was eating her rattle snake, a slight grin appeared on her face.

 

[Rhiannon Archer]

Rhiannon was a little surprised that there was a Hogwarts in scotland. she had heard about the original Hogwarts. who hadn't. but somehow it hadn't clicked that it was in scotland. she wondered where it was, probably somewhere in the highlands where it could be hidden easily. "that is good to hear." she said when the girl said she had a nice time. "yes scotland it a great country. I come from Edinburgh but when i go back i usually spend most of my break with my aunt on the isle of mull. she said. she really liked mull all the colourful houses in Tobermory. and how she and Michael would go and have fish and chips on the waterfront and then throw the left overs to the seagulls. "" just thought i have a postcard form there in my bag" she said reaching into her bag and taking out a book opening it to where it was marked and withdrawing the bookmark. a postcard[/b] she had picked up when she had needed it.
"It is nice to talk to someone at all to be honest." she said. surprisingly she had not found her dorm mates the most sociable, or at least not with her. it was odd she had got the impression that hufflepuffs were meant to be mega friendly. maybe she just spent too much time on the library or studying. "yes. the levitation charm. the other ones are the summoning and banishing charm." she said. when the girl said there was a lot of rules for transfiguration she nodded. "oh there are a lot but they are interesting." she said she had liked the rules she always had done. "this semester I am looking forward to potions. have you don't that one yet or are you with us?" she said. she had just copied her timetable down not which house she was sharing classes with. she just hoped she wasn't sharing potions with the gryfindors as she was sure the stratis twins would find a thousand and one ways to cause trouble.

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige knew about the Magical World since she was little, she technically grew up with it. It was weird to see that there were people that did not know anything about the Magical world until they got the letter saying that they were invited to come to Hogwarts. Hogwarts was hidden by spell if a Muggle would see it they would only see ruins and if they would dare to come closer they would suddenly forget why they were there and turn around. A wild hair flew into Paige her eyes making her vision cloudy, with one sweep her hair stayed were it was supposed to be. Paige had heard of Edinburgh, but had never visited the place. Paige nodded when the girl spoke about the postcard, Paige never bought souvenirs. She had bought a charm bracelet in London once, but that thing was lost. Paige her parents had tried a summoning charm, but that did not succeed. Paige looked at the bookmark it looked like a nice city, Paige nodded and smiled.

''I know what you mean.'' Paige loved quietness, but sometimes it was lovely to just have small talk. Paige disliked Huff a bit, but this was really setting things straight. She had some of the qualities, but she was also smart. Paige was beginning to like the girl. When the girl talked about spells something sparked in Paige, she would love to know all the spells that the girl talked about. The girl said she almost liked the rules, Paige had to laugh. That was a Hufflepuff trait, Paige did not dislike all the rules only if they were useless in her eyes. ''Yes, we have Potions together. '' Paige muttered under a huge sigh. ''I am glad that we do not have it with Gryffindor.'' Paige her voice was neutral, she did not want to slip out that she hated Gryffindor.

Paige looked at the sky, she was glad that she was back safely. Her cat was already settled in and Paige had already claimed her old bed again. Classes would start soon and that made Paige kind of happy, she would love to make Homework again it just felt magical. ''Are you glad to be in Hufflepuff?'' Paige did not know why she asked that, but she was curious.

 

[Rhiannon Archer]

It was a strange concept for Rhiannon that some people grew up with magic. she wondered what it would be like if mess was tidied up with a spell, not a hoover. and how things could be so easy, surely life should be more work than a flick of a stick, but then again she thought that there was a lot in the muggle world they didn't have here, wifi, internet, even electric lights. she quite liked it, it was sort of like being back in time one hundred and fifty years but not really, like sort of pretending to be.
Rhiannon smiled when the girl said that she too was glad that she didn't have potions with gryffindor. "It isn't that i don't like the house. It is just that there are two boys in there who would be dangerous if left to make potions and i don't want to be in the room when the cauldron bottom burns acid onto the floor" she said more honest than most people would be.
she watched as some people walked past a group of friends they seemed be be talking about what one of them seemed to have been up to in the holidays, something about a holiday and a boy. it was odd how no matter how different people were in upbringing, it seemed like talking about boys was something all girls seemed to enjoy talking about when hey were older, she heard the same conversation some many times when she was muggle school, and it seemed magic didn't change that. she was thinking about this that she almost missed Paiges question. was she glad to be in hufflepuff, what an odd question. "I like hufflepuff. I didn't know anything about the houses when i was sorted. i was just glad to be put in one and not sent back home. but now i know about them i wonder why i wasn't put in ravenclaw" she said, "how are you finding slytherin. some of the older students in green look scary" she said. she tried not to attract too much attention from them for starters there was a girl who looked like she would beat you up if you looked at her wrong.

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige was still tired from her trip to England, it was very tiring and Paige was thinking she maybe was jet-lagged. Paige did not like Gryffindor much, she found it decent, but would not want to get sorted there. She had met the Twins once or twice, well she had seen them in class and that was all. Paige did not want to admit her hatred towards Gryffindor, well it was not that bad of a house. ''I know what you mean it is highly dangerous and if some pranksters want to have fun it can be deadly.'' Paige did not know lots about Potions, but she could figure out this much. The girl would probally like all houses being a Hufflepuff and all, they liked everyone it was really weird. Paige had met a Slytherin boy and Paige hoped that he and she could become than friends, she had a teenage crush butterflies and all. Paige was into small talk, it was her way of getting to know people better. Paige was getting a bit random all given to the cause of being jet-lagged or she was just curious. ''Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are much a-like, but Ravenclaw are mainly less social.'' Paige muttered, this was how her parents had explained the two houses they only cared about Slytherin really. ''I love Slytherin and would not want to trade it for any other House, I belong there.'' Paige said the truth, she did not want to lie to this girl. ''Yes, some of the older Slytherins are really mean and awfull.'' Paige knew some Hufflepuffs were bad too, but she did not want to open that can of worms. In every House there was something wrong, she was only glad that she had not received any detentions or other punishments.