Feels like home!

[James Peck]

Finally somewhat settled into his new surroundings James decided it was time he got out and explored the castle more. If he loved something more than Quidditch and sports in general, it was exploring. He enjoyed discovering new things, be they big or small, it was all exciting for the 11 year old. Making his way outside James let his feet do the walking, he didn't take notice of where he was walking too, most of the time his feet knew where they were going; even if he didn't. The grounds of the castle were vast and simply beautiful, So many places to explore he thought, he was surely spoilt for choice.

After a fair amount of walking James started to slow down and take in his surroundings a bit more, sure he loved exploring but getting lost, he did not. Looking around the vast area of green his eyes widened with complete joy, he had inadvertently arrived at the Quidditch Pitch, somewhere he had planned on finding soon and once he found it he had planned on making it his home. This 11 year adored Quidditch, every aspect of it: especially playing it - he was a sports fanatic after all. James started to walk around the pitch, the walk which slowly turned into a jog and then a jog which quickly turned into a full on sprint. Letting the wind blow through his messy hair, James felt at home.

 

[Vera McAllister]

Vera was seizing every opportunity she possibly could to be outside at Hogwarts. Her subjects this semester seemed alright, she had Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and the one she was looking forward to most, Flying. Vera could hardly wait to be up in the air. Then maybe she'd learn how to play Quidditch. For the last five or so years, Vera could remember sighing in jealousy every time Albie would mention Quidditch. But now she was at Hogwarts, and she wouldn't have to hear everything through Albie and be jealous, she could now experience everything for herself. And she was loving every new experience. Except all the reading and studying she'd have to deal with, but that just couldn't be helped.

Determined to check out the Quidditch Pitch, somewhere she was sure to spend a lot of time, Vera sprinted down there, only to stop dead in her tracks when she saw how big the place was. "Wow," Vera muttered, amazed. But that amazement soon turned in to sheer joy. Soon she'd be able to fly around there, but for now, at least she could run. Beaming, Vera bolted to the centre of the pitch, did a cartwheel, and kept running, until she noticed the other boy running around. He was in her house and year, she knew it. He'd been sorted in to Gryffindor just before her. James, she thought his name was. Or maybe it was Josh, but she figured it was James. He had a Scottish sounding surname, maybe he was from Scotland too? Only way to find out was to get to know him, Vera reminded herself. "Hey!" she called, waving frantically. "You're in Gryffindor too, hey? First year?" Her accent was not as striking as it was before - it had been dulled from living in Australia, but it was still extremely obvious where she was from, where she called home.

 

[James Peck]

James was loving the sheer thrill of being out in the big wide open space that was the Quidditch Pitch. Being able to run at high speed and with the added bonus that the space was so vast and empty he couldn't be happier. Wondering why the Quidditch Pitch was so empty, surely it would be the busiest place in the whole school, Quidditch was so important; everyone was bound to be here. James was always one to look forward to the weekend but this semester he had an ever bigger reason to look forward to Saturday. Despite having a class this was one James was going to look forward too, flying - he couldn't wait.

James had been so focused on the pitch in front of him that when he heard someone calling out to him he was so caught off guard that when he turned his head to see a small figure quickly moving towards his; he clumsily tripped over his own feet and landed face first on the ground in front of him. "Ack now what you do that for?" he asked himself, he Scottish accent thick. Looking up at the girl again he started to gather himself from the ground and patted the dirt off him, "Yeah, I'mma Gryffindor First Year." he confirmed. "You're one too?" he asked, noticing the fiery red hair from the Sorting Ceremony, it was definitely one to stand out.

 

[Vera McAllister]

Vera's hands flew to her mouth in astonishment, shocked that she'd caused the boy to fall over. She hadn't meant to startle him like that, really, she just...she got way too enthusiastic sometimes. "I'm sorry!" she cried, bounding over to him and reaching him in a few steps. "I didn't mean to, I didn't realise ye'd fall over," she explained, looking slightly awkward. "Are ye alright?" Vera asked, hoping he hadn't hurt himself too badly or anything. It was not a way to start seven years, injuring someone and ending up on bad terms with them, especially if they were one of her classmates.

"Me too, I'm in Gryffindor too! I think ye got sorted just before me," she said, trying to remember. Vera had a pretty good memory, and was good at placing names to faces. "It's James, isn't it? I'm Vera," she offered, holding a hand out to him, partially to help him up, and partially for the sake of introduction. "Have ye ever flown before, James? I haven't, but it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, hey?" she rambled. Vera was quite a chatterbox, she'd been told. Probably because if she wasn't moving, at least her mouth was.

 

[James Peck]

James sat up and leaned back resting his body weight on his arms as he looked up at the girl as she bounded over to him. He laughed lightly, since he could walk he was always falling over and hurting himself, this was nothing compared to some of the scrapes and bruises he had accumulated over the years. "Yeah I'm be grand. Nothing major." he said shrugging off the incident. James grinned as the girl said she was indeed a Gryffindor too, Merlin only knows that James needed to make some friends soon. Taking the girls hand he quickly pulled her down to the ground beside him. Smirking he chuckled, "Now we're even, it's good to meet ya Vera."

Placing his hand behind his back again he looked up to the sky and smiled at her question. His eyes slowing widening with shock when she informed him that she had never flown before. "You're kidding right? I mean flying is the best thing in the world," he said, easily exaggerating, but it was things like flying and Quidditch that got him most excited above anything else. "I love to fly, me! Do it all the time back home. And once I pass, and I will, my flying lesson at the end of the semester, Da promised me a new broom. It's going to be wicked!" he said, excitement clear in his voice. "So you really can't fly?" he asked again, completely confused that someone couldn't fly, it was unheard off for him.

 

[Vera McAllister]

Vera grinned as she practically bounced on the balls of her feet where she stood. Vera just had way too much energy, she could never stand still. Her mother always fussed when she wouldn't sit still for her to do her hair, but it wasn't really Vera's fault, it was just how she was. "Good to hear," she replied, before she was pulled on to the ground. Vera didn't mind, though, this guy seemed to have a good sense of fun and she figured they'd get along quite well, especially because he loved flying. Laughing, she straightened up and crossed her legs, getting herself comfortable.

She couldn't help but feel a little wistful when James talked about how amazing flying was. Vera had never had the chance. She'd gone horse riding plenty of times, and she loved it, but actually flying on a broomstick! Flying! Vera was desperate to have the chance. And she would, soon, but Saturday couldn't come quickly enough. "Ah! It's going to be so amazing!" Vera exclaimed, excited. "Nope, never flown before. My family are...muggles? That's the word, right? But yeah, my brother's a wizard but he's not allowed to fly at home. He doesn't like it much, anyway, but he doesn't know what he's missing, because I think it's going to be amazing!" Vera rambled. "Aw wow, ye'll have a broom of yer own? That's so awesome!" If she liked flying, and she was sure she would, Vera would be sure to get a broom of her own. "So where abouts in Scotland are ye from?" she asked, having placed the accent immediately (it was fairly similar to her own).

 

[James Peck]

James had now ran as fast as could and was in a conversation about Quidditch, he was happy. It was strange how certain things got people excited, for James is was Quidditch and flying (among other things) and he wouldn't have it any other way. James nodded enthuasitically in agreement when Vera said it was going to be amazing. James was not one to look forward to classes but Flying was definitely going to be one of his favourite ones, even if it was on on a Saturday - he would only spend a Saturday morning flying anyway. "Oh right. Ah that explains it then." he said, when Vera told him that her family were muggles. He really did feel sorry for them at times, to go their whole life without knowing about Quidditch and flying, although they did have some good sports of their own - Rugby being James' favourite.

James let out a scoff when Vera informed him of his brother not liking to Flying, "Are ye sure he's a Wizard?" he asked, somewhat rhetorically, Wizards that didn't like Flying were strange to James. James beamed with pride when Vera repeated the fact he'll have his own broom, it was going to be the best Christmas present ever. "Yep. Hopefully Da picked up on the fact that I want a Scarlet Streak, those things are sweet as!" he said with enthusiasm again. "Cannich! Up in the mountains. Well away from muggles so I could fly all I wanted." he told Vera. "What about ye?" he asked, his ears clearly picking up the hints of a Scottish accent, although it wasn't as strong as his own.

 

[Vera McAllister]

Vera felt as though she'd missed out on a good childhood experience, not having been born in to a wizarding family. Still, she wouldn't have traded her family for anything in the world, even if her mum favoured Albie a lot of the time. Besides, she'd got to learn lots of cool muggle things (like how to mix mocktails - her dad promised her he'd teach her the alcoholic variations when she was older). And she'd played heaps of muggle sports, hockey, football, equestrian and rugby being her favourites. Honestly, when she thought about it, Vera figured she had a pretty good deal. She got to learn the cool muggle way of life, but she was also a witch, so she got to learn magic, too. Apart from having to wait until she was eleven to learn how to fly, Vera was pretty happy with her life.

"Ach, he's just like mum, always reading and writin', never comin' outside to play football with me," Vera moaned, still grinning, though. She loved her mum, and her brother, even if she and her brother were so completely different. "Ooh, Scarlet Streak! I saw those at the shop, they looked so awesome!" Vera had walked in to the Quidditch store, looking around at the brooms, knowing there was no point getting one until she actually knew how to fly. Still, she'd spent a good 30 minutes looking around in awe and impatiently awaiting the day that she'd finally take to the skies. "I'm from Glasgow, myself," she explained, nodding at James' description of his home. "Dad used to be a musician, then he owned a club, so he'd take me in to town and I got to meet all these old guys who used to be in bands. Mum wasn't too happy," she said, chuckling. "But I live in Australia now, we moved over just under a year ago." She was a little wistful at this, she really missed Glasgow. Melbourne was lovely, but it wasn't quite home, it was just where she lived.

 

[James Peck]

James shook his head, he was never one for the academic side of things, give him sports any day over books. "Ahh you're a footy fan!" James said with a grin, he was so glad that he had met someone who seemed to have the same interests as him and the first week wasn't even over yet. "One of the best things to come out of the Muggle World, next ta Rugby that is." he said with a grin.

James' eye lit up when Vera told him that she was from Glasgow. He loved his home, it was great for wanting to fly and all but it was far too secluded at times. Hence why he loved when he got to visit the cities, Glasgow being his favourite. His mum hated been locked away in the Mountains day after day and when she needed her shopping fix she'd always take James and his younger sister with her. "Glasgow is the bomb! Love going there!" he said, his enthusiasm never leaving his voice.

James laughed when Vera spoke of her mum not being happy about her dad letting her meet men from bands. "My Ma's the same. Except I meet old Quidditch Pro's!" he said, his enthusiasm was now laced with excitement. "Da's in the Quidditch League in the Ministry back home, so he gets to meet all these Quidditch Pros and we always get free tickets to games." he said, a bit jumpy as he thought about all the Quidditch games he got to see. When Vera said how she had moved to Australia James commented, "Australia is nice, but it doesn't beat Scotland." he said with a small wink, knowing Vera would probably agree, being a Scot born and bred.

 

[Vera McAllister]

((yesss, catching up on epic old threads. ))

"Naturally!" Vera replied, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Ach, rugby's awesome! Quidditch better live up to rugby, or I'll be very disappointed," she winked. From what she'd read about Quidditch, and what the older students had told her, it sounded like an amazing sport. Vera wouldn't be disappointed at all. She wanted a broom badly now, and wished she was able to join the team. Apparently first years couldn't join the main team, but at least she'd still learn how to play and get some practice in, so she'd be sure to get something when it came time for her to try out.

"My God, I'm so jealous of ye!" Vera exclaimed, good-natured envy evident in her tone. If only she'd been born in to a wizarding family, or rather, if only Albie had shown interest in anything besides books! Then he could've taken her flying, or even to go watch Quidditch, or something! Compared to James, Vera felt that she had an awful lot of lost time to make up for. "You know I'm coming along to watch one with you one day," she said, folding her arms defiantly - the grin on her face and sparkle in her eyes betraying her, however.

 

[James Peck]

((FTW ))

James snorted loudly, "Believe me! It'll live up to rugby if not more so." he said shaking his head. Of course he couldn't hold it against Vera, not growing up in the Magical world she couldn't be expected to know just how awesome Quidditch was. "It's a shame that Quidditch isn't going to be played at the school this year because of the TwiWizard Tournament thingy" he said with a sigh, slightly annoyed at the fact. He knew that he wouldn't have been able to play because he was a first year but going a whole school year without seeing as much as a game was going to be pure and utter agony.

James couldn't help but grin at Vera's exclamation of her jealously. Although he was used to it, a lot of his Wizarding friends were jealous of the amount of games he got to see. When Vera seemed to 'invite' herself along to the next game with him he widened his eyes in surprise, but he smirked playfully. "Oh is that so is it?" he asked rhetorically.

 

[Vera McAllister]

"Doesn't mean we can't practice, right?" Vera was nothing if not optimistic. She was going to perfect her flying skills and be an awesome Quidditch player, and even if they weren't holding games, she wasn't going to waste this year waiting. She was going to practice and practice and practice, so that by the time she could join the Gryffindor team, they'd be practically begging her to take a spot. Nobody ever said she was modest. "Sucks that we can't even watch that, I mean, I've heard it's very exciting but it's all the way in France! And only three people are going, so what's the point of even cancelling Quidditch, you know?" She figured it was too much effort for the powers that be, but still, she was going to be indignant about it anyway.

Vera burst in to giggles at James's response. Yes, she was particuarly brash, but she found it amusing to see the momentary look of surprise. "That is so," she laughed. "Because that way I have an excuse to go back home and visit my granddad, and I get to see a real Quidditch game." She tried to look serious, but instead she fell backwards on to the ground, shaking with laughter. Vera McAllister had always been a bit of an odd one - but she'd never change, and those who knew her best would never want her to do so.