Haunted Places

[Peyton Ó Ruairc]

A rainy weekend forced a certain Gryffindor girl to stay indoors. Peyton was glad that it was raining actually, it means her brother will stay put inside and not bother try flying at the Quidditch pitch. Hunter got hurt too many times already and all she did was stay with him at the Hospital wing. The Baird siblings are both new at Hogwarts but Peyton was adjusting too slowly. Bored doing nothing at the Gryffindor common room, she went to her dormitory to snatch a box of Bertie Bott's Jelly Bean from her bedside table and a book about haunted places in New Zealand. Staying at the common room was too noisy for her but the hall ways are empty, except for some students who decided not to take a room and started smooching there. Peyton ignore and started to make her way to the second floor, she was greeted by moving portraits and in return, she smiled and nodded at them.

The teenager found a spot, a big window over seeing the dark lake. Peyton sat on the windowsill, droplets of rain gush down on the other side of the window. Lightning rolled over the dark skies as she wore her glasses and flipped the book open. It opened to the story of the Carlile House in Auckland, Peyton was suddenly engross on the book that she didn't bother to flinch from the thunder that rolled.
​

 

[Ewan Yates]

Ewan found himself wandering through the corridors on a gray afternoon. He liked Hogwarts the most when there were days like this; days when dark cloud and miserable weather had taken over the usual bright sun and blue sky. He just liked the darker tone the castle got from the gray skies outside. After the Ravenclaw teen spent most of his time reading in the afternoon in the Great Hall he decided to move to the Student Lounge instead, mainly because the Great Hall was getting busier and busier now that most of the student stayed inside the castle. As he slowly made his way towards the fourth floor with a Sherlock Holmes book in his right hand, Ewan sometimes smiled and nodded at a few of his classmates. Within a few minutes of leaving the Great Hall the boy stood in the second floor corridor wondering if going to the abandoned classroom would be a better idea after figuring out that the lounge'd probably be crowded, too. He eventually came to the decision to go there instead so continued walking through the corridor. Whilst looking around Ewan saw a girl sitting on the windowsill and reading a book. Curious to know what the book was about, and to be sociable because he hadn't spoken a word to anyone yet, Ewan carefully walked towards the girl. ''Hi,'' the Ravenclaw said with a smile on his face. ''What are you reading?''

 

[Peyton Ó Ruairc]

Peyton's glasses slip down her nose. She pushed it up further back to its place. The Carlile house fascinates her more than scares her but she was sadden about the happenings around the house. The Gryffindor girl flipped another page continuing the story, she slowly grab another jelly bean on the little box beside her and ate it. Her face went upside down at the horrible taste of an earwax flavor. Peyton spit the jelly bean, that was gross beyond my imagination she thought but her moment was cut off by someone asking what she's reading. Peyton looked up but her glasses was yet again falling off her nose. She took it off and smiled at the guy in front of her. Lately, she's been a happy-go-lucky lady maybe because she met Avie and that made a positive feeling on her.

"Hello. It's a book about haunted places in New Zealand. I'm into stuff like these. I'm not really your cliche type of girl that's scared of everything." Peyton stated. She always tries to make that a point whenever she meets someone worth her time. Maybe that's why she's in Gryffindor. Peyton took the box of the jelly bean and offered the guy some. "Would you like some?" She out stretched her arms with the box. She was waiting for his reaction on the flavor he'll going to get.
​

 

[Ewan Yates]

Ewan smiled when she greeted him back and listened attentivly as she explained what the book was about. It seemed rather interesting so Ewan, hoping that the girl wouldn't mind it, sat next to her on the floor. ''Any interesting stories in it so far?'' the Ravenclaw asked wondering if it would mention the Borely Mansion too as it seemed to be haunted by something. ''That's good, I guess?'' he said when she told him that she didn't mind reading about haunted places. He shook his head politely when the girl offered him some sweets and said, ''No, thank you, I'm good.'' with a smile on his face. He wasn't particulary fond of jelly beans, never was. ''I'm Ewan'' he then said thinking it'd be polite to introduce himself if he was going to spent some time with the girl.

 

[Peyton Ó Ruairc]

She still smiled even though the guy refuse the offer of some jelly beans. Peyton shrugged her shoulder and took another mystery jelly bean and pop it in her mouth. This time it was watermelon and she didn't have to spit it out. When the guy sat next to her and introduce himself, she chewed on the jelly bean first before saying anything. "Nice name. I'm Peyton, you might not have seen me before because I'm a transfer. You're pretty much the first person who willingly approach me." Peyton said with a chuckle but it was sad that she only had one friend so far. Peyton sigh thinking about it but she'll try next school year again, the Gryffindor has four more years anyhow except if she decided to move back to Russia again. Waking up from her day dreaming, she address Ewan's question about the book she was reading. "There's one, it's not really creepy but the history is just sad." Peyton flipped the book open on the story she was reading and showed it to Ewan. "The house is in Auckland. It said 43 children had died on a fire over there and up to this day they could hear their cries for help." But she flinched when another roll of thunder came. Peyton accidentally dropped the book which she retrieved faster than a bullet. "Sorry, but yeah, turns out the story was a myth but I would love to explore a haunted mansion or house. It would be fun." The idea of exploring dangerous grounds just pop up on her mind all of a sudden. Peyton is a careful lady but it seems she wanted some fun.
​

 

[Ewan Yates]

Ewan smiled and said, ''Well, you're pretty much the first person who's reading in the corridors, and reading a rather intersting book, so yeah why not approach you?'' he laughing at his own comment. It was true, it wasn't often that you would come across students who were reading a book in the hallways of the castle since most of them choose the library over the, sometimes rather cold, corridors. Ewan scanned the page with his eyes as quickly as he could before she would drop it because of the thunderstorm outside the castle. At the sight of the girl flinching as the thunder struck he asked, ''Are you ok?'' before listening to Peyton again. He chuckled when she mentioned she would love to explore a place like the house in Auckland. ''Depends on the history of the house,'' he said, ''If it's really interesting I might join you.'' He'd always been eager to go inside of a haunted house but with his overprotective father was probaby not going to happen

 

[Peyton Ó Ruairc]

Peyton rarely get scared on an ordinary thunder, there was something else about it to her. Ewan asked her if she was okay, Peyton smiled and nodded. "I just didn't see that coming." All she said before Peyton closed and put the book beside her. Her smile even went wider at his offer that she will never refuse. "Do you mean that? I've heard there's this mansion in Brightstone that is totally creepy but the history is somewhat sad and mostly revenge." Peyton had been thinking to visit the place since she heard about the Borely Mansion, it struck her curiosity. But, of course, the Gryffindor doesn't know anyone yet to come with her and even though she knows someone, would they agree to come with her? Students here thinks about their house points and if they get caught sneaking at the mansion, they'll loose points which Peyton didn't care at all. She doesn't get any of the rules at Hogwarts, maybe because Koldovstoretz is different from the latter. "Anyways, are you up for it? Next weekend?" Peyton asked hopeful that Ewan would say yes. She might not know him that long but her charms always work.
​