How Long Has It Been?

[Kate Archer]

Kate was enjoying her first few days back in Hogwarts. She probably had enjoyed Hogwarts this much in years. Seventh year was turning out to be a good year but Kate didn't raise her hopes too high. Anything could happen and the less she raised her hopes the further she would fall. Nothing had happened last year other then her getting badly injured in the Quidditch match and fainting on a tree, knocking herself and Sammy off a tree. They had been the two big events that had happened in her in school. Well one other thing was meeting Tybalt. Kate was convinced he and Stefan were related now. He had said Stefan's Dad was his uncle though it was a lot more complicated then that. Kate wanted to find out why Tybalt's family never spoke of Stefan's Dad Mason. It was a mystery to Kate and she wondered had Tybalt found out anything over the holidays. She had been keeping her thoughts to herself but a lot of the school already thought they were related due to RHI. There was a resemblance between himself and Stefan. KAte just wanted to find out did Tybalt's family know anything, something was fishy about the whole no talking thing, she would just love for Stefan to find his family.

Kate made her way to the Great Hall. It was lunch time and Kate's stomach was rumbling. She had been out practicing quidditch and after a nice warm shower, she was refreshed and ready to face the rest of the day. She walked into the bustling Great Hall, her eyes automatically going for the Slytherin table to see if Stefan was there. Unfortunately he wasn't. Kate would keep an eye out for him, he would hardly miss lunch. She walked over and sat down at the Hufflepuff table. Since school hadn't technically began yet Kate had decided not to wear her badge yet, she also hadn't told anyone. She didn't know if anyone knew, no one had said anything so she guessed either people didn't know or care. It didn't really bother Kate, she didn't feel much different, she just felt a lot more responsibility on her shoulders which was expected. She poured herself some pumpkin juice before starting to make herself a sandwich .

 

[Alexia Evenstar]

Alexia's return to Hogwarts had been daunting, she arrived back at the castle a few days ago to start the new school year but had stayed locked in her room ever since. She had enough food, due to her fathers excessive packing for the train ride to Hogwarts, to comfortably buy her two days but as of the previous night she had eaten the last of her food. On the morning of her fourth day at Hogwarts Alexia had woken up early but decided to skip breakfast again and stay in her room. She spent hours, like she did the other days, looking out the window to the grounds below and looking at the huge stack of photos she brought with her. She was unsure what caused her anxiety about leaving her room but she knew she couldn't stay there forever, especially now when her stomach grumbled, begging for lunch. Alexia forfeited her solitude and decided that she should go and get some lunch at the Great Hall, but despite her will and hunger she procrastinated a while before leaving. She tidied a few things in her room and had a shower until the water went cold and she couldn't stand their any longer. She pulled on her favorite pair of jeans and slipped into a nice shirt before heading towards the door before she could convince herself against it. But as she flicked the door open she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She hadn't eaten properly since she arrived and due to the lack of fresh air and exercise she was starting to look a bit pale. She stared at her reflection a bit longer and came to the optimists conclusion that although her skin looked a bit unhealthy she actually looked alright.

Alexia took a detour to the Great Hall, taking as many outer passages as possible as to feel breath in the clean air. Alexia had always felt better being outside and she was quite glad she convinced herself to leave her room, if only for the feeling of the gentle breeze on her face. The passage to the Great Hall felt so familiar and the smell of food felt so inviting, and her stomach grumbled reminding her of her hunger. When Alexia reached the large doors to the Great Hall she paused and looked around at the Hall. She looked at the staff table at the other end of the hall, she looked at the ceiling high above her head and the ground on which she stood, she looked at the four long house tables the stretched the length of the hall an her eyes finally stayed at the Hufflepuff Table. She glanced multiple times up and back down both sides of the table looking for a face she might recognize, but she couldn't distinguish any. Alexia realized then that she had been standing at the door for a rather long time and must have been starting to look a bit odd. So she made her slow, awkward walk down the length of the table to find somewhere to sit...

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate briefly looked around the Ravenclaw table. She saw Star but no Sara. Kate sighed, what she was going to do with her sister she had no idea. Her sense of dress sense was more unusual then her usual sense of style, much much different. Her make up was needless to say different also. She had turned into a goth, simple as. She had spent most of the holidays alone and by herself. Kate knew Sara had failed some subjects in school but she didn't see why she was reacting this way. After all she had said to Ryan and herself and now here she was basically doing the same thing. It was frustrating but Kate knew that acting angry and annoyed to her sister was not the way to go about things because she knew Sara would fight back and things would get no where and the two would just say things that were better left unsaid. Kate sighed as she looked over at the Slytherin table, she saw her brother sitting down, thankfully he was talking to people in his house. At least he had made some friends and wasn't a complete loner. That would not help him recover, he needed to be surrounded by friends.

She continued making her chicken,cheese and lettuce sandwich. She was quite hungry and was looking forward to eating the sandwich. She took a bit and started to look around the rest of the hall. The place was full of students talking, catching up with news over the summer. Kate wasn't really in the mood to chat to the people around her, they were younger. It was weird being in the oldest year. She was one of the oldest in the whole school. Kate took another bite, after this she poured herself a cup of tea. She poured in some milk and took a sip. Tea always reminded her or Ireland. If you were ever feeling bad you were always offered a cup of tea. Nearly everyone drank tea in Ireland, Kate would sometimes had three or four cups a day. Kate looked up and saw a girl walking down the hall, looking anxiously at the Hufflepuff table, she looked strangely familiar. Kate knew she had seen this girl,she realized she was starting to stare but she wanted to figure out who the girl was. Then it suddenly hit her. "Alexia"She exclaimed. A bunch of people looked in her direction and she wished she hadn't said that s loud as she had also got the attention of Aleixa. "Sorry"She said apologetically. She got up and walking towards her "I don't know if you remember me, it's been so long since we've last spoken"Kate said . She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She hadn't spoken or even seen Alexia since first year. The two had been roommate and quite close friends.

 

[Alexia Evenstar]

OOC: I haven't really had a chance to decide what actually happened to Alexia, I'm kind of making it up as I go. I'm going to write it as if she left school completely sometime during her first year and has only just returned now in her last year - rather that write it as if she was there all along and just hasn't done anything. I'm hoping it will make sense as it develops

The loud exclamation of her name caught Alexia off guard and she looked around to see who had called it. It obviously had caught the attention of other people who were close by and Alexia followed their gazes and found the girl who had called her name, it was Kate. Alexia stood almost dumbfounded seeing Kate at the Hufflepuff table. Her mind raced, how long had it been? She was amazed anyone, even Kate who she was so close with, even remembered who she was. Alexia was only at Hogwarts during their first year and she did not even get to stay to the end of the school year before being whisked off back to France by her mother without any warning or choice in the matter. Now that Alexia was 17 her mother could no longer force her to stay and she was free to leave and go back to New Zealand with her father. Seeing Kate again after so long made her remember the joy she felt when she first moved to New Zealand and started at Hogwarts six years ago, and although she still felt anxious she also felt reassured seeing such a familiar face. Kate stood and left the table to greet her properly and when she did Alexia was lost for words, she looked at Kate without saying anything for a silent moment until something came to her, but it was not words, it was smile. A warm, bright and wholehearted smile that filled her up with happiness. It was a strange feeling Alexia felt, sadness, anxiety and joy, all mixed together inside her, she wasn't sure whether she should laugh, cry or scream.
"It's so great to see you, Kate!" She said finally, answering her question of whether she remembered her or not, "It's been far too long"
Alexia had so many questions she wanted to ask Kate, but at the same time she knew that Kate would also have many questions to ask her, questions that she did not yet have an answer to. It was a double edged sword, but Alexia's interest out weighed her uneasiness. She glanced quickly over to where Kate was previously sitting, it didn't look like Kate had company but then again she could have been waiting for someone. Alexia decided to ask anyway,
"May I sit with you? It has been a while since we last talked." Alexia smiled gently, 'That's an understatement,' she thought.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate couldn't remember the last time she had seen Aleixa. She had seemingly disappeared at the end of first year. One day she had been there and then the next Kate had no roommate. She had always wondered what had happened. Then her mind had got preoccupied during second year and all thoughts of her friend had been shoved from her mind. During the past few years, thoughts of Aleixa had popped up, Kate had presumed she had moved schools or something. She hoped she hadn't been ill or anything. She wasn't sure why she was back but Kate was glad she was. She wanted to catch up and if Aleixa didn't mind find out why she had been gone. Of course if it was a touchy subject Kate wouldn't push, she wasn't like that. She looked surprised but she seemed to recognize Kate which was a relief because she would hate to be the only one to remember. Aleixa just looked at her, not speaking anything. It changed into a smile though and Kate returned it with a huge smile of her own. "You remember me?"Kate said glad and surprised "That it has been"Kate said agreeing nodding her head. Kate had lots of questions to ask and she was sure Aleixa had her own for her. Much had changed since the two had spoken last. Huge changes, Kate was not the same girl she had been in first year. She was surprised Aleixa remembered her, she was a lot thinner, taller and mature looking. "Of course" She said returning to her seat. People had lost interest in the two now and their conversation was now private. "So how and where have you been"She asked once they were seated.

 

[Alexia Evenstar]

Following Kate to the table where she was previously sitting Alexia couldn't help but notice how much Kate had changed, but at the same time seemed like the Kate she remembered from all those years ago. She still seemed like the kind and friendly Kate she knew, and she also looked as pretty as Alexia remembered, the only difference was that she looked more mature but this didn't surprise Alexia as they were not eleven years old anymore. Alexia felt a pang of self-consciousness for where Kate was tall and mature looking, Alexia was still quite short and her features still quite childish. The only real change Alexia had noticed in herself was that her skin was even paler and slightly sickly looking and her hair had grown longer and looked healthy, it reach down to her lower back. Alexia took her seat next to Kate and leaned across the table to get an apple and as she took a bite she instantly remembered how hungry she was. Kate asked her about herself and Alexia used the time while she ate her mouthful of apple to think of how she would answer.
"I've been alright, I guess" Alexia nodded answering the first part of Kate's question, "I'm sorry I left without saying Goodbye back then, I didn't know..." She paused as she thought about what she was trying to say, nothing she could say would convey her guilt for leaving without a word, she shook her head, "I didn't know anything." She looked away from Kate and looked at the apple she held in her hand.
"They told me I would have to go away for a while and to pack my stuff, withing the hour we left Hogwarts and they wouldn't explain anything to me. I didn't even have time to say goodbye to anyone, but I always assumed I was coming back and it was only going to be gone for a short while. Wasn't I was wrong. They sent me back to France. And there I have been, until last month when I finally turned seventeen."
Alexia had answered the two questions Kate had asked, but the question still remain - why did she leave. Alexia decided to leave the question hanging until Kate specifically asked. She looked up and smiled again at Kate,
"Anyway, what about you?!" Alexia asked excitedly, wishing to hear everything, "How have you been? And what has been happening in the world of Kate?"

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate was starving. She tended to listen to her stomach , knowing the consequences of not eating. So much had gone wrong since she had seen Alexia last. So much drama had happened in her life. Too much to say in one meeting. She wondered should she even tell Aleixa, did it matter? It was all in the past now. Unless Alexia wanted to know Kate wouldn't tell her. A lot of what had happened over the past few years had defined who she was, it had steered her life. She wasn't sure what way her life would be if things hadn't happened the way they had. Would Ryan had gone the way he had, would Star be as quite would Sara be acting the way she was now? So many if's but in some ways Kate was glad life had turned out the way it had. She had amazing friends, an amazing boyfriend and though a slightly disfunctional family a loving one. The events of the past few years probably hadn't benefited the family a lot. They were broken. They could no longer have a family meal together which was sad for a lot of reasons. "That's good"Kate said smiling. "Hey don't worry"Kate said brushing away her apology. It's not like Alexia could help what happened. Kate frowned "That sucked, but why did you leave?"Kate asked curiously. If it was too personal Kate wouldn't mind Alexia not saying anything to her. Kate took a big breath "Well, a lot has happened since you left, tonnes actually"Kate said taking a sip of her orange juice. When Kate thought back on the past six years she just couldn't believe how much had happened and changed. "Where to begin"She said shaking her head and smiling trying to think of the right place to start.

 

[Alexia Evenstar]

Alexia felt somewhat relieved to be finally apologizing for leaving. She never thought she would get the chance but now she finally did there were no words she could say that would express her guilt. Alexia was happy to be back in New Zealand but it didn't feel the same as it did all those years ago, things were different between her and her father and at school she felt distant, she many of her old friends had left school and she was weary about going to make new friends or trying new things. Alexia had thought about pushing her boundaries and jump head first into everything she could just to distract herself from her feelings. Alexia loved flying but never played Quidditch, She was smart but never pursued any extra-curricular activities; she felt like she was always just getting by doing the minimal and it was easier said than done to change her habits and put herself out there.

Alexia continued to eat her apple, remembering how much she had loved Hogwarts apples as they always tasted great,
"It doesn't matter," Alexia smiled softly when Kate asked why she had left, "That's a story for another day." Alexia nodded, she did plan on telling Kate eventually, but just not now.
"I know what you mean," Alexia agreed, "Six years - its a long time. Start anywhere; with the good, the bad or the ugly? Or at the beginning or in the middle or at the end" She laughed warmly. Alexia was pleased to see Kate again and she hoped she had been well but expected that over such a long period of time stuff would have gone wrong and Alexia wanted to hear all of it. Anything Kate was willing to tell share Alexia would listen.