I know you

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo sat at one of the tables in the student lounge, knees bent and feet under her as she read through her Charms textbook. It was her favourite subject and she really should have been spending the time to study one of the classes she found more difficult, ready for the exams, but since she was feeling a little uneasy in other aspects, she considered at least for one afternoon, she should try and enjoy her studying. Ever since the second year had gotten together with the Gryffindor, she'd found more pressure to be someone she wasn't sure if she was. She loved Jess, and she loved to be around her, but she couldn't shake of the idea that perhaps they were better as friends. It made her just sick to think about it, but once again she realised she'd lost her place in her reading, and reaffirming her attention, got back to the paragraph about seeking out people. After all, most of these spells would be very useful for her if she managed to secure herself a position as an Auror.

 

[Aion Zephyr]

In less than two weeks, Aion would be leaving the school. It had seemed to have crept up on the seventh year from no where, and he knew he wasn't ready to leave. With exams approaching, the library seemed to packed now, and making his way to the student lounge he hoped not too many people had decided to hang out there. Upon entering the room however his ideas were shot, as every single table had at least one student sat at it. He knew he was going to have to ask someone to share, and just when he realised he may need to share with someone he really didn't like, he spotted a younger student by herself, not even using the surface. "May I?" He asked, gesturing to the table top. He wasn't going to bother her, but if she didn't want it he would. He recognised the girl, but wasn't entirely sure where from, and didn't have the confidence to ask outright, not that it mattered. Soon he would be gone and everyone would have forgotten about him anyway. He waited for her acceptance before laying down his books, realising he'd better just get this over with.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo glanced up as a voice interrupted her thoughts, giving a shrug at his question. Her blue didn't leave him though as she watched him take a seat opposite her, and her eyebrows frowned slightly as she recalled where she knew him from. "I know you" she said out loud, not caring whether he didn't remember who she was. "You were at the Chocolate Championship" she added, "You laughed at Rose" she said simply, before looking back down to her book. He'd not been very sympathetic at all to her Gryffindor friend, and seemed way too wrapped up in his own life to be caring about anyone else. Geo continued to glance up over the rim of her book as the boy set himself up, trying to remember his name. She could hardly concentrate now, with someone sat in such proximity to her. She sighed quietly to herself, trying to resist the urge to make more conversation with him. He wouldn't have pushed on her personal space if he didn't have a good reason to be here after all. Geo closed her own book, knowing there was no point staying, but she looked back up to him with "I hope you do great next week" she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

 

[Aion Zephyr]

Taking the girls shrug as a sign he could say, he laid out his things across the table and sat down opposite her. He'd been sat for less than 20 seconds by the time she recognised him and called him out on it, and his head shot up at the recollection that they'd both participated in the recent competition at Honeydukes. He'd known it was a mistake to go there, he had much better things to be doing. It hadn't surprised him that he'd easily been the oldest of the group, and his classmates were probably doing important things around the castle than playing games. Although it hadn't been like him at all to participate, he'd wanted to do more things outside of his comfort zone, and it had surely done that for the seventh year. "Um, yeah I did. Sorry about that" he apologised quickly, assuming Rose was the girl who'd thrown up her chocolate at the end of the session. It had been funny at the time, but Aion also put down his uncontrollable laugher to feeling the nerves of the day, and didn't feel quite so guilty. The girl was clearly pissed off at him, and he tired with the constant confrontation. "Look, I apologised. I get that you're angry about your friend or whatever but it was a mistake okay. Just let it go" He was fed up with this and besides he had work to do. At least if she left him alone he'd finally have the table to himself.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo had more words for this boy, but he quickly seemed to apologise for his previous mistakes, causing the Hufflepuff to stumble a little in her train of thought. She hadn't expected him to do so as suddenly, and as her hair was turning a bright shade of pink in her anger, she slowly allowed it to cool down into it's previous pastel shade. She'd never had anyone to straight up tell her to let a situation go before, and even though she wanted justice for her friend it seemed she'd already gotten it. She thought to herself for a few moments, shifting a little in her chair. Did she really need to leave? Sitting back with her arms folded across her chest, she continued to eye up the stranger who'd taken place opposite her. "What's your name?" She asked inquisitively. She'd never seen him around before, and even though he was an older student she still knew a few in the later years. Whoever he was, he clearly kept himself to himself.

 

[Aion Zephyr]

Aion sighed to himself as the girl seemed to be insistent on staying, although at least she didn't seem to be throwing comments at him anymore. "Aion" he replied simply, not looking up from his book. Hopefully she'd get the hint that he wasn't interested in talking to her, and as mean as he felt that was he had work he had to do before the end of the week. He'd had enough drama this year to fill out all seven of his magical education, and the sooner he could graduate the better off he knew he'd be. His plan for the next 6 months had been finalised, and with his dad coming down during the holidays to visit him, he was more than ready to be done with the school. The only thing he'd miss was time he could spend with Cyan, but since they were to meet up on any possible occasion, and she was due to be joining him out there once she'd finished her studies, he was confident that their friendship would hold strong.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

"Aion?" She repeated, wondering where she'd heard that name before. "Isn't that a god or something?" She questioned, not caring whether he had better things to be doing than talking to her. She grown bored of holding herself back, and wanted to relinquish the energy she'd had in her first year. It didn't pass her notice that he didn't ask her for her name. "I'm Geo. Well, Geovanna" she said, realising that he was the first person she'd mentioned her full name to since St Mary's. Not even Elly knew that was her full name, unless she'd managed to catch sight of it during the Rose deliveries. "Geo" she nodded once more in confirmation. He was a strange one, and the second year wasn't quite sure what to make of him. "What are you reading?" She peered over the desk once more to try and see what it was he had in front of him. The words looks complicated, even reading them upside down. Geo wasn't the smartest person in her class but she wasn't against giving anything a try. She spent most of her free time reading between her classes in order to be prepared, so what was the harm in knowing what was to come in the later years?

 

[Aion Zephyr]

Aion glanced up at the mention of his name, surprised that she had a vague idea of what it meant. "Sort of" He added, his green eyes looking across the table as he considered whether it was worth interacting with this kid. He listened as she told him her name, not that it made much difference to him. He hadn't heard of her and wasn't sure why she was still here if she wasn't going to keep reading her book. He decided to clarify the meaning of his name, but before he could answer her she butted in with yet another question with apparently no regard for anyone else's personal space. He wondered if she knew the nosey girl that had given him the rose from Cyan a few months ago, no doubt they get on well, he suspected. "Ancient Runes" he replied quickly before she could change the subject again. He took out a sheet of notes from the book he was reading, passing them across for her to read. Regardless of whether she was old enough to take the subject, perhaps she would at least be quiet for a few minutes. He glanced back down to his own textbook, making some more scribbles against his already illegible handwriting.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo lent forwards against the table as she spoke, keeping her voice low enough so that only the boy could hear her, when he thrust a piece of paper under her nose. Even though she was only a second year, her eyes began to scan the page in anticipation of what she could soon expect. She wasn't going to spare any expense, and wanted to take all the electives the school had to offer next year, even if it was to just try them out and see what she preferred. She'd found that she only needed a couple of additional subjects to be able to train as an Auror after graduation, and as she read down the page she realised that Ancient Runes appeared much more fascinating than she'd original thought. She glanced up but only to find that the man was once again head buried in his book. "Fine." She said finally, putting together the pieces. "Inguz. Rune of isolation or separation in order to create a space or place where the process of transformation into higher states of being can occur." She read the notes aloud, before glancing up to see if she'd finally gotten his attention. "Sounds like your birth rune" she muttered under her breath. Whenever she'd see him around he'd been by himself, and she wondered if he even had any friends. "What does it Goven?" She tested him. If he was studying for an exam he at least needed someone to help him, and besides maybe it would give her a head start next year.

 

[Aion Zephyr]

He thought it had done the trick for a moment, but he was disappointed no less than a few seconds later when she decided to speak up again. It was no use, he was never going to get anything done around her. As she listened though he realised what she was doing. He gave a small sigh, closing his textbook and leaning back in the chair, arms crossed over his chest as he turned his attention back to her. "Have you taken this yet?" He asked her, before considering his answer. "Er, it's energy. Stored energy. For focusing on creative thought and transformation" he replied, fairly confident in his response. "You don't have to do this you know" he added, glancing around the room to see how many other people were looking at them. Apparently everyone had their own problems to be dealing with, and turning back to the girl he only just realised her hair was tinged slightly differently than it had been a short while ago. Resisting a frown, he nodded for her to continue, curious at to what she was trying to do.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo shrugged, "No. Doesn't mean I'm too young to learn though" she looked up with a smile before continuing to read down the page. "I'm a second year. Which means very soon I'll get to learn all about these" she said, before her eyebrows hardened. "These divination uses.." She trailed off, trying to finally supress a small giggle from escaping. There were some very odd uses for these stones, and she struggled to comprehend how any of these worked. Ignoring his latest statement, she reached the bottom of the page, flipping the piece of parchment in an effort to find out more about it. "What's the "Male Mysteries"?" She pushed on, hoping he'd explain exactly what it meant.

 

[Aion Zephyr]

He should've guessed she didn't know what she was doing, the way she was staring at the paper as though it was some sort of catalyst into the unknown. "Look, I'm sure next year, Professor Kingsley will be more than happy to let you know" He replied, removing himself from the chair with an outstretched arm to reach for the notes. It had been a mistake to give it to her, she clearly wasn't ready. "May I?" He asked, his open hand waiting for her to return his study notes. She was hesitant but he managed to get a hold of it, stuffing it quickly back into his book before she could read any further. "Don't you have some place you need to be? Friends to hanging around with? If you are actually who you say you are that is" he said, standing motionless as he looked down at the girl who called herself Geo.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Despite her best efforts, Aion managed to grab the parchment from her hands, pulling it away from her before she could finish reading the remainder of the page. "Hey..!" she began to call out in protest. He'd given it to her in the first place, the least he could do was let her read it now she'd begun. She frowned, crossing her arms and staring back at him with more anger than she realised. It had been a tricky year for the Hufflepuff, and the only thing that seemed to be on track right now was her classes. He spoke of her friends, and what she should be doing, and the comments of her true self didn't go unnoticed. "Oh, yes that's right." It seemed like everyone still believed that she was capable of pretending to be other people. She'd been stupid to think that people would accept her ability for what it was, and while she knew she hadn't done herself any favours last year she was fed up with the lack of trust that came with it. "Who would ever trust a Met?" She asked rhetorically. She didn't know who Aion thought he was, but he had right to be treating her like an idiot. "Do you know what it's like? Having almost everyone around you look at you as though you don't belong here?" Although she hadn't realised it until now, it occurred to her just how many students saw her only for her ability. She was almost certain some of the first years still called her Pinkie. Although her voice remained a whisper, it had become sharp, and Geo's eyes had narrowed their fixture on his. Sure, she could have gone to find her friends to talk about this, but she would run the risk of bumping into Jess, and just like the majority of her current life she was just as confused about her.

 

[Aion Zephyr]

Aion's eyes softened at the venom in the girls voice, listening to her speak about her genetics. "I didn't mean.." she wasn't done. He glanced away from her, unsure of how he was meant to pick up the pieces of a conversation. Taking his seat back, he waited for her to finish, still not meeting her gaze in fear that she'd continue trying to bite his head off. No matter what he did he always seemed to step in it, and this was no different. He hadn't intended to offend the student, and to have another person angry at him only made him feel smaller. "Yes" He said finally, his eyes finding the confidence to look up as he rearranged himself on the table, leaning heavily on his arms as he spoke. He may not have been like her, but he had his own reasons for feeling out of place, and if they were going to start comparing stories he wanted her to know she wasn't by herself. "Look, I'm sorry, okay." He didn't need to explain he wasn't the smartest at social interactions if this was anything to go by. "You know, you have time to change things here, if you wanted to." He shifted a little more in his seat, trying to find the words best to describe his thoughts. "I'm not saying you're not trustworthy" he gave a small shrug, who was he to know, "I just mean that people change, regardless of whether or not you want them to. You're a second year with your entire education ahead of you, and you shouldn't waste time bothering yourself with what everybody else thinks". It was quite clear he wasn't going to get any work done here, but he'd come to realise only in the last few months that it was easy to miss opportunities. "Although, feeling like an outsider can sometimes push you forward into something you may never have even known you needed" He finished, allowing himself to open up to this new acquaintance.

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Geo only frowned further as Aion told her she was able to change. Of course she could, and she didn't need him to tell her that. She wondered how long he was going to talk about the cliché topic of ignoring other peoples opinions, which was obviously easier said than done, when he mentioned there could actually be a benefit from all of this. She glanced away from him, her eyes cast out towards the nearest window instead. She knew she was overreacting, but over the course of the last year she'd felt more as though she was on her own, and nobody looked past the obvious. The more she thought about it, the more she realised what Aion was saying was true. If she didn't feel the way she did, she probably wouldn't be trying so hard in her lessons, and while she'd always known she wanted to be an Auror, maybe she was compensating in her grades, trying to prove herself. She'd been told as a child she was more than who she'd been born as, but she never really believed it. Geo was just another cog in the magical machinery. She'd never known her true family, nor the reasons for their abandonment, but that did little to settle her thoughts that she was of any more use than a distraction for others. She turned her attention back to Aion, realising how long she'd been silent. "How have you been outcast?" She asked quietly. Surely he wouldn't have mentioned it if he didn't want to discuss it.