Just My Echo

[Stefan Archer]

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Fourteen. The young age. Just after hitting the teen year and already on the way to becoming a full adult, on both wizard term and on muggle terms. It was an almost normality when sure a birthday arose that it was celebrated, when a birthday occurred no matter what the age the person was going to be it was celebrated. At least that was the hope. That there would be at least someone to say, oh Happy Birthday. Or Oh, well done on making it to. But, there were some people who heard nothing and got nothing. It wasn't through choice, just avoidance techniques and family members who cared too little. For others it was more that celebrating birthdays had become more of a chore than anything else. Something that had to be done, money that had to be spent. A simple reminder that people were expensive. For the colourblind Slytherin teen celebrating his birthday was not something he did. Or even really wanted to do. His father ignored his birthday. He would remind him that on the day he was born, it was the worst day of his life. That everything had been downhill from there. And when two years later his mother had died in the same week as his second birthday, his father was not ever going to celebrate it after that. The entire first week of April was that. The bitter reminder that he'd lost everything. Coming to Hogwarts the Slytherin had managed to have a birthday where he didn't have to worry about his father throwing a fit. Where he didn't have to fear the pain his father could give him in the anger. Where his birthday was the single most hated factor of the entire day. Where he could pretend to be normal and celebrate a day with the friends that he had made. This year, turning fourteen, something felt different. The colourblind teen wanted something more. He wanted his father to acknowledge the fact that his mother had been dead twelve years. To be there for him. To support him. He wanted his father to be his dad. Not that guy he was related to that hated him more than fish hated being out of water. It wasn't that he really needed his father more now than before, he just had a few more issues that would be good to talk over. Like his feelings towards Kate. What were they, how he was meant to deal with the feelings? He wanted his father to tell him about his grandparents, his mother's parents. Any siblings, extended family. He wanted to feel a connection to his parent's life before him. He wanted to relationship with his father that was good. Not what he had. What he had sucked. It hurt. And he beginning to get a little fed up. Which for this teen was a completely new feeling, one he wasn't sure how to deal with. Being fed up of how he was being treated at home, not something he ever thought he'd feel. He still thought he deserved everything he got, but he was fed up of hearing the same things over and over. He wanted to tell his father that he understood that he was a disappointment, that he knew he deserved it. More than anything he just wanted his father to stop.

Awaking in a cold sweat the Slytherin teen sat up carefully in his bed. He glanced around the room as his eyes adjusted to the lack of light in the room. And by adjust it just meant, attempted to use the small amounts of light so he could see in front of him. It took a few minutes, but things began to get a little clearer. Of course for most people it would take a matter of seconds for the eyes to adjust but being colourblind, the Slytherin had a little more difficulty in that field. Sighing to himself, he found himself attempting to calm down. He'd awoken from a particularly bad dream. He was pretty sure they were called nightmares. It had been a while since he'd had one, at Hogwarts they were a lot less frequent. How for this week in April it was the same dream over and over. An inability to breath, the feeling of being trapped. Unable to move, trying to scream out for help, and just being stuck. It wasn't a dream he liked or enjoyed. It was one he'd sooner want to throw away. But, it was one that always seemed to happen around the same time of year. Stefan Archer knew nothing of his mother's death. Just that she had died. And there was no way his father would be so angry towards him if that wasn't true. His father always said that his mother's death was his fault. That was literally all the teen knew of his mother's death. Stefan closed his eyes briefly and even though he wasn't even close to sleep he could feel the dream washing over him once more. He sighed and just opened his eyes again. Glancing at the clock in the side of the room, Stefan saw it was three in the morning. Of April 1st, He was fourteen. Stefan Archer wasn't sure how to feel about this. "Happy Birthday Stefan" The boy muttered to himself as he sleepily, but still carefully got himself out of bed. Everything hurt a lot less. The sprain was gone, and the bruise on his hand had almost completely healed. The essays he had to write sometimes hurt his hand. The Slytherin's ribs had almost completely cleared up. Overall, Stefan looked a lot better. He felt better. Everything was still a little stiff, but it was overall fine. He could now go out without his jumper and not fear all eyes upon him. It was as he sat on the side of his bed trying to decide what to do, that he had an idea. A little birthday celebration for just himself. It was weird, and while he'd want to spend the day with the people he cared about, he also didn't really want to celebrate the birthday with people who would try to give him gifts. Gifts that he felt bad about taking since he had nothing to give in return, but he felt like at this time, no one would be awake to possibly be able to. So after listening to his stomach rumble loudly the slytherin began to get washed and dressed. It would be the best thing to do before leaving the dorm at such an hour.

The Slytherin teen was well aware that he was not meant to be out so early in the morning, but since the time was nearing three in the morning, he doubted anyone else would even be up to know what he was doing. The Slytherin teen had gotten dressed quickly. In his usual black jeans with his grey t-shirt and black hoody. The one he had used magic to piece back together after the incident outside with the rain during the summer break. There were only two things playing on the Slytherin's mind as he walked the school, One that his jumper was comfortable and just the right size, and two if the creatures - the elves - would even be up at that time. Sighing to himself he walked to the Kitchens and quickly as he could. The colourblind teen had not taken his shoes, and he had not put on any socks. This way he believed he was walking twice as quietly as the normal person. After a brief conversation with the elves in the kitchen Stefan headed back up to the Great Hall. It would be empty. So, it would be nice. He didn't really think that there was any where else for him to go. Stefan took a seat at the very end of the Slytherin table. So he was sitting far away from the door. But rather than just sitting properly at the table, Stefan sat on the table itself, and facing the wall he put his feet on the bench people usually sat at. It was nearing four in the morning. He could see the sky getting lighter as time ticked on. He took off the jumper and just sat watching. Unaware that the elves had brought him what he'd asked for. A cake, a small cake made for about four/five people. Stefan was just pretty content with looking out the window and sitting in an empty hall on his fourteenth birthday.
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Out of Character:

April is meant to start today, so I just started this now. This is completely open. Really don't mind who posts.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate woke up all sweaty and breathing heavily.She sat up quickly and put her hand to heart as if it would calm it.Kate didn't know why she felt so panicky.She didn't remember having a bad dream but all she remembered was the feeling of pure panic and she guessed that's what had awoken.She looked at her wrist watch and groaned at the time.It was early and she doubted anyone was awake.She lay back down on the bed angry at the fact that she knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.She decided to give it a go but after fifteen minutes she gave up.She got up quietly give her face a quick wash and got changed.When she was finished she felt her stomach give a little grumple so she decided even though she probably wasn't allowed to go get something to eat.She didn't bother putting on any shoes just socks and she started walking down towards the Great Hall.She tried to remember what the date was and she remembered it was April the first.April Fools say though she wasn't in the mood to play tricks on anyone and as she walked down the deserted corridors there was no one to trick.She gave a little yawn and she felt the earlier panicky feelings leave her.Sh wondered why she had felt like that.It wasn't like her and Kate was starting to feel uneasy.She groaned when she felt another headache coming.She decided to go to the kitchens and get a glass of water and ask the elves could they make something for her if they were awake that was.She smiled when she saw entered the kitchen and the elves swarmed around asking question.She asked for a glass of water and a chicken and cheese sandwich.She wasn't going to bother with a breakfast she wanted something to satisfy her headache.She waited as they made the sandwich and got her glass of water.She thanked them and headed for the Great Hall.She didn't expect anyone to be around so she got a surprise when she saw someone in the Great Hall with what seemed like a cake.Kate wondered why someone would want a cake at this hour in the morning.She got a niggling feeling as if she was forgetting something and as she walked towards her table and was getting closer to the person sitting at the table she realized it was Stefan.Kate slowly put the pieces together and Kate nearly dropped her sandwich when she realized what she had been forgetting. "Sugar"She whispered cursing herself for forgetting.She walked over towards Stefan and smiled when she saw the small cake "Happy Birthday"she said behind him wishing she had a card or something.