Closed Lot To Think About

[Mania Athanasiou]

Mania had been to the school for the better half of the semester now and the excitement of all the new was finally settling in. She wasn't exactly doing the best in her classes, mostly because she was constantly busy thinking of all the other things she could do around here and she would be lying if she said that some of the things, well most of them, didn't confuse her. You'd think that growing up with magic would familiarize one enough that it'd be a no-brainer, so Nia herself had thought but that was definitely not the case. The first year was currently sitting in the shade of a tree on the great lawn thinking of just how much she wished she could just go up to her mum and ask if she might know something about the potions and charms and all that annoying stuff she was struggling with. She had been so excited and everything was cool and new, but she hadn't realized just how new and how much she'd come to miss the comforting knowledge of having her parents to ask, however absent their responses might be.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

((ooc: two months late, but I'm here if you want to continue lol))

Aroha really needed a breath of fresh air. Classes were already getting to her - they just kept getting harder each year and she was struggling to keep up. It didn't get her down too much, though. Everything would be alright somehow. Somehow. She walked down to the great lawn, spying a girl she dimly remembered from the sorting ceremony. A first year. It wasn't like Aroha was obliged to check in with the younger students, but she remembered what it was like first coming to Hogwarts and thought, why not? Aroha made a beeline for the girl, ending up standing nearby the tree she was sitting under. "Hey, how's it going?" she started casually. "You're new here, aye? How're you finding Hogwarts?"

 

[Mania Athanasiou]

(ooc: no worries lmao, better late than never!)

Mania hadn't realized she was wearing a frown on her face, not until an older girl approached her and startled the first year out of her thoughts. Eyeing the older girl up and down she pondered the questions presented. "Hey, um it's going faster than the Hogwarts express," she said, referring to how everything just passed her by and she had hard time grasping at the basics of the magic they were taught everyday. "Yes, got sorted this year and I mean it is nice independent for sure, but um well it's not as easy as I thought it'd be. Not that I thought myself invincible, well maybe in some things sure, but like academically and magic wise I thought I had a solid base given my parents are both magicals, but well it's just a lot of new information and so little time to actually grasp it all." Once Nia opened her mouth there was rarely any stopping the flood of words and today this older girl was going to learn it too. Mania had been told that she wasn't exactly the most shy or possessed the most self preservation and this was just proof. It had taken all but a few questions for her to spill the contents of her mind, convenient for her less so for this poor soul. "Did you struggle at the start?" She asked peering up at the girl curiously.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

Aroha was taken aback at how open the girl was initially, but quickly just accepted that this was probably how she was and no worries, Aroha accepted people as they were (usually). She nodded as the first year continued about her year and her problems. The question then wasn't unexpected, and Aroha knew what to say to it. "Oh, yeah, I struggled for sure. My wand barely worked for me for the first two years aye. Came right eventually though. I have no idea how muggleborns do it because geez, they have nothing going in. But you find your groove. It can take a while, but yeah, you just find your place somehow. Though, like, if I'm honest, I'm still not that great at classes." Aroha laughed a little. "But I've got quidditch, and that's what I'm passionate about." Aroha didn't mention it took her three years of trying to get on the team but she didn't need to know that. "I'm Aroha, by the way."

 

[Mania Athanasiou]

Mania was glad the girl seemed to roll with it, if she had been shut down she might have thrown a tantrum or two. Listening intently on everything she nodded, wand not working would have SUCKED. "I think if my stick decided not to work I might have lost it completely and snapped it in half... My family says I have a temper, I don't think they are wrong but you know sometimes the fuse just isn't long enough." The comment about Quidditch made sense, perhaps she too should find something to be passionate about. It actually seemed like a great idea. "I'm Mania! You can call me Nia though because we are now friends, like it or not. Also I like your name it's very pretty." The Gryffindor almost shot up instantly at the mention of the introduction, this definitely meant they were friends. "Maybe I should find something to be passionate about too then, sports aren't really my thing so not quidditch but I'll find something." She would, but for now she wanted to know more about her new friend. "Whats your favourite class right now?"

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

Aroha laughed at her comment about snapping her wand in half. "A temper, huh? Better not get on your bad side," Aroha joked, then when complimented on her name added: "Hey, thanks! I like your name too. It's different, but like, cool different, you know?" Aroha considered Nia's question. "Potions was probably my favourite to start with, but to be honest I've been slacking," Aroha said a little sheepishly. "I think defence against the dark arts is my current favourite. A bit intense sometimes but I like it. Do you have a favourite?" Aroha asked politely.

 

[Mania Athanasiou]

Nia gave a short smile about the comment of not getting on her bad side, she had a habit of doing things in the heat of the moment and getting on her bad side had gotten her mum's wand almost snapped a few times. She gave a nod at the name comment "thank you, all of my sisters are named after goddesses from the Greek mythology." She said before her smile fell a little at the mention of the very class she had issues with. "I really wanted to be good at potions it was my mum's favourite and now she's a healer and I really wanted to impress her but its difficult to focus sometimes, especially since we can't even do stuff ourselves." It had been frustrating so far. "I don't really have a favourite as of right now, reckon I'll figure that one out next year this year has been a bit of a blur so far and I have not focused the most on lessons." Now Mania was the one to turn sheepish, it wasn't just one or two classes it was all of them that she was slacking on.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

"Ohh, Greek mythology, ay?" Aroha commented, not knowing the first thing about it. "Mania's a goddess then?" she asked curiously. "Yeah, first year potions is so theory-based. Maybe once you start second year and actually start brewing potions it might be different? Or it might not, and that's okay too. I don't think we have to be exactly like our parents. Maybe part of growing up is realising we have to make our own path. Is that too deep?" Aroha said half-jokingly, not usually one to be so reflective. "I'll just say, you are still just in first year. So much can change for you. Heck, so much could change for me and I'm fourth year. So don't stress too much. Easier said than done, but you know." Aroha shrugged. "Maybe you'll find your thing with electives even. You don't get those til third year."

 

[Mania Athanasiou]

Mania grimaced slightly as she responded. "Yeah Mania is the goddess of insanity and madness, trust me though I am completely sane." She made the joke so many had made before by asking whether the name was any indication to how she was. She listened to the older girls response and thought on it before nodding. "No it's not too deep, I think that's a good perspective. Maybe I can find something of my own eventually but I am not giving up on Potions just quite yet." She said with a shrug, appreciating Aroha's point of view a lot. "Yeah I think that's always been a bit of a problem for me. Staying patient and seeing things through on their own time I mean," Nia admitted with a light laugh. "I would just love to figure everything out right away, but I suppose life isn't like that now is it? You gotta wait and see?" The Gryffindors entire body recoiled at the thought of just being patient and seeing everything through, it seemed so boring, but at the same time if you rushed things through the good bits might pass you by completely.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

"I believe you," Aroha said cheerfully, sensing the namesake wasn't always a source of happiness. Aroha nodded as she listened. "Yeah, patience isn't my strong suit either. But you know, at the same time, it's not like we're only waiting while we're waiting. Life keeps happening around us. I'm sure some interesting stuff has already happened at Hogwarts, right?" Aroha questioned. Then she suddenly laughed. "Man, you make me really think about things I never think about. I kinda just breeze through usually, you know?"

 

[Mania Athanasiou]

Mania gave an appreciative smile to the girl, glad there was no need to justify her sanity even if as a joke. Nia nodded as she listened to Arohas input and once again she found herself appreciating her point of view, because she was right. it wasn't just waiting around and moping so to say. "Yeah you are right I suppose," She started and was surprised by the sudden laugh. Though the next words made her grin. "Well like-wise, can't say I have done much of stopping and thinking myself." It was true and it probably lead to the Gryffindor's current predicament in general. "Thank you, honestly. For stopping to talk to me I think I really needed someone to talk to and reflect my thoughts back to me in a different light." Her voice was genuine because this was what she'd truly missed about Hera, getting her point of view especially given she was older and Aroha had managed to ease some of her doubts already.