Open Mornings Are Not For Me

[Helios Obasi]

Helios had had a rough night. It was almost three years to when he had lost his parents, and it always put him more on edge. He had had a couple of nightmares, and the shadows of the dorm had just sent his heart into overdrive. So, Helios was a little tired. To put it mildly. So when he woke up the morning of the first flying lesson, he was not feeling particularly good, awake or ready. He was running late, and he knew he needed to eat before he went. The hufflepuff made his way to the great hall, and somewhat blindly just sat down at the first available spot at the first available table, completely unaware that this was not his house table. He was just too tired to notice, a little too in his own mind and on edge.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

Aroha had been minding her own business, eating at the Gryffindor house table when she noticed someone take a seat. Funnily, he wasn't wearing the Gryffindor uniform but the Hufflepuff one. He looked a little worse for wear, Aroha thought, as she looked him over. She was excited because it was nearly time for their first flying lesson - she was looking forward to getting some good laps in, maybe show off some tricks and impress everyone while she was at it. But her enthusiasm dimmed at the sight of the boy. "Hey, you alright there?" Aroha asked good-naturedly. "You look like you could do with some food." Aroha passed a serving platter of scrambled eggs closer to him.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios was bleary eyed as someone spoke. He glanced at them, and realised that the person speaking to him wasn't from his house, or it wasn't someone he recognised. "Yeah, just sleepy," he replied, taking some of the food and putting it onto his plate and taking a tired bite of it. "You seem chipper?" he added as he finished a bite of food, not talking with his mouth open, and trying to at least be nice and make some conversation.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

"Do I?" Aroha questioned, a little surprised. "Well, maybe I am. It's the first flying lesson today and I'm excited. I love flying." She took a bite out of her toast and chewed, before finishing and then continuing. "Oh, by the way, this is Gryffindor table. I don't think it matters, but in case you didn't know," she said with a shrug. She truly didn't care that he was here - in fact, she liked having someone to talk to - but she wondered if he knew. He did seem out of it.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Perhaps the girl wasn't really that chipper, that just by comparison with how he felt she was just more cheerful and awake. But he rolled his eyes. "Flying is dangerous," he replied tiredly, before glancing at the table, and realising. "Oh," he really hadn't noticed that he was at the wrong table. He leaned back, trying to wake himself up a little more, thinking he should still move to his own table. He wasn't sure if it was against the rules or not.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

"I mean, I guess so. But I don't mind the danger," Aroha said honestly. She kind of thrived on it. "If it bothers you, that's okay. I think that's fair. I bet they try and make it as less dangerous as possible, aye?" She tried to reassure him. Maybe he was just frightened of flying or something. Some people were. Aroha's youngest sister wasn't particularly keen on it either. "I'm sure no one minds that you're here though. You don't have to worry," she said. "It's not like we get different meals than anyone else or anything."

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios shook his head. "Danger can get you killed," he replied. "We shouldn't be flying at all. Brooms are no better than flying carpets, and yet flying carpets are illegal," he countered tiredly, but knew he wasn't winning this fight. People were going to fly and waste their lives no matter what, he just needed to keep himself and those he cared for safe. He shook his head. "I should still more, someone could mind," he said. Even if the meals were the same and it didn't matter, there just needed to be one person who did mind for it to matter.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

Aroha raised her eyebrows at his words. Danger could get you killed? Sure, but it wasn't likely. "I don't think anyone's ever died at Hogwarts flying. I'm sure we would have heard about it," she responded, a little defensively. She didn't like the idea of not flying - that'd be terrible. A word without flying would be hardly a world at all, Aroha thought. Still, she didn't bear any ill will towards the other student. It was always nice to have someone to talk to. "Oh, really?" she said, a little disappointed. "I'm sure it's fine. If it was that big a deal, they would have mentioned it in the rules or something." Not that Aroha was one to follow the rules, but she didn't need to tell this boy that.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios shrugged. "Someone has died in the lake, and someone has died in the forest," he said. "And I heard about both of those things independently," he countered. he knew neither were flying, but that just stood to agree with him on things being dangerous and that the school wouldn't communicate if someone had died in that way. Helios hesitated, not yet moving off, it wasn't in the rules, and surely someone would've mentioned it at the beginning feast. he glanced around the hall, and spotted other students at the incorrect table and decided he'd stay. "I'll stay this once," he told her before settling back in this spot.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

"Oh, has someone really died in the forest?" Aroha questioned, her eyebrows raised. She'd been in there not so long ago, but she wasn't about to tell this student that. She had a feeling he'd chastise her for being reckless. "Do you know how?" she asked leaning in, eyebrows now drawing together. She was curious - what could have happened to the student that they'd died in the forest? Was the forest really that dangerous? She skipped mentioning the lake; there was probably only one way someone had died there and Aroha didn't like to think about it. "I'm Aroha, by way," Aroha said, introducing herself a little flippantly. "Pleased to meet you."

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios nodded, "Yeah, I can't find more information on it, because it happened a while ago, but it happened," he told her. Helios was almost sure that this girl might not believe him, but he just knew someone had and they had to believe him. He was being honest. The boy then gave a little smile and nodded. "I'm Helios," he said. "Pleased to meet you too,"

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

"Oh, right," Aroha said, believing him. "I really wonder what happened. They say there's giant spiders out in the forest, maybe that's what got them." Aroha shuddered at the thought. Normal-sized spiders were bad enough. Maybe she should have thought about that before she went exploring in the forest but then again, actually seeing giant spiders would have made a great story. "Oh, that's a cool name! What does it mean?" Aroha asked curiously.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios shuddered at the thought of giant spiders, he didn't want to run into actual spiders much less giant ones. "Well, if I ever find out, I'll tell you what got them," he told her sincerely. He would find out by just asking and researching until someone told him. Helios liked his name plenty but he was surprised that a lot of people seemed to like it too. Including this girl. "It means sun, like the sun, not a son," he explained. "Helios was a titan god, and personification of the sun,"

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

Aroha nodded. "Thanks, I appreciate it," she said. Even though Helios seemed a bit of a stickler for rules, she kind of liked his vibe. She listened to Helios explain his name and nodded. "Oh cool, that's a pretty epic name. Titan like Greek myths, right?" Aroha had a passing knowledge of mythology. "My name's not nearly as exciting, aye. I still like it though. It just means 'love'. And then my surname, um, Blenheim, that's apparently to do with some battle or something? I wasn't really listening to my parents when they explained it," Aroha said, rambling a bit.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios nodded gently at her asking if the titans were greek, and he listened as she then talked about her name. Explaining as far as she could both her first name and her surname. Helios nodded along as she spoke. "Aroha is a nice name," he did add, because it seemed like perhaps she didn't love it, but he thought it was nice. "I don't know what my surname means, it's Obasi," he said. "but my mum was always interested in greek myths, and decided to call my sister and I, references to it. So Helios, and my sister is called Hero,"

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

"Aw, thanks!" Aroha said, grateful for the compliment. "Obasi," Aroha repeated, nodding, never having heard of the surname before but trying to commit it to memory. "Oh, that's neat! That's a cool way to name your kids, I reckon. So you've got a sister? She older or younger?" Aroha asked curiously. "I'm the eldest myself, got two younger siblings." There was a hint of pride in Aroha's tone; family was important to her, and despite how annoying they could be she always loved her siblings.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios hadn't been sure his compliment would land well, but it was clear that it did land well. That she appreciated, seemed to really then take in his name. He would try to do the same with her. at the question, he nodded, but didn't answer until she had finished. "She's older, by a good amount of years," he replied, since he was sure Aroha and her siblings were close in age, where Helios was not close in age with his sister. "How old are your siblings?" he asked.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

"Oh, right. What's that like? Having a sister that much older than you?" Aroha asked, at the age where she didn't realise it might be an inappropriate question to ask. "Mine are...hmm, well Hemi is three years younger so he's eight, and then my youngest sister must be six. Yeah, that sounds about right. It's fun being an older sibling, aye. You get to watch your younger siblings grow up. But then again you're kinda supposed to be the responsible one." Aroha made a face at that. She'd rather live carefree, but she could never begrudge her brother and sister. "I kinda thought you might be the older sibling, you have that responsible thing going on." Aroha gestured vaguely at Helios.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios gave a little shrug at the question. "It's nice," he said, not really wanting to go into it, and not really having the words to describe the dynamic he and his sister now had. Before they had come to New Zealand it had barely been there, but things were different. He just listened to what she said about her own siblings, and knew that his sister at least did experience in part what Aroha was talking about in watching siblings grow up. "I just want people to be safe, I want to be safe," he replied a little shyly, not sure why being responsible was a big deal.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

Aroha nodded, sensing Helios didn't want to go into it so maybe she shouldn't push, though she wanted to a little bit. She couldn't really imagine being a younger sibling, let alone there being an age gap. It was interesting to her but she didn't push it. "That's cool," Aroha said, getting the feeling this kid might be one to go a bit overboard with safety but she weirdly respected it. "I think it's good to have something you're passionate about, or values or whatever that you stick to. As long as it working, yeah? You got to, uh, what's that word...adapt, sometimes. Yeah. That's what my parents tell me. Keep your values that are important, but adapt too."

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios wasn't sure if she really did think it good, and he got the impression that she didn't really agree with it. That she wasn't entirely on board with it as a concept. He frowned a little and shook his head. "You can't adapt to safety," he said, "Not unless it's adapting a thing to make it safer," he replied. "Flying is dangerous, so I won't do it, and wouldn't ever advise anyone else to do it. It doesn't matter if there are helmets or spells, it's safer to be on the ground," he told her.

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

Aroha was a little taken aback, but she took in what he was saying anyway, giving it thought. He did have a point, in a way, but Aroha just couldn't agree fully. The idea of not flying just because there's a chance you could get hurt? Aroha was happy with the trade off. "I'm fine with getting hurt if it means I can fly," Aroha said with a shrug, "but if you don't feel the same way, I think that's your right and you shouldn't be forced. Sorry I don't agree fully, but that's how it is." She didn't see the point in being antagonistic, instead she just laid out how she felt and hoped he'd accept it. If he didn't, oh well. She didn't push the subject on adapting; if she was honest, she only half-knew what that even meant. But she still firmly believed in what her parents had told her.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios shrugged at her, as she returned, saying exactly what others said. "Okay, that's your choice, I wouldn't force you to not do it, I'd just advise that you shouldn't," Helios replied. He knew he wasn't going to win every fight for safety, he knew that quidditch was popular, and he would try to dissuade people from playing it. He knew he'd be happy if the sport was banned, but he himself, he was not going to be the one to ban people. "It's our choice what to do. You can play and I won't. You accept the risk, I don't,"

 

[Aroha Blenheim]

Aroha nodded, glad that he wasn't going to try force her to change her mind, even though he was still standing his ground, rather sternly. "I think that's fair enough. Sounds like a good deal. You know, I'm not completely reckless. I don't swim if there isn't life guard supervision at the beach, and even then I never go out very far, not even enough to tread water. The sea can be super dangerous." Aroha wasn't going to go into why she was uncharacteristically cautious in water, but she thought she'd mention her own safety concerns.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios nodded in agreement. "I don't go swimming at all anymore," he said with a shrug. He had liked swimming once, he had enjoyed it, but he didn't now. The thought of being in the water like that was terrifying, though he was glad that she was careful in the water, it was good to be careful. "The sea is very dangerous," he agreed with her. "I also avoid heights, Hogwarts is full of them, but I'm dropping astronomy as soon as I can and plan on having my owl come down from the owlery when I need it,"