Moving Forward

[Lydia Warrick]

There was nothing that Lydia wanted to do currently, she went through the motions of doing her homework, of studying, of going to quidditch practice but there was an over hanging heaviness which the prefect seemed to carry on her shoulders. She didn't want to think about her mother who was finally seemingly better, she didn't want to think about the emptiness in her heart caused by the loss of her father, that she was only beginning to acknowledge rather than shoving it down and just spending time thinking about other things, occupying her mind with school work, OWLs, quidditch, gabriel. She had to come to terms with it, clearly ignoring it had resulted in things getting worse and talking about that was harder for her to do. The teen had just finished up in one of her classes, and though she had homework, and needed to get it done before she got too far behind, the teen couldn't face it, and just walked out of the school, the noise of the great hall fading as she walked away from the school, venturing further out of the school and into the grounds. She didn't want to go to the lake, she didn't want to think about the student who'd died, and she didn't want to go to the gardens.

In the end, she ended up at the cliffs, not an area of the school she ventured to often, with little reason to and no desire to she had never really gone, but today, now, it seemed a good place. Lydia did also think that this was the one area of the school she could go that would be unlikely to have anyone else. That and added to the fact it was midway through the school day and everyone else was at lunch or studying, the grounds on her walk over had been quiet, and at first glance the area of the cliffs she arrived at seemed as quiet. Lydia took a seat, placing down her robes to sit on so that she wouldn't get wet, and just looked out over the view. In her mind she hadn't even begun to consider what point of her school career she was. The teen was just so focused on getting through each day, persuading herself each day that it was all fine, when she could admit that it wasn't. Lydia had always tried to make the best decisions in her life, but she knew that recently she had made some pretty terrible ones, not wanting to face what had happened or talk about it or have anyone she cared about know about it had just led her down a path she deeply regretted. But there was no taking it back, and she knew that, Lydia just had to deal with it and move forward.
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[Felix Warrick]

Felix was a sixth year. That hadn't quite sunk in yet. He couldn't believe he had survived fifth year with all the drama that had been dropped on top of his attempts to study. Felix was keen to move on from that now it was a new year. After everything that came out in rumour has it, the unfounded lie that he had been after Alana, Felix needed to focus on the positives, and that included his little make out session in the broom cupboard. It was difficult, it had been a trying year and being back at the castle, where it had all happened, made it difficult to put it behind him. But he had to.

With his lessons done for the day Felix had no desire to head back to the common room just yet so he decided to head out to the grounds for a walk. He was just about to begin walking to the gardens when he spotted Lydia walking the other way alone. By her direction he'd say she was heading to the cliffs. He hadn't known her go there often so he decided to follow her. Felix had heard bits about her break up with Gabriel and non of it sounded pleasant. As they reached the top he watched as she placed her robe down and took a seat. Felix walked up quietly behind her, he was long over due to check in. "Lydia,"

 

[Lydia Warrick]

Enjoying the momentary peace that the cliffs seemed to have, Lydia was startled when she heard someone speak her name, though as she glanced up to look at them she found that she wasn't as annoyed as she might've been a few weeks before. In the last semester especially when Gabriel hadn't been too pleased that she'd spoken to Felix it had just been easier to avoid him, but it seemed now that she couldn't avoid him. Lydia smiled at him, they were perhaps re-entering the territory of friends, patrolling together was certainly something new, but it wasn't going badly not like she assumed that it would. Like she had thought he might be towards him because of what had happened between them. Lydia didn't know what to do, she had been feeling so out of place recently, talking to people seemed to be difficult, but she moved slightly on her robes and offered him the seat next to hers, though it wasn't a seat really, just a patch of her robes for him to sit with her if he wanted. The teen wasn't sure if he would, but he had said something to her, he had opened the conversation so surely that meant that he was.

"Hey Felix," the teen replied to him, she just smiled a little at him as she said this before looking down at her robes that she was sitting on, "I know you probably don't want to hear it, but I am sorry for what happened last year," Lydia apologised thinking that it was the only thing that she could say to him, she hadn't even explained what had happened which had lead to them breaking up, and she knew eventually she'd have to tell him, or at least tell him a little about it. The girl did give him a small apologetic smile as she spoke, Lydia knew that it was almost a silly thing to be apologising, but really, she owed him at least one. Her need to push down any and all thoughts of her father, to not face what had happened had cause their break up and how she had acted towards him for most of the year. Lydia didn't really think he'd want to linger on that and so looked away, glancing out at the cliffs and listening to the water below, "Sixth year seems pretty intense right? Although I'm almost sad that we don't get to be taught by the other Professor Styx," she moved on to subjects that were easily for her, for them, talking about things simpler, and in saying this Lydia tore her gaze from the cliffs and looked at him. It was perhaps going to take some work before things returned to a little how they were, but for now, really, Lydia was just happy that she hadn't completely ruined the possibility of even friendship between them.
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[Felix Warrick]

Felix was still surprised when Lydia returned his welcome, he was surprised in general by her friendly nature towards him since they returned for their sixth year. The Ravenclaw never found out why Lydia ended things with him, one day she just decided they were finished, Felix regretted how he handled it, he wanted to ask why, fight for what they had, but there had been something about her that day that made him think twice about pushing the issue. Felix didn't know what happened between her and Gabriel but he got the sense it was over between them and he hadn't seen the Slytherin around. Felix was glad, he didn't like him and the thought of him with Lydia made his skin crawl.

When Lydia apologised to Felix for what had happened the Ravenclaw wasn't sure how to take it. Did it really matter now? They were something resembling friends, why risk that by digging up the past. Felix had moved on, or at least he felt like he had, so it didn't matter. "Its ok, I mean it wasn't for a while, but I moved on, we both moved on, so we don't have to dwell on it, but thank you," He smiled warmly at her. Felix was grateful when she changed the conversation to school, it was neutral and safe and a good area for them to talk about. "Yeah, I barely survived fifth year so I'm not looking forward to sixth very much, theres so much pressure on us now," When she mentioned the new Professor Styx Felix let out a laugh. "I'm sure she's lovely, but if she's even partly like the original Professor Styx, I'm kinda glad we don't have her, don't you think he sucks the fun out of what should be a great subject?"

 

[Lydia Warrick]

Lydia was glad when he said to not dwell on the past, which she was pretty pleased about, the teen didn't want to think about it, she didn't want to linger on it, and the teen was glad that Felix didn't want to continue with that conversation, not at all. She gave him a little smile at him, especially considering what he was saying, Lydia was glad to have moved the conversation along, away from herself and to something far easier, they were in their second last of school, it was the NEWT years, it was a lot of work and it was going to be great she was sure, "Fifth year was tricky, I definitely didn't think I would pass anything," the teen admitted with a little laugh, though she had done well, it had been exceedingly trying for her but in the end it had worked out far better than she had imagined. The teen had been glad to have passed everything that she had taken, "How did you do on the OWLs?" she asked him curious to know how he had done, since they hadn't really spoken much since then, and she knew that he would do well, she was sure he'd done well.

The girl couldn't help the little laugh, a new professor Styx, she wasn't sure who the person was but she was sure that eventually that she would be able to see the person, learn what they were like. It was still odd to her that someone like the slytherin Professor Styx could have children much less that there would be one that taught at the school at the same time as him. The teen smiled, "I hope she's much better, even if we don't get to be taught by even," the girl told him, "He does suck the fun out of everything, I sometimes wonder if I'd like Defence against the dark arts more if it was taught by someone else," the girl admitted with a shrug, "Maybe not though, he isn't fun, but he is a good professor," Lydia said with a shrug while laughing lightly, it was actually nice to speak to someone like him, to speak to anyone. She had felt so odd the last few days, a little removed and uninterested in everything about her current life.
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[Felix Warrick]

It felt strange to be talking about school with Lydia, their last conversation has been so serious and so deep. Him trying to convince her that her boyfriend was no good for her, her brushing off his concerns. They had almost resorted to making small talk with each other. Felix agreed with Lydia's assessment of their previous year, it had been difficult and there had definitely been days he couldn't see himself passing any of his OWLs. Thankfully that hadn't been the case, and he had managed to put aside all the drama that had come with and got through his exams. "I did well, I got what I wanted, I passed everything so I have no complaints," Felix knew he could have done better in some subjects but over all he had been happy with what he got.

Hearing Lydia laugh was like music to his ears. He hadn't heard it for a long time and it was a sound he missed. Feliix too couldn't quite believe there was now another Styx at the school, from all accounts though she was little like her...father? It was almost a shame that Felix wouldn't be in one of her classes, the curiosity alone to see what the younger Styx was like in the classroom would bug him a little. "Yeah I admit he's a good professor, but with someone else the topic might be more enjoyable, sometimes I think half the things he teaches us about are actually less scary than he is,"

 

[Lydia Warrick]

Lydia wasn't surprised that he had gotten what he had wanted and that he was pleased with it, after all, he was a ravenclaw and she knew he was three times smarter than she was. She had worked hard for her grades, like he had, but she knew that he probably would've had less trouble than she had had. The teen was happy that OWLs were over, and though they were in their first NEWT year and the grades in this class mattered more than they had in fourth year and below, there was a little less pressure on her to do well, and she wasn't too surprised when she found that though the work load was bigger, there was not the same amount of pressure that the last year had had. Lydia smiled at him, "Thats good, I did too, I was happy with the grades I got," she told him, and it was honestly true, it was perhaps the only good thing to come out of that entire year. She had done well, perhaps not done as well as her brother when he'd done his, but she'd still done well, and she knew that if her father was still alive he would've been damn happy with the results she'd gotten.

But, it was a pity to be this far in the schooling and unable to actually see what the new Styx professor was like, she was so curious about it. From what she'd seen of the woman she didn't seem like any of the others of the family that Lydia had interacted with. The senior Styx professor was certainly known amongst the school, and she couldn't help but agree with Felix's thinking, it might be more fun with someone else, and there were certainly creatures and spells they'd interacted with over the years that were by far less scary than the man himself "No doubt," she laughed lightly in agreement, "I bet dementors think of him as scary," she added, since that was a creature they would be learning about in that class, that fed off misery and that man was sure to send it away with a typical Styx scowl. Lydia met Felix's gaze for a second and just smiled, she liked this, she had needed some normal conversation something light hearted and just easy. He was a good friend even Lydia had been a terrible one, "Could you imagine defence against the dark arts being taught by someone like Pendleton or the arithmancy professor?"
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[Felix Warrick]

Felix was happy to hear that Lydia was happy with her OWL grades, but he wasn't the least bit surprised. Anyone who spent as much time in the library as she did was bound to sail through her exams, and he had always had faith in her and he had clearly been right to. "I'm not surprised, you live in the library, it would be a crime if you failed anything," He smiled. "I'm just glad things didn't distract you last semester," He added, specifically thinking of Gabriel. Felix didn't know what happened between the two of them but he was pretty sure the boy hadn't returned to Hogwarts with them. That he was thankful for, he was bad news and Hogwarts was a better place without him.

Talking about a professor they weren't taught by and were unlikely to cross paths with seemed almost like a waste of time but that was what they found themselves doing. Anything to avoid talking about their breakup. "Well I can't speak for the Arithmancy professor as he's never taught me, but I think any class would be improved by Professor Pendleton teaching it," Felix was a big fan if the potions professor, even if the feeling wasn't mutual after their awkward encounter in Saveli's bedroom over the holidays. He was thankful for the Professor's timid nature, a lot of father's wouldn't have let him off so easy had they caught him in that position. "I'd love to see Professor Pendleton come up with a song about werewolves or curses wouldn't you? It would certainly brighten up the classroom,"

 

[Lydia Warrick]

There was a simpleness to this conversation that Lydia was pretty happy with, it was just like sitting with an old friend, Felix felt like that, and she couldn't believe that she'd been avoiding talking to him so much over the last few weeks since returning to school. It made so much sense, how easy it had always been with him was clear now, it was just so clear to her that this was why everything felt so much better, he didn't make her ever feel horrible about anything. The teen nodded at him, she was glad that they had both come off pretty well from the exams, she wondered what Felix wanted to do after school, "What do you plan to do after we graduate?" Lydia asked with a little curiosity in her tone. She was curious about him, what he might do, if they'd talked about it, she was sure that it had probably been changed, he had of course grown up and they hadn't talked much since their break up, an answer that had been true in fourth year might not still be true at this point in school.

The arithmancy had never been a subject Lydia had taken, but she had learned a rather lot from those around her, Lydia had spent a lot of time in the gardens with the king of flowers who spoke freely about the professors he had. The teen just nodded along, "It would be a great song," she agreed, the teen was sure that it would be an amazing song. That it was would be an easy way of remember things, that it would at this point in the school and the intense exams they had that it would help monumentally, "It would be a great study method, just sit with the song in your head and pass the exam at the same time," the girl smiled just thinking about it. It would be a sight she was sure to see the eccentric Pendleton in the darkness of styx's room. She couldn't help but imagine how odd it would be. The girl couldn't help the little laugh that escaped her lips as she thought of it, "I'm trying to even imagine Professor Pendleton as serious and pessimistic as Professor Styx, or the other way round with Styx with a polite cheerfulness and songs," The girl looked at Felix meeting his gaze and smiling so easily, thinking about what she was saying.
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[Felix Warrick]

Felix didn't have plans for when he graduated, a ministry job was certainly a possibility, maybe even something in the muggle world, his family had enough connections in both worlds that he wouldn't struggle. Despite this the Ravenclaw had no idea what he actually wanted to do as a career, truth be told, Lydia was the first person to ask him. "I don't know, I haven't really thought about it, I keep thinking graduation is so long away, but I guess I need to get my act together don't I?" He laughed. Life after Hogwarts seemed like a scary prospect and even though they were approaching the half way point in their sixth year, it still felt like a far off prospect. "What about you Lydia? Surely you've put more thought into post school life than I have?" He asked her.

Laughing about the idea of Professor Pendleton singing through a Defence against the dark arts lesson was just what Felix needed to put the stresses of sixth year out of his mind. He had forgotten how much fun he could have with Lydia by just being with her and talking to her. He hadn't realised how much he had missed having her around until she was back in his life. "No I can't, stop it, the image of Professor Styx singing to us will haunt me for the rest of my life, thanks a lot," He said laughing at the mental image Lydia had given him.