Old friendships

[George Bojinov]

It was a dark and misty day when George ran up to the Owlery to do something he had been planning for a while. Since Alice had left for Beauxbaton, he had missed her quite a bit, though it had been more than four years since they broke up. Sadly, they had lost almost all contact since her departure. Though he felt the delay had been pretty long, he decided to finally send her a letter that he had written a month ago, but just hadn't found the courage to deliver it to her. As always, he had no idea why he was so redundant to do this. It was simply two friends, be it even a former couple, checking in on each other after being parted for very long. " I have not changed a bit in five years. " George thought to himself as he climbed the steep slope and entered the tower that was the Owlery. As always, the familiar stench came at him, and he covered his nose. It was quite horrible. But then again, if so many people lived in such a narrow space, be it a tall tower, the stench would be relatively the same. Provided they didn't have the means to shower, that is.

George found a rather large owl to which he attached the letter. It was often that he thought that it might have been better to buy an owl all those years ago, but he still loved his cat more than anything. And seeing it enter a room, purring at him and begging for attention, the thought quickly disappeared from his mind.

He watched the owl fly away and hoped for a quick answer from Alice, who he still held quite dear even after all this time.

Hey there Alice, or should I say "Bonjour, Mademoiselle",

I know you maybe didn't expect to hear from me again, given the fact that we haven't said nor written much of anything to each other in the last years. But a thought came to me at some time during the last weeks and I said to myself I have to write a letter to her so as to make sure she doesn't forget me. So here it is!
Simple question here: How are you doing? I should say that I've been missing you a lot here, I haven't forgotten all those moments we had in our first year - it was a spectacular adventure.
I can't think of much more to say, so I hope to hear from you soon. Maybe that we can meet again during the vacation! I want details on life in France!

Best wishes,
George

Out of Character:

Yeah, the letter is really bad, but i just couldn't think of anything. My English has been on a bit of a lower level lately, French is taking over at the moment. So sorry for the kind of dumb post, but I'll get used to it again.

 

[Alice Hills]

Stop worrying! It's a brilliant post!

Alice was wandering around the Beauxbatons grounds. She had just been chatting with Meera about her transition in year group, and Meera's issue with this boy - Lake - and Alice's head was spinning. There was so much going on at the moment, and so much to think about. However she couldn't get her thoughts straight. The cool breeze was helping though, and she felt much better for just walking. Her sketch book was with her, and the walk was showing beautiful sights that she felt the urge to draw. It was a beautiful day and the winter frost was beginning to thaw out, leaving chilled flowers that were beginning to bloom. Walking the grounds, she decided to turn her thoughts to her issue at hand. She was being transferred from the 5th year back to the 6th year. She had discussed this when she had been transferred from Hogwarts, as Beauxbatons felt it would be better for her to resit her 5th year and get used to the extra classes they held in the school. Alice had agreed and had made friends in her year group after spending time on her own, mourning the loss of her home in New Zealand. The year had gone by well, but the Professors had began to feel that Alice was ready to take her OWLS this year. She had worked twice as hard as others in her year to catch up on all the work that the 6th years had been doing. Due to a difference in the scheme of work in Hogwarts and Beauxbatons, Alice had already learnt a lot of it. So, it was set, she would be taking her OWLs this year, for which she was more than capable. However, all these emotions of changing year groups brought back to her the pain that so few people from Hogwarts had written to her. Pondering on this thought, the young Beauxbatons began to dwell on her change of heart in the schools. When she had first arrived, the pain of losing Hogwarts meant that Beauxbatons held no particular love for her. However, as she had grown more and more fond of Beauxbatons (due to the help of her new roommates), Alice had began to feel a balance set in. Hogwarts would always hold a dear place in her heart and nothing would change that, however Beauxbatons was becoming her home now, becoming where she belonged for these years of her life. As these thoughts were circling her head, she found herself being pestered by an owl. It seemed familiar, similar to those school owls from Hogwarts. An excitement mounting inside of her, Alice held out her arm and let the owl sit on it before finding a letter attached. Her heart beating strongly inside of her chest, the ex-Ravenclaw untied the letter before sitting down and opening it. She had no treats for the owl, but sent it in the direction of the owlery to find some food and water to recover from the long journey. Opening the letter with shaking hands, Alice stared down at the friendly scribble from George. Beaming into the letter, the words blurred as tears filled her eyes. She hadn't been forgotten, and the wait of nearly a year made her feel so much more special. Reading the letter, she found the friendly chatting voice so emotional. Alice ripped out a page from her drawing pad in that moment and began to plan out a reply. When she ahd finished, she tied up the scroll and headed to the owlery to find Tilly. Thankfully her owl was still there, so attaching the note, she told the beautiful owl where she needed to go and let her go, ready to stretch her wings. Smiling, the brunette made her way through the rest of the day with a large smile and a daydreaming attitude. Someone cared. That thought, that thought made her feel special.

Salut George!

So lovely to hear from you, contact from Hogwarts has been little due to the busyness of everyone. How did your OWLs go?! I was thinking of you all. Here at Beauxbatons, I was suggested to resit my 5th year but I was told yesterday that I can return to the 6th year for the next semester and take my OWLs then! So I'm back on track. Of course I couldn't forget you. You, and all of our friends shaped who I am today, and that isn't something I am likely to forget quickly. I think of you all, and Hogwarts so much.
It was a hard transition, and Beauxbatons took ages to convince me that it was any good. But now, it feels like home, which is good. I share a room with two of the most beautiful people I have ever met - in looks and character. I love this place so much. It is so different to Hogwarts, but a good different? - I can't say.
I think about my 4 and a bit years in Ravenclaw and only have fond memories. It was such a special time in my life. I will be coming back to New Zealand in the summer, if you would like to meet up?
Hope you're well and this letter finds everything going smoothly at Hogwarts,
Alice x

 

[George Bojinov]

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It was two days later when the same owl George had sent with the letter to Alice returned to greet him at the Great Hall. His heart jumped with joy when he saw the address on the envelope and left his breakfast to read it.
A smile appeared on his face to see the same style in which Alice had always expressed herself, a style he truly adored. It was very pleasant to hear that she hadn't forgotten what she had left behind in New Zealand.
He finished his breakfast in a hasty fashion and parted immediately from the castle, after having written the return letter. He decided to keep the french words abundant in the greeting, for he did enjoy speaking the language, or as much as he knew of it.
​

Spoiler: Letter

Salut une fois de plus,
I'm pleased to hear that your transfer hasn't been an overly difficult step for you. Every change of environment is hard, but things get better soon. And you're lucky to have found people that you can count on. Reminds me of my first year here, really ( though it may be a little annoying for you that I keep bringing that up ). Anyway, concerning my OWLs, all's well that ends well I guess, I failed one or two, but mostly I did good. Good to hear Beauxbaton is giving you a chance to take your 6th year next semester. But it'll be a lot of work I guess, or it already is. Good luck on your own OWLs!
Last but not least, I'm psyched to hear that you'll be coming to New Zealand! We definitely need to meet up, we can't miss out on an opportunity like this.
You must tell me more about life at Beauxbaton! But perhaps you can't say everything in a letter, I hope i'm not pushing you too much... We'll talk more when we meet.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Bonne chance!
George

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He read the letter a couple times before sending the owl, a different one this time, the first one seemed quite exasperated by the long journeys it had embarked on the last few days. " Poor thing. " George muttered as he watched the other owl soar out the window. He hadn't felt this good in months.

Out of Character:

I hope I hinted on some subjects for future letters. And those hints that George still has feelings about Alice weren't put there by accident. I guess we should just do an RP afterwards of how they meet.

 

[Alice Hills]

It had been a week since Alice had first heard from George. Tilly had returned from the flight 2 days ago and Alice was starting to wonder if he was ever going to reply. Maybe it had just been one of those messages that he wasn't going to reply to. A sadness had covered her for the past few days, making the young adult snappy and short with her friends. She was aware of her b!tchiness, but she couldn't control it. It was beginning to really get to her. Walking the corridor of Beauxbatons on her own, Alice found herself lost in thought. She had just left her first Charms class with the 6th year and was delighted that she had been the first to complete the list of spells. She had gained the credit from the Professor and had been told that she should pass her OWLs with exceptional marks. This news had cheered her up, but when her friends had offered for her to hang out with them, she had declined and made her way towards her dormitory to be alone. A book was the excuse she had given, but really she knew that her thoughts would be on the other side of the world in the Ravenclaw common room or in the castle that was her second home. Beauxbatons had taken place as her first home now, due to having spent enough time there. It was a special place, beautiful, enchanted and magical, and she appreciated that anyone moving from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts would be disappointed. Hogwarts was a home that was made from character, not from impressions like Beauxbatons. They were both different, and Alice was proud to have a claim to both and that they both held places in her hearts. Reaching her dorm, the Beauxbaton found an owl waiting patiently outside the window. Skipping excitedly across the room, she opened the window and let the owl in. It twittered excitedly around the room before settling back on the window sill, buzzing from the long journey it had taken. Her eyes scanned through George's letter, absorbing every word into her heart, to memorise and recall to the front of her mind when she was low. Laughing quietly at his vagueness in his OWLs, Alice decided not to push him. Grabbing some new paper and a pen, she began to write her reply.



Hé George!
Wise words there fellow Ravenclaw! (if I can still say that? I still feel like a Ravenclaw in my heart!) I hope that they won't be too much work, because I have been ready for these exams for a whole year. I like how Beauxbatons takes them a year later though, because we have already covered a lot of NEWT stuff. And our first year isn't a bad subject - we were all so small and just finding our feet in the school. It's amazing to think about how far we have all come. I mean, I'm in France now! Scary! Beauxbatons is beautiful, like really magical. I am falling in love with this place more and more every day. I never thought anything would be able to rival Hogwarts, but once I began to give it a chance, it met it in most ways. Although, we have etiquette lessons here which is a bit weird. We learn how to be 'proper ladies' and how to dance and eat properly etc. They're very strange lessons and I find them greatly amusing. It's a hard place to find your way around compared to Hogwarts. But I think I have worked it out now.
How is everyone? How is Oliver? And Star? And everyone! Oh and are the first years cute or annoying? I really missed the sorting ceremony. It's very different here. We have dormitory housing, but there is no sorting. Everyone is either a Beauxbaton or they aren't. But my gosh, there are so many people here with veela blood. It's hard to walk around without bumping into someone. I just spend ages feeling like I am not worthy to be here. People are getting friendlier, but this lovely environment feels penetrated by newcomers, so I understand why they were slightly hostile when I first came here.
Now, I've told you about Beaux, it's your turn to tell me about HNZ!
And definitely! I will owl you when I finalise dates. I forgot to tell you that I passed my appiration exam last month so it won't be expensive for me to come any more!
Looking forward to your reply,
Alice x

 

[George Bojinov]

A couple of days passed, a week went by, and George had no reply from Alice. He knew that he was simply exaggerating with the thoughts that she hadn't received the letter or simply didn't want to reply to it. But the worries didn't leave him alone. He found himself pacing around the dormitory, his head storming with prepositions. He was acting recklessly in many ways - in his lessons, towards his friends, it was, mildly said, a nightmare.
One of these days, as he walked along the lake shore with one of his friends, trying to convince him that the odd and rather rude remark he had made the other day was nothing more than a temporary state of mind, and not succeeding very well of doing so, a bird flew past him, dropping an envelope straight into his bag. George could only marvel at the precision with which these owls flew. He knew immediately who the letter was from, and an incredible wave of happiness and delight filled him.
After parting with his friend with a quick promise of a later meeting he trotted back to the common room to read the letter in peace. With every line he read his smile became ever so wider. It took him nearly three hours of thought to write a decent response.​

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Spoiler: Letter

Greetings again,
Now you've made me want to see what you're describing in person, though I guess these lessons for proper manners are only for the girls. However that may not exactly be true, I once saw a Beauxbaton boy that wouldn't sit anywhere until the spot was covered with a neatly folded piece of cloth. Strange lot, that one - but definitely in a good way. I was left with amazing impressions of the knowledge this boy had of the magical arts. And to think he was only in his second year! Brilliant!
Concerning life here, I don't think much has changed since you left, we're all doing fine, if we exclude the fact that it's not quite the same without you. I miss those pictures you used to paint of us and our adventures.
I do find it a major minus though that your school is deprived of a Sorting ceremony - but I guess every school has to have it's unique thing! I don't believe you could find such an old and battered hat as the one we use!
Concerning the first years, it's been quite amusing watching the little ones trot and scatter around when they see one of the big kids cast a more complex spell. We have this game where we just scare them by conjuring different illusions of terrifying monsters. But not all of them are convinced that they can ever learn magic. I remember having that same thought myself.
Oh yeah, and I'd definitely like to see all those veelas you're talking about! ( I hope you'll forgive me my boyish instincts here ).
Anyway, let me wish you luck once again with your exams. I have my own right now, so I won't have as much time to write as I do now ( You know me, being the perfectionist I am, it takes me about two to three hours to write a short letter like this ).
Hope to see you soon,
George.

Out of Character:

Yeah, almost everything i've written about HNZ here is invented.

 

[Alice Hills]

Alice was in her dormitory, catching up on some work for her Charms class. She had been so absorbed by all her work that she had been too busy to try and catch up with friends or talk to many people. The solitude was beginning to affect her, and she wondered if it was all becoming too much. It was pretty stressful and Alice was trying to cover the whole of a semester in a few weeks. It was fun, not to mistake that, but Alice was shattered, and she needed a break. Closing the book she was reading from, the young adult lay back on her pillow, looking up at the ceiling. Her eyes began to close, the books sprawled across her bed. Sleep was about to engulf her for a few hours, when a tapping began. Sitting bolt upright, Alice looked around. The tapping continued, at an annoying pace. Sighing, she rolled back onto her bed and closed her eyes. A few minutes later, irritated by the unknown noise, Alice sat back up. A shadow on the floor attracted her attention and she realised that there was an owl at the window. Feeling stupid, she padded over and opened the window, letting the bird in. Untying the note from the owl's leg, she let it out the window again, to go to the owlery and receive some food and water. Opening the later, Alice climbed back onto her bed and crossed her legs. Reading the letter quickly, Alice laughed at the small pieces of information about Hogwarts. It was enough to feed her for now, but she wanted more details to keep her going. Smirking at the stereotype Beauxbatons boy George had met, Alice decided that when they met, she would play up to this concept that she would be immaculately well-mannered. It would be funny, but she would have to be careful to not hint at any of it in her letter. Picking up her quill, ink and some parchment, she began to write.

Hi George!
Thank you for you letter, I miss Hogwarts so much and it is nice to have some details. Please keep me updated on anything and everything that is going on! Even the smallest details are like a glass of water to a person in the desert. Ok, it's not that serious, but it is nice to feel involved still! I hope you aren't being mean to the first years! Remember how scared we all were when we first joined! It's so important to make them feel welcomed, and to impress not intimidate the youngsters! Wow, the more I talk about it, the more I miss it!
Haha you are such a boy! But yes, you need to meet some of my friends! They are lovely. I'm especially close to Cavani, Meera, Charlotte, Felix, Daniel and recently met a new friend called Karl! I miss our old group, but it's nice to find new people to hang around with!
Thank you (again!). It is becoming quite a lot of stress, but my Professors are all supporting me so I think I will be fine.
Write soon,
Alice x

PS You don't have to be a perfectionist when writing to me!

 

[George Bojinov]

George felt that the sadness and constant expectation concerning the last few letters with Alice had slowly begun to wear off. Now all doubts he had that she wouldn't reply back had disappeared. There was a renewed calmness in him that followed him throughout the next week. It had had a significant effect on his lessons and his conversations with his friends. He was glad that the temporary out of mind state that had taken him over in the last weeks was gone. Life was better now, as he knew Alice was out there, replying to his letters and living a life full of excitement in France - different, difficult, for sure - but a dream come true, for sure. Who could hope to have the chance to travel so far and explore such distant countries?

The last letter came on a sunny day as he was having a stroll in the garden. Yet again, the owl showed its incredible precision by letting the envelope fall straight into George's outstretched palms. He had a few small laughs at Alice's vivid excitement and vigorous interest in HNZ affairs. He was quick to scribble a quick answer:

Spoiler: Letter

Hey there,

The more you talk about this seemingly new world you're living in, the more I want to visit it! I know i'm repeating myself, but it all seems so wonderful!
You don't know how glad I am that you haven't forgotten anything of what you left here. I constantly had suspicions that your transfer had erased all memories of your "previous life". That would have been so awful! Would have been a loss for both sides I believe.
Anyway, i can't think of much else to say except to express my gratitude and relief of what I've read in the last few letters. Oh and by the way, I just drank some water!
Best wishes,
George

Out of Character:

Yeah, I kinda lost ideas here sorry.

 

[Alice Hills]

Alice had some desperate news to share with her old friend, George, and spent the week pacing up and down desperately willing the owl to arrive. She wanted him to be one of the first people to hear the news, and was nearly buzzing with impatience. Her classes had calmed down, and she was rising to the top of most of them, her teachers praising her for how hard she worked and how well she did in all the tests. She had had a minor disappointment earlier in the week where she had only passed a mini Herbology test by 80%, lower than her usual 95% - 100%. But, the news that had awaited her from the Head of 6th year had been enough to cheer her up and encourage her to work harder. She had been made a prefect! This news was still coming to her as a surprise, seeing as she had only transferred just over a year ago. Having questioned this with Professor Lucas, she had been delighted to hear that the reports from all her Professors had been exceptional and that she was a credit to the school with her grades and hard work. Professor Lucas had told her that if she continued with how she was doing, she was definitely on course for a brilliant future in which she could possibly change and shape an element of the wizarding world. This praise had left her buzzing, thrilled and desperate to share the news. Meera was already a prefect and she was thrilled that her friend had been appreciated by this honour. However, Alice knew that a friend like George would fully realise how much this meant to her! George had known how much Alice had always wanted to be a prefect, and knew that because of the transfer, she hadn't been able to be one at Hogwarts New Zealand. It was George who would have the best response, so it was George that she was desperate to tell. The owl finally arrived, depositing the letter into Alice's bag as she visited the owlery. Stroking the owl, she scanned George's letter, smiling at his writing and laughing at his end comment. Pulling out of her bag a half written letter, Alice added some more detail on, commenting on his letter. She then attached it to another school owl as Tilly was out hunting and Alice was too desperate to wait. Her owl would be irritated when she returned to find her job already done, but Alice would sort that out with some fresh, new treats. Watching the school owl disappear into the distance, Alice smiled and went about the rest of her day, relieved to have gotten the news out there.

George!
It's a brilliant school! It took me a long time to get used to it, but now I have, I fall in love with it more and more every day! I don't know how visiting works, but sure, it we can make it happen then that would be awesome!
I have some very exciting news, which I know you will appreciate! I have been made a school prefect! I know! It's incredible, and I can't believe that it happened to me, especially since I have transferred so recently to the school. But Professor Lucas (the Head of 6th Year - we have heads of years rather than heads of houses) told me that it is due to my hard work and smooth transfer. He hopes that I can aid other transferring students as part of my duties. I don't need to explain much to you of what an honour it is for me, but all I can say is that I am so happy! It seems that Beauxbatons truly appreciates the work I put in, and I think I have found where I truly belong for these years. I don't know if that makes sense, because it doesn't to me even, but I hope you understand what I mean!
Keep me updated, and I hope that all is well with you!
Alice x

 

[George Bojinov]

Just when he thought things couldn't get any better concerning his long distance conversation with Alice, her next letter came. It was a very big surprise to him that one of her life long dreams had finally come true. He imagined she must feel at the peak of happiness at that moment. He wished immediately to be there with her, offering his endless congratulations. It was more than an honor, especially for someone like her, to be bestowed with such a title as the prefect. He knew that all that hard work she had done would finally pay off. After all, where could you meet such a devoted, smart, and incredible student such as Alice? She was unique, and not only in the that respect.

He was quick to answer, impatient to write the letter. His hand trembled as he scribbled the words:

Spoiler: Letter

Hullo,

I don't know where to start. I'm just incredibly happy for you right now! I mean, such an honor! You definitely must have been spectacular in your work to earn this ( not that I ever doubted you ). It's definitely a contributing factor to your adaptation to the new environment! Imagining you jumping around the dormitory in joy ( and I definitely hope you're doing that right now ), I want to offer my sincerest congratulations and to wish you the best luck in keeping the corridors of the school clean and tidy! If I ever visit you i'll make sure to do at least one misdeed to get caught in your claws! But I'll have to do it on purpose - you know me, it's always good that comes out of me. So, I hope this means you'll be a lot more comfortable with school life - I sincerely hope so!

I want details on how it feels to be a prefect! Must be really special!
Best wishes,
George

It was a sincere letter showing everything he felt at that moment. He wanted everything to be perfect.

 

[Alice Hills]

Alice had been enjoying the normality of Beauxbatons again. Things were settled down and she was able to spend more and more time relaxing in the shade of the large oak trees in the Beauxbatons grounds. France had done it well, they trumped New Zealand for any beauty that Alice had every seen. It was a strange feeling, supporting her new school over her old home, but it felt right, and Alice knew that in the same way that part of her heart lay in the castle in New Zealand, part of her heart would always remain in Beauxbatons. The spot she was sitting in overlooked the beautiful French mountains. The clearer the day, the clearer the mountains and the more beautiful everything became. Sitting there, Alice was sipping from a bottle of mountain water, an obsession she had found that she loved an awful lot. Her parents had tried to make contact in the last week, but Alice had turned all letters away for the day. She would find some way to reply another day, but for now, nothing would ruin her peace and quiet. Lying in the shade, Alice pulled her jumper tighter around her, aware that although it was a beautifully sunny day, it was still winter and the air was cold in the shade. A letter landed from nowhere into her lap, and Alice looked up to see an owl circling overhead, before heading towards the Owlery. Smiling, she sat up, leaning against the tree and opening the letter. She smiled, reading the note from George and scanning it for any news from Hogwarts. There wasn't anything new, but it was lovely to hear from him. Pulling a pen and paper out of the bag sitting next to her, Alice smiled and chewed the end. It had become a habit she had gotten into since coming to the French school, as they used a lot of pens rather than quills. Scribbling some words on the page, Alice found that she had no new news to share with him. Trying to find some conversation to make, she put the bag in her letter to post later. When her afternoon was over, she wandered to the owlery, located Tilly and asked her to take the letter to George.

Hi George!
Thank you, it was awesome and lovely to hear that you appreciate it! I definitely did dance around my room (badly as ever) but still, I danced! Haha that would be very very funny if you came here... I will check out how that works! There isn't much more news to share from this end... Tell me more about Hogwarts! I'm so desperate for any news to hear!
Sorry for the short reply,
Hope to hear from you soon,
Alice x