Open On the Steps

[Augustus Westwick]

Open after Jess S posts with Addison

Augustus loved Hogwarts, but it was also very overwhelming. It felt like there were students everywhere, and there was no quiet spot for Augustus to retreat to. Even his dormitory was crowded, as many of his fellow first years seemed to have been sorted into Ravenclaw. Augustus liked the boys in his dormitory a lot, though he hadn't really spoken to them much, but he missed having his own space. So he had headed outside, which was pretty quiet in the cold winter months. He had put on his coat and scarf, and simply taken a seat on the steps up to the castle. It was a little cold, but Augustus liked the peace and quiet. The icy wind stung at his cheeks, but as he huddled against the stair railings he felt like it wasn't that bad. He let his gaze go over the grounds in front of him, curiously taking it all in. His gaze moved to the forest, which was something his cousins had told him a lot about. It was forbidden and definitely scary, but also intriguing. Augustus wondered if there were Acromantula in there as his cousins had told him. He knew his cousins sometimes told him things that weren't true to scare him, but more often than not they were true and interesting facts. He rested his chin on his hands and sighed softly, watching his breath make a cloud in the air.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy was enjoying her time here so far. She had spent a lot of time with her cousin but that was more for his sake than hers. She was on her way to see the lake when she spotted him. Augustus! She smiled widely and walked over, shifting the book she'd been carrying and sitting next to him. "You look like a dragon blowing smoke rings," she stated calmly, giving him a wide smile.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus saw Addison approach, but expected her to just go up the stairs. They had met before Hogwarts, but he knew that by now she probably had made a lof of friends in Hufflepuff by now. So when she sat next to him, he blinked in surprise. "Hello." He said softly, clearly startled. "I don't think I look like a dragon. They are big and scaly." He told her seriously.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison smilee, digging in her bag and pulling out a pair of suckers. She handed him one before unwrapping her own and popping it in her mouth. "Okay, you look kinda like a dragon, with smoke billowing out of your mouth." She clarified, blowing a bit of smoke herself and giggling.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus looked at the sweet the girl put in his hand, then back at Adidson. "Why do you give me food?" He asked her shyly, wondering if there was some significance to it. She had done it last time too. He frowned a little. "You don't look like a dragon." He told her. "You're smaller and also are a mammal." He said, still taking it seriously.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy blinked as he asked why she gave him food. "Because we're friends." She told him. "And I like sharing my treats with my friends." She shrugged, opening her book. "Alright, maybe not a dragon," She agreed. "But I've always liked watching the air when it's like this, or the fog, the fog is pretty. Anything could be hiding in it," She sighed softly, turning to a new page. "Oh, look at this, it's called Devils snare," She tilted the book so he could see. "What do you think?"

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus looked vaguely alarmed. "We are?" He said in a soft voice. He regretted it immediately, but he hadn't been able to help it. He had never had a friend before. He nodded when she talked about fog, but also couldn't help sharing some wisdom. "Fog is also an indicator of dementors, when there are many." He said quietly. "So they could be hiding in it." He looked at the book Addison had open, tilting his head slightly to the side. "Devil's snare is deadly." He said in his usual quiet voice. "It strangles people."

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy just smiled at Augustus's question. "We are," she confirmed. She blinked at his comment about the fog. "Oh, really? I didn't know that, that's really cool." She pulled her notebook from her bag and quickly scribbled it down. She added the bit about devil's snare once he said it. "Doesn't devils snare have a weakness to sunlight?" She asked him, turning to glance up at him with a smile.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus blushed a little. "Oh." He mumbled and looked down, a small smile appearing on his face. He nodded to confirm what he had said was true, then glanced at her notebook curiously. He blinked at her next question and then nodded again. "Fire works too." He mumbles, looking at his lap and occasionally glancing at her. "How... did we become friends?" He asked, still puzzling this over.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy smiled, scribbling down the bit about fire. "I wonder if their weakness is just bright light or if fire really burns them?" She mused idly before pausing at his next question. She shrugged. "Well, I like talking to you and I enjoy your company. That makes us friends. Or I think it does. You haven't told me to bugger off yet, so there's that." She gave him a smile.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus frowned at Addison's words, thinking. "If it burned... would just light be enough?" He asked her, musing. He smiled a little at her words, nodding. "I like talking to you too." He admitted quietly. "I'm not very good at talking." He turned a surprised gaze to her. "Why would I say that?" He asked her, frowning a little in confusion.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy tapped her pen against the page. "We'll have to find out," She decided, nodding. She giggled as he said he wasn't good at talking. "Don't be silly," She told him, nudging his leg with hers. "You're perfectly okay talking to me," She reassured him. She shrugged at his question. "Once I start talking about my facts people usually tell me to shut up."

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus frowned a little. "Maybe... the upper years greenhouses would have Devil's Snare?" He asked quietly. "I could ask my cousins..." He wasn't sure if his cousins would appreciate him asking them random questions, but they were the only older students he knew. He was glad Addison didn't think he was doing a bad job talking to her, but frowned as she said people told her to shut up. "But they're interesting facts..." He said, puzzled. "Why wouldn't they want to learn?"

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy smiled brightly. "Ooh, maybe they do. We could ask the Professor if your cousins didn't want to help." She mused quietly. She came out of her musing at his question, shrugging. "I don't know. I tend to annoy most everyone else though." She gave him an impish grin, knocking her knee against his. "But we're friends now so we can find fun facts together now," An idea struck her, and she started to dig in her bag a bit. "Do you want your own notebook?"

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus nodded. "I think we won't be allowed to see it yet though." He mumbled. "Since we're only in the first year." He knew that the first few years would only cover the basics, which he was a little sad about. Augustus wasn't sure why Addy would annoy anyone, so he just nodded when she said it was just that way. He guessed she would know. Maybe being seen as annoying was better than being seen as creepy. He was surprised at her question. "I have a notebook for school." He said quietly, not sure what she meant.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy shrugged. "Or maybe it's just we cant see it without adult supervision. We could ask just to check," she offered. She smiled as she produced a dark blue notebook and scooted over so she was sitting closer, placing it in his lap. "No, silly. It's not for school. Here, see," she took her notebook and opened up to a page to show him. "Its for the little facts you find I interesting. See, like I found out the entire world's population could fit in Los Angeles, California, in the United States." She told him matter of factly.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus nodded doubtfully at Addison's words. Maybe they would be allowed with adult supervision, though it felt unlikely to him. "I suppose." He said quietly. He was surprised when Addison placed a notebook on his lap, and he looked at her uncertainly for a moment. "Oh." He mumbled. "Is this for me?" He wasn't sure why she was giving him a present, but he knew what to say when someone gave him something. "Thank you." He mumbled quietly. "I didn't know that." He added at her fact. "I don't imagine it would be very comfortable." He added as he thought it over.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison smiled brightly. "It is, that's why I gave it to you," She teased gently, tapping her pen against her notebook idly. "I don't think it would be very comfortable either," She agreed with him, "And there would be crazy language barriers everywhere, it would be a mess." She shuddered. Shaking her head, she turned back to him with a smile. "So how are you liking Ravenclaw? Hufflepuff is fun so far, the common room is really super cozy." She told him matter of factly.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus gripped the notebook in both hands, a small smile appearing on his face. He nodded as Addison mentioned language barriers. "I wonder how closely everyone would have to stand." He mumbled, as he imagined everyone would be very close together, which he would absolutely hate. "I already think the common room is crowded sometimes." He mumbled with a slight shrug. He pondered her question for a moment. "Ravenclaw is nice. There are many books there, and everyone is very curious. I have nice boys in my dormitory with very good ideas." He said quietly. "They let me tag along so far." He added.