Outside QQS

[Merlina Caliburn]

Merlina was given the rare privilege of being left off the rein, her father being ridiculously protective of his only off-spring had left her with strict instructions that she stay only in Obsidian and be no later than five o'clock to come back to the Inn to meet him. She glorified now in this very rare moment on her own. Her mother thankfully had not bothered to come with them to New Zealand, feigning one of her famous headaches and swearing pathetically how travelling made her ill. Merlina did not care in the slightest what travelling did to her mother anymore, the fact was she was now quite free to do what she wanted and her mother could no longer stop her.

She nearly skipped down the cobbled streets of Obsidian, purchasing an icecream at one store and continuing on until she stopped mesmerised outside the quidditch supply store. She nearly pressed her nose against the glass to see inside. The firebolts and streaks on display were breathtaking and she was hooked. Someday hopefully within the next few weeks she would have a broom of her own. Using her stupid aunties was definitely not the same. She finished her ice-cream but could not bare to part from the window, knowing she was possibly blocking the view of others but not caring the slightest. Her two hands were now pressed against the pane, as was her forehead. Visions of her being the house captain flitted through her head and a very contented sigh escaped her.

 

[Ai Adlam]

Ai was walking along the shadows. The sun was fine and all but she was starting to burn. It didn't help that she was in all black again. Then again she never wore anything else. Ai didn't like to be noticed but she didn't like to be alone either. It was a strange thing with her. She had left Kai again to deal with their grandmother. She had left everything as clean as she could so the old bat couldn't say anything to her. For once she left the house with little more than an insult as she walked out of the big house.

Now Ai was walking. She ha wondered thies streets before so there was nothing that really caught her eye exsept maybe the display of books in the window of Florish and Blots. She seemed to blossom out of the shadows she was walking along in as she came up to a girl that was looking at the broom display. "You know if you stare long enough the brooms seem to move and you can actually hold one." She said though her voice was flat. She was teasing the girl somewhat but she shouldn't be standing there looking at the brooms as if they where the greatest things in the world. Ai herself didn't fly. She had never been allowed to. Not that it would have helped. Ai was very suseptable to vertigo.

 

[Merlina Caliburn]

Merlina turned her head somewhat and looked the girl who had spoken the once over. She merely harumphed before turning back to the window display but this time moved her head from the glass, her glasses she had to push back up her nose as leaning against the pane had made them slide down a bit.
"I'm not gullible you know" she had spent more time around adults than children all her life and was well aware how to play mind games and lie brilliantly, but gullible she most definitely wasn't.

She looked back at the girl and wondered what planet she came from, Merlina being from Italy was used to the old women her grandmother being one wearing only black but for a girl relatively her own age to wear it just looked out of place and down right dreary. Merlina wore a simple white blouse over a pleated dark navy skirt, a matching navy travelling robe was slung over her shoulders. Multi-coloured print tights and black pumps finished off her simple attire. Everything about her screamed ordinary but she knew she was going to be so much more than that.

"Why are you so pale? Keep to the shadows much?" Merlina didn't really give a rats ass if she upset the girl, who was she to tell her porkies first time out.

 

[Aleyha Snow]

Aleyha, with a black cloak wrapped around her body, a long black dress, and gloves to hide her white skin from the burning sun, walked down the road, and her red eyes narrowed. She was with her cousin, Kaleb Styx. She held her hand up and hissed, "Wait." She observed a girl, and another one who seemed much paler than the other. Vera peek out from the black cloak. Aleyha watched, with shadows from the cloak concealed her face from the sunlight.

The only part she heard was something about keeping to the shadows. This angered Aleyha, her red eyes flared. She came from the other side of the girl, and approached the one that spoke about keeping to shadows. Aleyha murmured, "Do you have a problem with people who are pale?" Aleyha was the definition of white, for she was very, very pale due from albinism. Aleyha could careless about what Kaleb would say to them. But that statement was just ludicrous.

 

[Kaleb Styx]

Kaleb was talking about how much he loved to be in Slytherin, until Aleyha held her hand up for him to stop. "What is your..." His eyes caught the sight of two girls. He did not hear what they had to say. He scratched his head in confusion. What could they have said to catch Aleyha's attention? He put his arm back down, and wiped some dust off his black tee shirt. He liked the sun, for it made his hair lighter. As well as almost blond. Kaleb sighed.

He followed and stood by his cousin's side, just in case she would get violent. He bent down and whispered, "Aleyha, this isn't your fight." He gave the girls a smile and greeted normally, "Hey there." Kaleb's smile immediately vanished though, only lasting for a moment. He wasn't acting when he was talking to Aleyha, and putting on one seemed rather pointless now. He had the girls he wanted to use, and perhaps, he wouldn't need the one that didn't remind him of Aleyha.

 

[Merlina Caliburn]

Merlina turned as a whiter than white girl approached and all but hissed at her. Now what in the world was going on here? Her first day out and every pasty in the country side was ganging up on her, the fact that Merlina was pale herself leant a touch of humour to the obvious albinos statement. Her head turned at the sound of another voice, a boy telling the girl that it was not her fight.
"Whoa, hold on there a minute. I don't have a problem with pale skin" she pulled up the sleeve of her own robe to show her own pale skin, "Was trying to break the ice actually not starting a fight. I don't usually mix with kids so if I rubbed you up the wrong way, my bad".

She squinted at the two girls through her glasses before turning away to look back in the window. Maybe they would go away and leave her alone now. She hadn't asked for their attention, they had all just dumped themselves on her and all she had wanted to do was look in the window at the brooms.

 

[Ai Adlam]

Ai looked at the other pail girl. Her cold blue eyes scaned both her and the boy that had come with her. Both seemed to be a little like her. "I don't know if she does. I was about to explain that I burn easyly that's why I have to stay out of the sun. The habit makes me pailer than most. About your shade." She said her eyes falling on the girl. It wasn't an insult. The girl could make of it what she would really Ai did't care. She said what she thought and if people where insulted then that was thier problem not her's.

Ai oberved the other boy and scowled. Who did he think he was smiling at her like that? "Put that away you are not fooling anyone." She said again her voice was flat so it wasn't an insult but she did have a tendency to cut with her words when she didn't mean to. Ai looked back at the girl that had tryed to take a stab at her with the pail remark. She was pail Ai knew. It wasn't anything to be insulted about so it didn't work. "I don't mix with others either. Not very well. Does not mean you have to make oviose remarks that make you seem like you have something against them." She said tilting her head slightly.

 

[Aleyha Snow]

Aleyha's red eyes glanced at the girl's own skin, and back to her eyes. Aleyha muttered, "Perhaps you should have worded your words more carefully. You don't want to be messing with the wrong people." Her red eyes went on to the other girl, as she explained her reason that she burned easily. Aleyha did not take it as an insult, thankfully. Last thing anyone wanted to do was to get on Aleyha's bad side.

"I'm albino," Aleyha answered curtly. Her eyes narrowed, when the girl said something to her cousin. Aleyha was about to say something, until her snake, Vera, spoke, "Aleyha, dear, Kaleb can handle himself." Aleyha's gaze went to Vera. She nodded and spoke in Parseltongue, "Fine, I won't say anything." Aleyha's cold stare went back to the girls, not caring if they were to question her about her ability.

 

[Kaleb Styx]

Kaleb shook his head at Aleyha, and at the two girls. It wasn't until the paler girl spoke that made Kaleb's face turn ice cold, and his eyes flickering dangerously. Once he was angered enough, he was the miniature version of Asparuh, the Death Eater. For now, though, he looked like Kalif. Kaleb snapped harshly, "The smile meant nothing, girl. I don't plan on putting an act on today." Kaleb listened to Aleyha speak Parseltongue, and his eyes remained fixed upon the two girls. Kaleb folded his arms across his chest. His face still remained cold and like a statue. Not a hint of kindness or friendliness could be detected. He thought, No wonder Aleyha stepped in. Hopefully, things won't get any worse than this.

 

[Merlina Caliburn]

Merlina vaguely listened now to the others, they obviously hadn't taken the hint to leave then. What in the world the big deal was about having pale skin was simply beyond her. So one of them was an albino, whoppee doo, the other one was just aggressive and outright rude for no reason. Hadn't it been her who had come up to Merlina in the first place with the stupid line about the brooms moving if you looked at them long enough and now she had taunted the boy too. Obviously the girl had no social skills whatsoever.

She kept her face averted to the window, not caring if they paid her any attention or not.
"I don't care one tot about who and what you're all supposed to be but coming up to a complete stranger and going all postal is one sure way of NOT making any friends" she turned then to look them all squarely in the face, pushing her glasses up again. She wasn't scared that it seemed like two were definitely about to gang up on her and possibly three if the boy followed the girl he referred to as Aleyha.
"I was simply minding my own business here." the fact that the girl had spoken to her snake hadn't been lost on Merlina one bit but she didn't make any comment on it. She would probably get fed to it the rate Aleyha seemed to get rattled so easily.
"How about everyone take a deep breath and just introduce yourselves. I am Merlina Caliburn" she wasn't extending her hand for any of them, not sure if she would have one left if she did.

 

[Ai Adlam]

Ai didn't even flich at the snap. She kept the same cold emotionless expression she always had. It was the only thing she knew how to do in situations like this. "My name is not girl" She said slowly as if to say that Kaleb couldn't understand. "It's Ai. Ai Adlem. A pleasure I guess." She said offering her hand to any of them. She nodded when Aleyha said that she was Albino. "I'm sensitive. Everyone has something about them." She said to her. Ai didn't care what someone was. She cared about who they where if even that. She didn't trust most people enough to get close to them though.

Her black hair swayed slightly but it wasn't because she wanted it to. Ai could not be bothered with that kind of feminen stuff. She didn't question about Aleyha's ability. She had read about it and thought it intresting but knew better than to ask. It could be a privet conversation. She was starting to kind of like the red eyes girl. That was more than she could say for the one next to her. He seemed like a user. She wouldn't be able to bare looking at him infront of anyone else. Ai was sure of that. Those ice like orbs went back to the girl near the window. "A pleasure." was all she said but the hardness in her face didn't ease.

 

[Aleyha Snow]

Aleyha's face remained cold, emotionless. She noticed Kaleb becoming more like his father and the Zhefarovichs. Aleyha laughed in her mind, About time. His act is sickening once seen. Aleyha finally stepped in between the little 'argument' between the girl and Kaleb. "Kaleb, just hush. Ai, he didn't know your name, thus, he couldn't say anything else to refer to you." There was no hint of a threat or any of the sort in her voice. "I see," she said shortly.

Aleyha murmured under her breath, hardly audible, when that girl spoke, "She is acting so much like a mudblood." Aleyha narrowed her eyes and glared at the girl that said that they should all take a deep breath, the one that she insulted. "Aleyha Devearux." She folded her arms across her chest. "I don't shake hands, so no offense." Her eyes went to Ai. It was obvious that Aleyha thought that Ai was worthy. Aleyha whispered to Kaleb, "Don't mess with Ai, or else."

 

[Kaleb Styx]

Kaleb opened his mouth to say something, but Aleyha spoke for him. He didn't like it one bit, but his temper subsided. Sighing, he muttered, "Sorry, Ai." Kaleb did not smile, smirk, nothing. He simply stood there with his arms crossed and his eyes staring at the girls. When Aleyha muttered something under her breath, Kaleb strained to hear it, but her voice was too low to understand. Kaleb tuned out everything else, until he heard Aleyha introduce herself, and decided he would as well, "Kaleb Styx. And I don't shake hands either." He had the same stare as Aleyha, the Zhefarovich stare. He wondered how the rest of today would turn out.

 

[Ai Adlam]

Ai nodded and put down her hand. "It's something I thought people did around here." She said simply. If they didn't want to shake hands than it didn't bother her. "It's ok." She said to Kelb but she could tell they could start to argue again in some near future when Aleyha was not around. She heard the word Mudblood. A word that her grandmother used more often than not. She hated that her grandmother was such a pureblood supremeset but out of Aleyha's mouth it sounded a lot more like an insult. It didn't bother her.

That just left Merlina who she could see why Aleyha was calling a mudblood under her breath. Since this girl was next to nothing to Ai she wouldn't say anything about it. Had it been Izzy or Immy she would have acted at least a little bit. Now she did nothing exsept put her hands behind her back and wait for the Merlina glasses girl to start talking again. Ai wondered if she would bother to listen. She usually didn't listen to anything that was she thought useless noise.

 

[Carmen Peregrin]

(hope you don't mind- Linda said it would be ok that this one needed lightening up a bit If there are objections I will edit, no worries.)

Carmen was trying out one of her newer inventions, this was similar to the wheel-shoes but instead had springs attached to the upper and lower soles of each shoe. Her grandfather had charmed them to take her weight, bounce at proper heights and fade into the sole of the shoe when she uttered a certain word. They were great fun, she had already spent half the morning like a demented kangaroo bouncing around Obsidian Harbour. There was an influx of students around but as it was getting nearer and nearer to the start of school, she wasn't really surprised. It just meant that her space for bouncing was not as great as she would have liked. People got out of her way anyhow which wasn't a bad thing. As she bounced her way around another corner, she couldn't believe it. Kaleb!
He must be back from Australia, it had felt like absolutely ages since she had seen him. It also looked like the albino girl who he had called Aleyha was with him too. There were also another two girls and she smiled. He did like to surround himself with girls didn't he?

Bouncing her way over she touched his arm clumsily as she tried to keep her balance.
"Hey You, when did you get back?" it felt all of a sudden as if she had just entered a mine field as she took in the stance and looks from the girls. Maybe she should just bounce her way back down the street again?

 

[Merlina Caliburn]

Before she could let her temper out which in itself was rare, a blonde girl all sunshine and smiles quite literally bounced her way over to them, she seemed to know the boy Kaleb. Merlina was all but puce from the insult and flinched at it, she may have a problem with her eyes but there certainly wasn't anything wrong with her hearing. How could a girl who didn't know her say such things? It didn't matter and shouldn't matter what she was, they weren't living in the time of the dark lord anymore and people should be damn right more reserved in what they called people.

"How dare you, I never insulted you and yet you stand there calling me a mudblood when you know nothing of me. I could be one or a halfblood, a mixed blood or even a pureblood it shouldn't matter. That foul obscenity has not been uttered by any decent wizards in years" she certainly wasn't going to tell them just what she was she had more pride than that. Had she turned around and made parting shots like circus freak to the albino parseltongue? No and yet she had the audacity to speak to her, a stranger like that.

 

[Ai Adlam]

Ai rolled her eyes. She was never much for confrentation. The look she usually gave people was enough to convince them to go away anyway. "If this is going to turn into a debate on weather or not a word is to be used I rather leave. I do not listen to useless noise." She said. Her face regestered no emotion as she turned from the group, eyeing the blond before deeming her little worth her time then starting to walk away. "Aleyha, I going to Florish and Blotts to see a new book on dark spells that just came in. If your intrested you can come with me." She said over her shoulder then left before things really got out of hand.

Ai thought fighting was a wasit of energy useless in everyway. Ai had no pationce for useless things. Ai left the same way she came, in the shadows.

 

[Aleyha Snow]

Aleyha's lips twisted into a smirk upon hearing Merlina speak, "Well, 'that foul obsenity' of a word, mudblood, is just how I describe weak people. However, you say that no decent wizard has uttered that word. Did you not just say it? Perhaps you should have used 'muggle-born' or the M word." Aleyha's cloak moved slightly more over her head, concealing her face once more. Aleyha was bold in her thoughts, and voiced them, no matter whether they were good or bad. And she wasn't the one to be sorry either. Aleyha was satisfied inside, which only revealed in a small smirk.

Aleyha turned around, seeing some blond girl bounce. She shot her an odd look, and glanced at Kaleb. Apparently, she knew him. He really does get around, she thought calmly. Aleyha glanced down at Vera, and back up to see Ai leaving. Aleyha accepted the invitation. "I have no further use of being here, for I cannot be seen with such a...motley crowd." She swiftly followed Ai, not bothering to give Kaleb a wave or Merlina a glare. Aleyha knew what she would have to do if that girl was to start anything else when the time came for school.

 

[Kaleb Styx]

Kaleb literally smacked himself in the forehead, shaking his head and muttering, "Aleyha has done it again." He felt someone on his arm, and his eyes lit up. Kaleb grinned, "Carmen! I just got back recently." It had been a week, but then again, he and Aleyha were mostly together then. He watched Aleyha depart, and Kaleb simply shrugged. Kaleb glanced over at Merlina, and sighed, knowing that Aleyha had upset the girl. Kaleb himself used that word, more often than not, but he didn't want to call people that randomly.

He approached Merlina, and he stated, "I'm sorry for her behavior. She just likes to get into people's heads and mess around. It pleases her when someone reacts upon anger. Just...try to not get in her way. That would be best. She can get violent upon needed, since she did shove her brother down the stairs, almost blew him up, the works." That was why no one should have ever put potion supplies where children like Aleyha could reach. "I would know, she is my cousin." Kaleb glanced back at Carmen.

"I do believe it is time for a formal introduction. I'm Kaleb, and this is my friend Carmen." Kaleb put on a smile, although he was slightly forced, because he was still a bit irritated with that Ai girl. Of course, in his mind, he was insulting her and her name.

 

[Merlina Caliburn]

Merlina could not speak anymore, she had a wand in her pocket but only knew two spells and neither of them any good to do what she wanted to the pale witch infront of her. She was just utterly grateful that both girls walked away for she was now shaking, shaking with so much righteous anger she thought she would explode.

The boy on the other hand changed his tone as soon as they were gone or perhaps it was more since the blonde girl arrived. She didn't know which and she didn't much care, she preferred non combative conversations, non confrontational. Why they had pounced on her she didn't know, but typical that she herself had made a slight verbal slip up in her anger and frustration. Merlina listened as Kaleb spoke about just how nasty the girl Aleyha was, to even her own brother. Perhaps she had just had a lucky escape.

She couldn't help but smile at his attempt now at proper introductions but she was grateful. Another few minutes and she might have actually cried and wouldn't have been able to stop them from coming.
"Hi Kaleb" she smiled at him as she then turned to the girl, "Hi Carmen. I'm Merlina, frazzled and disorientated but still Merlina ... Merlina Caliburn."

 

[Carmen Peregrin]

[wow they all didn't leave coz of me did they? ]

Carmen heard the word mudblood and her face paled, she didn't bat an eyelid as one girl left and then Aleyha seemed to let loose a whole pile of venom on the other girl who at that point seemed confused as to whether she was upset or angry. Carmen could empathise completely, she looked at Kaleb wondering if he shared his cousins view but remembered how he had told her that purity didn't matter to him. Then again that was purity, would having a 'mudblood' mother make a difference to his opinion of her. The smile wavered on her face as then Aleyha left leaving herself, Kaleb and the other girl. Immediately Kaleb went to reassure the girl that his cousin was a bit crazy and not to get in her way but he hadn't mentioned one thing about that disgusting word. A word she knew her beloved grandfather called her mother when she wasn't within ear shot much to Carmens disgust and humiliation.

"Hello Merlina" she greeted the other girl with a smile but turned quickly to Kaleb, she had to know.
"Do you share your cousins sentiments? Do you too go around insulting people with that term?"
She thought her little heart would break if he said yes, he was the closest thing she had to a bestfriend and he meant so much to her yet, how much about him did she truly know. His expression when she had first appeared had been a strange one, one she had not seen before. One that actually seemed more suited to his grandfather than him. Was that who he truly was?

 

[Kaleb Styx]

Kaleb glanced back at Carmen, and then to the girl named Merlina, "Pleasure to meet you, Merlina." Although he could never share anything about his true self. He glanced back at Carmen, and his smile did not falter as he replied, "I rarely insult anyone. I prefer to keep my opinions to myself." If he had to say anything about mudbloods, then he would rant about them. However, he was much more withdrawn with his thoughts before he would express them. After all, he befriended that mudblood, Phoebe. However, he had to hide his obvious disgust about those things. Kaleb put his arms behind his head casually. "So, what's been going on with you two?" His lighter hair flowed around him, as the sun began to lighten it.

 

[Merlina Caliburn]

Merlina merely nodded at the boy, not sure what had just happened but wondering if she should be grateful to the presence of the blonde girl. Somehow she doubted the boys statement about rarely insulting people, if he hung out with the albino who he had said was his cousin then surely the trait was either genetic or it might just as easily rub off on him. She didn't care much now anyhow, the two other girls had left and she sighed with relief.
"Not alot" she told him, "I just wanted to look at the streaks and firebolts before I was accosted verbally. Are you two going to Hogwarts in September?"

She did hope they would say yes, there was nothing worse than going to a place where she would no nobody. Her cousin didn't count as she barely knew her anyhow.

 

[Carmen Peregrin]

Carmen was no-ones fool and though she was smitten with Kaleb, she also considered him her best friend and she would stand for no hoodwinking of any kind. He hadn't actually answered her question but had rather skirted about it instead. She would most likely say something when they weren't in company though, not wanting to upset Merlina than what she had so clearly been already.

"I'm definitely going, it's the only reason why I'm here in New Zealand at all." she smiled bending down to her trainers she muttered the word that her grandfather had charmed the shoes with and almost immediately the springs melted away into the shoes.
"I guess you'll be going as well huh?"

 

[Merlina Caliburn]

"Yep I'll be going, can't wait actually. This is my first time properly away from home and any time away from my stunt-my-growth-mother is time well spent" Merlina watched Carmen as she bent down to her shoes and muttered something, her shoes seemed to change immediately and the springs that had helped her to bounce over to them disappeared.
"Wow that is a really cool trick" Merlina was grateful that no one had commented on her accent, sometimes she thought the Italian lilt that hindered much of her pronounciations seemed almost cute but what did she know?