Peace and tranquility and... oh no, not you again.

[Aroha Jennings]

Eyes shut, beanie on over her wig, hands in her lap. Aroha sat on the top of the cliffs, listening to the waves. She hated this. Hated the illness that was eating her insides, hated the bruises. Hated a certain someone for all the confusion. The little Gryffindor was tired of excuses and secrets. And she sat where she had stood, two years ago. The weather was decidedly better than it had been last time. Aroha didn't want to think about it, but she was now grateful for Kiera's quick thinking while Aroha was unconcious. She didn't want to remember that day, but she had to. Although if she did, she might have to consider jumping again.

With a shiver, Aroha opened her eyes and moved backwards, away from the noise of the waves. She hoped for silence. What was coming however, was not gonna be silent.

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth was walking along the cliffs, thinking. She was a lot happier now that she had a family, and a place to stay. Now that she had things to look forward to, she found that her grades were improving and she was happier. Oh, sure, she had enemies, but they hadn't bothered her in a while now. She sauntered along, admiring the view, when she saw her up ahead.

Putting her head down, she hurried along behind Aroha, hoping she wasn't seen. She didn't feel like a confrontation right now, but she tripped over a stone, and fell crashing to the ground. She sighed and looked up at the Gryffindor, waiting for the snide comment or sarcastic remark that was sure to follow.

 

[Aroha Jennings]

Taking a deep breath, Aroha heard footsteps behind her. She turned quickly, seeing that girl, Elspeth, walking off awkwardly. "Hey, Elspeth!" she called. Aroha had been thinking lately, about the family tree that Riley had sent. She was almost terrified to have to tell Elspeth.


[craaaaaaaaappp >.<]

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth looked up, surprised. Why was the girl being so nice? She stood up and dusted herself off, glaring at her suspiciously. "What is it, Aroha?" she asked, looking the girl up and down. What could the Gryffindor possibly want to say to her? However, Elspeth knew that she'd been a little - no, very - unfair in her hatred towards Aroha, so she took a step closer.

 

[Aroha Jennings]

Subconciously, Aroha's hand went to the papers next to her, cringing a little. "Hey look at this." she replied, running a finger along the lines of their family tree. "We're like, second cousins twice removed or something." Aroha was oddly at peace with this fact, not at all bothered that Elspeth hated her.

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth stepped forward curiously, peering at the object. It looked like a family tree, but why would that matter to her? When she saw what Aroha was pointing at, however, the shock was so great that she felt her knees give way, and she sat down suddenly. "What?" she said to no one in particular, thoughts racing through her mind. The family tree was huge! Elspeth had gone from almost no family to a sprawling mess of relatives in just a few short moments. "So, wait. You, Aroha, are my...second cousin twice removed...or whatever... and so all these people here..." she pointed at the various names and pictures that dotted the paper, "are related to me?"

 

[Aroha Jennings]

Looking a little sympathetic at Elspeth, Aroha remembered when she'd first met the girl. Elspeth's mother reminded Aroha of Tess, except Tess was possibly less embarrassing. Seeing the Ravenclaw's knees give way, Aroha bit her lip. "Yeah, that's what the tree says. Trust me, I'm surprised too. See this one?" the Gryffindor pointed gently at a name on the other side of the parchment. "Sia Riversend. She's a Hufflepuff, and my... oh I don't know. We're only related by marriage though. And there, my cousins Olive and Benny, Olive's a 'puff and Benny's a Ravenclaw." Aroha took a breath, realizing she'd spoken way more than usual.

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

Elspeth nodded absently, concentrating on the tree. "Is there anyone else going to Hogwarts? Related to me - us? And...you know those pure-blood families with ton of family laws and stuff? Do we have anything interesting like that?" She knew her questions might sound stupid, but she honestly had no idea what to expect. "I wonder why we didn't know? Because I always thought Fred was a muggle? Were Lucy and John muggles? Maybe he was a squib and tried hiding it by pretending to be a muggle. That would explain a lot..." she murmured to herself. Elspeth looked up, suddenly remembering the other girl was still there. "Wow, Aroha. I am sorry I was so mean to you, but it kind of scared me. I have an Aunt now! I didn't before..." Realising how weird that sounded, she muttered self-consciously, "Complicated"

((ooc: wow, long post! ))

 

[Aroha Jennings]

Hearing Elspeth's questions, Aroha gave a soft giggle. "I don't know, Riley sent this to me this morning and yeah. I'm not sure." Aroha's cousin was trying to take the Gryffindor under her wing, just as she'd done with Olive before Olive transferred to Hogwarts. "Well the only laws I can think of are the Lillis family laws, but they married into our family so I'm not entirely sure. Besides, they're so old-fashioned. You don't have any laws to follow though. I think." Aroha didn't stop and think that Elspeth's questions were silly or anything, if Aroha had been chucked headfirst into a family she didn't know then she'd react this way too. Hearing the Ravenclaw talking, seemingly to herself, Aroha gazed over the tree in wonder. Hearing her name, Aroha looked up at the other girl with a smile. "I don't mind." Giggling a little more, Aroha fiddled with a leaf from the ground, sitting in happy silence.


[well done ]

 

[Elspeth Brookes]

"Riley?" Elspeth questioned when Aroha explained how she had come by the family tree. Looking down at the tree she saw the Lillis family. "Yeah, I wouldn't even want to describe how I'm related to them. My...grandfather's brother's ... son-in-law's brother's wife?" She shook her head. "Okay so no family laws. And yes, they are old fashioned. My mum was telling me about some of them before I went to Hogwarts." She had laughed at the time, not believing that anyone in this day and age would actually follow them.