Southern Skies

[Eva Mariani]

Set in Semester 2, January 2046​

It was one of her study breaks, and it was nearing the weekend so that meant that it was also time to meet up with Aminia, to catch up. Eva didn't really know how she felt towards their friendship, but it was nice to be able to share things and how she was feeling with someone other than her brother. Instead of holding everything in all the time. When she arrived to the dorms, Eva showered and got dressed before she grabbed her wand and put it in her pocket safely, before she headed to the lake. It was an area she enjoyed going to and that was where her and Mini had decided to meet up. Eva liked quiet places, away from where every other student hung out, so the lakefront was big enough that it could provide her with her own space. Once she settled herself on a rock, Eva waited for Aminia, looking forward to having a good girl talk that wasn't about school because frankly, it was beginning to give her a headache.​

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[Aminia Rosendale]

Aminia Macksimov had been so careful over the winter break, she didn't think she'd worn so many turtle necks in her life after she and Chaser spent their last weekend hanging out. She only had to see her parents for one day before she was whisked away to school. However, worried about staring eyes she continued to wear Chaser's scarf to protect the red marks on her neck, at least until she met with the only person she trusted now. Aminia made her way to the lake front with study materials in hand, her ballet flats comfortable, the long grass tickling her feet as she moved. Once she finally made it to her friend and hugged her. "Eva!" She spoke excitedly, the Russian smiling wide. "I've missed you! How was your Christmas?" She asked, baring with the heat in order to keep her neck covered. She looked at her friend, whom while dressed non-spectacularly, was alleyways pretty at least. it was good company to keep, a shallow part of Mini felt that way.

 

[Eva Mariani]

Eva looked up when she heard someone approaching and she gave her friend a hug, sending her a smile as she sat down next to her. She felt a pang in her chest when Aminia told her she had missed her; she wasn't used to being missed nor being close to someone, and it felt good for a change. It made her feel as if she was wanted around Mini, so it couldn't hurt to trust her fully. "Ugh, my Christmas was eventful. But like, in a bad way," she sighed, "my parents always go over the top, meeting 'important' people, blah blah blah." Eva slightly rolled her eyes. "But I don't want any of it. Even Christmas isn't normal for me, like it is for normal families. But enough about me, how was your Christmas?"​

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[Aminia Rosendale]

Aminia listened to Eva's statements and could understand more than she let on. "That sucks, maybe next Christmas you should spend with me, away from all of that. Though my parents do the same so it'll be just you and me." She giggled. When asked about her Christmas Aminia looked around and shrugged before handing over an image to one of her only close friends. Aminia hadn't told anyone at the school about her current lvoe life, feeling if word got out her parents would discover second hand. She was eventually going to tell them - this summer break was the plan, but she hadn't found the words yet. Aminia then removed her scarf, red in the face. She knew she could trust Eva with the little red secrets on her neck. "So i got a boyfriend." She whispered, before coving back up quickly. "He is so weird and not at all the kind of guy I thought I'd find but I seriously think I'm falling for this guy. Eva we have got to get you a boy so we can double date, seriously."

 

[Eva Mariani]

At Aminia‘s suggestion of spending next Christmas with her, she smiled. "That actually sounds really great," she admitted, she would consider the idea seriously. She had no idea what her parents would think, but she would be seventeen, almost eighteen, then, which would allow her to start making her own decisions about her life. "If you can host my brother too, that'd be amazing. He‘ll be at Hogwarts next year. That‘s if my mom and dad agree to let him stay at someone else‘s place with me." If by some miracle her parents did agree, Eva would take it to her advantage. When her friend showed her a picture of a guy, Eva raised her eyebrow, but when she showed the sixth year her neck, Eva couldn't help but to laugh uncontrollably, then quickly covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." But then Aminia started gushing about her so-called boyfriend and Eva squealed. "My god Mini, you have to tell me everything!" she exclaimed, not expecting to be told every detail that had happened between her friend and there boy. "I swear if he hurts you I will punch him," she warned. She laughed nervously at the Ravenclaw‘s suggestion. "And who would you have in mind?" she asked, though when she thought of her guy friend she made early in the previous semester, her heart skipped a beat.​

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

"I mean, they will likely be out of town, so it's not going to matter. I have a younger sister too so he won't be quite surrounded by us old folk." She joked. Then Aminia was given a chance to gush, and she wasn't going to stop. She had no one to talk to about Chaser except Eva, whom she learned to trust through study sessions. "He is.... amazing." She said with a dreamy expression on her face. "Eva he is so nice and he is such a gentleman. We started talking over summer break and sending owls and then when I went to dinner with him in Korea he walked me back to the hotel and kissed me. I do not remember feeling this way about anyone." Not even Lennon, she added in her mind. The blonde couldn't help it. "He even knows things about me I haven't told anyone... except you of course." She remarked, referencing her issues with Lennon in the past. Even then Chaser knew more than Eva did, but Mini did not want her feelings hurt. When Eva asked about whom Aminia would pair her with Aminia shrugged. "You deserve someone tall, who is very good looking, without too many muscles, and he has to know how to cook for you. And how to deal with our sleep overs. I want you to feel this way. It's so wonderful. I just wake up knowing every day I'm a day closer to seeing him." She sighed. "Did you have anyone in mind?" She inquired.

 

[Eva Mariani]

"That is actually a good idea, I‘ll tell him once I see him again. I‘m sure Marco will be relieved to get out of the house," she sighed. She allowed Aminia to take as much time and words as she wanted to gush about her boyfriend, and Eva listened to her, feeling happy for her that she was happy. Eva was kind of wishing she could be as happy as her friend was right now. "So does that mean I don't have to worry about him hurting you?" she teased, half joking. "Wait, is that how you met? Through owls?" To be fair, Eva had never gotten to know a stranger through letters. But by the way Mini was talking about him, the Gryffindor relaxed. "I am so happy for you, Mini, I really am," she said sincerely. "Ah, right," she nodded along to her friend‘s words, knowing exactly what she meant by knowing ‘things she had never told anyone‘. Eva didn't feel the need to bring it up, so she let it slide. "Right, sounds like a dream," Eva said with a laugh, not really sure she knew of anyone like that. "Um - well - I - no?" she tried, though her own face betrayed her.​

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

Aminia was happy that Eva seemed interested in hanging out with her, it felt good to have a friend. She knew that it was nothin compared to her boyfriend and Linnux. Their relationship was so honest, open, and fun. Aminia has fun with Eva, but she couldn't imagine calling her a first love, or choke holding her. Aminia nodded at her question. "I hope not. I do not think he would though... he calls me beautiful you know and I feel like he does not just mean because I'm a veela... I feel like he means my soul." She spoke flopping next to her friend in the grass. "No, I actually. I dropped my notebook on the ground and he read one of my poems out loud. It was a strange way to make a friend... I wanted to hit him at first." She said with a small laugh.

The conversation moved along and Mini still felt the effects in her heart of bragging about Chaser. She cared about him more than she thought, and talking about him made her realize that. The blonde looked up at Eva, her answer unconvincing. "Oooh, you are too shy to tell me?" She asked sitting up suddenly and kneeling in front of her friend. "Don't make me charm you." She teased. "Come on, spill, tell me all about them!" She begged excitedly.

 

[Eva Mariani]

Eva did not think that she could be happier for Aminia, especially as she could see how she was talking about her boyfriend. "Okay, so, in all of this...What's his name?" Eva asked, and winked at her friend. She loved that she had finally found someone who was treating her the way she should be, and that she could also open up and be honest to the boy about how she was feeling towards things. She did think Aminia might just have forgotten to mention his name to her while she gushed about him. "Wow, that just got deep," Eva mentioned when Mini told her he called her beautiful but not the superficial type. She laughed when her friend told her about how they actually met and it was cute. "That's adorable, Min, and also...extremely cheesy," she admitted, teasing the Ravenclaw. "I get it though. I'd hate it if someone read my journal. It's a good thing the right person read it," she gave her input on the matter. At Aminia's question, Eva's mouth opened before she closed it again, not really sure what she would say. Finally, a blush later, she admitted it. "No! I mean I don't even really know how I'm supposed to feel. I've never liked someone before. And I'm not even sure I like like this guy," she rambled, which was definitely unlike her. Eva was never tied up with words. "He's in Gryffindor. I met him last semester," she said nervously, glancing at Aminia's excited expression. "He's...in our year."
​

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

Aminia giggled at her friend. This was what she had needed. A Ella and Amoretta were not bad sisters, but Eva felt like family she'd chosen and that was easier to enjoy the company of. Besides that Eva never stole her clothing. "His name is Chaser. His younger sister goes to school here actually.." she said with a smile. "I would not have it any other way than cheesy. He's like my macroni if I am the cheesy." She said. It was clear that Chaser was wearing off on her. When Eva moved on to her crush, rather than feeling the need to hog the spot light like she used to, she listened. The more Eva talked the more Aminia wracked her brain. "Oh come on! Look at you, of course you're interested. I do not know any Gryffindor! Just tell me, your secret is safe!" She said, urging her friend to tell her, holding a hand out for a pinky swear with the raven haired woman.

 

[Eva Mariani]

"Chaser, huh? I have never met a Chaser," she said once Aminia told her his name and about his family. She cringed at her friend's next sentence. "Okay, okay, I get it," she laughed, shaking her head fondly at the other girl. She wondered if everyone who fell in love became this cheesy, like the cliche type of cheesy, or if it was just her friend's boyfriend who made her friend feel this way. Either way, it seemed like something Eva missed in her life. It wasn't familial love, and the Gryffindor was still trying to find out what that felt like. Of course, she loved her brother, but her parents were a little complicated to figure out. "What's happening to us, 'Minia," she sighed, her thoughts straying from where and with whom she was for a moment and to the boy she had admitted liking out loud. It was strange and new for the sixth year to feel butterflies, and even more so for a guy she didn't know well at all. In such a short amount of time. "Hmm, alright," she announced, eyeing Aminia's pinky and locking her own with it to secure the promise. "His name is Eddie. He's really sweet and we met in the common room. I was rather down about my family and he was trying to cheer me up." She said this all in a breath and when she realised she was holding in air she let it out slowly, looking at Aminia with a small smile and a shrug. Eva had never been in a relationship before and therefore she did not know where and how it started. More importantly, if she wanted anything to happen. ​

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

"I never have either. Doubt I will meet another like him." She sighed happily. She reacted to her friends question by adjusting her shirt and pushing back her shoulders. "We're growing up. We'll be adults soon. Well I will." She threw a playful look at her dark haired friend. Of course she thought Eva was becoming mature as well, and she'd never admit it but she thought she may even be more well matured than Mini was herself. Regardless of how her parents prepared her for the real world. She giggled as her friend finally revealed the boy she was interested in, however Mini wasn't sure if she knew Eddie or not. The name didn't sound familiar, then again Aminia wasn't exactly personable. "Aww, that sounds so very sweet. He would have to be nice to be with my friend though." She said. "So are you going to go to the Valentine's day dance with him maybe?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Mini herself didn't plan on attending anymore dances. Not without Chaser. And she couldn't bring him no matter how much she wanted to. The blonde hoped her friend would go though, and let her help to pick out the dress she wore. Mini prided herself in her fashion knowledge after all.

 

[Eva Mariani]

Eva's smile didn't falter as Aminia daydreamed about her boyfriend Chaser, curious as to what he looked like. She playfully rolled her eyes at her friend when she said that they were growing up, and she let out a laugh. "And you're looking very forward to growing up, I see," the Sixth Year Gryffindor winked at Aminia. She knew the Ravenclaw was kidding, and she appreciated the lightheartedness that the other girl had, it was something Eva needed once in a while. She wasn't sure how she felt about Aminia not really knowing Eddie, as that meant that there wouldn't be many rumours buzzing around the school. She didn't think she'd be able to handle it right now. "He is, he's really sweet," Eva sighed with a small smile, completely unaware of the fact that she had repeated what she had said about him earlier. When she was asked about the dance, Eva opened her mouth before closing it shut once more, shrugging a little helplessly. "I don't know. I have no idea if he's even seeing someone or if he's even going," she admitted, glancing at Mini sideways. "Hey, we can go together, if Chaser isn't allowed to go," she suggested. Eva wasn't one for dances much, but she'd go for her friend if Aminia wanted. Just to do something other than school work. ​

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

Aminia nodded. "I am looking forward to finally being away from my mother. She is so harsh about dancing recently, it is like I never get a break." She whined slightly. However the Ravenclaw didn't want to distract from her friend's happiness, so she kept her whining to a minimum for now, wanting to be supportive. "Is he good looking?" She inquired, knowing it was shallow. She couldn't help it though. She felt that looks were just as important as personality. Then again, beauty was in the eyes of the beholder were they not? Perhaps Aminia fought with herself over her shallow sensibilities more often than not, but she knew what she was raised to believe, and she believed it wholeheartedly. "Why don't you ask him. You just give him a cute smile and say, "So what are your plans for the dance?"" Aminia batted her eyes, but it was hard for her to remember that not everyone had the same effects as she did - she had a magical edge. "And if he has plans then you go with me, and we'll make him jealous by looking so good." She said with a grin to her friend. "Do you know what you're wearing yet this year? I hadn't planned on going without Chaser if I'm honest, so I'll have to pick something out."

 

[Eva Mariani]

"I'm sorry about that. I do understand though, my parents are both equally overbearing it is sometimes hard to compromise with them on most things." Most of the time, she added silently. She was glad that she had Marco, he cheered her up and she sincerely hoped he wouldn't follow in their parents‘ footsteps. She didn't want to force him to do anything, obviously, but she was afraid he would share their same beliefs like Eva had for a long time. When Aminia asked her if her crush was good looking the Gryffindor blushed slightly and her throat became dry. "Um. Well. Yes. Yes, he is," she said a little awkwardly, glancing around them in case there were eavesdroppers. Eva could be that paranoid - it wasn't to say she was all the time but right now, she was. "I am not that good at...charming other people I guess. I mean, he's the first person I have ever liked that way and what if he‘s into someone else? Not that I like the idea, at all, but what if he isn't interested or I say something stupid like, ‘Well then we can go as friends if you want‘ because I'll chicken out and he agrees and that's all we are ever going to be?" Eva took a deep breath, before releasing it. She smiled, a little sheepishly, at her friend. Had she been rambling again? "Can you help me¡" the sixth year asked, hope in her eyes as she looked at the Ravenclaw with a smile and she blinked repeatedly in the hopes of getting Aminia to help. She knew Aminia was good with words and she had a boyfriend so she must have known something about relationships, right? "If he doesn't want to go, I will totally go with you. That plan could actually work. We can make that Plan B," she finally said with a nod. "Oh! Um, well no. I'll have to look through my clothes or - or something," she covered quickly, about to say she could ask her mother to look in her sister‘s things and send her a dress if she had anything presentable enough for the valentine‘s dance. But she wasn't in the mood to talk about her deceased twin.​