The Day Off

[Tybalt Archer]

The Gryffindor's day off was a happy occasion. Following the first week of actual classes the boy felt things had been significantly exciting. More so than any of the first weeks at his last school. They had a lot more routine and structure, and the kids at his last school had disliked him before he'd entered the gates. In Hogwarts the people that knew him were the ones who'd introduced themselves to him, or that he had introduced himself to. It was a good thing he had going, Hogwarts was a pretty good fit. It was fun, it was different, he was finally learning the magic he had always desired to know. Well, not quite yet, but this was the first step. This was what he needed. This was exactly what he needed. Something different, something new and exciting. Well, all that being said, he still had the slight problem of a certain Slytherin who'd been on his mind since he'd met her. Or since she had slapped him across the face for something that hadn't really been his fault. As much as if someone asked about the bruise that had been on his cheek during the first few days of classes he would've replied with, It's nothing, it was my fault. Mostly because he didn't believe in blaming people. He didn't believe that anything good could come of saying out loud that it was someone elses fault. They wouldn't like it. He was sure had he said it wasn't his fault, and if that had gotten back to her, then he would need to be hiding. At least until things blew over. Which he had no idea how long that would take. Although, in saying that, and possibly thinking it would be silly to hide, the Gryffindor preteen was sitting in the common room, looking out at the grounds. The lakefront to be precise. He wanted to go outside. He couldn't seem to locate Indiana anywhere within the common room, and he wasn't brave enough to ask any of the girls from his year if they had seen her. She was the closest thing he had to a real friend. He liked her a lot. She was a lot nicer to him than most others were to him, though in saying that he had met a lot of very nice people in these first days. He just couldn't find the motivation to get himself outside, though staring out the window pretty much made him wish he could be there simply by clicking his fingers and closing his eyes. Tybalt knew the only reason he wasn't going was because of the slytherin girl. He was pretty much ready to go. He had his contacts in, he was wearing his dark blue jeans and his white v-neck. A simple and yet effective casual look for him. He was glad to be out of uniform, and he was tired of being in doors. He stood up from his chair and without giving it another thought, headed straight out the door.

The colour-blind boy was a pretty quick walker when he wanted to be. He stayed as alert as he could as he made his way through the school. He looked back over his shoulder every so often, and was pretty much startled by any noise that he couldn't see the origin of. Which considering he was going down a very large and open staircase, wasn't exactly a good thing, since everything was louder than it would be normally, and the noise carried even the smallest of sounds. However, with a quickened pace and keeping himself focused, the boy was very easily able to just dash past the hall, and out to the grounds. He walked out and took a deep breath. He loved the outdoors. Sure, today was not exactly the best day to be outside. The sun had been out earlier, but since the morning, the sun had hidden away against some much darker clouds. Well, from what the young Gryffindor could tell. He was pretty sure that it might just rain. However this kind of weather was perfect for the young boy. In bright lights he couldn't see well at all. He wasn't good with bright lights, or really the sun for that matter. He had been told by the doctors that sun light caused irritation to his eyes, and though he couldn't feel it, it hurt his eyes. It was why, generally he avoided sunlight, and if there was sun light, he wore his glasses. But, it was no longer sunny, and he was no longer wearing his glasses. But this was the perfect time of day. it was quiet, it was nice. He smiled to himself as he made the short walk to the lake front. Though Tybalt was not a good swimmer, and often chose to avoid large bodies of water, he liked the tranquility that it would offer him. He sat himself about a metre away from the water's edge and kept his eyes on the water. Smiling and letting his mind drift. He was glad that he had finally just made the decision to head outside. There was so much more for him when he just took a chance. He hadn't seen that Slytherin girl, that made him feel better. He had also not seen Indiana, which he was less happy about, but all would be fine. He would see her soon, and he was content with just staring out at the lake. Just taking in the amazing-ness of the magical school he currently called home.
​

 

[Kyle Cavanaugh]

Weekends at the Cavanaugh estates was a big deal and usually involved late night parties and early morning sports but here at Hogwarts they were just the usual kind, the right kind. Kyle was very much pleased to sleep in a little on his day off and not having to go swimming with his father. It was not that Kyle did not enjoy swimming, he did, very much at that but after attending boring parties and having to behave just right in front of his father's guests, waking up early for a swim was Kyle's least favourite thing to do. The young Gryffindor was glad to finally be in Hogwarts and live life like all the other kids his age. This particular morning he enjoyed a warm breakfast of toast, pancakes, eggs and pumpkin juice in the company of some of his classmates. He wouldn't call them friends just yet because with some of the first years it had been his first actual conversation. Kyle knew many of the first years were nervous and wanted to be careful about choosing the right friends. Kyle was too friendly and he would be friends with just about anyone as long as they weren't mean to him but Kyle knew that many did not like over friendly people so he tried to control his friendliness and be causal with his 'classmates'.

After finishing his breakfast he left the Great Hall, his stomach feeling heavier than usual. Back at home, he was always asked to eat the right amount so that he would not get fat because Patrick Cavanaugh was not fond of fat kids. As this thought ran in his head, Kyle thought that his father had a point there. The delicious meals of Hogwarts were certainly going to make this young Gryffindor gain weight if he did not take precaution. Kyle knew the consequences of returning to the Cavanaugh estates for Christmas looking fat and he was certainly not going to let his father stop him from candy in the holiday season. Kyle decided to go for a stroll by the lake hoping to burn off some calories.

As he stepped outside the castle, he noticed like all people who loved flying would that the sky today was cloudy and it would eventually rain. Kyle did not like this sort of weather for flying which he hoped to do in the late afternoon. Now he would probably be stuck in the castle catching up on homework in a very crowded common room. Kyle frowned at the thought and walked at fast pace towards the lake which was an amazing view as usual. Kyle would have probably considered swimming if he wasn't so full. He realized he was so full that a fast walk would not be good until a little later. Just as he was considering the idea of sitting under the tree to watch if the giant squid actually existed he spotted a familiar face of a young Gryffindor boy whom he had spotted in classes and the common room. Kyle was very good at recognizing faces but Kyle could not remember his name. He did however recall seeing him with the Gryffindor girl, Indiana whom he had spoken to the other day. Thinking it would be rude not to talk to the boy after spotting him, Kyle spoke with a smile "Hey there"

 

[Tybalt Archer]

Lost in his own little world, the boy just watched the water. It was definitely calming. He wasn't paying attention to the world that moved around him. Part of him was using the breathing techniques that Cato had shown him, sure they were for meditating, but he was sure they could translate to just being calm. He was a lot more willing to be calm then. He didn't really think being else while next to a lake would get him anywhere. His mind did drift, he could feel his brother sitting with him, watching out over the lake. The boy wondered what it would've been liked to have been at school with his brother. To have shared this with him. Man to man. But, he couldn't. Water was always more a reminder. A reminder of what he'd lost, of what he no longer had. It was the calm of the lake. The simplicity of such a place. No one to disturb him, and make him feel smaller than he already was. The young boy was a small boy. In almost every sense. He had a small, thin structure. Not unlike most others in his family. Though he was considerably shorter than most in his family would be at that age. It was just his luck. It had always been just his luck. Archer's were not known for their good luck. It was rather the opposite. He knew that he had terrible luck because everyone in his family did. Leaving Georgia had however slightly changed things. Things had gotten better. The young colour-blind boy had noticed a considerable change in his family. Sure things were hard, coming to New Zealand had been hard for everyone, but they were better of. He was better off, in Georgia he'd been getting his ass handed to him each and every day. There was very little that was fun about that. Now, he was doing good. Just the slight problems with the slytherin girl, and the fact that she clearly hated him with a very clear burning passion. Even though they'd met once, and also how his mind was still in the process of deciding about Indiana. He was definitely leaning towards friend, but the hit in the face was making him think about looking over what he had done, and keeping an eye out for anything like a repeat of what had happened. Though he doubted it. She was a friend, possibly. He didn't know if she really considered him a friend. The meeting after the slytherin girl had shown something, though he wasn't entirely sure what it showed exactly. Friend probably, something else maybe. All in all, staring at the lake, made the boy's usually racing mind just take a break. Made it just let everything go. The only thing he felt was calm, and oddly still the feeling of his brother by his side. It was easy to see that Tybalt had pretty much calmed himself to a point of much needed relaxation.

There was one problem however. When he zoned out, he truly zoned out. So, to then hear a voice say hello, he jumped. He was very seriously startled. He was quick to look around and notice the other boy standing not to far from him. His mind raced for an answer as to how he'd not managed to hear this boy coming. Though even from a distance, the colour-blind gryffindor thought it was pretty hard to tell where he knew him from. People looked very similar to the boy. Though the closer he was to them, then the easier it was. He often wondered if it was the same for people with normal vision, but he never got the courage to ask. Which was very unGryffindor of him. Tybalt let his bright blue eyes linger upon the boy. He gave a weak smile and a very small wave. "Hi" Even in the one simple word, two could be noticed, one, that Tybalt was nervous, he had just been startled and he did not enjoy being startled. Two was that Tybalt was very clearly not from New Zealand, his southern accent was very strong. Much like the boy was clearly also not from New Zealand. He had a different accent from those he had met that were from the area. Even in the small amounts of words they had spoken to one another. Tybalt wondered what his next move should be. He glanced around. No one, just them. He let his eyes drift out to the lake, and then back to the boy. Take a risk, or just end it there. The Gryffindor let his bright blue eyes drop to the floor, he took a deep breath and looked back up. "You wanna join me?" He asked, flashing a brief smile, and hoping that taking a small risk might actual pay off.
​

 

[Kyle Cavanaugh]

Kyle realized that he had startled the boy.Of course he hadn't meant to.But at least he didn't seem to be offended at being disturbed.It was easy to see why the boy had been startled so easily.First, he seemed to have been sitting by the water's edge for quite a long time without being disturbed and second,he was quite small,structure wise, so it was a natural thing for him to be on his guard.You could never be safe from bullies when in the same school there was a house that specialized in creating them.And being a first year who looked smaller than the rest was the biggest disadvantage.Kyle was tall,almost lanky,and he could easily pass for a second year.But even without this advantage,Kyle was not easily threatened.He had always had friends who were shy and easily scared and this helped him to become the opposite and stand up for himself and others who needed his support.This way Kyle had learned to be brave for others and himself.

"Yeah sure," Kyle said with a easy smile and he went and sat himself down on the grass next to the boy.The boy too had an accent but just different.Kyle could easily.He guessed it was Southern American accent since he had met some people who worked in his dad's company who were from that part of the US.Kyle mostly thought that some types of American accents were funny and sounded fake,like that model Angelica who had come from Los Angeles and she walked and talked like she was the hottest thing ever.But she actually sounded really queen type posh and over-sweetened to him.Or like his mother had described,whiny and off-putting.They had had to bear with her for weeks as she was doing and add for their broomsticks.Kyle never figured out why his father had chosen her.But Kyle hadn't quite decided if he liked the Southern American accent or not.It was kind of melodic and colourful but it could really sound drawn out and slurred sometimes.But he decided that this boy had a likeable voice so he continued and introduced himself as was the custom at Hogwarts,"I'm Kyle, and I bet you are a Gryffindor cause I am sure I have seen you around the common room,just never got a chance to say hey." he ended hoping he hadn't strayed far from the casual that he had always been determined to maintain but it got hard sometimes.

 

[Tybalt Archer]

The other boy, that Tybalt had to admit looked somewhat familiar seemed to accept his offer to sit. It was really quite unlike the young Gryffindor to actually offer to people to sit down with him. Usual he would clear off and give the little patch of grass to the new comer. Well, that was more in Georgia than here in New Zealand. He didn't know why here he was thinking so differently, but he was. The boy was seeing things in a brand new light. He wanted to be a part of things. His last school had kept him on the outside looking in. He didn't want that. Not this time around. The young colour-blind boy was more eager to be someone who knew what was going on. Who had friends. While he didn't really have that many currently, he was very keen to get more. To have more than just the bare minimum amount of friends. In saying this however, the boy thought that really any friends would have to suffice. With the way he generally got scared of people it was difficult to remain friendly with them. He had found it pretty simple to begin with, while with some, but actions were made that sometimes made the boy question it. In saying that however, he was still keen to keep going. To keep trying. To keep trying to make friends and just not be so alone in the world. He didn't know how long that would take, but he was willing to wait. He was hoping for some change. He was wishing for something to mean he just looked like a very normal boy, instead of a small boy with colour-less vision. The contacts he found did a much better job of hiding it. He could see less people wondered what could be wrong with his eye sight. It seemed very few people at Hogwarts had incorrect vision. He wondered if there were cures. If people were able to fix eyesight and if they weren't, they all chose contacts. As far as he'd seen he was one of the only ones who wore glasses. Of course the boy hadn't seen or met everyone. He was just the kind of guy who had noticed so far a lack of impaired vision. The small boy had half a mind to go to the infirmery and ask if she or he could do anything to help him. But like all the others in his family, he was more afraid of accidentally become blind than having his eyesight fixed. It was why none of them went. Tybalt had always believed that as long as he could see things would be better. Bullies were bad enough currently, what if you couldn't see at all. It wasn't something he enjoyed hearing about. He was afraid that if it happened in that way that his life would just get worse, and there would be nothing he could do about it since he wouldn't be able to see a thing. Why he would never.

The boy took a seat beside him, causing Tybalt to look out at the lake. Not wanting to be the one who started the conversation. The young boy would be perfectly happy if they sat and said nothing. It would make little difference to him. He was more interested in whatever else was around them. It was just because he liked nature, and he really did like peace and tranquility. Overall just meaning that he enjoyed the company, but also sitting in silence while with company. However, the boy spoke, and Tybalt let his bright blue eyes move over to look at the boy in front of him. He introduced himself as Kyle. Which Tybalt nodded at. That was a nicely normal name. Tybalt liked his name, but his name sounded less odd when the other person also had a slightly less odd name. Tybalt smiled at the boy, nodding. Yeah, he was indeed a Gryffindor. He had seen the boy around too. But, he'd never plucked up the courage to say anything. He'd just tensed up and gone to do smoething else. If it hadn't been for Indiana speaking to him first in that morning then he probably wouldn't have any friends currently. "Tybalt" He introduced, before nodding again. "And yeah, Gryffindor" He almost said proud Gryffindor but as much as he was proud of it, he didn't know if others would be proud of his Gryffindor status. He was just getting used to the idea of having to be called that, let alone being one that Gryffindor could be proud of having. "It is nice to meet you Kyle." Tybalt smiled at the boy before looking back out at the lake. He was trying to find something to talk about to keep the conversation going. "What has been your favourite class so far? Even though its just been introductions."
​

 

[Kyle Cavanaugh]

Out of Character:

Hey sorry for the late reply...it took a week to get a replacement for my broken lappy screen

Kyle studied Tybalt.He seemed sort of shy but not completely anti-social.He seemed quite decent so far and not proud or big headed like some other Gryffindors could sometime become.Everyone's life had things that created them to be the people that they were. But Kyle knew better than to judge anyone.He knew that people's personalities changed with time and events and so he always gave people second chances.Infact Kyle had been quite spoilt when he was eight years old.He got any toys that he wanted and in a week he abandoned them and had done the same with friends.But slowly he had realized that is mother was not happy with his behavior and then he had tried to become a better kid.For him,his parent's approval of him mattered highly because it guided him to be a good person like his mom and dad.His father had been very distant lately but his mother had always been there to show him what was right and wrong.And Kyle was determined to make his father proud so that he could get his attention.

"It's nice to meet you too Tybalt."Kyle replied with a friendly smile."I would say Flying because I really love it but it's not really an actual subject so hmm...so far its Charms.We actually learn some useful spells and plus there's hardly any homework." he told Tybalt thinking about the other lessons like DADA where they just listened to lectures from a scary professor and had essays as home works.But it was an important subject so Kyle knew better than to ignore it.He also found Transfiguration interesting but it was also hard.And potions seemed really confusing to him but he managed to get the ingredients right after a few tries."What's your favourite? Do you like flying too?" he asked Tybalt.The boy had a good build for a seeker if he was determined enough to tryout.

 

[Tybalt Archer]

Everyone that he had met so far that was from gryffindor all seemed to be obsessed with the same sport. Quidditch, he was unsure if it was another one of those things that everyone in Gryffindor liked, and that everyone could play. He was pretty sure that he was the only one who could. The one who struggled with it a lot, mostly because he had a fear of it. One, he was working on fixing, but still, currently he was still a little afraid of even going into the air. The boy was not afraid of heights, he was not afraid of doing sports. He was afraid of falling and being laughed at by everyone else. Getting seriously hurt as he plummeted to the ground. it wasn't reassuring thoughts that he had about the sport. He was pretty much the guy who wasn't sure what he was doing anyway, and with his awful eyesight most of these things would work against him so that he couldn't be very good at it in any case. But, he had decided that he needed to learn. He knew he would enlist the help of a certain Gryffindor friend that had as far as he knew already made the team. Which he was very proud about. He felt like he wouldn't actually need to ask her either, just a simple I'm going to the pitch, you want to join me would be enough to get her to help him. Well, if that wasn't true he was hopeful that it wouldn't take too long to learn. He wanted to be good enough to show his sister how to fly. He didn't know if it would be a good idea, but he was willing to take the chance. he really was. Quidditch, he imagined could be something that she was good at. Something that she was above all else better than the rest of her year when she finally came to Hogwarts. The boy smiled at Kyle. He seemed nice. Though all Gryffindors seemed to. Tybalt had met few gryffindor males. It seemed they were a small amount. Which he didn't entirely mind. Boys kicked harder, and if they turned out to be just like the last school he didn't actually want to have to deal with the aftermath that they could leave. Tybalt imagined that this boy wasn't like that. He had a friendly smile, and while this could be an act, at Hogwarts, he had willed himself to just give everything a chance.

Tybalt nodded as he continued. Going into the lessons that he actually liked. Tybalt had to agree with him. Charms was proving to be really good. And this was something that the boy was very happy about. He couldn't imagine being in first year, and not learning any real spells. It would just be awful. But, they had, and he had just managed it. Now with a lot of practice the young boy was so much better at it. "I like charms too. Doing spells is a lot of fun" Tybalt agreed, the usual southern twang accenting his voice. "I like potions too. My mama sometimes helps students get better at potions during the summer. Helps bring in more money, and my mama used to let me sit in." Tybalt's family hadn't ever been poor, but between the house's never ending refurbishments, and him and his fathers, and once his brother's medical bills, any extra money had been good. Now, both his parents were out of work, it was fairly obvious that his family wasn't doing so well. But, Tybalt ignored that. Instead he turned his attention back to Kyle, "I've never really flown before. Apart form in class you know. I am quite nervous about it. I'm not that great. So I can't say if I like it or not yet. Which position do you play Kyle?" Tybalt drifted the bright blue eyes back out to the water before looking back at the boy sitting with him. He didn't really know what else to say. He wondered if the boy was going to try out for the house team. If he had the chance to. Tybalt was more interested in watching quidditch this year, rather than playing it.
​

 

[Kyle Cavanaugh]

Kyle had known for a very long time that not all people were rich like his family. His mother had come to him once when he was around five and explained it to him how money was important to people and how many people were poor or just earned sufficient amount and could not afford luxuries. After that day, Kyle had changed many things about himself. He no longer demanded expensive toys and gifts and he wished to be friends with other kids in the town, who he then understood that his father did not approve of due to them being from middle class families.

Kyle smiled as he heard Tybalt say that he too liked charms. He did not have much idea about what subjects his parents were good at because they had not made a carrier out of a magical study branch. He was impressed to hear that Tybalt understood potions as his mom sometimes let him sit when she taught. "I don't understand potions much. Hopefully it will get better with time" he told Tyablt. Kyle could only hope that his grades would be good because he knew too well how his father would react if he had bad grades.
"Do your parents live in New Zealand?" Kyle asked Tyablt curiously. He could not quite place the boy's accent wondering if other people in New Zealand had the same accent. Kyle had not seen much of New Zealand or Australia for that matter. All his supplies apart from his wand had been brought for him and he did not get a chance to see much of the Obsidian Harbor like the other first years whom he had heard talking about shopping over there for their supplies. He had just been brought to buy the wand and taken back directly. The reasons for this were of course never asked and never told.

"I'm an alternate chaser and seeker for the team. I tried out for both of these positions in the try outs. It was fun" he told Tybalt. Kyle knew that there were many other talents apart from flying and people who were not good at flying were many times gifted in other fields and he did not think of them as any less better than himself. He was not sure if his father thought the same way. When someone owned a broomstick manufacturing company and opened many branches of it across the world, flying skills was the base of judging people. "I'm sure you'll do nicely and we still have few more lessons to go for the basics" he told Tybalt encouragingly. "So what are your hobbies? I'm sure they would be something totally awesome and cool. I mean most of the people would say flying but its so common, its no longer counted as unique" he told him with a slight chuckle. Kyle knew horse riding, swimming and was learning to play the piano but all these were not his hobbies. They were things his father had made sure he learned. Swimming had however become one of his hobbies and he liked his horse too but piano lessons were a disaster. If his father had heard him say that about flying not being unique, he would totally be grounded for a week.