The World We Live In

[Hudson Worth]

Hudson was a quiet boy, he was still loving the castle life and the thoughts of knights and dragons was never far from his mind. He was excited that one day he might get the chance to really see a dragon. This was going to be the last year at the school where he was the only one of his real set of siblings at the school. Next year his younger brother was going to be coming to the school and the year after his sister. He wondered how that would change his school experience. So far he had been able to go about on his own enjoying the building and the few friends he made.

Hudson sighed as he turned the corner after getting out of his last class of the week. They were interesting, the classes but not nearly as interesting as his personal world in his head. He was a maladaptive dreamer without knowing the term for it. His world inside the castle was one that had followed him from England. He knew the difference between reality and this dream world inside his head, but most days the dream was more interesting than the boring classes he was forced to take. He hardly noticed that he walked straight into another person until he heard the noise of things falling around him. "Oh," his quiet voice said as he blinked back into reality looking down he saw a younger boy, clearly a first year. He didn't recognize him as a second year at least. "Sorry," he mumbled as he began to lean over to help the boy up and pick up their stuff and seperate it out.
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[Jacob Kingsley]

Jacob had been looking for Evelyn, but only because he'd been looking for his brother and had been unable to find him. He figured she would know where to look. This place was still so confusing to him. Every day it felt like the staircases took a different turn. Even now, he had been looking for the staircase that would take him back upstairs and it just wasn't even there, so he doubled back, his hands still full. He had his notebook, his Charms book because Professor Haden wanted them to read all the time, and a copy of The Adventures of Llama Man, a comic about a man who was a Llama animagus. It was one of his favorites because it was so funny, and he sure needed Llama Man this week. And he had his wand and a shirt that had gotten packed into his trunk but belonged to his brother. It wasn't really important to get it back to him. Noah probably didn't even know he didnt have it in his trunk, but Jacob wanted to go see his brother and felt like he needed an excuse.

Everything had been going all wrong, so it was no wonder he was lost. And he was only growing more frustrated, not even paying attention as he walked down the hall. So when he banged into someone and fell backward, tripping over his feet, Jacob simply stayed there for a second, starfished with his arms and legs out. His gaze fell on the boy who looked older than him but younger than Noah as he apologized. He stared for a second and then held his hand out, his fingers locking with the other boy as he was helped up to a seated position. "Thanks" he mumbled as he moved on his own, reaching over for a book that wasn't his. He held it up for the other guy. "I think this one is yours."

 

[Hudson Worth]

Hudson glanced down at the book in the younger boy's hands. It was his and he offered a small smile to the boy as he took the book. "Sorry again," Hudson said. He stood back up to his feet, the younger boy wasn't much shorter than himself but he was certain the boy was a first year. He didn't think he was a Ravenclaw and looking over the robes the boy was wearing he noticed the Red and Golden tie and a Gryffindor crest on his chest. Hudson hadn't really talked to many Gryffindors before so he wasn't really certain if he should try to start a conversation with this boy or not. The boy was probably busy but Hudson was glad his classes were over for the day which was a nice thought.

Glancing around the hall he wondered why the boy had been wandering the Second Floor, he was certain the Gryffindor house was higher up in the castle. "You....aren't lost, are you?" He asked quietly not wanting sound rude or anything. Hudson had explored most of the school the previous year and knew most of the passageways most students didn't take around the place and random places like the Trophy Room. But he thought the first year wouldn't really know his way around the place.
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[Jacob Kingsley]

Jacob shook his head. "It's ok, I wasn't paying attention" he revealed, not wanting the guy to be too hard on himself. Jacob watched him stand up and did the same, his small pile back in his arms. Jacob didn't want to seem like he was staring, even though he was, so he busied himself with getting his books and other items in order so they wouldn't fall again. The task only took a second though and he was back to looking at the guy who was looking back at him.

As he asked if Jacob was lost, the Gryffindor first year shook his head again even though that was a lie. He paused, wondering why he was lying. Shoulders falling, he let out the truth. "Maybe...yeah" he mumbled, realizing that it was because he didn't want the boy to think he was a first year even though there were obvious signs that he was - his height and the book he was carrying that clearly said grade one. "I was looking for the staircase that was right there" he pointed, suddenly much more verbal now that he'd already revealed he was lost, "and it's gone, and that's the only way I know to get back. I've never been on this floor, but I thought I could find my brother's girlfriend and she'd help me find him, but I can't find anyone..." he sighed heavily as he leaned against a wall and threw his head back. It knocked gently against the stone. This had been such a bad week.

 

[Hudson Worth]

Hudson was surprised with the boy who stood in front of him. He seemed.....nice. Hudson never really paid much attention to those around him at the school. He stayed out of his cousin's way, who was a fifth year and knew a few from his year. Alexis was one of the closer people he talked with, her and Simon were alright. But he still never really talked to them outside of the school social events. "Right....." He replied in a quiet tone. Normally what he said would be taken for a disbelief but the tone he used implied more that Hudson wasn't sure what to do next than disbelief towards the younger student.

Looking at the stairs he wondered if the boy knew they would change and sometimes you'd have to find another way up in the castle. He didn't think there was ever not a way to certain floors, but he knew a lot of people tended to stick to these main staircases, even though they would shift. "The stairs move," he said peering out over the balcony and looking up, there was one above them moving at that moment and so he pointed towards it. Hudson looked back at the younger boy wondering what to do in this situation, he wasn't a Prefect he didn't really feel like ushering the boy about the castle looking for a girl he had no clue who she was. He didn't even know what year his brother was in. Older certainly, but the only older girls he really knew were his cousin Fleur and her best friend Evelyn. But he wouldn't know where they were anyways. "You can wait here for it to change back I suppose. Or, I could take you to one of the lesser used staircases, they don't change and most people think they are too far but if you need a certain floor they reach pretty much all of them," Hudson suggested unsure what the kid was going to want to do.
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[Jacob Kingsley]

Jacob listened, his cheeks flushing when the older guy began speaking to him as if he was a Muggle. Jacob nodded his head, torn being raised polite and not wanting to say what had gone through his mind because the guy had been pleasant in every other regard and embarrassment that the guy assumed he simply didn't know. Yes, it's more I haven't memorized where the stairs move to and when" he explained quietly. "They're just usually where I need them to be" he added with a shrug. He followed the same routine most of the time and when he didn't, he really wasn't paying attention to much of anything and simply would run where the staircase led him.

"Ok, I'll follow you. Thank you" he added politely, waiting for the older boy to lead the way. "I'm Jacob, by the way" he continued attempting to make conversation, hoping to move the guy beyond the image of him as clumsy, dumb first year. He very nearly added his last name, so the boy would know he did have some knowledge of the magical world, but then decided against it, the events in the courtyard still fresh on his mind. "Do you come to this floor often? Were you in trouble?" he asked, knowing that the Headmistress and Deputy also had rooms here. He'd passed down that corridor just before running into the boy.

 

[Hudson Worth]

Hudson glanced at the younger boy as he talked and then back towards the moving staircase. He listened to the explanation the boy had for missing the stairs, Hudson knew they were hard to follow along with unless you watched them, most people lucked out and the stairs were right where they needed to be, but this kid did not have that luck it seemed. He wondered what the boy would have done if he hadn't been walking along at this exact time. He thought it was kind of cute the younger boy was lost, but he stopped himself from thinking on that any more. He had to decide to help the boy or not.

Once he offered, Hudson knew there was no turning back, the boy would follow him regardless now. But he didn't mind helping, he was already going to the other staircase anyways. "Hudson," he said in reply as he began to walk away. He glanced back to make sure the boy was following along, though he wouldn't mind it if they walked together, it would almost be like Hudson had a friend to spend time with. He listened to the question, wondering if he looked like a trouble maker like the other boys in his year. "There is an empty classroom on this floor. Sometimes I go there, it's a nice place to study if you aren't afraid of spiderwebs," Hudson said quietly in reply He hadn't ever been in trouble at the school and hoped to never be.
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[Jacob Kingsley]

Jacob followed Hudson even though the boy didn't seem particularly enthused at helping. He didn't look too out out either. Jacob sped up, not liking the feeling of being a lost little kid even though he was exactly that. No one needed to know that but Hudson. "That's good to know" Jacob said politely though he was pretty sure he'd never need to know a quiet place to study. Studying at all was bad enough. He certainly never intended to do it alone. "Don't ya like studying with friends?" he asked, even though he knew some people did like to work alone. His mom always kicked him out of her office if she was grading exams or homework, and he didn't have a 'pressing' matter. He was her son. Everything he said should be pressing! But, nope. "I don't think I could study alone. I'd get bored just reading my notes and especially my textbook. They're so boooring. I think all the textbooks were written by people who were kids hundreds of years ago..." he continued rambling on. Jacob didn't get that some people preferred silence.

 

[Hudson Worth]

Hudson felt old speaking to this boy, who clearly was just a year below him. So feeling old was a rather odd feeling for Hudson, although he was the oldest of his personal siblings. Jacob asked him about studying with friends which Hudson turned and looked at the boy, wondering if Jacob thought he looked like a person who would have friends. Sure, he had a few he didn't mind talking with, but he never studied with anyone. "Maybe it's a Ravenclaw trait but I think most of us study on our own," Hudson said as he turned back forward taking the boy to the second set of stairs. The boy talked about studying alone and not being able to do it and Hudson saw how different he was from this Gryffindor boy. He wondered if all Gryffindors shared similar thoughts about textbooks to Jacob. Not that Hudson would normally pick studying over having fun, but he didn't mind having time to study his textbooks on his own. "Here are the stairs, pretty small for stairs in a castle but not many people seem to use them, so you'll probably be the only one using them, when you do..." Hudson looked back towards the younger student and shrugged his shoulders. He offered a smile as he held his hand out directing the way onto the stairs, one way up and the other down.
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[Jacob Kingsley]

Jacob's eyebrows raised, clearly surprised by that tidbit of information. He'd have to confirm next time he chatted with Jacob Two. They kept walking but reached the stairs far too soon in Jacob's opinion. He looked at the stairs and then back at the boy, knowing there was really nothing more to do but head on his way. "Ok. Thanks, Hudson" he grabbed onto the railing and then turned back. "See you around?" he threw out, more a question than a statement and it was clear he was waiting for an answer. Jacob didn't know exactly why, but he had no choice but to commit now.

 

[Hudson Worth]

Hudson couldn't remember the last time he had spent this much time talking to a Gryffindor, he hadn't really gotten the chance to speak to many in his own year yet. Though he never went out of his way to speak to them. Really the most intriguing person he'd met was an older Hufflepuff boy. It would be fair to say despite having differing interests Hudson had a slight crush on the boy he met under the stairs in the Owlery. He wasn't quite sure how to feel about it, he knew his Aunt and Uncle, along with Fleur would not approve. He was meant to marry a girl was a well off family one day. Jacob was interesting as well, Hudson admitting to himself. Gryffindors seems a friendly sort, but out for more adventure than Hudson would be willing to commit too. "You're...welcome," Hudson replied, hesitating for a moment. He hadn't really thought of this as a being fairly helpful to be thanked for. It was kind of nice, but also strange for the boy. "I suppose, the castle isn't that big, you'll realize that soon or later," Hudson said confirming for the most part he'd see Jacob around. He wouldn't mind, he'd find it interesting to know more about the Gryffindor.
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