'In the Meantime...Something for Fun' Cont..

[Nicci]

Having returned to the castle, Tristan pounded up the staircases towards Ravenclaw tower only stopping once he had reached the door knocker that barred the way into the common room. Sighing uneasily he secretly hated the stupid riddles it seemed to spew; the last one about the circle was just childish.

“I control the sea but cannot touch it” the knocker began in a dull, dreary monotone voice to which Tristan just rolled his eyes already realising the answer. <Give me a break here> he pleased to himself.
“I am bound by time but do not keep it. I am alone but surrounded by many. What....”
The knocker didn’t have time to finish the sentence before Tristan had announced the correct password and proceeded into the airy room beyond.

Passing the towering statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, proudly standing in her confident, elegant pose, Tristan faced the heart of the room and instant recognised his sister’s long dark hair over the back of the elegant settee. Serena appeared deeply engrossed in something, possibly a book but he couldn’t tell from his angle, however busy she was he hoped she wouldn’t mind listening for a bit.

Keeping to the edge of the common room, Tristan slowly walked around the edge of the arm of the piece of furniture and dropped heavily into the empty spot next to Serena who was indeed still reading about Transfiguration.
“Where have you been?” She spoke without looking up from her page “You missed Potions this afternoon?”.
It wasn’t a big deal that he had spent the afternoon with Erin but he didn’t feel the need to lie to his sister.

“Yeah about that” He answered, slumping back against a soft cushion “I was with Erin...”
Glancing up and closing the book against her thumb, Serena gave her brother an unimpressed expression. Being somewhere else when he should have been in class sounded like something Callie would have been doing.
“May I ask why?” She quizzed coldly sounding like one of the professors “You don’t seem overly...ecstatic by the thought of it?”

Scrunching his forehead, Tristan debated on finishing the talk with Serena but in the end decided against it as there was no way he’d get a straight answer from Callie when the topic of the conversation was about Erin.
“It’s not because it’s her...” he began with a small sigh “I don’t know it’s just..”. He paused for a short moment for trying to tackle the conversation from a different angle.
“Serena have you ever told anyone about us?...well not me and you personally ‘us’ but our family secret? What we really are?”

Putting down the book Serena sadly shook her head. “No...” she mumbled barely able to find the simple two letter word on the end of her tongue “I never was allowed to interact with anybody, Amelia made sure I was always busy with worthwhile hobbies to try and stop me from longing to be like any of the other normal children that passed by the house”. Pulling a pillow around from behind her back she held it tightly against her chest with an inkling of where Tristan was taking the conversation. “Why?”.

Tristan winced in a pained expression at the simple question. If Serena had never told anyone about herself before then she couldn’t possibly understand how it felt to be let down not just once but twice. Maybe he should have stuck with just telling Tasha, but alone it just didn’t feel..enough.
“I wanted to know Serena, I wanted to just be honest with people...But she just looked at me and said nothing. I exposed my soul the other night and all she could think about was someone else. Like seeing a monster in front of your face was an everyday occurrence and just brushed it aside. You know what I mean?”

“So you told Erin then?” Serena stated rolling her eyes at the stupid thought. “I at least thought you’d think it over first”.
Grumbling to himself, Tristan rubbed his hand over his face in dismay. “I didn’t need too. I wanted to tell her, I wanted to be honest with her the day I arrived but... Callie kinda shattered everything. I can’t really be myself around someone if I’m not honest with them.”
Exasperated by her brother’s slight stupidity, Serena stared at him “So what is the big deal then? So she knows..And surely by not caring about it is a good thing?”.

Slightly aggravated, Tristan looked up and locked eye contact with his sister.“She couldn’t think of anything else but Olli’s safety...and for the briefest of moments it was like looking at Beth again...standing in the cornfield, right before everything broke down”.

(I think it could use a bit more work so i'll try writing a follow up post)

[Nicci]

Alone in the seventh year Gryffindor boys dorm, William stood thoughtful and alone in the centre of the room staring in turn at the neat piles of clothing that he had stacked on or near the trunk at the end of each of the beds in the round room. Meticulously he had thought and organised everything he needed in his last class of the day: jumpers, trousers, thick socks, shined boots and guard pads, each in co-ordinated Gryffindor house colours uniquely tailored in size to fit the students on his team. Approaching the first bed with an armful of robes and a further box of items he began adding the final touches to his well thought out masterpiece.

Placing the box on the floor he pulled out a dark pair of silver goggles and placed them on top the neatly folded clothing pile. As requested, Seth’s streamlined, Cloud Chaser racing goggles had had their leather strap repaired and were now good as new, ready for use in the new season. Taking the first robe off the pile, he hung it over the corner of the four poster bed by the hood and let the brilliant gold stitching of Seth’s position number and surname face the middle of the room before taking a few paces to the right to stand before Alex’s bed.

As requested by the Chasers, William placed on top of Alex’s clothing pile a pair of Swiftkick Hippogryph hide gloves with added palm grips ideal for the player on the move. Their lightweight, soft down design would keep any fingers warm even the depth of winter. Just the same as he had done with Seth’s robe, William did the same with Alex’s letting ‘Lasair’ proudly shine against its crimson background.

Pacing a few steps again to his right, William stood before the foot of Peter’s bed and knew exactly what he was taking out of the box next. Ordered for the keeper was a light weight protective head guard that tied neatly around under the chin. After the incident with Slytherin the previous year with the attack on the keeper with a rogue bludger, he couldn’t risk taking any second chances in losing Peter in a match. With the helmet perched on top of an ordinary pair of gloves like Seth’s, William hung up the third over robe up high and proudly let the name ‘Hamilton’ display like the other two.

With three down he approached his own belongings and took a shiny black bludger bat out of the cardboard box and placed it next to his own pile of clothes. As well as the other bog standard items there was nothing else he really needed as a Beater. Just like for Ylana, the bat was all they really needed to help them fulfil their role on the team. Sighing to himself, William hung up his robe on the end of his four poster bed but instead of feeling proud like he had viewing each one of the others, this one placed a heavy feeling on his heart. As Captain of the Quidditch team it was his responsibility to make the best choices, choose the best players and prepare the best tactics, but deep down he was afraid of not living up to the role. This was his last year, and if they were going to win the house cup there was no room for mistakes.
Placing the cardboard box down on top of his crimson and gold pillowcase, he took the three remaining robes in both hands and looked down at them. The girls on the other hand weren’t going to be organised so easily.

After twenty minutes of pacing the room, William had begun organising two piles of smaller quidditch supplies on the spread of his duvet. The pile of the left was assembled with a bludger bat whilst the other on the right a pair of gloves like the ones he had given to Alex. One Beater, One Chaser.
Swallowing hard, he placed the fifth hooded robe on the left pile and stared down at the gold lettering of ‘Thomson’ just peaking over a fold in the material. Overwhelmed by an unusual feeling, William gripped the two remaining robes tightly with the palm of one hand. As much as it hurt, changes had to be made and the team that he had joined in his younger years would never be the same.
Glancing up across the room, he could see the other robes hanging and encouraged him to try and see the positive side. Even though the best days of quidditch may have gone, even better ones could lie ahead. He was the captain now and ensuring the team made their own fond memories together rested on his shoulders. He couldn’t mope on changes, change was inevitable, someone in his position next year would have to do the same to his own robe and so, like it or not it had to be done.

Filled with a new burst of gritted determination, William placed one of the robes down over the footboard of his bed and unfolded the back of the other to reveal the previous owners name and position number: ‘Scarrot 4’ read the gold writing before his eyes. Taking his fir wooded wand out of his pocket, he touched the lettering with its thin tip before muttering a simple charm. As the golden lettering quickly unravelled itself, William was motioning behind it new letters for the thread to sew. First the ‘C’, followed by the ‘o’ then accompanied by the other four letters in Gen’s surname.
Taking a deep breath, he felt his heart racing. Now it was official, Gen on the team made number six and that only left one to go.
Taking Gen’s robe back to her new pile of Quidditch supplies beside Ylana’s, William folded their two robes neatly before casting a teleportation spell to send them across the common room into the seventh year girls dorm. Hopefully the items would arrive just the way he had sent them and that they would be thrilled to see their Quidditch kit as much as the guys would with theirs when they returned from class.

Satisfied and pleased with his work, William took a seat on his now empty duvet and pulled the remaining crimson and gold cloak off of the footboard. Shuffling up the bed, he leant with his back against the pillows and thoughtfully fondled the embossed badge of the Gryffindor lion on the left chest section with his right hand. This cloak was meant for one person, the same one who was meant to wear the last pair of gloves in the cardboard box that now sat on the floor and the same person who had a knack for making the hideous red socks fashionable. The only person that William didn’t have the heart to give up on.

(Sorry just a small post..but I think it's my longest yet )

[Nicci]

After a hard double lesson of Muggle Studies, Kalina slowly trudged up the seemingly endless staircases in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. Sighing as her brain felt like it could turn to mush at any moment, she muttered the simple password to the portrait of the plump lady in the pink dress and stepped aside as the door swung open. Crawling through the short tunnel, she entered into the warm, well lit room beyond and listened to the echoes of student chatter from the seating area near the fireplace.
With the encouraging roar of excitement, she gathered that someone must have set up another round of Wizard Chess or maybe it was another of William’s lengthily general like speeches about something related to the house competition that she chose no longer to participate in.

Sidling past the rabble of Gryffindor’s, Kalina dragged her weary body up the short wooden staircase eager to drop onto her bed once she arrived at the seventh year girls dorm. Once inside the door, she was greeted by a waft of cool afternoon air and a dazzle of the last rays of the day's sunshine pouring through the window nearest Gen’s bed. Kicking off her black shoes and pulling on her ballerina like slippers she sat on the end of her bed and looked around the room, instantly noticing the two piles of Quidditch clothes materialise on two of the trunks at the foot of the neighbouring beds.

<So it’s begun> she though miserably to herself, assuming that what she could see was the final decision. Gen had made the team and from the looks of it the other space had gone to a younger student. As disappointment began to lay a heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach, Kalina gritted her teeth determined to deal with the consequences of her actions. Quitting the team because of Alex seemed in everybody’s best interests at first but now a shadow of doubt hung over her head like a cloudy halo.

Standing to her feet, she took a couple of silent steps across the small room and approached the end of Gen’s bed. Rory the stuffed lion still sat pride of place on the pillow case, just like she left him every day. Taking Gen’s Quidditch robe in her hand, Kalina carefully examined the back taking a moment to absorb seeing confirmation of Gen’s surname on the back in gold lettering. With an ounce of regret, Kalina kindly hung the cloak by the hood on the end corner of the four poster bed and admired it.
It wasn’t something she would have usually done but it felt like a tradition and it was how she fondly remembered seeing her robe the first time she had received her belongings ready for the season ahead.

Doing the same with Ylana’s, Kalina padded back over to her own bed and looked across the room. Trying to smile she wanted to believe the team would be great without her. She wasn’t special, they’d survive and even if she wasn’t there she had faith that William could lead the team to the victory of winning the house cup. William, with his lack of tact and unhealthy obsession with a sport with four balls and six hoops.
Exhaling a heavy breath, Kalina rummaged in the depth of her trunk to pull out the Transfiguration papers that she promised Gen she could use. It was only fair, since Gen herself had offered to help Kalina with difficulties with her homework back in the sixth year.
Leaving them on the hard top of the wooden trunk, Kalina dropped back onto her bed and snuggled up against her pillows wondering how Lia was getting on and preparing for their float about in a few hours time.

(Reference to Davina Scarrott is FBITM pg162. Quote
Drifting forwards, into the air she joined the formation with imaginary Davina Scarrott a former chaser on her left and a younger memory of Alex on her right.
“You’ll be fine.. just take it easy” the ethereal Davina spoke, swishing her high ponytail back into position down her back “Alex says you’re a natural..right?”.
Glancing her head to her right, Kalina smiled at Alex blushing whilst trying to conceal it behind a proud grin. His hair was longer back then, parted differently but the smile was definitely the same..
“Well, Time to go...” was Alex’s final words, as she blinked and found herself several feet in front of the goal hoops.

[Jazzie C]

Liana, having left Kalina to her business, was heading back towards the Ravenclaw common room. She sighed and walked, exhausted after a day walking around the school trying to take in everything Kal had been trying to tell her. She smiled to herself though, having made a new friend for the first time in too long. She could actually talk to someone now! She kept smiling until she looked up.

It was Jey. She was stood, casually leaning against a wall in front of Lia. The corridor was deserted other than her. She smiled sweetly at Lia, who had instinctively wrapped her fingers tightly around the grip of her wand. 'What do you want?' she asked through gritted teeth.

Jey looked at her and feigned innocence. 'I don't know what you're talking about little Lia.' She said, smiling, still. 'But don't ever cross me. Make one move and nobody will even notice your disappearance. You'll join your pretty parents and brother soon, little Lia. Don't. Make. It. Sooner.' She said, gritting her teeth and moving closer towards her with every syllable. She was face to face with Lia now.

Lia didn't flinch. She pulled her wand out and pressed it against Jey's cheek. A long, thin, deep gash appeared there. Jey flinched. Liana closed up the wound and smiled sweetly. She was shaking inside. She had to get rid of Jey. But she just didnt know how.

'I'll fight you right back Jey.' She said, and walked past her.

'You'll lose.' Jey said, calmly.

'Wait and see, pal, wait and see.' She said, hoping her voice didnt shake. She sighed visibly as she rounded the corner, and closed her eyes in relief that Jey was out of sight. But for how long? She had no idea.

[Thomas]

Erin grabbed her notes and scanned over them one final time. She really didn't know what to expect from this study session, or what Ganny needed help with and it made her stomach feel tight, she didn't want Ganny storming off on her again if she said something wrong.
It had been so nice to just chat and eat with him earlier, but at the back of her mind she had this nagging feeling that she had to be careful about what she said around him. There were so many no go areas... how could they ever be friends if they couldn't even talk openly with each other? She's only been honest with him so how come he had so many secrets? She just wanted to know where she stood, was she just a friend or did he like her? Why did any mention of Olli annoy him so much? Had callie said something about her to him, she had to face the fact that everyone thought she was a total skank, and that obviously Ganny would have heard the stories.

She looked over at the desk beside her bed at the note Kyle had left, and picked it up, she had read it so many times that she knew it off by heart but she couldn't help but read the short note again, she really should write back, let him know how things are going and tell him all that had went on since his sudden disappearance.
He'd never judged her, she smiled remembering how spot on he'd been when he'd teased her about how she was never going to get the man she wanted if she kept on going out with anyone who moved, she'd been so upset that she'd started to cry, and then he'd held her close and told her that she was stronger than she realised, that she didn't need someone to feel worthy.
That she should just wait, wait until 'he' found her, someone who would treat her how she deserved, someone who wasn't after only one thing, and someone who didn't care what other people said because, what did it matter any what anyone else thought? A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered how he'd told her that she needed to move on, she needed to be herself and that she didn't need someone to make her feel good, because she was an amazing, caring, stunning girl, and that what she really needed was to spend time with her friends and just be herself. That was the day that she realised that Kyle was the kind of friend worth clinging onto. She picked up her quill and started to write.

[Nicci]

(Great post Tom, Afraid I don't really know what to write at the moment so i'll read over the last few pages and get my brain going again)

[Thomas]

(It's ok, you can probably see that I didn't really know where I was going either. I edited and rewrote that post so many times and it came out far different than how it started.)

[Nicci]

(I still don't really know what I can write on my own really to progress the thread forward. It sad seeing the site innactive for so long, maybe if anyone is interested we can set the thread going in a new direction)

[Thomas]

(I have another post to do, just not got around to it. I've been thinking it would be nice to start up a new story, with less history and more freedom - I was thinking I's like to try a marauders? )

[Nicci]

(I'd struggle with marauders as it's putting stuff into a given time and I don't really know anything about the canon characters from that period. I'd be willing to give something a go life without the site feels grim and uneventful. What about the UFP could we try throwing that together in an RP format if somehow our characters are mashed together at the start?)

[Chris]

(Sorry I haven't been on in so long. Perhaps we can try to spice it up some? I could always try my hand at a villain? Might not be what we need though.)

[Thomas]

(Are you on jazzie? My chat box isn't working?)

[Jazzie C]

(This is quite difficult without a chatbox...I'm here now?)

[Thomas]

(At least there is a chat box now )

[Nicci]

Yey! I might be able to get on the website more often now. I couldn't do anything with IE9 it kept logging me out every time I wanted to look at page. I also tried Firefox but that couldn't remember any of my favourite sites.
Did we decide anything? Whether to start something new? Leave everything? or carry on?