βββββββββββ Where? Hogsmeade, Blaze of Glory Who? Himself, for now. Thoughts?Well, school's out. Now what? βββββββββββ
xxx
Jack stared at his sister for a long moment before shaking his head at her initial claims. "Belle, are you okay? I haven't received any mail or information about the goings on of anything since my very first week at Hogwarts, and it wasn't even from you or father. Darius was the only one that sent me a letter." The boy visible prickled at saying it out loud, his agitation and resentment mingling together with both concern for how Belle was acting and the fact that even through all of what he felt was neglect, he still missed her.
He watched her moving slowly, tentatively as if she were beyond exhausted. "Alright, I won't tell father. Though knowing him, he might already know." He sat down beside his owl, watching and listening. "Anthony and Jojo Tempest? I can't put faces to the names, but it's vaguely familiar." He listened as he was told they were missing, causing him to raise an eyebrow. "How does someone just go missing at Hogwarts? I mean, I know it has happened in the past but they were always found before the year ends."
But rather than finish rambling about his confusion, he walked up towards the table Belle was sitting on and hugged her. "I promise I won't wander off...without first telling someone where I'm wandering to."
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ OOC:It's all good, I've been drowning in the misery that is Dark Souls 1 for the last week. I've died so much...and I still haven't beat it.
Annabelle Emery Rich Blaze of Glory: Dueling Range Owner -----------------------------------------------------------------βΆ β· βΆ β· βΆ
[Summer of 2033]
Annabelle Rich shook her head fiercely, eyes shut tight. βJack, I'm sorry.β It was all she could do; the only thing she knew how to say. Nothing would excuse her actions, she shouldn't have been so selfish. She remembered her very first year at Hogwarts, how lonely she had been until she made her very first friend: Hildy. It was only a few short years later that Hildegard was pulled out of Hogwarts and transferred to Beauxbaton at her grandmother's behest. Belle never saw or heard from her again after that, and it still hurt to think about. She wondered how differently things would have been if she had had an older sibling, someone to watch out for her for once. And she let her grief get the best of her again.
βI'm sure he does,β she muttered under her breath, none the least bit pleased by the notion. It's not like this was his fault; she had plenty to be angry with him for, but this wasn't it. Her shoulders slumped when she finally admitted the truth, then watched Jack's expression change. Somehow, she expected more. Belle shook her head and said, βI don't know, I don't know. But the aurors have been investigating and...β her voice faded into silence as she struggled for the words. Giving up entirely, she chewed her bottom lip raw until her brother rose and moved closer. His small arms wrapped around her and she leaned in fully, tightening her arms around his neck and squeezed tight. βI should have written you, and I'm sorry. But I didn't want you to worryβI still don't.β It was her job to worry. Not his.
βNow, enough of all this,β she said, mustering a laugh and released Jack from her grip. βTell me everything about your school year. Did you make any friends? How were quidditch try outs? You didn't get in too much trouble, did you?β
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ ____βΉβΈβ· Blaze of Glory ____βΉβΈβ·Green Flannel ____βΉβΈβ· 28 Years Old, 5β7β, 138lbs ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βββββββββββ Where? Hogsmeade, Blaze of Glory Who? Himself, for now. Thoughts?Well, school's out. Now what? βββββββββββ
xxx
Jack nodded, accepting her apology. It seems that much had went on while he was at Hogwarts the past year, perhaps he should take things with a grain of salt. Adults seemed to always have something important going on, he didn't look forward to the time when that would ring true for him as well.
He let her change the topic, however it wasn't exactly one he was too keen on delving into himself. "Let's see...I started a war in History of Magic on the first day and have been essentially branded a pariah as a result. I didn't make any friends, as if that comes as a surprise. I'm very good at Transfiguration and Flying, I even made the Quidditch Team as a reserve. But I think I'll be stuck as a reserve for a while, there was another reserve beater like me and only one position is opening."
He paused, thinking. His year was so enveloped with his studies and training for Quidditch that he didn't really have time to get into any trouble. Sure, there was that time he was going to fight Leon, who didn't show up. The other reserve beater, at that. He'd end up playing while Jack just watched and he felt himself heat in agitation. But it passed quickly enough as he looked up at his sister. "Honestly, I'm on the fence about how I feel when I'm at Hogwarts. Classes are fine, Quidditch is great...but the people, so few even care about being there. Like it isn't a privilege for them, just a waste of their time." He shook his head, "Maybe they'll see in a few years what I do now." And maybe, just maybe, he'd actually make a friend. It was so lonely now...
Annabelle Emery Rich Blaze of Glory: Dueling Range Owner -----------------------------------------------------------------βΆ β· βΆ β· βΆ
βA war?β Belle curled a stray lock of hair behind her ear and offered a small smile, βI'm sure it wasn't that bad.β She couldn't imagine what sort of argument could have broken out that would label Jack a βpariahβ as he so keenly statedβespecially singled out. Trouble usually comes in twos. Usually. Her history of magic class had been rather tame in comparison to every other year, then again, that was probably due to the professor. Aslan was stoic, stern; almost intimidatingβhis snake roamed the classroom at free will, after all. Rumor had it, he was a parseltongue, but no one ever knew for sure. There had never been any arguments in his class, but that seemed to change when Professor Powell took over. She wasn't sure what or why; if anything, Powell seemed just as 'serious' as Aslanβor maybe her classmates had just gotten bolder with age?
βThat's good you made it on the teamβI stayed in reserve until about, third year? You'll come to appreciate the practice.β She certainly had. Her first few rounds at trying to catch the snitch ended in pitiful failureβthe one and only time she had even spotted it, she nearly ran her broom into of the towers because she was too focused on the snitch and not her surroundings. She was just lucky it was practice and not a real game, or she never would've heard the end of it. βYou know... the weird thing about making new friends is first trying to be a good friend to other people. I wish I had known that growing upβbut I was luckyβI had really warm and welcoming classmates, in all four houses. The year below mind had been split down the middle of purists and mugglelovers, and the year above me had psychopaths, I bloody swear. And you won't know what group you've ended up with until it's too late.
βI know it might seem hard, and the people might seem weird. But they'll change, you all will. Or they won't, and you get used to it. But don't worry too much about what other people think, just... be you. Practice your spellwork, explore the castle, meet the ghosts and talk to the portraitsβthere's so much more to Hogwarts then just βmaking friendsβ and before you know it, you'll meet people with the same interests as you.β It's what she had done with dueling. After Hildy left, she didn't really know what else to do with her timeβso she started up the dueling club. It didn't make her any longlasting friends, but it's where she found her passion. She was sure if Jack could just find something, his perspective on life and school would change. (Or she hoped so, anyway.)
ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ ____βΉβΈβ· Blaze of Glory ____βΉβΈβ·Green Flannel ____βΉβΈβ· 28 Years Old, 5β7β, 138lbs ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βββββββββββ Where? Hogsmeade, Blaze of Glory Who? Belle. Thoughts?Well, school's out. Now what? βββββββββββ
xxx
Jack shook his head vehemently, looking at his sister. "No, it was bad. My lack of tact made me say things in a way that made me sound superior because of our blood status. I never meant it like that. I just wanted them to understand how important wizard history is, even to the muggleborns." He shrugged and sighed, the thought bringing back some of the things he'd said. He definitely wouldn't have wanted to be his friend if he heard himself say those things.
He suddenly grinned after hearing what she said about the team, nodding vigorously. "Yeah, I love the practices. I took Darius' advice to heart, I've been working out every single day before classes start. It makes holding the beater's bat easier than for some. I don't even leave practice tired anymore, unlike some of the others." He flexed his arm, the muscles were beginning to show definition even under his school robes. He then listened to her talk about people, muttering quietly, "You were lucky."
He looked up at his sister again, curiosity alight in his eyes. "Well, I wouldn't say that I'm a purist...or a mugglelover. I know that I appreciate those with ability and drive, much like myself. But I can't seem to find anyone in my year that has those qualities. So...would you say that maybe I should check the years above and below me for people like that?"
