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A stone square courtyard is what you first aspect of the grounds that you come to after you travel through the corridor. Surrounded by magnificent stone columns adorned with luscious ivy and slight lily growth, the courtyard provides students with benches to sit on with their friends or for the one who just wishes for some peace and quiet. Also, in the middle stands a very illustrious Wishing Fountain.
"I know." His tone was lighter then, and he quit fiddling with the ring in lieu of rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm just saying. I'm aware of my flaws."
Maybe a little too aware, but it was better to know they were there than to be completely ignorant of their existence and think you were some perfect specimen of humanity. He knew people like that. It made them irksome sometimes.
Half-grinning at Sabel, he shook his head. "I've come to expect you to be talkative and forward. You're far from lecturing though." He let out a small laugh. "Besides. If you had your way, I'd be the one doing the lecturing, wouldn't I. Telling my students to pay attention, to stop fiddling with things and to make something of themselves."
He tilted his head back, eyes settling on the darkening sky. What was he going to do with himself? Did he even really have to plan that out yet? Surely worrying about that was a bad idea just now, considering he had to focus on, you know, not dying.
"I'll figure it all out eventually." Hopefully before he got too old to do anything with the knowledge.
A small smile touched the corners of his lips as he listened to an all too familiar composition of thoughtful Kururuginess. Yes, Raiden would make a fine Professor, even if he wouldn't admit it to himself. "You've got plenty of time." Unlike some...
His eyes flicked to the backpack again, weighing his options momentarily. Then his hand was in the bag, fishing around towards the bottom until his fingers wrapped around a clay jar that easily fit in his palm. He wouldn't go into the details, simply pass the item along and leave it be; Raiden had enough to worry about.
Drawing the rather delicately carved oval box from the confines of his bag, he turned back to the Prefect and handed it to him. "I almost forgot about this. My mother sent it over with me to pass it on." While he couldn't force his voice to its normal evenness, he was able at least, to offer a weak smile to Raiden.
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
"I know." His tone was lighter then, and he quit fiddling with the ring in lieu of rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm just saying. I'm aware of my flaws."
Maybe a little too aware, but it was better to know they were there than to be completely ignorant of their existence and think you were some perfect specimen of humanity. He knew people like that. It made them irksome sometimes.
Half-grinning at Sabel, he shook his head. "I've come to expect you to be talkative and forward. You're far from lecturing though." He let out a small laugh. "Besides. If you had your way, I'd be the one doing the lecturing, wouldn't I. Telling my students to pay attention, to stop fiddling with things and to make something of themselves."
He tilted his head back, eyes settling on the darkening sky. What was he going to do with himself? Did he even really have to plan that out yet? Surely worrying about that was a bad idea just now, considering he had to focus on, you know, not dying.
"I'll figure it all out eventually." Hopefully before he got too old to do anything with the knowledge.
Gliding silently on widespread wings, only flapping them every so often to keep himself aloft, Herjenmie approached Hogwarts, large eyes searching the grounds as he flew over students. It only took him a few minutes to locate the young man he was meant to deliver the letter to; he stood with a friend, doing human things out in the cooling air.
Floating down, he easily landed on the wall next to the Raiden person. There was a letter tied to his leg; he held it out, hooting softly at him to take it, and make it snappy. Herjenmie had other stuff to get on with today.
He better have had a chocolate frog in his pockets, at least. That had been a long flight, and the mice had been sparse.
Text Cut: Your Letter
Raiden,
I am indeed quite well. There are very few dramatic interludes which require my attention here, so I am able to focus solely on teaching without worrying about imminent death or impending doom. It is quite refreshing.
I am indeed aware of the tournament, It may be part of the reason Tate was rather put out with my decision to leave, as I was expected to help out with several elements of the entire debacle, for that is what it will be, make no mistake about it.
I can tell you that there will be no dragons for this tournament, though historically dragons have been used, but one must not get too hung up on the life and times of Harry Potter after all. Perhaps you and Miles should begin to use your heads and examine other tournaments in history for your inspiration, as well as spending some time in the library reviewing your textbooks in all your subjects. Research will answer your questions as they arise and panicking will not do you any favours.
Furthermore, I encourage you to spend time in the duelling arena, practicing your shield spells, but your greatest weapon will be knowledge, as history has always shown that knowledge is power, and if you can find a little extra then you will have an advantage. Its up to you what you do with it.
If in the event I am completely wrong, and there is a dragon, I advise you to stay away from the end with teeth, and stay on your feet.
"That's completely debatable," he said lightly. Even though it was a topic as serious as an ebola outbreak. It... made it a lot less foreboding when he could joke about it. "Always has been, always will be."
Could be killed in Potions class by a rogue Puff, after all. Life was like that.
He watched Sabel digging into his bag, and frowned. What was he after now? If he was going to give Raiden any more jewelry for luck, he was kinda pushing it.
"What is it?" The prefect asked, automatically holding out a hand to take the small box. He couldn't figure out why Sabel's mum would be sending him stuff...
...
OWL.
OWL.
Eyes widening slightly, Raiden almost fell over himself to get his hands on the thing. OWL. Oh Merlin please let it be the one he was waiting for. The prefect paused, calming himself a bit before he reached for it so it wouldn't bite him.
OH THANK MERLIN IT WAS TRUEBRIDGE.
"I... I need a minute, Sabel," he managed, unfolding the letter and looking first at the signature at the bottom. The poor owl went untreated for the moment, because Raiden was far, far too worried about what might be in the letter to give him anything. The little box remained clenched in his hand, hidden under the parchment he held.
Sabel's eyes snapped up to Raiden at the admittance his life might not be very long. There was a sort of angry warning within his eyes as he let the Prefect take the item. "That's very far from being funny."
Owl? His eyes turned to the creature that lighted beside the Prefect, seemingly very impatient to get the letter on its foot detached, and needless to say, it didn't need to wait long. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to get up and leave to give Raiden some space, or remain where he was. The last option would have had him bouncing his foot up and down out of sheer emotional nerves, and so he opted for the former.
"Take your time." Giving the Prefect a faint smile, he gathered up his bag and moved a distance away where Raiden would have the space he needed for his thoughts. Was it of home? Or the tournament? Maybe a mixture? The Slytherin had been more than anxious to read the contents, and he could only hope there was good news to be had within. Resting his forearms on the ledge of an open archway, he cast his eyes out over the grounds of Hogwarts, taking note of the chill that had wrapped itself in the air, if for no other reason than to distract his mind.
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
Herjenmie would not stand for this. Indignance evident, he let out a loud hoot, hopped until he'd closed the space between him and the man, and pecked the shiny thing on his ear.
Give. Me. Treats. NOW.
Silly human persons with their letters, didn't they realise that eating was much more important than such things?!
Had Raiden the attention span in that moment to retort, he would have told Sabel that as unfortunate it was that it wasn't funny, that didn't make it untrue. However, he was too busy reading the letter and GETTING PECKED IN THE HEAD WHAT THE HELL MAN?!
"Merlin's pants," he mumbled irritably, not even having gotten through the first paragraph before the owl attacked his ear. He dug into his pockets, withdrawing the first thing that he found; half a bar of chocolate. Unhelpful, but he unwrapped it and tossed it onto the wall next to the creature, giving it a rather sharp look before he stepped away from it. One hand rose to check that his earring was in fact still in his ear, not that it mattered much at the moment.
... Miles was so going to catch it for this.
Letting out the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, Raiden leaned against the rough wall and slid dooooown until he was on the ground. The page of parchment pressed against his jacket front as he practically hugged the letter. THANK MERLIN. THANK MERLIN FOR ETHAN TRUEBRIDGE AND THE ABSENCE OF DRAGONS.
...why had Sabel gone over there????
He would have puzzled that a bit more had he not been so, soooooo relieved.
That was more like it. Giving the man another hard, owlish look (not difficult, considering Herjenmie was 100% super owl), he hopped over to where the candy had fallen.
CHOCOLATE!!!!!111!!!!1!!
...He liked this man, he decided. If he could have apologised to his shiny bit, he would have. However, he simply snatched up the candy bar and took off before anyone could take it from him.
It was the sound of movement, particularly sliding, that brought his eyes over his shoulder for a quick glance to check on his friend. What he saw sent him spinning around in an instant and two feet forward until he realized what the expression was on the Prefect's face. Relief. Dramatic relief, but at least he wasn't having a panic attack.
"You..." When did the owl get a chocolate bar? "...Alright?"
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
Relief like this was hard to come by. After spending how long stressing and freaking out internally about dragons... to find out that there weren't any... good Merlin. Raiden might have just stayed there on the ground forever, perfectly comfortable in the sudden flood of what felt like everything good in the world.
"There's... I am going to knock Miles' teeth..." he couldn't even threaten to break Miles' face right now. Looking up at Sabel, he held the letter up. Here, Dakest. HERE. Read it and be happy for us. His chances of dying, he felt, had just been reduced by one.
At least death by dragon had been taken off the list of possible ways to die this term.
Baguette | there is no D in my name | TRAITORclaw | Queenie of Narnia
Quote:
Originally Posted by BluePhyre
Eirian was strolling through the corridor and exited to the Courtyard purposely, a frown set on her face. She was in a tough spot at the moment... Her best year ever wasn't too great at the moment. But it'd get better... right? Hopefully, sighing, she stopped in her tracks, looking around for somewhere to sit and mope. No seats were open except this one spot... by a very studious-looking Vashti? A grin inched its way onto Eirian's face. Alright. That seemed like a good seat. Plopping down beside her young friend, Eirian slumped back and looked at the sky. It wasn't very nice out...
"Ola, minha filha," she greeted, smiling as she let her eyes fall to Vashti. It was always good to see her. They didn't hang out much anymore, but perhaps that was because Eirian was just so... busy? Troubled? She couldn't think of a good way to explain it.
Vashti vaguely noticed someone approaching but was too busy trying to finish answering one of the questions to check and see who it was. It was only when the mysterious person sat down beside her and spoke that she realized who it was, even without looking up. (She still looked up from her paper though, as it would be rude to just ignore a friend like that.) "Hey, Eirian," she said, smiling and ending the sentence on her paper with a period. "How're you?"
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if we fall, we will fall together; and when we rise, we will rise together__________________♥♥♥♥ together we are dangerous; together with our differences; together we are bolder, braver, stronger
Frowning slightly, Sabel moved back over to where Raiden's legs had turned to over-shaken Jello. Dropping his pack on the ground once again, he rested against the wall and accepted the letter. His eyes made quick work of the rather practiced handwriting, rather surprised to find Truebridge's name etched at the end. Less surprise however, on what Raiden was so relieved about.
"No dragons." Folding the piece of parchment up gently, he offered it back with a light smile. "That is very good news." Just as long as the dragons hadn't been replaced with something worse.
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
Whoop!Phyre || ❤LiliAnzaScarNatAmyEmi || Professional Vigilante || The Flying Tomato
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snape'sGirlThru&Thru
Vashti vaguely noticed someone approaching but was too busy trying to finish answering one of the questions to check and see who it was. It was only when the mysterious person sat down beside her and spoke that she realized who it was, even without looking up. (She still looked up from her paper though, as it would be rude to just ignore a friend like that.) "Hey, Eirian," she said, smiling and ending the sentence on her paper with a period. "How're you?"
"Alright," she murmured as her reply, Eirian talk for "no". But all the same, you didn't answer negatively when someone asked you how you were... it was just rude. Was Vashti working on school stuff? Outdoors? Why should she be doing that when there were much funner things to do? Oh, silly Vashti... "And you, filha?"
"No dragons is very good news, yes." Raiden held the letter carefully in his hands, as if letting it go or holding onto it too hard might somehow render it untrue or make it disappear. "It takes one of the largest and most deadly creatures off the table."
No death by dragon teeth, nor death by dragon fire. No getting trampled by dragon feet or crushed by a dragon tail. Sure, there were plenty of horrifying creatures that could easily replace the dragon, but THERE WERE NO DRAGONS, so Raiden might actually be able to get some sleep soon.
Except now...
"Damn it." He looked at Sabel. "Now I don't know anything."
A small laugh left Sabel as he slid down the wall beside Raiden. "I highly doubt that. Seven years and you don't know anything?" Reaching over he tapped the boy's skull lightly. "Remember what the letter said. Prepare, research, practice and then don't panic. Go with what you know. And then improvise."
Lowering his hand slowly, he offered a faint, lopsided smile. "Plus, I don't think the Goblet would have picked a moron."
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
"'s hard to research when you're not sure what you're researching for, though," he reminded Sabel, biting his lip and frowning. No dragons. Who even knew what they were doing for the first task then? "I... I need help, I think."
He flicked the letter open and reread part of it.
'Research will answer your questions as they arise and panicking will not do you any favours.'
"...think the librarian will mind me bugging her?" He wrinkled his nose. "The goblet may not have picked a moron but it picked someone who might as well be walking blind in a dark corridor."
Ability is nothing without Opportunity | | Creativity is Intelligence having FUN
Quote:
Originally Posted by Saz Hale
Arabella-Marie looked at Salander and shook his hand and said "Hi Salander, I am Arabella-Marie and yes i am with the gryffindors"
"Hey Arabella... er Marie.... uhm" hyphenated names, just like Salander's, except his isnt in his given name, which makes it tricky "Uh, you got a nick name? And uh, what year are you in?" because he thought she looked awfully young.
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++Tenacius ++🐦++ Salander++🐦++ Deo ++🐦++ Vickers ++🐦++ Huxley ++🐦+ Aquila++ Yeah thats what crazy is, when its broken you say theres nothing to fix++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++And you pray that everything will be okay, while you're making all the same mistakes
"That's what these are for." Holding up his arms slightly he did a little 'jazz-hand' demonstration, the faint smile still tugging at the corners of his lips. "I'm sure they won't mind. You are the school Champion after all. I'm pretty sure resources will be directed towards supporting you in any way."
Rocking his foot against the ground, he lightly and briefly knocked his knee against Raiden's. "And hey, if you ever need help, just ask. No matter the circumstance."
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
"Easier to feel your way when you know where the walls are. I, however, have no such walls." Except the one behind him. Raiden leaned back against it and tried to call back the relief he'd felt a moment ago. It was still there.
Come baaaaaaack.
"At least it's... it's not dragons." He took a deep breath and looked at his knee, where Sabel's had just tapped. "Don't think I won't take you up on that."
...
"...what was in this box again?"
He'd almost forgotten he was holding it; Raiden switched it with the letter, pressing the paper against the bottom of the thing. What had Sabel's mom sent him? He cautiously opened the lid a little.
A weak hearted and rather brief chuckle left him as he watched Raiden start to examine the box. "I had no such notion."
His words fell rather silent as the white, creamy paste inside the container was revealed to the light. Something tight wrenched his gut around itself, making him gag with the sudden desire to vomit. It had absolutely nothing to do with the cream inside, if anything the substance carried the scent of mint and juniper and was almost calming. Memories. Damn memories. And his voice was tight with them. "It's an ointment, for your shoulder. She noticed you were still a little sore when you joined us for the last year, so she made this for you...it's all natural and you just have to rub it on...She hopes, it will help..."
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
Ohhhhh. That... that was nice of Sabel's mom. Raiden held it up closer to his face and sniffed it, opening the lid a little bit more automatically.
"She's a good lady, your mum," he murmured, a smile tingeing his lips. "Tell her I said thanks, will you?"
He didn't know when he'd get a chance to go back over to Canada and see Sabel's family again. Closing the lid of the box, he held it just as carefully as the letter, looking at both for moment before it registered.
Sabel didn't sound like Sabel again. Eyes flickered to him, and Raiden frowned.
"...what's wrong?" And if he said nothing, Raiden was going to threaten to deck him again, because he wasn't one for lying.
He picked it up. Why were every one of his friends able to pick it up? Perhaps because his motto the first few years had been 'smile'. And he really, wasn't smiling now.
Drawing his knees up to his chest, he rested his forearms on them and focussed on picking at a piece of dry skin on his finger. Looking at the jar of ointment only reminded him that was the second last of the gifts his mother had given him to distribute, and one of the last things of hers that he had with him. The necklace had needed to go to Raiden, and the picture of her and his father...he touched his pocket briefly just to make sure it was still there, another wave of nausea running through him at the soft crinkle of the photo paper.
"She's..." Damn the tears that were threatening him again. Swallowing hard, his brow scrunched up into a deep frown, an attempt to quell some of the emotion. "She...won't make it through the year...." Once again, he realized the painful difference between knowing, and admitting.
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
The expression on Sabel's face was about eight times worse than it had been just a little while ago. So whatever it was... had to be worse that Sabel thinking he'd just alienated a friend.
That had to be pretty damn b-
"She...won't make it through the year...."
Raiden's stomach went cold.
There was that immediate thought. The 'I must have misheard' that runs through one's head when they hear things like this. The immediate denial that the words existed, that they had actually been spoken. Because it was better to think yourself insane, and that your ears were suddenly hearing things completely wrong, than to believe what had actually been heard.
Because things like this just didn't happen to those that you knew. They just didn't. It was other people that had this happen to them.
But Sabel's entire being just then betrayed every sense that told Raiden he had misheard.
"Wh... what?" he asked weakly, eyes widening as the first wave of pure panic and nausea washed over him. "Sh... your..."
He cringed at the pain in Raiden's voice, curling up a little more against the wall. This, was why he didn't want to tell anyone. They felt the pain as surely as he did, and then he had to see both their pain, and his own reflected by them.
It took a few swallows to dislodge the lump in his throat enough to speak, and even then he felt as if he had washed his mouth out with a bucket of sand. "She...had three strokes...this summer...They don't think..." He had already said. He didn't need to repeat.
Instead he rested his chin on his knees and wrapped his arms around his legs, reminded once again how much he wanted to be at home with her.
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
That was all that Raiden was thinking as he watched Sabel. As he watched his friend struggle for every word, to explain just how his world was falling apart on him. As he explained how the summer had brought him to... to this. There was a sort of... numbness building in him.
It wasn't his mother. But it was Sabel's. And she was just as if not more important than Raiden's own. It was Sabel's family that was taking blows this time. Just as Raiden's had, when he was thirteen.
Except this was so, so much worse. Separation could be handled easily in comparison to this.
The most Raiden could bring himself to do what lean over a bit, one arm reaching out, his hand settling on Sabel's shoulder and staying there. The expression on his face had slowly faded from shock to just... concern. Concern mixed with sorrow, because Sabel had just told him something that he couldn't fix.
This time at least, unlike the others where someone had tried to comfort him in such a state, he didn't jump. Distant eyes rimmed with tears slowly turned to the Prefect, a very faint smile trying to force its way onto his expression; to reassure his friend he would be okay. Somehow. He didn't feel like it by any means of the word, but it felt important to try and convince Raiden that he would.
As for what else to say in the suddenly thick silence, he couldn't think of anything. An empty mind and an empty heart had only filled themselves up with memories; images that pricked and pierced and brought tears he thought he had finished shedding to his eyes once again. Was he supposed to say more?
__________________
I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________
I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy.
The Courtyard 
x4
x7 
Yeah thats what crazy is, when its broken you say theres nothing to fix++++++++++++++++++++
