Avalon propped her chin on one hand as she stared at her notebook in contemplation. She was sprawled out on her stomach on a patch of grass in the courtyard, enjoying the beautiful early fall weather. Her ankles crossed in the air, she tapped her pencil against the parchment. The sketch of the dress looked almost perfect, but it needed a little something. Her mother had asked her to owl over some designs for the magazine's fall showcase by the end of the week, so Avalon figured she would get a head start on the drawings before her homework load got too heavy. But she couldn't seem to get the dress quite right. Sighing in frustration, she flipped over onto her back, squinting her eyes at the sunlight. If only she had some sort of quill that could help her come up with fabulous designs.

It was much to beautiful to be indoors, so K was meandering out into the the fresh air in hopes of exploring the grounds. She was hopeful to find the best places that she could use as some sort of running track, because she was always best off in social settings if she didn't have a bunch of pent up energy. One of the first places she stumbled upon was the courtyard, and while it didn't have the best room for running, it definitely was a beautiful spot for some stretches and perhaps early morning yoga. Reaching up to the sky now to loosen her limbs, K glanced around before noticing a girl who looked vaguely familiar sprawled out on the grass. If K was remembering correctly, her name was Avalon and she had met her both on the train and in class.

K jogged on over to the girl, plopping herself down in the grass beside her as an unsolicited companion. She gave a small wave in greeting. "Hi, Avalon right? Sorry if I was rude in class. I'm not really a morning person." Or a class person, for that matter.

Avalon propped herself up on her elbows as the girl from the train joined her in the grass. "Hey Kimmie!" She stuck the pencil in her notebook to mark the page before closing it and sliding it off her lap. It was probably better to take a break anyway before she got too irritated at the sketch. "Oh, that's alright! I know what you mean. These early morning classes have been absolute rubbish." Why was it that so many professors chose to start lessons at 8 in the morning this term? She much preferred sleeping in. That way she didn't have to fuel up with two cups of tea or coffee before heading off to class. "How have you been liking Hogwarts so far?" If Avalon remembered correctly, the girl was from Ilvermorny, so it was probably a big adjustment. Hopefully she hadn't run into anything odd. Like creepy mist or Hogwarts founders.

K smiled her appreciation at the quick forgiveness of her grumpy classroom self, before emphatically nodding in agreement about early classes. "I remember my mom telling me the course work at Hogwarts could be a lot, but I wasn't expecting it to be so early." Both in time of day AND for start of the semester. "Has it been like that the past terms as well?" Because if she remembered correctly, Avalon was a tenured Hogwartian and not one of the 12850375 million transfers like herself. Heh. "I really like it here! It seems like it's a little ... quirky." Or did she dream seeing a swamp inside the castle? "But the grounds are beautiful and at least the Hufflepuff common room is incredibly comfortable." Hopefully the other houses were as well.

As far as Avalon could remember, Hogwarts had always been a lot of work. Part of that could be because of her perfectionism and tendency to spend way more time than necessary on her assignments. But most other students felt similarly that the workload was intense, so maybe Avalon wasn't crazy after all. She nodded in response to Kimmie. "The professors always dump a lot of work on us on at first, but they tend to lay off when the holidays come around." Usually. "Hogwarts is definitely eccentric. You'll probably see some odd things while you're here," she agreed with a laugh. "I'm glad you're liking it so far! I'm always jealous of the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins, because being in the basement, you don't have to hear everything going on outside." Avalon couldn't count the amount of times that she had been woken up in Ravenclaw tower from a bang of thunder or a downpour of rain. Or a mysterious screaming from the Forbidden Forest. Plus, she had heard that Hufflepuff's common room was quite cozy. "And you don't have to answer a stupid riddle every time you just want to take a nap!" Avalon loved her common room dearly, but sometimes, she just was not in the mood to think through an existential question.

Ahh, so it should hopefully slow down? Well, K wasn't sure why she was that worried anyways. It was rare for her to complete all of her homework assignments to begin with, but she had promised her mom she would at least try to be better at this school. Maybe she could hold out until Christmas and then slack from there? Heh. "Any opinion on which are the best professors?" Merely because she was curious from the stand point of someone who actually seemed to be studious. "Thank for the encouragement that it may lessen though. Something to cling onto and hope for!" She chuckled, as the word eccentric really did seem to be the most fitting for the Hogwarts she had seen so far. But... She liked that. It kept it exciting. Ilvermony was starting to feel too comfortable and too boring. Quieter in the basements? She chuckled and nodded, "that is true. Sometimes it feels kind of... Damp in the lower floors though." The best consolation was that at least for the Hufflepuff's, the kitchens were quiet close by. "Does it really get that loud in the towers?" Were Gryffindors and Ravenclaws actually just a bunch of party animals? That would actually surprise her very little. A riddle? "That is too much thinking to try to get to your bed." Man she was glad she was sorted into her dad's Alma mater and not her mother's.

Ah, the professors. She had experienced some pretty amazing professors at Hogwarts, but also ones that were not so great. But overall, she enjoyed her teachers. Thankfully, there hadn't been many staff changes this year. "I actually really like Professor Eris. He teaches Transfiguration and runs to the library. He's quite wise and very interesting." Although that could do with the fact that Avalon just really enjoyed Transfiguration. "And actually, I really like Headmaster Trent's class." As a person he was....a bit intimidating. But he definitely had the most interactive and unique lessons. She figured she'd be totally honest with Kimmie about the ones that freaked her out, too. "You've probably already met Professor Noble since he's your Head of House, but I'm not going to lie, he terrifies me!" She usually left potions class feeling uneasy, like Professor Noble absolutely hated her or something. "Is there a certain class or activity you're looking forward to the most while you're here?"

Avalon leaned her head back, gazing up at the clouds. "Not all the time, but when it storms it can get pretty distracting. We do have some great views of the grounds, though!" she said in response to Kimmie's question about the towers. The noise was just a small price to pay for being at the top of the castle.

K leaned back a little and rested on her hands, kicking her legs out in front of her as she decided she'd go ahead and stay for a bit. While initially she had been planning on just making a quick apology and heading on her way for scouting, Avalon was good company and it was good for K to try to branch out and make more friends. Professor Eris? Well, transfiguration wasn't too bad. It wasn't her least favorite anyway. "I haven't had a course with him yet, but probably soon." Hopefully he didn't drown them as quickly with homework. Blink. She liked Headmaster Trent's class? While Kimmie wasn't sure how she felt, like seemed a strong word to use for the experience. But that probably came from her fear of the head of authority for the school. "I mean, it definitely doesn't seem like any classes will be boring this term." Which was maybe good? She chuckled at her observation on the Hufflepuff HoH, nodding her head slightly. "I've seen him, but I have yet to interact with him. He does seem a little on the intimidating side." Or a lot.

Things she was looking forward to? "Divination. The Divination professors seems rather nice and it is one of the studies I don't completely despise." Ohh. Storms. So the elements were what caused the loud noises for the towers. That definitely made sense. And probably more sense than the Ravenclaws partying it up every weekend. "I bet it looks amazing though." Lightning was one of her favorite things.

Avalon noticed Kimmie's hesitation when she talked about Headmaster Trent. "Don't get me wrong, I think Headmaster Trent is mad scary. But at least we get to do practical stuff in his class. Last term he had us practice with actual duels!" Much more effective than droning on out of a textbook, at least from Avalon's point of view. Interesting that Kimmie was looking forward to Divination. Most students seemed to dread it. And Avalon had to admit that it wasn't her favorite class either. "The new professor at least seems nice. Professor Kitridge, right? Very....bubbly." She remembered the energetic snapping and waving from the start-of-term feast.

Glancing to her side, Avalon's noticed her sketchbook again, and was struck with a brilliant idea. "Hey! You're a girl!" she said with a laugh, grabbing her book. "Would you mind helping me with something?" She flipped to the page with her work-in-progress dress. "I'm helping my mum design some new pieces for her next photoshoot. She works for a fashion magazine back in London. And I can't for the life of me decide what this dress needs!" Pointing her pencil at the three options she sketched in the margin, she continued, "What do you think? I could do a bow either to the side of the waist or on the back. Or a sheer lace train off the back. Or some beading around the neckline." Honestly, she could see any of the designs working. But she was having trouble making a decision, so she figured she would let Kimmie pick.

K nodded, her head in understanding, listening to Avalon continue regarding Headmaster Trent's courses. "I guess practical use instead of lecture is a lot more effective." She'd had a lot of professors that did just prefer to drone on and on in front of the students, rather than really teaching them something. She could hear her say the name of the professor, although K wasn't actually 100% if that was her name or not. "I think so? Very ... pink." Which seemed quite the fashion statement, but I guess to each their own. "I don't know why I enjoy Divination, but I always thought it seemed kind of fun." Maybe because it seemed also a little silly to her.

K raised an eyebrow at Avalon's exclamation, chuckling slightly before nodding her head. "I am a girl." She wanted help with something? K smiled at her before nodding her head. "Sure, what's up?" What, her mom had a fashion magazine? K blinked a little, before turning her attention to the designs the other girl had sketched out. "Firstly, your mom's occupation is wicked cool. And second, these sketches and designs are amazing, Avalon! Do you mind?" She reached her hand out towards the book, hoping to just be able to get a little bit of a closer look at the details of the three options. "Hmm, I'd go with either the beaded neckline or the lace train. I'm partial to lace, I think it has an elegant yet alluring quality to it."

Yep, she usually got that sort of reaction when people found out that her mom worked at a fashion magazine. She had to admit, it was a pretty cool job. Avalon couldn't help but smile when Kimmie complimented her designs. "Thank you!" she said happily. It was nice for someone appreciate all the hard work she had put into her sketches. She handed the book to Kimmie. "Not at all! It's good to get a good look," she said as she passed it over. Okay, Avalon had definitely been leaning toward either the lace or the bow on the side. So she would definitely go with the lace train. "Perfect! I think the lace train would be beautiful. I think my mum said this shoot would be outside, so she could style the train to trail on the grass or something. Thanks for your help!" She just hoped it wouldn't turn out looking too much like a wedding dress. She'd have to make note to pick a cream-colored fabric, or maybe even a beige one, instead of a stark white. Or she could scratch the neutrals completely and go for a bolder look. Burgundy could be pretty for the colder weather. There were just so many possibilities!

K nodded at the thanks, but she was still looking at the designs now that Avalon had permitted her to hold the book for a better view. "These really are amazing and very intricately done. I take it you do a lot of designs for your mum?" She looked up at her before passing the book back over, a smile on her face. "Green is always such a lovely contrast for photos too so I'm sure that would like amazing. I imagine it's a trick your mum's photographer's would already know, but some dew even just from sprinklers a bit before the shoot makes it look that much greener and the color pop even more vibrantly." And no matter what colors she chose, bright green grass looked pretty striking with just about anything.

"Thank you!" Avalon said again as she took the book back from Kimmie. "Yeah, I help her out with the designs. My mum's got a great eye for the photoshoots and magazine content, but she reckons that I'm the better designer. Which is definitely debatable, since I just started last year. But I have to admit that it's a lot of fun!" And Avalon had to agree that outdoor pictures made for stunning prints. There was so much you could do with the grass, sunlight, flowers, and landscaping. It seemed like Kimmie knew what she was talking about. "Are you a photographer, too? You seem like you know your stuff! What kind of other things do you like to do in your free time?" She was enjoying Kimmie's company, so she figured she'd try to get to know the Hufflepuff a little more before her next lesson started.

Kimberly nodded in acknowledge of Avalon's thanks. "I mean, as the editor for the magazine I'm betting she knows her stuff when it comes to best designers." She smiled encouragingly at her, "What's the name of her magazine? I'd love to pick up a copy when we're out over break." It would be interesting to be able to take a look at the material. K chuckled when Avalon asked if she was a photographer, and she shook her head slightly. "I'm actually not. I could talk artistic composition all day every day but I am terrible when it comes to the delivery." Which is why after she tried to play amateur photographer for a simple summer she had quickly put it away and decided to stick to looking at pictures. "I really enjoy looking at photographs though, particularly nature inspired. I'm a bit in love with being outside." Or like, a lot in love with being outside.

What else did she do in her free time? "I do ballet -- I've been taking classes since I was 5. I've always been lucky enough to get to teach courses for the younger students during the summers." Not that her dance school in Alaska was overly large. "I also love running, and yoga, and just movement I guess." Because if it meant she wasn't sedentary, K was down to try it. "What about you? What do you do when you're not designing or studying?"

"It's called WitchLux! I've seen it at most newstands, but it's usually hidden behind the bigger names." Which was a shame, because in her opinion, WitchLux was a hundred times better than the other rubbish gossip magazines. "She used to work for Witch Weekly in the style department, but she got sick of the fake celebrity news section. So she decided to transfer to a magazine that was solely dedicated to fashion."Witch Weekly might have been more noteworthy, but WitchLux allowed her mum full creative freedom.

"You're a dancer? That's so neat!" Avalon had taken lots of ballet lessons when she was little but never kept up with it. She wasn't the most clumsy person on the planet, but she didn't have the delicate grace needed for pointe. She was much better on a broomstick. But it seemed like they both enjoyed being outdoors - that they had in common. "I've never tried yoga before, but it sounds super relaxing." What she did when she wasn't studying? Well, that was a rare occasion. "I love flying. I used to play on the house team as a chaser, until they disbanded Quidditch a few terms ago." Something was still a sore subject for her. She missed Quidditch every single day, and still, there were no signs of its return to Hogwarts. "And music! I'm no good at singing, but my parents made me take piano lessons back in primary school. I still like to play sometimes." Avalon enjoyed going to the music room in the castle to dabble around on the keys. But only when nobody was listening - thank Merlin for the soundproof doors.

WitchLux, perfect. K took a mental note so that she could remember to pick up an issue next time she went to a news stand. It would be interesting to see, and she was definitely interested the more Avalon talked because while K thought drama could be fun, it sometimes got exhausting to have to weed through a bunch of trashy articles about people that quickly became irrelevant without the next scandal. "What a great idea to just branch out then and join the competition -- I'm sure a ton of people appreciate the focus compared to Witch Weekly."

She grinned and nodded again, "I love dance. It's not something I think I want to do professionally, like I don't really have dreams of being a ballerina on the stage or anything. But I do like to play around with composition and teaching the younger kids." She'd been allowed to start skipping the recitals as well so that she could help keep the younger kids in line for their performances, which was probably her favorite part of the summer season. "It is super nice! If you're interested, you should join me one day. I'm hoping to at least get out to the lake or somewhere on the weekends." Or really whenever she could get to it.

Wait. Quidditch was disbanded? "There's no Quidditch anymore at Hogwarts? Like, ever?" No wonder Lucy didn't want to transfer with her younger siblings. She'd die without sports. "Did they say why it was cut?" Ahh, but music! That was something they had in common as well -- although, Avalon was probably much much better than Kimberly. "I heard Hogwarts has a pretty decent music room. I have a rubbish singing voice as well, and I can only plunk out the most basic songs on a piano but it's still relaxing."

"I would love to join you for yoga sometime! The lake and the butterfly garden would be perfect places to practice, and the weather will be pretty nice for at least another month or so." And even if it was too cold outside, they could always find an empty room in the castle...although it did seem a lot more fitting to do yoga outside. But Avalon could always use some extra relaxation.

She raised her eyebrows slightly at Kimmie's reaction before quickly realizing that her words were a bit misleading. "Oh no, there's still Quidditch, I just don't play anymore. After my first year on the team, they had to temporarily disband Quidditch due to some weird stuff happening around Hogwarts. It made me realize just how much time it was taking up. All I did was eat, sleep, do schoolwork, and practice on the pitch." Avalon didn't realize it at the time, but she was pretty miserable - not to mention an absolute loner. Quidditch took up so much of her time that she couldn't make any friends that weren't on the team. "I still love playing, but it just got too intense for me. I wanted to have time for other stuff while at Hogwarts, too!" She was excited to join a recreational league once she graduated, but for now, she would stick with the occasional casual game with her family or friends.

And Kimmie liked music too! They had a lot in common. Avalon was hopeful that they could be good friends. "Yes, the music room is spectacular! When the orchestra or choir aren't using it, you can reserve it to practice or just play. And it's soundproof, which is always good. I don't need the whole castle hearing me royally mess up a piano piece," she said with a laugh. She hadn't been to the music classroom yet this term, but she would definitely need to reserve a time to play soon. It was always quite relaxing.

K beamed at the other girl, very excited at the prospect of having a yoga buddy. She was a social person by nature, so while she didn't mind being alone and doing the things she loved, it was also nice to have a companion. Did she say BUTTERFLY GARDEN? "I didn't know there was a butterfly garden here too! That sounds like a great spot!" For both yoga and just to hang out, because who wasn't a fan of butterflies?

Ahh, okay. That made sense. K nodded her head in understanding. Quidditch definitely seemed to be very time consuming. "I understand that. My sister Lucy is on a team back at Ilvermony and I think she eats, sleeps and breathes Quidditch and Quodpot." Which, good for her though too, because she knew what she was passionate about. Speaking of sister, "Do you have any siblings?"

K definitely liked this girl. It sounded like they had a fair bit in common and it would definitely be fun to continue to hang out through the rest of the term. "Sound proof is ALWAYS good. I like to try to sing along with my pieces, but when I say I'm rubbish I am not being modest." She sounded like a cat dying, which is why it was not something she openly showed off to other people. "I might check out the music room as well though, see just how rusty I actually am." Chuckle. "What type of songs do you usually like to play? Classics or the more modern?"

Everyone was always so excited about the butterfly garden! It was a pretty relaxing place, especially in the springtime. They would definitely need to do some yoga there together at some point this year. "Oh wow, your sister plays Quodpot? I've never played before, but the idea of it honestly terrifies me!" What a bizarre sport. Why would anyone want to play a game with a ball that could explode in your face at any moment? She'd stick with Quidditch, thanks. "How come she's at Ilvermorny and you're here?" Maybe it was a situation like her own family. "I have two siblings. Archer is 21, and he went to Ilvermorny. And Amelia's 16. She goes to Beauxbatons. I can't believe that all of us ended up at different wizarding schools!" It was definitely odd to be the first Sinclair since her father at Hogwarts. A lot of her classmates had older siblings to show them around or give them tips about classes and secrets. Avalon had to figure out everything out on her own. But there were definitely some perks to it - like how she always has fascinating new stories to tell whenever she went home.

"Yeah, you should definitely check it out when you get a chance," Avalon said in reference to the music room. "When I took lessons, all they ever taught me were these boring classical pieces. So I prefer to play more modern songs now, although I can't deny that some of the classics are beautiful." And the fact that she was pretty good at playing them, thanks all the hours her mum made her practice sonatas and concertos. The modern ones took much more time to learn, but they were definitely more fun to play.

Kimberly chuckled, nodding her hand in agreement with Avalon. Quodpot was not her favorite either. She could be convinced to attempt a family game of Quidditch, but not Quodpot. "Honestly, I'm with you there. It looks terrifying. She loves it though. And from my very little understanding, she's good." Unless that was her Amstern bias coming out. But probably not, Lu HAD mentioned scouts trying to approach her. She tilted her head and smiled at the question, "Honestly? Quodpot is the biggest reason. Lucy was given the option as well of transferring, but she preferred to stay with her team." She shrugged slightly, not really all that disappointed even if she missed Lu the tiniest bit. "I have a younger brother school aged too though. He transferred this year as well, second year Slytherin." Two siblings? And both who had gone to different schools? That was definitely wild! "Do you mind my asking why you all went to a different wizarding school?" She was merely curious.

K nodded, giving a small giggle when she mentioned that she mainly learned classics in lessons. That usually seemed to be the trend. "It seems they do like to focus on the classical staples, but modern can be fun since it's so different." She stretched herself back out on the grace again for a moment, just enjoying the sun on her skin. "I hear that it can get really... rainy here. How rare are days like today?"

Ah, okay. It seemed like a lot of students picked schools based on sports. But she understood. If Avalon had been playing with a team for awhile, she didn't think she'd want to leave them. She hadn't met Kimmie's brother yet, but she was sure she'd run into him sometime this term. "Yeah, it's certainly a little unusual for us to all go to different schools. But my siblings decided to go to the schools where they were born. Archer was born in New York, and Amelia was born in Paris. My mum also went to Beauxbatons, so she really wanted at least one of us to go there. By the time I was born, they'd moved back to England, so it was Hogwarts for me!" Not that she was complaining. After spending a term at Beauxbatons, Avalon was positive that Hogwarts was the right school for her.

As far as the rain, well, Kimmie was in for it. "Yeah. Once fall and winter roll around, it rains a lot of the time. We get some sunny days here and there, but it can get pretty dreary around here." Rain wasn't something that particularly bothered her, but Avalon always enjoyed the sun when it wanted to come out to play. "But the professors are really good about making it more bright in the castle. Sometimes, they'll place warming or light charms in their classrooms to make things a bit more cheerful!"

Picking school by place of birth definitely made sense, crazy and fun how spread out her siblings had been though at time of entrance into the world. "That's definitely fun! Sounds like your parents have also got to live in a lot of really cool places." New York and Paris particularly made sense considering her Mum was in the fashion business. "I get that, wanting on of your kids go to your Alma Mater. Both of my parents were Hogwarts students, so while we are farther away, I think they're secretly pleased 4 out of 5 of their kids decided to go to Hogwarts. And 3 out of 5 have been in the same house my Dad was in when he was a student here." The Hufflepuff blood ran strong in the Amstern genes, apparently.

She couldn't refrain from letting out the groan at her new friend's words. Of course, it was going to actually end up raining a ton. To be fair, not that Alaska was that spectacular, but at least they still had a lot of sunny days -- even if it was kind of cold. And besides, she used every excuse she could to visit her friends at the beaches in California anyways. "I mean, I guess they at least try to make it a little cheerier.." She wondered for how many of the transfers though that it might actually work.

"Yeah, they really got to see a lot of the world! Between my dad's job at the Ministry and my mum's magazine stuff, they lived in some cool places." Avalon was definitely a little jealous that she never got the chance to live in New York or Paris. Not that she regretted growing up in the countryside, and she was lucky enough to live in London now, but it would have been cool to see some more of the world. "Oh wow, so your family has a bunch of Hogwartians!" Most of Avalon's dad's side of the family had gone to Hogwarts, too, but her mother's side were all Muggles.

Glancing down at her wristwatch, Avalon groaned. She figured that she should probably get back to the castle awhile before her next lesson. It was so beautiful outside, though - she wished she could stay in the courtyard soaking up the sunshine forever. "Ugh, I should get going. I've got Charms class in five minutes." She gave Kimmie a bright smile. "This was really fun, though. I'm glad we got to chat!" Yes, she could definitely see being good friends with this girl. "We'll have to get together again soon. Maybe for some yoga or something!" Avalon packed up her stuff, tucking everything neatly into her bag. "I'll see you around, Kimmie!" With a final wave, Avalon headed back toward the Charms classroom. If only they could have all their classes outside before the weather turned bad.

Frankly, it was the grass that attracted the third year. That was why when there was some free time, she brought along a blanket to sit upon, making sure that there was a clear view of the fountain. For once she tried to ignore any odd colour the sky may be. It was going to be just her, Samm and her sketching today. The sketching had been put on the back burner of recent since much homework and lesson related reading had to be completed but not today. Time was being made for her hobby.

“Don’t you go scurrying off too far, Samm.’’ Claudine eyed the rat fondly but a little sternly at the same time. “I’ve brought a little bread and butter pudding for you if you get hungry.” With that, she gave the rat a few pets on the head with two fingers before setting about getting busy with her art supplies.