I've returned, to great relief on Cascade Hall

Headmaster Brockert

May 18, 2014 11:50 PM

Returning Feast by Headmaster Brockert

Over midterm, there had been an ongoing investigation into a local charms research facility and quite frankly, Mortimer hoped the incompetent morons would get shut down. He expected his family would end up getting involved in it too. They always did. Clifford Brockert seemed to think he had to be in anything that happened on this side of the country.

However, for once, Mortimer did not truly mind the holidays, even with all their fake cheer. He didn't hate his employees and felt for the most part that they knew what they were doing in terms of their respective disciplines. It was just all the....togetherness of last semester. He had very much needed to be away from them before he completely lost it, which was not something Mortimer ever wanted to do. To have anyone see him show any emotion-not that it was something he normally had to put much effort into, as he was naturally unemotional-was unacceptable. He had to maintain the idea of a strong leader, even if he came across cold and unfeeling.

Once the students had settled in, the Headmaster adressed the crowd. "Welcome back to Sonora. I would like to thank the prefects and Head Students, and anyone who stepped up last semester." Really, he was just surprised that Sonora was still standing. Kids and even young adults-and even some full adults-were not known to be responsible. Mortimer had even come back over the break just to check everything over again to make sure. "They are to all recieve a special award for their special service to the school." It felt incredibly awkward and uncomfortable to give people praise, being that it was not something that he was used to doing. However, said students had been invited to sit at a special table in front of the staff's.

"This year's Midsummer activity will be the bonfire. Details to follow." Mortimer announced. He felt they should go ahead with the usual festivities, even though he was not, by any means, a festive person. However, this would hopefully raise morale. If the students were happy, that meant fewer angry parents-even though it wasn't the school's fault-and that meant a happier Board.

"For those of you worried about CATS and RATS, two options have been negotiated. You may choose to either sit your exams open book and use your notes or if you wish, you may go to summer school to finish catching up and sit normal, closed book exams at the end of it."

He sat back down, releasing them to their meals and idle chatter, having said all that was of any value to say. Mortimer did not address the investigation or last term's situation beyond what he'd said. He was not the one who had to do the explaining for that one.

Subthreads:

Avoiding reality for a bit. by Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus with Jade Owen, Cepheus Princeton

Returning for the last time. by Evan Brockert

Out of the frying pan... by Portia Dobson

In the home stretch. by Waverly Canterbury with Neeka Campbell, Waverly

My life stinks. by Eleanor Vandenberg with Tristan Spaulding, Nellie Vandenberg

Eating my weight in macaroni. by Ava Fletcher

An awkward return. by Alicia Bauer with Thaddeus Pierce, Thad

I've returned, to great relief by Willow Collins with Keme RunningBear, Keme

Here we go again by Anthony Carey VIII

Mixed sentiments by Jake Manger

11 Headmaster Brockert Returning Feast 6 Headmaster Brockert 1 5

Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus

May 19, 2014 4:18 PM

Avoiding reality for a bit. by Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus

The holiday had been gratifying if for no other reason than for all the attention that had suddenly been given to all three lads. Cepheus was used to being in the centre of it all, but Rupert received his unnatural share as did Leo, which the youngest did not appreciate nearly as much. With the holiday, however, came startling news. He was betrothed again, only this time to someone he had flirted with shamelessly the term before.

Ceph demanded his father to tell him every detail of it and how this betrothal was to help their family, wanting to know if his attraction had been merited in some sense. There was no way his family would have known about his chat with her at the beginning of the school year before Sonora shut down and the adults disappeared, and the coincidence shocked Cepheus more than anything. Lucrezia was evidently connected to more prestigious European families than the Princetons, and as a result the marriage would be advantageous for both sides. Not to mention she was gorgeous.

However, in returning to Sonora Cepheus was placed into an awkward situation. He had not decided to break things off with Theresa the term before because he did genuinely like her, but now he was betrothed and there was no hope for this betrothal to break off like the last. The difficulty of sharing the news of a betrothal to his girlfriend was an experience he had yet to acquire, and as he entered Cascade Hall, he almost felt as though he was walking into a death chamber. Cepheus headed straight for the Crotalus table, looking and waving only once at Theresa. He was in his last term at Sonora and yet this term was going to be the most difficult of all in more than one sense.

There was a load on his mind, but he, as usual, tucked it away, wondering where Lucrezia was. Did she know yet that they were betrothed? She ought to, if her family was as close as she had claimed. He listened carefully to the Headmaster's speech, almost glad for the comfort of academic structure, and wondered briefly if the Quidditch season would begin again and he could finally reclaim his position as captain for the rest of the term. Summer school for his R.A.T.S. was not an option, and Ceph much preferred having an open-book exam anyhow; why would any competent seventh year choose to continue their courses over the summer?

The food appeared and Cepheus didn't mind the others as he reached for the bread basket, needing to tear something into pieces before he could continue his evening with peace of mind. As long as he didn't speak to Theresa tonight he could pretend nothing was the matter. His large hand bumped into someone else's and he immediately withdrew, his light eyes rising to meet his neighbour's. "Excuse me," he said. "Go ahead."

0 Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus Avoiding reality for a bit. 0 Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus 0 5

Evan Brockert

May 19, 2014 5:51 PM

Returning for the last time. by Evan Brockert

Midterm had been nice, really. Almost the whole family had come together at his grandfather's ranch-at least the ones descended from his great-grandfather, though the whole family had gotten together for Valerie's wedding- because of last term's issues and his mother especially had been extremely worried and lavished him with attention. Evan knew that she was going to have a really hard time when he got married and moved out. There was, however, a year and a half at least before that happened. Granted, Arabella and even possibly Melanie would probably get married before he and Lucille did.

This term, the seventh year planned to restart the Art Club, in part at Willow's insistance. He had a feeling she wanted to take it over when he graduated. She seemed to want to throw herself into everything now and he had to admit, he was a little worried about her. Evan had practically had to drag her home for midterm. Even though she hadn't been going to her home and was understandably upset about that.

In fact, having Art Club again had been part of a bargain between them. Willow would leave school for midterm and it would start up. To be honest, she probably would be better than him at it. Granted, of course, Evan had the passion, but his organization skills were not the best. Which was why, other than occasionally somewhat watching the commons in a non-official capacity-in fact, he'd forgotten to sign the volunteering sheet for even that, which was why he did not feel he had the right to sit at the special table with Thad, Alicia, Henny and was now currently seating at the Aladren table as usual during feasts-he hadn't done much to help out. Evan kind of felt it was for the good of the school and so, had worked on his RATS stuff and his artwork and even looked up a bit about Occlumency. If Nora was going to be a Legilimens, then he was certainly going to do everything he could to prevent her from reading his thoughts. He was going to warn Lucille too.

He turned his attention to the Headmaster's speech despite his ever wandering mind. The Aladren grinned when the special awards were mentioned. The people who'd stepped up-and most of his year and housemates really had-completely deserved it. Evan was sure they'd be thrilled too. He was also glad to have the option to have an open book RATS. It would be better if he could use his notes. Of course, he was sure he'd do pretty well on the practical part. Fortunately, he'd never had much trouble picking up spells. He was also intrigued about the bonfire and curious about what was in store.

Announcements over, Evan turned to his food. Admittedly, he preferred the food at home, even though it was also cooked by house elves, but it was what he'd grown up with. In fact, he'd never, to his knowledge, had a meal cooked by humans and it was a bit of a foreign concept to him. Except that the seventh year had a feeling they'd only have semi-international fare if that was the case. That said, he was eating "Mexican" food tonight. "Can you please pass the tamales?" He asked the person next to him.

11 Evan Brockert Returning for the last time. 212 Evan Brockert 0 5

Portia Dobson

May 20, 2014 10:55 PM

Out of the frying pan... by Portia Dobson

Although Portia had wanted to throttle Oliver, she had enjoyed the holidays somewhat. Actually, she still wanted to strangle her bratty cousin, and had spent the entire first part of the year that way as well. This had been something more on her mind than the disappearance of the staff. Besides, they were back and he was still around.

And she was sort of glad to return too. Great-Grandfather's ranch was big and the Teppenpaw avoided Oliver the best she could, but here at school, she could go to her common room which was a place that he couldn't get to. Not that Portia lived in fear or anything but she could only take so much of certain people. Granted, Darina got on her nerves too, more because she thought she was a real fashion plate when she wasn't then her clothes offending Portia's eyes and the fashion world in general, but her roommate was still less of a thorn in her side than the first year was.

The Headmaster began to speak. She was happy for the prefects, Head Students and others who got the special award and table. Portia sort of wanted prefect herself, partially because she genuinely thought she was the best option for it in her year and house group and partially because she wanted to shove it in Oliver's face. Not that she knew what the other first year Aladrens were like but for the most part, she couldn't imagine anyone worse, who wasn't also a complete psychopath.

It wasn't really ego that made Portia think she should be prefect either, the other choices were awful.

She was a bit wary of the bonfire too. The third year had heard that in the past, that involved camping on the Quidditch Pitch. She was not the sort of girl who liked camping or the outdoors or any of that. Portia liked make-up and clothing. Parties. Pretty things. Not bugs and dirt, though at least the pitch was better than say, being out in the woods or something.

The Teppenpaw looked around the table once the speech was done, sighing inwardly. There just...weren't many people that she really wanted to talk to in her own house. She wasn't all that interested in sticking with family all the time and a good many of the Teppenpaws around her age were related to her. The only person she really could find in Teppenpaw that she had much interest in talking to was Charlie. Despite his background, they at least shared a common interest and he wasn't a jerk or delusional about it.

Portia selected her meal, a chicken dish, and began to eat, wishing someone decent would talk to her. If there was anyone around for that.

11 Portia Dobson Out of the frying pan... 262 Portia Dobson 0 5

Jade Owen

May 28, 2014 7:12 AM

Joining Your Cub by Jade Owen

The feeling of light euphoria and relief that Jade had experienced in coming to the Opening Feast in her final year was a faded memory; Jade's return after midterm was swathed in an entirely opposite set of emotions. She was - to put it bluntly - fed up, of just about everything. She had declined the invitation to sit on a separate table for the senior students who had helped out in the teachers' absence, and instead had chosen an empty seat in the Hall entirely at random. She wasn't sure whether she was more repulsed at being held up as a Good Example or just sharing space with Alicia and Thad, but it wasn't an eventuality that was going to give her an iota of satisfaction, so she passed it up easily, without consideration. She found herself, without planning it, next to Cepheus. She liked that he hadn't sat on Brockert's special table, either, not preening like a peacock in front of his undoubtedly numerous admirers. Jade liked him well enough anyway (when they weren't on their broomsticks) but this drew forth an ounce more admiration.

She didn't even have her usual appetite as the food arrived, and Jade reached simply for the bread basket. She barely held back a scowl as she knocked into Cepheus hand in the process, and his polite manners had the opposite effect than the one intended, she was sure, as this just irritated her further. "Oh for Merlin's sake," she huffed, grabbing whichever roll her fingers closed around first (it was brown, with poppy seeds on the top), before shoving the basket towards Cepheus. She took a small bite, and only then did she something mildly akin to remorse. Jade rolled her eyes. "I don't get on well with gentlemen," she said in a lighter tone, and this was the closest she would come to an apology.

It wasn't Cepheus' fault she was in a bad mood; her midterm holiday - filled with Josephine being fat and miserable, James being over-worked and underpaid, and her parents being proud of Jade for helping out at Sonora before midterm (they had been visibly surprised when they realised she had tried to assist the Head students, rather than rebelling against them, and Jade still wasn't sure what to make of that) - would have been sufficient to make most people irate, then there were the looming RATS and the culmination of her academic career to worry about, too. She might have been slightly less aggrieved, however, were it not for Jorge. He had always had the singular ability to frustrate Jade more than any other person on the planet, but they'd been friends, hadn't they? She'd thought so. Maybe he thought so, too, because he'd sent a gift that he'd had to know would be the most expensive item in Jade's possession, and yet it had seemed so ... final. She hadn't replied to the letter yet, because she couldn't think of anything suitably vicious and scathing to write, but she was wearing the earrings, in the only piercing hole in her left ear, and in the front of three holes in her right. She wasn't sure she'd ever worn proper jewellery before, but if she was going to start, then Snitch earrings at one of the more formal school occasions didn't seem too large a leap.

0 Jade Owen Joining Your Cub 221 Jade Owen 0 5

Cepheus Princeton

May 29, 2014 4:08 PM

You'd be the first cub in my sleuth. by Cepheus Princeton

Jade sat at his table, odd firstly because she wasn’t a Crotalus, and secondly because he rarely interacted with her off the pitch. It seemed to be only a coincidence that he was near her seat; she hardly acknowledged him as the Headmaster spoke and Cepheus followed her lead.

He didn’t know what to think of her, really, except that perhaps she tried a little too hard to be so blatantly different from others. She had, to his knowledge, helped a bit with organising last term’s fiasco, but she refused to sit at the separate table as he had. His decision to avoid the table was based on his lack of assistance, though he had tried to be the emotional support for Alicia whenever she needed it. Jade’s decision was most likely because she refused to conform to the system. Witches like Jade, from what Ceph could surmise, liked to be in control of their situations, and that was enough for Cepheus to respect her, if not for her Quidditch prowess.

Her reaction to his manners surprised him initially, but Cepheus simply smirked in his attempt to hide his amusement as he reached for a plain roll after her. “I’ll make sure to keep that in mind,” he replied as he ripped off a piece and buttered it. “Had a pleasant holiday, then?” he asked, slightly sarcastic, before popping the portion into his mouth, refraining from tearing his roll into pieces as he had originally planned. Jade would serve as a nice distraction.

Cepheus could never quite understand why she approached him as she did. They hardly had much in common except Quidditch, and even there Jade was a much bigger fanatic than Ceph was. She was the sort of witch Cepheus never would have actively sought a friendship with. Jade was certainly different, and while Ceph liked the somewhat standard witches he surrounded himself with, i.e. Theresa, Lucrezia, and Alicia, he did like a little spice.

He noticed then that she was wearing earrings; Cepheus couldn’t remember ever seeing Jade with jewellery on unlike the other witches of their year. Snitch earrings were spot on for her personality and obsession with the sport, he thought, though he didn’t bother commenting as he would have with anyone else. There had to be a reason for her to wear those and Cepheus wasn’t in the mood for a tirade about family matters or some torrid love affair or other. Instead, daring to wind her up a bit more, he picked up the plate with slabs of salmon on it and offered it to her, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly in a subtle smirk. “Care for some fish?” The devious little streak wasn’t a trait found only in Leo; all three Princetons had some amount of mischief in their blood.

40 Cepheus Princeton You'd be the first cub in my sleuth. 216 Cepheus Princeton 0 5

Waverly Canterbury

May 31, 2014 7:44 PM

In the home stretch. by Waverly Canterbury

The mad rush to send in college applications as soon as she stepped into the apartment had paid off, and Waverly had successfully applied to five different colleges around the world. They were all magical universities and Waverly was hoping desperately that she got into at least one or two. There weren’t too many varieties of schools for higher education in the wizarding world, but Waverly didn’t think the competition was nearly as fierce as it was in the muggle world—it was still odd calling it the “muggle” world when to her that was the only world she had known growing up. The waiting process would be torture, but Waverly was pleased that the first part had been done with. The acceptances and rejections would be sent home to Phoenix, but she had made her mom promise to send it straight to her without opening it. Now began the waiting game, but Waverly tried not to think about it too much.

Last term she had acted as the tutor for any younger years; she had set up regular hours in the library and helped her peers with Charms, COMC, and Transfiguration. The Baking Club hadn’t been up and running since the whole term had been a little crazy and she didn’t want anyone burning things or starting fires without some kind of authority figure around. Waverly had kept up with her own studying too, making sure people were sane, and keeping people in line especially in her common room with quiet hours and all. It had been a good test of her Prefectship which she had risen to wonderfully. Her sister, on the other hand, was not nearly as good at it, but it was only her first year as Prefect anyway.

There was a separate table for the people who had helped out last term, and Waverly was proud to be acknowledged along with her peers. She was slightly embarrassed to be sitting in front of everyone and in front of the staff table, but she had accepted the invitation anyway. Waverly thought Thad and Alicia really deserved an award for keeping the school together as well; they had been quick in organizing everything and she was impressed by their efficiency. Last term had challenged everyone’s position and she thought most of them had done a pretty good job with it. After all, the school was indeed still standing.

The case with RATS was a little tough. Waverly did want to take the RATS fair and square like all the seventh-years before her, but she didn’t want to attend school during the summer. By then she might want to take a summer college class depending on where she was going to be in the fall. She still had some time to think about it, but she was leaning more towards the open-book option just so she could end school at the same time as everyone else. The fact that she was going to leave Sonora forever in just a few months hadn’t hit her yet.

Once Headmaster Brockert was finished with his speech, Waverly started to put food onto her plate. She wanted to eat a little healthier and get back to her room to start planning out the Baking Club schedule. She would be passing the presidency on to someone else next year, if people still wanted it around, and she thought elections, depending on how many people were willing to take it on, seemed most fair. The thought of leaving all of her responsibilities as club president, Prefect, and Library Monitor made her a little depressed, but she tried to ignore it.

This term was going to be so strange. Jorge wasn’t coming back; he’d already moved on and she sincerely hoped they did keep in contact over the years. The gift he’d sent her was absolutely perfect and she planned to use the apron and oven mitts during Baking Club meetings. Still, she was a tiny bit mad at him for just up and leaving without telling anyone; she could understand that he hadn’t known, but it still wasn’t fair for him to say his goodbyes through mail—when was she ever going to go to Italy? She highly doubted they would bump into each other any time soon, if ever again, and the thought of not seeing someone who had been a constant presence in her life for the past seven years ever again was really depressing. As if he could remedy that slight with a nice letter and a lovely pair of cooking-wear.

Waverly wasn’t really angry about it, just a little sad. This was how it was going to be. Everyone was going to move on and she would too. Leaving people and people leaving her was a foreign concept to the Arizona-born-and-bred witch. The friends she had grown up with still lived in her neighborhood, and even if she didn’t talk to them constantly, she still knew they existed and she bumped into them once in awhile where they exchanged hellos and small talk. Some of these people at Sonora, especially some of the international students, she might never see again, and she hated that feeling. She hated saying goodbye like this.

She guessed by this feeling that the fact that she was leaving was hitting her. Waverly tried to ignore it, not wanting to bring down the cheeriness of being back. She tried to distract herself by people-watching from her spot. Her appetite wasn’t really there anymore, but she put some bread and cheese on her plate anyway. It would be a good snack if nothing else.

19 Waverly Canterbury In the home stretch. 218 Waverly Canterbury 0 5

Eleanor Vandenberg

May 31, 2014 7:55 PM

My life stinks. by Eleanor Vandenberg

It was official. Her life was the worst. Eleanor had spent all of last summer in California near the beach and in the same house as her mom’s relatives, otherwise known as the Chinese side of Nellie’s family. Eleanor quickly found that she hated the beach—it was so dirty and messy and improper—and she hated her Chinese cousins. Jay and Mason were two terrors who loved to pull pranks on her and make fun of her. Jay was two years older, so Nell couldn’t understand why he picked on her, and Mason was the stupid nine-year-old who liked to torment her just because. Nellie had used to wish for siblings to fill her lonely house, but now she was glad she didn’t have any. The worst part was no one would tell her why she was out in California without her parents. Her mom had stayed for a month before going back to England without her. Nellie had refused to write her parents during that time out of spite, and in exchange wrote countless letters to Leo complaining about her situation.

Sonora was a horror when she came back. After day one, all the faculty and staff disappeared and Nellie hadn’t known what to do. She had followed Leo around a little, and then decided he was a bad influence and went to study in the library by herself. It was a lonely term and she wasn’t very good at making friends, not to mention she hadn’t been sure if she was ever going to see her parents again. It had made her a little sorry for not writing them over the summer, but only a little.

The winter holidays were equally terrible once all of the students were released. Again she had been sent to California alone and had been forced to spend Christmas in the heat of Los Angeles. Who’d ever heard of Christmas without snow or cold weather? Jay and Mason didn’t seem to miss it; in fact, they thought it crazy and hilarious when she asked if it snowed at all in Los Angeles. She hated those boys and hoped they never got married and died poor. Her mum had promised Nell that they would be spending the summer back in England and all would be explained, but until then mum's the word. Nellie hated being left out of the loop.

It was a relief to be back at Sonora even though she missed her parents dearly. She wanted to see familiar faces of people that she actually liked. Leo was her only friend still at this place, and Nellie really wanted to make more. So instead of sticking to Leo’s side as she would have normally, she actually made an effort to sit somewhere else to try and make conversation happen. She wasn’t shy; her problem was she complained a lot (only because there was so much to complain about). Nell wanted to make friends, girl friends, and she did want to complain about how terrible her mother’s family was, but apparently in making new friends she couldn’t say all that was on her mind right away.

The Crotalus table was full of respectable people and Nellie was thankful for that. She didn’t think she could handle talking to muggle-borns; a lot of them were so weird or uneducated. Her roommate was, on the other hand, very quiet, and Nellie didn’t like thinking she talked too much. Maybe once they were in their dorm she would try to yank words out of her.

The Midsummer Bonfire sounded smoky and Nellie wasn’t sure how she felt about it. It didn’t sound horrendous, and she didn’t mind it. Maybe once the event actually came about she would mind it more, but for now it seemed like a fun activity. Better than preparing for a concert while keeping up with her schoolwork, anyway. Once Headmaster stopped talking, she started putting some green beans on her plate and looked for some chicken to go with it. Once she was satisfied with her plate, she smiled at the person she was sitting across from before cutting into her food. “How was your holiday?” she asked. “Looking forward to being back after the whole incident last term?”

19 Eleanor Vandenberg My life stinks. 266 Eleanor Vandenberg 0 5

Ava Fletcher

June 04, 2014 1:11 AM

Eating my weight in macaroni. by Ava Fletcher

Ava's return to Sonora after the holidays had been different from her previous ones. She was still excited to go back and see Dimitri but she also was extra reluctant to leave her grandfather alone. After the first half of the year having gone the way it did she had been put into an interesting dilemma. It made her realize that adults weren't always around and that one day all the adults that she knew and loved would one day disappear too- the majority of them were over sixty and Muggles weren't supposed to live much longer than that, the average was about 80 in her town. It was thoughts like these that had made her uneasy and extra worried about returning to Sonora. Papa had reassured her though that nothing was going to happen really and to stop worrying. Besides, he had reasoned, now that the authorities had solved last semester's problem they would probably be alert for any malfunctions this semester and be watching the school more than usual. That had been the push she needed however, as she sat at the table for this Returning Feast, she looked a little but more downcast than she had in the past.

Even her mother's promise to take her along on the next trip to the Himalayas was not enough to brighten her mood. There had been so many broken promises by Charlotte that Ava didn't quite know if she could trust the woman now. She was a little encouraged by the scolding she knew her Papa would give Charlotte if this promise was broken but was on the fence as to whether the trip was going to happen or not. Ava figured she'd find out at the end of the school year if it was going to happen or not but she'd have to wait until then. In previous years Ava would have spent every night dreaming of traveling through the Nepalese region with only a backpack and her mother, taking pictures and painting in the evenings, meeting all kinds of new people and helping her mother treat illnesses as they went. Now, however, she knew better. After seven years of disappointments she knew better.

Ava shook her head to clear it of such thoughts and began to pay attention to the Headmaster's speech- or what was left of it anyway. It was a little odd and stilted, but mentions of a bonfire sounded promising and was enough to make Ava smile a little bit more as she tucked some hair behind an ear and began to tuck into her dinner. She had thoughtlessly piled her plate high with macaroni and cheese leaving healthy, balanced meals in the dust and she knew that in the morning she would be regretting it later. Her mother and grandfather had always insisted that she eat balanced meals and up until tonight she had listened- for the most part. Binge eating her feelings in macaroni seemed like the appropriate response the mood she was in though and so she disregarded the nagging voice that told her she would feel crappy in the morning.

"Mmm," she closed her eyes blissfully, indulging in the cheesy, gooey goodness before her. Whoever had invented this dish ought to be honored heavily, perhaps even knighted. According to Emrys Lucan in her year it had been invented during the days of Camelot to aid in digestion* so it was entirely possible that this had happened. She made a mental note to herself to ask him about that later in the common room. Over the last semester they had chatted a few times and she had found his interest in Camelot to be an intriguing point of discussion.

*OOC: Emrys Lucan is my other character and since it would be silly to write myself back and forth somewhere I've decided that during the last semester they talked in the Aladren common room and in the library a couple times. They're in the same year and the same house so it only made sense to me that this would be the case.

10 Ava Fletcher Eating my weight in macaroni. 258 Ava Fletcher 0 5

Alicia Bauer

June 10, 2014 3:33 PM

An awkward return. by Alicia Bauer

There was too much food, and no matter how many times she reminded herself the crisis and her responsibility for what was on the table were over, the sight of it all made Alicia uneasy. She could look over her shoulder from the special table (hard not to do; she didn't like them being there, watching the back of her head) and see the teachers, look at the other students and gather thing were close to back to normal, but the presence of a feast was still...jarring. She’d started thinking of the dressing down the idiot who’d authorized this extravagance was going to receive and the term of self-punishment she was going to set the elves for being stupid enough to follow the direction before she remembered the kitchens were now out-of-bounds for her and that such a display would make people think she was out of her mind if the teachers were still here tomorrow morning. Before that, her first thought during Brockert's speech had been that he was out of his mind if he really thought she was going to permit a bonfire on the grounds before realizing that for one thing, if nothing else happened, they would have access to safety resources in June and that for another, her permission didn’t really count for much anymore anyway. She had been back an hour and the dissonance of that kind of thing had already come up enough that she expected to spend a lot of the next few months very irritated.

That last one, admittedly, was a particularly sharp bone in her throat. She fingered the edge of her robe and tried for an extra-bright smile.

She had been rehearsing variations on I am no longer in charge, it is no longer my problem for weeks, trying to get used to the idea, but it wasn’t sticking. Any trust she’d ever had for the staff had evaporated by her birthday, and now, she almost wanted to put them back in their box. The only thing to do, though, was keep smiling, lest someone more important than her father suggest she see a doctor. No one could make her now, but Momma, at least, had devoted the past few weeks to letting Alicia know she could still at least cause her problems. Alicia had had to bring up her age before Momma stopped insisting she could tell Alicia whether or not she could come back to school, and even that hadn’t stopped attempts to persuade her not to on the basis that Momma knew better than she did.

Momma had surprised her, really, keeping it up as long as she did, even to the hour Alicia left again. Usually her mother was the easiest to extract whatever she wanted from. Alicia had been a little impressed, though more busy worrying about why Jeremy always sat back and watched the arguments as though they were tennis matches. The only comment he’d ever made about anything was to remind her that he could probably have even her mother’s will changed if she ever annoyed him enough to make him really want to.

Parents, she thought. Worse than teachers. It was enough to make her understand why some people would want to leave and try to make their own way, though she thought it was too impractical to try it out herself.

Don't think about it now. She took a few bites of her supper with more enthusiasm than she really felt. "This is a pleasant improvement," she remarked to one of the others, then took a sip of her pumpkin juice, making a face against the rim of the glass before putting it down again. It was almost cloyingly sweet, and she wondered if anyone would object if she Vanished it and replaced it with some cider.

16 Alicia Bauer An awkward return. 210 Alicia Bauer 0 5

Thaddeus Pierce

June 13, 2014 12:03 PM

Either making things better or making them much worse by Thaddeus Pierce

Thaddeus walked up to the special table reserved for the upper years who had helped out over the last term. During the course of that walk, he checked, not once, but four times that the staff were actually seated where they should be. Though they disappeared over night after the Welcoming Feast, he couldn't quite shake the premonition that this Returning Feast might herald another vanishing act and he wanted to know the moment he and Alicia were in charge again to prevent the confusion at the beginning of last term.

They were still there when Thad sat down beside Alicia, and they were still there when the food - the volume was jarring after last term's rationing but it was truthfully the variety that still took him by surprise; many of the ingredients on display tonight had run out by the beginning of December - appeared. Avoiding the foods he'd seen too much of last term, he filled his plate with perishables that the Sonora grounds did not produce themselves.

"I agree," he confirmed when Alicia declared the current circumstances a pleasant improvement. "And welcome back," he added. Almost unconsciously, he turned his head to check the staff table again. Still there. "I don't think I'll trust that it's permanent until I see a professor tomorrow, though."

He thought about asking her which RATS option she was going to go for - with the cutoff from the outside world, they had missed the best window for college applications, so he was thinking he might stick around for the summer, travel a bit next year, then start university the following year. However, before he asked that, he did have another question he thought might hold a bit more weight and may alter her RATS plans. Plus, he had thought of little else since returning home back before Christmas and he wasn't sure how much trivial conversation he could handle before he just blurted it out.

Thaddeus looked around to make sure nobody else was listening and lowered his voice as he ventured, "I spoke to my family this midterm. I told them I would like to seek your hand. The last time I did that, they discovered an unfortunate relative in your ancestry and said no, but that was before we ran a school together. This time I was given provisional approval. It may cost me the patriarchy, but Grandmother will probably outlive all of us anyway, and if she doesn't, it's got to go through Derwent and Father, and possibly Marcus, first, so it may not matter and will give us plenty of time to prove ourselves and wrangle our way back ahead of Wesley in the heir ranks. I just need to know if that's something you want before we start betrothal arrangements with your stepfather?"

0 Thaddeus Pierce Either making things better or making them much worse 0 Thaddeus Pierce 0 5

Tristan Spaulding

June 13, 2014 11:12 PM

I'm sorry to hear that. by Tristan Spaulding

Tristan had spent the entire midterm just surrounded by family, which made perfect sense all things considered. He'd gone to see both his paternal and maternal sides Of course, when it came to the latter, there had been two exceptions. After all, it was supposed to be a happy holiday.

Aside from getting more presents than usual, it had honestly been a little dull. Really, all holidays were basically the same, it just happened to be the ones who'd been at school were fussed over more than usual because of last term's incident. And Tristan already had a tendency to be fussed over by his parents and his father's family. Not that he especially minded. It was just that the Crotalus needed things that were action packed and that was just not midterm. He couldn't even use magic, even if some flying was involved. Other than that, and the presents, it was just so...mundane and Tristan hated mundane. If he wasn't doing something, he was bored . Not even just Quidditch-which he would have preferred-but anything . He honestly didn't understand how Muggles could live such a bland life. Oh, he could recognize that it wasn't their fault, but magic was just...superior. While he wasn't as lazy as Amity-Tristan wasn't sure that was even possible for him, he had way too much energy-it did make one's life easier. Maybe he could continue with that fencing thing too, despite only Arabella being a formidable opponent.

He took a seat near Nellie as the Headmaster began speaking. People who had taken charge in the staff's absence were given credit for it. The traditional Midsummer event-the bonfire-would procede as usual and being a third year, CATS and RATS this year didn't really apply to him yet. Tristan was just glad that Headmaster Brockert didn't feel the need to go on and on. Otherwise, it would just get boring. He couldn't imagine listening to someone for an extended period of time. Classes were bad enough and he much preferred practical ones, especially DADA, which the Crotalus seemed to have a knack for. Maybe if he wasn't allowed to play Quidditch, he could take up dueling instead. Of course, he had a certain honor code that just wouldn't allow him to duel girls-except perhaps Arabella who could more than hold her own. And naturally, Carrie was fair game.

Maybe he could start a Dueling Club-and if Tristan couldn't get permission, maybe it could be an underground thing. Now how to get the word out?He needed people that he could trust and a bit to his chagrin, he didn't exactly have tons of friends. But who didn't like throwing hexes at each other? Still, he couldn't imagine who he'd invite.

How was your holiday? Looking forward to being back after the whole incident last term?”

Tristan looked towards Nellie who had spoken. "I suppose it was all right. Just a little dull. I mean, with what happened last term, everyone wanted to have the whole family reunite, at least grandparents, aunts, uncles and first cousins." He had lots of extended family so he often felt the need to specify. "How about yours?" Tristan asked. It honestly didn't occur to him that hers hadn't been too great and this all just seemed like normal back to school conversation to him.

11 Tristan Spaulding I'm sorry to hear that. 264 Tristan Spaulding 0 5

Willow Collins

June 14, 2014 1:46 PM

I've returned, to great relief by Willow Collins

It had been a whole year, though when she really thought about it, Willow couldn't honestly say that she was that surprised. Other than that, she had no idea what was going on with Autumn aside from that she must be pretty sick yet, otherwise the Crotalus alumna would be home.

And midterm had just plain sucked. Not only was her sister not there obviously, but neither were her parents, who quite obviously needed to be with Autumn, even though Lily and Anthony were there. It was just that even with her eldest sister present, who did everything she could to spend time with Willow, it didn't seem right to her. All that holiday spirit when she had none. She hadn't wanted to go, Evan had dragged her and she'd gone along with it so long as he restarted the Art Club. The Teppenpaw needed it. She hoped the Book Club would resume as well. She'd even join baking and fashion and in the case of the former, people of her social status did not cook or bake. Though Autumn had a tendency to plan elaborate meals-and not eat them or at least not very much of them.

The fourth year just needed distraction any way she could get it. She didn't need to be perfect at said activities, she just needed them to get her mind off things. She wondered if Jade Owen would start the Horse Club up again too. Willow would do just about anything to not think of her troubles. She didn't want to think about how Autumn was likely still completely emaciated and riddled with health problems. Plus, that would turn her into a downer and then nobody would want to be around her. Nobody wanted to be an outcast and she had heard certain cautionary tales about what would happen if she was negative and mopey all the time. Not that she didn't have better reasons than those people.

Willow barely even listened to the Headmaster's speech. She was a fourth year so she wasn't getting any special award and wasn't take CATS or RATS this year, though she'd studied just a little for the former. It was something to do. Something to distract her. And she already knew that this year was the bonfire. Having lots of older relatives that attended or had attended Sonora, she knew the cycle. Last year was the concert, therefore, this time it was the bonfire-and if the staff needed help planning it, she'd be right there volunteering her time. The fouth year had gone from almost total apathy to wanting to distract herself in the worst way possible. She couldn't bare to think of certain things anymore.

Despite not being all that hungry, she filled her plate with food anyway. She would not go down that path. Willow had to retain a normal weight and she would eat a reasonable amount whether or not she truly had an appetite. She didn't want people worrying about her too. They had enough to be concerned about.

She heard a voice speak to her. "Pardon?" Willow asked. She really hadn't been paying that much attention. Besides, for all she knew, the voice was speaking to someone else. In which case, she'd feel kind of silly.

11 Willow Collins I've returned, to great relief 253 Willow Collins 0 5

Keme RunningBear

June 14, 2014 6:44 PM

I've returned with trepidation. by Keme RunningBear

Keme still didn’t know what to make of everything that had occurred last term. He was rather grateful to not be in a year where he would have to take his CATS exams or RATS exams. He felt that they were at a complete disadvantage from other schools and he doubt that the boards administering the aptitude tests would be any less strict or severe on Sonora students just because of what happened. Keme’s skills might be lacking as a result of what happened, but he had over a year to get it up to par before he had to take any government tests to prove his abilities and understanding.

Having been able to go home for Midterm had been nice. His parents were relieved that he was unhurt during his time here without supervision and that there had been no issues regarding his peers while they were away. Keme was actually more surprised than they had been by the lack of chaos that had occurred during those months. He expected something more than just a silly little prankster to happen. The Chief hadn’t seemed too angry over the whole ordeal. He had stated the authorities had done their best to resolve the issue, but they should have been aware of the situation sooner and worked harder for the end result. He was just not impressed overall by anything that happened outside their lands. For now, Keme would continue his education at Sonora; however, if the school were to fail again, they would pull Keme from it.

KoKo had come home for Christmas as well. It was fun having her home for the holidays and she had been excited to see that Keme made it home safely. Since she was in design school, she had made items of clothing as gifts. Keme’s was a tee shirt. It was the color of Aladren. He would wear it on occasion during the weekends just to please his sister. She had also made a fashion scarf for him to give to a friend. She didn’t state anyone in particular but that was probably because Keme did not particularly have friends. The scarf was of cotton and looped in a circle. He forgot the actual name of this type of scarf, but it was definitely made for a girl. Unless there was a boy who would wear something with yellow flowers on it, not counting Charlie, who was not a friend or someone he really ever discussed with his sister for her to know anything about him. There was only one person that he thought would be okay with him randomly giving them a gift, but he wasn’t really sure the best way to explain it was.

Coming back to school made him a little anxious. He was sure that they had fixed whatever issue it was that had the staff missing for several months, but that wasn’t to say everything was completely okay now. When he entered into the hall and saw the staff in their places, he felt a little bit relieved, but not completely. Everything had happened the following day after the Welcoming Feast. He’d feel better tomorrow evening when everything had ended for the day and nothing had gone wrong.

He sat at the Aladren table and frowned his way through the Headmaster’s speech. Obviously, not everyone was a talker, Keme himself was not a talker, but he had higher expectations of the Headmaster. There was just… nothing in his address to his students. Nothing. No explanation and no ‘thanks for not defiling the school’. He was the absolute opposite of personable and Keme had no idea how he managed to obtain such a title. His Grandfather said the world outside the lands ran off the pockets of the rich and not for the rights of the people. Keme was starting to understand that now. It made him uneasy.

Once the speech was completed and everyone could do as they pleased, Keme left the Aladren table and found a spot next to Willow. He greeted her politely, but her reaction showed she had not been paying attention. “I said good evening, Willow.” Keme replied with a smile. My sister made this and advised I should give it to a friend.” He told her, placing the small box where the scarf was neatly folded inside down on the table between them. It occurred to him after the fact that Willow might not wear such items and find the gift useless. “It’s okay if you don’t like it. I won’t tell her.” Keme added to please Willow in case she felt torn between lying or not to him. “How was your Midterm?” He never knew if it was polite to ask about holidays as he was not sure what people celebrated, so asking a vague question regarding their break seemed easier.

6 Keme RunningBear I've returned with trepidation. 249 Keme RunningBear 0 5

Nellie Vandenberg

June 14, 2014 10:00 PM

At least I'm still pretty. by Nellie Vandenberg

Eleanor was jealous that Tristan's family had wanted to reconvene. Her dad obviously didn't care enough about her to want to see her over the holidays. "That sounds dull," Nellie replied, envious. Christmas dinner had been a God-forsaken ordeal with her mother's extended family sans her mother. She didn't know what she was being punished for, but Nell certainly didn't deserve it.

"Holidays are overrated," she replied, frowning. "As long as I get presents I'm happy and I hardly received any this Christmas. My parents thought sending gifts through the post would suffice. As if that would make up for all that they did to me. They left me to spend the holiday in California with my mum's family and my cousins are not nice people. I hate those boys and I hate California. Did you know it doesn't snow there? Awful!" Nellie wished she could go back to England. Though she didn't enjoy the cold all the time, she did like the snow, and it was unfair that even that had been taken away from her.

Nellie was tempted to continue ranting about the unfairness and how awful boys were and what a terrible and dirty city Los Angeles was, but she held her tongue--a feat for her--and reminded herself that she wanted to make friends. She knew Tristan from classes, and while he wasn't a girl she could gossip about boys with, Tristan was still a potential friend.

Her grandfather had once told her a strange analogy about fishing and purebloods, one that Nellie at the time hadn't understood. She still didn't completely understand her grandfather's adoration for such a boring hobby, but the analogy had become clearer with age. Patience, determination, and a pretty face were necessary for the catch. She smiled at him.

"Do you have any plans for this term? Are you finally going to join the Quidditch team?" He was the only wizard who didn't seem to be into Quidditch in their year; even Leo had joined. Tristan didn't seem like the sissy, nerdy type either so Nell couldn't understand why he wasn't partaking in the sport. Maybe he wasn't a team player, a sentiment she understood very well.

0 Nellie Vandenberg At least I'm still pretty. 0 Nellie Vandenberg 0 5

Jade

June 15, 2014 2:29 AM

Is that a mixed metaphor? by Jade

As Cepheus continued to insist on opening his mouth and allowing sounds to spew forth from it, Jade was starting to regret her decision to not pay any to where she would sit. When he asked about her summer with no small amount of cheek, Jade was sorely tempted to throw her bread roll at him. The fact that she didn't, however, demonstrated that she might have matured some in the past seven years, after all. Jorge ought to be proud. But no, he's not even here, the cowardly... Oh wait, she wasn't thinking about that.

"Yeah, it was great," Jade replied to Cepheus with so much false enthusiasm she almost sounded genuine. Almost. "I bought a racing broom, tried out for the national team, rose to global fame in a few short weeks and have now retired to rest on my laurels." There was no point being sarcastic if you didn't put your heart and soul into it.

She picked a little more at her bread, and only bothered to raise a scathing eyebrow when Cepheus politely offered her the fish. Was he teasing her? Had he never heard the expression about not antagonising animals that could bite your arm off? On the other hand, she had yet further admiration for Cepheus that he would do such a thing. Was he just crazy, or did he have as little enthusiasm for tedium as she did? Perhaps that was why he created drama with the classier girls in their yeargroup. Hmm. "I happen to be a vegetarian," Jade said levelly, rather than using food as ammunition to strike her verbal assailant.

Finishing her bread, Jade was feeling marginally less mutinous, and perhaps even sufficiently charitable to enter into conversation. It struck her that Cepheus might have mirrored her less-than-chirpy expression at the beginning of their interactions (although he seemed to be in better spirits now, so maybe she had imagined it?). In mock politesse, Jade asked, "I trust your summer was as good as mine; fame, glory and whatnot?"

0 Jade Is that a mixed metaphor? 0 Jade 0 5

Anthony Carey VIII

June 16, 2014 5:35 PM

Here we go again by Anthony Carey VIII

In the end, Anthony thought he was sitting down to dinner in the Cascade Hall with his classmates instead of with his family after a day full of private tutors mostly because Anthony the Fourth had spent the first few days after the New Year in bed with a chest cold. Mother had not wanted to let him go, but she saw as well as the rest of them that the last thing he or Father should do was seem weak, not when everyone was feeling unusually aware of the old man being as old a man as he was. The family would no doubt go through more than usual in-fighting once the Fourth did die, but that just meant they would need to look even more like they had their act together to the outside world, and like they weren’t afraid of anything, be it clouds or each other.

He wasn’t afraid, exactly, but he did watch the Headmaster a lot more closely than usual during Brockert’s speech, just to make sure he looked reasonably solid and not worried. Things had been…tense, strange, at home even after they were all satisfied that Anthony had not caught something which would kill him from the purple clouds, and he thought it might all boil over if he disappeared again.

Or maybe not. He had figured out quickly that he could deflect attention from himself by staying close to the twins, presenting the whole thing as a wacky adventure when his situation came up, and keeping Arnold’s mind as much as possible on the challenge of making Fae’s Christmas as pleasant as possible. He and Arthur had gotten more than one good laugh at their brother’s expense as Arnold’s ideas about appropriate gestures started getting more and more unusual, though he was a little disappointed that Arnold had never told them what exactly had happened in the end. Most likely something sappy and in good taste, considering how Arnold was about his wife, but Anthony had noticed that Arnold didn’t talk much about actual facts pertaining to their relationship.

That was probably just as well. Anthony had the vague idea that if he ever found out too much about that kind of thing before it was too late for him to do so, he’d be more than a little tempted to flee to the abandoned frozen lands of the north where no one would ever find him again, even assuming he survived frostbite long enough to know or care if they did. He didn’t really think he would, not for long; his heir’s education had given him a lot of skills, some of which he could even use to defend himself if he was in a very strange position someday, but how to live in the tundra wasn’t one of them. Better to just avoid knowing what being married was like until the deal was done.

When Brockert sat down again, Anthony spooned pasta onto his plate and made a bed of it for a piece of the grilled, spiced chicken. Sauces, spices, and proteins all, he had noticed over the holidays, tasted a lot better after they had become rare for a while, and even the extravagant, exotic dishes served up at the Fourth’s Christmas feast had not blunted the edge of his new apathy for vegetables. Maybe in a week or two. He smiled politely at one of his neighbors.

“Good evening,” he said, hoping it was, rather than a nervous, paranoid one, given how the school’s last feast had ended. “Would you pass that juice there to me, please?”

0 Anthony Carey VIII Here we go again 234 Anthony Carey VIII 0 5

Alicia

June 18, 2014 1:21 AM

They're more interesting now, anyway. by Alicia

Alicia smiled when Thad welcomed her back, but it faded a bit when he looked over his shoulder to check for the teachers. “I’m not sure I’ll trust it’s permanent until it’s no longer my problem,” she said, and her attempt to insert humor into her tone didn’t work as well as it might have. “Still, though, try not to look at them now. People will think you’re nervous.”

"I spoke to my family this midterm,” Thad began in a lower voice, and Alicia turned toward him to hear better, only to freeze when he continued with I told them I’d like to seek your hand, and when that was followed by a mention of a last time and an unfortunate relative….

She tried to think, but it was just too bizarre to account for, enough that she had to bite her tongue to keep from asking stupid rhetorical questions. Thad knew and didn't seem to care. In what universe did that happen? She'd been half-convinced she'd have to talk fast just to avoid being cursed until she had tentacles if she ever had to tell him, never mind doing anything to improve, or even maintain, the status quo....

It occurred to her that it could be a trick, meant to get her to confirm that said unfortunate relative existed. In that case, the whole thing was irrelevant. If it wasn’t a trick, though…well, what was the angle? Who, besides her and maybe either Cousin Wesley or, if he didn't succeed in taking Thad's place, Cousin Wesley's son benefited enough from this for Thad to want it and his family to permit it? It didn't make any sense.

Alicia realized he'd stopped talking and she was staring, not smiling, her attention fixed on his expression. “Sorry,” she said. “I’ve just spent two years trying to figure out how I’d ever…explain…so you didn't immediately try to curse me if you ever…if anything like this ever happened.” She felt a tiny bit bad about knowing she would have kept manipulating him right through her confession, but it was a very tiny bit. “And now you know anyway.”

She picked the juice up again just for something to do with her hands. “You never do bore me," she concluded, smiling a little ruefully. He had known for at least a year without her knowing he knew. She didn't know what it was, if he was just that good or if she was just so used to thinking of herself as the one with the most information that she had let something slip past her, but points to him either way. "And we’re compatible and we have similar goals. But….”

Coward. It's the best time, you won't crack in public. Just do it. “You’re sure?” she asked, then lowered her voice further yet, though she remembered at last to throw in a smile for the audience so people wouldn't think they were whispering over anything very important. “Never mind your cousins - it might take a few years, but we could handle them. But knowing…that? You've thought it through - how it might be for a while - and the fact I never mentioned it - " that part was the hardest to spit out, and she had trouble keeping her tone even - "and you're all right with that?”

16 Alicia They're more interesting now, anyway. 210 Alicia 0 5

Jake Manger

June 18, 2014 2:37 AM

Mixed sentiments by Jake Manger

Despite his status as a happy-go-lucky member of the yellow House, Jake returned to Sonora feeling a bit… blue. The lack of communication home his very first semester of his very first year had been a bit scary, but he at least had Arnold there, and Marcus too. (Carrie was also here, but somehow, her familiarity offered him no comfort.)

But upon returning home and finally being able to see his mom and step-dad and Ryan and Peyton, he had expected a stack of letters bearing his name. Sally had written to him every year when she was at Sonora, and frequently too. Jake knew she had gone off to find herself or something over the summer, but he thought she would at least keep in contact with him. She was his big sister; she always took care of him.

There was not a single letter waiting for him. Jake did not know what to do. Where was the big sister, admittedly stoic but not altogether robotic, who had always been there for him? Arnold was a great protector, and admittedly any child could easily have survived on just one sibling as wonderful as his brother, but Jake was spoiled. He had Sally to go along with Arnold, and he wanted things to stay as they were. Additional siblings had been fine, but nothing had prepared him for Sally’s absence.

Wherever she was, the Teppenpaw simply hoped she was happy. As much as he wanted her in his life, if being away would help her somehow, then he could deal. It was only a basic understanding, buried slightly beneath youthful longing, but it was something.

Now that the fear ever present in the first semester was passed and the faculty returned, Jake felt like he could focus on the actual goals of his education: learn things and make friends. A smile found him despite his troubles, his natural happy temperament overcoming circumstance, the eleven year old turned to one of his House mates. “Hi!” he greeted. “How was your midterm?”

12 Jake Manger Mixed sentiments 280 Jake Manger 0 5

Neeka Campbell

June 18, 2014 2:51 AM

How does it feel to be so close? by Neeka Campbell

She had wasted so much time.

Four and a half school years had come and gone. Her education would only last another two and a half years--unless she chose to attend a college, but that was something to worry about next year, not now--and what did she have to show for it? Nothing. Her grades were average. She did no activities. And she had no friends.

Somehow, the very first day at Sonora, normally outgoing and bubbly Neeka had tensed up, sealing herself off from her peers and never letting herself go. She was an extrovert; she liked people. So why was she so shy here, earning the adjective when she won the title nearly every year in the Year Book? She knew she had done it to herself, but having no friends at Sonora made her ever-grateful to leave when breaks arrived.

But with a semester of complete isolation, no postage to tie her back to Uncle Lukas, to where she belonged, the Pecari had, to an extent, broken down. She had never felt so utterly alone. Hence she vowed to herself now, after a holiday break with her uncle to clear her mind, to make friends and to push away the shy-girl image for once and for all. It was a promise she had made twenty times over throughout her Sonora years, but she really meant it this time.

The Pecari recognized a girl next to her as someone above her year, and while that probably did not make her the best candidate for friendship, what with the limited time, she decided to engage her anyway. The older girl looked to be staring off, and Neeka could not tell if this was in pain, disinterest, or what, but chose to act upon the worry that something might be wrong with her. With a bit of audible reluctance, Neeka inquired, “Uh, hey, are you okay?”

12 Neeka Campbell How does it feel to be so close? 244 Neeka Campbell 0 5

Thaddeus

June 18, 2014 10:15 PM

I don't mind interesting by Thaddeus

"Right," Thaddeus agreed when Alicia cautioned him against turning to look at the staff again. It immediately made him want to, one more time, just to be sure that they were still there, but he made himself refrain from doing so. He was not nervous, exactly, but he was still the Head Boy and did not want anyone to think he was unsettled about anything.

Well, at least, not anything about the professors.

As he finished talking and Alicia just sort of . . . stared . . . at him. For someone as skilled as Alicia normally was at keeping up a bright and calm public face, she was visibly, well, he supposed 'dumbfounded' seemed a good word. He wasn't quite sure what he had said that was so shocking either.

Okay, yes, that had been essentially a marriage proposal popped at her unexpectedly during dinner, so some surprise was fair enough, but she didn't seem particularly happy about it, which was not really a good sign and made him a bit nervous that he'd read her completely wrong for years.

When she did speak, he blinked a bit in surprise himself, having forgotten that he'd never told her he knew. He'd kind of thrown that secret into to the same category as he did Henny's parents. Something that was known, that was supposed to matter, but ultimately was never spoken of to retain good relations with people he liked and respected and had to live with for seven years.

He started to smile as she began to list his virtues - not boring (something he didn't hear too often but he was pleased she thought so), compatible, similar goals - but it faltered as she trailed the listing off with the word 'but'. He had to lean in as she dropped her voice to a lower volume than even he had used.

She questioned whether or not he had actually thought this through.

He suspected, through many unrealistic fairy tales and pieces of literature he had read in his life, that most women in this circumstance would want to hear that they were more important than all of the cons, that it wasn't even worth comparing and contrasting, that their feelings for each other trumped all. Alicia, however, he did not believe was one of them. Which was part of the reason why he liked her so much. Why he thought she might actually be a good person to bring into the Pierce family.

Alicia would want to know he wasn't being rash. He did feel mildly insulted that she thought he might not be living up to his Most Logical title, but their entire futures stood on the line here, so he supposed he could forgive her need to be certain.

"I'm sure," he confirmed. "I've known since third year," he admitted. "I assure you, I went through all of the pros and cons multiple times since then. At first the cons were ahead, then about even when I asked you to be my date for the ball, and now . . . Well, now I've seen you in a crisis and I would very much like it if I had you to accompany me in all future crises."

It was, perhaps, not the most romantic declaration of love ever uttered, but Thaddeus felt it was the best he was capable of. Emotions were not his strong suit and talking about them was even worse. He thought and hoped Alicia might understand what he meant, though.

And since it seemed to bother her, he added, "And I don't blame you for not mentioning it. I never did either. It's not exactly something that comes up in normal conversation. I'm sure I never told you Coach Pierce was my biological sister, either, and you don't hold that against me, do you? Everybody has awkward family relations they can't do anything about except pretend they don't exist." He felt sure - especially now that he knew she'd been trying to figure out how for two years - that she would have told him if it had ever become relevant.

0 Thaddeus I don't mind interesting 0 Thaddeus 0 5

Waverly

June 20, 2014 7:25 PM

Not as great as I thought by Waverly

There was a lot going on in Waverly's mind and she didn't really know what else to do except try to fight against it. She was only leaving, not dying, and who knows? She might even see some of her peers again years from now. She had to try to be at least a little positive, but it didn't convince that sinking feeling in her stomach. A voice brought her out of her reverie, and Waverly turned, somewhat surprised to be addressed by a girl who had never spoken to her before.

It was Waverly's duty as Prefect to know everyone in her house and it was pretty easy seeing people come in and out of the common room. The common room was one of Waverly's favorite places to study and hang out with her friends. She had spent a lot of time there last term with the school being shut down and all, but this term she planned to be there all the time to mingle with her housemates before graduating. Neeka Campbell was one of the quieter students from what she had seen, and Waverly hadn't done much to reach out to her. Maybe that was her fault since she was the Prefect, but hopefully Neeka had made some friends.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Waverly said, smiling. "I was just thinking about graduation and my college applications. I've got Baking Club things to do too as soon as I get back to my dorm room. It's tough being a seventh-year with so much to do and prepare for." Waverly shrugged cheerfully. "But I enjoy it. Neeka, right? Did you have a good winter break?"

It was easy enough to ignore the sad feelings when she was engaging with another person. Waverly was an extrovert without question, so she always felt happiest spending time with other people. Meeting new people or at least talking to people she had never talked to before was her favorite activity, and she was glad for the distraction.

0 Waverly Not as great as I thought 0 Waverly 0 5

Alicia

June 23, 2014 1:11 PM

I'm glad to hear it. by Alicia

Four and a half years was, Alicia had to admit, a long time to think over anything. It was longer than she had been thinking about all the things that could possibly go wrong, and she thought she had hit the high points of that subject pretty thoroughly. As thinking was one of the things Thad was also rather good at, she would insult him if she assumed he’d thought about it for that long and not gone over all the angles, from inheritance issues to how hard it would be to not react at the time and only extract revenge years later, in a way that couldn’t be traced back to him, if people made unpleasant comments about his taste, intelligence, morality, or politics because of her.

Though that last part could be something he assumed would be her job. He hadn’t, after all, done anything, as far as she could tell, to get revenge for being made to look like a bit of a fool in front of his parents the last time, and in his place, she was fairly sure she would have wanted to pretty much drive the other person to become a recluse. Revenge might not be his thing.

Or he just hadn’t been very surprised. Evan could have betrayed her; she had always assumed their yearmate didn’t pay enough attention to know, but that vacant, eccentric appearance could be just that – an appearance. Or perhaps he'd just been impressed instead of angry. The day before, that would have seemed ridiculous, but he had just established he knew as much about her as anyone did, more than most, and that he still liked what he saw. He was not only okay with the idea of being permanently attached to someone he knew was personally ambitious and a self-serving liar, he wanted to be. Not enough to do anything truly stupid over it, admittedly, but then, she’d have thought less of him if he had. And the words he’d used – our way, accompany me – made her think he was proposing an actual partnership with her instead of just expressing a desire to use her.

What she heard him saying was that he valued her. That he thought she was a good investment on her own merits. She wasn’t sure she could have kept from smiling if she’d really wanted to, and had even worse luck with not starting to blush at the compliment.

“That’s true,” she said when he pointed out how everyone had some relatives they just had to pretend they didn’t. For most people, that wasn’t basically every relative they had, but….”So…" She bit her lip, trying to reassure herself that she was not about to ruin his life and that he wouldn't despise her in a few years for it. "Okay, then.”

She grabbed onto the first practical thought which occurred to her to prevent herself from saying or doing anything stupid in public. “Okay. We’ll have to think about how to – how to play it….’Quietly’ might be best for now, you know?” She hoped he would understand this meant ‘Evan has no need to know this discussion happened yet.’ Much better for everyone if they left Evan in whatever geometrically-unlikely corner of the dark he was in for as long as possible. “Spend college…Next year..." She was thinking about how to build her social profile in that time, but it wasn't coming together. "Well, we’ll talk about it – later. Somewhere else.”

The rest of the table would start listening in soon, after all. They didn’t really need to hear her asking for detailed lists describing all the quirks and relationships of his family members or speculating about how much magical reinforcement Cousin Wesley might want put into a deal (the simplest solution, it seemed to her, would be to cut a deal with Wesley where he stepped aside in exchange for his son being named as Thad’s heir, but she’d like it if they still had the option to betray Cousin Wesley once all the elders died and they had a firm grip on the upper hand) or whether thirty or fifty more years was a more reasonable estimate of how long Druscella Pierce would live so they could draft a selves-proving schedule. He might appreciate some of her more practical traits, but the world at large probably didn't need to know about them just yet.

Besides, she didn't feel near top strategic form at the moment. It wasn’t every day that her world was upended in the space of five minutes, and she thought she was going to have to spend a long time on the rock wall to think her way through it – just the thought was too much in the moment, especially in public.

“This may be about the third time in my life when I have no idea what to say next,” she said, grinning, wanting to laugh, and wishing she could stop both. “I can't think when I'm happy anyway, and every book I’ve ever read with something like this in it cut off after that part. Even the manners ones.”

16 Alicia I'm glad to hear it. 210 Alicia 0 5

Willow

June 23, 2014 6:28 PM

There's no need for trepidation. by Willow

Willow blushed when she realized she'd totally missed what Keme was saying. It was bad manners for one thing, but she tended to have a lot on her mind. A ton that she didn't want there. Plus, she wasn't sure if they were friends exactly, neither was an easy person to get to know, but he was as close to one as she had.

She put on a quick smile, something she'd been practicing for what, six years now? To cover up. To protect from potential scandal. To protect her fragile sister, who quite obviously not doing well. To keep herself from bursting into tears, keep it all together.

Her smile became more generous when Keme presented the scarf. "No, it's lovely! She must be really talented. My aunt Britta likes to design clothing too, but it's kind of frowned upon for her to have a career of course." That was just the way their world was. Lily only got to be an Auror because her mother had been nobody important from what the Teppenpaw understood. Yet, her eldest sister had landed a second son of an important family anyway, simply because Anthony liked her. And Daniel from what Willow understand really liked Autumn. Not that it was doing her much good, but it did mean there was hope for the fourth year meeting someone who genuinely liked her.

She looked down at the table, realizing something. "I...didn't get you anything. I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting a present from you and I don't know what you would have liked. I hope you're not mad." The last thing she wanted was to alienate him or anyone else.

The he asked the inevitable question. The one everyone asked when they saw someone when they came back from the holidays but that she had to omit details from. "Midterm was fine. All my great-grandfather's descendents crowded into Uncle Frank's ranch. Lots of family togetherness after, you know, last term's incident. Fortunately, it's a big ranch if one wanted time to themselves they had a place to go for privacy." Willow turned to Keme. "So how was yours?" She would much rather hear about him, not only was she interested in him and his culture, but it spared her mind from going to unpleasant, uncomfortable places.

11 Willow There's no need for trepidation. 253 Willow 0 5

Thaddeus

June 23, 2014 8:59 PM

I'm glad you're glad by Thaddeus

She was smiling now, and that made Thad smile, too. Alicia smiled all the time, even when things were going poorly, but this one was brighter and happier than her normal one, a good smile. She didn't have nearly as many good smiles, and he liked it when she used one. Plus, she was blushing, which she never did. This, he thought, was unfortunate; he found it downright cute. He was fairly sure Alicia would never be as text-book beautiful as Ephanie Lucore, but she definitely had her own special Alicia-charm.

Perhaps she was pleased about his proposal after all.

His own reflexive smile bloomed greater as she said yes. Well, she said, "Okay," actually, but what she meant was "Yes" and he had to work hard at containing the whoop of joy or jumping up and down. That would not have been dignified behavior for a Head Boy sitting at the special table. Alicia herself seemed to be having some trouble with dignity, too, as she stuttered through a few false starts at several different but probably related sentences. She did get one together eventually, though, if only to delay a discussion that covered most or all of those false starts.

"Later, and elsewhere," he promised, still gripping the table to keep himself in his seat. He glanced down at his setting to make sure he had laid down his silverware neatly rather than dropping the utensils in his anxiety or excitement. Good, they were laying properly on his plate in the etiquette position to indicate he had finished his meal. He hadn't, really, but at least they weren't on the floor, and he wasn't sure he could eat anything more right now anyway, even if his plate was still mostly full.

That would a waste of a feast and of food, though, and wasting food still made him mentally cringe, so he forced himself to release the table and take up the fork and knife again. To further show how dignified he was, he casually continued the conversation, attempting to dispel some of his pent-up ebullience by making a joke. "Pity. One would think the manners books at least would specify that 'Please pass the salt' is the wrong thing to say next. Yet, they didn't, so would you, please?" he asked, nodding toward the shaker. He did need some, after all, and it evidently wasn't forbidden by the etiquette books.

"Seriously, though," he added, to show he wasn't making light of what had just happened, "I did want to check with you before making formal arrangements. The traditional forms are a bit outdated," the Cepheus and Meghan fiasco being a prime example of how horribly wrong such traditions could go, "and I wanted to be sure this was something you wanted, too. Having a matriarch, our family is a little," he held his thumb and forefinger close together, "more inclined than most pureblood families to not have the fathers and husbands make all of these sorts of decisions nowadays, and I didn't want you to be completely blind-sided by it either." Especially with that bit of unseemliness in her genetic line, she might have started to panic if her step-father got the letter without Thad explaining that he already knew about it. He was sure neither of them would have enjoyed that awkward conversation.

0 Thaddeus I'm glad you're glad 0 Thaddeus 0 5

Alicia

June 24, 2014 11:05 AM

I'm glad you're glad I'm...glad you're glad. by Alicia

She wouldn’t do it, personally – no matter how likely the other was to accept, there was always the chance of rejection, which in such circumstances would be rapidly followed by abject humiliation – but Alicia could see why so many people, at least in stories, thought it was appropriate to propose in the middle of parties. That way, if the proposal was accepted, they could just alter the purpose of the party and start taking congratulations instead of trying to figure out what the right thing to say or do after such an important moment took place in front of a lot of people was, particularly when the people were mostly people she still thought of as her responsibility.

Only a little, though, and very distantly, at least for now. Right now, she couldn’t seem to stop smiling, and Thad was smiling, too, and not much seemed to matter beyond that, enough that she didn’t even really care about not having the perfect line to say. She wondered if this was what perfect happiness felt like.

Alicia gave not laughing up as a lost cause when Thad asked for the salt. “Since we agree it's not forbidden, I think I can manage that,” she said, passing along the desired saltshaker.

What he went on to managed to sober her up, at least a little. “I’m glad to hear that,” she said. “I would have been kind of annoyed with you if you hadn’t asked me first.” Talking about her honest feelings with him, or really anyone but Cepheus, was an unfamiliar sensation. She wondered if she should try to get used to it. “I probably would have agreed in the end anyway, but…” she lifted one shoulder, figuring that while they had never exactly discussed her feelings on old people disrespecting the intelligence and autonomy of people she liked (she still had no aversion to the idea of some of Ceph's relatives being cursed into things at least temporarily resembling sea urchins even though he was no longer in the undesirable arrangement, because it being made in the first place was enough), Thad could probably guess about how happy he'd be to find out someone had gone over his head that way, especially over something this important.

"Anyway. I hope you don't mind if I warn my stepfather, too." She didn't care if Jeremy lost his own shirt because he was too shocked to think straight, but she'd rather he didn't lose hers, too, and unfortunately, what he'd given with one hand last year he'd held onto with the other. She wouldn't be able to get him completely out of her finances until she was twenty-five.

16 Alicia I'm glad you're glad I'm...glad you're glad. 210 Alicia 0 5

Thad

June 24, 2014 3:13 PM

Gladness all around then by Thad

He salted his meal - not because he thought the elves had done a less than stellar job at flavoring it, but because he simply preferred his vegetables extra salty - and smiled as she laughed. This was a good day, a very good day, he decided.

Chewing a forkful of green beans when she requested permission to warn her step-father as well, he nodded as he took a moment to swallow the food in his mouth. "Certainly," he agreed when a verbal reply would not risk spraying partially chewed organic matter on his almost-fiance. "I see no reason why not. These things aren't normally supposed to come as surprises anyway. Often, families have been discussing terms for months like it was some kind of business deal before anything formal comes out. I . . ." he hesitated, uncertain of his own family's intent in this area, "am not sure if my father intends to open that way as well or not."

All he had been concerned about to this point had been who his father would betroth him to, rather than any other terms to go along with it.

1 Thad Gladness all around then 213 Thad 0 5

Alicia

June 24, 2014 7:48 PM

As much of 'around' as is currently interesting, anyway. by Alicia

Alicia considered his lack of information. Could his father be planning a more subtle way of handling an undesirable situation than either disowning his son or else taking the already-cleverer route of letting Thad think he was getting what he wanted before engineering a scandal (or, if he thought they were really that attached, a terrible rock climbing accident) for her? Easy enough to invoke traditional forms, then try to be as disagreeable as possible with Jeremy, or else try to provoke Jeremy into being the disagreeable one....

“Well, don’t worry about it," she said cheerfully. "I don’t think Jeremy will be difficult or anything.” More like delighted to be rid of her, but he’d be surprised by the opportunity, and if the conversations they’d had over midterm were anything to go by, suspicious at first as well. Their conversations over midterm had confirmed for her that he had very little faith in her; his first thought might well be that she’d lied about having more important things to do during the shut-in than get in trouble and his second that she’d started practicing the Dark Arts. So little faith.

Or at least a serious lack of understanding of her, of why she did...almost any of the things she did that he hadn't taught her to do, especially in her studies. Jeremy, she thought, saw magic as a tool. It guarded his home, made his life easier, established the order of the society he belonged into so he knew which box everyone belonged in under normal circumstances – she had always thought of him as a bit of a Crotalus, though he hadn’t gone to school here. He had no imagination. Finding the limits of what could be done, just for the sake of knowing, wasn't something she thought had ever interested her stepfather much at all.

Maybe, she thought, with a grimmer sort of glee than the other, he’d reconsider that now.

“I just think it might be better if he hears from me first, knows we talked…that you know…things.” And there was a topic she dearly hoped they never discussed again, though she supposed it might come up if the other aspect of the inheritance issue ever did. The only way she could see to avoid that was to become so powerful before having kids that no one would dare say a word against her, and that was easier said than done. “Nothing too serious. ‘Warn’ was probably a bad word to use,” she acknowledged.

16 Alicia As much of 'around' as is currently interesting, anyway. 210 Alicia 0 5

Keme

June 24, 2014 8:17 PM

Until something terrible happens. by Keme

Keme wasn’t really sure why Willow told him that her aunt wasn’t allowed to have a career. That wasn’t really necessary or a subject of their conversation. Of course, the more he learned about the world outside of his homeland, he found that women’s rights were set back by a century at the least. His people may not be on par with those outside the tribe, but they at least allowed for equal rights to all their people. Everyone contributed. Everyone was educated. The only thing they might have had in common was betrothals, but those were rare and mostly only to do with the Head males of the family. As much as Keme’s grandfather threatened to find him a future wife, it would never be forced upon him. It would only be ‘highly’ recommended. “I’m sorry that your aunt cannot do what she loves in view of the public eye.” Keme commented, indicating the lack of career her aunt was allowed.

“Our Chief sees the good in all our people contributing to society and finding what their Spirit calls to them to do.” Keme stated casually. “My sister has always helped create the ceremonial garments, so she wanted to become more professional at it.” It was no secret that his tribe often sold souvenirs and tribal items to those who passed through their reservation, if his sister wanted a part of that; it was her right to it. Their business, the trade, it was how the tribe had become so successful over the centuries.

“That’s alright.” Keme responded, seeming unaffected by her lack of gift. “It’s a gift from my sister, so it wouldn’t have been necessary for me to receive a gift from you.” They were fourth years now and had never given one another gifts; he couldn’t be upset because she hadn’t been prepared to exchange items. Besides, he didn’t need anything.

He was certain the Willow came from an exceptionally large family, so he would have to think that her relative’s ranch was ridiculously large, which meant that he would have to either be rather rich to hire enough help to keep up with the work, or enough to have elves to his work for him, or rather poor because his money was going to the ranch. Keme’s grandfather was one of the few Chiefs of the tribe to ever have more than two children, but lucked out by having five boys. Families with more than three were rare, which is why his parents only had two and much of his Uncle’s only had two. The next Chief to be had four. Three boys and one girl. Their lands were prosperous and so larger families weren’t frowned upon as much anymore, but they were still a rarity all the same.

“I really don’t have to go anywhere to see my whole family.” Keme conversed. “They all live on the lands or just outside of it. We have family gatherings every Sunday, so I see my cousins often. They were curious about what happened, but that was the extent of it.” Keme told her with a shrug. “Koko and my parents were mostly the only ones upset but the Chief stated that if this was the only occurrence against the school, I should be fine to continue. Your family must have been rather concerned if they felt the need to get together.”

6 Keme Until something terrible happens. 0 Keme 0 5

Neeka

June 27, 2014 9:10 PM

I'm sure it'll get better. by Neeka

Although evidently confusing deep thought for deep turmoil was a bit embarrassing, Neeka was overall very happy with the response provided. She was obviously glad nothing serious was wrong; after all, who wished misery on others? That would just be cruel.

At some point during her newfound chatter about her busy schedule, Neeka recalled the girl’s name: Waverly, if she was not mistaken. And wasn’t she a Prefect? She probably had a badge or something on to indicate it, but the younger Pecari would feel a bit silly if she was to lean around trying to check.

”Neeka, right?” Waverly concluded. She was surprised Waverly even knew her name, but maybe she had made it a task to learn all of her Housemates’ names. Neeka couldn’t imagine any other reason she would know it. They had not, to her memory, spoken before, and she was hardly outgoing or memorable thus far in her Sonora career. ”Did you have a good winter break?”

“Yeah, it was pretty nice,” the fifteen year old replied, the formations of a tender smile beginning to tug on her lips. “It was nice to go home for a while, see family, y’know?” The inability to communicate with Uncle Lukas during the first half of the year had certainly not been pleasant, after all. Reuniting with the only real family she had was a potent bonus for the holiday season.

“Was yours nice?” Neeka inquired in return. It was simple politeness, and while she was not one of the rather uptight, occasionally neurotic purebloods with which Sonora seemed flooded, she did value her manners.

0 Neeka I'm sure it'll get better. 0 Neeka 0 5

Tristan

July 06, 2014 6:14 PM

That you are. by Tristan

When Tristan had asked Nellie about her holiday, he hadn't quite expected her to...complain so much. Truthfully though, it did sound pretty awful. Plus, he could relate to his fellow Crotalus, somewhat, as he'd just told her how his holiday had been a kind of dull too. Unlike her though, his parents definitely loved him. Tristan did know that it was not true of everyone. There was how Aunt Pearl had treated Ryan, of course, and Amity complained endlessly that her mom didn't care about her or Chaslyn as people or what they wanted or needed. The fifth year had gone out of her way to avoid even speaking to her mother while they were at Grandmother and Grandfather's.

"Presents are the best" He agreed. And it was true. That was really was Tristan's favorite part of the holidays. "I'm sorry you didn't get very many." Why would a parent do that? He thought Nellie's family had money so it wasn't like they couldn't afford it. That would be understandable. And to ship her off to live with horrible relatives?

A terrible thought crossed his mind. Rumors he'd heard. Aunt Pearl getting angry that Uncle Jeffrey got gifts for Ryan so him having to receive them at their grandparents'. Her making Ryan go to Grandmother and Grandfather's when Uncle Jeffrey was away on business because she didn't get along with her parents and thought it would be horrible for Tristan's cousin to live with them. Fortunately for Ryan, Aunt Pearl wasn't that smart and it had backfired horribly. It had been quickly decided not to tell her otherwise.

He recognized this pattern of emotional abuse and Tristan didn't really want to think it was happening to Nellie. It was a hard subject to broach with someone in general and if things were awful, really awful, she might not want to talk about them. "Yeah, not that big on California personally. Too....overrated. Plus, I've heard a lot of the Muggles there are really...weird." Tristan made a face. He wasn't overly fond of them. Some of them kept multiple wives, which was disgusting. The third year couldn't imagine any self-respecting witch willing to do that.

Oh Merlin, not the Quidditch question. He was like the biggest fan of the game ever but he wasn't allowed to play-which he couldn't figure out for the life of him why. And everyone else probably wondered too. "Well, I'm a huge fan, but well, the assistant captain is a second year, and I really don't like being bossed around by someone younger than me. Plus, I usually do broom racing instead and I might be busy with this dueling club I want to start." Tristan replied nonchalantly, helping himself to another plate of spaghetti. He'd been a lot hungrier lately for some reason.

11 Tristan That you are. 264 Tristan 0 5

Willow

July 11, 2014 9:52 PM

That's...really depressing. by Willow

Willow nodded in response to Keme's comment. Aunt Britta really hadn't ever been her top concern. She'd always seemed relatively happy, probably worried about Autumn, but overall happy with life. Her aunt was just that kind of person. Creative, sweet, and not really any more selfish than any other person. "I think she'll be okay.She's the kind of person whose happy no matter what."

Keme's culture was very different than her own, she realized. It was kind of interesting to learn about. To know how someone else did things. And they seemed happy with that system too. People weren't always that happy with the society that she lived in. Again, her sister sprang to mind. Would Autumn be so sick if she'd grown up in some other environment? Despite their lack of letting her know things, she always thought they were better than lots of parents. Was it just their world in general?

She tried quickly to get rid of those thoughts, about Autumn. She didn't want to think about that anymore "That sounds nice." Willow replied. She wasn't entirely sure what her skills even were. She was good at Transfiguration, did all right in most classes, even decent at flying and Defense. Not that she really flew much. She was somewhat artistic and wanted help people, although she didn't feel her motives were completely altruistic.

"Well, it was kind of her to make something for someone she doesn't even know, then." The Teppenpaw felt a little awkward now, and maybe just a tiny bit jealous. Keme's sister must have been a great person and it sounded like he had a wonderful life with his tribe. She wished for one too.

The fourth year nodded. "Cool. Mine was all extended family. I mean, people marry people in other states and that's how we get spread out like this. My mother's family lives in our area, weirdly enough, rather than my father's. We try to all remain as close as possible though." Part of her wanted to convince herself about that, rather than him. Willow didn't...always feel as close to her parents as she did when she was little, though she'd heard part of it was growing up and becoming a teenager, beginning to question things. "Your family must be even closer than mine is." Or get extremely sick of each other, but of course, she didn't say that. "Though some of my cousins are here at Sonora, but they're extended family too. My dad was an only child so they're his cousins' children or grandchildren."

11 Willow That's...really depressing. 253 Willow 0 5

Keme

July 13, 2014 9:23 PM

It wasn't meant to be. by Keme

Keme would have to take Willow’s opinion on her aunt at face value. He wasn’t quite sure how anyone could necessarily be okay when something that they love could no longer be a part of their lives because it was ‘frowned upon’, but the world was a strange place and Keme was aware that there were certain things he would never truly understand about it. If she said her aunt was one of those people who would always be happy, then that’s what he would believe.

“Yes, it is.” He agreed. Keme wasn’t sure what he would do after he graduates from Sonora. He was the top tracker and archer for his age group, but he didn’t think that would go very far for him after school was no longer his life. He was sure something would intrigue him enough to want to make a career out of it, but at this age now, it had yet to occur to him. His parents might have a say in what he did more so than KoKo since she was already involved with a tribal member and just going to school to learn her skill trade on a more professional level . If Keme decided he wanted to do business at a corporate level, his parents may not be quite so supportive considering that would not be helping the lands very much. Oh well, he had time to think about it.

“I suppose so.” Keme stated. It probably did look rather nice of his sister to do that, but Keme suspected that his sister had made a whole lot of scarves over the course of the semester and was trying to get rid of the ones that she thought she had made rather well. Also, KoKo liked to put her nose into his personal business and this might have been her way of doing so. “I wouldn’t think too much of it though. KoKo really loves to make clothes, so she’ll make them for anyone. She was just being nice and giving one to me to give to someone.

He nodded along as Willow explained a bit about her family and why they got together. It really was a different world. It was extremely rare for anyone to leave the lands and if they did, they didn’t go very far. “I think the Tribe in general is close.” He commented. “Not that we’re a small tribe, but we are a community and we help one another out. My grandfather had five sons, which is unheard of. Most people, like my dad, only have two. So, families are typically smaller and easier to keep up with.” Keme explained. “Plus, when people marry, they marry someone from the tribe or someone approved outside the lands and then move onto the lands. No one really leaves, like in your family. We support the lands as they prospered for us; it would be dishonorable to not give thanks to the land by being a part of it daily. If I were to ever marry, whoever that is would have to agree to live on the lands or at least, near the lands.” Keme told her honestly.

“It’s very hard for me to be here. I’m one of the few chosen children to be educated outside of the lands. It’s not very easy. So, I don’t think I could marry someone who would refuse to be near my people. I guess I just thought that was the same for every family. I didn’t realize they spread out so much that they would require family gatherings such as yours.”

6 Keme It wasn't meant to be. 0 Keme 0 5

Nellie

July 16, 2014 1:33 AM

Sometimes I need some assurance by Nellie

At least Tristan understood her. He was the only one who seemed to give her any sense of the condolence she had wanted. It almost made her want to cry, but Eleanor lifted her head instead, mentally composing herself. “You’re right,” she said, her nose still in the air. “The Muggles in California are very weird. They always ask if I’m from around there, though clearly I’m not.” In truth, Nellie had hardly come into contact with any Muggles; at least her aunt was intelligent enough to protect her from those sorts.

Maybe if Nellie was a different person she would have thanked Tristan for his words and for not berating her for complaining or ignoring her. Maybe she would have even smiled at Tristan in thanks, but Eleanor Vandenberg did none of that. Instead she looked down at her food and drank a bit of pumpkin juice, still feeling a little sorry for herself. Still, she was glad for the first time that she was sitting with someone other than Leo.

Tristan’s answer regarding Quidditch was a little vague, but she accepted it. Nellie knew she would never be able to respect a classmate younger than her. “I understand. That’s a shame,” she said, “that such a young person is the Assistant Captain. I don’t think the Crotalus team will bode well in the future, especially without the sport’s biggest fan.” She smiled at him.

“A dueling club sounds like a lot of fun and a good way for you boys to develop your skill. You could even start a broom racing club if you wanted.” Nellie had never been bothered by the restrictions on her gender. Witches were expected to do one thing, wizards another. Besides, she didn’t like the idea of getting dirty or hurt by partaking in such dangerous activities. It was admirable, though, when a boy did them, and Nellie was much better at admiring from the sidelines anyway.

“What sort of things would you do in the dueling club?” she asked curiously. She had been a little isolated living in Surrey; she had never been to London, hardly kept up with the news, and spent most of her time with her insufferable nanny or with the Princetons. Even in California she spent most of her time inside her aunt's home to avoid meeting any Muggles on the streets. “Would it be individual duels? There aren’t a lot of clubs at Sonora, are there?” Oddly enough, she felt just a little better after laying down her woes on Tristan. Smiling didn’t feel so strained.

0 Nellie Sometimes I need some assurance 0 Nellie 0 5