The Owlry? on Labyrinth Gardens

Tally

December 07, 2004 6:57 PM

The Owlry? by Tally

Tally walked outside with Layla and looked around. This school was complicated enough on the inside and Tally had yet to explore the outside of it. Now looking at it, she saw a maze and a path the let to Care of Magical Creatures class and to the Quidditch pitch.

She frowned and looked over at Layal. The last thing she wanted to do was get lost out here, like she was constantly getting lost inside the school. But she didn't know where the Owlry was just by looking around; however, she doubted it would have been in the maze.

"I think it might be whereever the path leads besides to Care of Magical Creatures or the Quidditch pitch. Do you want to try that?"\n\n

6 Tally The Owlry? 0 Tally 1 5

Layla

December 08, 2004 9:04 PM

We're off to see the owls! by Layla

Layla felt like skipping, and normally she would, but it would distract her from soaking in all the new spectacles around her. So she took to humming lightly, and hoped she wasn't annoying Tally too much. Wouldn't it just be marvellous for her to scare away her friend that she had just met a matter of an hour ago? Hardly. So Layla kept the humming down on a low notch.

Of course, the last thing she had been thinking about, staring at the maze and the interesting shrubbery all around them, was exactly what direction they had been heading in. Layla's first instinct was to smile a little guiltily in Tally's direction when her friend asked about the path they were heading towards. She hadn't been helping wth directions at all.

"Umm...yes, that's sounds like a capital idea!" Layla said, the trees allowing a splatter-paint of light to leak through, make some parts of her hair glow flare red in contrast. Trees, trees. It had to take a lot of magic to allow those to grow in Arizona.

Deciding now was the time to help navigate, Layla lead the way down the path, squinting this way and that to make sure she didn't miss any particularly easily passed-by paths.

With a small smile, Layla looked at Tally, already distracted from her self-imposed 'duties' of being look-out. "Are you nervous? For classes and everything to start, I mean."\n\n

0 Layla We're off to see the owls! 0 Layla 0 5

Tally

December 08, 2004 9:33 PM

The wonderful owls of Sonora by Tally

Tally, who had been looking every-which-way to find the Owlry, while listening to Layla whistle quietly to herself, turned to look at her new friend.

To be honest, she wasn't really looking the Owlry, she would just end up getting them lost, and so she just let Layla lead while she thought of her bird Rufus and her frog TJ. She loved them dearly, Rufus had been her mother's and TJ was a gift from her dad. He thought it hillarious that his little girl loved frogs as much as she did.

However, Layla had asked about classes and Tally was happy to respond.

"Nervous about Potion really. I've never been good at things like that. My dad used to ask me to help him whenever he needed to make dreamless sleep potion or something and I would always mess it up. So, eventually he stopped asking." Tally said with a smile, honestly, she had been grateful he had stopped. "I'm really excited about Charms though. I love that kind of magic. I mean, those are the spells you will most likely use every day of your life! I can't wait for that. I already know how to do the scourgify spell, my dad helped me with that one." She had started bobbing up and down with her excitement as she spoke about charms. "Defense will be hard, but my dad and brother are Aurors and already taught me some things. Although, this will be the first time I'll ever do them with a wand." She giggled a little. She realized she was rambling again and so she asked Layla a question instead,

"What about you? Are you at all worried? Are you excited? Can you believe this prank war has started and on the first night here! You seem close with your Uncle. Close enough to ask him for some-er-supplies without worry. That's so cool." Tally took in a deep breath and blushed. She was over-excited and when she was over-excited, she babbled. Of course, the excited in the air from the other students added to her own because of her Feeler ability and she hadn't yet goten control over it yet.\n\n

6 Tally The wonderful owls of Sonora 0 Tally 0 5

Layla

December 10, 2004 9:17 PM

Because, because, because...wait. That doesn't rhyme... by Layla

Every couple of minutes or so, Layla's mind would shift concentration, looking for the Owlry, but she really didn't know what she was looking for. She had never had a pet owl of her own, or known anyone with one; the highest form of vogue in New Mexico nowadays was to use vultures; not the most becoming of creatures. She preferred her Uncle's iguana, Munchies, far better.

Layla listened with fascination when Tally described in detail what she thought about their upcoming classes, making Layla's own excitement more unbearable, her blithe bubbling over like one of Var's frothy potions spilling a oddly-colored steam all over the floors. She nodded enthusiastically as the girl went on and on, much like she always did.

"That's so awesome that your dad and your brother are Aurors!" Layla exclaimed, side-glancing at Tally. An auror had always been her fantasy career, but it was a tough job, realistically, and probably not the mysterious, thrill-ride that she dramatized it to be. Besides, she couldn't even be sure that Defense Against the Dark Arts was her forte. The only magic she had collected from Variston was a few simple cleaning spells, and the rudiment handful of potion skills.

"You're lucky. Sometimes I'm too embarrassed to tell everyone that my parents are two dorky anthropologists," She admitted truthfully, tugging at her fire-red pigtails with a hint of a shameful blush. Sure, she loved her parents, and she hardly ever saw, so all the more to enjoy their company, but sometimes it was just so mortifying to have them moon over ancient artifacts and stumble over scientific words in public.

"What about you? Are you at all worried? Are you excited? Can you believe this prank war has started and on the first night here! You seem close with your Uncle. Close enough to ask him for some-er-supplies without worry. That's so cool." Her friend inquired in a giant rush, causing Layla to blink. It was enthralling to meet someone who could spew out words a mile a minute, such as herself.

Grinning, amused to her wits end, Layla took a breath to fuel her blab, and tackled the questions honestly, "I'm really freaked out about classes. Not only have I never attended muggle school, even though my father is a muggle, no one from my family has ever sat down and taught me any serious magic. So this is my first time at any type of school." It made her stomach feel like a cold stone, but she was anticipating it all the same. After all, Variston had gone here, and whenever she could pull him out of his stoic demeanor, he would rave for hours about Sonora school-day memories.

"Actually, I really can't wait for Care of Magical Creatures, but I especially can't wait for Transfiguration. I don't know why, but I once checked out this book on Arithmancy and Transfiguration combined, and mathmatical, elemental stuff like that...I don't know...interests me. Perhaps its because of my pointdexter parents." Layla laughed at this. Her parents, Dr. & Dr. Radovon...in a way they seemed more like a distant but extremely likeable aunt and uncle. Like Var.

Spotting a distinct but subtle path branching off from their main road up a distance up ahead, Layla started leading her and Tally in that direction, switching finally to the topic of Variston, "My Uncle Var, on the other hand, is nothing like my mother, his older sister. He's really young - like, twenty-five, I think - and he works at a muggle car mechanic shop. And deals his potions. So, yeah; a pretty cool Uncle." Layla actually worried sometimes about Var's 'on-the-side' potion's business. She wondered if all of it was completely legal, and if some of it wasn't, than she wouldn't be all that surprised. Variston acted more like a rebellious, older teenag brother than her part-time, supposedly responsible guardian.

Flushed and out of breath from her piece of ramble, Layla beamed sheepishly over at Tally, her turn to point numerous questions as they turned onto the long, winding path. "What's your older brother like? Did he go here? Do you have any other siblings? That's neat that you do; trust me, it sucks being an only child."

\n\n

0 Layla Because, because, because...wait. That doesn't rhyme... 0 Layla 0 5

Tally

December 10, 2004 11:56 PM

I guess it doesn't rhyme... by Tally

Tally smiled while listening to her new friend talk about her life. Layla was interesting to Tally as she had never met someone who knew about the magical world, and yet, didn't live it.

"Anthropology sounds interesting though. I mean, discoveries things before anyone else. Maybe even changing history." She shrugged before continuing, "Dad and Josh's jobs are pretty awesome, but it's hard when they leave home for a mission for a few days. When they do that I stay with Chrissy's family." She paused and looked over at Layla, "My mom died when I was three and Chrissy's mom was best friends with her since they were little girls."

Tally looked around the path they were following wondering if they would ever reach the Owlry. Her thoughts ever so often returning to her mother.

"Transfiguration is wicked cool. Changing things into something completely different seems so impossible. I read Professor Bulla's books on charms and I just loved everything in it. I don't know what it is that fascinates me so, but I certainly won't stop it." She laughed a little before continuing, "you never went to any type of schooling? My dad's a muggleborn so my parents thought it best if we had both worlds. We went to muggle schools until we were accepted into magical schools."

Tally laughed when she thought about all her muggle friends. They had been angry with her for leaving for a 'private school' in the south. She would have to write them a letter and have her dad send them.

"I still think it's cool that you are close with your uncle. My parents are only children. Well, technically I don't know about my mom. She was a pureblood and the minute she married my dad, she was thrown out of the family. So, she could have siblings, but is she did, my dad certainly doesn't talk about them." She frowned at the thought of her mother's family. Tally would never understand how a person could just turn away from their own flesh and blood.

"Josh is my only brother. He's 24. My parents really wanted a girl after they had him and so they spent 13 years of their lives trying until they had me." Tally laughed loudly at that. "Josh went to some school up north. I came here cause it's were my mom went." She smiled when thinking of her brother. He was so much like her father, and herself, that they had gotten along easily even with their many years age difference. "He and I are really close because he helped raise me. Him and my dad are the reason why I love sports and frogs. I should introduce you to my frog TJ. He's so cute. Anyway, maybe you'll meet Josh sometime-er-if they allow people to visit and such."

Tally took a deep breath. Her long brown hair blew around her head and she quickly took swiped it away with her hand. Her eyes were bright with energy and enthusiasm as she watched the path in front of them.

"I think I'm going to like it here. Which is a good thing as I'll be spending the next seven years of my life behind these walls." She said with a giggle.\n\n

6 Tally I guess it doesn't rhyme... 0 Tally 0 5

Layla

December 11, 2004 11:29 PM

Eh. What can ya do? by Layla

Layla could hear the wind picking up, but the thickset patch of trees her and Tally were walking in seemed to be meandering their way through. Although it never wound its way through, the air brushing the leaves made a cool noise all around them.

When Tally mentioned that her mother had died when she was young, gave a weak, sympathetic smile, and tipped her head to the side thoughtfully: her parents were always away on some dig or another, but it was hard to imagine not having one of them be there forever.

"I'm sorry," Layla said sincerly. "It must be nice to have Chrissy and her mom around for you."

Layla's contemplative mood washed over quickly, however, when they got back on the subject of ... well, subjects. Tally seemed to feel about Charms the way she did about Transfiguration. A few weeks back she had been asking Var daily to drive her to his (obviously magical) friend Carlo's house so she could dig through his stash of volumes on Transfiguration, his major. Carlo had eventually just stacked them all in a box and sent them home with her one evening, and had finished devouring them before the term began.

There was no other word for it. She was obsessed.

"you never went to any type of schooling? My dad's a muggleborn so my parents thought it best if we had both worlds. We went to muggle schools until we were accepted into magical schools."

Layla pushed a low-hanging branch away from her face, and grinned back at Tally, still not spotting an Owlry of any sort still. It was ridiculous how far of a walk it was from the school.

"Well, I did go to muggle kindergarton for half of the year, but my parents moved around so much, that it was almost pointless. So in their spare time, my father taught me how to read and write, and my mother taught me everything about the magical world, and Var assisted her in teaching me some spells, since she can't do any." Smiling lightly, unsure if she had already mentioned it to Tally or not, Layla explained the near evident, "She's a squib, but Var's a fully-capable wizard."

Her eyes, full of mirth, tried to peer through the dense leaves for the Owlry, which she assumed to look like a giant cage or anything of that ilk, while she listened to Tally talk about her family. It sounded terrible, the way her mother was thrown out of the family, and how Tally had no idea if she had cousins or aunts or uncles. Layla wondered if Variston would ever get married and give her a couple of cousins, but from a dateable woman's point of view, Var was a twenty-five year old that lived in the middle of the desert, had dreadlocks, refused to keep a steady and sensible job, and still watched cartoons. So it wasn't looking too good, but Layla didn't give up hope.

Laughing, Layla lead them around another curve in the path, "I would love to meet Josh - and TJ, of course." Pausing as she listened to what Tally said next, Layla had to chuckle out of all good humor. "You're right. Considering how long we're going to be here, its a good thing the future looks so bright; at least, from where I'm standing."

Rounding another dirt bend, Layla thought she heard a strange sound, kind of distant, but different from that of the wind weaving and picking its way around the trees. Squinting her virid eyes, Layla broke out into a huge beam and gestured ahead grandly to a massive, open structure.

"I believe that's our primary destination. Recognize one of those owls?"\n\n

0 Layla Eh. What can ya do? 0 Layla 0 5

Tally

December 12, 2004 2:10 AM

Bobour head to the music anyway? by Tally

Tally smiled when Layla apologized or whatever it is considered when she mentioned her mom.

"No need to say your sorry. Things like that happen." And it was the truth. Tally never once kidded herself that bad things couldn't happen, life like that was just unhealthy. She missed her mother, she won't deny that, but at the same time she doesn't. She can't miss something that wasn't really there for her to begin with. "Chrissy and Helen are great. The only females in my life really until I came here."

Tally wrapped her arms around herself for comfort. It was an automatic function for her when she was feeling out of balance. Where is this darn Owlry! She thought loudly.

"A Squib? I don't know what I would have done if I found out I was a Squib. Probably cry. And then run far away." She added with a small frown. Truth be told, being a Squib was one of the things she feared before getting her letter. That and spiders. Call her girly but those things are just nasty. She shuddered violently at the thought of those creatures and looked hurriedly around to make sure none were in proxiity to her.

Having not found any near her, she returned her attention to Layla. "Yeah, seven years, seems like forever doesn't it? I just hope I make friends in my house, I haven't yet." She smiled again before Layla stopped and pointed out the large Owlry at the end of the path. She laughed when Layla asked if she could spot Rufus.

"No, not yet, but maybe he can spot us and fly down toward us, maybe?" Tally said with a laugh. "Except, he's a bit of a snob when it comes to work and so, he'll probably just watch us from his perch walk all this way just for his own amusement..." She added after thinking about her bird in full.\n\n

6 Tally Bobour head to the music anyway? 0 Tally 0 5