back again (open)

[Rowan Taylor]

There was a loud pop in the middle of the main Hogsmeade street, the usual sound for someone apparating. What was not usual about someone apparating, was the fact that said person almost fell over and had to wait a moment before he gained his balance once more. Luckily not many people were in the street at that time, as the figure noticed while he looked around anxiously. He brushed down one of the sides of his cloak, which he had accidently stood upon when he appeared, which added to the disorientation of apparating. He sighed as he straightened up and finally looked around the street.

Rowan had just passed his apparition examination, and he was quite proud of himself really. It had been hard, and he still wasn’t entirely used to it. Like he had shown a moment ago, he often lost his balance after the pressure of apparating. He felt so different to when he was on a broom, he had great balance then, why couldn’t he have it while apparating. It would make it easier, and stop him making a fool of himself whenever he apparated anywhere. When he had apparated in his exam it had been one of the few times where he had done so perfectly, without stumbling at the end. Well, practice makes perfect. He probably just had to get used to it.

He smiled to himself as he thought about the very first time that he had apparated. He had been getting lessons at the ministry for a few weeks and for the first two he hadn’t managed to get anywhere, just making himself look like a fool turning on the spot. But on his third lesson he had been astonished when he actually moved. He hadn’t gone into the hoop like he had been told to; he had ended up in the corner of the room. He had also fallen over properly, face first onto the hard wooden floor. He found it amusing now, but then he had been so embarrassed by the experience.

Rowan stopped reminiscing and started to walk forwards, towards the three broomsticks. Before his passing his apparition exam he would have had to wait until school started to be able to come here. But now he could whenever, well, school holidays. But still, being able to apparate made him have a feeling of freedom, he could go wherever he wanted whenever now, and all he had to worry about was splinching or falling over. The first, he had never done and hoped that he would never do it in his life and the second, it was probably going to happen again sometime. It was inevitable.

He opened the door to the room and saw that like the street outside it was not very crowded, a person here or there but not a crowd or anything. He walked straight up to the bar, ordered his drink and stared around the room for a moment. There was nobody here his age, the thing about coming in the holidays, and no adults that he knew. It was disappointing that he now had no-one to talk to, he had been hoping that somebody would have been here. He put some money on the bar, grabbed his drink and went to sit at an empty table. Maybe someone would show up.

[Thea Gillis]

The streets and most of shoppe's weren't crowded. That was always nice especially for the Slytherin who walked through Hogsmeade Villiage, with a lanky grey tabby cat at her heels. They'd both walked here, well mostly the cat had hithced a ride at one point atop Thea's shoulders. The girl didn't mind. While the tabby wasn't her first choice on pets, that would have gone easily to rats. However, Hogwarts didn't allow such, so it left to her second or perhaps third choice. Jeffer' wasn't so bad, he was cute for a cat, still for his age always a blessing. So as the pair entered the village with the cat on her shoulders Thea didn't mind.

Second year, new friends, lots of enimies and more lessons to learn. She hadn't hat the luxury of learning to appart yet. She'd likely learn it own her own, or at least atempt. She was after all a 'clever lil dark witch'. Thanks to herself, she was already a head in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions for her age. She could fly rather well too, the thought to try out for Quidditch had crossed her mind more than once but she simply hadn't gotten around to it yet. She might have been Slytherin, but she was all about her studies and learning. She was like a sponge for knowledge she had to have it and would do anything to gain it. Flying was lovely, but knowledge was power.

Plus there was that time she had been flying around Knockturn Alley above the crowds just practicing when she saw a snake, it'd scared her so badly she fell off her broom and to the ground. Luckly a few create broke her fall. But the laughter had also broken her. She'd growled and stalked back off into the shadows with broom in hand and hurried home. Finding out only later that the 'snake' she'd seen was nothing more than a child's toy hanging precariously from the lap post. How it got there was anyone's guess but it had scared her none the less.

Shaking her head abruptly as if to clear her mind she reached one hand up and stroked the cat on her shoulders. "Do me a favor, eat snakes you see kill them. But if I see you kill or even chase a rat I'll skin you." She threatend the tabby cat. The only ackowlegement to her words came in the form of a purr. Thea rolled her eyes and laughed. She wouldn't ever hurt an animal, so the cat was safe. As she made her way towards the 'Three Broomsticks' she thought foundly of her brother, they use to sneak here as kids and drink all the Butterscotch rum the could hold. She doubted it was real, rum what bar-keep would really give childen rum? All it did was make them both hyper. Smieling she pushed the door open.

Glancing around, one would think with holidays near the streets and stores would be. Or at least the pubs would have been packed. But no. Like everywhere else few were out. She wandered silently if it might have something to do with Voldermort, but she hadn't asked. Walkng to the bar she ordered her drink, the usual 'Butterscotch Rum'. Mulling about a second with it in hand she debated sitting alone at the bar just her and her cat. But then she saw a slightly familiar face. Walked quietly towards the male she studied him, hoping to not be noticed just yet, he was Hogwarts for sure, a prefect she tought too. Not hers so Ravenclaw perhaps? She sighed lightly. "You go to Hogwarts right.. You mind if I sit here, seems we're they only 'kids' aroud." She pointed out in her usualy tone. As she used the term 'kid' lightly.

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Words : 666 - O.o
Muse : So-so
Random : If you don't mind lil' ol' me..
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[Rowan Taylor]

Rowan stared absent minded at the wall, every so often taking a sip of his drink. He wasn’t really thinking of anything in particular, a few things came into his mind, things like the fact he hadn’t packed yet, he better do that soon. And the fact that he would have to buy a basket for his kitten Shere, which would probably help in the long run. He needed to be able to take the little cat to school, and then home again in the holidays, he wouldn’t like to carry him everywhere. Firstly he would look odd with a kitten in his hands, walking onto the train and such. Secondly Shere was like his namesake, quite aggressive when he wanted to be. He wouldn’t want to be carried.

He shifted his gaze from the wall to his drink, watching the liquid ripple and move from side to side as he moved the glass. Hmmm, this was quite boring. What should he do? He was sceptical that anyone would actually turn up here; it was the holidays and most of the people he knew were Hogwarts age, and most couldn’t apparate. How would they get here? Broom maybe, but why would they come here? Unless they were first and second years they were going to come here anyway. Maybe Rowan was just odd, coming here in the holidays. He certainly felt odd now, sat all on his own in the pub.

He looked up as the door opened, bring a small breeze, whether it was from the movement of the door or if there was actually wind outside he did not know. Obviously he hadn’t been paying much attention to anything outside, bar making himself look like a fool by nearly falling over. The figure that came through the door was a young girl, or younger than he was anyway. Hogwarts age, partly because she looked the right age, and partly because he was sure that he had seen her face somewhere before. Hogwarts. He then managed to match the face to black and green robes, a Slytherin. He didn’t mind, most Slytherins were polite. The others... not so much.

Rowan did not think that she was one of the more rude Slytherins, but he may be wrong. He wasn’t sure if he had ever spoken to her, he had spoken to many people at school. People in his year mostly but also younger people. He usually HAD to speak to people, being a prefect. That was a good thing about being a prefect, you met alot more people. A bad thing though, was that most of the people that you spoke to you were telling them off, which wasn’t really a good way to meet someone. It had to be done though, they had to be punished. He tried to make up for it afterwards, by talking to them and such. But sometimes they were just too annoyed with him.

He watched the girl as she ordered her drink, and then stared around the room. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment. Perhaps she also recognised him? Maybe she remembered if they had actually spoken before, he did not think that they had done but he could be wrong about that. He was slightly hoping that she would come over to where he was, he may not know very much about her but he was just glad to have someone around who he actually remembered, however very slightly it was. When he looked at anyone else in the room his memory was blank, none of they at all familiar to him.

The girl came up to his table, and Rowan heard her sigh. Disappointed that he was here? Oh well, you couldn’t please everyone. He gave her a small smile, before she spoke to him. He nodded when she spoke about Hogwarts, though it sounded more like a statement than a question towards him. He nearly pulled a face at the word ‘kids’ be refrained himself just in time. Best not to seem ruse in front of her, or she wouldn’t want to be around him much more. He was quite happy that someone he almost knew had come into the pub, maybe today wouldn’t be as boring as he thought that it would be. Good thing too, that would have been really annoying.

“Yes, you can sit there,” He replied, a cheerful tone in his voice, then continued on to introduce himself. “My name is Rowan Taylor.”

[Thea Gillis]

There were a lot of thoughts running through the young Slytherin's mind. But the bigest was just her bordom and heading towards the local pub. Mostly it was fun to watch the different types of people who came in and out it was just amuseing to her. Just like now as she walked alone in her mind. But not in reality. She always had her feline Jeffer with her, he was a very affectionate and loved people, so he came with her even now up on her shoulders curled there content.

While the pub wasn't always the most exciting place if anything she could try. It it end up boring she'd simply leave after finishing her drink and go find something more amusing. With it just ahead she reached it she moved inside.

Quietly she spoke to no-one just then, her eyes were only upon the bar. She didn't seem to care about those around her as she walked in. Though she felt the warmer air, thicker than that outside. It was true enough. Thea wasn't one of the rude Slytherin who thought she was better than all others. In fact she was 'beneath' to most Slytherins. For her own dark secret that few knew of. While Thea could have a bit of a cocky additude and came off as a royal pain or the air of being just plain rude. Wither she meant to or not she was at times. It may have been who she was around, the Slytherins she hung around with.

With her drink now she sghed happily taking a sip before she turned to move towards the other patrions to see who if any might be interesting to sit near. She scanned the whole pub, not one was familiar until she saw the prefect. With a half smile she headed towards him quietly. Looking him over slightly from head to toe, or what she could see. Her gaze wasn't rude, she was sure he was Hogwarts now. She under her robes looked like any teen her age, likely more from the muggle world, but covering her frame was the typical robe of Hogwarts. Clearly Slytherin colors, though it was gaped open revealing her slightly darker taste in clothes. Her sigh hadn't meant to be rude in the least, she was simply bored.

"Thanks." She said lightly with a smile pulling out chair she turned it sideways and sat down. "Pleasure really.. Thea Gillis." She said offering her name as well. "Holiday break is a drag this year. I'm use to the strip being more crowded." She said mater of factly in atempt to start a conversation.

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Words : 500
Muse : >_<
Random : Sorry my muse died on me.
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[Rowan Taylor]

Rowan sat there for a moment, trying to pinpoint the time that he had seen this girl. She was obviously younger than him, so most probably at her sorting ceremony at some time. What year was she in? Second year at least, since he had seen her before somewhere, where else would he have seen her if she wasn’t? Probably nowhere, and if so he must be going mad or something. Maybe he should just stick with the Hogwarts idea; it seemed quite logical and also didn’t make him seem like a loon. That wasn’t really the image he was looking forward too when he got back to Hogwarts.

He looked at her, hmm. Probably second year. She didn’t look old enough to be anything more than that. She may pass for a third year though, but in one year a person didn’t really change all that much. It was only when you looked back a few years you noticed how much older you looked, and how little you were back then. Like he had seen some pictures of him the other day, they were taken just before he went into his first year of Hogwarts. Looking at them was strange, he had been so short, and his mother had used words like ‘adorable’. Words that Rowan didn’t really feel comfortable being used about him, not by his mum anyway.

His gaze shifted and he noticed that a tabby cat had followed her into the bar. Either this cat was hers, or it was a very odd cat. He doubted that many cats would randomly follow strangers down streets and into bars. Strays were usually frightened by everyone, and stayed away from places with crowds. Not that there were many people in here, bit it would still be quite scary for a cat. Not all cats though, his own kitten would love it here; he would probably get some more attention from the people around. He was a kitten, but he knew how to flaunt his cuteness to everyone, just to get petted by them.

The girl reclaimed his attention as she pulled put a chair from beside the table and sat upon it, maybe he didn’t seem so boring after all. If that was what her sigh had meant. He didn’t know exactly how he seemed to others. He tried to give them a good impression to start with, as no-one really cared about what happened after their first impressions. However stupid it was it made him want to seem nicer to the people that he met, in case they were stubborn enough to ignore how a person acted in they thought the were not very nice at the beginning. But what was he thinking? He could be stubborn when he wanted to be.

Her name was Thea Gillis. Well, he couldn’t say he could remember that name. Probably just saw her around the castle at some time then. He had a few friends in Slytherin, not many though. He did not have anything against Slytherins, most were nice. But they just didn’t like him for two reasons, one, he was a Ravenclaw. They thought of him as a know it all. And two he was a prefect, which generally did not go well with many of the younger students unless he was helping them. They were more likely to get into trouble, so more likely to be spoken to by him.

Rowan considered what she had said, yes, this place was usually alot more crowded than it was now. It was the holidays; everyone should be milling about, shopping or just chatting with each other. It was always like that. He had never seen this place so empty, though when he usually came it was on Hogsmeade weekends with alot of students wandering around. It was probably something to do with Death Eaters and Voldemort. Many people were nervous about that, thinking that they would get attacked as soon as they walked out of their front door. Rowan was sceptical about this fact, he had been out alot and nothing had happened to him.

“Yeah,” He replied, “There’s usually alot more people around here, and this is a popular place too. Probably out shopping in Diagon Alley or something.”

[Thea Gillis]

Thea already knew where she knew the older boy's face. He was a Hogwarts student she was sure of it now. As for his grade she couldn't be sure, she herself was only a second year, She was sure she'd seen him around her first year, in the halls somewhere. An' now him being a Prefect she'd heard his voice escorting the new first years to and from the common rooms. Hogwarts was a big school so she could have easily enough been mistaken on his apperance and her mind, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she'd seen him within the walls of the castle, just simply didn't know his name.

She smiled lightly looking at him a but as he did her. Thea hadn't changed much from her first to second year, she'd gotten maybe a head taller but otherwise was the same ol' Thea. Time passed differently for different people. Thea felt as though she hadn't grown any, she hardly changed, yet when she looked at her younger brother all the world had changed in him. She'd held him as a baby and yet he was nearly six years old. He'd be within Hogwarts walls all too soon. Time flys like a shot and crawls like a snail, all is within the mind. Age is mental all in how one precives themselves.

The tabby cat was hers for sure. Jefferson by his full name, and Jeffer as his nickname. He was strange and very odd in his personality and even manorisums but there was no doubt that he 'owned' this human he was with. He wasn't the most affecvtionate souls really, he'd only accept pettings from 'his girl'. Otherwise he was more apt to bite or claw first. Though if food was anywhere within the mix, being he was lead by his stomach, he'd at least aknowledge another human if only for the food.

If there remained any doubt that the tabby cat 'owned' this girl it could have been dispelled as she sat down. As soon as she was situated he leapt to her lap and curled there contently. With one hand Thea stroked his back lightly. Rowan to Thea wasn't at all boring in fact he may have well proved to be the only interesting soul in this place. She rarely talked to adults, she rather ignore them if at all possible. That for her was the stubborn streak that kept people some what distant when it came to her, she was a recluse and rather quite more often than not. But somedays she needed an actual human voice to answer her back besides just the meow of a cat.

She couldn't say the same for him either, his name meant nothing to her. Only his face rang a cord of recolection for him. For Thea she had very few friends within Hogwarts, not because she was that distant or rude. But she was one of the 'good students' not typical of Slytherin she was often doing her studies and working on her homework. She liked when possible to stay a few steps ahead of the class. It was so much easier that way.

The Three Brook Sticks was just about deathly quite compaired to the norm for this time of year. It was shocking really. She wondered silently just what caused the lul in people here. Could it really have to do with the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord himself, Voldermort? It was likely very likely indeed. But it didn't change the fact that, even for a girl who pefered her own company, this silence and lack of people milling about was odd and strangely unwelcome.

Nodding lightly she agreed with him and herself. "I guess. Still I can't help but think it's something more sinister." She said lowering her voice slightly and added, "You really think all the rumors are true?"

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Words : 676
Muse : So-so
Random : Bleh, math homework + essays = dead muse.
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