Night had risen up upon the Hogwarts castle, and within it lay an eery scilence as children and staff alike cuddled within their thin covers and drifted to sleep.
Briar sat by the fire, her gold hair took on a reddish tint as she watched the flames flicker and dance. The girl was memorized. A book lay discarded to her side as she stared at the fire. It was odd how something so joyfull, something that brought with it light and warmth could also bring firth destruction and devaststation. áá
Briar contemplated this all solemnly. She had always seen fire as a sort of metaphor. It was what seperated man from the beast. á
I wonder if it was wizards who came up with fire or muggles.
She debated sneaking out to the library, but it was no good. The fire was all too comforting as it radiated heat and the idea of leaving it to venture the cold, dark castle was not appealing.á
Actually, Briar's thin áshoulders were beginning áto slump and soon she was lying next to the hearth where she had been purched. Her eyelids were drooping with the weight of the of the long day she had endured.á
Hmm I belive that I'm getting rather sleepy.
Elvera was tired, and eager to rest her eyes, although the sheet of paper that sat in front of her controlled her, as she willed herself to finish the letter to her father. It was important, and he liked to know how she was getting on, as she was his only child still at school unlike her older brothers, who'd already moved on to take their places working for the ministry, also something Elvera was not sure she wanted to persue herself. Exasperated, she lifted herself from her seat, and left the girls dormatory. She had not been made a prefect, and so she felt no guilt in being out at night, as she slipped down into the common room.
It took her a moment to realize there was already someone in the room. A girl. A girl she'd already met recently, and whom she'd had the oppotunity to exchange pleasantries with. El quietly walked to the side of the sofa, and watched Briar as she looked into the fireplace, obviously drowsy. After a few moments she spoke softly. "I wouldn't fall asleep here if i were you" she advised, glancing down to the book that lay beside her.
(As we already have a rp going, i don't mind if you want me to cancel this for someone else to join)
Briar rubbed her eyes and sat up to see the source of the voice. It was the girl from history of magic, Elvera. Briar gave her a small smile her eyes only half opened, as she tried to process what the girl had said.á
"Why," she asked puzzled. Then she followed the girl eyes with her own.
á"Oh I suppose that would be quite foolish. "á
She picked up the book, folded the page, and then the closed ácover. It was an interesting and unique tale called Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Alice, though a few years younger, reminded Briar immensly of herself and it was comforting to read of her adventures in such a topsy turvey world. It made Briar feel quite normal herself.
She looked back up at Elvera, and smiled more awake this time.á
"So may I inquire as to why you're up? "á
(No that's fine :) )
All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them...
El had never been one for fictional reading. She much preferred to read about the facts and historical events. To her, reading stories was like trying to escape to another world, and as much as El would like to do that, she knew she couldn't just put her head in the sand. Elvera smiled as Briar closed the book, and realized why spending the night in the common room prehaps wasn't the best idea
I was writing a letter to my father. There have been some important events and i he likes to make sure i'm well." she stated. "My brother's are old enough to look after themselves, however i, aswell as being a girl, am seen to need the parental guidence that my father so greatly offers. I'm sure with his help, our family can do anything, although i have to admit, having him on my shoulder can get a little aggrivating" she said. El's father liked to know what his daughter was doing, and she was not yet of age, meaning he was still tending to her, and making sure he pushed her in the right direction whenever he could. As much as El was grateful for his help, she often wished she could lead her own life now. She supposed the only time her father would truly let her go, would be when she was married.
El did not wish to be in any sort of activity with a gentleman. That sort of responsiblity had not yet hit her young mind, and she was keen to remain as she was, and not let any smelly boys get too close to her.
"What about you? What has kept you up?" she referred back to the book, "You hadn't been reading?" she was a little confused, until she turned to what Briar had been daydreaming at. "Oh, i see. The light and warmth of something so natural can be pleasant.." she sat down beside the girl and looked into the flames.
Briar listened to the girl. It hadn't occured to her before how much expectation went with carrying a family name. It was only a hunch but Bri suspected Elvera's need for guidance sounded like her father's words, not her own. Right now Briar felt very fortunate about living in such an open minded family where she was more or less free to do what she pleased. She felt a sudden urge to offer words of comfort to the girl or advice, but Briar just wasn't sure as to what Elvera could do.
The girl directed the conversation back to Briar, and she smiled in return. She wasn't sure as to why she was up, and though she did enjoy the fire she couldn't entirely give it credit.á
"I actually always stay up this late. You know I still feel like I did as a little child, that if I fall asleep I might miss out on something, but it is nice to sit and reflect while everyone eles has gone to bed."
"Do you ever wish you were a boy, you know the freedom of it?"
Briar knew it was a sudden question, and she was aware of it's absurbity, but it seemed relavent to Elvera's situation. Growing up their were few things her older cousin Luther could do that she could not, ábut she was aware of her sex's oppresion, abd she sometimes wondered at the ease one must expirence walking in trousers.á
All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them...
Elvera listened and nodded. "That's understandable. Everything's so much more peaceful if there's no one else around" she agreed, suddenly feeling a little too aware of herself, and she began to stand and leave, but Briar asked her another question, so re-taking her seat she thought.
Had she ever wished she was a boy? Of course. With two older brothers it was hard to be the young girl who just had to sit and watch them. It was hard to always be forced into the same style dresses, all because of your sex. The only thing Elvera had that not many females could, was join the Gryffindor quidditch team. It was the only oppotunity she was aloud to wear trousers, provided she wore a robe over the top, and even then the rest of the team were trying to single her out. As one of the wealthy famlies though, her team knew not to get on the wrong side of her, they were just unaware she hadn't actually told her father. "My mother used to say how us girls have a purpose, as do the boys. That we were here for a reason." she began. "I don't like being seperated and told there are things i cannot do, and in some ways she's right. But yes, ive wished i was a boy, but then don't we always want what we can't have?" she looked at the floor, purposly not showing her face. Since her mother passed away, there was nothing that could be done to bring her back.
The day had finally come to an end, and being worried about getting caught up so late, Rowena headed for the Gryffindor common room, clutching her homework to her chest. She was certainly clever, though, being a girl Rowena wasn't so sure why she felt the need to study. Her skills would most likely be wasted. At that moment she missed her nagging old Mother. She told Rowena to aim for the sky, and not let anything get in her way. Her Mother felt she had made that mistake, giving in to who she was 'supposed' to be and staying in the house for the best part of her life. But Rowena felt strangely sure that she would not end up like her Mother. She would find a way to have what she wanted, and that meant she needed to study. Smiling, she turned the corner, in a hurry now as there were no other students about. The dark often scared Rowena, but it was the only thing she was afraid of. She didn't even know why.
Rowena pushed open the common room door, hearing soft murmers as she did. Her curiousity led her to two girls, who looked about her age, chatting by the warm, hypnotic open fire. She closed the door behind her, placing her homework on the chest beside her. She'd pick it up later. Pretending not to have noticed the other students, Rowena sat herself down in an armchair and stared into the fire, seeing its simplicity and beauty. Fire was an element. She respected it. After a minute or so, she looked up slowly to see who she was sitting next to. She recognized them both, though she had never spoken to either of them. She gave them a quirky smile, fiddling with her robe and unsure how to greet them.
'Hello,' she said finally, 'I havn't seen you here before. Do we know each other?' She asked politely. 'I'm Rowena.'
All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them...
Elvera looked up as the common room door opened, and she had a brief sweep of panic, incase it was a professor or prefect, not that she would have minded the detention but she couldn't be bothered to go back to bed just yet. "Rowena. Yes, your in the dorm next to us" there were quite honestly rather a lot of fifth years, plus there were more Gryffindors than any other house. "Rowena Godwin isn't it?" she asked. "I'm a Potter girl" she grinned. "Elvera" she sat back in the chair and looked at Rowena who was still carrying her books. "You were outside the common room? At this hour?" she hoped she didn't make Gryffindor look bad and hadn't bumped into anyone. "Ready for your OWL's?" she asked them both.
Briar nodded her head. She understood áeverything Elvera was saying, and felt a refreshing relief at not being alone in her secret wishes. She understood what Elvera's mother had said and couldn't help but to wish that her own mother was around to have offered similiar words of wisdom. However, Briar had gone her whole life without a mother and had had a, more than loving, Aunt to take that mother's place so it seemed silly to feel a loss for someone she had never met.áBriarásmiled,áElveraáwasáright, you always wanted what you couldn't have.á
She didn't look up at Elvera but instead back in to the fire a smile still upon her face and she let a temporary moment of scilence pass by as she thought of Elvera's words.
Bri looked up as the common room door swung open. She watched as another girl came in to view and sat down. The girl introduced herself as Rowena. Briar smiled at her. "Briar," she offered after Elvera had pointed out that Rowena's Dorm neighbored theirs. She then directed her attention áto Elvera's question.
"No, not at all," she laughed,"I feel like I still have so much to study!"
Briar had read all her books at least once over but she had yet to go over her wand work or review any of the information. áá
Rowena couldn't help a hint of a smile escaping her lips when Elvera mentioned she was a Potter girl. Elvera was a lovely name, though she didn't like to say. Rowena found it strangely hard to compliment people. She blamed her Mother for that. However she was polite, and extremely kind, for that matter. Rowena looked up at her homework on the chest in the corner. 'Oh, I'm a bit of a boffin..' Rowena's voice trailed off. She was unsure as to why being clever embarassed her. 'My Mother chose what I would study. She wants me to do well, though I would have chosen different subjects to her,' she said with a giggle. Inside she felt a rage. She hated the subjects she had been made to study. She had no interest in them. At first, she had been determined to reject her homework, to not study and get bad grates in spite of her Mother. But she also wanted her Mother to be happy - Rowena was all she had left and betraying her would be kicking her in the face.
Rowena giggled bashfully at the subject of her being out in the corridor. 'It's the first time I've ever been out after I should have been. I was so scared I'd bump into a professor!' Rowena whispered, worried that there may be one outside the common room door, right now. She smothered her giggles, trying to keep her dignity. 'So Briar, Elvera, what years are you in? I'm a fifth year, surprisingly. I know that I am rather small for my age, but I try and see the positive side to it.' She said with a quick smile in no particular direction.
Rowena turned to Elvera with a curious look on her face. 'You're a Potter? My Mother seems to mention your family a lot. Perhaps they know each other?' Rowena suggested, smiling a little fakely and leaning on the arm of her chair. She was disobeying all her Mother's attempts to have good posture. The truth was, she didn't care if their families did or didn't know each other, she was simply trying to be polite and make conversation. 'So have you been studying for your OWL's?' She asked politely, betting that she knew a lot more than Briar and herself put together. 'Even though I've been studying hard, I'm still a little worried. I don't suppose I've studied as hard as my Mother would have liked.' She said sadly, scuffing her foot against the floor.
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