Year/Job
Sixth Year
I love it when you call me señorita I wish I could pretend I didn't need ya |
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Post by Isabella Clarke on Feb 6, 2024 10:51:03 GMT -8
For months it had been an unrelentingly cold winter, snowstorms every week or so, but in the past week the weather had let up and the sun was shining again. It was warmer than it had been, the snow all but melted, and Bella was feeling chipper. Things had gone so surprisingly well with Liam and the girl was on cloud nine. She never imagined that things could work out so well. Her heart was very happy and it was showing clearly on her face as she practically skipped through the halls. The witch was headed for the courtyard to do some reading while it was still warm outside. Laurie was busy with Nathaniel, a development that Bella certainly had not expected, and Liam was off studying for their upcoming exam. She'd be glad to join him, of course, but she didn't know how long this weather would stay until it got cold again.
With her books neatly tucked in her arms, Bella made her way to the courtyard. When she opened the double doors, a bright smile fell on her features. She was greeted with a comforting warmth coming from the beaming sun and the sounds of her classmates chatting and playing games. Bella carefully stepped around the second years playing Gobstones and found a bench to settle on. She set her books beside her and picked one up. It wasn't something that most would find interesting, a history of Astronomers and their discoveries, but she knew her mother was included in it and it gave her a sense of peace to read. She opened the book and started to read. Bella had been so lost in the pages that she hadn't noticed someone approaching until a shadow washed over her. Her gaze lifted from the page she was on to look at the person standing before her. "Oh, hello," she said kindly, offering a small smile. "Did you want to sit here?"
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Year/Job
Fourth Year
Is kindness too much to ask for? |
Leo
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Post by Parker Carmichael on Feb 15, 2024 3:47:23 GMT -8
Parker really just wanted to get out of the noisy common room and to some place quiet, maybe outside but anything with a noise level lower than a plane at take-off would've been good. As he pushed through the crowd of rowdy fifth years, he clutched his shoulderbag closer to himself to not drop all of the parchment and ink as he got jostled by his classmates, a lot more than necessary. But he did what he did best: put his head down and keep walking.
Finding the group study rooms too full for some solitary writing, he pushed further and found himself in the courtyard. A few second years minding their own business he could deal with. He sat down on the ground at a bench to use it as a table, but when he tried to take his bag off his shoulder, he found that he couldn't! All that happened was that the sweater of his uniform moved quite violently with it when he tried harder. Had it gotten stuck to the fabric? But how! Or did someone... no, certainly not.
Looking around he spotted a Ravenclaw sitting on one of the other benches and his face started heating up even just thinking about asking for help. How very embarrassing. After struggling for another few minutes on his own, he decided that there was really nothing for it. And he'd rather ask the Ravenclaw than the second years playing.
Walking up to her, he cleared his throat at her greeting, his face bright red. "I... I... not really uhm..." He gestured vaguely to the bench he had just vacated. "Ikindaneedhelp," he mumbled quickly.
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
I love it when you call me señorita I wish I could pretend I didn't need ya |
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Post by Isabella Clarke on Feb 17, 2024 11:01:17 GMT -8
She recognized the boy as Parker Carmichael, a Gryffindor fourth year who also happens to be Poppy's twin brother. Bella was perhaps a little weary of his twin sister, but she had nothing against either of them. From what she understood, Parker was the one person who could calm the raging fire that was his sister. His embarrassment was clear and Bella set aside her book to give him her full attention. Her warm gaze flickered over to the bench he gestured at before falling back to rest on his face. She almost missed what he said since he said it so quickly, but she understood that he needed help. "Of course," she said with a soft smile, though she wasn't sure how she could help. The girl had been so engrossed in her book that she hadn't seen the boy struggle to remove his backpack. "What can I do?"
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Year/Job
Fourth Year
Is kindness too much to ask for? |
Leo
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Post by Parker Carmichael on Feb 17, 2024 13:07:25 GMT -8
Face still burning like a beacon, Parker turned around to show the Ravenclaw his back with the cross-body strap of his bag going across it. "Maybe I'm just really stupid, but... did it get stuck somewhere? I can't get it off..." he mumbled. "The bag! he added hastily, mortified. "The bag I mean. Not the sweater..." Could it get any worse? He should've really done some studying beyond his classwork and tried to learn the disillusionment charm so he could vanish in situations like these... His sister would've laughed herself silly had she been there to witness this.
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
I love it when you call me señorita I wish I could pretend I didn't need ya |
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Post by Isabella Clarke on Feb 18, 2024 11:11:20 GMT -8
Bella could practically feel the embarrassment rolling off of him in waves and she felt a pang run through her. She hoped that she wasn't making him feel that way. Was it just the fact he needed help? He turned around and her dark eyes looked over the bag slung across his body. Her brows knitted together and she stood slowly to inspect it further. A soft smile touched her lips as he clarified, the girl feeling sympathetic to the boy for his situation. "It doesn't appear to be stuck, but..." she started, moving to pull the bag back while her eyes were fixed on where it met the sweater. Just as she suspected, the sweater moved with the bag. "It looks like someone put a sticking charm on it." Bella released the bag and reached for her wand. She waved her wand and murmured the counter-spell. There was a flash of light and a strange sucking sound as the spell was released. "Try it now."
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Year/Job
Fourth Year
Is kindness too much to ask for? |
Leo
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Post by Parker Carmichael on Feb 18, 2024 12:08:57 GMT -8
Parker balled his hands into fists to keep himself from fidgeting as he trusted the Ravenclaw to know what she was doing, especially when he heard her mutter a spell. It certainly wouldn't be the first time someone messed up their magic. But whoever cast the sticking charm certainly didn't, unfortunately. Or maybe it was a mess-up. That would be the easier thought when he didn't have to consider who wanted to mess with him like this. A flash of light and he didn't feel like anything about his body had changed for the worse luckily, so he did as the Ravenclaw asked and tried to remove his bag again. The strap came off over his head as it should and his shoulders sagged in relief, though the redness on his face wasn't as fast to receed. "Thanks. Thank you so much. So sorry for bothering you. Hope I didn't interrupt... too bad?"
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
I love it when you call me señorita I wish I could pretend I didn't need ya |
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Post by Isabella Clarke on Feb 18, 2024 18:50:51 GMT -8
He removed his bag with ease and a bright smile spread across her lips. Parker thanked her and apologized for bothering her in the same breath and Bella waved it off, still smiling. "It's my pleasure, really," she said. "And it was no bother. I was just reading something I've read hundreds of times before." Her dark gaze leveled on him, her expression turning a bit concerned. "Do you think someone did this to you intentionally?" That was a rather unpleasant thought, but after someone had stolen her mother's belongings, she was starting to realize just how wicked others could be. Perhaps someone was angry with his sister and chose him as an easier target. Just listen to her... she felt ashamed for thinking such thoughts. "Of course, I'll let you get back to what you were doing, but I was just thinking that someone would have to be especially cruel to do that."
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Year/Job
Fourth Year
Is kindness too much to ask for? |
Leo
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Post by Parker Carmichael on Feb 19, 2024 7:49:11 GMT -8
"Well... to be quite honest, I'd rather not think about it. If someone did that on purpose. Because that would mean... a whole lot of things I don't want to deal with, you know?" he mused while kneading the strap of his bag in his hands, looking off into the distance as he was contemplating the possibility. "And I'm not a brave Gryffindor. Maybe that's why. Shame of the house and all, you know?
He thought that he should probably go back to the bench he had tried to claim earlier and leave the nice girl alone, but he found it quite a pleasant change actually, to have a civil conversation outside of the classroom. Even though his cheeks were definitely still red and the awkwardness of his situation hadn't worn off yet either. "At least being a loser doesn't get people kicked out of their house," he said with a laugh to try and ease the tension probably just he himself was feeling.
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
I love it when you call me señorita I wish I could pretend I didn't need ya |
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Post by Isabella Clarke on Feb 19, 2024 13:57:15 GMT -8
Bella nodded along solemnly with his words. If someone was targeting Parker, then they must know they were tempting retaliation from his sister. She wasn't a brave witch and she wasn't one for confrontation, she preferred to stay in the background and avoid that altogether. Bella could understand why he didn't want to think about someone doing this on purpose. "Perhaps it was misplaced spell. Did you have charms today?" Some students even practiced spells in the library, though Bella thought that was irresponsible of them. They could miss or damage the books or even another student. She didn't the librarian would look too kindly on it, either. "I can't imagine why someone would be so mean. Brave or not, no one deserves to be messed with like that."
She could see he was still embarrassed and she wondered what she could do to make him feel more at ease. Perhaps she should invite him to sit with her. That sounded like a good plan. She was enjoying the company, after all, and the books will always be there waiting for her later. She was about to offer when he spoke up again and this time when he spoke, her brows knitted together as a frown found its way on her lips. "Why do you think you're a loser? I don't think that." Were there people being mean to him? That thought made her stomach turn. She just didn't understand why people chose to be so cruel when kindness was easier and healthier. "Would you like to sit with me? I don't have anywhere to be and it is such a nice day."
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Year/Job
Fourth Year
Is kindness too much to ask for? |
Leo
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Post by Parker Carmichael on Feb 21, 2024 11:40:46 GMT -8
"Maybe it was," Parker agreed to the suggestion that it might have been a stray spell. "The Gryffindor common room is pretty rowdy sometimes. Maybe I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time." Thinking back on it, maybe he shouldn't have pushed through that group of fifth years in such a rush.
He shrugged at her question why he had chosen the very unfortunate and tasteless joke of calling himself a loser. That had been a pretty pathetic attempt at humour and he flinched inwardly at the late realisation. He could hardly become any more awkward, could he? "I...eh ... that's very nice of you," he replied to the suggestion of joining the Ravenclaw. "And you know ... when your house's pride is bravery and you don't have it... not everyone is cool with that. I'm Parker by the way," he added belatedly and offered his hand somewhat formally.
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Year/Job
Sixth Year
I love it when you call me señorita I wish I could pretend I didn't need ya |
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Post by Isabella Clarke on Feb 24, 2024 12:26:11 GMT -8
A soft smile spread across her lips as he agreed with her. It seemed very likely that someone was messing around in the common room and misplaced a spell. That was a much happier thought than someone purposefully targeting him. Yes, that must have been what had happened. Bella couldn't stand to think ill of others.
She offered him a sympathetic look as he explained that others were not happy with his lack of bravery, but her expression softened when he introduced himself. Bella shook his hand with a smile. "Isabella, though everyone calls me Bella," she introduced herself. "And perhaps you really are brave, just not in the same way as the others. It could be something that will show itself when it really matters." There were other traits that made a Gryffindor and Bella thought that most seemed to forget that. "I'm sorry people have been unkind to you. It shouldn't be that way." Everyone deserved kindness. Even Poppy Carmichael and certainly her brother. "Are you enjoying your time at Hogwarts? Aside from people's meanness."
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