Plotting the Course (open)

[Rowan Kahne]

School had just started, but greater things were at work in Rowans mind then that of the homework the teachers were dishing out. Her sister Tempest had filled her mind with many a great stories about the happenings and goings on of the great and wonderful Hogwarts. She had heard rumors of a club that gathered and worked together; the older students training the younger, and Rowan wanted to be part of it too. She wanted to learn what she could so, that if necessary, she could fight against the Seven too, no matter what her age was.

Rowan had a mental list of names her sister had mentioned, but today, outside in the fresh air, in the wide open courtyard she was going to write it all down so she wouldn't forget. She was going to make notes of the people she wished to find and meet, any and all ideas she had for this super group, and how she was going to go about accomplishing it.

Rowan hummed to herself as she worked, happy to be able to go outside whenever she pleased during her free time. She was no longer cooped up inside a dreary old mansion of a house with no escape. Now she was stuck inside a dreary old castle of a school, but at least freedom was granted here.

The humming stopped as thoughts of home overflowed Rowans train of thought. Memories washed over her and a sense of wonder and curiosity. Rowan knew the girl she had helped save went to school here, but she didn't know the girls name and she didn't know what the girl looked like; not really. When Rowan had met the girl she was skinny and dirty, broken and bruised. What would she look like know? Clean obviously. But how much taller? What was the real color of her hair? Was she still skinny as a rail or had she put on so much weight that she would be completely disguised? Rowan really wanted to meet the girl outside the dangers and misfortunes that were forever looming over their heads when she had been kept at Rowan's Fathers mercy. But now that she was at Hogwarts should she go talk to the Head Master and inform him of the knowledge she had? Ask him if he knew of such a girl? Honestly, how certain could Rowan be that the girl had actually made it to the school...that she actually lived after all that abuse.

A full body shiver trembled through Rowan as she shook her head to clear it. She didn't want to think about any of that. If the situation arose, then Rowan would face it, but she wasn't going to bring trouble down on her own head when she had no clue how much information of the situation was really out there. With a deep harrumph Rowan turned her attention back to her task at hand, how to find the members of the Revolution, and how did one become a member.

[Miranda Dawson]

Miranda sighed as she walked through the halls of Hogwarts, now thinking of the letter she got from her adoptive parents this morning. Miranda hadn't thought of this letter until now. Miranda hadn't opened the letter yet, but wanted to do it in private. Miranda kept walking around the halls, not really sure of her surroundings until she got to the Courtyard Fountain. Miranda looked around, thinking this was a good place to read her letter, it was all quiet and empty except for a first-year Gryffindor who was reading a pad of paper.

Miranda sat down on the edge of the fountain and peeled the envelope open. She peeled the envelope open slowing and cautiously, not wanting to know what her adoptive parents were going to say. Know them, Miranda thought hurtfully. They'd probably say that they wanted to put her back in the orphanage. And that is the last place I ever want to be. As soon as the envelope was fully open, Miranda took the letter out and read:

Dear Miranda,

How dare you leave for that freak school of yours without a warning that you were leaving. You are a very bad girl/servant/daughter. You better be lucky me and your father still love you enough to let you back into our mansion! Now, as a punishment this summer, all of your precious books will be removed from the basement and won't have them for the rest of the summer. When you get back from this freak place, you give all of your spell books, wand, cauldron, and everything else that is so important to this freak place to me and your father so, we can hide them from you. You can have them back as soon as the end of summer approaches and when you have to go back.

Now, it was sweet of you to make us breakfast and do the laundry the day you left, but did you seriously think this would soften us up? Well it didn't and for that you deserve a beating and to make your summer punishment even more severe we will work you around the house twenty-four seven.

Love from your mother,
Robert Jane William


Miranda looked at the letter and let out an angry and fustrated yell. She wished she wasn't adopted by the Williams' and someone nicer to live with instead of being the Williams' slave. Miranda, then ripped up the letter into pieces and put the threw the pieces into the water. Miranda looked at the floating pieces in the water and wished she had someone to talk to. Someone she could confide in and someplace to call home.

Miranda, then looked towards the Gryffindor first-year and decided to make her third friend of the day. Miranda walked around the fountain and then sat next to the girl and said, "Hi, my names Miranda. What's yours?"

[Rowan Kahne]

Startled out of her concentration Rowan looked up at the voice that greeted her. It took her a moment to focus and understand what was said, but once her mind had resettled itself on the new topic before her Rowan smiled up at the Ravenclaw.

"Hi. I'm Rowan Kahne. It's a pleasure. How's Hogwarts been to you so far? I'm loving it! At this very moment I'm trying to figure out the names of some of my older sisters friends. She went here a few years ago, but our father took her out for some reason. She was up to something with some friends and I want to find them to see if I can take Tempest's spot and help them."

Rowan slowly started rearranging her notes and letters, putting them together so she could put them away neatly. This was definitely a private matter; she didn't mind saying what she was doing, as she just had, but she really wanted to do this on her own. Rowan remembered Tempest had said it was a secret and that she shouldn't have even mentioned it.

"so, Rowan looked up at Miranda from her pile of papers, "What are you up to?"

[Miranda Dawson]

Miranda watched as the girl jumped at her voice. It took her a few moments to register what Miranda just said, but Miranda waited patiently and quietly. Finally the Gryffindor girl talked.

"Hi, I'm Rowan Kahne. It's a pleasure. How's Hogwarts been to you? I'm loving it! At this very moment I'm trying to figure out the names of some of my older sister's friends. She went her a few years ago, but our father took her out for some reason. She was up to something with some friends and I want to find them to see if I can take Tempest's spot and help them."

Miranda looked at Rowan and noticed that these group of people she was trying to find were important to her, so Miranda wasn't going to pry. Miranda watched as Rowan started rearranging her notes and stared for a few moments, before Rowan started talking again.

"So," Rowan looked up at Miranda from her pile of papers, "What are you up to?"

Miranda looked at Rowan right into her eyes and replied, "I got a letter from my adoptive parents and wanted to open it in private, but I didn't realize someone was already here, but I read the letter anyway. The letter states that I'll be punished for coming to school here because my parents think I'm going to turn into a freak. They hadn't always been nice to me, but why should they start now. Anyway, Hogwarts is amazing! I haven't been anywhere outside my mansion before and it's just simply amazing!"

Miranda then looked down at the stack of papers in Rowan's hands and said, "Do you mind if I have a look at the names? I may know one of them."

[Rowan Kahne]

Miranda looked at Rowan right into her eyes and replied, "I got a letter from my adoptive parents and wanted to open it in private, but I didn't realize someone was already here, but I read the letter anyway. The letter states that I'll be punished for coming to school here because my parents think I'm going to turn into a freak. They hadn't always been nice to me, but why should they start now. Anyway, Hogwarts is amazing! I haven't been anywhere outside my mansion before and it's just simply amazing!"

"You've never left your families home either?! Wow! My father wouldn't let me leave after I was delivered to him. He called me an inconvenience. See, my mother was a street walker that he knocked up. I'm the result. My mother died shortly after child birth to come muggle malady; some type of lung infection. My father wasn't happy when her found out and deposited me in the Nursery and I very rarely left that room. It must be nice to get letters, even letters mentioning being punished because at least you know they're thinking of you. I won't get any letters. My father doesn't think about me unless he absolutely has to, or someone reminds him of me. I don't want to go home this up coming summer either. I Love Hogwarts! The freedom, the new surroundings, and no nanny to watch every step you make."

Rowan was excited to find someone who had similar issues growing up. It was amazing to realize that other parents were just as mean and cruel to their children, real or adopted. Rowan was a bit confused bout the whole adoption thing though. If adults were going to adopt a child wouldn't they love that child and spoil them and take great care of them...? Hmm. What did she know.

Miranda then looked down at the stack of papers in Rowan's hands and said, "Do you mind if I have a look at the names? I may know one of them."

"Oh. Um, well sure. But my older sister Tempest called them by other names then their real ones because she had to hide what she was doing from our Father. He supports The Seven and Tempest was working with a group training to fight The Seven. I'm sure most of the members have graduated already. It took place two years ago."

Rowan handed the stack of encrypted notes to Miranda to take a look at. Rowan had been studying these pages for almost two years; ever since her sister went missing, and still hadn't figured anything out.

"Rowan looked down at her notebook that she was using to keep track of any ideas she may have had about the people, and sadly muttered, "I would ask Tempest how to decipher it but she's been missing for about a year and a half. I blame my father but I have no proof."

[Miranda Dawson]

You never left you families home either!? Wow! My father wouldn't let me leave I was delivered to him. He called me an inconvenience. You see, my mother was a street walker that he knocked up. I'm the result. My mother died shortly after child birth to come muggle malady; some type of lung infection. My father wasn't happy when her found out and deposited me in the Nursery and I rarely left that room. It must be nice to get letters, even letters mentioning getting punished because at least you know they're thinking of you. I won't get any letters. My father doesn't think about me unless he absolutely has to, or someone reminds him of me. I don't want to go home this upcoming summer either. I Love Hogwarts! The freedom, the new surroundings, and no nanny to watch every step you make."

Miranda looked at Rowan and smiled a big smile because she finally found someone who actually has family troubles like she did. Miranda looked at Rowan and said, "Wow, that is something. My mother also passed away during child birth, except she was depressed and stressed out. My father died before my mother was even two weeks pregnant with me and that's part of why my mother was depressed. Basically, I was a love child. My grandparents fought over me and the ones on my mother's side went too far and landed themselves in Azakaban. My grandparents on my father's side were killed by the grandparents on my mother's side. So, I ended up in an orphanage where I taught myself how to read, write, and play music. The orphanage was too poor to send us to school. When I was nine, I got adopted by the Williams' who claimed to take care of me, when all they wanted was a maid. They heard that using a child as a slave was better than using an adult. So, for two years I was working for them and I wasn't even loved. I was a loner in the orphanage and was always the grown up, so I never really know what it feels like to be a kid."

When Miranda was finished talking, she realized she was crying and wiped her tears away. As she was drying her tears, when she asked Rowan to see her notebook to see if she knew anybody.

"Oh. Um, well sure. But my older sister Tempest called them by other names then their reals ones because she had to hide what she was doing from our Father. He supports The Seven and Tempest was working with a group training to fight The Seven. I'm sure most of the members have graduated already. It took place two years ago."

Miranda took the notes from Rowan and studied them. She didn't know anyone on that list, but was determined to find out.

Rowan looked down at her notebook that she was using to keep track of any ideas she may have had about the people, and sadly muttered, "I would ask Tempest how to decipher it but she's been missing for about a year and a half. I blame my father but I have no proof."

Miranda looked at Rowan's sad face and back over to the notes in her hands. Then, suddenly and idea struck Miranda. Miranda looked back over at Rowan happily, and said, "I think I may know how to find these people. I'm pretty sure this club is still going on and look at the names, most of them sound like nicknames, like "Pixie" all we have to do is look for a person who either looks like a pixie or acts like one. Then, we can ask them if they knew Tempest and we'll have our answer. But we have to be very careful because some people may know Tempest, but aren't part of the club."

Miranda looked at Rowan waiting for her reply to her idea.

[Rowan Kahne]

"I think I may know how to find these people. I'm pretty sure this club is still going on and look at the names, most of them sound like nicknames, like "Pixie" all we have to do is look for a person who either looks like a pixie or acts like one. Then, we can ask them if they knew Tempest and we'll have our answer. But we have to be very careful because some people may know Tempest, but aren't part of the club."

Rowan looked at Miranda thoughtfully, trying to see if her idea could be a possible solution, then realized that Miranda was probably far off; not knowing Tempest and her tempestuous ways as Rowan herself did.

"Thanks for the idea Miranda, but to understand these clues we'd actually need to know the people that the "nicknames" would be attached to. Tempest isn't a nice person, well, not nice to anyone but me." Rowan rubbed her eyes for they were starting to ache from the strain of trying to figure out the meanings, "Tempest calling someone Pixie is NOT a nice thing as it would be if you called someone Pixie. Besides, I think we're both our of league here, since these names belong to older students, and possibly ones that don't even go here anymore. And since we're both first years, and don't really know older students...I'm just going to have to wait and see."

Realizing that this was pretty much a dead end, and if she wanted to keep this to herself Rowan needed to put it away and work on it alone in her room. Packing up all the loose papers Rowan carefully put everything into its folder and tucked it into her bag.

Looking up at Miranda after pulling her thoughts away from her sister Rowan smiled, "So, on to happier things. What should we do? Something fun and non work like!"

[Miranda Dawson]

"Thanks for the idea Miranda, but to understand these clues we'd actually need to know the people that the "nick names" would be attached to. Tempest isn't a nice person, well, not nice to anyone but me." Rowan rubbed her eyes for they were starting to ache from the strain of trying to figure out the meanings. "Tempest calling someone Pixie is NOT a nice thing as it would be if you called someone pixie. Besides, I think we're both out of league here, since these names belong to older students, and possibly ones that don't even go here anymore. And, since were both first years, and don't really know older students... I'm just going to have to wait and see."

Miranda pondered over this as Rowan put all of her papers into a folder and into her bag. Miranda realized that Rowan was right. That they were both first years and don't know many people. Plus, as Rowan says, her sister wouldn't call someone Pixie in a nice way. But, Miranda would hunt them older students down if she put her mind to it. Miranda knew that she was stubborn, but when it came to helping, knowing answers, or fighting, she can become very, very stubborn.

Looking up at Miranda after pulling her thoughts away from her sister Rowan smiled, 'So, on to happier things. What should we do? Something fun and non work like!"

Miranda pondered over Rowan's question and the only thing she could get out of her mouth was, "Well, my life hasn't exactly been fun. I have been more mature than being a kid, so I wouldn't know too many things that are fun. Ummm... What do you have in mind?"

[Rowan Kahne]

Miranda pondered over Rowan's question and the only thing she could get out of her mouth was, "Well, my life hasn't exactly been fun. I have been more mature than being a kid, so I wouldn't know too many things that are fun. Ummm... What do you have in mind?"

Startled by the returned question Rowan didn't know what to say. She didn't really know fun either, and she'd been hoping Miranda would have some ideas. Glancing around the courtyard Rowan realized they probably wouldn't find anything fun here. Then it came to her.

"I know! Why don't we head out to the main grounds and see if anything is happening out there as we head over to the quidditch field. There has to be something going on there! A practice, a scrimmage, friends playing friends, something. And you never know! We may meet some new people! What do you think?"

Rowan looked expectantly at Miranda, waiting to see what the girl would think of her idea. She wasn't sure if wandering around looking for something to do was fun or not, but Rowan hoped it could lead to some fun. With a big smile Rowan pulled her bag up over her head and slung it cross body for easy carrying. "Can you think of anything better?!"

[Miranda Dawson]

"I know! Why don't we head out to main grounds and see if anything is happening out there as we head over to the quidditch field. There has to be something fun going on there! A practice, a scrimage, friends playing with friends, something. And you never know! We may meet some new people! What do you think?"

Miranda smiled at Rowan's answer and couldn't help but think that was the best idea yet. They could also explore more of Hogwarts while running around. Plus Miranda needed to find some more friends, besides Rowan of course, so that way she wasn't always alone for the next six years.

After pondering over Rowan's answer, Miranda smiled and said, "Yeah, come on. Let's go!" As she was talking, Miranda couldn't help but feel a little excited about the whole. That was like her first time ever feeling like she could do whatever she wanted. The sound of freedom was ringing in her ears as she tried her best not to run and scream. Just trying to be a kid.