Hopes and Curiosities (Chris and Open)

[Kisa Dragomir]

It was the weekend. The first free weekend Kisa had had where homework wasn't drowning her on masse. She didn't know where to go, or where to find people she might want to see, or even, what to do. She had never been very good at dealing with free time.

Kisa had seen older students down around with fountain, usually with a book in hand. So, grabbing her favorite book, a blanket, and her scarf Kisa headed out into the cool weather of early winter. Once outside she found a bench that sat tucked out of the way of the wind, brushed the snow off of it, folded the blanket over the cold stone, and took a seat.

Kisa had a great view of the front of the castle; she could see students coming and going, heading out to the grounds or wandering into the gardens. She watched her fellow students for a time before turning her attention to her book. Before she knew it she was lost within the pages, swirled into a world of fantasy and mystery by the written words. She was no longer at Hogwarts but in a distant land with a handsome prince, a brave knights, beautiful maidens, gorgeous villains, mighty battles, and great love.
She was lost to the wonder and excitement of it all.

[Chris Newcastle]

"Ah... the weekend," Chris sighed as he leaned back in his seat in the library, taking a break from his homework, "Want to enjoy it but can't. Build a snowman, have a snowball fight, anything. Sucks that I got a bunch of things to do before i can. And I'm talking to myself so that can't be a good sign." He looked back down at his work and only saw a few lines on it. Normally, the work wouldn't take a lot of time for him to do but today, he wanted to play in the snow, or lack thereof.

He stood and put all his stuff away. "I think I can hold off on this since I only got it yesterday." Chris grabbed his bag and went up back to his dorm to dump his stuff and change. He changed into a navy blue zip-up hoodie and a pair of thin snow-pants. He put his black tuque on and a pair of gloves and ran outside.

He did a couple of things you can think of in the small amount of snow available. He built a couple of small snowmen then jumped into a few of them afterwards and then moved all the snow into one pile and jumped into it. At that time, his sweater was soaked right through but he didn't care, his adrenaline was blocking out the cold feeling.

Chris didn't noticed the person (he didn't know if it was a boy or girl from that distance) that was sitting on the bench nearby until he ran past her. As he ran past the bench, he turned his head to see if it was someone he knew and saw a glimpse of a girl he thought he knew. It took about 5 seconds until he stopped to a skid and turned about. With a better look, he noticed it was Kisa. Guessing that this was a time to talk he jogged up to the bench. "Umm, hi," he said as he stopped in front of the bench, "Mind if I sit?" He didn't wait for a reply for he plopped down beside her.

[Kisa Dragomir]

Lost in her fantasy world Kisa was completely oblivious to the one around her. So when a familiar voice spoke, it caught her completely by surprise.

"Umm, hi," he said as he stopped in front of the bench, "Mind if I sit?" He didn't wait for a reply for he plopped down beside her.

Pulled out of her book with a sharp realization of the lose of time Kisa came face to face with Chris. A blush made her red cheeks redder and she ducked her head shyly. She had hoped to run into him today, but was still amazed to see him sitting beside her. She scooted down some on the blanket to make room for him, though she noticed that he was soaked through already from, she was guessing, playing in the snow.

She patted the blanket that she made available, "Please move over. No point in having your butt freeze to the bench. So, hi!" Kisa giggled, not sure what to say now that he was here, "How have you been?"

Kisa looked down at her book which she had closed on her lap. She was searching her mind for something, anything to say. Their first encounter had been interrupted by Anton so they didn't really get a chance to talk. They've only seen each other since in Ancient Runes.

"Oh! Class! I'm really sorry if it seems that I'm ignoring you in Ancient Runes. My Aunt is very hard lady to please, and I've been trying since I vas 6. I don't think she likes my for some reason, no matter how vell I behave, preform, dress, or act. I vas also super disappointment when I didn't get sorted into Ravenclaw. ALL Dragomirs are in Ravenclaw...except for me. But then again, I'm the only one raised in Russia. I'm lucky I vasn't put into Slytherin. Anton vas upset because I vasn't sorted in Slytherin. He says that's vere I belong; vith him. I'm not so sure."

Kisa glanced at Chris out of the corner of her eye to see what his reaction was. She wasn't usually such a big talker like this, but she was nervous. Anton had been the only boy, other then family, that she'd been allowed to talk to, and she hadn't seriously talked to any, outside of class, since she got to Hogwarts.

[Chris Newcastle]

Leaning back into the bench, Chris was trying to catch his breath as he was running around a little earlier. He turned his head to see what the girl beside him was doing before he interrupted her and noticed a blush creeping on her face, which he dismissed to the cold.

"Please move over. No point in having your butt freeze to the bench. So, hi!" Kisa giggled, not sure what to say now that he was here, "How have you been?"

He saw that Kisa moved over on the bench so that they can share the blanket she was currently sitting on. "Thanks," he said with a smile as he moved over onto the blanket, "Won't be much use anyways as I lost the feeling in my butt a while ago." He wiggled on the blanket to see if he still had no feeling there. "Yep, still no feeling. So you asked me how I've been? I've been fine," He answered, not knowing what else to said, "So, how YOU doing?" In the back of Chris' head, he had a feeling that Anton would walk by and yell at how 'this isn't something a proper lady should be doing' and all that jazz. Chris thought that Anton needed to loosen up and act his own age, But like that's ever gonna happen.

"Oh! Class! I'm really sorry if it seems that I'm ignoring you in Ancient Runes. My Aunt is very hard lady to please, and I've been trying since I vas 6. I don't think she likes my for some reason, no matter how vell I behave, preform, dress, or act. I vas also super disappointment when I didn't get sorted into Ravenclaw. ALL Dragomirs are in Ravenclaw...except for me. But then again, I'm the only one raised in Russia. I'm lucky I vasn't put into Slytherin. Anton vas upset because I vasn't sorted in Slytherin. He says that's vere I belong; vith him. I'm not so sure."

Chris was slightly surprised that Kisa said all the things that she said. "No problem 'bout Ancient Runes, I was sorta preoccupied with one of my friends being picked on by your cousin. So you say that your aunt is hard to please? Well, what I did in class really wasn't the best way to kick things off with her. You can't please everyone so don't worry about not pleasing her, I'm probably not going to." He smiled at the memory of him mock-bowing to Professor Dragomir then smiled at Kisa. "So what's wrong about not making it into Ravenclaw? It's not like the end of the world or nothing. You're still probably plenty smart but the Hufflepuff qualities in you out-weight the Ravenclaw ones. And what's wrong with Slytherin? Isn't it just as fine as the other houses? They're are just more ambition and cunning than the others. And if you think about it, I could of ended up in Slytherin."

Chris thought about the Slytherin part; he wasn't sure if he could of ended up in that house but he didn't care, a house is a house, no matter the name. "So Anton said that you belong with him in Slytherin?" he asked curiously, scratching his chin with a gloved hand, "I noticed that he was extremely mad that I was talking to you alone, jealous even. I might know why he might say that." He looked at Kisa, hoping that the meaning of what he said sunk in. He really started to hate how Anton acted towards him about something he didn't mean to do. He wanted Kisa to get some understanding to what he said and try to make Anton at least act a little nicer towards him.

[Kisa Dragomir]

"Won't be much use anyways as I lost the feeling in my butt a while ago." He wiggled on the blanket to see if he still had no feeling there. "Yep, still no feeling. So you asked me how I've been? I've been fine," He answered, not knowing what else to said, "So, how YOU doing?"

Kisa giggled at Chris's numb butt commentary, nodded politely when he said he was doing alright, and was caught a little off guard when he asked so punctually how she was doing. She blushed again, and looked down at her book and thought about her answer before giving it.

"I'm doing alright. I actually have all my homework done. I am a bit lonely, but you have eased that some." Kisa smiled at Chris before continuing, "But, I have been enjoying the quiet and the cold."

Chris was slightly surprised that Kisa said all the things that she said. "No problem 'bout Ancient Runes, I was sorta preoccupied with one of my friends being picked on by your cousin. So you say that your aunt is hard to please? Well, what I did in class really wasn't the best way to kick things off with her. You can't please everyone so don't worry about not pleasing her, I'm probably not going to." He smiled at the memory of him mock-bowing to Professor Dragomir then smiled at Kisa. "So what's wrong about not making it into Ravenclaw? It's not like the end of the world or nothing. You're still probably plenty smart but the Hufflepuff qualities in you out-weight the Ravenclaw ones. And what's wrong with Slytherin? Isn't it just as fine as the other houses? They're are just more ambition and cunning than the others. And if you think about it, I could of ended up in Slytherin."

"Oh! The house defines the person in the Vizarding vorld, especially among the pure bloods. Especially among the upper class pure bloods, and being a Dragomir I am one of the upper class pure bloods. You remember Akiva? He came to class late...he's Kira's twin, and he has never liked me much either. All I've ever vanted vas to be part of the family. But I've always been the outsider, I'll never fit in. Being here at Hogwarts is teaching me that. Some of my cousins tolerate me, but none of them love me even though I have always held them in the highest esteem and vith great love."

Not knowing what else to say Kisa sat quietly for a bit. She never fully understood why she didn't fit in when she did everything humanly possible to do exactly what was expected of her. It seemed the harder she tried the more she pushed them away.

"You couldn't be Slytherin. you don't have the right mentality. You are the hero type, not the villian type. Now Akiva should have been Slytherin. I'm surprised the sorting hat didn't throw him in there."

As she thought on this wave length for a bit, trying to figure out the qualities and the process the sorting hat was charmed with to decide who went were when Chris' next words caught her off guard.

"So Anton said that you belong with him in Slytherin?" he asked curiously, scratching his chin with a gloved hand, "I noticed that he was extremely mad that I was talking to you alone, jealous even. I might know why he might say that."

"Jealous? Anton? Nooo!" Kisa shook her head, denying the allegation, "Anton is friend. He has always vatched out for me, cared for me vhen I had only maids, butlers, nannies, and the occasional body guard. He doesn't vant to see me get hurt so is a little over protective. He refused Durmstrang to come here; so that he'd be here vhen I arrived, so I'd have at least one friend. He vouldn't deny me making new friends. My family is very big on the vhole pure blood thing, so is Anton to a point, but I am villing to accept anyone vho is villing to be my friend. I think that bothers him that I am that accepting and vorries that I may get hurt. Do I make myself understandable Chris? I just vant friends vho accept me for me."

[Chris Newcastle]

"I'm doing alright. I actually have all my homework done. I am a bit lonely, but you have eased that some." Kisa smiled at Chris before continuing, "But, I have been enjoying the quiet and the cold."

Chris had a frown starting to frown on his face at Kisa's answer was he leaned back into a giant rock that was made into an improvised backing for the bench with his arms hanging over. Why would she be lonely here when there's plenty of people to hang out with? Kisa was a nice girl from all he saw of her so far and why she was lonely was beyond him. But his frown slightly moved the other direction at what she added to it.

"It's a little of a downer to know that you've been lonely," he said, staring straight ahead of them then smiled faintly a couple of seconds later, "But knowing that I eased some of that loneliness makes it feel better."

"Oh! The house defines the person in the Vizarding vorld, especially among the pure bloods. Especially among the upper class pure bloods, and being a Dragomir I am one of the upper class pure bloods. You remember Akiva? He came to class late...he's Kira's twin, and he has never liked me much either. All I've ever vanted vas to be part of the family. But I've always been the outsider, I'll never fit in. Being here at Hogwarts is teaching me that. Some of my cousins tolerate me, but none of them love me even though I have always held them in the highest esteem and vith great love."

"Well, I grew up in the Muggle world so I wouldn't know really about how the houses define who you are. I know that the Lions are brave and reckless, the 'Claws lean towards wisdom and wit as their main, the 'Puffs value loyalty and hard work above all, and that the snakes of Slytherin, no offense really, consider ambition and cunning as their top traits. To me, I don't give a damn about what house you end up in, as long as you aren't a jerk. I can't believe that the bigotry of the house you're in is also part of how your own family treats you. You said that your family all been sorted into Ravenclaw while you Hufflepuff and even though one small thing like your house is different from the others, how you're treated is also different. In my eyes, you'll be the same person even if you're in Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin; it doesn't matter with me."

By now, Chris turned towards Kisa in an act of comfort. He hated the way the Wizarding world was with its bigotry of anything that's not 'normal' for them.

"You couldn't be Slytherin. you don't have the right mentality. You are the hero type, not the villian type. Now Akiva should have been Slytherin. I'm surprised the sorting hat didn't throw him in there."

He smiled slightly. "True if I act like myself, but it's easy not to. I don't believe that I' have those hero mentalities, nor the villain one, I believe it's straight down the middle. Now I don't know your cousin but I'll take your word for it that he should be in Slytherin. I can;t judge people I don't really know."

"Jealous? Anton? Nooo!" Kisa shook her head, denying the allegation, "Anton is friend. He has always vatched out for me, cared for me vhen I had only maids, butlers, nannies, and the occasional body guard. He doesn't vant to see me get hurt so is a little over protective. He refused Durmstrang to come here; so that he'd be here vhen I arrived, so I'd have at least one friend. He vouldn't deny me making new friends. My family is very big on the vhole pure blood thing, so is Anton to a point, but I am villing to accept anyone vho is villing to be my friend. I think that bothers him that I am that accepting and vorries that I may get hurt. Do I make myself understandable Chris? I just vant friends vho accept me for me."

"Jealous? Anton? Yesss!" Chris nodded, speaking with the opposite tone Kisa used, "I somewhat saw it in his eyes that time we first met. Being over protective of someone would probably do that. Always being there for someone would probably start an attraction towards them. But who would believe what i said, I'm just eleven and probably have no idea what I'm saying. I understand what you said Kisa but that was just an opinion; you don't need to worry about what I said or not. And you said you want friends who accept you for you. Well, you got one right here."

[Jason Cassidy]

The sound of clinking chains can be heard close to the pair of younger students as Darion "The Ebon Plaugebringer" Cassidy leans against the wall near them. "Ah ain this sweet, a Gryffyndor firstie an a second year 'puff" he says his thick accent giving away his exact location to the pair. His white hair standing out against the stone. The green Slytherin coat of arms standing out against the black leather of his eyepatch. "Now wha am ah goin ta do wit ye?" he asks them as he fingers a small vial of a potion he had inadvertantly created in his fourth year that he had dubbed the ebon plauge.

[Aquamarine Teardrop]

Pixie strolled in the warm air, smiling at the courtyard fountains. They were so beautiful, with all the sun's light going through them and causing crystal like droplets.
"Hm..." She looked at the little blurs, walking closer. She saw that it was...Chris and another girl...She hadn't met her before. Maybe she should say a introduction?

"Um..." Pixie said uncertainly, walking up to the taller two. "Hi!" At the corner of her eyes, she could see the Slytherin, but Merlin help her if she had ran from this, she swore. And no, she wasn't afraid of him- of course not! Just a Slytherin with a bad attitude and childhood.

[Kisa Dragomir]

Caught of guard, even, a tad frightened by the sudden appearance of the Slytherin, Kisa scooted closer to Chris; their conversation forgotten.

"Ah ain this sweet, a Gryffyndor firstie an a second year 'puff" he says his thick accent giving away his exact location to the pair. His white hair standing out against the stone. The green Slytherin coat of arms standing out against the black leather of his eyepatch. "Now wha am ah goin ta do wit ye?"

"You vill be doing nothing to us and be going on your way, Slytherin. Ve are harming you none, and your presence is not desired." Kisa stated as firmly as her shaking voice would allow. She didn't like to be intimidated, but she was exactly what she was, a noble born lady who didn't know how to protect herself. That's what the men folk were for; or so she had always been told.

Startled again by the appearance of another Gryffindor, bubbly nature backed up by a stiff spine; able to ignore the unwanted presence of the Slytherin. "Um..." Pixie said uncertainly, walking up to the taller two. "Hi!"

Staring slightly slack jawed at the whole situation, Kisa just couldn't absorb it all. What had happened to her peaceful little corner, her happy conversation with Chris? It had all fallen to chaos. And she was frightened. She wasn't use to so many people being around; she didn't know the intent of the Slytherin, but she had the utmost sense that it wasn't good, and she didn't know if this bubbly little Gryffindor came in friendship or fit into the "other" category of the unknown.

Kisa sighed inwardly, trying to quell her shaken nerves. 'Gah! I hate people! They're so unpredictable!' she thought to herself. She just wanted to run away, get as far from this situation as possible, but Chris was sitting on her blanket. Not knowing what else to do, Kisa smiled at the little Gryffindor girl, "Umm...Hello back." Her Russian accent rolled from her throat, thicker then normal, the stress of the situation making it harder for Kisa to control.

[Aquamarine Teardrop]

"Am I interrupting something between you...?" Pixie stumbled back, almost into the Slytherin, and she glared at him and moved forward, getting as far as she could possible without making anyone feel uncomfortable.
Meep, she had interrupted something! And she looked very content with Chris too...And they were sitting on the same blanket...And he looked very relaxed, and she looked very determined to make Pixie go...
"Oops, sorry." She hid her eyes from the two, not wanting to make them see the little watery eyes underneathe her bangs. "I thought that I would just come say Hi...And, um, to give Chris the new Transfiguration book that I got from the Teacher, so he would be prepared." She backed away slowly, and sniffed.

"Sorry again..."