Respite at the Water's Edge . Open

[Sam Kelley]

Sam exhaled audibly as his expended body crashed into the lush carpet of grass that surrounded the lake. Flat on his back is how he now lay, sprawled out with his arms cast up above his head and his hair soaking wet against the sun warmed blades below. The grey t-shirt that stuck to the Gryffindor’s moist chest had lost its uniform and even shade, now soaked through with perspiration in various places. Below the shirt lay a pair of dark blue shorts that fell down just above his knees, this article clinging to his sweaty skin in the same manner as the previous. Sam’s long legs bent at the knee and his feet rest flatly on the ground, his toes pointing toward the serene waters ahead while his eyes fell shut.

Those that frequented the campus lake might recognize the youth that now gasped toward the heavens, for he was no stranger to this place. It was his routine, part of that familiar cycle that kept him in shape and mentally centered. This was his release, a way to let go of the anxiety that those classes with which he struggled brought to him. That isn’t to say that Sam was an unintelligent teenager, but his mind wasn't exactly wired for academics. he was a man of action, he trusted his gut, his instincts. He was competent with a wand and clutch under pressure, reliable and loyal. Unfortunately, life had not seen fit to bless him in all areas.

Just as he always did, Sam steadily brought his breathing under control at a deliberate pace and before long those short desperate breaths were gone all together. The moisture that covered his body made not attempt at retreat, invited to remain by the sun that shone overhead, but the boy was comfortable. This was his way, so practiced and familiar. After his laps around the formidable lake he would collapse here in this spot and allow his body to recover. Following the recovery would be relaxation, the first real relaxation that he would generally find in his school days aside from lunch with the friends and family that dwelt within the castle.

In truth, this place was more than a running track for the lad, it was where he felt most at peace and in tune on the entire campus. There was just something about the crystal clear water that drew him in like a magnet. Sure, he had heard the tales of what lurk beneath the still waters, but those had never concerned the bold Gryffindor. He couldn't quite put his finger on the reason, but over the last months this had become to spot where he could truly shed the stresses of student life more so than any other. This was his place and he wouldn’t leave here without the clarity that he had become to accustomed to finding.

Ten long minutes passed behind those eyes before they turned to look upon the blue sky that matched their tint. Not a trace of the ragged breathing remained within him, nor did the tension that had travelled with him here this afternoon, the exertion proving too mighty a foe. Sam focused his gaze on the sky canvas above and the feathery white cloud scrawled across its surface. With his mind now free from worry and stress he found himself studying to shapes of the billowy masses, silently identifying what he was able. Art wasn’t really his thing, he was the athlete of the Kelley clan and such creative interests were usually defaulted to the boys brother, but something about the picture above ensnared his sense; so much in fact that he didn’t hear the footsteps grazing the grass just a few feet behind him.

[Caitlin Collins]

((I'm probably going to regret this when I get overloaded with replies to do again... but it seems I am posting for you anyway hehe))

For once, the sun was actually shining in Scotland and Caitlin planned to make the most of it. It was so rare for it to actually be somewhat warm in this country , and the winter had certainly made her miss Indian weather a lot. Sure, the snow had been nice, but what was with all the rain and cloud and frost and generally miserable weather? Still, it wasn't quite hot enough for her to go out as if it was summer, so the light brown top she wore still had long sleeves.

She headed outside with a transfiguration textbook in one hand, enjoying the sunlight she had been so used to before moving back to the UK. She was trying hard now to catch up on her schoolwork, and transfiguration was at least something she found relatively easy so it wasn't too much of a chore. Herbology, on the other hand, was still causing her problems.

She headed to the lake – her current favourite place on the school grounds due to the peaceful aura the water gave off – and noticed that someone was already there, staring up at the scar. She thought he looked vaguely familiar from behind and walked towards him, guessing it was someone she knew... hopefully someone she wouldn't mind talking to, as well. Only a few steps away, she paused, finally realising why the boy had seemed familiar but a little uncertain on how to proceed. It was Bryan's younger brother... Sam, she thought his name was... apparently completely oblivious to her presence.

Normally, especially of late, she would have just left him to it and gone further down the lake, but on this occasion, she didn't. She couldn't quite deduce the reason – maybe it was that the sun was making her in a good mood, or the presence of the nearby lake, or that she felt guilty over being a little unreceptive of Bryan – but she took a few steps forward and placed herself next to him on the grass. [yellow]"Hi... you're Sam, right? Bryan's brother?"[/yellow] She didn't know if he knew who she was, but for now didn't introduce herself or give any reason for her presence.

[Sam Kelley]

The cloud art overhead continued to command Sam’s attention, lifting his mind away from the world and making him oblivious to all except the gentle lapping of the lake at its bank. If quizzed on the topic Sam couldn’t explain why he remained aware of the body of water when all else escaped him, but as it stood now it wasn’t something that his mind even recognized. It was with seemingly perfect stealth that the visitor came upon the lad, taking her seat at his side undetected still.

Without warning her soft voice rang out and snapped his mind back to the present, causing the billowy mass overhead to morph from the shape of a small car back into an unrecognizable abstract right before his eyes. The cloud itself didn't change shape of course, but his perception of it had been interrupted and even the unartistic lad knew that it was lost forever. He didn’t mourn the fact, but he realized it while his head turned to meet the speaker. Blue eyes that swam with the color of the nearby lake gaze to Caitlin while his right cheek mercilessly crushed the hundreds of blades of grass it now laid upon.

Sam made no attempt to bring his arms down from where they rest above his head or wipe away the layer of perspiration that still covered much of his body and dampened his clothing, he simply smiled to the girl in acknowledgement. ”Well spotted, Caity Collins, Hufflepuff prefect,” he replied, opting to include the explanation for how her name came so easily to mind in his response.

For a few quick seconds the Gryffindor took in the sight of his new companion. She was easy on the eyes, an attractive girl with eyes similar to his own, he noted. His gaze then moved to the book in her hands, their initial disapproval of an implement of reading faded away when he detected that it related to his own favorite and most promising school of magic. Sam moved his gaze back up to her face and this time he spoke. ”Normally I’d offer you a rather charming handshake, but at this particular moment I can’t imagine you being too keen on the idea of touching me, so I’ll spare you.”

The smile didn’t fade from the Gryffindor’s face as he glanced back down to the waters below. ”It’s perfect isn’t it? Does it relax you too?” His tone was even and calm, his face not leaving the placid surface of the lake.

[Caitlin Collins]

The Gryffindor seemed quite relaxed and comfortable where he was, with no intention to move any time soon. It was a while since she'd actually taken note of anyone being quite so relaxed and it was a bit of a strange sight to behold to her. She was so used to being tense and on edge by this point that even when she did attempt to relax, it wasn't wholly successful. There were always stray thoughts to lower her mood again and anything could set them off.

She smiled at his greeting, slightly surprised that he knew of her despite her prefect status. She guessed it did make sense, but she was just used to not being noticed. Her self-confidence had never been good, but even she could tell that it was doing even worse than usual of late. She also knew why, but that didn't help solve the problem and was just trying to be less shy and cautious – like she was doing now by talking to Sam, for instance. She looked down at him, lying on the ground, and saw that he wasn't as similar to his brother as she had thought – she wasn't sure what exactly had reminded her of Bryan, but she wasn't very good at picking out details such as that anyway. He was a little taller than him and his hair was a lighter shade of brown, while his eyes mirrored hers in their blue colour.

She smiled again, a little wider, at his comment about handshakes, clearly amused and quite enjoying the sensation. Recently she seemed to be finding humour in more and more things, and she was just about getting used to it. [yellow]"Yes... perfect sounds about right,"[/yellow] she agreed, gazing across the liquid surface that was relatively cool today. She had an urge to go further forward and actually touch it so it would relax her even more, but thought that it would probably be considered anti-social since it would involve going a distance away from Sam that wouldn't allow conversation at a normal tone of voice. At least at such close range the aura of such a huge mass of water helped her relax anyway.

[yellow]"Yep... I come here to relax quite a bit. Except the weather kind of makes it a bit hard during winter, I've found. Do you come here much?"[/yellow] she asked. She couldn't recall seeing him here before, but then she wasn't one for paying much attention to her surroundings. [yellow]"You're Gryffindor too, aren't you? Like Bryan?"[/yellow] she asked, trying to keep the conversation going in her effort to be less shy. Sam seemed friendly enough anyway, so it wasn't quite as much an effort as she had thought it might be.

[Sam Kelley]

Sam’s eyes lingered on the water after speaking its praises to the Hufflepuff. His gaze was neither intent nor focused, conveying just how centered the boy felt at this particular moment. Bodies of water had never really held any sort of interest for him up until this point in his life, but something about them now seemed so serene. Of course the fact that he always pondered the lake after an exhausting run when his body was filled with endorphins could’ve had something to do with it. Regardless, Sam didn’t grant the reasons for his state of mind any thought beyond the peace that flowed through him.

Again the boy laid his cheek along the grass to peer at his companion when her voice breached steady sound of the watery ambiance. He watched her closely as she took in the sight of the lake much in the manner that he had moments earlier, unable to resist a smile at her agreement with his thoughts on the setting. He continued to examine the Hufflepuff and noted the way that the sight of her opposed that of himself. She was pleasing to look at where as Sam was sure he failed to inspire similar thoughts in her. After all, he still perspired from the beating sun overhead and this wardrobe still showed the moisture of his workout; on top of that he probably wasn’t the most aromatically appealing person at the moment. Despite this realization he remained calm at her side, allowing his eyes to find the water again after a few moments.

”Every day.” His voice remained as calm as his soothing gaze. ”I’ve got to stay strong for football and quidditch, so I do a lot of running and this place just calls to me more than the others.” Again he turned his face and eyes toward her. ”But something tells me that you get that,” he mused, studying her for a moment. ”Your eyes say you love it.” Sam smiled once more, making no move to look away, opting instead of watch her expressive eyes. He appreciated what he saw in them and found himself more curious of the creature behind them.

The sound of her voice again interrupted his thoughts and snapped his mind back from contemplation of her blue eyes. Sam nodded. ”Gryffindor, yes.” His remark sounded as though the inquiry had caught him a bit off guard or by surprise. The truth was that his mind still lingered on the way in which she looked at the waters instead of looking to progress on to different topics. The boy took a deep breath, interlocked his fingers and brought his hands down behind his head without looking away from Caitlin. He didn’t know much about the girl, nothing really to speak of. Of course he knew her name by the position that she held and a comment heard here and there. Bryan may have mentioned her once or twice he thought, but it wasn’t anything that stirred up anything memorable at the moment.

”Do I strike you as sufficiently Gryffindor-ish, Caity?” he asked with a slight grin. The bold manner in which the playful question was offered certainly differed from how the older of the two brothers would’ve acted in such a situation. The pair may have both been loyal Gryffindors, but few would argue with the fact that they were each their own individuals.

[Caitlin Collins]

Sam seemed very comfortable where he was despite the layer of perspiration that covered his skin, and Caity was a little surprised at just how easy it was to talk to him. She was hardly the most social person in the world and of late that had gotten even worse than usual in terms of conversing; pushing away efforts that other people had made to find out what was wrong. She couldn't really blame them for giving up fairly quickly – she wasn't a particularly popular person even with her prefect status and she had shown no signs of being receptive to their enquiries.

[yellow]"You play quidditch? And football?"[/yellow] she repeated, slightly surprised but not sure why. He certainly had enough of an athletic build that she shouldn't be... she guessed it was more the football aspect that seemed more out of place. Quidditch was regularly talked about at Hogwarts, not to mention played by those capable and watched by most of those not quite as able. Football, on the other hand, was not something she heard much mention of here. Both her brothers loved it, but she hadn't really heard of any other Hogwarts students liking it particularly. [yellow]"Where do you play football?"[/yellow]

Caity only held Sam's gaze for a few moments before averting her eyes, not liking the feel of him trying to look further than simply what she was saying and how she was acting. She didn't like revealing feelings to other people – in fact, the only person at the school right now whom she was really comfortable around was Dylan... and that had been severely tested after she had seen him attack D'rorah like that. She still needed to ask him about that... she couldn't work out what reasoning he had for doing something so violent, and to someone who was not only valuable as an ally in this war but also to someone he had previously cared about. [yellow]"I do,"[/yellow] she said simply in a quiet voice, having reverted her gaze to the lake and using that as a stimulant to help relax again and not feel uncomfortable.

His question helped again with that and returned a smile to her face, and after another moment's contemplation of the surface of water before her she turned her head back to face him again. [yellow]"I dunno... I didn't use to put much stock in what houses people were sorted into, then found they were actually quite accurate. Have you done any particularly brave acts recently?"[/yellow] she asked, a hint of teasing in her voice.

[Sam Kelley]

Sam nodded to the inquiry, recognizing the element of surprise that lingered. It was a reaction that he had become accustomed to with this being his fifth year at the magical school. His witch and wizard peers knew what football was well enough, it was their duty of Brits, but the vast majority were surprised to learn that their peer engaged in the sport. The fact didn’t mean that there was anything wrong with the Gryffindor, it was just uncommon that one embraced activities of both worlds. Sam always shrugged off the questions, attributing it to the years that he and his siblings attended muggle schooling prior to Hogwarts.

”Yeah, I play seeker in quidditch and striker in football.” Sam smiled to her after the words left his lips, enjoying that she was interested or at least keeping up the appearance well at their interaction. ”Before we came to Hogwarts, our mum insisted that we go to muggle primary school. I was an active kid, so I got into football and it’s just something that stuck with me. I play during the summers on a club team in Derbyshire.”

As the mention of the water resurfaced, Sam followed her gaze back to the lake and began searching it once again. ”So how about you?” he asked. ”What is it that keeps Caity Collins happy and occupied outside of her studies here? There’s gotta be something else you lend your attention to, yeah?” Unlike a good number of those of similar interest in sport and competition, Sam wasn’t one to think that things always had to be about him. In fact, he appreciated it when they weren’t for a few reasons. Namely, he didn’t feel as though he was special enough to warrant such attention, but then his new affiliation played a role too. As D’rorah had told him, it was wise to coast under the radar as much as possible. Doing this entirely wasn’t an option for the boy that played seeker for the Gryffindor house team, but he would do what he could with his lot at Hogwarts.

Sam laughed at her playful retort on the topic of his sorting, catching the turning of her gaze in his peripheral vision and allowing his own to meet it. He smirked a bit, rising to the challenge of her words. ”Chatting up charming Hufflepuff girls aside...maybe...but I can’t give you everything that easily.’ The returned teasing comment brought a satisfied grin to Sam;s face as he looked to Caitlin. The truth, the one that he dare not share with this stranger, is that he had done something brave recently. He had thrust himself into a war where his very safety was at risk in the interest of protecting his family and doing the right thing. As much as her inquiry might have inspired him to share the act with her, the Gryffindor knew that he could not.

[Caitlin Collins]

Caity nodded, listening as Sam explained his liking for both the muggle and the wizarding sport. Personally, she wasn't a great fan of either. Her brothers had gradually overdosed her with football over the years so that now she had a very large tolerance for it – she had to, to live with them constantly going on about it – but absolutely no liking. Quidditch was certainly thrilling to watch occasionally in the right conditions, but she had no skill on a broomstick and watching other people fly around in the wind and rain and cold was not really her idea of fun. [yellow]"Yeah, both my brothers are on local football teams in Cornwall,"[/yellow] she remembered, thinking back to a letter she had received from Jake shortly after coming to Hogwarts. [yellow]"I guess I just don't really associate football with Hogwarts... that's for my brothers at home, not here. At least by the time I get home in the summer the season should have finished..."[/yellow]

At the thought of summer, Caity remembered the mention of travelling to China with the other lightfighters and her smile faded a little. Not only did she not want to go there herself, because that was where Mallan had killed himself, but her parents had expressly forbidden her from going near the place. Unfortunately, she didn't think that "my parents won't let me" would be accepted as a valid excuse by some of the other lightfighters, if any.

She hesitated uncertainly when he asked what kept her "happy and occupied", trying to remember the last time she had felt such. [yellow]"Um... well, I have a job at Gladrag's in Hogsmeade,"[/yellow] was the first answer the came to mind. She was aware that a job probably wasn't exactly what he was talking about, but it did at least keep her occupied and her mind off certain topics. [yellow]"I... well, I'm pretty behind on schoolwork right now cause I got pulled out of Hogwarts for a bit, so really I don't do much other than sleep, eat, study and work,"[/yellow] she admitted. Contrary to what she'd told Niobe the other day, if she put it like that she did sound very Ravenclaw. [yellow]"I did used to listen to loads of music, but then I came to Hogwarts and found my iPod didn't work,"[/yellow] she remembered. She had been planning to try and find a way around that, but then had got distracted.

Cait blushed a little at his first reply, but it faded fairly quickly as she recalled another Gryffindor who had acted in a similar manner a few months ago. Distracted by that thought, she blinked and focussed again on the conversation as he finished speaking. She paused for a few moments before replying as she reprocessed what he had said. [yellow]"Come on... there's obviously something,"[/yellow] she replied, curious. But without knowing that he was a new ally in the Shadow Wars, she didn't know that he really couldn't talk about it like this out in the open.

[Sam Kelley]

Sam listened with interested as Caitlin talked about sport and family. He didn’t know how her relationship with her brothers was, but the mention of family brought a smile to the boys face. Family was important where he came from and even now as he crept into his teen years, he wasn’t feeling any pull of rebellion against that. The Kelleys were a tightly knit clan. Sam was extremely close with his immediate family and their relationships with their cousins resembled that of siblings in many families. His smile wasn’t of missing or longing, as the bulk of the Kelley children now resided at Hogwarts during the school year, but one that reminded him of those things he valued in his life.

He offered an understanding nod as she continued, noting how she didn’t express any personal passion when it came to the games. The boy could accept that, if there was one thing he had learned over the years, it was that not all were fanatical as he when it came to the games. Sam was more than the games that he played and it certainly wasn’t a requirement to like them in order to be his friend. ”So are you and your family close? he asked, steering the conversation in a new direction. ”It seems like we’re always going to some event for one of my brothers or sisters or cousins. I can’t complain though, I’ve got my fair share of them between games. Sometimes I think that I annoy Bryan because of it, but I really don’t try to.” The boys were best friends and loving brothers, but like all siblings they could have their fights and disagreements. Though the two had never sat down to have a full conversation on the topic, Sam knew that he put Bryan off sometimes with everything that the family did for his activities.

”Sounds busy,” the boy remarked as she summarized everything that occupied her time lately. He pondered her words for a moment, deciding that he never wanted to get into such a rhythm. ”Don’t you get tired of it after awhile? Of everything being all serious? I mean, what do you do to just cut loose and have fun for you?” he asked, his mind now getting more interested in knowing the girl. Sam now turned so that he laid on his right side and faced her. He bent his right arm at the elbow and laid his cheek on the open palm of his hand. The Gryffindor could still see the serene surface of the lake in his peripheral vision, but he now gave the vast bulk of his attention to Caitlin. ”Come on, there’s got to be something,” he tempted further with a smile.

He couldn’t help but display an entertained smirk as she blushed and brushed off his playful remark on her charm. The comment had been fun and he hadn’t really expected any acknowledgement. It was true though, she did have a friendly way about her that he could appreciate. Perhaps he was making a new friend rather than just passing the time, he pondered for a moment. His thoughts, while disrupted by her next words also found a bit of encouragement on the topic as she sought to pull a response from him.

”Hmm...” Sam considered the further inquiry verbally. ”Does valiantly dealing with a spider that found it’s way into my sister’s room during break count?” He grinned as he awaited her judgment. ”I know it may come as a shock, but I don’t spend my spare time looking for maidens in distress and building my resume.” He shifted a bit on the grass, moving the palm of his hand up to his temple, continuing to focus on the Hufflepuff. ”I suppose that i could start though. Do you happen to be in any sort of distress, Caity? he asked with a playful wink.

[Caitlin Collins]

Cait thought back to a time before she had come to Hogwarts, before she had even gone to India, when she and her brothers had been close to their cousins like Sam was to his now. Since they all lived in the same town – and a small town at that – they had grown up at each other's houses and in each other's company and been forced to get along at least as well as siblings would normally. Unfortunately for her parents and various aunts and uncles, that meant a fair amount of arguing – and also fighting among some of her male cousins who could never seem to grow up. Of course, when they had moved to India most of those bonds had faded and when they returned she could hardly recognise some of them. Of course, Danny and Len were still forever fighting despite being that much older, and she now had some younger cousins she'd never met – one of whom, Tom, was unfortunately already taking after his older brothers.

[yellow]"We used to be closer. Me and my brothers grew up really close to our cousins 'cause we all live in the same town, but then we went off to India and obviously lost contact a bit. Now there's these little people who are also my cousins who I never knew existed before coming back,"[/yellow] she grinned, recalling her shock when a small, ginger-haired girl had suddenly flung herself at Cait one day and proclaimed that she was called Emily, and she was her cousin, and she had heard all about Caitlin, and she wanted to know all about India. No one had thought to tell her that she now finally had a female cousin born while she was away. [yellow]"Apart from one, they're all boys though... you'd get on well with them. They pretty much all love football. And I can relate to Bryan... I think I've been to more than enough football and cricket and rugby presentations in my life."[/yellow]

She blinked a little in confusion at Bryan's question, so used to life being serious by now that it confused her for a second. It wasn't like she had much choice in the matter. So long as she concentrated on things like work and school her mind didn't wander to other matters, she could get through with a semblance of normality like she had before. It was her coping mechanism... she hadn't really thought about trying other methods of keeping herself busy that were less serious.

[yellow]"Um... I read sometimes?"[/yellow] Not for a while now, but she used to be an avid reader. And writer, actually... she had forever been scribbling down story or character ideas on scrap pieces of paper. [yellow]"And I used to write stories, too,"[/yellow] she admitted. The only reason she mentioned it to him was because she hadn't recently, and so if he asked to see some she wouldn't have anything to show. She had never liked showing other people what she was writing very much.

[yellow]"Well, spiders aren't nice... so maybe."[/yellow] She found herself smiling again at his comment about maidens in distress, although it faded a little when he directed a direct question at her. She recovered fairly quickly though this time. [yellow]"I think you should. How else is anyone supposed to judge whether you make a good Gryffindor or not? And sorry to say, no distress that can be fixed,"[/yellow] she told him. It wasn't entirely an outright lie, but was certainly misleading. She never had liked lying. She was terrible at it anyway.

[Sam Kelley]

Sam smiled a bit and shook his head as the Hufflepuff’s words stirred memories of his own family in his head. The Kelley clan was the very definition of a close family. All of the cousins had regular contact with each other and over the years had become as close or closer than a lot of siblings in other families. ”I know what you mean about the family all living together, we’re the same way. Bryan and I have two sisters, but it’s more like ten siblings once you count all of our cousins. Our parents and their siblings grew up really close and decided to live close together and raise all of us the same way. Its mostly good, but sometimes it can be annoying when you just want to be left alone.” As one of the more extroverted members of the Kelley family, Sam seldom found himself in pursuit of solitude, but he had his moments from time to time. ”Sometimes you just need some peace and quiet.”

He offered a small nod when Caitlin mentioned her brothers. ”I’m sure they’re good blokes and you’re probably right, I manage to get on well with most people.” While true, this by no means meant that the Gryffindor boy was loved by everyone, there were those who didn’t appreciate the outgoing and friendly type. ”I’ll do my best not to make you suffer through sports talk since you’ve paid your dues, okay? I promise there is more to me than football and quidditch.” Sam offered a reassuring smile to the girl.

The boy listened close to she mentioned her pastimes, raising a curious eyebrow after she mentioned writing. ”You used to? As in you don’t anymore?’ He appraised her quietly for a moment before speaking again. ”If you like them, why did you stop? Surely even smart girls need breaks every so often...” Again he peered at her curiously. Caitlin was proving to be an interesting conversation for the Gryffindor and he found himself wishing to get to know her more. He was comfy there laying on his side facing her, with no inkling that his questions might be getting too invasive.

Another smile greeted the girl, matching her own as she reacted to his spider joke. That smile faded a bit as he saw her expression drift toward something more serious, his words seeming to hit near a sensitive topic. ”Well, lucky for me and the girls of Hogwarts, I’m not trying to be a good Gryffindor. Honestly, I never really bought in to the whole house thing. I mean, I like my house and those in it, but I’m me. I’m willing to settle with just being a good guy and calling it a day. Sam paused for a moment, letting his words trail off as he again examined the girl. Internally he debated remarking on her statement about there being no distress that could be fixed. Chances were that she probably didn’t want to talk about it, but then the boy recalled the wisdom that his mother always touted. Nothing was ever said by accident, she would say, that everything was said for a reason, even if the speaker wasn’t aware of it.

He swallowed lightly and shifted his head a bit atop his open palm. ”Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to try,” he said simply, his mind still mulling over the rest of his statement, ”to fix things. I’d be glad to help you if I can.” It was a bit odd for him to be offering help on something he was clueless on, but this girl had struck him favorably and he had already decided that he liked her.

[Caitlin Collins]

Caitlin nodded in response to what Sam was saying, understanding completely as he described his family. It was basically the same for her, although she didn't have quite the same connection now as she had before. She had started to re-establish it a little straight after they returned from India, but since she was going off to Hogwarts it led to less contact. And when she had been going to the same school as some of them, she had hardly been in the best state and had probably confused some of them by her suddenly depressed personality. [yellow]"I'm not actually sure how many cousins I have now... it was six when we went off to India... I think it must be nine or ten now."[/yellow]

She worried for a moment when he talked about peace and quiet that he was hinting at her that she had disturbed his solitude, but his friendly nature seemed to go against it so she released the thought, just keeping it at the back of her mind in case he started hinting again. She grinned at his reassurance that he wouldn't discuss sport, knowing that neither of her brothers would ever agree to such a thing. [yellow]"Thanks."[/yellow]

She turned her eyes back towards the lake as he questioned her stopping her writing. Truth be told, she hadn't even thought about that particular hobby in a while. She'd just been so distracted by other things and not had muse to write that it had sort of faded out of her routine. [yellow]"I just... got distracted. Other stuff came up, I got out of the habit of it, and never really started again. It wasn't really intentional,"[/yellow] she tried to explain, but finding it difficult because there wasn't really any particular reason she had stopped.

[yellow]"I get it... there seems to be this idea among certain people that Hufflepuff is for the 'leftovers' who didn't fit anywhere else."[/yellow] She hadn't been particularly happy when she had discovered that prejudice at Hogwarts. [yellow]"And Slytherin doesn't have a particularly good reputation... the stereotypes associated with the houses kind of annoy me sometimes,"[/yellow] she admitted. She sort of understood the idea behind it, that people would settle in better at Hogwarts among similar people, but it did seem to create unnecessary division between the students.

She paused before answering his question, considering how to reply. Obviously he had picked up that something was wrong, so outright denying it wouldn't help. But she certainly had no intentions of explaining it – she couldn't with all the details even if she wanted to, not knowing that Sam had managed to stumble his way among the lightfighters' ranks already. [yellow]"You can't,"[/yellow] she said simply in the end, keeping it short and hoping he would take the hint and drop the subject. Because she was quite convinced there was nothing he could do. Fixing it would involve going back in time, and that really wasn't an option.

[Sam Kelley]

Sam’s gaze remained with Caitlin as the topic lingered on her former interest in writing, even when she turned to face the water that they both seemed to find so calming. He wasn’t leering at the Hufflepuff, but he did watch with interest, noting the slight expressions that would find their way to her face as she spoke. She was an interesting creature and Sam found himself more and more curious of her as their meeting progressed. Over the recent months he had come to value the silence following his runs, but as he looked at Caitlin now, he didn’t mind sharing this time with her, in fact, he thoroughly enjoyed it.

”You should start again, Caity.” He nodded a bit even though she wasn’t returning his gaze. ”Writing isn’t my thing, but I get it, everybody needs something. It’s kinda like my brother, he and I don’t do the same things but what we each do fills a part of us. For me it’s staying active and for him it’s art, but it all ends up meaning the same thing in the end.” He fell silent for a small moment, considering the words that came to mind next and whether or not they violated his recent promise of no sports talk. With a small shrug he drew in a breath and began to speak again. ”I’ve known people that had to stop doing something they loved for awhile. And sometimes after they take the time to heal up they hesitate in getting back to things. Maybe it’s cause they’re scared that they won’t be as good as they used to or they forgot who they were in that off time, and maybe they did change, but you never know until you jump back in to it and try.”

Generally speaking, Sam wasn’t a wise boy or a general dispenser of advice, but there was something bout this girl that seemed to bring it out of him. He gave it no active thought or recognition, but a part of him needed to try to help her get through whatever it was that she was experiencing. Sure, it helped that the particular issue was one that he could draw a clear reference to from his experience with friends that had to overcome sports injuries, but the act was still out of character for the lad.

He nodded in response to her thoughts on the houses of Hogwarts. ”I’ve heard them all too, but I try to let everyone make their impression without considering the house. I mean, there are some Slytherins that I like better than certain Gryffindors. It just seems silly to divide everyone, even if it is a throwback to the first four. Bryan and I went to muggle school before coming here and everyone being all mixed together worked out there.” Again the boy shrugged, accepting that tradition dictated certain things and that was simply the way that they were destined to be.

Sam noted the long pause before Caitlin replied to is offer of help. It was almost as if he could see the cogs in the girl’s brain turning on the topic and for a small moment he wandered if he should’ve commented at all, despite the thought of his mother’s advice. Hearing the words didn’t particularly sting the Gryffindor or deliver a blow to his ego, despite how some might view him, Sam knew well enough that he didn’t affect everything. Fair enough, but if that ever changes for whatever reason, just know that I’m interested.”

Even as he spoke the words they sounded a bit awkward in his ear. He had been playful and flirtatious with the attractive Hufflepuff, but his words now carried not an amused grin, but a solemn expression. Thiswas the first indication of the pull he felt toward this girl, a pull that was far more than a simple teenage crush. There was something about her that simply eluded him, the true reason for the magnetism far greater than what his mind could imagine in its most wild of dreams.

[Caitlin Collins]

Caity continued to stare across the lake as Sam spoke, noticing a ripple in its surface to the right, then seeing the end of a tentacle find its way above water before sinking into the abyss again. She wondered how a giant squid had gotten into the lake to start with, but then dismissed the thought. She was unlikely to ever find out – so far as she could tell, it had been there as long as anyone could remember. She considered Sam's suggestion of starting writing again and wondered how difficult it would be to start up again. When she had written before, most of the inspiration had come from India and all the experiences she had had there. Certainly she had experienced new things at Hogwarts, but it was hardly optimistic. Still, if she actually tried she probably could get inspiration from it... her stories and characters probably wouldn't be quite as upbeat as they had been previously, though.

[yellow]"I guess..."[/yellow] she replied, not sounding convinced. [yellow]"Maybe I will, if I get time,"[/yellow] she added on. Sam was obviously trying to help and she didn't want to purposely seem defeatist. Unfortunately it was a state she habitually in now, and it was rather hard to break out of it. Plus, if she had spare time then surely she should spend it training or something similar... what was the real point in writing? It surely wasn't good enough to get published, so why bother? She didn't voice those thoughts aloud though, and let it on the vaguely positive note of before.

Cait nodded as he continued on the topic of houses. There was definitely a lot of prejudice and rivalry at Hogwarts – but then, she had seen that in India too, between certain groups of people. [yellow]"At my primary school there were houses, but it was totally random where you ended up – it was just to promote friendly competition. It wasn't anywhere near like it is here. And in India, my tutor taught people from everywhere – kids from the posh areas of the city had to learn to get along with kids from the slums. There was such a lack of magical tuition there that they didn't have much choice in the matter if they wanted to be taught."[/yellow]

Caity worried that Sam might be offended by not accepting his help, and glanced over at him with a wary expression when she finished speaking. Fortunately he seemed to be fine with it and simply offered an ear for the future. [yellow]"Thank you,"[/yellow] she replied. It was both for offering his help but also not pursuing the subject further. The solemn expression on his face told he was serious about lending an ear in the future but it also made her a little uncomfortable and she diverted her eyes again back towards the lake, searching to see if she could see any sign of the giant squid again.

[Sam Kelley]

As Caitlin spoke again on the topic of writing, Sam turned away from her and laid on his back once again. ”I’m not one of those people who knows everything and tries to tell people what to do all the time, sorry if it came out like that. I guess I just think that everyone needs at least one thing that makes them happy.” The boy let his arms lay along the grass at his sides while his eyes focused on the sky above.

The evening dawned upon the Gryffindor as he peered up at the rapidly dimming sky. He had collapsed onto the grass just like every other day with the intention of spending a few minutes rest to allow for proper recovery and enjoyment of the serene setting, but tonight had been different. The Hufflepuff girl had served as a perfect distraction, he now realized. Ironically, distracting as she may have been, Caitlin hadn’t lessened that calmness that the lake gave to the boy, but managed to be a part of it.

Again his mind drifted, this time away from contemplations of the sky and back to the girl’s words as she spoke about her past. ”India, eh? We’ve done a good bit of floo and port key traveling as a family, but I can’t say we’ve ever gone to India. It sounds neat though.” He let a small frown show as his liquid blue eyes continued to look up at the sky. ”Maybe you’ll tell me about it sometime when we’ve got the time to discuss it properly?” Already Sam was feeling tired from his day that started so early and carried an entire day of class, quidditch practice, two jogs, as well as a training session with D’rorah. With the dark sky gathering overhead, it was only a few minutes before it was time to turn in. That’s not to say that the Gryffindor boy was a stickler for the rules, but if he were going to pitch the idea of sneaking out late with his new friend, he certainly wanted to be rested for it.

I think its about that time to head in now,” he said as he sat up on the grass and shakily rose to his feet. ”What do you say? Care a fetching lad to walk you home?” Sam smiled that playful smile again, happily finding that playful flirtiness that he had lost track of earlier in the meeting. He closed the space between them with a single step and reached down with an open hand to the girl, offering her a hand up.