Little Talks {Laria}

[GENEVIEVE FAWCETT]

Genvieve sighed for what felt like the countless time that day. She watched the sun make its ever so slow descent behind the hills, and tried to imagine what her parents were doing this very moment. In normal cases she would never wish she was back home, and she didn't even especially plead for that impossible happening in this moment. Hogwarts was special to her, it always would be. Nothing could change that, not even the slow destroying of the Wizarding World, or Snape's insufferable leadership over the school, or even Voldemort himself. No, this school was too perfect for any of that. Thought it had surely been tainted in one year.

She was sitting on the window sill overlooking the Castle itself. The Owlery was set apart from the rest of the school, and many students chose to pass it by on a daily basis. Because not many people grew excited at the idea of sitting among bird feathers and all just for a moment alone. Maybe that was why Genevieve found herself up here so often. There was no one to stare at her, ask her why she had changed in so short a time. There was no troubles up here. Only the gentle hooting and cooing of the winged creatures who could fly wherever they liked.

Gena looked back down to the letter tablet in her lap, dipping her quill in the bottle of ink beside her foot and making the last farewell-for-nows to her mother and father. She signed her name and set it aside to dry, re-reading the letter she was going to enclose to be delivered to her aunt and uncle. She wanted to write another letter to her brothers, but with near five that had already been sent with no reply, it was clear they would be too busy to even read this new one, let alone reply. She growled and tossed the stationary tablet into her messenger bag, glaring out on the sunset again. It would be dinner soon. She heard footsteps approaching up the stone stairs, so she turned her eyes on the entrance, frowning, feeling a distant sense of caution that was all-too-familiar to her in this time. But then she saw her, the one of few familiar faces in this school, and her fear was dispelled immediately.

"Laria." She breathed in a sigh of relief, shaking her head at her own foolishness as she started gathering her letters, quill and ink bottle as if she was caught doing something wrong. "What brings you all the way up here?'

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[ooc: bleh. this didn't turn out very well. Oh well. =P Sorry. }

[LARIA MACKENZIE]

(OOC: Not at all, it's perfect. ^^ I'm sorry my replies today haven't been that great, but in my defence I've been babysitting and just writing little bits and pieces as and when I've had the chance. X])

When Laria hadn't been able to find Genevieve in the common room, or in their dormitory, she knew there were only a few other places her friend could be. She decided to check the Owlery first and, as she strolled along, Laria's mind concerned itself with the recent changes in her friend. Over the past year or so she had noticed that Genevieve had retreated into herself somewhat, her fiery spirit dampened – or at least controlled. Laria frowned slightly, her expression one of concern. Genevieve was her closest female friend, they had grown up together during their time at Hogwarts and had had their share of ups and downs. Their friendship had been forged on the night of the Sorting when they had sat together as two little bewildered first years, and sealed in the months and years that followed. They even shared the same birthday and Laria recalled the excitement that came every year on the 22nd of November, when they would await their birthday owls at breakfast.

For the first couple of years Laria had been the quiet one but as she embraced her wilder side Genevieve had been there for her. Laria would accept Gena whatever way she was, whether feisty or reserved, and wouldn't pressure her to explain why she had changed. But that didn't stop Laria from worrying or sometimes wanting to see that spark again, the mischievous side to Gena that saw her do that side-splittingly hilarious impression of Snape. Laria grinned at the memory.

As she climbed the steps to the Owlery and entered the chamber her eyes alighted quickly on her friend, who first looked startled but quickly relaxed.

“I was looking for you, silly,” Laria said with a warm smile, “Plus, I have this to send,” she added as she pulled a letter from her pocket,

Laria made a little kissing sound and called out to her barn owl, Phoebe, who looked peeved at being disturbed from her snooze but flew down to Laria compliantly enough. Laria quickly fastened the letter to Phoebe's leg and made a fuss of her, stroking her silky feathers. The letter was nothing exciting, just a quick note to her father to thank him for the book and to say how keen she was at the prospect of working on a car with him. Laria took Phoebe to the window and released the owl into the reddening evening sky, watching until she could see Phoebe no more before turning back to Gena.

“What about you?” Laria asked, You got many owls to send?”

[GENEVIEVE FAWCETT]

“I was looking for you, silly,” Gena managed a small smile when Laria responded, and she buttoned her shoulder bag flap. "Well you found me," she said quietly, not sure just why Laria would want to find her. She wasn't the same girl that the fellow Ravenclaw had met a few years back. Why did Laria still insist on hanging around this new Genevieve? It wasn't as if Gena didn't appreciate it, she enjoy Laria's company after all her other friends had graduated with her brothers. But the fact that Laria was so witty and bright and happy or whatnot, it just reminded Gena of the times when they could bounce jokes off each other for hours. That was over, because that was now risky. And Genevieve missed it.

“Plus, I have this to send,” Genavieve looked up and watched Laria call her owl over, staring a little absently as her friend prepped the letter for flight.

"Who's that for?" She asked, cocking her head. She watched Phoebe glide into the thickening night sky, and smiled softly as she imagined what it felt like to fly. A lot of students who also played Quidditch liked to say it was exactly like flying a broom. But Genevieve couldn't quite believe that, considering not many birds had to straddle a stick with a bushy end and somehow keep their balance while they're at it.

Laria brought Gena's focus back when she asked what kind of owls Genevieve was sending. Gena looked down at the one lone envelope beside her and shrugged. "Just one today, to my dad and mum." she looked around. "If I can find an free owl who's willing." she hopped off the ledge by the window to scan the alcoves in which the owls were either dozing, hooting incredulously or just staring blankly at the two girls who were in their home. "Why were you looking for me?" She glanced at the bright redhead.

[LARIA MACKENZIE]

Inwardly, Laria frowned a little at the reception she had received and at her friend's overall demeanour. Gena really had changed over the past couple of years and those changes were more obvious now than ever. Strange how their roles had changed - once upon a time it was Laria who was oh-so-careful and demure. But Gena had always been Laria's friend, then and now, and Laria wasn't about to walk away just because her friend was changing. So Laria grinned, entirely unfazed by her friend's lack of enthusiasm, and ploughed determinedly onwards.

“Oh, it's for Dad, he sent me a book,” Laria answered honestly. She was about to explain further, she was just so excited at the thought of their upcoming project, when a thought suddenly flitted across her mind, “Oh shoot, I almost forgot!” Laria exclaimed, smacking a hand to her forehead and then beginning to rummage furiously through her pockets. Surely she had brought that other letter with her? With relief, her fingers finally closed around it and Laria breathed a little sigh of relief. It did not do to make promises and then not keep them!

“This one is for him too,” Laria said somewhat sheepishly as she held up the now slightly dog-eared letter, “I promised a first year I would ask Dad if it's possible to volunteer at dragon sanctuaries, she seems really keen to make a career of it,” Laria went to the window and looked out to confirm what she already knew - Phoebe had long since disappeared into the twilight and Laria could not call her back. Drat, now she would have to send another owl on the very same journey and only a few minutes behind the other! Where was her mind this evening? She must be tired... or perhaps it was all these thoughts of Jed that were driving her to distraction. Ugh, Jed, she couldn't let him exert this sort of influence over her! Laria forced Jed's stupidly handsome face out of her thoughts.

With the thought of Jed banished, Laria arched an eyebrows at her friend's next question, “Uh, since when do I need a reason to seek you out? I haven't seen you all summer lassie and, believe it or not, I've missed you!”

Well, it was true. Laria smiled warmly, her eyes crinkled with affection, and then joined her friend in the search for a school owl.

“Anyway, how was your summer?” Laria asked brightly.