An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Mar 16, 2023 2:29:46 GMT 10
"I don't know what I want to do today~" MJ announced to her friends, swinging her legs as she sat on the bench in the Courtyard.
This was a good place to be, somewhere they could hang out and chat without worrying about others (or breaking any rules). MJ smiled at both of her friends in turn, "How about you guys? I feel like I'm saving all my energy for Quidditch try-outs later!"
She hopped up, stretching her arms above her head and then gasped -- she was reminded of something.
"Congratulations, Thorne! I didn't have a chance to say before!" With a laugh she threw herself at the Hufflepuff for a hug. MJ squeezed him tight but made sure not to hurt him (or dislodge his glasses too much). She looked over her shoulder to encourage Orla to join in, if she wanted.
"I can't wait to see more of the Frog Choir! Do you think you'll get any solos?" She asked, finally pulling away and freeing her friend.
Even if she couldn't decide what to do today, spending time with Orla and Thorne was always fun!
Post by Thorne Perry on Mar 16, 2023 8:45:38 GMT 10
"I don't either...." He wanted to play with Harlow, but the bunny had been so contently sleeping when he checked and Thorne hadn't had the heart to wake him. But he was subjected to squishing for the second time today, and he sighed as he was squeezed and shaken just a bit.
"I don't know if I will! I just started, I don't think I'd be good enough for a solo yet--" He didn't know if he wanted a solo. He didn't know if he was confident enough for that yet. He looked at his friends, head tilted, and then - quite abruptly - remembered. He opened the flap of his bag, rummaging through quills and parchments until he found two small boxes.
"I actually....was waiting for the right time to give you two....well. I made you both presents!"
Post by Orla Fallwater on Mar 16, 2023 11:02:25 GMT 10
Orla pressed her finger into the sodden moss that clung to one of the stone doorways, enjoying the squelch; her robe pooled on the flagstones around her as she crouched to investigate a clump of tangled weeds. The clouds above kept throwing the courtyard into sudden shadow as they passed, but her robe was keeping her warm enough to enjoy being outside.
When MJ began talking, Orla made herself stand up and join her friends on the bench, pushing her fringe out of her eyes for the millionth time that day. She was overdue for a trim!
"There's so much I want to do," she replied, leaning a little against Thorne. "But I can't choose just one! I wish we were old enough to Apparate, that would make things so much easier..."
She scuffed the toe of her boot along the ground, hastening the need for yet another new pair, and pouted at her indecision. There were so many things she wanted to do, and they were already on the second day of school.
Orla was kept from retreating into her thoughts by Thorne, who announced that he had presents for them.
"What?! You made us presents?! Can I see, can I see?!"
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Mar 17, 2023 1:21:26 GMT 10
"Apparate? What's that?" She asked Orla, who had finally come over to join them. MJ wondered if she knew something secret about moss that one of her Aunts had taught her? Either way, Orla was fascinating and fun to be around.
And luckily, Thorne took her squishy hug in his stride! MJ smiled and quickly joined in with Orla's enthusiasm.
"Presents? What presents...?" She couldn't believe that Thorne would make something for her and she was excited to see what it could be.
She knew he liked to work with wood so she wondered if it would be something related to that. Either way, she was grateful to receive anything from him! He was such a kind and thoughtful person.
MJ was so glad she had made friends with both Thorne and Orla.
Post by Thorne Perry on Mar 17, 2023 3:20:41 GMT 10
"it's like. Moving from place to place scary fast. It's supposed to be dangerous..." his dad hated apparating, and never hesitated to share that fact. Thorne shook his head and finally produced his boxes triumphantly.
Thorne had spent a good amount of the summer after leaving MJ's working on his gifts for the girls. MJ's had proven to be more difficult than he'd anticipated, wanting it to look as regal as Ravenclaw's mascot deserved. He'd gone through at least eight basswood blocks before he'd been satisfied. Meanwhile, a segment of Orla's had completely snapped when he'd been threading the cords through, and he'd had to painstakingly wittle a new one out to make sure it matched.
But in the end, he'd shown the finished projects to his granddad and when the older man had approved they'd spent a lovely afternoon painting and shellacking them to make sure each was protected from the elements and use, and would keep their vibrant colors.
So now Thorne felt a thrill of excitement to hold a silvery-blue box out to MJ, and a poisonously bright-green one out to Orla, hoping rather that he'd not misjudged and that they wouldn't think his offerings were too childish.
And at least he'd had the good sense to ask his mummy to help with the wrapping!
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Mar 19, 2023 22:28:11 GMT 10
MJ's eyes grew wide as Thorne explained what apparating was -- that sounded very dangerous and she hoped it wasn't something she had to worry about for a long time.
But present time was a good distraction from such a worry!
MJ took the gift from Thorne and marvelled over the wrapping, "It's a shame to rip this open..."
Sadly MJ wasn't someone who really treasured wrapping so she ripped it open regardless. She hoped Thorne hadn't spent a long time with it and wouldn't mind -- after all, it was the present inside that was the main attraction!
A spoon fell out into her hands when she tipped the box upside down and she gasped, "Woah."
"I don't know if it would be weird to have a favourite spoon but this is mine now!" MJ grinned, touching the raven carefully. It was carved perfectly and MJ could tell it had taken her friend quite a while to make.
"This is awesome, Thorne. Thank you so much!" MJ gave the Hufflepuff another squishy hug and waited to see what Orla's present was as well.
Post by Orla Fallwater on Mar 20, 2023 0:32:56 GMT 10
When Thorne produced two very pretty little boxes, one bright green and clearly for her, Orla went very still. She accepted the gift slowly, chewing on her bottom lip as MJ tore off the wrapping of her present.
Orla went a little more carefully, but she wasn't precious about wrapping paper and soon the little box was open, revealing something wonderful.
"Hullo..." She said quietly, her eyes huge and bright. Laying in the box was a rotund little snake toy, carved and corded with care. Orla thought it was the best thing ever - had Thorne really made this? - and she turned to Thorne with a huge smile on her face.
"He's so lovely Thorne!"
She took the snake out of the box and giggled as the articulation made it wave slowly to and fro, the glossy sections of the toy catching the light. Orla was mesmerised.
Post by Thorne Perry on Mar 20, 2023 5:09:13 GMT 10
While they were unqrapping their gifts, Thorne tried not to look too nervous, but it was hard with the way he could feel his heart beating in his ears. His mummy had teased him - just a little, and sweetly - about it being a crush, but it definitely wasn't that. He hadn't ever had a crush on anyone! They were just his friends, and he liked to see them both happy.
And it was even better when he was the cause of their happiness!
He endured the hug with a happy grin, wriggling free after a moment.
"I'm so glad you liked them, I tried to make sure that they would be things you'd like, so-" His grin grew, wide enough that he almost felt it could touch his ears, making his cheeks ache just a bit. "That's what I did half the summer!"
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Mar 20, 2023 5:14:01 GMT 10
"I shall add it to my spoon collection!" MJ grinned.
It wasn't really a collection but it could be. She had that really cool, good luck twisty spoon from the sweet house elf and now this amazingly carved spoon from Thorne! If that wasn't a good foundation for a collection, then MJ didn't know what was.
She paid attention to Orla's gift when she opened it, letting out a soft 'oooh'.
"Wait! How did you do that?" It reminded her of some muggle type toys that would be sold in a toy-shop at the seaside but there was something special about this one. Something about the way it moved? So fluid!
"Geez, Thorne is making us look bad Orla. We need to pick up some hobbies or talents before we get left behind." She teased Thorne, putting an arm around Orla's shoulders and grinning.
Well, she did play Quidditch, did that count? She hoped she would get on the team again. MJ let Orla go and sat on the bench, looking over her spoon in the peaks of sunlight that would periodically break through the cloud cover.
It was clear she was getting lost in her thoughts now.
[OOC: If I'm not able to post as MJ again, consider this her little bow out of the thread for now ^^ She can be in the bg looking at her spoon while Orla and Thorne hang out!]
Post by Orla Fallwater on Mar 20, 2023 8:25:23 GMT 10
Thorne's grin was infectious and Orla returned it, just as wide, and wiggled her snake at MJ.
"I can't believe you made these, Thorne!" Orla exclaimed. She remembered her conversation with Thorne at the Career's fair and wondered if the toys he wanted to make would be like her snake. She pictured shelves full of carved animals and muggle vehicles, magical creatures and the odd articulated troll.
MJ threw her arm around Orla's shoulders, teasing about how talented Thorne was. Orla laughed, though she defintitely agreed that she needed a hobby of some sort.
"True, though we can come cheer you on at the thing you're good at, MJ!" She elbowed MJ playfully, then looked to Thorne with mischief in her eyes.
"Thorne, we need to come up with a cheer to yell at matches when MJ does something cool..."
Post by Thorne Perry on Mar 24, 2023 8:45:15 GMT 10
A spoon collection made Thorne think more of some little old lady, not someone as young and energetic as MJ! But....maybe there could be a way to display them....? Wheels turning in his brain, he shoved the thought away for now, basking - instead - in his friends' happiness. He scratched his head at MJ's question, decided it was asked in earnest, and pointed at the snake's sections.
"I just. Carved it carefully to make sure all the little bits went together right, and then threaded a cord through. Granddad says it's the kind he used when he used to make my baby toys, so it should hold up to a lot." He still had quite a few of those toys after all, still functioning though he played with most of them a lot less often than he had as a little kid.
"I'm so glad you like them!" He added as MJ, clearly a little lost in thought, moved off to the bench. He made no move to follow - she would rejoin him and Orla when she was ready. Was she maybe worried about something? Orla mentioned Quidditch, and Thorne abruptly realized he didn't know if last year's Quidditch team would be this year's Quidditch team by default....
Or even if there would be Quidditch, following last year's disasters.
Surely they would start it again.
Surely MJ would be on the team.
"We really should!" he said, cheerfully, loud enough that MJ could hear it where she sat, but leaving her her space.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Mar 31, 2023 20:25:30 GMT 10
MJ smiled at her friends, amused at their antics and wanting to make up a cheer for her. She didn't mind a bit and was actually very touched to have their support. It was nice to know that even if someone didn't enjoy the same thing as her, they'd still support it.
Her mind wandered to her twin for a moment but MJ quickly shook her head.
"Play? Stay? Away?" She offered to Thorne, since they all rhymed with the 'J' in her name.
She was fascinated at his explanation about the snake he had made for Orla. She wondered how much better Thorne was going to get as he honed his skills... It made her smile. Her friend was going to be a famous toy maker some day!
Post by Orla Fallwater on Apr 2, 2023 11:59:47 GMT 10
Orla let her head fall to her shoulder, pressing her lips together as she thought.
MJ, MJ, play, play, yay?
Stay away from MJ, MJ?
She supposed there were a lot of good combinations they could use, and the more she thought, the more she realised something.
"A chant is kind of like a charm spell, isn't it?" She said, kicking her feet. "A lot of good spells rhyme...at least the ones that are easy to remember."
Orla wondered how witches and wizards changed ordinary words into spells that could transform, hurt, heal, summon... Suddenly, Orla was accutely aware of the power words had in the wizarding world - some magic folk could cast spells without their wands, using just the power of words, couldn't they?
With a flourish, Orla flicked out her wooden snake to the sky and called out:
"Get away from our MJ, rival teams who cannot play! She is speedy, she'll make you pay! MJ, MJ, YAY YAY YAY!"
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Apr 9, 2023 15:36:59 GMT 10
MJ laughed at the clever word play of her friend. She was glad to have such fun and supportive people around her -- it definitely made being away from home a lot easier.
"I'm definitely going to score lots of goals and win our matches thanks to you two!" She gave Orla a hug and tried to wrangle Thorne into it as well. Just then the bell rang to let them know lunch was here and her stomach growled loudly.
"I think that's our cue to go!" She laughed, letting go of her friends.
She gathered her things and grinned, "Let's sit together!"
It would be fine, right? Better than just suddenly going their separate ways like they hadn't just hung out together all morning. Well, they did have a class together that afternoon. MJ wondered if she would end up having to sit by herself again. It was a shame most classes seemed to cater for people sitting in pairs.
Oh well, that was a problem for future MJ to sort out. Right now, she wanted food!
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