A walk around the grounds (Anyone)

[dwyanefarrelly]

Dwyane had just exited through a door, and he came out into the Hogwarts grounds, in the distance he could see the lake so he decided to take a walk around it.

While approaching it his thoughts slipped back to his Uncle. His Uncle Tom was alone now, of course Dwyane would see him in the summer, but it just didn't feel right to leave him all alone.

As he approached the lake, he noticed he couldn't see anybody, but that is most properly because they were all having dinner or in their common rooms. Just then Dwyane noticed a small ripple in the lake's surface, must be the giant squid he thought to himself.

Slowly he walked all around the lake, and found a nice soft spot of grass to lie on. As he lied there he started to think how different his life would have been if he wasn't magical, he wouldn't be at Hogwarts for starters but he would be with his Uncle, He would have to attend Muggle School but he would still be with all his friends.

After about 15 minutes of thinking he decided that wherever he could be, he would be happy. Out of the corner of his eye, he was a smooth stone, which he picked up, and tried to skim along the pond. But after 2 bounces it sunk under.

[kat]

Kat had gone running to think in peace. The common room was nice, but it was crowded at this time and although she liked company she had wanted some quite time for herself. Besides the weather was great.
She had practically finished her jogging rounds when she noticed Dwyane – a Gryffindor who had helped her out in the library some time ago.

Deciding she could say hi at least she jogged towards him. Kat had reached Dwayne, without the boy even noticing her approach and saw the stone he threw skip two times.
Kat let out a silent whistle: ”How did you do it? I have never been able to make a stone skip?”<br>
Kat turned to look at the boy who seemed in quite deep thought and wondered if he had been right about disturbing him: ”I actually just wanted to say hi. But I can move on, if you want some time alone to think?”<br>


((Hope you don't mind me joining your post once again))

[dwyanefarrelly]

Dwyane had heard some one moving closer but didn’t think anything of it, as people always came out here. As he heard the whistle, he turned his head and saw Kat; it was at that moment he cheered up a bit.
“I don’t know I just seem to be able to do it.” He said with his usual half grin slowly making an appearance. “And if you want to stay you can, you’re not disturbing me.” Indicating with his hand that he would like Kat to sit with him.

Dwyane fixed his eyes back on the lake, “so, why are you out here? I mean look its deserted, except for you and me, and as you could tell I came out to think. So I was wondering why you came out.” Dwyane said, getting more embarrassed as he said more. “I don’t mean to be nosy, I was just curious.” He said as his face flashed a bright red, then after a few seconds the embarrassment flushed out of his face.

Once again his eyes fell on another smooth stone, but as he went to pick it up and skim it along the lake, he changed his mind and handed it to Kat and said “Why not give it a try?”<br>
((You're welcome in any post of mine!))

[kat]

Kat smiled and sat down next to the boy, feeling quite content with the company she was in.

“I just jogged around a bit – there are fantastic tracks around here, although no one ever seems to use it,” Kat answered to Dwyane’s question and pulled her legs under her while moving a little to sit more comfortably, ”And before you ask – I jog to stay in shape. I like pulling pranks from time to time and fast legs do come in handy in that. So besides the fact running relaxes me, it has that nice bonus of keeping me in shape.”<br>Kat watched as Dwyane picked up a stone and then suddenly turned to her and offered the stone to her.

“Try it? Well, I can’t certainly back up from a dare now, can I?” Kat laughed as she accepted the stone and weighed it staring at the lake, ”Although I doubt it will work. I’ve been told it depends on the angle under what you throw the stone, whether it bounces or not, but somehow have never seemed to manage to find that angle.”<br>
Kat stood up once again and looked at the lake with determination shining in her eyes before she threw the stone. The stone hit the lake and sunk under the water.
“There it goes again,” Kat smiled turning around to face Dwyane once again.

[dwyanefarrelly]

As Kat went to sit down, Dwyane turned and watched her "Well running is a good idea, especially if you're seeting off a prank." Dwyane said while Laughing, then he looked over Kat and agreed with her, "Yes, you are in good shape." with a flicker of red in his cheeks, he moved his eyes back to the lake.

As Kat threw the stone he had handed her, Dwyane noticed a few more a little bit away, "Back in a second." He said as he stood up and went over to collect the stones. He came back and sat back down, "Here.." he said handing her half of the pile of stones. "we can both do it, and if you want I can try and teach you." He said as he flung a stone into the lake, he skimmed off the surface three times befroe splashing into the lakes watery depths.

[kat]

“Thanks,” Kat smiled and thanked her complexion silently that never caused her to blush. It came from her Italian mother.

“Teach me? That would be great,” Kat squinted her eyes as Dwyane returned with the pile or rocks and watched how he threw one.

“With the fear of sounding like some old muggle golf-player – it’s all in the wrist right?” Kat remarked and clapped lightly as the stone bounced three times, then picked up a stone herself and tried to throw it. The stone once again sunk under the water with a soft splash and shook her head, “Seems as if my wrist movement’s aren’t that great.”

“Could you throw again?” Kat asked preparing to watch the throw closely once again moving her eyes to Dwyane’s face, ”Do you mind if I ask what you came out here to think about? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want of course. I’m just curious.”<br>
“Guess it comes with the name. You know – curiosity killed the cat. I hope I won’t get killed anytime soon though,” Kat made a grimace, “And now I’m rambling again.”<br>

[dwyanefarrelly]

Dwyane picked up a stone, and slowly moved his wrist in the position to throw the stone, he moved back and forth very slowly, making sure Kat could see, then all of a sudden he threw it, it skimmed twice before going under.

Dwyane now looked at Kat, the small smile that was on his face as he threw the stone was gone. “I came out to think about…” He threw another stone, this time it went straight under with a little splash. “I was thinking about how things could be different.” He said keeping his eyes on the still lake.

“What I mean is, I live with my Uncle but what would have happened if I had been living my parents instead.” A few tears came into his eyes, and he sniffed his nose. “What if I was just a muggle?” He said looking at the lake, as though he could see all the way to the bottom.

[kat]

Kat watched as the Dwyane threw a stone.
And then another, which sunk under the water.

Kat was silent after Dwyane’s words for a minute thinking them over in her head.
“Well, you aren’t just a muggle and being a muggle isn’t a bad thing either, you know!” Kat said after a short silence and threw a stone which once again sunk under the water, “What if my parents hadn’t died? What if I wasn’t a witch? Well, thinking over something in the past that can’t be changed can’t do any good.”<br>
Kat picked up a stone and threw it shaking her head as it once again just sunk.
“And speaking from a completely selfish point of view – if you hadn’t lived with your uncle and came to Hogwarts I never would have met you and gotten a friend,” Kat told the boy placing a hand on his shoulder after picking up one more stone.

Kat breathed in deeply, closed her eyes and threw the stone opening her eyes just in time to see in bounce from the water. Just once, but still.
Kat let out a loud whoop of joy jumping up and down happily turning to look at Dwyane with a broad grin: ”I did it! Who cares it just dumb luck, but I did it!”<br>
Kat threw her arms around Dwyane’s shoulders for a moment hugging the boy to share her joy as well as comfort. The hug was quick and Kat twirled around once again, picked up a couple of stones from a little farther and moving back to stand next to Dwyane handing him some of the stones: “See? You had to come to Hogwarts otherwise I would have never learned to skip a stone on water! Come on smile!”<br>
Kat threw one of the stones in her hands at the lake, feeling a little silly now because of hugging Dwyane, although she tried to not let it show.
The stone sunk again, but this didn’t bother her anymore as she tried again before turning her laughing eyes back to Dwyane.

[dwyanefarrelly]

“But I was just thinking, what it would be like.” Dwyane said unhappily his eyes never breaking from the lake. “And Yes, I’m happy that I have you as a friend its just what if….”Dwyane’s voice broke off as Kat stone skimmed the lake and then went under. Just then Kat threw her arms around him, and Dwyane had no idea what to do, he started to turn red so he turned his face away form Kat hoping she didn’t notice. After a few seconds the colour left his face, and he turned to Kat and said “Come on, now all you need to do is practice, and you will be skimming every stone soon!” Glad to change the subject, but as soon as Kat threw another stone and it sunk to the bottom of the lake Dwyane wished he had chosen to say something else.

Just then he caught her eyes and a second seemed to last an eternity, before he broke off their eye contact. Dwyane then picked up the last stone in his pile and threw it into the lake, with a loud splash the stone was gone.

[kat]

Kat watched as the last stone disappeared in the lake but it didn’t bother her.
“What it would be like,” Kat bit her lower lip in thought as she always used to and stretched before turning, ”Alright, let’s speculate.”<br>
“If you were a muggle. Well, I guess you would be going to a regular school then with teachers boring you to sleep. Well, Binns does it in the History of Magic anyway so that doesn’t count,” Kat smiled at the thought.

“In your class you’d probably be a normal person. Not to geeky, not a dumb jock either,” Kat eyed Dwyane pondering about his personality, “Not a bully either – pranks don’t count as they aren’t meant as something mean.”<br>
“What else?” Kat started laughing suddenly, “Well, it certainly wouldn’t be as interesting with Hogwarts with it’s moving staircases and Peeves pelting you with something. Water-bombs for example.”<br>
Kat who laid back and crossing her hands under her head stared at the sky: ”I don’t know really. Guess you would have done what you wanted to then as well. What would you have wanted your life to be?”<br>

[dwyanefarrelly]

"I would have wanted it to be me my Mum and Dad living as we would have done." Dwyane said, the tears coming back to his eyes. "Thats all I would have wanted." He said quietly, laying his head in his hands. "No magic, no Hogwarts. Just me and them."

[kat]

Kat didn’t really know what to say.

She stood up and moved to sit next to Dwyane placing a comforting hand on his back.
“I guess I know how you feel in a way. My parents died when I was 8, so my brother took care of me. I love him and he has been fantastic, but it still isn’t the same as my parents were,” Kat finally starting speaking staring in the lake with memory-pictures of her own.

“I have accepted that they are gone, but I still miss them. Nothing can ever replace them,” Kat shivered more with the memories than with cold as she pulled out a little locket that she always wore as it had been given to her by her mother when she turned seven.

Kat felt tears rising to her eyes and she sighed and blinked to send them back.

[dwyanefarrelly]

Dwyane looked at her in a state of shock, the tears that he had been fighting to come out, started to fall.

"Kat, I'm so sorry about your parents but at least you remember them." Dwyane sniffed "Its just that I can't even remember them, and I don't know what they were like. As you see my Uncle Tom, isn't really my Uncle, as far as I know he was a family friend and he took me on but he never talks about my parents."

Dwyane looked up at the sky, then down at the ground letting his head hang there as the tears fell.

[kat]

Kat’s head snapped up at Dwyane’s words as she got an idea.
“Well, that’s a problem I can help you with!” Kat declared jumping to her feet. Kat was good at finding information.
Kat found a piece of paper from her pocket and pulled out a quill from the messy bun it was tucked in.

Kat scribbled a couple of words on the paper and then looked at Dwyane expectantly while fishing out a dog whistle form a pocket of her jeans: ”Now, you lived in the muggle world for quite a while, so there is something about you up in the internet. My brother owns a computer company and so when there is something about your parents there as well, then he’ll find it. And send it to me.”<br>
Kat explained quickly swinging the whistle: ”So will I whistle, so my owl will come? I don’t know why he reacts to this whistle or not?”<br>
Kat’s eyes twinkled: ”And in the section of History of Magic in the library there are huge books on wizarding families with all kinds of data to things friends have told about them. And there are pictures… If your parents are in any way connected to the magical world, then we’ll find them there.”<br>
“At least you’d know what they looked like and maybe a glimpse on what kind of persons they were. What do you say?” Kat asked never turning her eyes from Dwyane’s face.

[dwyanefarrelly]

Dwyane’s looked at Kat, his eyes were red and there was no way of hiding it. “K-Kat,” He stuttered, “I don’t know what you mean by there would be something about me on he Internet?” The confusion he was feeling was showing through his eyes.

Dwyane started to try and calm himself down, by breathing a little harder, before saying. “Also there is no information in the Library about my parents, as during the summer I wrote to the school to ask them for any information concerning my parents and I got a reply saying I should write to the Ministry.” While saying this he tried to fight off the next wave of tears. “ So I also wrote to the Ministry of Magic but I never got a reply.” Just then one single tear fell down his cheek.

“Thanks Kat, but I just don’t think there is any information out there about my parents.” Dwyane said as he stood up, “I’m just going to go for a walk. Try to clear my head. I’ll see you later.” And with a nod to Kat, Dwyane turned to face the greenhouses and started to walk.

[kat]

Kat watched as Dwyane walked away and frowned. She really wished she could do something to help him.

Thoughtfully she threw the letter into the lake and shoved the quill into her pocket. Kat shivered, meaning that the warming spell she had cast upon herself had worn off.

It was a lot more advanced spell than first years learned, but as Flitfick had seen Kat running in the mornings, he had tutored her himself for about a week so Kat had learned the spell and mastered it. It was really useful, as otherwise she would have certainly spend a couple of days in the Hospital Wing already.

Kat pulled out her wand and casted the warming spell on Dwyane, so he wouldn’t freeze during his walk. This happened a lot to Kat as well – she got so observed in her thoughts that she forgot about the cold weather.

Knowing sometimes being alone to think was best Kat let Dwyane go without any arguments and headed towards the main entrance to the school. She didn’t enter though, sitting on some step rather and checked her watch once again, determined not to let Dwyane be out freezing and sulking for too long.

[dwyanefarrelly]

As dwyane walked away, deep in thought about his family, he felt an odd sensation over him as though he was warming up. He turned around just in time to see Kat put her wand away, 'Thank you, Kat' Dwyane thought to himself and threw a small smile at Kat before continuing his way.

After about 10 minutes of walking Dwyane had ended up at Greenhouse 4, he looked through the steamed up windows as he passed it continuing his walk past the rest of the greenhouses and over to the Quidditch pitch.

He climed into one of the stands, not even noticing which house it belonged to, and satred up at the sky.

[kat]

Kat stretched her legs out in front of her as she renewed the heating charm on herself as well and then watched a small figure in distance headed to the Quidditch pitch. Guessing it was Dwyane Kat just observed while pondering about Quidditch.

Kat didn’t mind towers and heights and didn’t have any problems with flying with a plane. But sitting on a broom was a little too much for her. For some reason she was just terrified that the broom would break or she would fall down. And although madam Pomfrey could cure almost anything, as Kat had learned after some lessons of Care for Magical Creatures, where she had been bitten, scratched burned and whatever else.

Flying on a broom was just too horrifying for Kat. It was nice to watch Quidditch though – at least better than watching some muggle sport from TV, but Kat was certainly not a fan.

Kat turned her eyes towards the sky and gazed at the it, noticing that the sun would be setting soon and deciding to catch up with Dwyane again when it had completely set and Dwyane hadn’t shown up yet.

[dwyanefarrelly]

Dwyane sat back in the chair he had choosen, he was watching the sun set, but seemed to be looking directly through it to what lay beyond.

As it got darker, but not colder thanks to the charm Kat had done, Dwyane started to think of what he was going to do.

Eventully he decided to write to his Uncle and ask him everything, but he would have to do that tomorrow as it was getting really late. He climbed down out of the stands and started to head back to the front entrance, hoping he had not been locked out.

[kat]

The sun had practically disappeared, but Kat didn’t stand up to get Dwyane, as she had seen him heading towards the school once again and knew he would have to go pass her to enter. Although that wasn’t easy, as the doors had just been locked by Filch.

Luckily Kat had slipped in for a moment before and opened a window of an unused classroom near the doors on first floor, so they could get back in.

Kat didn’t move until Dwyane had reached the stairs leading to the entrance. Only then did she stand up and moved to meet the boy half-way.
“The doors are locked. Come on – I opened a window of a nearby classroom – we’ll have to get in from there,” Kat smirked starting to move to her left, “Unless of course you want to ring the door-bell and get in detention with Filch.”<br>
"I'll show you where the open window is - don't get caught sneaking inot your dormitory! And don't lock the window after you," Kat told Dwyane as she moved on and pointed to the third window from the main entrance to the school, "Climb in from here. See you again and I really do hope you are feeling better."

Kat smield at the boy and turned around waving to Dwyane in the faint moon-light and headed towards the lake.