Loss of Concentration ((Annabella))

[xadrian]

The sun's rays filtered their way through the student lounge, dancing across the almost empty room. Xadrian couldn't help but be distracted by beautiful weather. He thought back to his home, where he would probably be kicking the soccer ball around with his two sisters, or in the woods somewhere on a hike. He loved being active, and on today, he was having a difficult time keeping his concentration on his studies. It was only the first weekend of school, but already, there was enough work that he needed to be starting. His grades mattered a lot to him, but he always did have to work at balancing his study time with his social time.

As he forced himself to go back to the book for what seemed like the hundredth time, he let out a large sigh. There was no use in trying. He wasn't actually gaining anything from his forced study, so he figured he might as well give up for now. Maybe he would be more productive later this evening, he thought.

Closing his book and putting it back in his bag, he left his area and walked over to the window. The lake was visible, and the reflection of light across the glass-like surface was amazing. The trees on the far horizon were just starting to change color, indicating that autumn was soon to arrive. It truly was a beautiful day, but what was there to do? Xadrian knew that there weren't many people around, so it would be tough to organize a game of any sort. It would be nice to take a walk though, but what fun was a walk all alone. Xadrian preferred company.

He went back over to his stuff and crashed on the chair. What good was a beautiful day like this with nothing to do. Especially when he was so unfocused for getting school work done. He was about to close his eyes and begin to force himself back into another state of concentration, when he heard the door to the lounge open and close. He saw a girl walk in whom he had known somewhat. She was a year younger than he was, and she was in Hufflepuff. "Hey Annabella," he greeted, unenthusiastically. She was probably meeting her friends or something to go have fun. "What's up?"

[Annabella Valentine H3]

Annabella quietly made her way thought the hallways; her destination was the student lounge. It was the first weekend of school and she was a little bored, she had already finished her required homework and was seeking something, interesting and fun to do. The few friends she had made, already this year were all busy doing something else, or had not finished their homework, so she thought a trip to the lounge to meet somebody new was in store.

She passed a window on the way, and stopped to look out. It truly was a beautiful day today; the leaves on the trees were starting to change color so autumn would be upon them soon. The sunlight that shined against the lakes surface, made it look more beautiful and enchanting then it already was. She sighed and continues on towards the lounge. “It’s to beautiful a day, to be inside.” She said to herself. She would be out there either relaxing by the lake, or better yet walking around. But what good was that when you’re all alone, Annabelle preferred to be in the company, of at least one person. It would be more fun that way.

Finally reaching the Lounge she opened the door, and stepped in. Turning slightly and closing the door behind her. She turned back around and discovered that the lounge was basically empty save for one person, who had greeted her unenthusiastically. She raised her eyebrow, and began to make her way over to him, it was a boy named Xadrian. They had briefly met the second day of school, not a long meeting but just, long enough to learn each other’s names. He was a year older then her and was, in Ravenclaw. He had asked what was up, she smiled and sat down beside him and replied “Well nothing much really, was just a little bored and all my homework is done, so I came down here to see if anybody was around, and if they were up to doing something. What about you? You look bored out of your tree.” She laughed after words, and glanced down to see his books scattered around the table. Knowing it was most likely homework, she figured that was making him bored.

[xadrian]

Anabella came over toward Xadrian and answered his question. His boredom was so obvious that she keyed in on it almost instantly. "Yeah," he said with a shrug. "Homework can sometimes do that to you. It seems to have that mind-numbing affect." He laughed a bit and looked back at Annabella. "Well I'm sorry that you came here looking for something to do, and all you found was me wallowing in boredom. Hopefully it won't work its way onto you." He gave a small wink and finished packing the rest of his school things into his bag.

"I am however open to any suggestions of something to do. There aren't many people around, but who says that we still can't have a little fun." He thought hard for something that they could do, but his mind came up blank. "We could start out though by getting to know each other a little more," he quickly suggested. "I mean, all I really know is that your name is Anabella and that you are in Hufflepuff. I guess it wouldn't hurt to find out a little more now would it?" He titled his head and waited for an answer.

"Or," he interjected after a brief moment of silence, "I could start by telling you more about myself. That is, unless you don't care to hear." He was rambling now, but he blamed it on his boredom. He had sat for so long in silence that it felt good to talk a little. Even if he was talking a little more than he normally would, Xadrian didn't think Anabella would mind.

((Sorry so short... I hit a blank ))

[Annabella Valentine H3]

Annabella smiled when Xadrian made the comment, about homework having a mind numbing affect on you. She nodded and said “Yeah I certainly agree with you on that one. Unless it’s an interesting subject what homework were you doing anyways?” she asked as she took a seat in a chair, beside his. She smiled warmly as he said he was sorry that she came into the lounge looking for fun, and only found him wallowing in boredom and hoped the boredom wouldn’t work its way onto her. He then gave her a small wink and proceeded to pack his bag. “Well as for the boredom part sorry. But I was already bored when I came in here and as for only finding you in here bored as well? Well finding you was a bonus, your still a person and person equals fun or, no more boredom for that matter.” Smiling as she sat back and watched as he packed his bag.

She smiled and then began to think, as Xadrian had said he was up for suggestions of something to do. It looked like he had begun to think as well, she had come up with nothing and a few moments later, he had suggested getting to know each other better. He had a point as they only really knew each others names, and what house they were from. And he was right it wouldn’t hurt to learn a bit more about each other. “No there is no harm in getting to know more, then a name and house. I think that’s a great idea.” She said. There were a few brief moments of silence as she wondered if she should start talking first or should she wait for him. That question was answered when he suggested that he could, tell her about him first. Then he added unless she didn’t care to hear.

She smiled and replied “Of course I would love to hear all about you, Hm how about you start and then I can go? I can tell you the same information that you give about yourself, except it will be about me?” she smiled yet again and waited to see what he would think about that. She was feeling a bit better now about being so bored; she could now kill two birds with one stone. Her boredom would be cured and she would get to know a fellow student as well.

((Aww thats alright ^_^ its understandable))

[xadrian]

"It's a History of Magic essay," Xadrian answered Annabella. "Enough to put you to sleep even when you're not bored," he added, raising his eyebrows and smiling a bit. "Luckily, I'm almost done though." He listened as Annabella explained that she was bored as well. At least it wasn't just him, he thought happily. And, she was right, the two of them together had a better chance of fighting the boredom than if they were still alone.

Annabella seemed to think Xadrian's idea of getting to know each other a little more might be a good idea. He then maybe regretted volunteering to go first. Where should he start? He didn't want to bore Annabella even more, but what was there that he could tell that she would find interesting. He pondered for a moment, and then decidedly began with his family.

"Well, I'm originally from China," he explained. "My parents both were born and raised there. They had me, and then two years later, we moved to England. So I've basically lived my whole life there. There isn't much if anything that I actually remember about China. I've visited it, but England still feels like my home." He smiled, and was silent for a bit, making sure Annabella wasn't losing interest. "A couple years after the move, my mom got pregnant again and, nine months later, I became a big brother to two twin sisters. Oddly enough, the three of us get along well. Ever since I started coming here, it's been them that I miss most about home. On their eleventh birthday, they didn't get an acceptance letter even though we were highly looking forward to them coming to Hogwarts. I guess I was the only one in the family to inherit the magical gene. Makes sense that all three of us didn't though, since my parents were both non-magical."

Xadrian stopped there, hoping Annabella might comment and even start to tell him a little about herself. He hated when conversations were one-sided, and so he usually was careful not to talk too much. To him, it was even a little rude to be overly talkative.

[Annabella Valentine H3]

“History of Magic huh? Is it really that boring? I heard from some people that it’s a, really good class. Well I guess I know which class to take next year if I want to get some sleep.” She said and laughed afterwards. She nodded to him when he said, that he was almost done his essay. “So what is the essay about?” she asked as she made herself more comfortable.

After she had told him that getting to know each other, was a great idea he looked like he was in thought about what to say. She waited patiently for him to think it out and tell her anything; when he began to speak he had started with his family. Annabella smiled and nodded while she listened, he had paused after a few moments and Annabella smiled and decided to tell him, a little about herself now. They could just alternate in telling each other stuff, that way it would be easier.

“Wow that all sounds pretty cool, it’s a shame your sisters didn’t inherit as well, but I heard somewhere that it is rare for non magical parents to have more then one, magical child. But still it would have been pretty cool, I guess they all fully support you then? They don’t get jealous because you inherited and they didn’t? She asked

She began to think of where she would start, and then decided that she would start where he had. “Hm my turn huh? Let’s see well I was born and raised in London, South London actually in Greenwich. My father is magical and my mother is not, so that would make me half. I am an only child which sucks because; it gets so boring and lonely sometimes. My father works for the Ministry as an Auror and my mom, works at a local bank. And that’s really all there is to my family life.” She laughed sheepishly and began to twirl a piece of her hair around her finger. She had her hair down today, instead of in a braid like she always did; being so long it sometimes gets to be a hassle being out.

She smiled and asked “So did you show any signs of being magical before you received your letter?”

[xadrian]

"Definitely a good way to get a couple extra hours of sleep," Xadrian joked. "In all seriousness, the information is new and interesting, especially for me being a muggle and all. It's just the professor that makes it boring," he lowered his voice, not wanting anyone that may be nearby to hear. "Professor Binns, well, let's just say his personality must have died along with the rest of him. All that's left in his ghostly self isn't much too interesting." He laughed a bit at his own humor, and then listened to Annabella tell a little about herself.

"So you obviously knew then that your father was magical since he worked with the Ministry. Because I know some students who are half-bloods that didn't find out until they were accepted to Hogwarts. In that sense, I can relate, since I had no clue about the magical world." Xadrian thought for a moment what it might have been like growing up in a world of magic. Knowing since you were a child that such a wonderful thing like magic existed. In some ways, there was so much that he still had yet to learn, however, he tried daily to learn as much as he could.

"Actually, I can't say that I ever had any 'magical moments' before coming here to Hogwarts. I mean I've heard of many students who didn't know they were magical, but have had incidents which were unexplainable. Not me though. I was truly shocked when I got my acceptance letter. Being sorted into Ravenclaw was no surprise though. I pretty much fit the stereotype exactly." He caught a glimpse of his bag, and then laughed a bit. "Except I do get a little bored with some homework at times. But doesn't everyone?"

[Annabella Valentine H3]

Annabella smiled and listened as Xadrian, told her about the class and the Professor. Lowering his voice as, he got to his explanation on why the Professor was boring. She laughed along with him, she had heard some stories about Professor Binns, from other students who were talking about him, and how they and some of their classmates would make fun of him, or take advantage of the fact that he was a ghost. She shook her head a bit and wondered, if maybe she should take that class next year.

After he had finished explaining about, half bloods and how some of them never knew about their heritage, until their acceptance letter and how he could relate to them because, as he was muggle he had no clue about anything magical. She shook her head and said “Actually I fall in the same category as you, and the other students you mentioned, I didn’t find out until I received my letter as well. Yes I did know that my father worked, but I didn’t know where and what he did. All he said was that it was an important job. They told me that they wanted me to have, a normal childhood, and that’s why they never said anything until that day.” She smiled as she looked at him, and saw he was in thought for a moment. So there was a few moments of silence again, before he started to speak answering her next question, she listened and nodded and when he was finished, she smiled and replied “Well for me there was never any incidents that couldn’t be explained, so I guess my abilities didn’t really show up until, I came here. I was kind of shocked and confused when I received my letter, even after my father had explained everything. Again it wasn’t until I started to attend here, that I started to fully grasp everything.”

She stood up and began to walk around, to stretch her legs a bit, as she listed to Xadrian explain about how he wasn’t surprised that he got into Ravenclaw, and how he fit that stereotype, and then laughed saying that he gets, bored with homework sometimes. She smiled and stood in front of the window, and clasped her hands behind her back, and looked over the grounds as she replied to him. “Yeah I get bored sometimes too; sometimes I feel the homework isn’t really necessary as, we had covered it in class anyways. I think the Professors are just trying to keep us busy.” She turned around and made her way back over to her seat, and sat down. “Hey why don’t we go for a walk? I’m starting to get cramped and it’s a nice day out?” she smiled afterwards.

[xadrian]

It seemed as though Xad and Annabella had something in common. He found it odd though that her father had never told her about magic, even though he worked with the Ministry. If it had been his father, Xad would have been almost hurt in a way, but he couldn't judge. There must have been one good reason or another that Annabella's father decided against telling her. Magic was so great though, Xad had a hard time understanding why. As far as having a normal childhood, that was understandable, but in a sense, wasn't magic normal to those who grew up with it? Xad decided to let it go. It didn't matter much anyways.

"Tell me about it!" he replied when Annabella mentioned the busy work that was often given for homework. "If I'm not learning anything new, then why bother working?" he asked, giving a short laugh at the end. "Of course they do say that practice makes perfect- though it can get rather tedious at times."

"A walk? Why not?" Xad said after Annabella mentioned the option. He was getting somewhat tired of being in the student lounge. It almost reminded him too much of homework since he did do most of his work there. It was a good place to study for the most part, but if Xad was there too long he almost went crazy with all the silence at times. "Mind if we go to the owlery?" he asked Annabella. "I've got a letter here for my sisters Nikka and Sanli that I'd like to send out. Kip's been staying up in the owlery. He's too much of a mess to keep in the room. Plus, he's awfully loud!" Xad grabbed his bag from the couch and slung it over his shoulders. "Of course if you wanted to go somewhere else, I'm up for suggestions. I can always stop by the owlery later."

[Annabella Valentine H3]

Annabella saw that after she had told, him about how her parents never told her, about her heritage until she got her letter, Xadrian looked a little confused or like he didn’t really understand. He was probably thinking why her father, decided not to tell her. She decided to elaborate a little more, and see if maybe she could get him to understand better. “Well besides wanting me to have a normal childhood, my father didn’t think that I would inherit anything from him. Due to the fact that I didn’t show any signs, that I had any magical abilities. Nothing out of the ordinary happened either. So he decided to wait and see what happened, and the fact that he didn’t want to get my hopes up, should he tell me and nothing happened.” She smiled and hoped he got a better grasp, now of why her father never told her.

She nodded in agreement as he agreed, with her about the homework situation and offered his own comments about it. She laughed a little along with him. “Yeah I have to agree with you there, practice does make perfect but it does become a little tedious, when you have to do it over and over and over again. I’m still sticking to my theory about it being, mindless busy work when that happens.” She then laughed again and smiled.

Annabella smiled and stood up as well, when Xadrian agreed to go for a walk with her. He had asked her if they could stop by the owlery, as he had a letter he wanted to send off to his family. “Sure we can do that, I should pay a visit to Calcifer anyways, I haven’t been up to see him in a few days, and he gets awfully ornery when I don’t pay attention to him.” She said and laughed afterwards after he had said that he could go later if she had somewhere they could go. “And maybe after the owlery, we could go down to the lake?” she asked

[xadrian]

"I guess that makes sense," Xade said after hearing Annabella explain why her parents had chose to keep her magical background a secret. "I just think I would have like to know, that's all. But I respect your parents' choice."

"Yeah, sometimes I think that the constant repetition helps, but it never fails to just make you crazy sometimes. You can only do something so much before getting really sick of it or just annoyed by it all together." He rolled his eyes a bit, "But nobody said doing well was easy. You've gotta work to earn good marks."

"Sounds like a plan," Xade said when Anabella mentioned the possibility of going to the lake after their visit to the Owlery. "How about we meet up in the Owlery then? I'll just go drop off the rest of my stuff in my room and see you there." He looked to Annabella and waited for her answer. Just thinking about getting to send his letter made him happy. He was sure Nikka and Sanli would be happy to hear from him. After all, he always loved getting news from them.

((Terribly sorry for the delay. If you want, you can respond here and start a post for them in the Owlery. If you don't want to tho, that's ok. Just let me know what you'd like to do.))

[Annabella Valentine H3]

After Annabella had explained a bit more about, her parent’s decision Xadrian said that he guessed it made, a little more sense. He then added that he would have liked to know about his heritage, ahead of time but he respected her parents’ choice. She smiled and nodded in agreement.

They spoke more about how the Professors were always, making the students do the same things over and over, again. And how you can only do so much of one thing, before it drives you crazy or makes you annoyed, or sick of it. She laughed as he rolled his eyes, and said that doing well wasn’t always that easy, and you had to work hard to get good marks. “That’s true also…so I guess in the end if you want the marks you just, have to suffer.” she added

Annabella smiled when Xadrian said that, it sounded like a plan after she mentioned that they could, stop by the owlery first and then drop by the lake. He then said that he would meet her at the owlery, after he dropped his stuff in his room. “Okay that sounds good. I’ll head there now it will give, me a chance to hang with Calcifer a bit.” She said and smiled

(Thats quite alright ^^ Um I can start the topic in the owlery ^^ I will PM you the link when I have it up ^^)