On The Steps (Kris)

[bellatrixlestrange]

It was an unusually warm day for the season and the appealing weather had brought Faith Oraco outside. She sat on the steps leading into the courtyard with her cat, Gata, stroking her absent-mindedly behind the ear as he basked in the sunlight.

Faith turned her page. The book she was reading was a muggle one a friend had leant her, that was showing her the magical world from inside a muggle author's imagination. Faith didn't know whether to be intrigued by the storyline or laugh at the way they got it all wrong.

The trickling of the fountain was very soothing, mingled with the chattering of the students sat on the stone benches and Faith smiled to herself slightly serenley.

At the end of her chapter, Faith put down her book and stared around, watching the groups of people with their friends.

She couldn't help but feel slightly put out about being alone but was uplifted as Gata gave her a derisive meow. She grinned.


(OK start? ;D)

[kris]

Kris excited the detention, he had gotten once again for talking back to a teacher. Kris was arrogant and he didn’t often bother to hold himself back, even when talking to professors, unless he respected the professor.
Kris greeted her cousin with a nod and a brief smile as he passed her in the hallway and was answered with a grin and a small shake of her head, as she saw Kris getting out of another detention, before she turned back to her conversation.

Deciding he needed a bit of fresh air Kris walked towards the courtyard, seeing that it was rather crowded, although none of his friends didn’t seem to be around. Shrugging Kris walked down the stairs noticing that his shoe-lace had became un-tied, so he crouched down on the steps next to some younger girl. A Gryffindor probably Kris noted and wondered if she would start speaking to him, as she had looked a bit lonely and Kris wasn’t wearing any sign outward sign that would help someone determine his house. He wore regular black pants and a dark-green blouse with silver decorations - both pieces of clothing were made out of pure silk, but they didn't show his house-badge, as he had left his school-cloak in the dormitory, casting only a heating charm on himself.

Kris was tying his shoe-lace when the little kitten the girl was holding jumped down and walked over the bit to sniff Kris’s hand – he always seemed to attract all animals and get along with them without even trying to.
“Bonjour, gorgeous,” Kris said stroking the kitten’s head absent-mindedly as he continued to tie his shoe-lace.

[bellatrixlestrange]

Faith heard the sound of footseps behind her and turned around. A tall boy, who looked older than her, had entered the courtyard. Faith watched him with her quick, brown eyes as he bent down to tie his shoelace.

Before she could stop him, Gata had jumped out of Faith's lap and was slinking towards the stranger.

"Bonjoir gorgeous," Faith heard him say, stroking her cat's head.

Faith smiled inspite of herself and looked at him.

"That's Gata," She said, laughing a her cat looking so happy, "And I'm Faith."

She smiled down at Gata, who was purring happily.

"She seems to have taken a liking to you, doesn't she?"

[kris]

Kris turned his head as the girl spoke to him with a small smile. Deciding that he had nothing to loose, Kris moved himself a bit and maintaining a serious expression picked up Gata’s paw and shook it: “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Gata.”<br>Kris smiled lightly and sat down on one of the stairs before nodding to Faith a small smile trudging at the corner of his lips as he reached out his hand for Faith: “I’m Kris.”<br>
Continuing to pet the kitten Kris answered: “And how could I ever not be taken with two ladies as pleasant as you? Will I have to thank the nice day for making you two come out here?” Glancing around Kris saw a muggle book and reaching over turned it a bit, so he could see the head-line.
“Not a badly-written book. Even though it’s far from reality, but I guess one couldn’t really expect more from a muggle anyway. As he doesn’t know how much of his fantasy is real,” Kris commented, pushing the book back to its original position.

[bellatrixlestrange]

Faith shook his hand when it was offered and smiled at the unexpected compliment. She picked up Gata again and held her in her arms as Kris commentred on her book.

"That's why it's so interesting," She said at last, "Seeing the magical world from a muggle perspective. And it's a pretty good plot too. I would say you can borrow it but I am myself, off a friend."

Gata was struggling slightly so, reluctantly Faith dropped her to the floor. She landed lightly on her feet and went off to stalk some birds at the otherside of the courtyard.

"What brings you out here then, Kris?" She asked, returning her gaze and shading her eyes from the sunlight with her hand, "Nice weather? Or failure to see the appeal of being cooped up in a common room? I'm going for both at the moment, I'm afraid. Plus the need for some fresh air."

[kris]

“I’ve read the book actually. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to comment on it,” Kris shrugged watching as Gata dropped on the ground and stalked off.
“As to why I’m here I just got out of detention and decided I need some fresh air. As for the common room – it would be dark there and the sun is light, as rare as it is here during winter,” Kris explained stretching his legs out and looking up as he heard the familiar voice and his eagle-owl landed on his arm.

“Bored a bit and wanting to stretch your wings?” Kris asked the owl stroking it’s feathers softly, “You would have better luck with Dana. Her owl is off right now and she wanted to send something to Meredith and Julien. Go find her.”
The owl nibbled affectionately on his ear before taking off again and heading towards the castle, probably intended on seeking up Dana.

“And I’m rather fond of the colder weather though, even though I live in Italy myself,” Kris continued turning to Faith, “Nice country, but it can get a bit too warm for my taste during summer.”<br>

[bellatrixlestrange]

Faith nodded as she listened to Kris, knowing how he felt.

Seconds later and a soft hooting was heard which made Faith look up. An eagle owl landed on his arm.

Faith watched Kris with his owl with a smile on her face.

It was a beautiful creature, quite large and majestic looking and it made Faith wish she had a bird of her own. Still, I've got Gata, Faith mused to herself glancing over to the otherside of the courtyard where her kitten was terrorizing the sparrows still.

"Dana?" Faith enquired after he had finished speaking and the owl had flown away, "I think I've met her before. A Ravenclaw, isn't she?" She cast her mind back to Dana and her meeting, "Are you a Raven too?"

[kris]

“Yep. Dana is in Ravenclaw. Ma cousine. Soeur, like I was brought up thinking and feeling. She’s close," Kris looked up to Faith narrowing his eyes lightly as sun shone into them, wondering how Faith would react to his own house. Most people became more wary: “And no. I’m a snake.”<br>The Sorting Hat had thought Ravenclaw for Kris for a moment and Gryffindor as well actually, but decided on Slytherin quickly though. Although Kris didn’t support all the ideas most Slytherins had, the house fitted him rather well. He was arrogant and prideful and he liked the room and space other houses – especially younger students always gave to him after seeing what house he was in.

Kris opened his mouth to add something else when a loud ‘meow!’ could be heard and Filch’s shaggy cat – mrs. Norris run into the courtyard with some first years chasing her with dung-bombs. Noticing Kris mrs. Norris ran towards him, obviously looking for shelter, like Kris had provided a couple of times before. One of the students grabbed her wand and chanted a color-changing charm, which Kris blocked before it hit the care-takers cat.
“Looking for trouble? The cat won’t be able to take off that charm,” Kris’s voice was barely a hiss as mrs. Norris hit behind his legs, “Just about the same trouble you would have taking off my charm.” Kris muttered a different coloring charm towards the first year, who had wanted to hex mrs. Norris and the girl’s skin turned purple and her hair violent pink. The spell had slight modifications to it, so it wouldn’t be easy to get off. The Sorting Hat hadn’t thought about Ravenclaw for Kris for nothing. The first years gulped and hurried off, with the one girl being near tears because of the changes in her look.

Diverting his eyes back to mrs. Norris who had came out of her hiding-place, Kris and the cat just stared at each-other for a moment, before Kris blinked: “Shoo.” Then the cat purred and rubbed itself against his leg for a moment before stalking off towards the school once again.
Kris brushed the cat-hair off from his pants-leg calmly. He didn’t especially like mrs. Norris, but he didn’t especially dislike her either. The cat seemed to have taken a liking to him and never notified Filch when their paths crossed in school, when Kris was out wondering in the hallways after curfew.

“Why does she always seek me out in trouble,” Kris muttered more to himself before remembering the company he had and he turned his eyes back to Faith, waiting to see her reaction to his house.

[bellatrixlestrange]

"Slytherin," Faith said, rather quietly.

She opened her mouth again but before she could Mrs. Norris hurltled into the couryard, quickly followed by a group of first years, in fast pursuit of her and with dungbombs in their hands.

The cat looked in pure terror and ran towards Kris for safety. One of the first years pulled out her wand and Faith, instinctivley reached into the pocket of her skirt to find her own.

Kris, however seemed to have it under control and, Faith found it extremley hard not to laugh as she saw a clever charm performed and the first year's hair turn bubblegum pink and her, one pale skin, a livid violet.

It seemed to do the trick rather well and they all hurried off, murmuring between themselves and casting nervous looks behind them.

"That," Faith said, turning back to Kris with a highly-amused grin on her face, "Was most definitley something. Then again they say all Sytherins are cunning folk don't they?"

She laughed, wondering why, a minute or so ago she was feeling admittedley apprahensive about Kris's house.


"I have to admit though, clever as it was, I think you did her favour with her hair. I've been thinking of dying something a bit out there like that for a while. Maybe I'll have to go chasing after Mrs Norris for the best results, hey?"

Faith laughed and twizzled a strand of long, blonde hair between her fingertips.

"Blonde gets a bit formulaic after a while," She said, sighing slightly as she shaded the sun from her eyes,"I've been it all my life and I'm telling you, it doesn't work too well for first impressions. Everyone seems to think you're a bit of an air head."

[kris]

“Cunning. Well, it may seem cunning to you, brave and even heroic to mrs. Norris and completely outrageous to that first year. It all depends on the point of view. That’s the biggest thing that keeps all the houses so separated in here, in my opinion,” Kris answered with a shrug, “But it felt nice doing it.”<br>
Kris glanced back and thought for a moment: “It should take three or four days to get it off at least, as I doubt she would dare to go some professor and admit they got hexed while they were trying to do the same to mrs. Norris. And it’s a bit altered so the only person who could use the counter spell immediately is Dana. And I doubt she will do anything either hearing about mrs. Norris.”<br>
Kris eyes Faith’s blonde hair and smirked, pulling on his own pitch-black pony-tail: “I can honestly say, that I’ve ever been prejudiced ‘cause I have blond hair. But the surprise will be even greater, when people think that of you and then you show you aren’t an air-head. Gives you the benefit of surprise.”<br>Kris eyes Faith’s hair again and raised a curious eye-brow: “What color would you want then still? Electric blue? Neon-green? Lime? I’m not a hair-specialist but I think I could manage something that would hold for a couple of days, if you want. Or I’ll direct you to Dana or the hair-salon in Hogsmeade.”<br>

[bellatrixlestrange]

Faith laughed at Kris's comment on the element of suprise.

"Very true," She agreed, grinning, "Though I'd probably blow my cover and secure their suspicions. I never said the dumb thing wasn't true."

"I was thinking a deep purple actually," Faith said, chewing her lip in thought, though I'll probably never get round to it. And if I do it'll be one of those spur of the moment things that I'll regret later. I do that quite a lot."

It was true. Like the time her friends had convinced her to do something else with her hair, chop most of it off (it had taken years to grow back) or the incident with teh impulse buying of the new broom, just before Christmas, and had ended up getting exactly the same model for a present from her parents. Not too joyous a holiday....

"I guess I could always go for streaks though," She said, smoothing down her skirt absent-mindedly, "But then I'd go with you and have electric blue."

She grinned mischeviously and added,
"I reckon you'd suit green hair, to go with your eyes."

She leant back against the step, which was steep and made a pretty good seat, and waited for Kris to speak, and for her to see what he thought of her suggestion.

[kris]

“Purple streaks. Well, if you’re not sure how you’d like them try a charm. And there’s a potion for that, that only lasts for 5 minutes before vanishing, if the correct spell isn’t added,” Kris quoted, what he remembered from hearing Dana’s and her grand-mothers chats.

Kris grimaced as Faith mentioned green hair for him: “Well, a charming idea of course, but not really my piece of cake. I’m not a patriot of my house, even though it fits my personality.” Kris grinned and looked around the courtyard.
Starting to whistle Kris imitated some birds song rather closely and watched as the named bird hopped closer curiously.

[bellatrixlestrange]

"Nothing meant by it I'm sure," Faith assured him, after Kris stopped talking.

She listened to his whistle and gave a half sigh.

"I've never worked out how to whistle," She admitted, picking up her book again and slipping it in her bag, "I think it's just one of those things that you can either do or you can't. My sister tried to teach me but it didn't work."

As Kris whistled Faith watched an inquisitive bird hop over.

"How do you do that?" She said, slightly in awe, "I thought I was pretty good with animals but...."

She shook her head and smiled as she watched the little bird put it's head on its side and survey them.

[kris]

“I don’t really know how to teach you either. It just comes naturally for me – I don’t recalling ever learning to do it,” Kris answered letting gout one more thrillery whistle and pulling out a cookie from his pocket, slowly crumbling it to pieces and dropping some of the crumble on a step three steps farther from where he sat while whistling for the bird to come closer.

“And I don’t really know how I do it either. I’ve always had my way around animals whichever animal it is. I respect them, they respect me. I’ve just spend years by their sides that I’m so used to animals coming to me.,” Kris whistled once again without moving any other muscle and watched as the small bird grabbed one piece of the cookie, before quickly escaping to a safer distance while eating the cookie, “I have enough scars and gashes to show that not always the encounters haven’t end peacefully, but most animals like me.” Kris hand moved to cover our deep and long gashes on his left side, that dragon-claws had left a couple of years ago. Even with wizard first aid, the cars were still visible on his skin.

“You are good with animals? Do you have any of your own as well then? Besides Gata,” Kris added starting to whistle again to lure the bird, that had now been accompanied by two others, closer.

[bellatrixlestrange]

"Well there's my dog Caleb but I had to leave him at home," She said, watching the birds as she spoke,"It's a shame, I bet he'd love you, with your natural way with animals," The birds twittered happily to each other, "He generally likes people though, he's very friendly dog. Only problem is he's a Great Dane and he likes to jump on people when he sees them and, well, you know how big Dane's are..."

Huge was the answer. Caleb was quite an old dog by now and when she was small, Faith had been dwarfed by him.

"What about you?" Faith asked, "I'm assuming that owl was yours, unless it was your take with the natural world working wonders again."

[kris]

Kris smiled with a corner of his mouth, imagining a big Dane jumping up and down around Faith. IT was a rather pleasurable image, Kris decided.
“I don’t do miracles. If you want those, then ask the wonder-boy in your house,” Kris answered calmly, throwing the cookie-crumbs on the ground and watching as all the birds flew to get them, “And yes, the owl was mine. Hermes. AS for other animals – I don’t really know what to answer you.”<br>
Kris hesitated. He knew a secret courtyard inside the castle walls, where all the animals were old or weak or transformed and all of those always came to play and greet him, when he visited, which happened rather often. Then there was a group of a male, 2 females and one foul thestral, that had taken a liking in Kris and a small vixen, whose life Kris had saved in his third year. And the number of animals he had brought back to health in Italy and when he was younger. All those animals were so close and even somewhat depended on his company, but Kris didn’t really know, if he could call them his.

“I know a lot of animals – here, back home in Italy, but mostly they are wild and I have never tied them to me or my house. I help them sometimes and from time to time some of them wander through to see me. Plus a wolf couple and some smaller animals I regularly feed in Italy – my house-elves do it now, that I’m in school – but they aren’t pets as they are free to come and go as they please,” Kris tried to explain his relations with different animals.

[bellatrixlestrange]

Faith nodded, imagning Kris's life back in Italy with admiration and a smile at the corner of her lips.

"Your life in Italy sounds pretty amazing," Faith said, "I wouldn't want to leave."

She thought of her hectic home and grinned as she realised something.

"You know what, the animals in Italy, they sound just like my relatives, they appear un-expected, and leave when it pleases them. You give them food and they're good company in return," Faith grinned as a mental image of her several cousins, aunts appeared in her head and it mingled with the thought of them being like Kris's animals.

"Have you got a big family back home?" Faith asked.

[kris]

Kris sent a small grin at Faith as she described her family.
His face turned emotionless when she asked about Kris’s family, though.
“No. I was an only child. Mother was killed, when I was 5 by some relative who went crazy,” Kris shrugged carelessly. He had never been close with his mother and hadn’t even cried at her death, even though it took place in front of him, “Father was murdered 4 years ago. I have legal guardians and I’ve been raised as if their grand-daughter is a sister.”<br>
Kris’s eye turned softer at the mention of her cousin Dana, although he didn’t name her as he continued: “We are close. And Mary form here is like a little sister as well. I have a lot of relatives but I don’t really even talk to them regularly and we don’t visit. I have total control over my parents fortune and mansion and live alone with the house-elves, unless I have some visitors.”<br>
Kris looked at Faith calmly. He was used to such life ad Dana, Mary and his legal guardians were all the family he really needed, so he wasn’t the least bit sorry for himself. Besides it was great to travel and do what he wanted in summers with his own money, with practically no one to tell him what to do or what to not do.

“But yes – the animals are great company. I don’t know why they like me but I’m glad they did,” Kris agreed calmly to Faith’s statement.