That time of year again ((Phoebe))

[Sapphire Phoenix R7]

Sapphire walked outside. The courtyard was covered in snow. It had its own kind of beauty at this time of year. In the spring and summer the flowers there flourished and it was full of colour. In the autumn the berries and leaves added a splash of colour to an otherwise dull landscape. In the winter - it had a sort of harsh beauty about it. Everything had a coat of snow. Sapphire brushed her hand against the spiky leaves of a small evergreen plant. The snow came off easily. She looked at the crystals melting quickly in her hand. The snow at Hogwarts was an enduring one, although it was not nearly as cold there as it was in Russia at this time of year. There it was bitterly cold. Here it was refreshing.

Sapphire sighed, thinking of the country that she was so attached to. It was strange that she was not able to move on - she had never really felt she belonged anywhere. She always felt as if she belonged in the place she had just left. Sapphire wondered if that would be the case with Hogwarts. Maybe she would grow to love it before she left.

Sapphire was disturbed from her thoughts by sensing the presence of someone behind her. She turned her head, and saw that it was Phoebe. Sapphire hadn't spoken to her for a while, except in passing. Sapphire turned round to fully face Phoebe, leaning against the courtyard wall.

"Hi," she said, smiling at the girl with whom she seemed to get on with quite well. She still didn't know all that much about Phoebe. Not that it was necessary to. In fact, the less you knew about your friends, the better. It was only a true friend that knew all your faults and still liked you. Sapphire wasn't sure that she'd ever really had a true friend in that case. Well, Zara, perhaps, but then that was different, because she was her sister.

[phoebexiong]

Phoebe smiled as she walked outside in the courtyards. She loved how the snow looked so pure and fluffly. She felt the snowflakes from trees lightly blow against her as the wind blew softly. She breathed in deeply then sighed.

She wondered how it was like in Japan right now. She wondered what she would be doing now. She smiled thinking or how she would probably be in school cleaning. She looked up and noticed Sapphire. She walked over to her quietly. The girl seemed to be thinking hard about something. Phoebe stood quietly for a second listening to the wind blow against her.

She smiled at Sapphire as she finally turned and noticed Phoebe behind her.

"Hello. What's on your mind?" She asked her new found friend. She wondered if her and Sapphire would ever become good friends. It seemed that way, but Phoebe didn't want to jinx it.

[Sapphire Phoenix R7]

Sapphire looked at Phoebe inquisitively.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked. "Oh dear," she said, feigning crestfallenness. She uncrumpled her brow and smiled at Phoebe, wondering...

"I was thinking of Russia, actually," Sapphire said, looking over the parapet on the only side of the courtyard that was not enclosed, onto the snowy scene. More arty people could probably have painted it, bathed in late afternoon light. An impressionist, maybe. The sinking sun gave a rosy, yellow tinge to the snow.

Sapphire turned back to Phoebe. "I suppose it's silly, really, when I've got so much here. But I can't help it. It's where I feel I... belong."

[phoebexiong]

Phoebe sighed and sat down beside Sapphire. She knew how she felt. More often than not Phoebe found her self thinking abour Japan. She looked at Sapphire and gave her a small smile.

"I know how that feels. Just now I found myself thinking about Japan." She said softly.

"You see, everyone thinks about the place they were born in. It just seems as if that is where they belong. You don't have to feel so alone." Phoebe said. She found herself losing her cockiness and her smart attitude when she was with Sapphire.

[Sapphire Phoenix R7]

Sapphire looked at Phoebe seriously and then smiled. "You feel that way too?" she asked, although she didn't expect the answer, as Phoebe had just told her. It was just her relaying the message to herself. "Well, maybe it's not so odd of me then."

She gave a small sigh and her eyes scanned the icy landscape again. She shifted herself to get comfy, and then looked at Phoebe again. She said the first thing that came to mind, seeing as it was her natural trail of thought.
"What does Japan look like at this time of year?" Sapphire asked, waiting for the reply with interest. She didn't know much about Phoebe's cultural background, and it was good to know that sort of thing if you wanted to become friends with someone.