The Lake (Dana)

[Caiest Hamilton S5]

"Finished." Caiest said triumphantly and shut her charms book. She had been working most of the day on her charms homework something she probably should have done last night but had put off so she could practice. Barely supressing a grin she gathered all her stuff off the Library table and shoved it in her bag. Glancing at her watch she noted that she still had a good two hours before dinner. 'It's a good thing I studied so much over the summer.' Caiest thought making her way out of the library. She had gone to the library fully expecting to have to spend the entire day there luckily she had finished early. 'I owe it all to my dear mum and dad.' She thought semi bitterly. If it hadn't been for them always being gone Caiest probably wouldn't have studied so much over the summer. Luckily it came in handy in times like this.

Caiest walked out to the grounds. She figured she'd be less likely to be engaged in a conversation if she were out in the open as opposed to being in a room such as the student lounge where everyone seemed to want to make her talk. "Stupid people." She said to no one in particular as she set her bag down beside the lake.

It seemed to her as if everyone in this blasted school wanted to make friends. Did they ever stop to think that she didn't want friends? Did they even consider that she enjoyed no ones company save herself? Sighing she flopped down beside the lake and stared out at it trying to think of something fun to do.

[dana]

Dana rolled her eyes as the guy he was out of a date with seemed to drone on and one and one about himself, quidditch, himself, weather, himself and… oh, did she mention himself? And Dana had only went out with him as a favor to a friend. Dana made a mental note to never agree to a date such as this one ever again.

Suddenly Dana felt the guys arm slip around her waist as the guy tried to kiss her sloppily.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Dana hissed angrily, pushing the guy away and sending a strong right hook towards his face, “I never gave you permission to touch me and you better stay clear or my path in the future.”<br>The guy had really upset Dana thoroughly with his behavior – this wasn’t the first time during the date he had tried to kiss Dana.

As the guy tried to catch Dana’s hand, Dana twirled around and with one strong and practiced kick sent the guy flying into the rather icy lake on Hogwarts grounds. Dana wasn’t the best at martial arts, but she knew enough about how to protect herself without her wand as well as with it. Paying no attention to the guys whining that Dana had broken his jaw and that he was freezing. Dana rolled at her eyes at this – she hadn’t kicked strongly enough to break his jaw but she didn’t think it deserved an answer, so Dana stomped away angrily.

Seething silently about the nerve of the guy Dana marched by the lake’s shore almost tripping on a bag on the ground suddenly. Now noticing a girl sprawled out of the ground as well, Dana stared at her for a moment, before she carelessly motioned towards the bag: “Didn’t see your bag, so sorry about stumbling on it. If I caused any damage, then just charge Dana Coran with the bill.”<br>
Dana let out a long breath, still feelingly annoyment bubbling inside herself as she started to step pass the girl, when her voice stopped her.

((Do you mind that I put the last sentence here? It seemed to fit, but if you don’t like it, just tell me and I’ll erase it))

[Caiest Hamilton S5]

((I don't mind in the least gives me something to work with now.))

Caiest looked around very bored and noticed a boy try to kiss some girl. The girl obviously didn't like it as she pushed the boy away and hissed angrily. Caiest wondered if she should go help when the boy tried to pull the girl back but decided against it. First no one had ever helped her out when she needed it and it was more amusing to watch anyway and second the girl seemed to be able to handle it herself as she kicked the guy in the jaw.

Laughing silently Caiest turned to look back at the lake when the girl from before marched over to where she was and tripped on the bag. Caiest said nothing as she apologized for knocking the bag over and told her to bill Dana Coran if there was any damage.

"Nice kick." She said as the girl who she could only assume was Dana Coran started to leave.

[dana]

Dana stopped and turned to look at the girl. Smirking as she complimented her kick.
“Thank I guess. I’ve taken some classes in martial arts and my cousin lets me practice with him from time to time,” Dana looked back ands smirked once again at the guy, “And he really did deserve it.” Dana shuddered recalling the memory of the ‘date’ they had been too. She had been so bored she actually ate just to relieve her boredom.

“A friendly piece of advice – don’t ever do anyone a favor and go out with their cousin. Sometimes I’m really certain all males have something wrong in their heads,” Dana rolled her eyes. Before looking at the girl and pondering a little. She looked a year or maybe two younger than Dana was, but Dana was fairly certain she had seen the younger girl in the Ravenclaw common room.
Turning to look at the bag she had stumbled on earlier Dana checked it with her eyes, looking for any thing wrong with it, as she hadn’t bothered to look earlier: “No permanent damage done to your bag or will I have to be expecting a bill soon?”<br>

[Caiest Hamilton S5]

Caiest looked amused through Dana's whole explanation. She didn't even bother to tell her that she didn't have any friends and even if she did she wouldn't date their cousins. In Caiest's oppinion guys were a waste of time.

"Martial Arts training very nice I've had some lessons myself." She said thinking of the classes she took at her house when her parents were away.

Caiest looked at the bag there didn't seem to be any permanent damage to it. Even if there was she wouldn't tell Dana. It would serve her parents right to have to buy her new stuff anyway. "Nope no permanent damage you're in the clear."

[dana]

“Really?” Dana looked at Caiest curiously, as she said she knew martial arts as well, “Martial arts with some weapon or just your own body?” Dana wasn’t very good in martial arts, but she found it nice enough as a practice for self-control and balance. And it was useful should the need to protect herself – like just before – should rise.

Dana glanced at Caiest’s bag as well. The bill wouldn’t have been a problem actually, but she was glad she hadn’t broken anything that might hold some value to Caiest. Dana bit her lip, looking at the girl hesitantly. Dana was rather certain she had seen her at the Ravenclaw common room before, but she wasn’t 100% sure. Dana wondered for a moment, whether it would be very impolite to ask, but in the end she decided, that it wouldn’t hurt either.
“I think I’ve seen you before, so are you a Ravenclaw by any chance? My friends are from other houses mostly, so I don’t know a lot of people from my own house, but you seem familiar from somewhere,” Dana asked curiously, just before she remembered that she actually had seen the girl before, “Oh, I already remember. You are a raven as well – one of your necklaces caught my eye one day, when you were exciting. It was a small figurine I think… But I liked it.”<br>

[Caiest Hamilton S5]

Caiest gave Dana a half smile. "Both actually. I can do the martial arts without a weapon as that's how I originally learned. Then when I got good enough that fighting without a weapon was too easy for me I was trained using a weapon. The dagger is by far my favorite." She was happy that someone else in this god forsaken school knew martial arts even if Dana wasn't all that good in it it was still nice to know that she wasn't the only one who could appreciate the training that went into it.

Caiest noticed that Dana seemed to want to ask something as she bit her lip. She smiled when Dana finally asked if she was a Ravenclaw because she seemed familiar and gave one of her rare full blown smiles when Dana came to the conclusion that she must be because of the necklace she was wearing when she exited.

"Yeah I'm a Ravenclaw and this must be the necklace you're talking about. Actually it has to be as I don't wear any others." She said pulling out her necklace that held her golem in fairy figurine form.

[dana]

Dana smoked as Caiest pull out the necklace, Dana had been admiring some time ago: “Yes, that’s the one. Love it.” Dana peered curiously at the small figurine hanging from the chain and wondered why it seemed to stir something in the back of her mind. Dana couldn’t tell what it was though: “There’s somekind of magic in the chain, isn’t there? Or in the figurine. Something about it seems familiar, but I’m not sure what, so I guessed it might be something magical. You don’t have to tell me about it, if you don’t want though.”<br>
Dana listened as Caiest talked about using a dagger: ”Sound interesting. I don’t really have much skill with blades or anything like that – I just spar from time to time with my cousin to keep me in shape. I think he is bored with the sessions though, as I’m clearly no match for him.”<br>

[Caiest Hamilton S5]

Caiest looked almost shocked when Dana asked if there was something magical in the chain or figurine. Most people didn't recognize it or notice it. In fact Dana was the first person besides herself to notice it. Caiest quickly recovered from her shock and took the figurine off the chain. Checking to make sure no one else was watching she said the incantation that made the Golem grow to human size and look human.

"The figurine and what now stands before you is a Golem. Her name is Sennie. Sennie say hello." Sennie said hello and Caiest nodded in approval.

"You say you have a cousin and he or she is better at you in Martial Arts?" She asked intrigued she'd been wanting to fight with someone skilled for some time.

[dana]

Dana raised a calm eye-brow towards Caiest, noticing her shock. But it was still interesting to see the charm to turn into an golem.
“Hello Sennie, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Dana,” Dana greeted the golem without any hesitation or fear and shook it’s hand calmly, before smiling lightly at Caiest, “I have seen golems before and even exchanged a couple of words with them. My grand-parents have even sold some in their stores, but those golems I have seen have been less intelligent and magical – I mean they didn’t turn into a figurine one could carry around.”<br>
Dana shook her head with a grin, taking a seat on a tree-root and looking out onto the lake with a small smile: “Yes my cousin – he is actually more like a brother to me, even though he may seem a little rough to strangers, is good. He started learning martial arts with his father when he was 9 or 10 so he has been practicing for almost 7 years by now. He even ahs his personal trainer back in Italy.”<br>Dana turned to look at Caiest once again and smiled, pride over her cousin sounding from her words: ”He won’t fight me himself though – he won’t raise his hand against a girl. And it’s a good thing to, because otherwise I would skin him alive and hang him to dry, before starting to think what I’d do to him as punishment. As old-fashioned as it may sound – I find it wrong when a guy raises his hand against any female.” Dana shrugged – she believed it and always would probably, but it wouldn’t matter to her, even if Caiest had an opinion completely against that one. This was one of the few things, were Dana refused to even think of other options.

[Caiest Hamilton S5]

Caiest was a bit surprised when Dana greeted Sennie and shook her hand. Most people didn't consider a Golem worth acknowlodging. It made Caiest think better of Dana not that she'd thought any thing bad of her to begin with. "Yeah Sennie is pretty advanced. She can walk she can talk she even looks like she's breathing but she doesn't bleed so technically she's a living doll but she's more of my best friend and sister then anything. Does that sound really weird?" She asked.

Caiest sat down when Dana did and listened to her talk about her cousin. He sounded cool and it was obvious that he and Dana were close. She did frown however when Dana mentioned that he wouldn't raise a hand to a girl. In Caiest's opinion that was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard of it was so sexist it was funny.

"You know I can't believe people are still like that. No offence as you obviously believe very strongly in it but that is so sexist. It's also a very good way to be beaten by enemies. What in the world will he do when a girl hits him first does he just take it?" Caiest asked. She hoped she hadn't offended Dana by her comment but it was true. If a guy refused to hit a girl then he could be easily defeated by anyone who wanted him dead or captured.

[dana]

Dana grinned as Caiest said it was sexist: “Maybe it is a bit sexist, but that is what I – we both actually – believe in and that was the way we were raised. Those kinds of traditions in French are still strong and my grand-mother believes in them very firmly. As for when a girl attacks him – well, he is smart enough to avoid most traps like that I hope. And he can protect himself with his wand, right? AS for when attacked physically – he has been training martial arts and is very sporty ever since he was a kid, so he would just probably over-power the girl attacking him and hold her in one place. There are ways to protect yourself, without having to hit.”<br>Dana shrugged calmly and winked lazily, glancing back at the direction she came from: “Even when punching is sometimes far more satisfying.”<br>
Dana turned her eyes towards the golem once again and smiled: “Yep, Sennie seems advanced. I’ve only seen some worse ones or so old golems, that they aren’t working properly anymore. I’m glad you showed me Sennie though. Very education. And it must be awesome to have someone like her around at all times. Do people often freak upon seeing her?”<br>

[Caiest Hamilton S5]

Caiest just didn't understand that way of thinking. She wanted to say that a girl could be better then her cousin but figured it wasn't worth it. Dana wouldn't change her views and neither would Caiest. To keep talking about it would just be arguing for the sake of arguing and Caiest didn't feel like arguing right then so she let it go.

She smiled when Dana made the comment that it must be awesome to have Sennie around. Actually it was more awesome then Dana could have possibly known. Sennie was everything to her. Her parents had left her at the age of five to travel only coming home occasionally. So Caiest was left to raise herself. Oh sure she had the servents and her tutors and trainers but they were all adults and paid her little attention. When Sennie came around however she had someone to play with and talk to. Sennie had become everything to her. Her sister, her best friend and also her training buddy. In fact Sennie was the only thing in this world that Caiest cared about but she wasn't about to share those things with Dana.

"Yeah she's cool to have around." Caiest said casually. "It's really fun to scare people with as she looks almost exactly like me. It tends to confuse most people. We had a lot of fun with that at my house when my tutors were there. Sennie would attend my lessons for me sometimes when I didn't feel like going."

[dana]

Dana laughed as Caiest told her how Sennie would go to her classes: “Wish I would have gotten out of my lessons back at home that easily. But grand-mere always made getting away that hard. Then again now I’m grateful for the knowledge I got from them, but they were still a drag. As you probably know yourself as well.”<br>
Dana smiled looking at Sennie and Caiest. There were some really small differences to be seen, if you know what to look – at the texture of the skin for example. But it would be hard to tell the difference when you saw only one and not very closely or only for a brief moment.

“It was always comforting when Anna – our cook, as my grand-parents prefer human servants, and the house is only about 50 metres from the magical world, but still in the muggle world, so we couldn’t use house-elves anyway. But now I’m getting off the topic. My point was that I always loved it when Anna gave me a chocolate cookie or let me help her decorate some cake for example. Especially since she never lost her nerve, when the decorations were shabbily done or when half of the things meant o go on the cake ended up in my mouth,” Dana grinned a little, “I was a bit tom-boyish as a kid – still am to some point – but I was spoiled rotten.”