A friendly banter (Jordan)

[kris]

Kris was having a verbal spat with three third year guys – one Gryffindor and two Hufflepuffs. The other guys were furious, but Kris wasn’t really affected. He didn’t care about the guys nor did he actually bothered to listen to them. So getting bored he just turned around and started walking away in the middle on one of the Hufflepuff’s tirade.
Kris smiled seeing the big thestral stallion running towards him, with it’s wings half-spread.

Kris raised a curious eye-brow as the thestral glided past him and turned on his heel just in time to see he thestral rising on its back legs and kicking a guy’s wand out of his hand. It was the same guy who had been ranting, when Kris turned away, so Kris figured he had been furious enough, when Kris had started to walk away, to actually pull a wand on him.

All three guys were looking around in fear, so Kris guessed they didn’t see the threatening thestral standing in front of them. Out of all the people who were out at the moment, only one girl stared in shock at the animal, while the others seemed to be as surprised of what had happened as the guy the attack had been pointed against.
“Trying to pull a wand at my back? Never would have guessed it from you,” Kris hissed angrily pulling his own wand and sending a ‘stupefy’ towards the guy, “Next time do think before you act though.”<br>
Kris stepped forward with a smirk on his mouth, as he grasped the thestrals mane in one hand and swinging one of his legs over the animals back seated himself comfortably, ignoring the gasp of shock, as to everybody else Kris seemed to be sitting on air.
“And next time I won’t let you go this easily,” Kris added to the guy and let the thestral take off, causing screams and gasp from others.

Kris laughed out of pure joy as the thestral ran towards the school before opening it’s wing completely and flying around the castle. Stopping in front of McGonagall’s classroom window for a moment, Kris mock-saluted the abashed professor standing in front of her window before the thestral continued carrying Kris.

Kris rolled and flew with the thestral over the lake, when he noticed a lone figure standing on a relatively higher cliff near the lake-shore. The cliff was a good 25 feet over the water, so Kris was curious. Leading the thestral towards the cliff Kris floated over enough to recognize the girl for a third year Hufflepuff – Jordan Cortes. They had met a couple of times and usually ended up arguing about something, but Kris rather enjoyed the friendly banter, so he moved closer.

“Enjoying the scenery?” Kris drawled lazily, but with a half-smile as the thestral floated in the air in front of Jordan. Noticing that he had ridden the regular time and a little extra already, Kris moved the thestral closer to the cliff and slipped off of his back. Patting the male once more, Kris sent him off, so he would not tire the animal, “Or ranting about something?”<br>

[JordanCortes]

Here I am,
As perfect as i'm ever gonna be
You'll see
Love me for me
Stick around,
I'm not the kinda girl you wanna leave
You'll see
Love me for me. Jordan made her way up to the highest point of the cliff. Needing some time to think, but afraid of what she was thinking of thinkning about. Her mind was off somewhere else, and her eyes were looking out at the scenery. The wind picked up and she pulled her jacket tighter around her, not that it helped any. She sat down on the ground and continued to look at the scenery. She sighed and put her head in her hands, not noticing the thestral in front of her. In fact, she didn't notice until Kris spoke to her. Jordan looked up, her eyes glaring at him. She looked away.

"Go away." She muttered. Her tone sharp. Jordan wasn't in the mood. They had just lost the Quidditch game for the second time this year, she wasn't doing so well in her classes, and she was in the midst of a sabotage involving her brother, Rayne's bother's fiance, and a video camera. When Jordan's mind was in sabotage mode, she was snipey. Jordan took a sketchpad, a new one, and started to sketch, seeing as Kris didn't leave, "If you insist on staying, then I suggest you say something." jordan looked at Kris, ice in her eyes. She wasn't in the mood for chit-chat and if he was, then he bettert hink of something remotely useful to talk about. With anger, Jordan ripped the sketch up and threw it over the edge of the cliff. The pieces of paper fluttered down and was whisked away by the wind. She closed her sketchbook and moved her shoulderbag to her left so if he wanted to he could sit next to her on her right. She took a piece of her hair and started to braid that piece, then she tapped it with her wand, changing it to a scarlet red. Then, pulling her index finger through her braid, she tucked the rest of her hair behind her ear, and let the red strip dangle.

"Has your day been as uneventful as mine?" She asked sourly, for she had realized that chit-chat was where this conversation was going to end up anyway. Jordan looked at Kris with an upraised eyebrow, remembering their most recent meeting in the hospital ward. Then she remembered Isabella and she grinded her teeth and kicked a piece of dirt away with annoyance. Shut up, come back. Know i didn't really mean to say that. I'm mixed up, so what. Yea you want me so you're messed up too. I love you, I hate you. If you only knew what i've been through. GOD! WHY WON'T THESE LYRICS GET OUT!?[/b] Jordan sighed, agitated and closed her eyes, trying to rid herself of the pain of the lyrics that were burned into her mind. With her eyes still closed,"And," she whispered with an expressionless tone, "to answer your question, I'm here thinking. Not that it does me any good."

[kris]

Kris just raised an eye-brow and didn’t move at Jordan’s sharp tone. He wasn’t intimidated nor really worried. Kris didn’t bother to say anything just yet though, waiting to for Jordan’s mood to clear a bit.
Noticing the younger girls expressionless tone Kris got more attentive though. He used the same tone and voice from time to time, when he didn’t want to show what he was actually thinking or feeling.

“My day. Well, I skived off earlier classes and visited Hogsmeade instead, which was must more interesting than classes. Then had lunch and came out here, where some third year Hufflepuff tried to hex me. Didn’t really work for him, though,” Kris mused, while stretching out of the cliff leaning his head on a higher stone after having used a cushioning charm on it, “And then I went flying with the thestral and you discovered you here. I think I’m going to stick around here to sunset at least – the view form here is rather fantastic.”<br>
“And too much thinking isn’t good either. Speaking form my own experience too much thinking is what drives most people insane. You start thinking and then you start doubting the littlest and surest things and then you just don’t know anything. At least that’s the deal with me, as you always scold me for generalizing too much,” Kris added the last sentence with a smirk while reaching and pulling a small, but sharp pebble from under his side and tossing it into the lake over the cliff-edge.
Pulling one of his knees up, so sun wouldn’t shine straight into his eyes, Kris closed his eyes calmly, enjoying the sunrays on his face, even though they didn’t warm him much

[JordanCortes]

"Sounds eventful," Jordan replied, with that same expressionless tone she had used before. Her brown eyes were narrowed so that she could just simply think over and over what to do. She sighed and shook her head in defeat, "It's no use. My mind just doesn't work as it used to. Great, now I'm letting Rayne down." Jordan looked at the red piece of her hair, and angrily ripped it. It wasn't a lot of hair just a few pieces. She crossed her arms and looked at Kris.

"Why would a Hufflepuff try and hex you? Hufflepuff's aren't known for hexing random people, ya know?" Jordan raised an eyebrow and waited for his answer, only half caring actually. She closed her eyes and sighed again, before totally giving up the headache and sifting through her shoulderbag for some form of sugared candies. Finding some chocolates, she started to unwrap one and popped it in her mouth.

Jordan laughed as he accused her of saying he generallized to much, she then nodded her head, "Remember those voices? Yeah, to have them back would be wonderful about now. At least they helped me with a few things. And insanity isn't far from sanity." She ate another chocolate and offered some to Kris. Her mind still a whir of gears that seemed to be working now.

[kris]

“The Hufflepuff was angry at me for something… I don’t’ really recall with what, as I wasn’t listening to him really. Maybe I did something to him some time? There were a Gryffidnor and one more Hufflepuff along as well, although only one pulled his wand. Who knows,” Kris shrugged carelessly. The boy hadn’t really had any effect on him.
“And he got got furious if I turned my back and walked away in the middle of his tirade. The thestral scared hell out of him, when he hit the guys wand out of his hand. And of course that fact that I literally ‘sat on thin air’ didn’t help calming him either.”<br>
“Your voices are gone? Maybe they just shut up, so they wouldn’t interrupt other voices talking to their masters. How do you know? Maybe I have a hord of squeaky voices in my head, who fill it with the craziest thoughts,” Kris opened one eye and shook his head, when Jordan offered him chocolate, “No thanks. I’m not that fond of sweets.”<br>“Besides what is sanity? If the saying ‘show me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are’ has any truth in it, then I certainly don’t classify as the regular normal people. A part of the gray mass. But maybe it’s just the rest of the world that’s gone crazy and doesn’t understand my brilliance.”<br>

[JordanCortes]

"More for me then," She told him with a smirk as he declined the chocolates. Jordan looked at them, then put them away, realizing that chocolate wasn't what she wanted. Digging through her shoulderbag once more she found some gummi worms and opened them. She smiled, remembering the impression she had made on her friends Kiyla, Nokomis, and Ivy when she had first met them. They had realized that she liked sweets and everytime she would always have them. Sweets kept her sane.

"Is it me, or are more and more Huffle's rebelling? I mean, answer honestly. I find it strange." Jordan remarked calmly as she shoved aside the gummi worms as well. Biting her lip, she thought about what she wanted, and came up with nothing. Maybe she was eating because, she was stressed? Who knew? She stood up, and brushed herself off before starting to pace. Her arms crossed and her mind still wandering.

"Which is why a person should, have friends from all different types of areas, or have no friends at all. In my point of view anyway. I mean it would be so much easier. And the houses don't help any. If you are sorted into a particular house, maybe you get the feeling that you have to befriend people in that house, and only in that house. And then it all boils down to blood again. It's all, so. Damn. Confusing." She started angrily. Then she turned on Kris.

"Tell me, dear sir, how many friends do you have outside of Slytherin?" She raised an eyebrow curiously and waited for his answer. Hoping he would consider it carefully. Jordan started to tap her foot, but stopped when she realized she was doing it. A sure form of being agitated with herself.

((Gr, my inspiration is just not working with me today))

[kris]

“Friends outside of Slytherin house. Who said I have friends inside Slytherin, my lady?” Kris asked but closed his eyes and thought about the question, “Well, in Slytherin I’m friends with Mary. She is like a little sister rather though. And Jersey. And I don’t actually have a clue if me and Pyro are friends or not. Dana from Ravenclaw, is she counts as a friend as she is a sister. From Hufflepuff – well, I argue with you. And talk a little between our arguments. And then there’s Aila…” Kris shrugged, thinking off the third year Hufflepuff, he knew from outside Hogwarts as well, even though they weren’t the best friends. But he would help her with a lot, should the need arise.
And from Gryffindor – well, I know Rayne, Faith and Cassandra, although I’m not sure if we are friends or just acquaintances,” Kris summarized her thoughts and smirked, “So on total that means 3 very close friends to me – two of whom are practically sisters. And Kat Lurjée sure as hell was something as well. She treated me as a brother, considering all the scoldings she poured on me. I could never say no to her, though. We sometimes tease each other is owls – she transferred to a school in Scandinavia.”<br>
Kris chuckled lightly at the thought: “Well, not to grand, isn’t it? But I wouldn’t trade my friends for anything. And for me animals have personalities, souls, thoughts, instincts and feelings as well, so for me they are friends too. At least the ones I communicate with constantly.”<br>
“But this school is prejudiced, I agree with that,” Kris grinned wickedly once more, “It is irritating from time to time, even though I have to admit that people – especially younger years and people from other houses make way for me in the hallways.”<br>

((don't worry. Mine isn't completely here either today))

[JordanCortes]

"Kat?! You know Kat?! I was wondering where she went...the last time I spoke to her, was...oh, when she gave me the locket for Christmas...I felt so terrible, I didn't have a present for her, but that was because, of things that were...going on." Jordan looked at Kris as he mentioned Kat. Jordan missed Kat, and the girl had disappeared without a notice. She sighed and started to pace again. Jordan stopped pacing at his last statement, and shook her head.

"And you just love that, don't ya? I mean, having the power to have people afraid of you, just because of what house you're in. You just give the appearance of hating everyone with lower blood than you and you're fine with that. Just as long as people, know their place where they are around you. Right?" She glared at Kris before shaking her head again and pacing again. Why people did that was beyond her imagination. Why couldn't everyone accept someone for who they are, it was unethical and it made Jordan want to scream.

"Or, maybe, I should just grow accustomed to being lesser. Yah, that's it." Jordan muttered to herself more than Kris. Her mind had gone from breaking up someone, to Hogwarts being prejudice. What were the Four Founders thinking when they thought up houses? Didn't they see that it would cause major problems? Or were they as dense as people now?

[kris]

“She transferred. It came as a shock to herself as well – her brother showed up and they three had a chat with Dumbeldore and they left around midnight. She didn’t have time to say bye to anyone – I knew because I was wondering around the halls that night,” Kris laughed recalling the first-year, “Yeah, I ran into Kat in Hogsmeade and as she fell she ripped her shirt. She gave me the tongue-lashing of a century and I didn’t even know how to react. And an hour later I discovered her riding on my back, as she had gotten me to accompany her on a shopping trip and we were laughing like best friends. She promised to see me this summer.”<br>
“You are a muggle-born and I don’t treat you like dirt under my feet, do I? I'm a pure-blood and proud of it, but I don’t care what blood you are, if I like your personality. Wizards would be long extinct if it wasn’t for muggle-borns and half-bloods to bring in fresh blood and I know that. And accept that without problems,” Kris hissed angrily. He hated prejudices and assumptions, “Yes, I like people moving out of my way and it doesn’t bother me, if they are afraid of me. But I don’t think of them as scum, because of who they were born as. It wasn’t in their power to choose it anyway. I have credit-cards and I know how to drive muggle-cars and motor-bikes and I have muggle technique at home, as much as a surprise it may be to you. But muggles do have some great inventions.”<br>
Kris let out a low angry growl. The comment had been irritating, so he breathed out long and concentrated on breathing evenly for a little while. Listening to some bird chirp in the distance Kris picked up a pebble and threw it into the lake watching as waves started to roll away from where the pebble had landed.

[JordanCortes]

"Sounds like Kat." Jordan said simply. Being stressed, Jordan usually did some sort of gymnastics, but she didn't feel like it at the moment. So all she did was spin around in circles, her arms spread open, listening to him talk to her. When he stopped Jordan stopped as well, her hands on her hips and her focus regaining. She shook her head.

"Kris, it's not if you do it or not. It's the fact that your image is what scares people. Sure, you might treat me and others who aren't pure-bloods with respect, but most of the time you have to meet the person to respect them, correct? Hear me out, okay?" Jordan sat down in front of him and used her hands for gestures, "People look at me in the halls and see a Hufflepuff, they think I'm happy, and bubbily. But, you and I both know that that is not true. I'm far from it. People look at you in the halls and they see someone who hates everyone who isn't a pure-blood. If people get to know you though, they would see they mis-judged you. Stereotypes are just images, and if you are from a certain background you are instantly put into that category of images."

"Do you understand? And for the record, I never said you treat me like dirt under your feet, as you so bluntly put it. All I say is that, if I didn't get the chance to know you, that is what I would assume. Not because, I'm a person who judges people, but because the majority of the Slytherin's I have met do treat me like I'm dirt under their feet." Jordan tried to smile, but failed. She stood up and looked at the sun, as it slowly began to set.

[kris]

“I see your point. But if someone won’t look by the houses and facades and not bother to at least try to get to know the real me inside here – why would I want that kind of a person as a friend and to know what I’m really like?” Kris bounced the question back to Jordan, closing his eyes again, “I don’t really bite, so if they are wondering what I’m really like or they want to make sure if they really did or didn’t mis-judge me, then they can always come and look me up.”

Kris smiled slightly enjoying the light breeze on his face and felt as his muscles relaxed even though he was still stretched out on hard rock.
“And if someone does approach me, then I’m lazy enough to not bother with lying even though I might not tell the whole truth to some stranger momentarily,” Kris mused for a moment before opening one eye and glancing at the sky. It was still some time for the sunset to really begin, so he closed the eye again while quoting, “”All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players”. And so if I got the part that makes people think I’m half-psycho, then fine by me. My role in life fits me and I’m happy with it.”<br>
“Besides if you’re so scared of me, grab a kitten or any animal with you and I already soften a bit. If the animal looks that it has been treated well enough,” Kris said and reaching his arms over his head stretched lazily.

[JordanCortes]

Jordan nodded her head once as she listened to Kris explain what he was thinking, she sighed in slight thought before turning to face him again, "Point taken. But, I suppose that not all people are willing to take the risk of actually getting hurt. Think about it, some people have problems with actually being willing to get to know someone because, of their reputation or background. Not everyone will come up to you and say hi how are you? Most will back down because, they are afraid of what you will say. You and other's might not realize this, but you guys have power. And not because, you want it, but because of where you come from. You can't run away from it. A person will always see you as someone who has a dark side, it's just common sense."

With a look of confusion she closed her eyes and wondered if that made any sense at all. It had when she was thinking about it in her head, but now it seemed to be a jumble of words, "Yeah, you have a weakness. Everyone does. It just so happens that your weakness is one that is found at every corner of this place. Just about everyone has an animal, so every person who actually takes the chance to meet you...you will always have something to talk about. Great, now I'm not making any sense at all." She blew the strands of her hair out of her eyes and sat back down, "I suppose you could say, everyone's connected through either a family or a common interest." She finished with a quote that Elina had told her once.

"Life as a stage? I always imagined it as a dance floor, and each person is someone learning the dance. With every new step they learn, it is a new turning point in their life. And when they get that dance down, they have made themselves someone in the world. I suppose the stage thing is better." Jordan thought about this a moment. But, her mind got sidetracked and she was off into thinking about the Slytherins that have harmed her and Cass and Vanessa, and so many of her other friends. Including Katie. Was it the way they were raised, or was it because of the environment in which they lived? Why was it that they acted that way, was it just an act or is it the actual way they are?

[kris]

“And it is only wise of them to be afraid of me to some point as I do have a darker side in me like absolutely every human being has. And it’s not buried very deep,” Kris said calmly. He could be dangerous when it was necessary. The darker currents in him were there, even though he had good enough self-discipline to not loose hold of them most of the time. He hadn’t lost control of himself for years already actually.
“Even though I can control it,” Kris added as an afterthought.

His eyes hardened as Kris recalled his father. He had been a pure-blood and proud of it, just as Kris, but he had been a great father. Letting Kris try things for himself, yet always being there to guide and help should the need rise. Kris had sworn to himself that however had been behind the murder of his father would pay deeply for it. Noticing that the dark thoughts had reflected in his eyes that had been staring sightlessly towards the sky, Kris blinked and schooled his face and eyes with easiness that came from years of practice.

“A stage, a dance-floor. Makes out the same basically in the philosophical point,” Kris said with a shrug. He had just quoted Shakespeare, even though he preferred Byron or Yeats to Shakespeare, he liked that verse.
“How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;”
Kris quoted Yeats softly with half-closed lids, watching as the sky started to be painted in oranges and reds. The poem had seemed to fit with the topic and Kris loved the verse, even though it was written by a muggle poet. Yeats was one of the few poets Kris actually read.

[JordanCortes]

"Either way, this school is never gonna be happy. It's always gonna be dreary, and dark, and so depressing. No matter how many masks it tries on. It will always be prejudice." Jordan said this with an expressionless tone. Masquerade, paper faces on parade. Masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you. Masquerade, every face a different shade. Masquerade, look around, there's another mask behind you. The song danced it's way through her head. As the song continued to play, the words of the verse Kris just recited joined it as well. And even more confusion came upon her.

"What exactly does that mean? Color me dumb but, I just don't understand." Jordan looked at him, her confusion showing on her face and in her eyes. Jordan wasn't so great with poetry, that was Mia's and Elina's job. Maybe even Vanessa's. Show her an art piece, and Jordan could tell you what exactly that artist was thinking. If she never met you, speak to her, and she could tell where you were born, what house you were in, and what year. Poetry, to Jordan was all Greek to her.

[kris]

“WHEN you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars,”<br>Kris quoted the entire poem slowly, “It’s called ‘When you are old’ by William butler Yeats. I really just like the middle verse actually.” Kris smiled with a corner of his mouth. He had spent hours upon hours in Meredith’s and Julien’s bookstores and had read poems there as well as other books…. Plus poetry had been part of the curriculum in etiquette classes, so he would be able to hold an educated conversation at almost any topic.

Kris’s eyes looked off as if searching for something in the sky: “It mainly means that many people may love and like your looks, or money and appreciate you for all the wrong reasons. And yet there was one man who saw past all that. A man who saw past your façade and loved your soul – the real you. ‘one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, and loved the sorrow of your changing face’.”<br>
“And prejudice is a part of the whole world, not just this school. C’est la vie,” Kris smiled thoughtfully and observed the sunset taking place, “It’s a part of human-nature, how ever much we try to push it down. Have you ever seen ‘The Phantom of the Opera’? The phantom didn’t know any other way of living than he did. He killed to protect himself as he didn’t know better. He was also prejudiced because of his looks and that’s why the genius in him never really got out to reach it’s full potential. He could have done miraculous things for human-kind, if people hadn’t let his scared face scare them off.”<br>

[JordanCortes]

Jordan thought this over, her mind slowing down a bit from what it had been at it's orginal pace. Stranger than you dreamt it, can you even dare to look or to bear to think of me this loathsome gargoyle, who burns in hell, but secretly yearns for heaven, secretly....secretly....But, Christine. Fear can turn to love, you'll learn to see, to find the man behind the monster: this repulsive carcass, who seems a beast, but secretly dreams of beauty, secretly....secretly.... She breathed out deeply and looked at Kris with a nod.

"Makes sense. And yes, I've seen it. I've read it, seen it, been in it, you name it, I've done it. Back at home, there isn't any prejudice. You are who you are. And people accept that. I guess it's one large transition from a shielded home to a world where words hurt, eh?" He had used the saying C'est La Vie, she was all too familiar with those words, and as he spoke them the memories came back. She brushed them aside and looked out at the sky. Before she knew it, her hand went to her neck and unclasped the pearls that were around it. She looked at them a moment, thinking that she didn't need them anymore.

"Erik, the Phantom," Jordan started, then paused trying to get the words into a full sentence, "knew what other's thought of him. Found someone he thought was above that. Above looking at him and being frightened because, of his face. Above looking at him and not caring for him, he thought he had found someone who would care for him. And when Christine went with Raoul, his thoughts were shattered, because she was like all the others. The "prettier" guy won, and he couldn't understand why people shamed him. He figured he had to hide from the world, and there are times when everyone feels the same. I don't know if you understand that, but it made sense in my mind."

[kris]

“I understand him. I actually thought that he would deserve Meg more,” Kris chuckled at an un-expected thought, “Or actually I thought he should have met Meredith – she is one of my legal guardians – Dana or Kat. Any of those three women wouldn’t have cared for his face and they all make one hell of friends. I sometimes really wonder with what I have deserved the friendship and love of such awesome mother and two sisters.”<br>
“Life hurts, but then again this school does give us rather good preparation for the real world though. I just wish they had some class that requires physical activity. Waving your wand all day long doesn’t do any good to one’s built and only people who get any good exercise around here are quidditch players or people who do it themselves,” Kris mused calmly, “Maybe I should join Slytherin quidditch team. We are short of a keeper.”<br>
“We all have our ugly sides and pretty sides and you have to appreciate a person for both his – or hers – good and bad sides,” Kris stared off into space. Letting the last words *good and bad sides* roll around his head as he pulled himself to sit upright and threw a stone towards the lake, watching as it skimmed the water lightly.
The squid raised some of it tentacles in the air and Kris smiled: “I went swimming in there last night. Bought some gillyweed and went down for an hour. It was magnificent. No problems, no worries, no nothing. Just water. Swam with mermaids a little and saw fish. It was so gloriously serene down there. I still have most left, so I’ve got to get back there some night soon. I think you might like it there as well.”<br>

[JordanCortes]

Jordan groaned, "God, Quidditch. I'm quitting for sure now. I'm not a sore loser, just falling off my broom and nearly breaking my drawing arm was the last straw thank you." She then rolled her eyes and looked down at her arm, it had gotten better in the chat she had with Cass in the Hospital Wing. Haha, an interesting chat it was, "But, if you feel the need for physical activity, Quidditch is definitely the way to get it. Actually, I think it's the only way." Jordan added with a small laugh.

"Sw-swim? As in in there?" Jordan asked, pointing to the lake. She raised her eyebrows and then shuddered, she didn't know how to swim. Seeing as she was never forced to learn the skill. All she had to know was, to cook and to dance. And that was it. Swimming was never forced upon her. And since it never was, she never took it up. She looked at Kris from the corner of her eyes and shook her head.

"I..don't think so. Maybe when it freezes over, I'll ice skate on it, but no swim." She smiled calmly, yet nervously and looked down at the lake. It did seem peaceful though, so calm. So...something she needed. But, something she definitly couldn't get, "Well...maybe." She said quietly, still looking at it...thinking.

[kris]

“I think I’d like to be a beater most though. I like bludgers – what can I say,” Kris’s eyes twinkled a little as he looked Jordan, “As masochistic as it may sound. But beating them might be a good way to distress.”<br>
Kris smirked at the dark water of the lake: “Yes, swimming in there. My first reaction resembled yours, when Kat told me in a letter she had done it. I lectured her in a letter about it’s dangers and got a hand-full of Gillyweed in return. It took me a coule of nights, but I finally went in and adored it.”<br>Kris smirked at the memory: “My manor is on relatively high cliffs back in Italy and I have a habit of going for a swim every morning. Starting with a jump down the cliffs to reach the water – there aren’t any underwater rocks there, where I could hit myself, but the flight is bloody marvelous. And after a swim I usually climb to shore a couple of miles further and trek back through the forest to get breakfast.”<br>
Kris smiled. Water really was his element and he loved it: “I love watching storms on cliffs most. When water rages and wind howls – I can’t even describe the feeling. Many people may find it strange but I adore it.”<br>Flashing a quick grin to Jordan, Kris added: “Can’t really skate though.”<br>

[JordanCortes]

"Just, don't get hit by one...because, then you won't like them as much. Yeah, it does in a way get a lot of stress out. But, if you don't watch it, a bludger will be sent towards you," Jordan remarked with a glittering grin, remembering Cass sending one towards her. Masquerade... She listened to him describe a memory, her eyes closed. Then she turned to look at him.

"Sounds marvelous..." Jordan merely whispered, she brought her hand to her mouth, biting her nails. A habit that she had thought she had broken. Guess not. She dropped her hand and lifted her eyes to meet Kris's after he said he couldn't really skate. She laughed, then a thought occured to her, "....I can't swim. Never learned to. So, tell you what, teach me how to swim..and I'll teach you to ice skate. If you want to of course, I can also teach you how to draw, then you don't have to come to me for portraits and landscapes." She smiled a small smile, and started to braid her hair again.

"So, whattya say?" Jordan stopped braiding her hair, and pulled the hair tie that was around her wrist to her hair so that the braid stayed. She crossed her arms and waited for his answer, not afraid of what he would say. She wanted to learn how to swim, she would find someone who would teach her how. In fact, she knew Amelia knew how. She hadn't spent time with Ames in awhile anyway.