Wandering the Corridors ((Grace & Jordan))

[lilyanne]

Late one night, Lily awoke from a strange dream. She could not remember what was happening, but it greatly disturbed her. She decided to explore the castle and get her mind off things. Lily went down the stairs into the common room, and out into the halls. After walking a little ways, she ran into two girls, one she had seen in the courtyard, but the other she had never seen before. "Hey, you're Kat's friend, Jordan, right?"

[JordanCortes]

Jordan being the insufferable prat she was when things always went awry, lay in her bed one night thinking about the many things that had happened, and the many things to come. Her fingers traced the lines of her palm and her mind was completely blank of so many thoughts that she was so oblivious to the world that revolved around the students at Hogwarts at that moment that she didn't even notice when people spoke to her.

Her eyes were unfocused at the moment and she was looking at the ceiling blankly, like her mind was off in some unknown world of different dementions and she was nearly asleep. Suddenly, without notice, she sat up and looked around the room. She was getting that feeling again, that feeling of being watched. She had been getting that feeling alot lately, and she didn't really like it all that much. Not changing into actual clothes, Jordan slipped her silk yellow robe on over her white cotton nightgown, and grabbed her wand before she creeped down the stairs to the common room. Joooordan. Jordan. Joooordan. Come to me Jordan.

"Lumos." Jordan whispered to her wand urgently. The light shone brightly and showed no one else in the common room besides herself. Had she been hearing things, not possible. She was positive she had heard her mother's voice calling to her. Jordan looked around the empty common room once more before she lifted her nightgown up and continued on her way out of the eerie room. The hallways weren't lit as usual, as if there was this big secret that the castle held that night, Jordan wondered with fascination as to what it was.

As she walked bare footed down the corridors on the cold hard stone, her wand started to blink out. Jordan looked at it and jiggled it a bit before taking a deep breath and pointing it at an unlit candle. She racked her brain trying to think of the spell that would light the candle. It was something like incio, or icno. She bit her lip under utter concentration and then it came to her like a butterfly in the wind.

"Incendio." Jordan whispered, and slowly but surely the candle lit. She smiled triumphantly and took the candle off the wall, holding it in her hand, she made her way down the corridor even more farther. The flame flickered with elegance as she walked steadily down the empty halls of the school that had made her life so complete, yet so miserable. So many things have happened to her over the year she had become a teenager. She had befriended more people, started to like someone, gained and lost a sister within a 6 month span. All this and so much more to come. Jordan sighed as she turned a foreign corner and saw someone she recognized. The girl approached her and asked her if she was Kat's friend.

"Oh, uh yeah. Jordan Cortes, pleasure to meet you. Sorry, I didn't catch your name. I've been out of it lately." Jordan smiled lightly, her face looked scary in the glow of the candle and her smile looked almost evil. She was aware of this, and she was also aware of the medicine she had forgotten to take before she went to sleep that was now in her pocket, weighing her down heavily.

[lilyanne]

startled by the way the candle made Jordan's face appear, Lily stepped back a bit, but extended her hand and replied, "Oh, sorry. I'm Lily Ward. " Lily spied a bottle peeking out of her pocket. "What do you have there?"

[JordanCortes]

Jordan smiled and shook Lily's hand. Her hand wasn't stiff, and her grip was firm yet, soft. She smiled before taking her hand back again and fiddling with her hair. Lily asked about the bottle in her pocket, and Jordan had to think for a moment before she realized the pills were in her coat pocket. Jordan pulled the little brown bottle out and read the lable, not even attempting to try and read the actual name. She smiled and turned the lable towards Lily.

"Anti-depressants. I eat em like candy, even though I'm not supposed to. Just kidding, well sort of. I take them when needed." Jordan answered with a small smile before she put the pills back in her pockets. Lately Jordan hadn't cared who knew about her condition, and this threw her off slightly. A lot of things were throwing her off slightly, talking to Kris Graas was throwingher off majorly. Not once had she actual had a meaningful conversation with a Slytherin, let alone agree to paint for one. She was just not herself these days.

"What are you doing out this late?" She asked out of mere curioisity. She tilted her head, causing her brown hair to fall to the side and hang with ease. She brushed it away before shifting the candle to her right hand, her left one was starting to get wax on it. Jordan winced slightly and peeled of the wax that was drying rather quickly on her tan skin, not enjoying the pain that it brought at all.

[lilyanne]

Jordan took Lily's hand in hers and shook it firmly. In answer to the question regarding the bottle, Lily was told that Jordan took anti-depressants and ate them like candy. At this comment, a shocked look crossed Lily's face, cueing Jordan to tell her that she was only kidding. A look of relief crossed the young Gryffindor's face. When Jordan asked Lily why she was out so late, she replied, "Well, I had a bad dream and I couldn't get back to sleep. I decided to come and see what nightttime around here was like. What brings you out?"

[Grace Henfrey R4]

((I am sorry for my latness to this post I will try to post faster in the near future.)

Grace sat in a hard wooden chair in the library. Flipping through her notes she began to go over them. It was the class Divination and she was pretty much okay with it. Since she was a Ravenclaw Grace liked to study and allot of people asked her for help. Continuing to flip through the pages she noticed that a little girl came up to her. Turning around at the girl she looked at her and smiled sweetly, "Yes Emma do you need any thing?" Grace asked continuing to smile her sweetest smile. The girl looked at her shyly and tried to speak, "I-I-I-I need help with my home work?" Emma told Grace and looked at the flour. Bending down on her knees she smiled at the younger girl and pulled out a chair for her. "Of course I am always up to help anyone. What is it Herbology? Divination? Potions?" Grace asked taking out all her note books to each and every class.

Crossing her legs she looked at the younger girl and waited for her answer. "Umm..... I need help with Aniet Runes..... I can’t seem to life the chest." Emma told her and looked down at the flour turning slightly red. Taking out a red note book Grace smiled and opened it up to the notes that were just recently written. "Okay first off is that you need to concentrate and use this wrist movement." Grace said moving her wrist with a lit flick. Watching the girl she nodded and smiled even more. It was always fun to teach other kids and Grace enjoyed rather much. "Now concentrate on the bag right there and say the words 'Kal Yem'" Grace said smiling and watching the bag. It didn’t move and she sighed, "Try again and remember not to give up and concentrate." Grace said and watched the bag fly over towards them. Her eyes large and she smiled at the girl and put her arm around her shoulders. "See you could do it. Is there anything else?" Grace asked and let go of the girl and sat back in her chair. Emma looked up at her and nodded her head no in response, "No that was all thank you Grace!" Emma said and walked out of the library. Smiling Grace sat back down in her chair and continued to look over her Divination notes.

When the clock stocked 12 Grace rubbed her eyes and gathered all her things. Yawning she swung her shoulder bag over her shoulder and snuck out of the library. It was unusal for her to do this and Grace liked the suspense. Smiling she hide in the shadows and walked down the long corridors to the Ravenclaw tower. The torches above her head went on and she noticed something brush against her legs. Looking down she saw a messy looking cat and ran down the corridor with the cat following her. Opening up a door she leaned up against it and took deep breaths. Was Flich out there? Peeking out of the door she saw nothing and sighed with relief. "That is the last time I am ever staying in the library late!" Grace said and continued to walk down the corridor.

As she walked she noticed a couple of people near by. Looking at them she stopped in her tracks and looked both ways. Seeing that the coast was clear she walked up towards the girls and smiled. "Hello there girls. My names Grace Willows what are you two doing out so late?" Grace asked really interesting in what the two were doing. Grace was sometimes a nosy person and always wonted to know about the person. Smiling she tucked hair behind her ears and looked down at them.

[JordanCortes]

"I'm always out this late, not only do I need medication; I'm an insomniac...and I like to draw the hallways at night, it's a pretty scene. Sometimes I find an empty classroom and work on my latin dancing, but that's rare." Jordan answered Lily with a reassuring smile. Jordan shifted the candle once more and was about to say something else when an older girl arrived. She introduced herself as Grace Willows and asked, also why they were out this late. Jordan merely smiled and stuck the candle in an empty holder, it casted a glow off the walls.

"Insomnia and art, I'm Jordan Cortes." Jordan said with a smile, she stuck out her hand for Grace to shake and wondered what kind of person this Grace was. Some people Jordan had met weren't always so outgoing, or they didn't like her, and some she event met by arguing with them in the Astronomy Tower as she had met Kris. Other people she met merely by accident, spilling something on them; or running into them. Jordan met people in many ways, and some of them she couldn't stand.

[lilyanne]

Lily smiled at Jordan's reply and patience toward her curiosity. A minute later, an older girl walked up and introduced her self as Grace Willows. Lily smiled and extended her hand, saying, "I'm Lily."

Grace inquired as to why the girls were out so late and Jordan told her about her insomnia and drawing. Then, Grace turned to Lily. "Well," Lily began, "I had a bad dream and I couldn't get back to sleep after, so I decided that it was time for a little walk. What about you?"

[Grace Henfrey R4]

Grace leaned on the wall behind her and smiled at the girls. Moving her head her fal feel out of her eyes and she looked at the younger students. One was Lily and the other was Jordan. Continuing to smile she listned to Jordan explatin first. Drawling and sickness did not sound good. Taking out some chocolate chop cookies she handed one to Jordan and Lily. "Take on I brake them myself." Grace said taking a bite of one of them. She had made them in the morning so they were still warm and gooey. Just how she liked it at home. Leaning more on the wall she listedned to Lily explaiton. A bad dream did not sound good either and she remembered having bad dreams herself. Puting on leg on the wall she looked at the girls. "Well I was out because I been studying to much." Grace said with a smile. She wondered if they could tell she was a Ravenclaw or not.

[lilyanne]

Lily chewed quietly on her cookie as Grace told them of how much she liked to study, and how she was in the library before this. Lily had heard that the Ravenclaws were known for their good study habits and wondered, "Would you happen to be a Ravenclaw?"

[JordanCortes]

Jordan took a chocalte chip cookie before answering Lily's question for Grace, "O' course she's a Raven. She was studying wasn't she? Not many people I know would study so much. Besides, she talks with an intelect that states she knows more than we think. Just like when you talk, you talk with an air of bravery and an air of loyalty. So you could be a Huffle like me." Jordan smiled and finished off her cookie before sitting down and leaning her head agsint the wall.

"I can tell what house you are in and how old you are by the way you talk. It's a gift, and I have been doing it since I can remember." Jordan explained dryly, she tilted her head to face the two other girls and smiled.

[lilyanne]

Lily's face brightened, She had never thought of herself as brave or loyal. "That's cool. I had never thought of myself that way. So why do you think they placed me in Gryffindor instead of Hufflepuff?"

[JordanCortes]

Jordan thought this over before actually answering. Why? Hmm...there could be many reasons, but by the way Lily spoke she would say it was because, Lily also possessed a lot more bravery than loyalty.

"You're more brave than loyal. Your bravery is not like when you stick up for someone, there's more bravery than that. There's the bravery of admitting something, or trying to do something new. There are many bravery ways out there...it's just how you use it." She answered after a minutes pause.

[lilyanne]

Lily smiled slightly. "Well, I have opened up a lot since I got here. I guess that's part of the experience... learning to let what the hat sees in you shine through.

At home, I didn't feel brave. I was scared to death to do anything because of what my father would think."

Lily smiled. "I could have never just gone up to people like I have been doing around here." She rested against a wall.

[Grace Henfrey R4]

Grace smiled at the girls who ate her cookies. She was a pretty good cook at home. Since her mother still didn’t get the American way of cooking. Back at home in Africa the men would hunt anything and they would have to find them first. The women were allayed pushed around but Grace didn’t mind it at all. Her real name is Darki, which means happiness in Shona. When she was just five years old the family moved to London and settled in with the American ways. Smiling Grace felt like telling the girls a story one of the old people told her as a young child. Smiling she tucked hair behind her ear and looked at Lily who had asked if she was a Ravenclaw. About to the speak she shut her mouth as Jordan answered. She never knew her tone was so intelligent or she knew more than they thought. Smiling she nodded her had, "Jordan’s right about being about you house. I know we all have traits from another and that’s perfectly fine. It would be boring if the people were the same. Really it would but I am sure no one here knows my heritage and about me." Grace went on and turned her head up to the ceiling.

Hearing voices inside her head she smiled. It was her father who was talking to her. Just when she was two Grace father died of cholera. It was a terrible disease that could spread around like wild fire. The disease than spread out through the whole tribe and almost everyone died. But not her family, they were strong people, and kept clean. Many of the villagers thought that Grace was a witch and almost killed her. But that was a long time ago and now she has adopted into the American culture. Closing her eyes she spoke out, "Yes dad I miss you too.” Hearing him reply she giggled. Not answering she looked at the girls who seemed to think she was weird. A frown spread across her face and she felt some what uncomfterable. "Sorry it was only my dad he talks to me from the spirit world." Grace said looking up at the ceiling again. She knew that the girls would not understand her that well and wonted get her ways of life.

Noticing that Lilly had asked why the sorting hat had placed her in Gryffindor. Looking at the younger girl she thought back to her ceremony. Grace was very frightened about having that thing on her head. It could read her thoughts and dig through her memories. But the sorting hat didn’t mind her muggle way of life and set her in Ravencalw. At first Grace did not understand why. She didn’t study all that much and got some pretty bad grades. But as the years went by she became very wise and many people asked her for help. Smiling at Lily she tucked some hair behind her ears and looked at the girls. "Well Lily that sorting hat is always right where they place you. Just remember Bravery doesn’t mean you can stand up to mean nasty Slytherins or other people. It comes from the heart and bravery can be many things." Grace said with a smile. Taking out another cookie she bit into it and chewed it softly.

[JordanCortes]

Jordan nearly jumped as Grace mentioned talking to her father in the spirit world. Was that what her mother was doing in the common room? Or whoever it was trying to contact her? Jordan wasn't one to believe in the spirit world, but, surely there was a logical explanation right? She was open to any explanation as to what was going on right at the moments in her life, and she was hoping that someone could explain it to her. Maybe it was the pills, or something but, it couldn't possibly be what Grace was saying..could it?

She looked up at the older girl and bit her tongue, wanting to ask what she meant by talking to her father in the spirit world, but she figured it would be too personal. Jordan just kept quiet, not revealing anything to Grace, maybe it was just something Grace could do. Either way; Jordan attempted to forget about it and try to carry on the conversation.

"Yeah, what Grace said." Jordan entered the conversation again, with a smile and a twinkle in her eye as she played with her hair. She shrugged lightly as she leaned up agaisnt the wall, put her foot on behind her and laid her head back. Thoughts running circles in her mind that she couldn't get rid of.

[lilyanne]

Lily was a bit surprised as Grace talked about speaking to her father from the spirit world. It was raising all sorts of questions in her little mind.

*Could I contact my mother and sister that way? Could they help me find Johnny?*

Lily dazed as she was thinking these, and was trying to get the courage to ask Grace to help her.