Misty sunrise ((Meyghan))

[dana]

Dana wrapped her arms around her waist as she slowly walked down towards a few trees. It had helped her to cry and to have her friends around for her. It hadn’t helped at that moment, but thinking back to it now kind of helped. Brought relief. Dana still blamed herself for Kris getting hurt because partially it WAS her fault. Without her Kris would have stayed safely in front of the train. Now he would have to learn to live again while giving up the things he adored most. Feeling a tear prickling in her eyes again Dana swallowed and just walked forward.

It was misty today. The sun was only starting to raise and mist had yet to get lost. It was curious how a thin blanket of mist lay over the grounds as if earth was just now start to awake. It was cold however and Dana’s long green skirt with silver plants wounding their away over the fabric didn’t offer much protection against the chill the mist gave. Dana made her way across the grounds slowly. She felt a bit better today. She had fallen asleep in the Hospital Wing in that overly uncomfortable chair as her body just couldn’t take it anymore. Sleeping had made things seem a bit better even though awake Dana had been too nervous to go to sleep before. It was even affecting her prefect duties. But today looked… hopeful. Bringing new choices.

Dana made her way over to a patch of trees and seated herself on a small swing and brushing away some leaves from it. The view to the lake form here was amazing especially right now as all the colours seemed to glint and play so much more than usually. Perhaps the mist had something to do with it? Whatever it was it made Dana give a small smile. It was still just a shadow of the laughter that had usually been filling her before, but it was a first real smile she had given for days. Pushing herself to sway slightly on the swing Dana leaned her head against the chair holding the swing up and just… was. It really was surprising how many gorgeous things you might not see or just pass out or even just take them for granted. Seeing it today made Dana realize that she had made the same thing – it felt like a first time over years when she actually ever saw the sunrise.

[Meyghan Gallagher R7]

Meyghan had decided to take a walk and get away from the noise of the common room. It seemed a little unusual for it to be so noisy at such an early hour, but Meyghan had noticed that the noise was coming from some first years.Probably just too excited to have slept any longer. Meyghan thought to herself. She remembered her first year, and how excited she was during the first term, with everything being so new. Meyghan knew the walk would clear her mind before class.

As Meyghan made her way out of the Castle and onto the grounds headed toward the lake, she noticed a slight chill in the air, and that a beautiful mist seemed to be covering everything in sight. As the wind blew around her, it made her wish that she had grabbed her favorite sweater. Meyghan had decided that her pale black skirt and a nice black baby doll tee shirt with blue butterflies and white stars would make a good outfit before time to change for classes. But she was starting to think that her blue jeans would have been a better choice. Although the outfit looked very nice, Meyghan was now realizing that it wasn’t the best choice for the early morning walk she had chosen to take.

After Meyghan had made her way down to the lake, and was starting to wander around it, she looked out across it and noticed someone sitting in an old swing near a very nice tree. Meyghan could only tell that the person she was looking at was a girl, but couldn’t recognize the girl’s face from the distance. Meyghan decided that she would just have to walk around the lake and make sure the girl was alright.

As Meyghan slowly got closer to the girl, she realized that she did know the girl’s face, but not her name. The girl was a Ravenclaw prefect. This made Meyghan hope that she wouldn’t get into any trouble being out as early as she was. If I get into trouble, it will be worth it if I am able to make a new friend. Meyghan thought to herself.

She made her way up to the tree, and leaned up against it. “ Hi, my name’s Meyghan. You’re a Ravenclaw prefect, right? Sorry if I’m bothering you.” Meyghan said quietly. She gazed over the lake, and noticed that the sun was just starting to rise. With everything that had happened this year, Meyghan hadn’t taken the time to watch the sunrise all summer. It was truly beautiful, and the mist made it just that.

[dana]

Dana mind returned to Kris as she watched the sunrise taking place before her eyes. He would never be able to admire it again, yet it had been him who had been up and about most of the time during sunrise. Dana didn’t cry anymore – there weren’t any tears left inside her. But she did feel sadness, guilt. Loosing eye-sight was loosing a big gift. Something Dana could never make up to Kris, something he might never completely recover mentally.
Dana stared off at the sunrise while swinging lightly. She liked it. Now was perhaps the first time Dana fully understood what drew Kris in such views. Not that she hadn’t seen sunrise or sunset before. But had she ever before looked at it and actually understand how valuable the sight was? Had she ever thought of how previous the view was to someone who could not see it?

Dana was abruptly shaken out of her thoughts at someone’s voice. Turning her head slightly Dana looked at the girl who had came to give her a company almost absent-mindedly noticing that she had a nice skirt. Dana faintly recognized the girl as a Ravenclaw and someone a year below. They had had a few classes together the previous year, but they had actually never talked to each other before.
“Hi and yes, I’m Ravenclaw perfect. Feel free to call me Dana,” Dana replied turning her head back slightly. The chin was a bit wet under her cheek and Dana was rather sure that it would leave a black line running over her cheek once she’d raise her head from it. But right now she didn’t seem to find the will to care about it.
“It’s amazing isn’t it? It seems like ages when I have actually seen the sunrise and dunno… I can’t put it into words. Since I last felt the sunrise in me? It’s something gorgeous,” Dana told slowly watching the mist creeping back from the sunrays, “All the new possibilities it seems to bring. Did you came out specifically to see it today or is it just a lucky coincidence for you to see it here?”

[Meyghan Gallagher R7]

Meyghan could tell that Dana had something on her mind, but she didn't want to seem nosy by asking about it. Meyghan stood quietly by the tree, and listened, almost hanging on every word Dana said. Meyghan completely understood what she meant. Meyghan didn't want to say too much, she was afraid that she would ruin the the beauty of the moments that the two girls seemed surrounded by. For at that time, everything seemed perfect and the world seemd at peace. Meyghan knew that all was not as well as it seemed, and that the thing known as peace was just a figment of one's imagination.

Meyghan watched as all the different shades of pinks, blues, yellows, and oranges began to blend together to chase away the deep violet, and black of the night sky. Even the stars were just beginning to fade away. " It is really amazing. I haven't watched the sun rise in some time now. I don't know many who have even been brave enough to come out of their houses to watch it, with everything that has been going on lately. Even though it is gorgeous." Meyghan replied so softly that she hoped Dana had been able to hear her. No matter how quiet she tried to be, there was no way around interrupting the peacefulness of the moment. " I guess for me it was just a lucky coincidence. The common room is already full of over excited, noisey first years, and I just wasn't in the mood for the loudness. I needed some quiet time." Meyghan said deciding not to mention what had her so stressed. Dana looked as if she had enough worries to deal with. " So umm.. do you want to talk about it? I mean I can tell by the look on your face that something is bothering you, and I tend to be a good listener. If you don't I completely understand. Just an offer" Meyghan said thoughtfully

[dana]

Dana smiled watching as the rays of blazing hot sun penetrated the clouds and mist and forced night to pull back into it’s hiding places as the next day started. The first sounds of birds were slowly starting to grow more frequent and louder as the swing Dana was sitting on let out a quiet creak as Dana pushed herself to swing softly back and forth. Thinking about Meyghan’s words Dana suddenly found herself wondering why people were afraid. She didn’t want to meet Death Eaters either. She had already seen them too close on the Hogwarts Express. But they had already tried to attack Hogwarts the previous year. Somehow the idea of running into one of the Death Eaters hadn’t even crossed Dana’s mind when she made her way outside here.

Meyghan asked if Dana wanted to talk about it and Dana had to bit back a sigh. Was she really that easy to read? She had been proud of the ability of being able to always laugh back at the world, even when she was bleeding and crying inside. Dana’s tears and fears were always private, shared with only a few people who she couldn’t avoid. She had been a bit shamed even when Nasser and Caiest found her crying near the lake at the beginning of the school year. Noticing that she had let the silence stretch for almost rudely long Dana replied. She didn’t lie, but she didn’t tell the complete truth either. The sunset and the worry and tears she had been through lately had lowered her defensive walls, but Dana wasn’t quite ready to pour her heart out to a complete stranger either. Well, perhaps not a complete stranger, as she knew Meyghan’s name and knew her briefly as a fellow Ravenclaw. But still she couldn’t be counted a friend exactly.

“I was just thinking about a friend… more of like a brother actually. He used to love the sunrise and sunset. “The sunrise brings new hopes and dreams, endless possibilities as a new day starts as a pure sheet yet to be filled with deeds. Sunset lets your worries settle, leave somewhere to wait for their time, as you prepare for rest. It bring serenity, calmness, relief to twisted nerves and lets your soul rest.” He really did love the nature and I think that he never let more than one sunrise or sunset pass in a week,” Dana said slowly offering a sad smile as she quoted Kris’s words quietly. Even Dana had rarely heard so many emotions and passion in Kris’s voice than when he had been talking about the small miracles of nature. Miracles that would now be always shielded from him.
“I don’t think I never before really understood what exactly he meant,” Dana said thoughtfully before turning her head and giving Meyghan a small smile, “Didn’t really think about anything else and admired the view. Do you have any relatives? Brothers or sisters who have always liked someone, but you never completely do understand how they can like something before something happens that completely changes your view? I usually couldn’t even imagine waking up early enough to come and see the sunrise.”

[Meyghan Gallagher R7]

Meyghan allowed herself to slide down the tree, where she had been standing as the sun had just began to peek out. She slowed as she got closer to the ground, allowing herself to fold her legs beneath her just as she sat down on the soft, green grass. Meyghan loved the soft fragrance of the morning dew on the grass, and the soft feel of the still slightly damp morning grass. The colors of the morning were brilliant, even with the pastel blends of color along with the beginning boldness that the sun always brought. It made for a beautiful morning, which made Meyghan wish that she had brought some parchment with her. She could have at least made a sketch of the morning and then put it to canvas later.

Meyghan loved to capture the beauty of nature on a canvas. It was something she did well. She only wished that she could bring her portraits to life, to be able to feel the warmth of the sun or the dampness of the dew on the grass, even the slight chill to the mist. She hoped that one day her hobby would bring joy to the life of someone else. Although she was never quiet sure of how that might happen. It had brought joy to her father, but she thought that was only because of the fact that he was her dad. She knew he was supposed to be proud of anything she accomplished.
Meyghan knew that there was a way to make the paintings seem almost life like, she had seen her dad do it once, to a painting that she had made of their christmas together. He had charmed the paint, was what he said he had done when Meyghan had asked him about it.

Suddenly Meyghan heard Dana's voice. She turned to look at Dana as she began to speak again. Meyghan wanted to listen carefully to what Dana had to say. Meyghan wanted to try to be a good friend. so she just sat and listened, as Dana answered Meyghan's question. Then Meyghan realized that Dana was asking her a question. Meyghan had been listening so carefully that she had zoned out tuning in only to the sound of Dana's voice, and what Dana had been saying about her friend.

" Umm.. yeah. I have a little brother. He's really crazy about animals, and I really don't get it at all. He would turn the house into a zoo if my father would let him. But, I don't think he has many friends at his school, and the animals at home and the one he takes with him make him feel like he has more friends." Meyghan said as she thought about the summer and the way her brother had made their father take them to a muggle animal shelter so he could find a new friend.

Suddenly Meyghan had an idea. It had just come to her, as she continued to think about Dana's friend. It slightly warmed her inside, like the way the sun was warming the grass. " Your friend can no longer see, but if there was a way that he could feel the warmth of the sunrise, then he could picture it in his mind right." Meyghan realized that that came out a little too excitedly than what she had planned it too, but the idea had her excited. " I have a great idea, and if you could help me with it, your friend would be able to experience the sunrise again. Even if he couldn't see it." Meyghan stopped talking a moment to take a breath. She had gotten so excited that she had forgotten to breathe before she started talking.

" We could make a painting of the exact morning that we have shared here, and charm it so that when your friend got near it, he would be able to feel the warmth of the colors, and the sun, the dampness of the dew, the softness of the grass if he felt it, and the chill of the mist. He would be able to hear all the morning sounds and smell all the morning smells. I know it could be done, I've seen my dad use the charm on a christmas painting so that the images would keep him company while my brother and I were away at school." She finally stopped and sat there smiling and she carefully breathed trying to catch her breath. She wondered what Dana would think.

[dana]

„Little brother? Brothers are neat. How old is he? And does he go to Hogwarts as well?“ Dana smiled at little thinking about a cute 12/13 year old boy. A bit scrawny, perhaps a bit untamed hair and a bit clumsy. But in his own way so simply adorable as only kids that age could be. So insecure while at the same time knowing absolutely everything best.
„It’s a shame about his friends. Perhaps he could get a penpal? Owl-pal. Someone interesting enough,“ Dana offered thoughtfully watching with a bit of sadness as the mist started to disappear as sunrise was nearing it’s end. Dana herself couldn’t really imagine a life without friends. She had Kris, Mary, her grand-parents and other firends outside Hogwarts. Jazz, Jordan, Ashley, Cat and Savannah who had graduated, Nasser and Caiest, Melody and Lenora and others. If she couldn’t go and complain to her friends, then to who could she go? What would she do with all of her time?

„Glancing at Meyghan as she exitedly started to talk about the coloured pictures Dana felt a bit hesitant. There were so many buts about it. So many things that could go wrong and Dana let silence stretch for a while before she finally answered rather slowly still feeling rather unsure about everything Meyghan had said.
„Making painting that life-like? Are you sure your family isn’t in someway related to some druidic order or coming from such an order. It sounds like nature-magic if you take that distributing. Not to mention that I’m not sure I’d have the power or the skill to get such a spell correctly. Not sure about you.
Also there would stand te power of making such a picture. I most certainly can’t draw and I can paint even less.“
Dana fell silent for a few momets trying to guess Kris’s reaction to such a picture: „I’m not completely sure of the idea really. Perhaps feeling and having to imagine the sunrise would only be more hurtful for him. Remind him even more sharply of everything he would be missing, because you can only capture one brief moment of the sunrise on a canvas, not the whole deal. I’m not sure it would be a fulfilling experience one way or an other.

Dana sighed and raised her head, absent-mindedly flicking her wand to get the rusty mark from the chain of the swing away from her cheek as she gently pushed the swing to move a bit with a slight creeking sounding every time the swing moved forwards. Kris might be even more hurt by it. Feeling the weight of what exactly he had loss even harder as Dana knew – she could almost feel! – how much Kris missed the grounds and the Forbidden Forest and all the animals he had so adored.
„My brother is a Slytherin,“ Dana paused for a moment, wondering if she should say the name but then deciding against it. There was only one bnlind person in the school, so Meyghan must have surely heard rumours about Kris. Perhaps she would be tactful enough not to offer pity or try to pry for more information if Dana didn’t mention the name. „And he’s not the easiest character anyway. I wouldn’t want to hurt him even more by making him feel what exactly he lost. I surely appreciate the offer and your thoughtfullness, but I’m not sure he would feel the same. This might merely rip open wounds that haven’t even started to scar.“

[Meyghan Gallagher R7]

Meyghan thought about her brother, and how much she had began to miss him since school had started. She loved to tease him about his animals all the time, but she really missed not having to worry about if his new pet was bothering MeyMey or not. " He's almost 13, and goes to Durmstrang. Our dad let us pick which school that he signed us up for and that's the one he chose. I don't know why he chose a school where no one in our family has ever attended. I chose Hogwarts because my mom had attended this school. I had hoped to get lucky enough to be placed in the same house, and I did. My mom was a Ravenclaw, too." Meyghan knew she had started to ramble and finally hushed.

Meyghan sat thinking about the portrait. She wasn't sure what kind of magic her father had used on the painting and was sure he would tell her the charm, but not what type of magic it was. She listened as Dana talked about not doing the portrait. Meyghan loved to paint, and painting such a beautiful portrait wouldn't have been any problem, but if Dana felt that it would make her brother more sad, then Meyghan didn't want to do it.

Meyghan had spent most of her life sadden by the loss of her mother, and had finally gotten to the point that she only wanted to try and make others happy now. She cared not for her own happiness, but now for the happiness of others around her. There was just no way to make everyone happy. If she could, then there would be no more attacks, and no more dementors either. That was one wish Meyghan knew would never be full filled. So she would just try to cheer up those that would allow her too.

[dana]

Dana glanced curiously at Meyghan. Durmstrang... wasn’t that thought of as an even more darker school that played with Dark Magic than Slytherins? Being ’evil’ was naturally always debatable, but it was curious. Meyghan wa s pureblood, so where did his families loyalties lay? Not very many purebloods who didn’t support Voldemort chose Durmstrang... None of these thoughts were displayed on Dana’s face as she merely smiled calmly as if not bothered at all by the information.
„My mother went to Beauxbatons. But my grandfather was a Ravenclaw and grandmother a Slytherin. That’s pretty much all of my family tree – Ravenclaw, Slytherin or Beauxbatons. I was offered Slytherin as well when I was sorted. I have came to a conclusion that it was a compliment,“ Dana smirked at Meyghan.

She liked Slytherins. Always had, most likely always would. They were smart, amusingly snarky and Dana was yet to meet a Slytherin who couldn’t make you swallow your tongue and me speechless at his or hers comments. If you could survive Slytherins you could survive everything. Pushing her swing to move a bit more again Dana brought out a clip that had been attached to the lower edge of her sweater. Gathering her hair togehter Dana used her spread fingers to get out most of the tangles that might be there and half-pulled her hair back. It wasn’t morning anymore. The magical moment with the sunrise had passed and it was time to face the real world again.

„Ravenclaw is a good house. What do your aparents think of your house? Happy you are in Ravenclaw too?“ Dana reached her legs out thinking that she should actually start to head to the castle again. That thought was only confirmed when her stomach rumbled rather loudly. Insted of being ashame Dana just rubbed her abdomen and offered Meyghan a small amused smile: „Bob isn’t overly happy. My friends decided to name my stomach Bob in the summer. Don’t ask me why.“

[Meyghan Gallagher R7]

Meyghan smiled at the thought of someone naming their stomach. It didn't sound weird but cute in it's own way. " My mom would have been thrilled that I made it into her house, but she passed away shortly after my brother was born. My dad was just proud that I chose Hogwarts, he was a Slytherin in his years here. I have no idea what my brother was thinking, considering that all of our family attended Hogwarts." Meyghan said shaking her head.

Meyghan sat there a moment thinking about her first year at Hogwarts and how she had made no friends what so ever. "I was immediately placed in Ravenclaw, it was almost as if the Sorting Hat could tell what I was wishing for. Come to think of it, the Hat probably could, I mean it is an enchanted Hat after all." She said slightly giggling.

Meyghan noticed that her stomach was beginning to churn a little as well, "Would you like to go get something to eat.? If you want me to leave, just let me know." Meyghan said feeling that she was beginning to wear out her welcome.