Dumbledore's Beard

[pokadot]

Kara stepped off of the first step leaving the Castle, landing with a soft ‘thump’ onto the second. From there she paused, waiting for something to race. She stepped off of the second, landing slowly and almost cautiously. From there she saw the little boy. He was what- either a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor Kara believed. He was a firstie, but by far the coolest one Kara had met so far. He was almost always outside on Saturday mornings, as he was now, and the two would race whenever they could. For a boy, and for a firstie, he was a brilliant opponent.

The two saw each other, the boy several metres off. Kara shouted to him ‘the fourth tree’, then mouthed as he did ‘1, 2…3!’ They were off like a bullet from a Muggle pistol, Kara’s barely-awake legs doing her signature sprint- long, spaced gallops, and the little firstie boy doing something she couldn’t see. It ended by the fourth tree away from the Castle, in the direction both of the usually ran.
“I won! You lost! I’m the WINNER!” The little boy shouted. Kara shook her head with a chuckle.
“You didn’t win! That was me by miles kiddo!” She chortled. The boy’s face grinned widely at her as he spoke their usual compromise.
“Draw?”
“Draw.” Kara agreed breathlessly.

The two flopped onto the grass with grins on their faces. Kara glanced at the boy, who returned her glance with a stare. He asked her then, curiously what her name was.
“Ummm….. Gertrude Quigglygaffer.” She smiled. He stifled a chuckle and answered her with a serious face when she asked the same question.
“Sarah I-eat-teachers-for-my-tea-boswell.” He snickered.
The two laughed for a while, chatting aimlessly. When a short little boy slowly trotted up to them with wide eyes for Kara, the firstie smiled apologetically at Kara, said his goodbyes and ran off with his short friend. “Bye Gertrude!” He shouted once he reached the Castle.

Kara stayed beneath the fourth tree, lay back against the grass and stared up at the bright blue sky, thinking about that cloud that deeply resembled a goldfish, or that one which looked like Professor Dumbledore’s over-sized beard.

[Maryn Livley]

"Argg!" Maryn called tossing her Transfiguration book across the room. It had been mocking her for hours until she couldn't take it anymore. She just couldn't tranform a hat into scarf. Couldn't everyone just understand that? No, she knew she had to get it right but that stupid book was on her mind. Every time she read the instructions, it just made less and less sense. Nope, that book just wasn't her friends for the moment. Actually, it was her mortal enemy. Maryn couldn't help but snap and throw it against the wall. Wait, she knew what she needed. A break! Yes! That was just what Maryn needed to get her mind off everything and eventually get back to it. Yepp, a break was just the right medicine she needed and then maybe Maryn's concentration would be back in action. She ran over to pick up her Transfiguration book. "I'm sorry but you had it comming." She joked putting it on her bed side table. "Now, you rest too. Maybe then I can actually learn from you she joked once again. Maryn liked her stupid jokes. They always made her feel better.

Maryn reached for her robes which she put over her clothes. She stuffed her wand in her pocket. Maryn felt more sucure taking it with her everywhere, but she was pretty sure every other witch did the same thing. Everyone needed the protection and a wand can come in handy sometimes. Well, escecially when Maryn became bored which did happen easily. But, was that really her fault? Hey, maybe it was hereditary. Yes, that was a good solution to the always bored problem. Wands were a fun yet life treatening little peices of wood. They would preform the simplest of trick or kill someone. They were funny that way, but they couldn't help it. Besides, the wizard kills the muggle, not the wand. The wand is just there for the ride. But, that wa sjust a very interesting subject that could be talked about on a later date. With that, Maryn turned and left her dorm.

The grounds were a bit cool. Maryn just loved they way the wind felt on her skin. She looked up at the sky and noticed the clouds. They were in the oddest of shapes. Maryn couldn't help but let out a strang laugh. She smiled at the little first years that passed. They were always so cheerful and excited. Maryn wished she was still that innocent, but she had grown up a lot since the train attack. The old Maryn really did vanish over the months leaving a new one in it's place. The new Maryn had a greater grasp on reality but was still the same stubborn person. She still wanted to help people but now knew more about the reality of it all. Maryn was a changed person in many ways but not so much in some still. But, those first years maybe they were the same way. Maybe they were growing up faster than Maryn did. She didn't really know but it was a fun thing to think about.

Maryn walked around the grounds until she reached a tree. She decided to lay under it until she realized someone was already there. What the heck? Maryn walked up closer. She noticed it was a girl in her year. Maryn seen her before, but what was her name. It was with a K, right? Keira, Kina, Keria, no Kara! That was it. Maryn only knew the girl from classes, but they had never really met. Maryn approached her nicely. "Hey, I'm Maryn. Your Kara, right?" She said taking a seat in the grass. Maryn could see Kara was cloud gazing. "Anything interesting?" She asked pointing up towards the clouds. Maryn laughed calmly waiting for a reply.

[pokadot]

Kara felt a shadow lean over her, then a familiar presence sit beside her. She glanced over at the Gryffindor and smiled. Maryn was nice- Kara had spoken to her a few times but the two couldn't exactly be called friends, although Kara liked Maryn from what she knew of her. She smiled at the question the fellow third year asked before contemplating an answer. She stuck out a long, extended finger at Dumbledore's beard.

"There's Professor Dumbledore's beard there, can you see? With his nose just above it," She shifted her pointed finger, "just there. Maybe a little big, the nose. Though then again maybe perfect." She chuckled. With most girls that would have been a giggle- but not for Kara. She continued then her little cloud-gazing show.
"A little to the left of the beard is McGonagall's head- you see the bun? And there," She pointed far lower, "is an exact image of a house elf." Kara stopped then, grinning over at Maryn goofily. "You see anything else?"

Kara waited for an answer while twisting a short lock of blonde hair around her finger. Kara's hair was short, cropped to just below her ears. She remembered with a scowl her mother who always had despised the modern look since Kara had cut it without her permission not so long ago. Kara's mum always seemed to ruin any peaceful moment even if she wasn't there- even by thinking about her, Kara had ruined the gentle silence which had occupied her mind.
Trying her best to kick her controlling, kara-make-me-proud mother from her thoughts, Kara smiled at the blue sky and waited for Maryn's thoughts on what the clouds looked like.

[Maryn Livley]

Maryn was glad Kara seemed up for company so she sat down in the grass. Maryn cocked her head back looking at the sky. It was so clear that it looked like an ocean. It wasn't near the murky color of the dark lake. No, this was a crystal ocean blue like the pictures of the Mediterranean Maryn had seen. She wished the lake would look like that, but then it wouldn't hide the mysteries that were just beyond the surface. Maryn smiled making out the shaped Kara was pointing to. She had been quite right. Maryn laughed making out the shapes. "Oh, yea I see it. Cool." She said looking through the skies. She listened to Kara ask if she could see anything else and pointing out a cloud that resembled McGonagall. She searched the sky for a moment. Maryn's eyes stood still upon noticing one cloud in particular. "Oh, look." She said pointing to it. "That one looks like the sorting hat." Maryn giggled a bit thinking of the hat and the day she was sorting. No other first year was quite as scared as Maryn that day. Being a muggle born, all of that stuff was foreign to her. She knew nothing about the school besides her Hogwarts letter. On the train, some girl had explained it all to her. Maryn had been deeply fascinated by the houses and charastics of them. She had been absolutely sure she would placed in Hufflepuff, but the decision of her in Gryffindor surprised her greatly. It was something Maryn wondered to the very day. Maryn shifted a bit searching for more cloud shapes.

"Hey, that one looks like a pixie!" Maryn said looking at one cloud. You could make out the shape along with the wings. Maryn giggled out loud for a moment. She looked back at Kara. "So do you think this is all by accident or someone has been doing cloud magic?" She asked sort of joking but it did make since. Clouds could be tampered with just like anything else. Anything was possible. Maryn's eyes laid upon the Dumbledore's Beard. It was just so funny looking. Maryn actually hadn't seen the head master lately. With everything that had happened, Maryn was sure that he was hard at work in his study. He didn't want the students hurt just like the other teachers. The very fact that Death Eaters got pleasure from tormenting students scared them just as it scared Maryn. But, of course it wasn't unexpected. Maryn turned to Kara. "So, whats been up with you lately? Cramming for end of term exams?" She asked. The end of the year was coming all too soon. Soon Maryn would be a fourth year and no longer called a beginner. This was a scary thought, but very exciting also. Maryn was glad the year was near over, but she feared for what attacks would happen next year. Because as long as the Dark Lord was around, there would be an attack.