Why Can't We Have A Password? ((Open))

[phantomlynx]

Skyler slowly climbed the stairs to which he hoped was his tower. He had already lost himself twice trying to find the way. He had seen several other Ravenclaws and some house prefects. All of whom Skyler walked by without a second glance. School had been in session for about a month. Skyler could never tell someone that he was still lost. But that was in fact what he was: Lost. Why have a huge castle, Skyler thought, if no one can find their way? Just then he passed a group of Hufflepuffs. He had no idea what year they were in, everyone was older than he was. A thought occurred to him, I thought the Hufflepuff Dorm was near the kitchens which means that I have been going down when I need to go up. Skyler sighed. He was going to have to ask for help. But who did he know that was in Ravenclaw? Cougar. Cougar was in Ravenclaw. But who knew where he was.

At a junction, Skyler picked a direction. Hopefully his feet would find their own way even if he didn't. It seemed like only yesterday that he arrived at Hogwarts. He was fascinated. He had only dreamed that a castle like this existed. And yet here it was. When he arrived the first years were gathered together and then it was explained to them that would cross the lake to get to the castle. Although Skyler had distantly wondered how the other years were to arrive, he followed the other anxious first years. When they gathered in front of the Great Hall, Skyler could never have imagined what was in store for him. He had never seen so many eyes staring at him at once and a ceiling that showed the weather! He recognized a few faces: Aurora, Drew, and Cougar. All three sitting at different tables. They were right, you were separated into houses. Skyler still didn't like the idea of the houses, it just seemed like separating the classes. It reminded him of the Dark Ages when there were Royalty, Nobles, Serfs, and the Church Officials. It made Skyler sick to his stomach to think that people were still categorized. Aurora and Cougar had tried to explain to him that it was a good thing but it was all in vain. He wasn't surprised when the Sorting Hat put him into Ravenclaw, that is where everyone thought he would be.

Skyler was taken from his thoughts by a dead end. But this dead end was at the top of stairs. Finally. There in front of him stood the door with no handle and no keyhole. The bronze eagle looked at him curiously as if judging whether he was worthy to come in. After a while it spoke:

Until I am measured,
I am not known.
Yet how you miss me,
When I have flown.

The bronze eagle smiled politely at Skyler while he tried to figure out the riddle. Why can't we have a password just like everyone else?!

[Alexander Promise R7]

Alex left the student lounge, bidding Kennedy goodbye and thanking him for the new book, and then headed off towards the Ravenclaw tower. Alex had never really been good at sitting still in one place unless he was with Mack. When he was with Mack he could sit still with her for ages...though they rarely sat still. Anyways, Alex was still on homework banishment from his beloved girlfriend, and so since he was forbidden to see her until they met that night by the room of requirement, he thought he’d go up and see what was going on in the tower, though he knew that it would more than likely just be a bunch of kids studying, reading, or playing some mind game or other. There were quite a few stereotypical Ravenclaw’s in the house, and so Alex was never surprised to see someone wearing blue doing something smart. Alex always felt like such an outsider, until it came to studies. Then he was right at the top with all the others. Alex took concepts well, read, devour, understand, reword. He could do it in a matter of minutes with any passage you gave him. Well, any passage that made sense that was.

As Alex neared the top of the staircase that led to the common room, he smiled brightly as he heard the door speaking up ahead of him. That was an easy one. Alex climbed the top of the stairs, holding his shoulder backpack in his arms along with the book Kennedy had just given him (it was really heavy and his shoulder was starting to cramp) and when he reached the top he found himself looking down at a first year. “You’re Skyler, right?” Promise grinned and moved to hold out a hand to shake with the other boy, but after a few moments of shifting around his things, he found that that would be quite difficult. He shook his head, deciding he’d shake the boys hand in a moment. Then he looked at the door, then the boy, then back at the door. “Well if he’s not going to open you, the answer you’re looking for is ‘time’.” Alex grinned as the door opened for him and then he nodded his head for Skyler to follow him as he moved inside and dumped his things on a nearby chair.

When it was all out of his hands he turned around to the boy and held out his hand. “I’m Alex Promise, sixth year prefect. So I suppose you should probably know me right? I mean, I know you after all...but...I know everyone in our house I think...or at least all the first years...I think...maybe...Oh well it doesn’t matter. It’s nice to meet you Skyler.” Alex nodded and then turned to take the book Kennedy had just given him, opening his backpack and shoving it inside, reminiscing. “I remember my first year here...I fell into the lake trying to pet a fish I thought I’d seen on the way to the castle for the feast the first night. Then, two weeks later I was chased by a suit of armor...” Alex turned around to look at Skyler, cocking his head to the side slightly. “Which is odd, because they don’t normally do that...”

[phantomlynx]

Skyler sighed to himself. This shouldn't be this hard, he thought. If I was back home I would have no trouble solving a stupid riddle like this. But Skyler wasn't back home. He was finding it very difficult to adjust to this new world. Nothing worked like it should. Although it had been only a month or so he was feeling homesick. Not his parents, he didn't miss them in the slightest. But he was missing that feeling as though he was special somehow. Now, he knew he was. He had magic. But so did everyone else here.

Presently someone came up the stairs towards the dorm room. He looked down at Skyler and asked him a question. Skyler muttered "Yeah," in response. A usual response to a question that Skyler felt was obvious. Skyler smirked as the older boy fumbled with his stuff trying to extend a hand for Skyler to shake. Skyler knew he should have offered to help him carry his things but he didn't want to. Skyler was slightly irked when the older boy turned to the door and offered the correct answer. That was so easy. Of course it's time.

Skyler followed the other boy through the now open door and watched the other boy drop his things into a chair. He then introduced himself as Alex. Skyler knew that the boy was a prefect. He could see the badge and Skyler had followed him back to the dorm once... or twice.

"I've seen you around. I don't think we have ever been introduced though." Skyler watched as Alex took a book and put it away in his bag. Skyler was just about to ask him about it when Alex interrupted his thought process by telling Skyler a time that he had fallen in the lake and a suit of armor chasing him. "I don't think I'll ever get used to the magical world." Skyler said more to himself than to Alex. He took a moment to look hard at Alex. Skyler looked at Alex's brown eyes and something clicked. He needed a friend or a least someone to talk to.

"What am I doing wrong?" Skyler asked him. "Back in the muggle world I was smart. I got great marks, I could solve riddles, and most of all, I didn't get lost so easily. Everyone tells me that Ravenclaw is the house for intelligent students. Then why do I feel so dumb?"

[Alexander Promise R7]

Alex nodded thoughtfully as Skyler mentioned that he’d seen him around. That was a good thing he supposed. I mean, as a prefect you’re supposed to be seen right? And Alex could honestly say he’d rather be seen then heard...but anyways. When Alex thought about it, he tended to feel rather guilty about his prefect duties, having been slightly slacking this year. With his new relationship with Mack having kicked into a high (but pleasurable) gear, Alex seemed to always be off doing something with her, instead of really making himself known around his house. People were always sure to bring this up to him when they did see him around, telling him that they hadn’t talked in a while or something like that; which slightly bothered Alex because it made him feel even guiltier. But nothing was done about it, because his guilt was easily disregarded when he thought about how important Mack had become to him. She really was his everything, and he wouldn’t change things at all. But it didn’t ever hurt to meet some new people. So of course Alex was up for being friendly to the new kid, I mean, Alex may have been a slacker, but he was still a nice guy.

Alex still had head cocked to the side when his reverie about the evil suit of armor was broken by Skyler’s voice. Alex looked down at the boy and then smiled lightly at him, waiting for him to explain his thoughts. Finally, after staring at Alex for a bit, Skyler seemed to break open his mind and divulge a bit to Alex, whom nodded thoughtfully. Alex had never had that problem. He had been raised in a pureblood household, and yet had attended muggle schooling. So he had always been proficient in both worlds. But he’d heard quite a few stories of how people first adjusted to a school like Hogwarts. For Alex the biggest thing to get used to was being away from his squib twin. Going to school without Chrys had been the biggest thing he’d had to learn to deal with; being his own person and not one of the twins like he’d always been. But by the end of the year he had adapted well, just like every first year did, or at least most of them. And so when the first year had finished his question, Promise moved back to the couch he had set his things on, picked them up, and set them on the floor. Then proceeded to sit down, and pat the couch beside him for Skyler to have a seat.

“Let me let you in on a secret. It happens to everyone.” Alex nodded mostly to himself. “See, it doesn’t always happen to everyone the same way. For some of us, it’s dealing with being away from our families, for others it’s dealing with being around other kids with magic, and for even others, it’s just the change in general that’s so hard. See, it’s a hard lifestyle to adapt to I think, being around everyone else and learning all that you’re learning? Especially for you, because I’m guessing you came from a muggle family? That’s what you said right? See, my parents are both magic, but my sister? She’s not, and she was my twin. So coming here without her through me for a loop and my whole first year was just crazy. I couldn’t do anything right it felt like, and I was so frustrated.” Alex smiled and shook his head, stopping himself from ranting. “People like to say that Ravenclaws are the intelligent students and to be honest, we kind of are...but we’re more than that. I like to think that we’re the students with the most drive for learning. I like to think that we put in the most effort to education. We try to be smart, that’s why we are smart. Intelligence means a lot to us.” Alex looked at the boy for a couple minutes. “Having trouble adapting doesn’t make you dumb. When you stop trying to make the best of the situation? When you stop trying to learn and enjoy your experience here? That makes you dumb.” Alex sat back in the couch and thought over that entire thing he had just said before nodding slightly to himself. He sure could talk a lot.

[phantomlynx]

Skyler couldn't believe it. He was flabbergasted. Here was this person that he had just met and yet Skyler had opened up to him. That never happened. It usually took years for him to have a normal conversation with someone much less reveal a problem that was bothering him. Why had he done it? Alex was several years older than him and a prefect of his house but still, a practical stranger. As soon as the question was out of his mouth he regretted asking it. But the question was out there. He couldn't deny that it had been asked. And now he waited to hear how Alex would respond. Now I just seem like a lost and homesick first year. Wonderful. Skyler looked out an arched window at the setting sun behind the mountains. I really am changing.

Alex moved to the couch where his things were, moved them and sat down. He then patted the spot beside him beckoning Skyler to sit with him. Skyler slowly walked over the midnight-blue carpet to sit at the spot on the couch that Alex was indicating. He listened as Alex tried to answer his question. Alex told Skyler about his twin. Skyler always wanted a twin. It would have been someone that would have gone through the same experiences he had. Someone he could always turn to in time of need. But alas, he wasn't that lucky. Alex stopped and smiled. This in turn made Skyler smile. Something about listening to someone explain that he wasn't alone, that others went through the same things made him feel better. Alex than explained that being in Ravenclaw wasn't just about being smart but striving to achieve greatness in academics. He then paused and looked at Skyler for a few minutes. This made Skyler feel a little uncomfortable. It felt like Alex was looking straight through him and measuring the worth of his soul. Skyler ran a hand through his short brown hair. Although Alex's stare was making Skyler feel awkward, but Skyler couldn't tear his gray eyes away.

Alex than continued his answer. Once he finished, Skyler finally tore his gaze away. He looked around the common room. A few other students were reading or doing homework. One student was loudly complaining about the essay she had to write about the use of unicorn horn powder. Skyler than looked back at Alex. He never had a big bother and hoped that if he had he would have been friendly like Alex. It was nice to hear from an older student that things were going to be okay.

"Thanks.... um... Alex. Can I call you that? You're right, I'm from the muggle world. My dad is a muggle but my mum's a witch. I grew up not knowing. I wasn't really shocked. I always knew that I was different than the rest but I could never put my finger on it." Skyler looked up at bust of Rowena Ravenclaw. He smiled. "I still don't like the idea of separating into houses, but right now I sorta happy to be in Ravenclaw." He looked back at Alex and thought of something. "Well, know that you think I'm a total dweeb, what was that book that you were carrying? Was that a class book?"

[Alexander Promise R7]

Alex turned on his side to face Skyler when the boy sat down, well not so much on his side, but he turned in his seat and pulled a leg onto the couch so that he could look right over at the boy without turning his head. He put his arm up on the back of the couch while he spoke and thought. When he had finished everything that had been going on in his head, he had to pause and think over it. Alex did this often, especially if he went on long rants. Typically he would say something, and then pause and replay his words in his head so that he could see if he had said them right. Occasionally he found errors, or he found an issue which he would like to pursue further or possibly even something he didn’t explain well, but lucky for Skyler, now was not one of those times. In fact, Alex was quite pleased with all that he had said. He didn’t often get a chance to sit someone down and mentor them, and now he felt sort of like a mentor, which was kind of cool. Alex didn’t have any younger siblings or anything, and though he was prefect, he had, as I mentioned before, been slacking off in that area slightly.

Alex had shocked himself slightly actually. He never thought of himself as the mentoring type. He’d always felt that he was a much more closed person then that, and that Mack and Kennedy were really the only ones he could be so friendly to. But more than that, he never thought he could be so friendly to a younger student. Like I said, Alex didn’t have any younger siblings, so he had never really been exposed to talking to someone so young, and Skyler was most definitely young. Alex chuckled remembering his first year. He had been the epitome of a book-worm in his first year, though that wasn’t to say he hadn’t made friends. He had, and he had mostly kept them, up until this summer and year when he had met Mack of course. Now, the only other friend he had had been Kennedy. But that didn’t bother him because they were most definitely the two that he liked the most. It was funny to think that Alex had actually only met Mack at the very end of last year and that now they were...well that’s a different story for a different time.

Alex smiled and nodded when Skyler spoke and said thanks; it felt good to be thanked for your thoughts on a subject. It made Alex feel like he hadn’t just blabbed and made no sense at all. “I hear a lot of kids like you who say they always knew they were different, because to be quite honest we all are different from the muggle kids; very different. But see, I grew up knowing because...well my parents told me. Even though I still had to keep it a secret.” Alex shrugged, knowing that he could easily go off on a life story tangent right at that moment, so he was happy that Skyler changed the subject. “First off, you’re not a dweeb Skyler, trust me, I know dweeb.” Alex laughed and then turned and reached into his bag to pull out the book that Kennedy had given him. “You like magical creatures Skyler? It’s one of my favorite subjects. This is a book about griffins mostly, see, my father breeds them, so my friend thought I’d be interested in the book. It’s not a class book though.”

[phantomlynx]

Alex laughed at Skyler's joke. He doesn't think I'm a dweeb. Phew! At least someone doesn't! Alex then reached into his bag and pulled out the book that Skyler had seen him put away. "Well, I've always been fascinated by the Greek stories of mythological creatures. I guess, those stories are actually true? You're dad breeds griffins? Griffins, the half lion half eagle griffins? I would love to see that. I bet they're so cute when they're babies," Skyler smiled to himself thinking about it. He blushed as he realised that Alex was still sitting next to him. Skyler quickly tried to regain his composure. "I'm glad it's not a class book though. It looks big and heavy and I would hate for the books to grow and you go up in years." Try as he might he could not help but think of little griffin hatchlings and his mind started wandering to other magical creatures.

"I've always wanted to be near a unicorn. But there are many legends that I've read that say only maidens can be close to them. Have you ever heard of the author, I mean, muggle author, C. S. Lewis? He wrote about magical creatures.... I bet he himself was magical. No wonder he was so good and not dry like some other muggle authors." Wait! What! What's going on? Skyler paused. Skyler never talked this much. Never. And yet he wanted to sit here and talk with Alex forever. None of the other first years seemed very interesting and other older years didn't even give him the time of day. Why was Alex different? He just was. Skyler cleared his throat and looked away from Alex. Skyler didn't like small talk. But he was slowly learning that he didn't like muggle small talk.

((OOC: Sorry for the length. I just don't how to advance the post))

[Alexander Promise R7]

“Actually, sadly, the books do tend to grow in size as you grow in years.” Alex laughed and shook his head. It was funny to think that some of the books he had had in first year had been so small and now he was carrying around huge books for all of his classes. Luckily he didn’t have to taxing of a schedule. But it was true; he did have to carry around some crazy books. In particular his care of magical creatures book, which tended to try and eat you. But it had only taken Alex a few minutes to realize how to open it, but even afterwards if he wasn’t paying attention and he accidentally closed the book, he would have some serious problems if he didn’t lock that thing up, it could be vicious. Tried to take his finger once.

Alex looked past Skyler, up to a clock on the wall and smiled brightly, Mack would have been done with her studying now, and so she would be waiting for him in just a little while by their room. Alex turned and put his book back in his bag before turning to Skyler again. “You know, if magical creatures really interest you, keep your eyes peeled for a new club me and my friend are thinking about starting up. It’s for you know, kids like us who like magical creatures and stuff.” Alex stood and pulled his backpack onto his shoulder, extending his hand to shake the younger boys once more. “It was very nice meeting you Skyler; I hope to see you around. And try not to get lost again.” Alex grinned and nodded to the boy before backing up slowly. “Sorry to run, but I’ve got a very pretty lady who’s waiting for me. See you later kid.” Alex turned around, nearly stumbling over a coffee table, and then hurried from the room without another room.

It wasn’t two minutes later that Promise was nearly running down the stairs to meet up with Mackenzie, whom he hadn’t seen all day. He really did miss her. Though this was the first time Alex had socialized with anyone besides Mack in quite some time. But oh well, Alex sure did like the time he spent with his girlfriend.