Click {August}

[Isabelle Leynette R3]

The camera rested calmly in her hands while she looked around the courtyard for her next subject. Normally she was in the courtyard with her paints and easel painting yet another scene of flowers, on occasion throwing into the mix a bug or human, or whatever. Just not lately, recently she couldn’t paint; it felt more like a chore than an outlet. So instead our heroine turned to her camera, the thing that she could always rely on when she and traditional art had problems. Now after taking a picture of two first year Gryffindors gossiping, she wondered how she could possibly enjoy painting over this. Her negative energy normally turned its self into negative thoughts, she chose to ignore them. In reality she loved photography and painting equally. And why not love it? Art was the universal language, no words just beauty and emotion. She liked that. She liked everything lately, things where going great, well except for the painting, but something had to go wrong. The best part was her mother wasn’t being so herself lately; what an excellent thing this was. Her mother had also stopped writing so frequently, and the letters were mostly about Daniel, the baby of the family, these letters where defiantly better than the ones she received at the beginning of term. Victoria was an intelligent woman, but it had taken her thirteen years to figure out that her daughter hated her advice more then anything. With a sigh Belle scanned the courtyard again for something that would allow her to use her camera. There was absolutely nothing of interest. There where of course things, just nothing grand, and something her camera and she could handle. There were the usual couples; and Belle wasn’t in the best look at us we’re so cute mode. Oh there where also the cute little birds; to cute. They where making her sick, Belle wasn't looking for cute. She just wasn’t that type of photographer. The true beauty was what she liked. By now she was feeling rather discouraged, it was after all a lovely Saturday and she wasn’t having the best of luck. The lighting was defiantly perfect, but where was a subject when she needed one? Her eyes looked out into the distance over to the lake, a small smile spread on her lips. She would go over by the lake, it was always pretty. Perhaps she’d see something she would like.

The walk over to the lake was a short one, but Belle enjoyed it to the last second. The air was fresh and she hadn’t noticed she had been deprived of it for so long, it smelt amazing, fresh and crisp. Arriving at the lake was easy. She had done it so often; she could get to her special spot blindfolded, once she even did just to prove she could. Many of the times she came there she was alone, these where the moments in time to think and reflect, on the world, on her day, everything. Other times she wasn’t alone. Sometimes she’d arrive and someone was already sitting or standing doing their own thinking and reflecting. She almost felt bad for interrupting them. Today was one of the special days. Someone was already there. She smiled, it was rather perfect, she could use this guy as an unsuspecting subject. She walked away silently to a distance; she focused on his face so to capture his expression. She clicked the button and the photograph filled the screen. It was perfection. It was clearly the best shot of the afternoon. She didn’t know what element made it so. Maybe it was the angle, or perhaps the photographer, but it might have something to do with the model. She wanted to show him. She walked quietly over to him and waited a second before tapping him gently on the shoulder and presented the screen to him so he could see. “It was my best shot of the afternoon; I just thought you’d like to see.” She heard herself say. Belle wondered what was running through his mind. After all, she came out of nowhere.

[August Reid R7]

The crisp cold air blew across his face. He tightened his blue and silver scarf around his neck. He had just come through the doors that led to the Entrance Hall. The sky was covered by clouds giving the world a strange gray hue. This was his favourite kind of weather. It seemed to match his mood. Neither sunny nor rainy. Neither warm nor cold. It just was. Just like his mood. Neither happy nor sad. Neither angry nor calm. He just was. It was a weird feeling. Just being. He sometimes felt like an empty shell that someone else was controlling. Some would call it depression. Some would say it normal. Normal? Was it really normal to give everything of yourself to other people? Was it really normal to receive nothing in return?

August was not going any place in particular. He was just going. He really needed to get away from the Ravenclaw Tower. He couldn't stand the silence of the common room. Oh, but there were a lot of students in there you'll argue. That's true. There were many students in the Ravenclaw common room for a Saturday afternoon. But they were all worried about the coming exams. So while there were many students in the common room, all of them had their heads in books or looking over parchments. The silence was more deafening than anything August could ever remember. When he was by himself, it was okay for things to be silent. But when he was with others he wanted to talk. That's why he could never study in groups. He didn't want to talk about Potions or History of Magic with other people. That's what class was for.

His walk was slow as he made his way away from the castle. He had no destination so there was no hurry. He would go wherever his feet would carry him. Although when he was alone like this his thoughts often haunted him. Although he was away from his parents he still thought about them quite often. His dad was still having an affair despite the protests from August. Jack didn't seem to care that their father was betraying their mother. In fact Jack didn't seem to care about much nowadays. Bronsen was too young and wouldn't understand so August couldn't go to him for help. UGH! Jack and Bronsen. The two siblings that wanted nothing to do with the other one. Since Bronsen and August were in the same house they saw a lot of each other and everyday August would ask the same question: "Did you talk with Jack?" Bronsen would never really respond and brush his older brother off. August didn't see Jack as often but when he did he would ask: "Have you talked with Bronsen recently?" There he would be ignored too. Whatever. Whatever! August didn't care. That's what he would tell himself. But it was a lie. No matter how hard to ignore it, he wanted Bronsen and Jack to get along.

His eyes focused on the lake as it was quickly approaching. He stopped just short of getting his feet wet. The lake was probably very cold, this time of year. He stood looking at over the water. The gray sky reflecting back at him. He stood leaning all his weight on his right leg. Although he quickly shifted to the other leg because of blood flow. He sighed. August sat down and crossed his legs. He didn't like to stand long and there was many a time he got in trouble in Care of Magical Creatures because he refused to stand and be lectured at. He cupped his hands and took a hold of the ankle of his front leg. Then he leaned back slightly, the weight of his legs balancing his back. In this position he tried his hardest to force the thoughts of his fighting brothers and adulterous father from his head. He was not doing a very good job of it when he was tapped on the shoulder. He turned his torso to face the girl that was standing there. August recognised her as a Ravenclaw but was not sure of her name. He was slightly startled but he was glad that something was distracting him from his thoughts. She held her camera so that August could see the picture she had just taken of him. August thought he looked so hollow, so empty. "It is a really good picture," he responded to her. "I just wish you had a better subject."

[Isabelle Leynette R3]

There are things we often tell ourselves so we can get through the day. Things like ‘I can handle this’, or ‘I’m okay. Things that we need to hear to stay sane. Or in some cases hold on to the little sanity we have left. Perhaps we get in over our heads with emotional baggage. Then bam, we find that we are lying to ourselves. Because yes, these thins we convince our self are the truth, are really nothing but lies. And just how lying to another person is unacceptable, lying to one’s self is the same. No, actually its worse. Much worse. A lie to another person can eventually be corrected. This of course depends on the people involved, and their relationship with each other. Yet a lie to yourself only makes things worse. So when the world happens to crash down upon them it sucks, it really does. The source of all this are those little things. We can easily avoid the feelings of depression and hurt by avoiding lies. This is hard though. The human race was not made to always tell the truth. We learn to lie almost as soon as we learn to talk. But there are people who try to better themselves. People who try to keep from hurting themselves, and especially others.

Isabelle is one of these people. She grew up with lies, like flowers grew with the sun. Some days they were hidden well behind the clouds of her grandparents love and affection. Yet most days they were right there. Waiting to pour down on her head young head. Her parents didn’t mean to deceive their child. Belle understood this. Yet she wanted to be different from these examples. She had to be different. Her parents weren’t the greatest people to start off with. She had watched them mislead her about many, many things. She toke it all in. Remembering every tone, every expression, and every action. She stored it in her mind so she would never act like that.

Have this drilled into memory helped when people tried to lie. She would notice it right away. She often looked past this and tried to trust them anyway. So of course her internal alarm went off when she heard him speak. “It’s a really good picture.” He had told her. She could tell he even meant it. To an extent at least. Something was holding his first opinion on it. This wasn’t even lying, just telling a different truth. She didn’t blame him. He looked … tired. That was the best way to describe it. Fed up, would have been another great way to explain what she saw. Belle was at a loss for words. “Uhm, yes, I’d have to say your expression stole the shot.” She told him truthfully. After all she never lied. The second thing he had said then registered in her mind. She had to bite her lip from laughing. She sat down next to him and looked out unto the lake the lake for a moment. It looked bleak as always. “One day I was at a lesson with this … incredible person who also happens to be an incredible photographer.” Belle paused letting the memory come back to her. “I was frustrated with the model who was a beginner. Merlin, she was awful. Needless to say I wanted to pull my hair out. I was very near to tears. So I ran to my instructor and told him my troubles. After calming me down he walked over to her and told her a great model was some one who didn’t have to try. It had to be natural, she couldn’t force it. After that she had to leave and I toke this picture of her picking her things up. It was a great picture, a picture that proved my teachers point. So in conclusion to my tale; you were a great model because you didn’t try. Your actions were not for posing, they were real. Not forced at all. My teacher would have been proud.” She told him and then turned her attention back to the lake and away from his face.



A gust of wind ran over the lake causing teeny ripples to spring up all over the, at the time, undisturbed water. It played teasing with the tree across the lake causing it to sway to and fro. It kissed her on the cheek and nose softly with its ice cold lips causing her to shiver. She realized it was December all over again. She was forced to close her eyes and take a deep breath. She needed to take it all in. Autumn had ended already. The leaves had all fallen from the trees where they had be residents since spring. School had lost its exciting rush, and fell back into the routine it always had known. Winter had arrived. Winter was here knocking on each window leaving a trace of frost behind. Coating the ground with a thin layer of white as it passed. Lady winter had awakened and the cold arrived. The cold was something that tended to bother Isabelle on most occasions. They beauty of the season put aside her negativity though. It also happened to be hr grandmother’s favorite season. The snow angels where permanently in the yard when she lived there as a child. She remembered the cookies as well. Her grandmother made cookies only for the winter. The way the aroma of pine always seemed to flood the house was also there, right in her mind. Belle remembered it all. This year there would be no snow angle, no cookies, and no pine, this year she was staying at Hogwarts. Her grandparents understood and she was thankful. But of course they knew her mother, they where after all her parents, they knew her well.

[August Reid R7]

She seemed truly taken aback by his comment. She seemed like she didn't have a response. He didn't know why. He really did think that it was a very good picture. It was a beautiful picture of the lake and somebody sitting next to it. The only problem was that he didn't recognise the subject. He had to force himself to see that it was in fact August in the frame and not some other boy. What was it that was so different about himself? Why did he look into a reflection and see somebody totally different looking back? He had not lost weight. His eyes and hair was the same color. What was it? He was getting taller of course. But that was natural. He would never catch up to Jack. Jack would always be bigger. Always be the one in charge. Always the one towering over August and August's beliefs. It had to be the way that August felt about himself. He couldn't think of any physical abnormalities.

This line of thinking is what brought out his second comment. Instead of responding right away as August thought that she would, she sat down beside him. She gazed at the lake. He gazed with her. It was a beautiful day. She then preceded to tell him a story in which an instructor from her past told her how to handle a model. At first August was unsure where exactly she was going with this story. He listened intently however because she was a lot more interesting than thoughts of his brothers. Or just his family in general. When did it get to this point? When did his relationship with his family become so tense that he wished he wasn't related to them? That wasn't true. He loved them all. Thoughts like this were new to him. What ever happened to the good old days when their father was not a cheating bloke and the brothers three could play nice?

She concluded her tale by telling him that he was a good model. He was a good model because he didn't try at all. His emotions were not posed, they were real. August saw a flaw in her logic. "But I wasn't trying to pose. I had no idea that you were going to take a picture. You could have found any unsuspecting victim and taken their picture and it would have turned out the same way." He paused a second and then softened. "Sorry. I didn't mean to lash out like that. You didn't do anything wrong. I really do like the picture. It's just that my brother Jack has always been the handsome one of the family and so I've always hated to take pictures. And when I look at this picture that you just showed me, I don't recognise myself. I know that sounds strange but..." But what? August couldn't finish the sentence. What was he trying to say? He turned his attention from the lake to look at the girl sitting next to him. She was strikingly beautiful. Her chestnut colored hair went well with her green eyes. August vaguely wondered if she had any siblings and if they shared her green eyes for he was the only one of the three Reid children that received blue eyes.

[Isabelle Leynette R3]

"But I wasn't trying to pose. I had no idea that you were going to take a picture. You could have found any unsuspecting victim and taken their picture and it would have turned out the same way." He told her and Belle was surprised, she wasn’t expecting him to say that at all. She had to think about what to say in return; after all she was caught completely of guard. She had to stop assuming things, for this happened to often. “Maybe so …” She said finally, trailing off to her thoughts. She brought herself back quickly, no need to dwell on it now, what was done, was done. “But people don’t often look that good when there unsuspecting.” She told him with a laugh. “They often get caught making the weirdest faces, not looking great; ask my mother if you like, she’ll tell you.” Belle told him with a devilish grin. He didn’t have to know she watched her mother for those ugly faces just because it brought her pleasure to prove Victoria she wasn’t perfect, and didn’t always look it. She laughed silently to her self and turned the camera back over in her hands. Looking at the picture she smiled softly, thoughts of Victoria completely out of her mind now. What was it about this photograph that captured her attention? It wasn’t the lake, though it did serve as a nice backdrop, beautiful scenery always did that. The subject, well yes of course, but what about the subject? She looked harder and found her eyes looking into his, well the ones in the picture. They where blue. A very pretty blue. They tied everything else about him together. The brown hair and blue eyes where an excellent combination. A rare one, that’s what made it brilliant.

She was about to speak out again, perhaps tell him about the eye thing. But she never did get the chance. Instead he spoke again. "Sorry. I didn't mean to lash out like that. You didn't do anything wrong. I really do like the picture. It's just that my brother Jack has always been the handsome one of the family and so I've always hated to take pictures. And when I look at this picture that you just showed me, I don't recognize myself. I know that sounds strange but..." His voice tone was softer, sadder somehow. She felt like giving him a hug. “It’s alright.” She replied her tone soft and quite as she looked at him. “I don’t believe it you know.” She told him looking him straight in the eye. She wasn’t sure if he knew what she meant. She didn’t mean the fact he like her picture. She believed that, now anyways. No, she didn’t believe the whole ‘Jack’ thing. “Things like that are completely psychological. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I’ve been told. So you never know. Maybe someone thinks you’re the handsome one in the family.” She said smiling. She was facing him now instead of the lake. The urge to hug him was getting stronger. He seemed like he needed one.

She kept her eyes on his face for awhile, and then looked away. It wasn’t polite to stare. Yeah, she heard that a lot when she was growing up. She found instead her gaze on the lake. “Still beautiful …” She found herself whispering quietly to herself. It always seemed to be like that, no matter what. She was momentarily distracted by the reflection in the lake. It was two people sitting there, just there. Their very existence was the only thing that mattered. That was what the water was telling her anyway. Then she realized it was her and … what was his name? They never introduced themselves. How strange, she felt completely stupid now. “Omigosh.” She half whispered laughing and covering her face. “Well, stranger my name is Isabelle Leynette. How about you? Do you have a name? Or … are you one of those nameless children?” She asked still laughing. Her normally pale cheeks were most likely a pink hue. She bit her lip and looked down. But looking back up at his face waiting for an answer.

[August Reid R7]

He was surprised when she answered. Instead of being angry or upset that he had just blew up at her she wasn't. She accepted his apology without a second thought. That was nice. It was nice to know that there were some people in the world who would accept an apology for what it was. I made a mistake. I'm admitting that. Some people were not so good with apologies. Or receiving them for that matter. But this girl before him was different. She looked him directly in the eye as if she wanted to make it clear that she was speaking the truth. It was nice to hear the truth. It was nice to hear someone speak the truth to him. His family had been covered in so many lies lately that it seemed no one could look each other in the eye anymore. That was the saddest part.

August blushed when she said, "Maybe someone thinks you’re the handsome one in the family." She was smiling and August knew that she was not lying. Maybe someone did think that he was more handsome than Jack. Who knows? But it sure would be nice to be told that once in a while. People always seemed to be fawning over Jack. If only they knew the real Jack. The Jack that only comes out at family get togethers. Then they might not be so warm toward him. August really did not want to think badly of his elder brother. He really did love Jack. But it was hard sometimes to love him when Jack didn't seem to return the feeling. She was still looking at him. He nervously scratched his left ear. He sometimes did that when he was nervous. She seemed to get the hint and turned her gaze from August back to the lake.

She laughed and he looked at her questionly wondering what was so funny. Her laughter was contagious though and he found himself laughing with her. She introduced herself as Isabelle Leynette and asked him his name. "I used to be nameless but then my parents thought better of it so they named me August. August Reid. It's nice to meet you Isabelle," August added still laughing. He couldn't really put his finger on what was so funny but it felt really good to laugh. He needed to laugh.

[Isabelle Leynette R3]

He laughed, she laughed harder. It felt good to escape reality in a moment like this. Things seemed so right and so put together as if some one had arranged all this just for her. She had to remember to thank them, who ever it was. She was more thankful than anything; she really needed moments like these more often. She wanted to feel like a regular teenager. Somebody who didn’t feel the need to have control all the time, because their life was so out of control with so many things factoring into the imperfection. The imperfection that embodied her, that became her. To her life was like a jigsaw puzzle. Some people had all the pieces, but there where to many, and they got over whelmed. And there were people, who had the simple basic puzzle, yet some of the pieces where missing, probably under the bed somewhere. They wished cleaning up their life was as easy as cleaning up there room. Belle happened to be one of the overwhelmed, too many pieces, kind of people. So many things she tried to make fit but it wasn’t right. Things with her mother, things with her school work, things with trying to sleep and realizing she can’t. Things someone so young shouldn’t worry about, but it killed her every time. Bringing us to now. To her poised, controlled, happy and bubbly on the outside self. Living in a moment where she was carefree, laughing with a potential friend.

August, his name was August Reid. Her birth month. How did she know, you maybe asking yourself? I’ll let you in on a little secret. He told her. "I used to be nameless but then my parents thought better of it so they named me August. August Reid. It's nice to meet you Isabelle," he had told her. Isabelle, she had to remember that was her. It had been so long since someone had called her by her full name, even though she always introduced herself as such. “Likewise,” She told him still smiling, a tiny laugh still in her voice. “But do me a favor; call me Belle, ever one does.” She told him, she had always preferred her nickname. Belle just sounded more like her, it fit her personality better. Isabelle sounded stuffy and a bit boring, belle was just so her though. It should her in a good light, she often was Belle, on the days that where good and she wasn’t on the edge of jumping of the deep end.

Thinking of his name made her think of when she was younger and was learning the months of the year. There was a little song, she loved the song. It was just another part of her childhood when she was young, carefree, and happy. A feeling she was experiencing today. It was amazing that she felt like a kid. Not many people wanted to, but she had the best childhood. Who wouldn’t want to visit theirs? A time when fighting with your mother wasn’t an everyday event, when you didn’t know about the aunt who you end up meeting and loving, only to lose them to cancer. Nothing to worry about, just getting home before the sun set so you could have dinner with your two favourite people. She thought that life was perfect then. Little did she know, life would become perfect soon enough.

[August Reid R7]

"Ah, Belle. Just like the name of the girl in the muggle story. You know the one who gets captured by a beast. But then she ends up falling in love with him and the beast turns out to be a beautiful and handsome prince." August paused and frowned. Where did that come from? He had not grown up with muggle stories. He had grown up with stories of Merlin and The Deathly Hallows. Maybe he was actually learning in Muggle Studies. That wouldn't surprise him. Most Ravenclaws seemed to pick up knowledge like little boys picked up mud. You never know that it's there until it comes out randomly. Luckily, Belle was a fellow Ravenclaw so she would understand the random knowledge that he had just blurted out. She most likely knew the story, because after all, it was her name. "Wow, I must actually be learning in Muggle Studies. And here I thought I was just going through the motions." He paused as he searched for his next thought. "Belle, the French word for beauty. Well it fits," he tried to stop the words before they came out but it was too late. They had been spoken. August's cheeks turned a shade of red. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I mean I didn't mean to say that. I mean, you're very pretty. The name suits you very well. I mean to say that..." with each sentence his cheeks turned a darker shade of red. "Merlin!" He didn't want to say anything else. Anything else that might put him deeper into the hole that he had just dug. She was really pretty he just didn't want to give her the wrong impression.

At the age of fifteen August was starting to notice differences. Starting to notice? Okay, that was an exaggeration. He had noticed these differences for quite sometime now. Just little things. Like if someone recently washed their hair or if they smelled nice. The only problem was August seemed to notice these differences on everyone. Boys and girls alike. He was not quite sure what to make of this. All the boys that he had talked to seemed to notice only girls. And girls seemed to only notice boys. What did that make August then? He was once again in the middle. Was he doomed to spend the rest of his life there? Until he got his feelings sorted out, he didn't want to give anyone the wrong impression. Not to say that Belle would get the wrong impression! Maybe she wouldn't even think twice about it. Maybe he had made it worse than it actually was. He slapped a hand to his forehead and groaned. Why was he always doing this? He was always over-analysing every little detail. She probably had taken it as a compliment and nothing more. He was the one making it into a big production. He eyed her out of the corner of his eye and waited to hear what she had to say. Hopefully she wouldn't laugh in his face.

[Isabelle Leynette R3]

A muggle fairytale, there was no better way to put it. As a child, and a girl, she had gone through her princess stage. She was only thrilled to find out there was a princess with her name. That’s when she learned a valuable life lesson, beauty was on the inside. And though she kept that close and dear to her as she grew up, she was afraid she was getting ugly inside. Her thoughts weren’t the kindest, and to be frank, she wasn’t caring about as many things as she used to. She was becoming reserved and was questioning everyone dear to her, except maybe her family, and only three of them mattered. Her ugly inside self wasn’t like typical ugly insides. She was only ugly to herself, and acted it around her mother. The woman was just as ugly though, she had no room to judge. Ugliness she hoped wasn’t leaking into her surface, the image she presented. So far so good, still brunette, still green eyed, still had that figure. She half expected to walk up on day with purple, crazy fur, to weigh two hundred fifty pounds, and black eyes. She would deserve it. It made her said to know she was somewhat pretty and not give back to the world the niceness that should have went along with the look. She felt guilty, there for she tried. She tried caring for the things she should, she tried being nice, and returning smiles, compliment and other greetings. Perhaps she was just doing her best, and for now her best was good enough. No one noticed a difference, and secretly she hated that, but then again maybe it was a good thing.

“Yes, Belle just like that. Except I wouldn’t know if it was in muggle studies or not, I’m not taking it.” She said with a small frown. Maybe she should be taking it, funny how she still knew these little things though. She was glad her grandparents raised her around muggle things as well as magic things. She was balanced. That was an excellent thing to be, balanced. "Belle, the French word for beauty, Well it fits.” He told her and Belle blushed. She was returning to reality at this point. Most defiantly not expecting that. She noticed he was blushing too, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I mean I didn't mean to say that. I mean, you're very pretty. The name suits you very well. I mean to say that..." he continued trying to correct himself. She couldn’t help she began to laugh once more. “Please, you mustn’t apologize after a compliment, I might get the feeling you’re lying.” She told him. She hoped he was lying. She would hate to disappoint him. “If you knew me better, you would know how un-pretty I am.” She told him truthfully, she had never told anyone that before. She was surprised she was sharing it with an almost stranger. She heard him mumble under his breath and she had a feeling there was something more to it. But she wouldn’t pry, it wasn’t her place. “Is there some reason you’re not supposed to give me a compliment? Perhaps your in a cult of some sort, are they going to cut out your tongue for being nice?” She asked teasingly.

[August Reid R7]

"I'm sorry. I mean... I'm sorry for apologising." August groaned. "You're right. I should never apologise for giving a compliment. I was not lying." His face was still a deep shade of crimson so there fear of being more embarrassed. "I really like the color of your hair and you have really pretty eyes." He listened as she explained to him that she didn't think of herself as pretty. That was ridiculous! She was gorgeous. She should be a model. She had the body for it. August wondered why she would ever think of herself as "un-pretty." It was an interesting choice of words as if she wanted to let him know that words such as 'plain' or 'ugly' were not strong enough. Her words had a sobering effect and he could feel the color in his face return to normal. He was going to question her but before he could say anything she spoke again.

He laughed at her joke. August could tell that he was going to like this girl. She had a good head on her shoulders and her humor was similar to his. "Actually I am in a cult. They only cut out your tongue for insults. You lose a finger for compliments. And you don't get to chose. I would personally hate to lose my pinky finger," he answered her with a broad smile on his face. She was exactly what the healer had ordered. Good old fun. He was getting lost in his thoughts of his family and feeling sorry for himself and it felt nice to have someone who was not aware of his family problems but that actually cared for him as a person. He suddenly looked very serious and asked her, "Why do you feel 'un-pretty?' If someone told you that, they are lying."

[Isabelle Leynette R3]

How normal this scene might have from the outside. Some person who was just passing by looking in there direction. What would they have thought? Aw, look at the friends. They seem to be having a great time; life is so easy for some people. How wrong they would be. Would they have believed the boy and girl were mere strangers? Would they have believed that life was so difficult for the girl? Possibly the boy too. Probably not. Never judge a book by its cover, how true the phrase applied. But who cares? They where having a great time. He was bringing the best out of her. She only hoped she was doing the same for him. "I'm sorry. I mean... I'm sorry for apologizing." He said and groaned, sending Belle into fresh fits of giggles. “Wow, there you go apologizing again. You really must stop.” She said laughing. "You're right. I should never apologize for giving a compliment. I was not lying." He told her, his face still a little red. Her blush had faded awhile ago. “I know I’m right, I’m never wrong.” She told him laughing. “Its nice to know you weren’t lying. I hate liars. See, if you were lying I’d have to kill you. Make the world a better place.” She said smiling and laughing. He went on the compliment her even more. "I really like the color of your hair and you have really pretty eyes." She shook her head, unbelieving. “Brown? It’s so regular, and green? No, your eyes, those are beautiful.” She told him. She needed to believe that. Except she felt the nervous butterflies in her stomach, and the self doubts whispering in her ear. ‘Come on, your ugly on the inside. You can never be pretty, your to cruel, to vindictive.’ They told her.

But they returned to the joking and the fun. He had her sense of humor and that was great. He was funny, funny people were amazing. She liked funny, she enjoyed funny. "Actually I am in a cult. They only cut out your tongue for insults. You lose a finger for compliments. And you don't get to chose. I would personally hate to lose my pinky finger," he told her; if it wasn’t for the smile she would have believed him. “Aha! I told you I was always right. So what is it now? Are you going to lose three fingers? Or will they be counted per pound, coming to my next question, what is the weight of a compliment?” She said through laughter, her thoughts were pouring out of her like water, no way to stop it; she needed to get them into words. “Oh, I see you have all your fingers right now. No compliments before? For an amateur you where very convincing.” More thoughts that wanted to be heard. She absently took of his hands in hers. “Oh I see why you wouldn’t want to lose the pinky. After all their so important.” She said and then released his hand gently.

His face went from a smile, to serious. It scared her. "Why do you feel 'un-pretty?' If someone told you that, they are lying." He asked and she gave a nervous smile. “Like I said before, beauty is on the inside. I’m not the nicest person. I’m cruel, I hate my mother. I’m too me-centered, I try hard to be not like that, but I’m a teenager, its hard not to. I ignore too many people, to many emotions, I don’t make enough people smile …” She couldn’t think of a way to express it better than that. They words hung in the air. She looked away. That too, was something she had never admitted.

[August Reid R7]

"Actually, I give all my compliments in secret. This is my first one out in the open." He looked around in all directions dramatically. "Good. The coast is clear. Now I don't have to take back the compliment."

He looked into her eyes as her next words washed over him. "I’m too me-centered, I try hard to be not like that, but I’m a teenager, its hard not to. I ignore too many people, too many emotions, I don’t make enough people smile …" she had said. Belle was no longing smiling but he could not believe her. He looked into her eyes searching whether she was telling the truth or not. How could she say something like that about herself? Although she did just say that she hates lying so it was very likely that she was telling the truth. Not the truth, but what she believed to be the truth. August had learned over time that they were two different things. Real truth and Perceived truth. The real truth was that August and Belle were having a lovely time together. They were laughing with each other and just enjoying the other one's company. August could hardly believe that the girl in front of him could not help but spread this joy to everyone that she met. Except Slytherins. But they liked to stew in their own misery.

He smiled before he said, "Now who's lying? Take at look at this," he said. August took his left hand and extended his index finger at his mouth. "In case you didn't notice, I'm smiling. And I think we can look at your picture and we'll discover that I wasn't smiling until you came around." He took the camera from her hands and looked at the display picture of the last picture taken. Sure enough he wasn't smiling. "What did I tell you? You took this," he turned the camera and held it in front of his face so that she could see the display. "Into this." He lowered the camera to show his smiling face. He laughed for the pure entertainment of laughing. It was silly and stupid but he did want to show Belle that she was making him smile. That she did in fact have a positive influence on his day. He had been sitting here feeling sorry for himself and worrying about his family until she came along. All those thoughts had been lost.

"You hate your mother?" he asked her raising an eyebrow. He blew a raspberry. "Big deal. What self respecting teenager actually gets along with their parents? My parents..." he paused and swallowed. He hadn't really told anyone about his parents. The only people he really talked to about them were his brothers. Jack didn't care and therefore didn't listen. Bronsen was too young and didn't understand these things. "Well, let's just say that I don't get along with them either. So don't think you're so special about disliking your mother," he wiggled his finger at her like a parent reprimanding a child. "Because you're not."

[Isabelle Leynette R3]

He was still doing the cult thing. It was amusing and funny to her. It kept her laughing and smiling. "Actually, I give all my compliments in secret. This is my first one out in the open." He told her dramatically looking around. She laughed. “I promise not to tell.” She assured him with the same theatrics. He looked around them as if he was looking for someone, not finding anything. "Good. The coast is clear. Now I don't have to take back the compliment." He told her and she laughed harder. “You say that as if I’d let you.” She told him rolling her green eyes.

He was looking was looking at her as if he expected her to just break into a smile and go ‘gotcha.’ Maybe he thought she was lying. She wasn’t lying. She was the best person, she accepted it. There was nothing else to do expect make herself better. Truly bettering herself was the only thing possible. He as still looking at her look like that before he smiled. "Now who's lying? Take at look at this," He told her pointing at his smile, she smiled involuntarily, so he was going to prove her wrong. . "In case you didn't notice, I'm smiling. And I think we can look at your picture and we'll discover that I wasn't smiling until you came around." He continued telling her as if she had done something great, it was nothing really. But she felt the camera being removed from her arms; he looked at it for a moment, and then let her see the picture she was so proud of. It was good, she still liked it. He then showed his smiling face, the contrast was visible. He was happier smiling, that was obvious. She knew it could have been anybody. Some one besides her could have done the same thing and he would have been here smiling with them rather than her. But she didn’t say it. Why mess with something that was going good.

He continued on proving her wrong. "You hate your mother?" was his next question. . "Big deal. What self respecting teenager actually gets along with their parents? My parents..." he was saying and then paused, it grabbed her attention. . "Well, let's just say that I don't get along with them either. So don't think you're so special about disliking your mother," He told her waving his finger as if to say no. As if he was talking to a child. "Because you're not." He added and she smiled for real. “Oh and I thought I was special.” She said teasingly. “But no on a serious note, I appreciate this, I really do. Expect I have myself convinced and it’s going to take more than one afternoon to change those thoughts, and I am working on making myself prettier from the inside. Its nice how all you’re trying to prove to me is that I am pretty and I’m trying to do the same for the world through my actions, were working together on this.” She told him and laughing at the last part. Nothing was funny. But that was Belle.

{{ Forgive me for the shortness}}

[August Reid R7]

August wore a genuine smile that he didn't think he could get rid of even if he wanted to. It was the type of smile that later hurt your face but you knew why your face hurt and it was a good feeling. Who would have ever suspected that a plain dull gray afternoon like this one would turn into a blooming friendship? It only made August regret that he had not talked with Belle sooner. But hey, better late than never. He hoped that he could call Belle a friend. For their first meeting, they had uncovered a lot of dirt on one another. Imagine what their second meeting would be like. Plus, they made each other laugh. Really laugh. It felt so good to have someone that wanted to make you laugh. Someone who thought you looked better with a smile on your face and not a frown. Luckily Belle hadn't pulled the cliche 'It takes more muscles to frown.' August couldn't even recall how many times in his life he had heard that. But Belle didn't seem like the type of girl to use tacky lines like that. She was too original. She would come up with her own way to say it.

"Luckily, the year is still young," he told her. As if he was a wise sage telling this to his student. "And besides, you're only a third year right? We have plenty of time to solve your problems. Not to mention we haven't even delved into mine. This is just one afternoon. I'm going to entitle this afternoon, 'Click! A Moment of Happiness.' Or maybe, 'Smile, you-don't-when-your-picture-is-being-taken.' Although, that's sorta long. And dumb," he laughed. He hoped that she would find it funny also. He liked it when she laughed. It made him feel as though he was doing something to make her feel better. August didn't know all of Belle's worries. Or even if she had troubles beyond what she had just told him. He hoped that she didn't. But he thought that she probably did. Anyone as beautiful as she who thought she was ugly must have deeply rooted troubles. But as he had just said, there would be lots of time to talk about their worries. Right now, August really wanted to enjoy Belle's company. Maybe he would call her Isabelle to spite her. Or maybe 'Sabelle' or even 'Isab.' 'Isab?' What? Maybe he would just stick to 'Belle.'

He suddenly remembered that he had her camera in his lap. He looked at it and had a thought. "Hey Belle, how do I work this?" he asked her as he picked it up and pointed the lens toward her. "Instead of taking candid photos of everyone, maybe your subjects should take pictures of you?" he teased her. He positioned the camera as if to take a picture of her. He had no idea how to work it though. He had never seen this model before and each camera was different. "We need to take a photo so we can remember this day forever." This day when he had a random encounter with someone who he felt a connection with. He hoped that she felt the same way. August really needed a friend. He had plenty of acquaintances, but no true friends. Maybe Belle could feel the void.

[Isabelle Leynette R3]

"Luckily, the year is still young," He told her, and she rolled her eyes. He was doing another expression, but it made her smile anyway. “My friend, it’s not that young, to be honest I think it’s rather old. Technically this year is almost over, a few more weeks.” She told him. Technicality was nothing she often fooled with. Because if she did things would not turn in her favor. She wouldn’t win her arguments with her mother and be able to walk out on her with her Victoria sitting there frantic waiting on her arrival, no, because technically Victoria would win because Belle had to come home eventually. She had to walk through the front door or upstairs window if she preferred. She would face have to face her mother again, it’s not like she had a choice. She was legally supposed to live with the woman. At least she got to escape to Hogwarts every September and not return till the next year. If she was lucky she was busy all summer. She had things to do with friends; Victoria couldn’t argue with that, she encouraged socialism. She had art classes, and photography classes, and new art exhibits she want to check out, again Victoria couldn’t object, it was her daughter’s passion. The rest of the summer would be spent with her grandparents, and then a trip to somewhere amazing for her birthday that was in August. The she would go back to school and be merry. Unlike her brother who had no choices. He was a baby. He was stuck at home, everyday, all the time. No school to go of to. He was young and helpless, and seemed to like Victoria, which was another thing; he didn’t get to see his sister enough to know the good from the evil. But on the Brightside he couldn’t argue yet, therefore he didn’t have to worry about things like technicality and if he had really beat his mother this time.

"And besides, you're only a third year right? We have plenty of time to solve your problems. Not to mention we haven't even delved into mine. This is just one afternoon. I'm going to entitle this afternoon, 'Click! A Moment of Happiness.' Or maybe, 'Smile, you-don't-when-your-picture-is-being-taken.' Although, that's sort of long. And dumb," He was saying, she had the bad habit of drifting off. He was doing a good job of keeping her attention on most parts. But he had her thinking, another excellent quality. She was laughing again. In fact every time she stopped to say something to stop he’d just make her laugh again. “Your problems, how long are we going to need?” She asked putting on her dramatic voice again. “A week? Seven more of these afternoons, I don’t think my sides can take it.” She continued. She paused and breathed. She attempted to put on another serious face. “I say we call it the long on, I don’t know; maybe shorten it to something like. S-Y-D-W-Y-P-I-B-T. I don’t know. It could work.” She was saying. Every letter she said she had to think to what he said and she knew she must have looked funny. Eyes squinted and head turned.

He looked as if he had an idea; he picked up the camera and pointed the lens at her. "Hey Belle, how do I work this?" he asked. "Instead of taking candid photos of everyone, maybe your subjects should take pictures of you?" He was saying as he tried to figure out how to use her camera. He looked like he had no idea what he was doing, she doubted he did. She smiled at how excited he seemed. “Well see the shiny, silver button on top, that’s the one you push to make the clicky sound that takes the picture.” She told him in a teasing voice, she said her words slow as if trying to make the point to make her self sound like a teacher taking to a five year old. "We need to take a photo so we can remember this day forever." He said and it made her hear ache, she was glad she made him happy. No she was happy he made her happy. “Alright, but you need to get in the picture to.” She said moving over so they where side-by-side. She toke the camera from his hands. “Let a pro do it.” She said teasing him again. The camera was as far away as she could put still using her hands, she clicked the button. A pause and she pulled the camera back towards them so they could see if the picture was good.

[August Reid R7]

((Sorry it took me so long))

"Yes, this physical year might be over. But our school year is not. And that's what I meant." He raised an eyebrow and smiled. She was right though. This year was almost over and that meant going back home for the holidays. Home. Home with his family. His shattered family. August would once again try to get Jack to come home for the holidays and once again he would refuse. It was amazing how predictable that was. It almost made him regret talking with Jack. But it had become their holiday tradition. It was sort of how they said goodbye to each other. The last night before everyone went home on the Express, August would wonder the castle corridors in search of his elder brother. He was usually in the library or the student lounge or the Great Hall. Somewhere where August could find him. August would tell him that he wanted Jack to come home for the holidays. Jack would refuse and they would tell each other to have a good break. August often wondered if Jack saw it as a tradition also, or whether he thought it was just a nuisance.

"S-Y-D-W-Y-P-I-B-T?" He also had a hard time thinking of the letters and had to pause and laugh between each one. "I meant to say 'You-don't-know-when' but I missed that. Some how though I don't think your name is shorter." He giggled. It felt so natural to laugh with her. "S-Y-D... syd... like 'Cid' the name. W-Y-P... wyp... like whip. Or maybe weep. Or no no no no... W-Y like 'we' as in us. P-I-B-T... pibt... as in.... as in.... I don't know what 'pibt' is like. I was trying to think of a cute little acronym. You know like O.W.L.s for Ordinary Wizarding Levels. But I have failed you." His face produced a great dramatic frown to show her his disappointment. "So I guess we'll just have to stay with 'Sydwe.' We are the Sydwes." A smile came to his face again. "That's what we should call our little group. Oh yes, we're starting a group in case you didn't know. And we'll only let cool people in like you and me. This is the first gathering of the Sydwes... pibts." He laughed and hoped that she would laugh also.

Luckily for him she took the camera from his hands and took the photo. "I'm blinking!" he said as he looked at the photo she had just taken. It was true, he was. He had never been good at taking planned shots. He was better at taking candid photos like the one she had previously taken. "Oh well, it will have to do." He turned and looked at her. "Our first photo together. Hopefully one of many more."

[Isabelle Leynette R3]

August smiled at her, possibly because she wasn't being very smart, or rather acting like a smart ass. She of course knew what he had meant, she just enjoyed being difficult. It wasn't a trait she was proud of, she loved the fact she could be sarcastic, or act like she missed something, the other person normally caught but she didn't let on, she was a good actress. It gave her a sense of superiority, but someone had once said some one couldn't make you feel inferior without your consent. It was sad that many of her mother's and father's friends let a thirteen year old inside their minds. At the raise of his eyebrow she finally caved her own smiled was making an appearance. "August, I know what kind of year you where talking about, and personally I rather think about the year ending, then think about how much school we still have to go to." She told him, she was still smiling. She couldn't remember when was the last time she smiled some much. It was probably during the summer. Oh, yes, when she and Blake had spent her birthday in Italy. Away from her mother. They had a grand old time. Birthdays where always something to look forward to. Especially the birthday when she would be able to move out. Victoria had to know Isabelle wouldn't be living with her forever. Due to the way their relationship was going. But Belle wouldn't have been a bit suprised in Victoria was completely shocked. The woman could get extremely stupid. A certain moment involving a muggle vacuum cleaner came to mind. But Belle wasn't going to think about that a the moment. She didn't want to burst out laughing, she would probably look like she had lost her marbles. And that wasn't something she wanted to be seen as. Insanity was on her list of things to be remembered for. Mary Girard probably thought the same thing when her husband had placed her in the asylum. So she committed adultery, throw a hissy Mr.Girard why don't you.

She had to crack up as he tried to think of an acronym for their meeting. "Hmm." She said thinking out loud. "Maybe we should call it something else ... like ... the meeting. Its shorter." She told him still laughing a bit. She marveled out how easy it was for him to make her laugh. A real miracle worker was sitting right beside her. "You haven't failed me sir, but quite the opposite. To tell you the truth ... I can't remember when i was last this care-free, I think it was Italy last summer with my friend Blake, you can see its been a very long time, kudos for you." She told him on a more serious note. She was known to just change her mood, it wasn't the best quality, and she wasn't exactly proud. "And yes ... I suppose we are the 'Sydwes' The most exclusive club on campus, made up of only two members, us two. It looks like we went through our first meeting rather well, did we not?" She asked him joking once more. the broke into laughter. It seemed so natural. And somewhere in her mind something was telling her she had just made a friend she would keep for a very long time. Since Blake was gone, she didn't get to see her often. She had been her best friend. But she was okay, she wasn't ever one to have the biggest circle of friends. But the ones that she was lucky to have knew it was worth it. Belle could be crazy, and she could give you the best advice, and if you ever needed something to do, well Belle was always up for anything. She knew she and August would come to be close friends. There was so much she wanted to ask him. Where he was from, and about his family, if his family life was better than hers, she wanted to know his likes, and of course his dislikes. But she refrained, she had time. She was sure there would be many more of these meetings. After all they had started a club, and once your in a club you had to hold meetings, you had to have outings, and other rules. But they didn't to decide anything anytime soon. They had plenty of time.

'Click' went the camera in her hands. As he was saying he blinked she looked at the picture. "Yes, yes you are, i suppose we will have to leave at this though. The light that was so wonderful earlier today is now leaving. Since it is our first picture of many together i dub it ... the first picture we took together." She said starting to laugh. She was probably sounding very silly. As she scrolled throught he memory of the camera at the other pictures, she once more looked at the picture that had started it all. All it took for a friendship to began was a click. Sometimes we needed help to be pushed in the right direction. There is a muggle musical, its called Wicked, the good witch said ... "I've heard it said that people come into our lived for a reason bringing something we must learn and we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return." Belle didn't believe it more than she did right now as she looked at her new friend laughing. Her camera had led her to such an easy afternoon. But it looked like everyone else around them where going in. The sky was getting darker as well. How much time had the spent out here? She wasn't sure, but maybe it was time for dinner. She turned towards August. "Do you suppose we should go in? Maybe its dinner."

{{ Mine took forever to get up as well.}}

[August Reid R7]

The perfect light in which Belle had first taken the candid photo of August which started this whole episode was slowly fading. The thought crossed his mind that maybe they should go in for dinner. He wondered what they were going to have but he was positive that whatever it was, he would enjoy it. The house elves usually made a delicious meal. And August didn't use that term lightly! His mother's meals were hardly ever "delicious" and now that she had gone mad and the house elves, who had never cooked before, now cooked, the food was never as good as it should have been. It was one of those things that one has to give up when the main homemaker of the house loses his or her mind. That night was a complete blur to August. One minute his mother seemed to be angry, but in her right mind, and then the next she was... well she was the way she is now. Crazy.

It was nice to make a new friend. Over his years at Hogwarts, August's friends were few and far between. Most of the other male Ravenclaws in his year were distant and did not seem to be interested in making friends with him. Or anyone for that matter. They were weird. Besides, August always found it easier to get along with girls. However the girls in his year also seemed to be distant. Were Ravenclaws so interested in academics that they couldn't make friends? Was school so important that they couldn't have a social life? The only person that August really met and established some kind or relationship with was Anastasia Castlerock. And even then, they really only knew of each other. They occasionally acknowledged each other’s presence in class and the corridors. But nothing big. August had a feeling that he was going to be good friends with Belle. They had already had a connection. They were making each other laugh and now their friendship had an official name: “The Sydwes.” This was the first of many meetings of the Sydwes. August had a good feeling about it.

There was so much that August wanted to tell Belle. There was so much that August wanted to ask Belle. Like who was this Blake? What was her family like? Does she have any siblings and if so, did she get along with them? Jack and August got along for the most part. At least, they got on with each other when Jack was in a good mood. Which was rare. Bronsen on the other hand, August had always been close to. He seemed to be settling into his role as a Ravenclaw just fine. Bronsen was always a book geek and that fit his house very well. But there would be so much more time for them to talk. This was only their first get together after all! August was positive that this was the start of a beautiful relationship and he smiled when she suggested they go in for dinner. He stood up and brushed himself off. Then he held out his hand for her to take. The two of them headed toward the castle as the light slowly faded.