Post by Katherine Newcombe H4 on Mar 1, 2008 23:39:04 GMT
Even though she felt idealistic and naïve in thinking so, Katie thought that the day could not get any more beautiful. The flowers had started to burst forth, their petals exploding to reveal the brightest, most wonderful colours, and Katie began to laugh at the absurdity of her spirit. For years she had been lost in a cloud, and in the past few weeks it had deepened so that she couldn’t even seen the beauty in the most colourful flowers. Now, she couldn’t wait to explore the grounds around Hogwarts. Dancing excitedly, she plucked a flower that had prematurely bloomed, and stuck it behind her ear, twirling with unexplained joy. She didn’t understand why she suddenly felt so light and free, and she wasn’t going to question it. For once, she was going to dance around and not speculate as to whether anyone was watching or laughing.
The cold crept up slowly, and Katie acknowledged it grudgingly. She had learnt from past experiences that ignoring the cold was a terribly bad idea, so she began walking towards her dormitory. It was disappointing that she couldn’t continue to express how she felt in the only way she knew how, but she could always do it again tomorrow. Touching the flower she had put into her hair, she examined it with a careful eye. In her humble opinion, it was by far the most beautiful flower in the garden. The complexities of its colour, a shade or purple she had never seen, combined with the subtleties of its structure, kept her fascinated for minutes.
“Come little flower, you are mine,” she sang softly, clasping it safely in her hands. Everything about that moment in time compelled her to dance, and she could barely stop her feet from moving. Snow was kicked willingly into the sky, almost delighting in her happiness, as she ran around the mostly muddy yard. The snow was finally thawing. Normally, the sight would have her illogically thinking she would never see it again, but today she said farewell fondly, looking forward to when she could run in it again.
As she walked, Katie slowly realised that she knew why she was feeling this way. It wasn’t because she had found closure in her parents’ deaths, because she hadn’t, but because she had found freedom in a friendship. Or what she hoped would become a friendship. With the unlikeliest source, she had almost discovered her old self, and it excited her immensely. For too long she had suffered under what she had become, and now she felt like she could do anything. If she wanted to become who she once was, she could do it in an instant. She was even almost there. Katie watched the sun rise over the vast grounds, and could almost see her parents and sisters standing beside her; she was, for one moment, the Katie Newcombe of old, unaffected and unsuspicious. All her finer qualities were exaggerated once more, and she felt more comfortable then she had ever been. Nothing could touch her.
The sunlight fell delicately onto her skin, and Katie was awoken from her thoughts. Twisting the flower absentmindedly, she wondered what she should do. It was too early to go to class or have breakfast, and she wanted to remain outside as long as possible. Consumed with the innocence of a child, she began stepping through the mud playfully, giggling as she walked. Everything was strange, yet simply perfect. Edward was having a good effect on her. Katie paused. She hated to admit to herself that another person could achieve this effect; she had always treated signs of weakness as extremely detrimental, and anyone other than her making her feel this way was definitely a sign of weakness, but she couldn’t help it. He seemed so nice, and such a gentleman, that every time she thought of him she couldn’t help but smile. With the exception of Seth, another person she had been grateful for, no one had treated her with such gentleness. Katie grinned again. It was then that she heard a gentle rustling behind her, and she turned nervously. Her insecurities and shyness enveloped her once more, and Katie bit her lip to keep her from crying. She had worked so hard so that she never had to feel those emotions again; why was it, that with one strange noise, they could consume her once more? Shaking her head, she squared her shoulders and stood erect. If she could give herself one thing, it would be the knowledge that whoever was behind the trees and bushes wouldn’t know that they had scared her.
“Hello?” She called, hiding her fright behind fiery eyes. The rustling had ceased, but Katie knew that there was someone there. Whether they were intentionally being secretive, or were unaware of the effect they were having, she was unsure, but if the prior was true, she wasn’t going to let them get away with it. Katie had felt real fear, and she wasn’t going to waste it on a student playing a bad joke.
“I know you’re there, can you please come out?” She said, her resolve weakening slightly. A wind blew gently onto her face, and Katie felt herself shiver. Feeling desperate, she began to walk backwards, thousands of cruel voices whispering possibilities in her ear. It wasn’t until her third step back that she misjudged the distance between her foot and a rock, and felt herself slowly falling onto the ground. The mud splashed indignantly onto her robes and body, and she watched helplessly as her flower fell beside her. Her embarrassment overriding any sense of fear or timidity, she stood awkwardly and made her way towards the bushes.
“If you come out, I promise to fall into the mud again.”
The cold crept up slowly, and Katie acknowledged it grudgingly. She had learnt from past experiences that ignoring the cold was a terribly bad idea, so she began walking towards her dormitory. It was disappointing that she couldn’t continue to express how she felt in the only way she knew how, but she could always do it again tomorrow. Touching the flower she had put into her hair, she examined it with a careful eye. In her humble opinion, it was by far the most beautiful flower in the garden. The complexities of its colour, a shade or purple she had never seen, combined with the subtleties of its structure, kept her fascinated for minutes.
“Come little flower, you are mine,” she sang softly, clasping it safely in her hands. Everything about that moment in time compelled her to dance, and she could barely stop her feet from moving. Snow was kicked willingly into the sky, almost delighting in her happiness, as she ran around the mostly muddy yard. The snow was finally thawing. Normally, the sight would have her illogically thinking she would never see it again, but today she said farewell fondly, looking forward to when she could run in it again.
As she walked, Katie slowly realised that she knew why she was feeling this way. It wasn’t because she had found closure in her parents’ deaths, because she hadn’t, but because she had found freedom in a friendship. Or what she hoped would become a friendship. With the unlikeliest source, she had almost discovered her old self, and it excited her immensely. For too long she had suffered under what she had become, and now she felt like she could do anything. If she wanted to become who she once was, she could do it in an instant. She was even almost there. Katie watched the sun rise over the vast grounds, and could almost see her parents and sisters standing beside her; she was, for one moment, the Katie Newcombe of old, unaffected and unsuspicious. All her finer qualities were exaggerated once more, and she felt more comfortable then she had ever been. Nothing could touch her.
The sunlight fell delicately onto her skin, and Katie was awoken from her thoughts. Twisting the flower absentmindedly, she wondered what she should do. It was too early to go to class or have breakfast, and she wanted to remain outside as long as possible. Consumed with the innocence of a child, she began stepping through the mud playfully, giggling as she walked. Everything was strange, yet simply perfect. Edward was having a good effect on her. Katie paused. She hated to admit to herself that another person could achieve this effect; she had always treated signs of weakness as extremely detrimental, and anyone other than her making her feel this way was definitely a sign of weakness, but she couldn’t help it. He seemed so nice, and such a gentleman, that every time she thought of him she couldn’t help but smile. With the exception of Seth, another person she had been grateful for, no one had treated her with such gentleness. Katie grinned again. It was then that she heard a gentle rustling behind her, and she turned nervously. Her insecurities and shyness enveloped her once more, and Katie bit her lip to keep her from crying. She had worked so hard so that she never had to feel those emotions again; why was it, that with one strange noise, they could consume her once more? Shaking her head, she squared her shoulders and stood erect. If she could give herself one thing, it would be the knowledge that whoever was behind the trees and bushes wouldn’t know that they had scared her.
“Hello?” She called, hiding her fright behind fiery eyes. The rustling had ceased, but Katie knew that there was someone there. Whether they were intentionally being secretive, or were unaware of the effect they were having, she was unsure, but if the prior was true, she wasn’t going to let them get away with it. Katie had felt real fear, and she wasn’t going to waste it on a student playing a bad joke.
“I know you’re there, can you please come out?” She said, her resolve weakening slightly. A wind blew gently onto her face, and Katie felt herself shiver. Feeling desperate, she began to walk backwards, thousands of cruel voices whispering possibilities in her ear. It wasn’t until her third step back that she misjudged the distance between her foot and a rock, and felt herself slowly falling onto the ground. The mud splashed indignantly onto her robes and body, and she watched helplessly as her flower fell beside her. Her embarrassment overriding any sense of fear or timidity, she stood awkwardly and made her way towards the bushes.
“If you come out, I promise to fall into the mud again.”
