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Post by Brindle Sterling on May 21, 2009 20:21:32 GMT -5
Brindle was looking forward to the end of term and going home. She was sure she'd get to hear her father do plenty of grumbling and likely catch her mother with a handkerchief a lot, but she had friends there, and things to do. There was no getting used to the small-town mentality of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Everyone knew each other, knew all the history, and they already had their tightly knit groups. She had her brother, and occasionally Silver. There were a couple other girls she talked to, but that was it. They'd talk sometimes. She was so bored!
Her Martial Arts kept her busy for a chunk of every day, which was likely why she was still progressing so quickly. She practiced more than the recommended time instead of whenever she felt like it. But Martial Arts and homework weren't enough. She missed having a social life, and when she went home for the summer, she'd have one again. It was weird to think that Markise wouldn't be there. Well, he'd have to stop by at some point, but she couldn't see him making special trips.
Yes, she was bored, so today, instead of finding a spot by the lake to practice, she was weaving her way through the trees just past the edge of the forest. At least there was something new to look at.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 21, 2009 20:35:39 GMT -5
Michael had only had a few minutes with Dare today before Dare had to leave, so he had plenty of time before his next class to go out and enjoy being able to be outside for once. He wasn't deep in the forest when he heard the rustling of branches and trees that said someone else was there. There was a moment of surprise when his hand didn't immediately go after his wand, and then he paused close to a tree to see who it was, since it sounded like their paths were going to cross.
When he saw who it was, a small smile pulled at his lips, strange considering how up and down his life had been the last few months. Today, though, he was in a good mood, so he didn't hide the little smile when he recognized Brindle. "Hello, Brindle," he said. He really didn't know her very well, they had only really talked once, but he had nothing against her.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on May 21, 2009 20:48:33 GMT -5
Brindle's wand was out, though it lowered when she recognized Michael. A relieved smile curved her lips, and she slid her wand back into the hidden pocket that ran along her thigh. "Hey, Michael," she returned. She couldn't help thinking of the stupid rumors going around, but she wasn't about to bring them up. From what Markise had told her the last time she'd seen him, it was all blown so out of proportion that it might as well have been made up. "How you doin'?"
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 21, 2009 20:52:52 GMT -5
"I'm pretty good today, actually," Michael said, his smile widening. He didn't have the opportunity to say that very often anymore, and not just because he never saw anyone that cared enough to ask. He wondered briefly what she knew, but he didn't want to dwell on that right now. "How about you?" He wasn't used to conversation with anyone but Dare anymore, but he could admit that it was very good to see someone else.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on May 22, 2009 7:50:25 GMT -5
"Mas o menos," she answered. "So-so. I can't wait for summer. Oh! I got the invitation. If I can find a place to stay that my parents will okay, I'd love to come." Her bright blue eyes dimmed slightly as she looked at Michael. "Did you know Markise is leaving? As soon as term ends?" Otherwise she'd have invited herself to stay in his shop. But he wasn't going to be there. Not for the summer at least.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 22, 2009 12:26:53 GMT -5
Michael was halfway through getting ready to say that he really hoped she could come when Brindle said that Markise wasn't going to be there. His eyebrows came together, "Why is he leaving?" he asked. It wasn't like Markise didn't have anywhere to stay, he had a shop in Diagon Alley, didn't he? Michael was sure that if Markise left then he wouldn't be able to come back such a distance for a couple of days for the ceremony.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on May 22, 2009 12:50:57 GMT -5
Brindle shrugged. I don't know, I didn't hear it from him," she said. "He wrote Mama asking for her to find him a cheap apartment to move into when term ends and she wrote me asking why he wasn't coming home. I haven't seen him in a couple weeks. Do you know what he's up to?" She would have thought he did, but Michael's question told her that he might not know after all. Maybe Dare knew?
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 22, 2009 12:58:06 GMT -5
Michael tilted his head and then shook his head, "No, I haven't seen him in a while." Not since he had been in the guest bedroom. "And Dare hasn't said anything." He looked out towards where he was headed, thinking. Then, he said, "I was going to a little spot I know of, do you want to come?" he asked. He had been going to the same place he had brought Dare, but he knew of another, smaller area were a large tree's roots made a cozy little spot.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on May 22, 2009 13:04:27 GMT -5
Brindle glanced back over her shoulder from the way she'd come. "How likely are we to get caught?" she asked, turning back to Michael. She was comfortable enough with him, since Dare trusted him and anything her brother said was sour grapes, but if her parents found out she'd wandered into the Forbidden Forest without a member of the faculty, she'd be hearing about it for weeks.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 22, 2009 13:06:59 GMT -5
"I've never gotten caught," Michael said, shrugging. "And I've only ever ran into trouble in here once or twice." And those instances had been with people, not with anything in the forest itself. He felt safe in the forest. "I think we'll be fine, most of the professors never even leave their offices. And the prefects are just as likely to be in here as we are."
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Post by Brindle Sterling on May 22, 2009 13:12:57 GMT -5
Brindle's brows rose a bit at the last, but he'd taken care of her concerns, so she shrugged and gestured into the forest. "Lead on," she said. If he'd been at Hogwarts as long as she thought he had and there was that little trouble, then she may as well. Especially if the prefects were doing the same thing. She'd heard some things about the Head Boy, but then, she'd heard a lot of things. And her brother had told her how much crap they were. "So how's Dare doing?" she asked.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 22, 2009 13:22:54 GMT -5
Michael started forward, slightly altering his course and being sure to go slow enough to keep Brindle aware of the little holes and roots everywhere on the floor. He glanced over at Brindle's question, then dropped his eyes. "He's doing okay," he said, somewhat unsure what was appropriate to tell her. And he wasn't even sure how he could answer for Dare right now.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on May 22, 2009 13:30:24 GMT -5
"That okay doesn't sound good," she said. Her mind went back to the rumors and what Markise had told her, and she wondered if he'd watered it down for her. And if so, how much? "There's a huge difference between what was in the Daily Prophet and what Markise told me," she pointed out, wordlessly asking if he'd at least give her an idea, even if he didn't read the paper.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 22, 2009 13:52:30 GMT -5
Michael shook his head, "It's just been a rough few months for us." What had Markise told her? He wasn't at all sure what was appropriate, so he told himself he would just answer the questions with as little detail as he could. "Here we are," he said when they came up to the large tree. He settled in against the roots and gestured for her to do the same. There was plenty of room for her there.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on May 22, 2009 13:58:02 GMT -5
Brindle looked at Michael suspiciously as she sat cross-legged in a comfortable nook. "I'm not a first-year," she pointed out. "I like to know how my friends are doing, even if its scawy." She couldn't help the annoyance in that last slightly-mocking word. She just didn't understand what men's deal with protecting females was. She didn't at all subscribe to the weaker sex theory.
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