A much needed walk -O P E N-

[Reina Milán]

Reina had been wandering the streets of Hogsmeade. She had been at the castle for only a day and she found the cabinets lacking. They had no books to start off and she needed some personal items to keep her entertained.

She still had a long way to go and it was a pain that the snow made it harder to move. She gave up on melting the snow ages ago, it was too much work. Reina loved taking walks, and visiting a bookstore was much better than ordering. Somehow she preferred seeing the books rather then just asking the bookstore keeper for a list of Mythology books. "Tengo mejores cosas para hacer..." she muttered in her native tongue of Spanish. Her voice was laced with menace and disdain, but she sucked up her pride and continued her walk, perhaps she could treat herself later by going to the jewelry store, she heard the young man owning it had fine stuff and if it was worth looking at, she might walk away buying something.

Translation: I have better things to do

[Katia Medina]

Katia had much time to get out of the castle lately, between students, and patients it seemed like her days were always full, with in reflection was alright, then she didn't have to think about the letters that she had been receiving from home. She'd been walking with the intention of stopping at Eros's shop again for her monthly shipment of treats to stock the hospital wing with, when she saw a head that was vaguely familiar.

Katia's eyes narrowed in disbelief, Reina? Altering her pathways Katia headed over to the other woman, "Reina Milán mi viejo amigo?" Reina Milan, my oldest friend? she asked in her native tongue. She didn't think it could possibly be Reina, the last she'd known Reina was back in Spain, but to end up at Hogwarts a mere semester after she had?

[Reina Milán]

Reina hadn’t got too far before the sound of another person’s voice met her. At first, she believed it to be her own head playing, but when she turned her head did she see her old friend Katia. It took her a moment to process that they were not in Spain. Reina had heard many rumors about Katia leaving Spain, but she never knew her friend ended up here of all places.

Reina responded to Katia in a voice that was full of surprise and excitement, of all the people to find in this part of Europe it had been her longtime friend. “Katia Medina, Hace mucho tiempo que no hablamos.” Whatever feeling she had moments before was completely replaced with a sense of comfort and nostalgia. She tilted her head to the side with one brow raised questioningly. What was Katia doing here? Her question was not asked in her native tongue of Spanish, but in English. Reina could speak English fluently, but she felt like it was best to practice a second language and master it in every way. “What are you doing here? ¡España fue impar sin tu!" she had lapsed into Spanish, but she supposed it was expected when such a familiar person was around.

Translation 1: It has been a long time since we talked
Translation 2: Spain was odd without you

[Katia Medina]

It had been some time since she had the chance to talk to Reina, in fact the day she had received approval for this exploit had been the day she had left, no word to the fashionable world. Katia shrugged nonchalantly, "Father finally agreed to give me a few years on my own." She had chosen to pursue a career in potions, all the while assuring Father that it was so she could how the family afloat should anything untoward happen.

It had not taken much, Father was ever wrapped around the fingers of his wife and daughter, the stipulation however had been his control. The stipulation the Reina had never had, and that would one day bring the ruin of Katia's personality. The spoiled wife of an aristocrat she was not destined to be in many ways, and in others, she was fated to it.

[Reina Milán]

Reina knew much about the Medina family and the fact that there was some sort of falling out between the father and daughter. It sometimes made Reina feel somewhat sympathetic towards the situation Katia was in.

Reina herself didn't have as many restrictions. She knew very well that if she acted like a proper women and didn't do anything to destroy the families name then she could do everything at her own pace. With a slight arch of her brow "How long until those years have terminado." she didn't say it in an offensive way, but more as a challenge. They had always been like this, good friends but rivals at the same time. Reina knew that she had no restrictions, but with a sense of curiosity, she wondered how long this freedom was allowed to last.

terminado: finished/done

[Katia Medina]

Katia almost winced at the question, but Reina would want to know, and she would find a way to get the information, one way or another. "There is no telling. Whenever father feels it necessary to pull me back. It could be a few years, it could be in a week," depending on his mood, depending on the social dispositions. There were many reasons that a woman could be needed, and Father wasn't above demanding her presence for them.

As of yet her time here had not been interrupted, and she would be happy while that lasted. Although letters from home proved that mother wasn't doing as well, and given the connection between the two she wondered if there would be a quick summons, and then excuses as to why she could not remain in her position on Hogwarts.

[Reina Milán]

Reina had tilted her head to the side, that little piece of information stored in the corners of her mind. Still, there was a slight sympathetic look on her face. Clapping her hands together, Reina felt it necessary to move on to less 'depressing' topics, well depressing for her friend anyways. "What have you been up to here then my dear? I cannot imagine you as a person working in one of these shops." with a slight motion of her hand, it was obvious that Reina couldn't even imagine Katia as a shop owner. She was a Medina, things didn't work like that for them.

[Katia Medina]

A store, she thought, that was mildly laughable, she also couldn't see Father agreeing to that. At least the position she held on campus was one of respect and skill. "Currently I am teaching potions and staffing the nursing quarters, although I was just hired for the nursing position." She could understand that, skill and drive were required for the position, but it was legitimate, respected to work in the halls that Potter and Dumbledore once inhabited. "And you? I am surprised to find you here as well."

[Reina Milán]

Reina wasn't surprised. It was the only logical reason she could think of. Reina faintly tried to picture Katia taking care of a younger student looking gentle and friendly, but all it did was amuse her... it looked odd. "How fun, dealing with children and their snotty little noses." there was an obvious hint of disgust in her tone, she disliked children who were not taught to behave well.

The question made Reina flash her friend a smirk. "Well, with you gone and all the men directing their attention on me, I got bored of being in the spotlight and thought I would follow in your footsteps and leave Spain for sometime. Father thought it was a good idea that I try and show that I can live in the 'real world' alone." of course her father was sending her as much gold as she needed, but being away from home made getting the things she needed harder. "We are colleagues, I'm teaching the Mythology class. Of course not that I have more than one student." in her time, students had so much respect for myth's, but now no one seemed to care, it almost saddened her to know that they didn't take the time to go to an easy going class. "You should introduce me to your friends Katia, you wouldn't want me to be lonely here in a native country." her Spanish accent was exaggerated as she spoke, there was a slight pout on her lips.

[Katia Medina]

The similarities between Reina's statement, and one that she had heard at least a couple of times from Eros did not pass her by. She inwardly shuddered when Reina had asked to meet her friends, there was Dahlia and perhaps Eros. She had made an irreparable mistake, and she had not wanted to try Eros again until she had time to regroup. Unfortunately Reina would know if she was holding back, and she had spent more time with Eros than with anyone else. Katia nodded though, for the sake of avoiding information that could be taken back to her father or to Spain she agreed. "I have a few friends that I could introduce to you." If Eros would behave, Dahlia would probably be more than willing. "I would have to clear the way first of course."

[Reina Milán]

Reina was easily pleased; she clapped her hands together in finality. “Then it is settled. I get to meet your friends.” she hadn’t noticed the fact that Katia said this with a tad bit of discomfort; she was too busy looking around the place trying to remember where each store was. Reina turned to Katia. “Any thing else here that’s more interesting than a book store?” she asked curiously. Some of the stores were not of any interest to her and so her eyes skipped on to the next one.

[Katia Medina]

There was a sigh of relief in her mind as they moved on, "well one of my friends" and the term she thought might not apply, "owns the candy shop. But I will need to talk to him before a proper introduction. After all, he is a proper society gentleman." To proper sometimes she thought, especially since this was her chance to live...or had been. Now that Reina was here, well she felt obligated to perform on par with a society girl, whether Reina knew the true her or not, society had come back to her. Katia sighed, "other than that Hogwarts has been rather dull this term."

[Reina Milán]

Reina mentally rolled her eyes, another society person; when she heard the 'him' part her brow rose just a bit. The idea that Katia may be mingling with a male interested Reina, she was curious as to who this man may be. Reina wasn't the type to really care much about people’s affairs or what it was she did. She had a policy to keep her nose out of people’s businesses while others did the curtsey of doing the same; however this little piece of information did intrigue her. “A man of proper society…” her words were almost a verbal echo of her thoughts.

Reina brushed her hair from her face and her mind went to Spain. Much like Katia; Reina was from one of the highest classes of Purebred wizards, but her slight freedom sometimes baffled people. Her father was a man who understood that caging a person only strengthened their need to rebel and so he had permitted her the chance to live in the outside a bit. Turning her head slightly to Katia, she almost felt a pang of guilt all those times she may have teased her friend for her misfortunes. Still, she supposed she was at least lucky to get out of Spain; Reina still was puzzled as to how Katia convinced her own father.

Reina barely heard the last thing Katia said and she had to quickly gather her thoughts before finally responding. “Well if you wanted fun you can always leave Hogwarts secretly and go on a trip somewhere.” Reina would even do that herself if it wasn’t for the fact that her father addressed his letters to the school; that and the idea that maybe he had people watching her… not that she cared.

[Katia Medina]

A small genuine laugh bubbled up at that thought, going somewhere else seemed like a dream, but she loved her job here. It was at the very least a small slice of haven from the tedium of court and paying court to men of substance and stature. "Ah, were that an option I would surely have booked a one way trip to wherever that far off land lies." Secretively was not possible, if she skipped town, Father would surely know, and beyond Father, society would likely as well. There was only so many moves a person could make, before society began to wonder at the purpose.

[Reina Milán]

Reina smiled at the small laugh, it was moments like these when she was grateful for having a friend to talk to, moments where she could enjoy the sound of laughter, Reina even found herself joining in. "There isn't a place far enough from the higher society." Reina wasn't really a rebel, she was given the freedom and didn't need to fight for it. The prospect of getting married and having children wasn't that bad, it might even be nice to have children of your own and an adoring husband, as long as she married whoever he was on her own terms; not based on class and wealth. The best part was that her father was letting her choose when it was time and she was okay with that.