Story Time? (Open)

[christian]

The Hogwarts School library, located on the fourth floor, was not always the best place if you want to have a light chat or a group study session. Lots of students were normally there, but you hardly see them in groups. They normally went there on their own, armed with rolls of parchment and heavy books, trying to seek solace and a period of concentration in finishing their respective school work. But today, the library was as quiet as ever. There were no students occupying the tables and the librarian just sat on her seat, looking bored upon realizing that the normal crowd chose not to show up. She thought that maybe the students were having some sort of weekend escapade and chose not to show themselves there for a change.

This unusual scene in the library was then witnessed by a normally rare visitor to this establishment, Christian Rosier. By rare visitor, this meant that he only managed to visit the library for a record of once every school year. Today was his second visit and when he arrived, he could not help but be surprised at how empty and deserted it was. Normally, when he passes by the library to wait for Vasilisa, he would usually see it teeming with students, either doing light reading or studying. When he entered the almost dim room, the librarian regarded him with a look of genuine surprise. He merely smiled at her and gestured to the shelves. He knew that the librarian was aware of his infrequent, almost rare visits.

Christian then went from one shelf to another, scanning the titles, trying to find a good book to read. Truth be told, he was not a voracious reader, unlike his girlfriend Vasilisa. In fact, it was always she who would encourage him to read books. He could stand reading his required textbooks but no matter how hard he tried, he never managed to finish a single book for leisure reading, for he always gets bored halfway through. Finally, after a few minutes, he managed to locate it. He pulled the book out of its place on the shelf and looked at it. It was entitled Mythical Beasts: A Compilation and the author's name got erased, probably due to the fact that the book was a little old. With the book on hand, he then started to walk back to where the tables were but his peripheral vision managed to locate a hidden one near the last shelf from his right. He then strode over to the said table and sat down.

He opened the book and found that the first chapter was about dragons, its different breeds and how powerful they were in the wizarding world. He then found himself deeply engrossed in the book that he hardly noticed the sound of someone's footsteps approaching his position. It was a good thing he was perceptive though. Within seconds, Christian managed to slip a torn up piece of parchment on the page where he left off and focused his gaze on the approaching figure. Since the room was pretty dim, he could not tell whether it was the librarian or a student who was about to approach him.

[miranda]

It was four in the afternoon on a fine day and she, Miranda Wylie Lynn Salvatore, was gallivanting around the school in her yellow knee-length pleated skirt and light pink sweater the way she always did… like a ghost who did nothing but daydream of what life could be in the future or in the present or what it had been like in the past. As the fourth year Hufflepuff passed by the courtyard, she saw how solemn it was without students and professors alike. She even found herself pausing for a while just to take in its classic beauty. From the clock’s bronze pendulum, to the stone benches, to the walkway that led out of the always magnificient castle that was her school, her dark brown eyes moved.

Apparently, once again, she had a different idea of a fun weekend from the rest of the school for everyone was now out and doing their thing at Hogsmeade while she hang around the school. But, that thought did not bother her. Not even a tiny bit. She liked doing her own thing even if it set her apart from the rest. Why go with the flow if you didn’t like the flow in the first place? A century could have passed and she wouldn’t have noticed as she continued to absently walk around the school. The young Hufflepuff, however, felt surprised when she found herself in front of the library’s entrance.

Pushing the double wooden doors, Miranda stepped in to a very peaceful library and grinned. Her brown eyes scanned the place carefully as the double doors closed automatically behind her. She couldn’t be happier when she found that no one was there. It meant she would be able to read in peace. Through her peripheral, she noticed how groggy and lazy the librarian was and Miranda almost found herself laughing when she heard the librarian’s pen fall out of his hand. Miranda got a grip and happily made her way to the most entertaining, no the only entertaining part of the library, the fiction section.

The area, like she suspected was deserted. Although she could not see the far end of the shelves due to the poor lighting, she shrugged and literally danced her way in between her two of her most favourite shelves in the Hogwarts library. The girl danced, and skipped and jumped as she read the titles of the books she passed by. Then suddenly, she felt like singing and sang the first song that came to mind like she was a singer on stage on one of her concerts. “I like to bite my nails and play the air guitar. I like to keep my suitcase packed cause I’m going far… I may seem crazy but don’t worry I’m just fi-“ The girl’s sweet voice trailed off, her hands fell to the sides and she went perfectly still when she realized that she had company and she only realized this after at least three minutes of pirouetting gracefully and singing in front of him. As she stared at the student, who was within arms length, she felt her cheeks grow hotter and hotter by the second. “Hey,” She smiled shyly, looking up at him before fidgeting.

[christian]

Christian stared wide-eyed at the newcomer, his face showing a mix of amusement and surprise. It seemed that the student was apparently unaware that the library was supposed to be a sanctuary of silence and concentration. He was about to tell her off for making such a fuss when he suddenly remembered two things: one, the place where he was now was very far from the librarian's desk and two, there were literally no students inside, just him and the newcomer. And he had to admit, she had a pretty good voice for singing and the way she moved with grace and flexibility made him look at her much longer than intended.

He then shook his head vigorously when he suddenly thought of Vasilisa because for a moment there, the newcomer seemed to have caught his full attention. However, he had to stop for the mere thought of her bothered him a lot more than ever. Christian's thoughts went back to the time when he saw the nonverbal communication that transpired between her and Magnus Tarus, whom he later found out to be a skilled legilimens. And that made him scared for the first time, even more than the time he fought the murderer. He knew that such kind of communication conveyed more than what meets the eye and that was precisely the thing that made him scared, for he had no such skills of his own. He then wondered to himself what were they exactly talking about.

Detaching himself from these horrible thoughts, he contented himself looking at the girl doing her performance when suddenly, she seemed to be aware now of his presence. Her voice faded into thin air and she went perfectly still as soon as she was able to see him. Deep inside, Christian was sorry to see her stop for he was utterly captivated by her. She seemed to be a really talented student, however, she did not seem like a familiar figure he sees inside the castle. In fact, it was his first time seeing her and he wondered which House she belonged to. When she greeted him shyly, his curiosity was piqued more than ever. He then rose up from his seat and went near to where she was. "Hey, you are really a talented lady," he said in response, regarding her with a curious look. He then extended his left hand to her. "It's a good thing there aren't any people present today though. However, I still consider myself lucky for having seen you perform. I'm Christian Rosier by the way. From what House are you?" he asked, sounding very curious.

[miranda]

Miranda still could not believe that she ‘air guitar-ed’, sang and danced in the library like that. And, just her luck, someone had to be present and see what she just did. And that someone just had to be a boy. If it had been some girl, she would have handled it… definitely not flawless well but way better than she was handling it now. Why did she act like that again? It was crazy. The boy probably thought she lost it. Maybe I’m insane. Miranda thought to herself as she continued to stare at the spot on the floor and looked captivated by it at the moment.

When she heard his footsteps, she felt her face heat up even more, if that was even humanly possible. The few steps he took seemed to have taken years in her point of view. As she waited, she could not help but brace herself for some sort of verbal abuse or a ‘boo’ or even laughter. She knew she did not suck at performing but she never had any formal training so she would not consider herself good either. Her shy nature never let her have the chance to go up on stage and perform. But when he spoke, her anxiety was gone in an instant and relief flooded her features. She regained what was left of her confidence and was able to look up at him. “Wooow. I mean, thank you. I was just surprised that you think that since I’m not a performer or anything.” She said in surprise, eyeing the boy finally. “Yup. I was lucky no one’s here. Well at least you are the only one here and you said you liked it.” She smiled through her nervousness. For a moment, she struggled to think of something to say. Why was the one in the library that day had to be a boy, again?

“It’s nice to meet you, Christian. I’m from Hufflepuff.” She said, as she shook his hand gingerly, a smile on her face. Despite her shy nature, she likes meeting people. As she continued to gaze at him, she realized how familiar he looked. But, then again, she was not good with names and faces. She barely remembered everyone’s face. She only recalls the faces of the people she regularly talk to. “I think you are in some of my classes… You’re in fourth year, aren’t you?” She asked after a few moments of silence, trying to start a conversation. “I’m Miranda Salvatore, by the way. I’m sorry for the late introduction.” She hurriedly added, her face sheepish.

[christian]

When Miranda shook his hand, Christian felt the warmth of her hand on his. He then mentally shook his head, for he realized that he should not be thinking such thoughts. He already has a girlfriend and he had sworn to be always loyal to her, no matter what happens. Despite the fact that there seemed to be something going on with Vasilisa and Magnus, he deliberately suppressed his feelings of anger and desperation for he did not want to antagonize their relationship with such petty thoughts. His thoughts then went back to the girl right in front of her and realized that the moment he laid his eyes on her, it was like betraying Vasilisa, though indirectly. However, he could not even understand why he had to think like that, having just met her once.

“Oh, you’re from Hufflepuff then,” he then said in response, smiling at her. “I’m from Slytherin by the way. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miranda,” he added as he shook her hand a little more vigorously than intended. “Yes, we are from the same year. I guess we do have the same classes, but honestly, it’s the first time I have actually seen you. Are you not always that sociable?” he then asked curiosity evident in his voice. It seemed to him that she was actually the type of student who would sit at the back of the class, unnoticed by everyone. “You are really good in singing and dancing. I wouldn’t quite believe you if you said that you aren’t the performing type,” he then commented, remembering the breathtaking performance he had just witnessed. If she hadn’t told him that she was not exactly a performer, he would have easily believed that she was doing it all her life. “I have never heard of that song though. I’m not really exactly into music, I’m tired of having to listen to my father play on his piano,” he then said, trying to rack his brains regarding when he first encountered that song aside from what happened recently. After a few seconds though, he gave up, knowing that music isn’t really exactly his interest.

His eyes then scanned the room, checking if there were already people present. When he was sure that no one else was there, he looked at the book he was reading and realized that he wanted to finish it during his stay in the library. He then wondered as to whether she came to the library to study or read something. “You know, this is only my second time visiting the library. I only get to be here only once a year and yes, it’s really rare for me to be here two times,” he began, gazing into her face, trying to gauge her expression. Every time he mentions this to anyone, he would always get rewarded with appalled looks from the listener. “Did you came here to study or to read a good book?” he then asked, curious all of a sudden. He then went over to the other side of the table to pull a chair for her. “You should sit down, you’re looking all flustered,” he said, his voice filled with concern.

[miranda]

Miranda regarded the boy a little more comfortably as he spoke. He was type three, she decided. Which was good for if he had been type two or four… she knew she would have been buried in shame right by then. By the way, if you’re wondering what the hell was the invisible girl talking about just a moment ago, you’ve got to sit back and continue reading this paragraph. Type I is where all nice and not annoying gay or not too boyish boys get classified to. Most of them actually proved to be friendly and nice to Miranda and Miranda loves them dearly. Type II is where annoying gay boys that pissed Miranda off get sorted into. They all proved to be more girly that Miranda and it irked her to see or talk to them. Type III is where the members of the opposite gender who seemed to be the nicest and the easiest to talk to get to be place. Type IV is where all boys who were mean and evil to anyone are sorted into. And lastly, type V is where the members of the opposite sex who just ‘never’ see her belonged. This is where most boys belonged to for Miranda was an invisible girl and up to that time, she still had no idea why, exactly.

Miranda smiled, feeling her confidence grow as he spoke. Definitely type III… She had to stifle a chuckle as he shook her hand a little bit too vigorous that he shaking her tiny frame. If the words he had been uttering had been unfriendly, she would have thought he was trying to detach her arm by shaking it. She almost cracked up at her thoughts, luckily she managed to suppress it and ended up grinning at him widely instead. “Oh. Well, honestly, I’d be surprised if you claimed to have seen me. I don’t talk much in class. I don’t recite unless I’m called. In other words, I just don’t like drawing attention to myself. And since that’s the case, people rarely noticed me. It’s not like I’m remarkable or something since I do nothing much.” Miranda explained, her gaze on Christian’s face as she wondered if he’d understand for he did not seem to be as antisocial as her. In fact, he looked like he was a socialite. “So, what are you doing here, cooked up in the library, when you can be with your friends at Hogsmeade?” Miranda asked, a hint of curiosity on her face. “And don’t tell me you’re just as invisible as me. I know every invisible person in school and I’m pretty sure you aren’t one of them.” Miranda added as an afterthought.

Miranda may be shy but she knew how to handle compliments so when he repeated it, this time, she just nodded, thanked him politely and smiled. It still felt too good to be true. She got a compliment after one random, as in not choreographed, weird Miranda episode. “Oh, I just heard that song this morning. I don’t even know the title or the artist. The uniqueness of the lyrics just got to me.” She paused and smiled, as she tried to remember the song’s chorus. “The piano is awesome but after sometime of listening to it alone, I would have to say it gets boring.” She added casually, feeling more comfortable to talk to him already. When he revealed that he was not a frequent visitor of the library, she merely nodded and smiled. “That’s understandable. Not all people want to be surrounded by books after class hours. I, for one, just go here to borrow fiction books. I’m not into text books. They bore me.” She said as she eyed the books beside her. “A Vampire’s Conscience…. Interesting.” She said absently and picked it up, looked at the cover, and turned it over before starting to read the synopsis at the back… which turned out to be a picture of an open mouth filled with a perfect set of vampire teeth and nothing else. She pouted for a second or two before placing it back on the shelf with slumped shoulders. Just then he offered her a chair, she could not help but take the offer. “Thank you.” She said simply as she took her seat. “That’s not a textbook, is it?” She smirked, as she gestured toward the book that rested on the table.

[christian]

As Christian shook her hand a little more vigorously than he intended, his mind was filled with insatiable curiosity about Miranda. His suspicion was right, she was the type of student who seemed pretty much invisible in classes and does not like to draw attention to herself. He could just not understand why he was suddenly became interested in her; maybe it was because since he was always with Vasilisa most of the time, he did not have any time to look or even notice other girls and she was actually the first other girl he had laid his eyes on. He was about to open his mouth to speak when she suddenly spoke up to answer his previous question. As he listened to her, he realized that everything made sense now. She was indeed one of the so-called “Invisible” students. “Oh I see,” he said after she finished speaking. “Well you certainly don’t want to be noticed though. You seemed to be the avoidant type,” he added, upon assessment of her earlier statement and his own assumptions. “There’s nothing wrong with being like that, don’t worry. But I guess you should learn to mingle more for there are people actually waiting to get to know you more,” he then said, smiling at her.

When she asked him about what he was doing in the library when in fact, he can be in Hogsmeade with his friends; he merely smiled and placed his hands at the back of his head. Honestly, he did not really know how he would answer her question; what he was about to say was precisely the reason why he was in the library in the first place. After the fateful meeting between him and Vasilisa, which was marred by the appearance of Magnus, he sulked in his room for hours, with no energy to even get out of bed and go to dinner. When his roommates went in and asked him if he wanted to go to Hogsmeade the next day, he gave them all a look of pure agony and did not answer, making them think that he was angry and did not want to be disturbed. The next morning, he woke up and found all of his roommates gone for the weekend at Hogsmeade. Since he was bored and did not feel like talking to anyone, he fixed himself up, took his breakfast and went to the library, the last place he will ever find himself in. “Uhm you see, I was really bored and my roommates went to Hogsmeade by themselves without me so I decided to unwind a little and found myself standing in front of the library doors,” he answered, careful not to include any other detail that might incriminate him. “How about you? For sure you have plenty of things to do in Hogsmeade,” he then asked, looking really curious once again. He then laughed when she commented that he did not look like he was an invisible type. “Oh you’re wrong. I’m not really that sociable, just with a few select people at least,” he then answered, looking sheepish.

He then listened to her talk about the song she just sang and he realized that it was a new song so of course he would not know it. He then made a mental note to update himself with the latest songs so as to not feel very much left out. When she said that textbooks bored her, he smiled at her, trying not to laugh. They were literal opposites regarding that one. “You know, I would actually prefer reading my textbooks than fiction books. I mean, I was not really the type who would actually read fiction books for I am not the type who gets interested in something not true,” he then said in response. He then watched her when she picked up a book that was beside her and he could not help but stifle a laugh when she pouted and took the book back on the shelf. He was glad when she took her seat on the chair he drawn up for her and regarded her with a look of amusement when she gestured towards the book he was reading and asked him if it was not a textbook. He then picked up the book and opened it to the page where he left off, removing the piece of parchment that served as a bookmark. “Well, yes it’s not a textbook. This book is a compilation of stories about different mythical creatures that existed in our world,” he answered, focusing his eyes on her.

[miranda]

Miranda nodded when he mentioned the words: avoidant type. It was true. She had always been the avoidant type of person ever since she could remember. She normally didn’t come to people. People came to talk to her. She automatically psychologises them and by the end of a brief meeting, or sometimes even at first glance or an exchange of greetings, she knew what their places would be in her life. Most people ended up as a permanent face in the crowd for it was rare for her to find a person of the same wavelength. Yes Miranda was adaptable, but she preferred to stay within the limits of her flexible personality. “I know what you mean. More than a couple of people wrote me a letter about how I should talk and mingle more. They said they’d love to get to know me, be my friend. But, unfortunately, I never gave them the chance mainly because I’m shy…” She sighed and lowered her gaze. “That’s why I was so sad when I heard one of them died an untimely dead after an accident.” She added, a mixture of sorrow and regret tinged her voice.

Miranda watched him for a while and smiled back when she found him smiling. She was still grateful that he liked her random weird episode. She could not even bring herself to imagine how their encounter would have been if his views had been the exact opposite of his opinion now. When she realized he was taking quite a while to reply, she wanted to take the question back. Maybe it was too personal for him to answer… but, he already answered before she had the chance to do so. “Oh. That’s unfortunate.” Miranda frowned for a while before adding. “But I understand how you ended up here. I, for one, just allowed my feet to take me where they wanted to go. Sometimes they are the boss of me.” Miranda chuckled softly and shook her head at how random she sounded. But, it was true. “Nah, normally I just stay in the castle whenever Hogsmeade weekend comes around. I prefer Hogsmeade not crowded… I prefer going there during other weekends.” Miranda explained and found herself smiling at his next words. “Ah, well then we are both semi-permeable people then.” She gave him an approving look and thumb up. “But you still are more of a social butterfly than me.” She added with a grin.

Upon hearing his views on fiction books, she straightened up in her chair and laughed. “You are one serious individual.” She commented laughing. “Well not one hundred percent serious since you appreciated my um… random actions a while ago. But still. Really? You want to read books about reality while living in the real world?” She smirked at him, as she returned her cheek on her palm. “Your realism is amusing, Christian. It’s understandable but I’m still amused.” She smiled at him, sincerely amused. Miranda pulled her chair closer to the library table before leaning on the back of the seat and crossing her legs. “It’s quite toasty in here. I guess summer is nearing.” She commented out of the blue, placed her elbow on the desk and her cheek on her palm as she listened to him speak of the book. “I see. So you like magical creatures?” Miranda inquired, her tone as quizzical as her face.

[christian]

Christian merely looked at Miranda, apparently not surprised when she nodded to affirm his statement. He was right in confirming that she was indeed the avoidant type of person. He stated it as such so as not to confuse it with being antisocial. He knew that being antisocial was a different story for it meant being in constant trouble with authorities and manipulating people to do things that they do not want. Deep inside, he could only think of two people whose personalities are of this type: Peter the Ripper and most recently, Magnus Tarus, although he still does not know why he classified him as such. All he knows is that he was definitely someone dangerous and he had to be careful. He was then shaken from his reverie when Miranda began to explain herself about what he had just said earlier. When she mentioned that one of those people who wrote her a letter died an untimely death, he could not help but feel sorry for her. “I see. That is indeed unfortunate. May his or her soul rest in peace,” he then replied, looking glum. For some strange reason, he could feel her sadness and strangely, he felt sad also although there was no way he’d be emotionally attached to the person who died.

Looking back at the memory, Christian realized that he was fortunate that he actually found himself in front of the library doors. For one, he managed to gain a moment of solitude and in the process, a new acquaintance. He knew that he could still not call her his friend for after all, they have just met. However, there was something about her that was making him seem attached to her for some reason at all. Maybe it was because of her easy-going personality that made him put at ease. All he knew was she was only the second girl besides Vasilisa who made him feel that way...then he auspiciously shook his head in exasperation. He did not know what he was thinking at that time. Why did he have to think of such thoughts? He looked down in shame, apparently very guilty. Good thing he managed to look up just time to listen to what she had to say. He merely smiled and reclined slightly on his seat, his hands on the back of his head. “Well I guess we are really semi-permeable people,” he sighed in agreement. “And no, I am not really a social butterfly. Not many people knew of my existence. It’s my girlfriend who was famous,” he then added as the thought of her suddenly pained him.

Upon hearing her tell him that he was one serious individual, Christian almost laughed at the thought. “I’m not really a serious person, honestly. Well there are times that I tried to look serious but I guess it would never work. What made you say that though?” he then asked, looking amused. He did not seem to be surprised when it appeared that she does not share the same book preference as his. “Well, I’m not really the type who likes imagination and fantasy. I prefer to stick as close to reality as possible,” he said, as he folded his arms across his chest, his face impassive. “And you’re right; it’s really hot in here. It’s a surprise since people aren’t even around,” he added as he conjured a small fan and tried fanning himself from the heat. As he looked at the page of the book that was about the three headed dog, Cerberus, he was surprised when she asked him if he liked magical creatures. “Well yes I do. In fact, my Patronus is a Kelpie, a mythical water horse, native to Ireland,” he replied.

[miranda]

Miranda barely moved her head that her nod was almost non-existent. The death of the girl always brought a mixture of regret and sadness to her chest. Regret for the two of them never got close and sadness because the girl was talented and Miranda knew that there were still a lot of things the girl would have accomplished if she had lived. For a moment, she whispered a silent prayer for her soul before finally letting out a loud breath, focusing on Christian and giving him a small shy smile. The smile froze on her face when he looked down, seemingly even more sheepish than she, who practically danced randomly in the library, of all places, moments ago. Not knowing what to do, she felt quite panicky. Christian might be the easy to talk to type but he was still a boy and boys were practically 99.9 percent of her blind spot in psychology. She opened and closed her mouth for a while as she tried to find a subject. It was a good thing that when she broke the silence, he actually looked like he recovered.

She cocked her head to the side as she listened to him speak. She almost found herself grinning upon hearing what he had to say. “Famous people drag their loves to the spotlight. If your girlfriend is famous, you are too. It’s default.” She pointed out in a matter of fact tone, quite amused that she managed to talk about fame as if she was familiar with it. Then, her attention was diverted to him again when he asked why she classified him as a serious individual. She took a deep breath and regarded him for a while. After a few moments, she realized she had been staring at him a second too long. She averted her gaze and muttered something like ‘wrong guess’ as casually as possible but deep within she was embarrassed to death.

“Very cool. I find Kelpies interesting. You must really like magical creatures to have a rare Kelpie patronus… I don’t know anyone who has that. Mine’s a chinchilla.” She said with a hint of a smile in her voice. She glanced toward his direction but her eyes were focused elsewhere. “I’ve always wanted to have a pet. My own chinchilla… But I just suck at taking care of them.” She shook her head a let out a chuckle. “So, do you have any pets?” She inquired, curiosity obvious in her voice. Then she fidgeted for a while, fixed her skirt and gathered her messy hair to one side. She felt the need to do something with her hands so that it she would seem busy and normal. Once again, she was having guy problems… she gulped and then it happened. She found herself suddenly unable to breathe. She sat frozen on her chair and pretended that everything was normal as she waited both for his reply and for the congestion in her throat, that was blocking her windpipe, to go away.

[christian]

Christian studied her expression intently. Deep inside, he felt like sympathizing with her. Yet he knew that giving sympathy to someone whom he barely knew meant two things: that either he had biases or that he felt strong feelings towards the person. He knew that the former does not apply so it meant that the latter did. He could not hide his surprise upon his realization and he managed to rap the desk gently with his fist, looking sheepish. Upon casting a glance at her once again, he could see that she seemed uneasy, like his mere presence caused it. He wondered if there was something he did or said that made her react that way. “Are you okay? Was there something I did or said that made you upset?” he asked, concern laced on his voice. He could not understand why she was acting like so.

He then rolled his eyes upon hearing her statement regarding famous people dragging their loves into the spotlight. He then remembered when he first got together with Vasilisa, almost all of their fellow Slytherins swarmed at the both of them. Boys were elbowing him and congratulating for being able to win her heart and girls told her how lucky she was to have him on her side. Well, he did loved the attention but recently, it became quite cumbersome, he almost could not take it. “I guess I loved the feeling before but now, I kind of wished that people wouldn’t be so…probing,” he then replied, looking quite serious. He then noticed that she seemed to be looking at him intently, though it may be because what he said was something quite grave on his part. As he continued to watch her, she seemed even more fidgety than ever. He then wondered if he would have to move a few inches away from her so as to give her more breathing room.

Christian merely smiled at the mention of Kelpies being interesting for her. Honestly, he had never even seen the creature in his entire life. “Well, I haven’t even seen one, a real one at least. That is actually my father’s Patronus…and I guess I managed to adapt it into myself,” he then said, smiling at her. “A chinchilla eh? I never seen one,” he then added upon hearing her mention that her patronus was indeed, a chinchilla. He then tried to flip the book to the index and see whether it has information about chinchillas but interestingly, there was none. He then closed the book with a snap and sighed. He then found himself shaking his head upon hearing the question about having pets. “I guess if an owl does not count, I think I never had other pets,” he replied, as he messed his hair slightly, never taking his eyes off her. Truth is, he would have loved to have one but he knew that it was just simply not his nature to have one. And then he noticed that the uneasiness she was feeling seemed to have intensified. He then stood up and went over to her. “Are you really sure you’re okay? Want me to accompany you to the hospital wing?” he asked, concern evident now. He could not forgive himself if ever he was the cause of her uneasiness and anxiety.

[miranda]

Miranda felt something close to a brick like object sink at the pit of her stomach when his words reached her ears. Apparently, she was not so unobvious in her unease. He obviously was bothered by it and her immediate reaction was to sound stupid and talk without thinking. “Oh no, no. I’m good. Yeah. I’m good. Great, in fact.” Attempting to reassure him, she forced a smile that ended up quivering on either side of her lips. You really know how to alienate boys. Oustanding. Miranda then decide to shift to a more comfortable-looking-and-definitely- at-ease position on her chair, hoping it would reassure Christian.

“Ah, famous people under close inspection twenty four seven.” She said knowingly, shaking her head slightly. The truth was, people who probed around the famous circles normally annoyed Miranda. For her, it was none of their business and instead of looking around for the famous folks, they ought to do something that would better benefit them and probably the wizarding world. Or, if they really want to walk around and tail the famous, she highly recommended that they do it the way she always did it- unnoticed. “It must be hard for you. I know I’d melt if our situations are reversed. I can’t exactly relate though. Invisible girls just can’t.” Miranda said with a wide grin.

Miranda could not help but smile at his revelation.“Wow, you and your dad have the same patronus? You two must be very close.” She just watched him search the book’s index, not warning him that information on Chinchillas would not be found there since chinchillas weren’t magical creatures. “Oh, owls count.” She chuckled softly, nodding her head. “I never even had an owl so it counts.” She just stared at him for a while, careful not to nod even a little or give him a sign that said yes. She never went to the hospital wing for she was scared of healers. And, she was definitely not going now. Plus, she knew the congestion would pass momentarily. She gulped and gulped and forced a smile as she stayed on her sit looking like a redhead porcelain doll with a stoic beautiful face.

[christian]

Christian continued to observe Miranda, his face etched with worry. He knew that it seemed like he was the cause of her uneasiness. However, he wondered how come she became like that while they have only conversed for only a couple of minutes. He then realized that it must be because they were worlds apart, in the sense that she was an absolute classic invisible girl, while he was a student who wasn’t exactly invisible but he constantly hounded by a lot of intrigue. Speaking of intrigue… he then thought, suddenly remembering his girlfriend, Vasilisa, who is currently under fire for a bout of intrigue. He then shook his head to force the thought out and sighed audibly. “You really don’t look well, are you really sure you are alright?” he then asked her, concern evident on his voice.

He then merely nodded upon hearing her opinion about what he said. “Yes, it’s really annoying isn’t it? The worst part of that is there is absolutely no way that you would be able to find some solace, for people would be able to find you everywhere you go,” he replied, anger etched on his face. He then wondered how Miranda have managed to survive being invisible and get all the peace she deserved. “You know, I was wondering, how do you manage to tolerate being invisible. I know that it does have advantages, but isn’t it a bit too drastic? Haven’t you felt lonely and all that?” he then asked, as he was really curious as to how she have managed.

Upon hearing her mention about how he seemed close to his father, Christian nearly grinned but as usual, his grin did not quite reach his eyes. He then realized that he was about to unload something to her, something he have never even revealed to Vasilisa that much. “I just wish what you are telling me about me and my father is true. However, that is not really the case,” he began, as he began to lace his fingers in front of him and thought hard. “My father and I have never been that close. My mother was there for the love; my father is there for the discipline. He expects too much from me and I think that he pressures me too much, being his only son. I truly long for the day that I will take over and I swear that I will never become like him, that I will be kind to our people,” he added. He then surveyed her expression and it seemed that what he was telling her was really grave, judging from the look on her face. “You know, I just wish I could read your thoughts too, just like that Magnus Tarus guy who was terrorizing Vasilisa…” he then trailed off as he slumped on the table, unable to contain all the emotion he was feeling.