Such a Paradox, Isn't It? (Helena/Open)

[alfiejr]

It was a rather pleasant evening. The golden light of the setting sun was fading above the courtyard. Alfie was sitting on a stone bench, staring at the ornaments above him, lost in his thoughts. The castle hadn't changed a bit in fifteen years. The stone walls were the same, but they would probably just hide more secrets in the years to come. Alfie sighed and looked around him, the courtyard was empty. Students and professors were in the Great Hall, since it was dinner time. He didn't feel like eating and he hadn't entered the Hall since his arrival, too afraid that someone might see or recognize him. It was a foolish idea, since no-one knew him, but the truth was that Alfie was afraid that he might ran into his mother. He didn't know what he would do if he saw her.

Alfie hadn't seen Viktor yet, either. Not that he was actually looking for his half-brother. Alfie had made a foolish plan, in his desire to take the Elder wand for Viktor he hadn't even thought about the way he would get it. There was no way that he could win a duel against Viktor and he was actually too intimidated even to try it. Viktor had managed to kill their father once before and Alfie was much less experienced wizard than him. He had to think of another way of getting the wand. The sound of the approaching footsteps brought Alfie back from his thoughts. He turned towards the sound and saw a dark-haired girl walking towards him. It was too dark to see her face, so he just shrugged and greeted her. "Hello!"

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

It was almost 6:30 in the evening when Helena stepped into the courtyard. She just had the most amazing day. She finished reading the last book in her favorite series. The hero in the story triumphantly conquered all his fears and finally stepped up for his lover. He fought for his girlfriend, stood up to his parents and actually defied them and in the end, they got together. If all boys were that romantic, she would have had a boyfriend a long time ago. The problem was, boys her age seemed to be too full of themselves. Most were simply not her type. Helena shrugged, knowing that being as intelligent as she was, she would soon find the right person for herself.

Still smiling at nothing in particular and kind of wishing she was the girl who just had her happy ending in the book, she absently made her way across the courtyard. She breathed in the scent of spring and sighed in contentment. She had been surrounded by ‘common room’ air for a while and she found the fresh air refreshing. Suddenly, she had the urge to laugh. It had only been two weeks since the incident with Justin Law. Now, it’s like she just woke up with a smile on her face and a long list of gentlemen happy to take his place. So wrapped up in her own world, she almost jumped when someone said hello. “Oh, hi there.” Helena chirped. Unable to recognize him due to inadequate lighting, she just smiled at the student who said hello. “Everything alright?” She added casually, stopping in front of him.

[alfiejr]

The last sunbeams were slowly descending and leaving them almost completely in the dark. Bright yellow lights appeared behind the windows, but Alfie and Helena were too far from the walls to be reached. There was nobody else around, the courtyard was usually empty at dinner time. Alfie wondered what time it was, not that it actually mattered. He wasn't particularly hungry, but he would eventually take something from the kitchen. Hogwarts house elves were quite helpful when it came to serving and preparing food. Alfie remembered his great-uncle Fudge who had Muggles prepare his food. He had never been particularly impressed with the man.

Alfie looked up at the girl. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts and he probably startled her. "Apologies. I didn't mean to startle you." he said and smiled. His parents had taught him to be a gentleman and treat ladies with respect. "Certainly. I was just lost in my thoughts." Alfie said, squinting at the girl, but he still couldn't see her face. Her voice, however seemed familiar. Perhaps they had met somewhere on the corridor. "Such a beautiful evening, don't you think?" he grinned, leaning forward on the bench.

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

The silence in the courtyard was deafening. Students and faculty members alike flooded the Great Hall by then. After living in Hogwarts for quite a while, she knew too well how noisy the Great Hall got especially during mealtimes. Voices, laughter and gossips delivered in varying tones and loudness went away from their respective sources and bounced on the walls and go right directly at her. For this reason, Helena preferred eating in the common room or in the kitchens. Also, it was the reason why she decided to go out to the courtyard after reading. She did not want the content feeling she always had after a good book to be transformed into what possibly could be a rather potent headache.

Helena smiled at the student, shook her head and did the universal gesture that said ‘it’s okay.’ Helena understood what he meant exactly. She had been lost in her thoughts before he startled her. In the dark, she still could not see his face however she saw his teeth. The student was obviously grinning and the third year, still feeling so light, returned the students grin happily. “It is lovely indeed. You came out here to stargaze?” Helena inquired casually, looking up at the heavens. “No clouds. Definitely a perfect night for stargazing… Do you mind if I sat there?” Helena asked politely, gesturing the vacant part of the stone bench that student occupied.

[alfiejr]

The silence in the courtyard was quite enjoyable. Alfie loved spending time in the courtyard; it was the best place for him to think about certain things. He had made many decisions and plans sitting on the same stone bench. Even though he was rather popular among his peers, Alfie preferred silence. He also knew that he wouldn’t have been half as popular if it hadn’t been for his powerful parents. Many other students simply wanted to be friends with the son of the Headmaster and the Founder, as if spending time with him would provide them better grades. It was a foolish assumption, rather annoying and amusing at the same time.

The girl seemed to have returned his grin, so Alfie grinned wider. “Not quite. I come here whenever I need to be alone and think.” Alfie shrugged and looked up to the sky. “It is a beautiful night, indeed. Makes you wish that it never dawns.” Alfie looked at the girl again. He could only see that she had long dark hair and that she wore her school robe. It was too dark to see which House she was in, though. Alfie moved on the bench, giving her more place to sit. “Not at all.” He said, eying her carefully. “Did you come here to stargaze” he asked, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

Helena, at that moment, was in her post-good-book mood and at that moment, she felt as though nothing or no one would be able to bring her down. Not even talking to a complete and utter fool. Even seeing and talking to Monique Drayton wouldn’t have wiped the smile of her face. So, when the student on the bench grinned even wider at her, she returned the kind gesture automatically despite the fact that she did not know who he was.

Helena nodded at his response. The phrase ‘need to be alone and think’ was too familiar to her for she was often alone and thinking. “Very true.” She simply said upon hearing his remark about the clear starry sky. “Thank you.” She smiled before gracefully sitting on the bench beside him. “I just wanted a little bit of fresh air. I’ve been inside the Ravenclaw dormitory for hours now. Stargazing is a good idea though.” She said softly, as she focused her gaze on him. The lighting was no help for its inadequateness was too much for her to recognize his face. “You mentioned that you came here to be alone and to think. Is everything alright?” The young Ravenclaw asked softly, curious like always.

[alfiejr]

Alfie was looking at the girl as she sat next to him. It wasn’t light enough to see her face and she couldn’t see his face, either. It was actually a good thing, because he didn’t want too many people to see him, even though they wouldn’t recognise him. Someone might find it odd that they had never seen him, even though he claimed to be in his fifth year. Salazar would most certainly know that he wasn’t his student, despite his Slytherin robe and arrogance. The thing he feared the most, however, was seeing his parents. His mother would be able to recognise him, it was almost impossible to trick her. He actually wanted to meet his sister, who should be in her third or fourth year. Perhaps he would run into her eventually.

“My pleasure.” Alfie answered when she sat on the bench gracefully. “So, you are in Ravenclaw?” he asked. In my mother’s house. He nearly added. Alfie had always been a bit envious of Ravenclaw students. A part of him thought that he should have been sorted in his mother’s house due to his intelligence and talent. However, he was well aware of his other traits, like arrogance or ambition, which made him a perfect Slytherin. The girl looked back at him and Alfie returned the gaze. “Everything is fine.” He lied, unwilling to share his secrets with a girl he had seen for the first time. He had been listening to her voice and couldn’t help but notice her slight accent. “Are you Scottish? My grandparents live in Scotland.”

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

As she sat on the bench with a student she could barely see, she could not help but feel an air of mystery about him and their situation in general. She sitting next to someone she did not know was not an everyday occurrence. In fact, since she could not recall a first time for it, she concluded that it was her first time to talk to someone she did not know and could barely see. Despite having just thought of this, Helena’s smile widened at his overall attitude. He seemed polite and nice, like a gentleman. Like Favio. She thought to herself, remembering the hero in the book she just finished.

“Yes,” She said with a nod at his question. Helena wanted to throw the question back at him but she was enjoying the mystery that surrounded him. Knowing that asking him something would lessen the mystery, she just listened to him for a while. “Glad to hear that.” She said pleasantly. “I normally go out to be alone and to think when something’s not right.” She added as an afterthought. Helena raised an eyebrow at his question, surprised. “My mother’s Scottish so that makes me Scottish too.” She said lightly, smiling at him. “So, you stay with your grandparents during school breaks?” Helena asked, shifting her position on the bench.

[alfiejr]

Alfie observed the girl next to him patiently, waiting for her to ask him a question. He was trying to think of an adequate answer and somehow hide the fact that he had come to a time when he wasn't even born yet. The girl was in Ravenclaw and it would be understanding that she didn't know every Slytherin student, so the fact that she had never seen him before could easily be explained. The girl, on the other hand, seemed to find his mere presence amusing. Perhaps he reminded the Ravenclaw student of someone she knew?

"I see. Well is everything alright at the moment?" he asked politely. He had his own problems to worry about, but if he could help a girl feel better only by listening to her troubles, he was glad to do so. "Just like my mother. Lovely." Alfie smiled, completely unaware of the fact that they were talking about the same woman. He frowned slightly before answering her question. His grandparents didn't like his father, old lord Black couldn't accept the fact that his grandson was also the grandson of the most dangerous dark wizard in Britain. "Sometimes. They aren't too fond of my father." Alfie just shrugged and kept looking at the girl. He was eager to hear her questions.

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

For a moment, Helena felt funny. She certainly knew Favio, the hero in a fiction, more than the guy on the bench and it was weird that she was already comparing him to the fictional character she loved. Was it possible that she already liked the guy on the opposite site of the stone bench, the person she could hardly see? The young Ravenclaw was positive that if she left that very moment and not have the chance to see him under better lighting conditions, she would not recognize him the next time they cross each other’s paths. As she eyed his silhouette, she concluded that despite the air of mystery, she felt really comfortable talking to him.

“All is well, thank you.” She said with a smile, her tone casual. Helena found herself amused by the coincidence and grinned. “Nice. Scotland’s beautiful, you know. I sometimes wish to go there with mother during school breaks. But, it never happens. Mother is busy all the time.” She smiled, amused at how easy it was to talk to the guy beside her. For some unknown reason, she felt at home beside him. When it took him a little longer than necessary to answer her last question, she could not help but be both concerned and curious. “Oh. I’m so sorry to hear that.” Helena said, truly feeling sorry for him. “I’m sure they will come around. Maybe you and your father should just visit them more often. Old people appreciate that… Why aren’t they too fond of him anyway?” Helena asked, obviously curious.

[alfiejr]

Alfie moved slightly on the bench, trying to make himself more comfortable. He wasn’t quite used to talking to girls. Despite being a popular student, or rather a student with popular parents, girls didn’t seem to be particularly interested in talking to him. Alfie did talk to Della, but they were cousins, she was like a sister to him. He didn’t even talk to Helena too often, his sister was busy with other things. Alfie just didn’t make friends easily. Talking to the girl next to him, however, was something different. Alphard felt as if they had known each other for ages and that was a strange feeling, something that definitely wasn’t used to. He couldn’t even see her face clearly, the only thing he could tell about her was that she had a long dark hair, but many girls had long dark hair.

Alfie nodded his head. “That sounds a lot like my mother. Busy all the time.” Alfie looked pensive for a brief moment. “And my father.” He added. “He’s always busy too.” Alfie shrugged. His fellow students envied him, but the girl seemed to understand how he felt, she seemed to have the exact same problems as he did. Her mother was probably quite a successful, intelligent lady, not like his mother, obviously, but still rather busy all the time. Alfie just shrugged again after her next comment. “Don’t be. It’s probably for the best. Well I visit them occasionally, but I usually go with my cousins, mother and father don’t go with us.” Alfie made a small pause before he answered the question. “Well I guess my father isn’t too likable. It’s hard to explain, really.” Alfie stopped. He had already given too many information. The less anyone knew about him, the better.

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

Having no desire to look like an utter lunatic, even though the boy opposite her could barely see her, Helena struggled to keep her smile off her face. Talking to the boy next to her seemed to amplify her good mood and she could not stop herself from smiling. The young Ravenclaw leaned against the back of the bench and a shocking thought hit her all of a sudden. Was she starting to develop a crush on a boy she could hardly see? Favio’s romantic story was making her a fool for love, she realized. Favio’s and Antoinette’s first encounter was just like this. One night and they could not see each other clearly. If only everything worked out with Justin… I wouldn’t have dug into romantic books. She sighed and ran her hands through her long, thick and dark hair.

Helena eyed him, quite surprised. The two of them seemed to have a lot in common. She just found out he was from Scotland too, and now his mother was a lot like hers. Maybe his mother was famous too. But, of course, his mother could not be as famous as her mother. Rowena Ravenclaw, Helena was certain, was a name that would appear in history books in the future. For a moment, she felt jealousy swirl inside her. “You’re lucky he’s just busy. My father is dead. He died when I was younger.” Helena said with a sigh and looked at the blank stone wall not far away from where they were, her eyes focused on nothing in particular. Helena did not know how to react to what he just revealed so she stayed quiet for a while before finally saying. “You go with your cousins? So you are an only child? No siblings?” Helena inquired.

[alfiejr]

Alfie bit his tongue. Luckily it was too dark for the girl to see that he was blushing slightly. He felt really uncomfortable and sorry for the girl. "I... I apologise, I didn't know..." he was muttering. "I didn't mean to upset or offend you." Alfie sighed. He was confused by the entire situation. Alfie had never been the kind of person to apologise to other students, no matter what he might have done to them. Yet, he felt guilty for unintentionally offending the girl who sat next to him. It was really strange, he had never seen the girl before, but he still had the feeling he had known his entire life. Perhaps she just reminded him of someone else, someone he knew. Afie sighed feeling rather annoyed. He wanted to shake the feeling off, but couldn't.

Alfie tried to change the subject by answering her next question. "Well, it's complicated..." Alfie chuckled. "Everything is complicated in my family. I guess I am the only child my parents have together. My father has another son, though and my mother has a daughter. I'm younger than both of them, so we're not that close." Alfie shrugged. "What about you? Do you have any siblings?"

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

Helena just sighed and eyed the boy for a moment before finally saying, “It’s fine.” She gave the boy a reassuring smile. “I completely understand where you were coming from. It’s not exactly… nice to have a parent who is busy. My mother’s probably the busiest woman out there.” Helena added calmly as she reclined on her seat in a more comfortable manner.

“You’re right. Your family is unique.” Helena nodded. “I’m an only child… for now at least.” She sighed and eyed the boy. “Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against siblings. It’s just … since my father is dead and has been for quite a while now, I can’t imagine my mother having another child.” Helena ran her hand through her dark hair as she tried to think of how to better explain her point to the boy. “You see, my mother admitted to me that she has been seeing someone and I just couldn’t help but imagine… I’m sorry I’ve been talking a lot. I hope I didn’t bore you. I think I’ve said too much.” She eyed the boy apologetically.

OOC: Sorry I took soooo long.

[alfiejr]

Alfie shrugged and almost laughed with amusement. "You obviously haven't met my mother. I sometimes wonder if she ever sleeps or eats something. If you enter her office in the middle of the night, you'll probably find her working on something, or at least reading a book." Alfie stopped, realizing that he had probably said too much. He tried to change the subject. "What can I say, we are unique."

Alfie nodded his head patiently, listening to her words. It was a strange situation and Alfie almost felt sorry for the girl, which was quite strange, since he had never been particularly empathic. He tried to imagine his family with a new member, but couldn't. It just didn't seem right. "I guess I understand what you're thinking. It has to be really strange for you, but it might turn out to be a good thing in the end." he thought of Marc and Adelle. "It's nice to have someone to talk to when you're bored or lonely." Alfie couldn't believe that he was actually saying those words, it sounded like something Della would say, or his mother perhaps. Alfie smiled reassuringly at the girl, even though he wasn't sure if she could even see it. "Don't worry, it's alright." Alfie shrugged. "Perhaps I'm not the only one with a strange family. I guess my parents are a bit too old for that kind of surprise, or at least I hope so." Alfie smiled again at his own joke. The strange thing was that neither Helena nor Alfie knew that they were talking about the same family.

OOC: It's okay, don't worry =)