Frozen -open-

[Prudence Campbell]

Prudence trudged up to an almost asleep Hogsmeade, still thinking of her cousin for it was her death anniversary. She had been from her grave in the graveyard as usual and spent the whole afternoon there, just thinking about a lot of things and sitting near her tombstone. It was like always except for the fact that she fell asleep and woke up to a very dark and quite snowy graveyard. It was the chill factor of the blowing wind that roused her awake.

Upon reaching a shop with light coming of its windows from the second floor, she stopped walking and brought her wrist into the light. “I can’t believe it!” She muttered softly to herself as she peered at her watch. It read twenty three hundred. She felt the chilly wind harass her and shivered and started to walk again toward the school, faster this time. Her robes were no match for the early December weather and she wished she at least brought a shawl.

She reached the school after what felt like an hour. The temperature must have dropped at least five degrees for she was shaking now. She tried opening the gate but it was locked. With one hand stuffed in her pocket for warmth, she raised her wand arm, muttered ‘Alohomora!’ and flicked. Nothing happened. She inwardly chastised herself. Of course it wouldn’t work. The school had been protected by all sorts of charms. How can a simple Alohomora do the trick? She placed her hands on her pockets and started to think of another spell that would save her from freezing to death outside the school, even though she knew that whatever spell would open the door was beyond her, for she wasn’t even a graduate yet.

[/color]

[Moon Seul Unegen]

Moon placed a small metal knife in-between the join of the front Hogwarts gate. It was no use. The simple metal did nothing to loosen the magically sealed gate. Annoyed, Moon took a white powder from inside her leather string bag. She threw it upon the ground. As she knelt, placing her knee into the warm earth, she cursed Olaf's name. She began to draw a triangular symbol in the dust. Not even fully knowing if she was doing the ritual properly or not. She heard the faint sound of approaching footfalls from behind her. Moon looked up from her work and turned her head toward the sound. She sighed with annoyance and swept the dust away with her arm.

Moon's wand was in her hand, pulled from her robe pocket with grace. She began to change almost immediately. First she shrunk and then grew more fox-like. She ran in a circle after her tail when fully changed. The only recognizable feature now of the girl she was a moment ago was a small tuft of fur atop her head tightly coiled. Moon walked down the path toward the approaching footsteps. Once she came within sight of Prudence, Moon stiffened and gazed at the girl. She moved off of the trail suddenly and ran to the cover of a tree. There she lay with her head on her front legs, watching Prudence approach the gate.

The girl's efforts to pass the gate ended as fruitlessly as Moon's had. However, Prudence was not moving or acting as stealthily as Moon had. Surely she was a Hogwarts student and would be let in some time. Moon got up and moved behind the tree. She became a girl again and walked out from behind the tree. She strolled up toward the gate and Prudence as casually as though she did it every day. She was staring off toward the great forest on the Hogwarts Grounds wondering if she might get in that way. When she looked forward again she jumped with a start, pretending to have just noticed Prudence. "Ah! Oh." Moon held her hand in front of her mouth as she spoke. "Sorry. You startled me." Moon just now noticed that she had left her metallic knife upon the ground in front of the gate. She gazed at Prudence with a disapproving frown. "It is rather late to be wandering, is it not?" She spoke without an accent as though she were from this area, foreign languges were among her favorite studies. English happened to be one of her favorites.

[Prudence Campbell]

Prudence paced and bit her lip nervously, her teeth were starting to chatter and she was shivering from head to foot. This is getting ridiculous! She inwardly exclaimed before she transfigured material of her clothing into something thicker. Feeling herself warm up, she again got back to thinking of a way in. Deep within she was wishing someone would patrol, see her there, and open the door already. As she paced and bit her lip, she felt something that almost made her lose her footing. She gazed down and saw a silver knife glinting in the moonlight.

She honestly thought it was odd. Who leaves a knife by the school’s entrance? However, she realized that she have not tried opening the school by force. Without much thought, she decided she will use it to pick whatever lock was on the gate when suddenly a voice snapped her out of it. She turned and saw a dark-haired girl. She looked like she was about her age but her groggy mind could not come up with the girl’s name or house at the moment. She was about to say she too was startled by the girl’s appearance but then the girl spoke again.

Prudence was honestly surprised this time by her accent. She didn’t look like she was from around here but she spoke without any accent. Must have been raised here. She concluded. “Yes well…” She sighed, not liking the girl’s disapproving frown at all because she too was out of bed after curfew but Prudence did not say anything. She was not the type who usually gallivant inside or outside the castle after curfew. “Believe me I rarely do this.” She said softly and offered her a smile. “Are you usually out after curfew? Maybe you can open the door for us.” She added as an afterthought and really hoped the girl knows how to open the door.

[Moon Seul Unegen]

There didn't seem any reason to lie to this girl. She didn't seem like a professor and was quite unlike any prefect she'd met before. Moon shook her head slowly. "I don't usually go out near dark. No. I don't attend classes at Hogwarts either. I'm just here to leave a message. This gate has presented a bit of a problem however."

Moon stared at Prue for a moment. She stole a quick glance toward the knife and then went back to staring at the European girl. A ghostly howling began as the wind picked up a bit. Moon shivered even under the massive Durmstrang coat of fur. But she didn't break her silence. She kept staring at Prue, as if expecting her to do something.
Personally, Moon had not yet ruled out Prue's intrusion as a possible attack. But she was utterly at a loss as to how to walk away now. After all, she still needed to leave the mark. As she stood idly, she began to shiver in the cold. Her furs ineffectual against the weather without the added friction of movement. But still she stared, listening to any word Prue might speak. Finally she spoke up but only to keep her teeth from chattering. "My name is Moon." She bowed her head slightly in greeting.

[Prudence Campbell]

Prudence was a bit disappointed because for a moment there she thought the answer to her problem arrived. She really had been hoping the girl was not as clueless as she was. However, her answer made her curious as to why she was there to deliver a message at this hour. What could be so urgent? She stifled the urge to ask about the message because she did not want to be an annoying and prying type of person to her. So, instead of talking, she just gave her a small nod and eyed the gate.

For a moment she wished she were at the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room, where all she had to do to get in was knock and answer a riddle. She let out a shaky breath, still a bit cold.

“I’m Prudence.” She said politely, mimicking the girl’s motion. Noticing that the other girl was probably as cold as she was despite being clad in her thick coat. Not realizing it was a Durmstrang coat, she decided to it would be polite to offer her some help so that she would not need to stand there in the cold like she was. “Maybe I can help you leave your message. I’m forced to stand here and wait for this door to be opened anyway so maybe I could hand your message to whoever you are sending it to once this gate is opened, probably by morning? ” She said kindly, assuming the message was in the form of a letter or note. The girl said she did not attend Hogwarts, she can go straight home after leaving her message for Prue to deliver.

[Moon Seul Unegen]

Moon did not seem to like the Hogwarts student's name at all. Upon hearing it, her expression darkened and she balled a fist. Her teeth set hard against one another. She might have been overreacting, but the name gave her a terror. Moon backed away from Prudence a few steps at a time. Her eyes never left Prudence's face. Moon shook against more than just the cold now.
"No." Moon shook her head solemnly. "Its not important really. You are a Hogwarts student then?" Moon glared at Prudence suspiciously. "Can you perform the Patronus charm?" Moon doubted the girl in front of her could. Doubted that she was even a witch. Moon pulled her own wand out and flourished it elegantly, "Accio blade." The silver glint leapt up and rested obediently in Moon's outstretched, empty palm. Though she shoved the dagger away, Moon felt it was necessary to keep her wand in her hand for now. "I'd have done it myself. But as the castle doesn't know me, I doubted it would work." Moon would stun the girl and fly to the other wizarding school if she was unable to either conjure a Patronus or summon a Hogwarts professor with it. If Prudence was a bounty hunter, she doubted the other girl would wait to try to disarm her for long though. A branch fell behind her with the gust of an exceptionally strong wind. Moon leapt up and spun around with her wand aimed. There was no assailant there. Moon sighed. There's nothing to be afraid of. She was safe by now for sure. She took notice of the growing piles of snow and shivered violently. It wasn't as bad as Durmstrang here, but it was too close for Moon's comfort.

[Prudence Campbell]

Prudence was horrified at the girl’s reaction. She was not fond of her name either and had always asked people to call her Prue, a nickname she had made for herself because it made her name sound more pleasant; but, it was her first time to ever encounter a person looking terrorized at the mention of her name. The word prudence has a wonderful meaning and she knew it well. This fact did not help her understand why the girl was reacting the way she was reacting. “You may call me Prue...” She offered slowly, feeling lame and even lamer when she shook a bit, cold.

She started to realize that the girl was not very nice and she frowned and then nodded politely when she declined her offer. “Yes and yes. I am a Hogwarts Student and I can perform a Patronus charm. I have managed it last year.” She said, clearly affronted by her questions and glare. Her eyes followed the dagger lazily as it soared to the girl’s hand. She was observant enough to notice that the girl kept her want out. Her actions somehow alerted the young Ravenclaw. The other girl was armed both by a wand and a dagger while she stood there and stared. Prudence instinctively drew her wand out of her pocket. If the girl was dangerous, she should be ready to defend herself.

She ignored the girl for a moment and could not help but berate herself as she finally landed on something that might get her into the school. It was the girl who actually suggested it and she can't believe she had not thought of it. Prudence took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on her happiest memory. “Expecto Patronum!” She said softly, not wanting to draw attention to herself and watched as a silver doe erupted from the end of her wand, willing it to go straight to the only professor she ever talked to outside class, Professor Rowena Ravenclaw and tell her she was outside the school, stuck. She then quickly focused on the other girl, a bit tensed, as if expecting her to strike at any moment.

[Moon Seul Unegen]

The dreadful warning that her mother always gave Moon as a child repeated over-and-over in her head. She relived the nightmares she had every night after hearing such damning advice from her own mother. Moon had loved her mother. Even now knew her mother didn't have the strength Moon had. But the girl couldn't help but harbor a little resentment for the way her mother lived.

Moon took notice of Prue's incantation. Recognized the glow of the Patronus. Moon spun around to face the scene of Prue's doe speeding off toward the castle. Moon scorned herself for giving into childhood fears. She placed her wand away back in her robe pocket. Moon then drew her cloak in around her tightly, happy that a Hogwarts professor would surely be on the way. Moon had some knowledge of the Hogwarts founders and pondered upon whose house she'd join. She looked at Prue. "You must be Gryffindor, right? To be out so late all alone. I don't think its true. No man can be as noble as they describe him." Moon did not wait for an answer, she simply assumed she'd figured it out on her own. "A Ravenclaw would not have taken so long to think of a Patronus. A Hufflepuff might have introduced themselves first. And a Slytherin would not have a problem with a simple gate at all."

Moon gazed at the castle, unabashed that she mught have insulted Prudence in the slightest. "Your Patronus? A doe? That is a rather cute choice. I've noticed they belong to those who are more foolishly brave than those who are clever or knowledgeable. Tell me, have you met the Slytherin? Is he really the most powerful warlock in Britain? I know it. I'll be the first Muggleborn in his house. He can't deny me after seeing my skill!"

[Prudence Campbell]

Prudence could not help but be glad and relieved when she the girl finally shoved her wand back into her robe pocket. She noticed that she was more relaxed now and could feel that she was not a threat. Seeing her patronus go fetch some help seemed to have done wonders with the other girl’s tension. She even seemed to forget she was horrified at Prue’s name. Prudence smiled at the girl upon hearing her talk about her school. The girl, despite being not a student at Hogwarts, was obviously familiar with the founders. “You are right and wrong at the same time.” She stated, her lips breaking into an easy smile. “You are right about Gryffindors being brave enough to be out this late and Ravenclaws being smart enough to think of a patronus faster than I did.” She paused and sighed. “But, I’m not a Gryffindor. I’m actually from Ravenclaw.” She admitted, feeling a bit sheepish for being particularly unravenclaw-ish in front of the girl.

Prudence then regarded the girl, this time taking her time before opening her mouth. The girl seemed to be very straight forward about her patronus and wanting to be in Slytherin and… well with everything tonight. She was not even sure whether or not to be insulted by what she said for the second time that night. But, by gaging from her expression, she did not seem to mean to insult her so she decided to let it go. “Thank you. I find my Patronus rather cute too.” She eyed her curiously. “What form does your patronus take?” She added, stalling, trying to decide what to say about Salazar Slytherin. Personally, if the girl thinks she is a Slytherin then there is a great chance that she would be. However, Prudence knew how selective Salazar Slytherin was when it came to pupils in his house. He only picked those whose blood was pure. “Yes. I have had the honor of meeting him.” She finally said. “Yes, Salazar is a very powerful warlock. I’ve been attending his classes since I was eleven. You are right, he possibly is the most powerful.” She finished, smiling. Not wanting to be the one to burst her bubble of hope to join Slytherin house, she decided not to remind her of Salazar’s blood prejudice. “So, you want to enroll here at Hogwarts? What school are you from again? Wait, are you here to join the tournament?” She asked, assuming she was already a student in some other school because she was already familiar with the Patronus Charm.

[Moon Seul Unegen]

Moon remained quite perturbed by Prue's name. Even if she did not show it. She couldn't help feeling it was some form of a sign. She was further annoyed when Prue informed her that she had guessed wrong. Moon glared at the girl coldly but reminded herself that it was no fault of Prue's that she was wrong. After all, she should have anticipated some students not fulfilling all of their Houses ambitions and characteristics. Especially given that was her plan exactly. Even so, Moon could not prevent herself snapping back coldly. "Yeah. Well you may be Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. It makes no difference to me."

Moon's strong expression melted quickly upon Prue's mention of Patronuses. She now regretted having said anything about the Charm in the first place. Moon shrugged anxiously and admitted, "I said earlier that I didn't use conjure one. But the truth is that I've never been able to cast the spell."

Moon straightened back up immediately. She knew she wouldn't like Salazar but also that she would not get very far disrespecting people based upon whether she liked them or not. "Yes. I plan to enroll if I can. I've attended a few schools now. The last one I went to was Durmstrang. I had hoped to go to Beauxbatons actually. But the letter I got from their headmistress was rather clear that they suspected me of treachery. As I was in quite a rush to prepare for the next term, I came to Hogwarts instead. Unnannounced, turned out to be a dreadful idea! Such cold!" Moon watched Prue curiously. She noticed a small charm on her wrist. "What is that?" Moon pointed with a slender, frozen hand, which immediately retreated behind her cloak once its purpose was done.

[Prudence Campbell]

Prudence was not known for her patience and the little patience she possessed slipped when the girl started glaring at her. When she snapped, Prue could not help but give her an icy look. The girl's manners were lacking and she was getting into her nerves. Prudence glared at the gate wishing, now more than before, that someone would open the gate. In her desperation, she actually vividly saw Professor Rowena Ravenclaw open the gate to let them both in. She eyed the girl, surprised. "I see." She said slowly, her tone evidently amused, tinged with arrogance. She felt a bit better. The girl might have given her the idea and she might have displayed the sort of thinking time that was unbefitting of a Ravenclaw but at least she can conjure a corporeal patronus, unlike the girl.

Prudence eyed the girl with a curious expression, wondering how the girl's mind ticked. She sometimes wished she was a legilimens. Being a seer lately was more of a curse than a blessing lately. Frankly, she was half listening to the girl and half thinking about her rapidly growing seer abilities as she stared at the girl and nodded at the girl's words. "Yes, well, it is always best to send an owl first before coming over." She said coldly, her eyes on the dark-haired girl. "Why are you so keen in leaving Durmstrang anyway? You said you have been studying at different schools... I do not think switching schools is a good idea. At least not academically.” She said calmly, played with the charm around her wrist absently and was surprised at her question. “Oh this? It’s a Trelawney family heirloom.” She said casually, knowing that the other girl probably knew her middle name because the Trelawney family was known as a family of good seers.

[/color]