Let it ride [open]

[lucyw]

The sun filtered through Lucy's windows. Perhaps it was her dorm-mates that had opened the curtains, she mused, for no reason in particular. Perhaps her brain just needed authorization that no one unexpected had visited her room during the dark grip of the night.

Sitting up in her bed, her eyes scanned the room, taking in her surroundings slowly. Nothing out of the ordinary was there. Nothing had been added to the room; nor had anything been subtracted. Similarly, nothing had been moved around, except for the fact her dorm-mates' duvet had been carelessly strewn on the floor, but Lucy knew that was natural. It was what she awoke to every morning.

And boy, was she glad.

Quietly, she slipped her petite feet out of bed, landing lightly and moving smoothly to her wardrobe, she slid easily into a dress that highlighted her legs, which were covered with tights. On her feet, she wore black shoes. It was starting to get a little colder around Hogwarts, that was for sure, and the red-headed girl wanted to soak up as much sun as she possibly could.

She made the simple movement of walking down the stairs as quickly as she possibly could. She hated being isolated, so much. When she was alone, bad things could happen, she'd learned that over the years. She liked being in silence more than bright lights and noisy nights, sure, but she liked being in the company of someone, too.

Lucy Weasley was a lot quieter and possibly shyer in the start of her Sixth year than she had in the start of her Fifth year. Things had happened since then. Things that her little brain couldn't handle or imagine happening. So it had adjusted, going rather insane in the process. Now, she supposed, she was fine.

She didn't know how she was feeling any more. She'd given up trying to figure it out ages before, when she finally accepted she wouldn't know for a long while.

The Hufflepuff common room was bubbling with activity. She smiled slightly when a smaller female pointed her wand at someone, and took their eyebrows off. Walking swiftly passed them, she left the common rooms, and arrived in the dark dungeons.

A Slytherin brushed past. She wished she had the confidence to stop them and question them if they knew the whereabouts of Vince LeBlanc. Oh, Vince LeBlanc. Her boyfriend, or so she thought he was. He was the last time she'd checked. Which had been the day he'd came over unexpectedly. Of course, Lucy hadn't minded. In fact, she'd needed to be there for him, just like the weeks, months, he was there for her. And so she had.

She wasn't very good at being there for people, or saying the right thing at the right time, but he'd simply wanted silence too, she'd gathered. Well, he hadn't. He'd tried to talk as if things were alright, which they weren't. He tried to speak lightly, but his drooping face and tired bodily movements gave him away. And she'd hated it. He could've cried to her. She wouldn't have minded.

Fiddling with the hem of her dress absent-mindedly, Lucy entered the school grounds. She liked it outside. The soft breeze that washed her hair and the golden rays of the sun reminded her of better times. Easier times. Times she wished she could return to.

Squatting down by the lake, she picked up a stone, and threw it over the water's surface softly. It jumped a few times, and finally landed with a loud plonk.

Lucy smiled softly.

[bubbles3]

Raegan woke up that morning from the sound of banging on the bathroom door. Her eyes shot open and she tried to put a pillow over her head, but the banging wouldn’t stop. She sighed heavily and looked up to see her roommate Farrah knocking too loudly on their bathroom door. “What are you doing?” she asked groggily. Farrah turned to her with her makeup half done with a look of anger. “She’s been in there for over half an hour!” Farrah replied. “And you couldn’t just unlock the door?” Farrah stopped from saying something and went to her bed side table where her wand lay and unlocked the door with a flick of the wrist and “Alohomora.” Raegan groaned and threw herself out of the bed while yelling at Farrah for being so daft.

When Raegan was dressed, she finally forgave Farrah for waking her and laughed with her about earlier when she was finally awake enough to not be so grumpy. When she was finally dressed and with nothing to do, she decided to go outside for some fresh air. She invited Farrah and her other roommate Reece to join her but they both declined.

As she walked down the stairs she passed by a few students, some of which she didn’t know, and a few that she did. She smiled to them all and made small talk with another Ravenclaw. When she was finally relieved of the small talk, she headed outside. It was a gorgeous day outside with the sun shining and the wind softly blowing her long blond hair. She smiled to herself and walked towards the lake, one of her favorite places at Hogwarts.

She walked along the bank slowly while enjoying the calmness of the morning. She noticed a pretty red head throw a rock into the lake. Raegan wasn’t much of an athlete and had only ever played one sport when she was younger and it was t-ball. Raegan had grown up in the muggle world and her father thought it would be enjoyable to see his daughter embarrass herself trying to play. Most of the time she sat on the bench, but since everyone got the chance to play, she was forced to be in the outfield where nothing ever came to her. She begged her father to make her not play the next year and reluctantly he agreed.

She looked out at the lake with a laugh and picked up a rock as well. She turned it in her hand and wondered if she could throw it very far. She pulled her hand back and threw the rock as hard as she could, but released the rock too late and it flew just a few feet in front of her. She looked at where the rock plopped with her brows furrowed. She turned to the red head and questioned “How did you make yours go so far?” she pointed her finger towards where her rock had landed earlier and looked to the lake again quizzically.

[aems]

It had been lonely without people around. Seeming almost abandoned, he had not seen anyone he knew for weeks. Set into a depression that was hard to penetrate, he was still unable to comprehend what had happened with his sister. Months had gone past since then, but still he remained cold-shouldered to his family. Unable to let what had happened sink in. Unable to confront anyone about it. Still, this made him sad. Wishing for the days when he could confront his sister about almost anything again, he longed for the arguments of the house that had made life... normal. As sad as that sounded. Still, the silence was unbearable. Preferring yelling than an impenetrable silence, he almost wished he had something to say to them. But still, no words came to mind. And his mouth stayed sealed shut. He knew it had not been her fault... but... stubbornness ran in the family. Kelsey's name had been constantly erased from his mind, only to reappear again at the most inconvenient times... such as this.

He paced the hallways, taking the stairs to higher grounds without a conscious thought. The darkness turned brighter as he entered normal lighting, leaving the cold stone confinement of the dungeons to the pitiful flames that lit it's cold air. A shiver passed through him as sunlight lit his face, and he squinted away from the light.

Shoes padded on the floor as he made his way to the great hall. Vince squinted around and the large masses of people, and turned right back out. Once upon a time, that would have been his cup of tea... a big audience and a big smile. But no smiles lit his face anymore. Not for the common public anyways. He had changed. No longer the joking alcoholic, he drank deeper, and yet drank less. Abandoning the liquor for harder days when he would need the distraction. You couldn't be distracted everyday... It would no longer be a distraction. Still, the flask weighed down his pocket, tempting his mouth dry. He shook his head at himself, and made his way towards the lake, where less people would be crowded around him, and less voices would cause his brain to go into override.

The grass met his feet as he padded across the fields. A voice called out to him, but it quickly faded as his pace increased. It was not a voice on the list of whose company he wished for... He kept on walking. Pausing, he considered the dimmer light of the forest to fit his mood, but he turned away from it. Enough of this foolishness. He needed light. Pale face from having been indoors for almost two months, cold eyes turned to the lake, and a firm hand pressed against the flask. Fury welled up at his behavior for the past while. Finally deciding it was time he turned away from it all. No one should be given the right to influence him this much. A straight line was traced to the lake, and his hand gripped the flask painfully. Withdrawing it from his pocket he flung it, full and all, farther... farther... It hit the water, making a satisfying splash in the water. He forced his eyes away from the spot where it landed.

Suddenly tired, he collapsed on the ground, unaware of eyes watching him. Elbows rested on his knees, and he stared up at the sun, hand still bleeding from the metal cutting into his hand. Vince sighed. Change would finally come...