Layla Jimenez
Witch
Healer-In-Training
[on:*le pounce*][of:...in hiding]
Posts: 529
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Post by Layla Jimenez on May 20, 2008 0:49:20 GMT -5
"Today is just... weird, I think," she told the girl, looking up the stairs. "I mean... look where I ended up." She shook her head giggling. "I didn't even try the library. Sometimes it's just not the right place anyway." She wondered if it really was the rain, the humidity. She thought of the Prefect's Lounge and the Ravenclaw Common room and the other places she could have gone. But she was glad she'd ended up below the staircase on the ground on the 4th floor.
"Well... at least we get to hang out, huh?" she told her, pulling up her sock. "I'm pretty sure I was due for a break anyway."
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Post by Felicity Hjort on May 20, 2008 0:56:15 GMT -5
Today was a weird day, Felicity had to completely agree. The library was jammed packed and normally that happened only during the exam season according to a number of people she talked to the year last. She wasn't really sure, as she hadn't only started attending that past September, but even with muggle school people didn't go to the library often unless it was time for exams.
"At least you didn't end up face first on the floor," Felicity told her, grinning widely. Her wrist still hurt a little bit, but not enough to be concerned over, and her nose felt perfectly fine. Truthfully, she really was surprised her nose didn't ever break with as much as she hurt it. Like at the Halloween dance the year last when she dumped her plate of food all over Drew and hit herself in the face with said plate because she was embarrassed, it happened an awful lot.
"Yes!" Felicity squealed excitedly, glad to know she wasn't interrupting Layla too much by joining her unasked. "So, Layla, I knwo you attended Hogwarts before, were you here very long or only a little while?" She was curious about her boyfriend's friend and hoped it would go over well enough to get to know her.
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Layla Jimenez
Witch
Healer-In-Training
[on:*le pounce*][of:...in hiding]
Posts: 529
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Post by Layla Jimenez on May 20, 2008 1:14:41 GMT -5
Wrapping herself a bit tighter in her robes, Layla's shoulder's shook at the girl's outlook. "Well no, but I think this spot has had a good cleaning from my new robes," she replied with an arched eyebrow. "I daresay it's the shiniest spot in the castle." She wiggled in place for good measure, making sure her bummed left a nice buff.
Layla smiled softly when the girl asked her about her fluctuating attendance. "I joined Hogwarts since 3rd year," she told her, grinning. She remembered stepping into the castle her first time, immediately finding it more magical and beautiful than her previous school. "But after this year is over, I will have attended Hogwarts for a grand total of... 2 and a half years," she said, performing a bit of quick math in her head, but stopping to second-guess herself.
"Yes.." she said after a pause. "Two and a half. Convincing my parents to let me stay hasn't been the easiest job," she told her, trying to hold a grin. If Drew trusted her, then Layla was sure she could trust her too... eventually. She just wasn't sure this was her most favorite topic. She hoped that the answer would suffice, but she knew she'd answer if the girl asked.
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Post by Felicity Hjort on May 20, 2008 15:59:49 GMT -5
Quickly covering her mouth so her laughter wouldn't be quite so loud, Felicity began laughing again. "I'm sure the House Elves would be given a run for their money by you," she answered with a grin, having to stop herself from adding that maybe the girl should request a job of her own and clean the castle thoroughly. Working for Raynor was likely the worst option in the world, at least in Felicity's mind it would be. Being close to that horrid woman creeped her out.
"Half year shorter than my time here is supposed to be," Felicity reflected. Three years was her time limit at the school, and if her dad had any good say in it she would've been back home the minute they entered the train station on the first of September the year previous. "Parents don't seem to like the idea of their daughters going to school away from home sometimes, do they?" she asked rather quietly. It'd taken her just over four years to convince her dad to let her attend Hogwarts. She knew his biggest problem with it was that she was going to a school he didn't know and couldn't help her out at if needed. Truthfully, she thought she'd done just fine on her own. She had amazing friends, a boyfriend who was absolutely wonderful, and she did well in a good number of her classes (though not all as her dad had been kind enough to point out to her that summer).
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Layla Jimenez
Witch
Healer-In-Training
[on:*le pounce*][of:...in hiding]
Posts: 529
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Post by Layla Jimenez on May 21, 2008 0:00:24 GMT -5
Parents don't seem to like the idea of their daughters going to school away from home sometimes, do they?
Layla nodded her head with a knowing smile. It wasn't exactly how her parents felt. In fact, they had been excited for her. But reasoning behind it was the similar. They had wanted to protect her, even though she hated it in the process. It had taken her the last few months to not only figure that out, but really appreciate it. There were still days where she wasn't sure if it was worth missing so much, but there were moments like these where she was able to comprehend it all a little better.
She barely managed a shrug. "I guess they have their reasons that they don't quite get. I know I was upset for a really long time."
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Post by Felicity Hjort on May 21, 2008 19:02:32 GMT -5
"My dad didn't want me to come here at all," Felicity offered with a small shrug. "See, he never let me leave the house without anyone from my family, and he still doesn't like the idea of letting me out alone or with someone that's not family. Last winter, my friend Lucas and Drew both wanted to take me to the Yule Festival in Diagon Alley, and those were the first two times he's let me go out near on to night time without a family member. I've been to friends houses for afternoons and all, but he always makes someone walk me there and back, even this summer someone had to walk me to work and home again afterwards."
Felicity knew her dad's reasonings, she'd heard them from him many times. He didn't want anything to happen to her, but at the same time, she thought he was sometimes being a little overbearing, especially when it came to being alone with Drew. He knew they were at school together and not under the eye of everyone all the time, but they still didn't do anything. Just like at home she enjoyed just spending time with her boyfriend, sometimes kissing him, but her dad made it practically impossible to even get too near to him.
"But mum and I finally convinced my dad that it was a good idea and he let me come here."
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Layla Jimenez
Witch
Healer-In-Training
[on:*le pounce*][of:...in hiding]
Posts: 529
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Post by Layla Jimenez on May 23, 2008 10:14:57 GMT -5
Layla's brow wriggled slightly as the girl described her father's objection, though mostly out of sympathy. "I have an aunt and uncle who are kind of like that. My cousin says they drive her crazy and that she practically has to fill out an application to go out for a few hours with friends. And she ends up trying to spend as much time as she can with us instead."
Her own parents weren't so bad about going out and such, that was still kind of in their control. But when it came to things regarding the magical world, they lost all influence. "Well at least one of your parents was willing to let you come," she said smiling softly, glad that the girl was here and had not been held back like she had. "Neither of my parents wanted me to come back," Layla told the Gryffindor a bit stiffly, still unable to be completely fine with it. "I had to wait until I was 17 so I could just leave on my own and come back to school." Layla looked down down and her sleeves and pulled them down to repel the cold air before forcing a smile and looking back at Felicity. "But I'm here now," she told her, feeling better just by stating it, "and I get to finish my last year. It's all I wanted"
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Post by Felicity Hjort on May 26, 2008 11:32:58 GMT -5
"My parents don't really drive me crazy with it," she answered quickly. She knew their reasonings, but at the same time, she knew better too. Or she liked to think she did. "It does become rather frustrating at times, especially when I know I'm safe with the people I'm with, but they don't trust them...or rather my dad doesn't. Like with Drew, he hardly let us go anywhere over the summer, and then it was only for a quick bite to eat." No movies, no bowling, no walking in any of the numerous parks, no anything, other than the party for Hiro. "But I guess it's all right, I know they're just doing it to keep me safe, it's just sometimes I wish they trusted my judgment on people."
"My mum was, and she threatened my dad if he didn't let me," she smiled bashfully about the information. It was true, her mum wanted her to attend Hogwarts like she had, though she hadn't attended the full seven years either, only six and a half due to complications at home. "Did they not want you to come back because of everything happening?"
It was a simple question and not one that required an answer, she all ready felt the answer would be yes. The only reason she was allowed back was because she'd kept quiet about what happened to her in January.
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Layla Jimenez
Witch
Healer-In-Training
[on:*le pounce*][of:...in hiding]
Posts: 529
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Post by Layla Jimenez on May 26, 2008 11:59:30 GMT -5
Layla smiled, glad her mother had been so insistent. Though she was kind of surprised the father was so strict. Sure Drew was a boy dating his daughter, but Drew was also Drew. She couldn't imagine him being anything other than awesome to Felicity. "Well the threats worked, so fair play to your mum," she said giggling. She nodded as the girl continued, knowing that her parents, too, just wanted to keep her safe. She just somehow couldn't reconcile between accepting that fact and it being the cause of missing so much.
"Sort of," she answered the girl. "I guess I was doing the right thing back then, telling them everything that was happening and even sending them copies of the Daily Prophet. But like everyone else, they started noticing the kidnappings and weird stuff." Her voice dropped lower like almost everyone else's did when conversation approached topics of this nature. "Magical or not, they knew something wasn't right. The first time I was gone for a little while and came back. But the second time, they didn't budge." Shrugging a little, she smiled softly. "Like you said, they were trying to protect me. As muggles, I guess that's all they could really do to do that."
Layla tried to imagine being one of her parents, trying to protect their child from a world they weren't a part of. Layla just couldn't get it sometimes, but perhaps it was similar to how they couldn't relate to her need to be there.
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Post by Felicity Hjort on May 27, 2008 21:44:45 GMT -5
Smiling, Felicity nodded in agreement with Layla. Her mum had done well to win the argument on Felicity's continued education. Either public schooling and then a possible scholarship to continue her education at university, or magic school and things her father knew nothing of. Her mum really had pulled through with that discussion, completely giving her no chances at winning scholarships for university, which her dad had noted and talked of that summer.
Biting her lip through the girl's speech of doing the right thing, Felicity knew she hadn't. What with Shaw making an example of her in front of almost the whole school, she knew she should've told her mum, but it hadn't worked out that way. If she had said something, then her parents would've pulled her from the school, even her mum and that just wouldn't work.
"I guess parents think the right thing to do is take their children from the situation that's being bothersome, but they don't realize they're not allowing their children to learn by doing so either, huh?" she mused more to herself, but still aloud. It was funny how parents thought, would she do the same in the future? Lose all sense and think like that?
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Layla Jimenez
Witch
Healer-In-Training
[on:*le pounce*][of:...in hiding]
Posts: 529
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Post by Layla Jimenez on May 30, 2008 22:57:19 GMT -5
Leaning back, she nodded slightly in agreement. Though she still fought the logic, she knew Felicity was right. "I guess it's like... I don't know what it's like to be a parent, with a child in danger." She had argued with them for many weeks about how she could take care of herself. By the time she had given up on convincing them, the statement itself had lost all meaning. "But they don't get it either." She added after a pause before looking at the blonde. "Being a witch... explained everything for me. And when they made me stop coming..."
She chuckled softly at herself, mostly at her inability to explain her thoughts, but also because she wasn't sure what she was trying to get at. "I dunno," she said exhaling. "I guess we're not the first ones to have weird parents." It wasn't exactly how she wanted to label it, but nothing else quite fit.
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Post by Felicity Hjort on Jun 1, 2008 11:27:01 GMT -5
Being a parent with a child in danger. Felicity didn't know what that was like, only from the perspective of the child. While she often feared for Freddy or any of her other cousins, she still wasn't their parent, nor they her child, so then was it different? Her mum understood, well, understood well enough. She was magical as well and had been taken from Hogwarts in her seventh year to nurse her own parents back to health as well as take care of her siblings. After they healed she wasn't able to attend Hogwarts again and instead took her two youngest siblings with her to London and raised them while finding love at the market her dad worked for at the time.
She understood Felicity's need to learn these things, it was why she began teaching her daughter what she could, even before the girl turned eleven she'd been educated in a number of areas of magic, just never wandwork.
"I suppose not," the Gryffindor agreed with Layla. Not the first and not the last. "But sometimes it would be nice not to have such protective parents. But then again, I guess maybe it's just one way they show they care and I know I wouldn't want mine caring any less. I just wish they cared more about how I felt sometimes." Especially when it came to Drew. While her mum was more lenient on Felicity being with him, she still couldn't tell the older woman she was in love with Drew. And as for her dad, well, he went bezerk everytime Felicity tried to just hold her boyfriend's hand; as for telling him how she felt about Drew it wasn't possible unless she didn't want to see the boy in the future.
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Layla Jimenez
Witch
Healer-In-Training
[on:*le pounce*][of:...in hiding]
Posts: 529
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Post by Layla Jimenez on Jun 9, 2008 22:10:14 GMT -5
[blargh.. sorry.. ] Layla couldn't imagine her family not caring less. In fact, they five of them had always gotten along, even after they knew she was a witch. It was Layla who left them, for Hogwarts. Layla sat staring blankly past Felicity's head... was she the one who cared less now? She had spent the last couple of months catching up with her life as a witch that she had barely given them any thought other when she was completely alone. Feeling her face fall a bit and smiled softly at Felicty. "I'm sure they care about how you feel," she told her, remembering the guilt of her own mother's face when she had pleaded her to let her come back to school. "I think... the way they act," she continued, believing in her words just a bit more as she said them, "is the only thing that's within their own power, since they don't have the magical kind." Feeling the weight of breaking all contact with her family, Layla suddenly wanted to be alone. Though the girl's company wasn't unwelcome, she didn't know if she could control her facial expression at the moment. "I guess it's something we have to figure out along the way," she told her, this time trying out a brighter smile.
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Post by Felicity Hjort on Jun 9, 2008 23:41:44 GMT -5
((no worries )) A guilty look washed over the blonde's face briefly. She knew her parents cared about her feelings, but sometimes, she wished they were less careful about her being out and about. She wasn't allowed to make the treck to her next door neighbor's home without an escort from her family. They went through all the trouble to make sure she knew how to protect herself if anything came down to that, but she wasn't ever allowed out by herself, so how could she prove that she'd learned anything or knew how to take care of herself? "My mum's a witch," she stated softly. Her dad didn't have magic in his veins that she knew of, but her mum was a witch, her grandmum a squib. She wasn't fully muggle. But at the same time, Felicity didn't think Layla was speaking about Felicity's parents, but rather her own. Nodding her head Felicity figured the same. Somewhere down the road it would all make sense and they wouldn't have to worry too much about things because they'd figure it all out and it'd be easier then, or would it be harder because then they would know?
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