Maya Castillo
Hufflepuff
Fifth Year
A cat's worst fear is a closed door
Posts: 59
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Post by Maya Castillo on Dec 31, 2008 12:44:18 GMT -5
Once again Maya was wandering Hogwarts in solitude, and this time her cat Tabitha wasn't padding silently at her heels like she normally was. It was very early and the hallways were silent except for Maya's soft humming. It couldn't have been six 'o clock yet, so Maya suspected that most students would still be fast asleep, warm in their beds. After being unable to fall back asleep after a rather disturbing dream, Maya had gotten up, pulled a robe over her pj's and left Tabitha curled up on her pillow.
Determined to watch the sun rise Maya started jogging, her bare feet making almost no noise on the stone floor. She didn't slow her pace when she reached the winding staircase that let up to one of the student accessible towers. By the time she reached the top, Maya was slightly dizzy but not even out of breath. She paused a moment in front of the door that led out on to the tower, her jaw set in that determined stubborn way of hers. Maya was deathly afraid of heights, yet she continued to force them on herself thinking that hopefully one day she would get over it. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped out on to the terrace.
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Beau Hopkins
Hufflepuff
Sixth Year
Really... [on:--online--][of:--offline--]
Posts: 144
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Post by Beau Hopkins on Dec 31, 2008 14:31:30 GMT -5
Beau didn't like to wake up early. If he had his way he would have been able to sleep in and skip the first few lessons until it was a more reasonable hour for thinking. So it was rather a shock even to him that he was up before six o'clock that morning. He had tossed and turned in his bed until finally he arose, decided enough was enough. He changed into casual clothes consisting of jeans and a tshirt, grabbed his guitar, slipped on some shoes and was off. He didn't have a real destination in mind, just somewhere he could play guitar and not disturb too many people. Suddenly it clicked, the towers.
He remembered his meeting with Jake a couple nights ago as he walked up the stairs, his sneakers sounding off of the old cobblestone. Beau settled himself into one of the towers sitting on the ground and leaning against the wall. The sun hadn't even shown itself yet it was that early. The boy looked up at the lightening sky and played a few chords on his guitar, humming along to a tune he made up as he went along. He heard a small intake of breath and opened his eyes to see someone at the entrance of the tower. He kept playing as he uttered a low, " Good morning. " He didn't really know who the girl was but it hardly seemed important at that exact moment.
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Maya Castillo
Hufflepuff
Fifth Year
A cat's worst fear is a closed door
Posts: 59
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Post by Maya Castillo on Dec 31, 2008 15:00:18 GMT -5
"Oh," Maya gasped startled. A confused furrow appeared on her brow, and her mahogany eyes uncertain and cautious. "I'm sorry," she murmured softly, "I didn't think anyone would be up this early...". Maya trailed off and took a half step backward, wondering if the boy wanted to be left alone. Caught in indecision, Maya paused and her head tilted to the left as she looked the boy over, then recognition dawned on her face. Beau Hopkins, was the name that came to her. If she wasn't mistaken he was a Hufflepuff like herself only he was a year older. She knew him by sight and reputation, but as far as she could remember they had never spoken.
"Beau right?" she asked stepping forward and letting the door shut behind her. Maya flicked her auburn bangs from her eyes as she looked past him and out across the Hogwarts grounds. She smiled, good, she thought, I didn't miss the sunrise. However, without the sun it was rather chilly outside, and the stones under her bare feet were cold. Maya shivered and pulled her robe tighter around herself, oh how she missed her desert heat. Her gaze flickered back to Beau and his guitar, and the corner of her mouth twitched in a small smile as she watched his fingers play effortlessly across the strings. The only musical ability she possessed was singing.
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Beau Hopkins
Hufflepuff
Sixth Year
Really... [on:--online--][of:--offline--]
Posts: 144
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Post by Beau Hopkins on Dec 31, 2008 15:20:22 GMT -5
The boy offered a small apologetic smile as he noticed the girl before him jumping slightly at his voice. He was tempted to add a jokingly sarcastic, ' that scary, huh? ' but he wasn't so sure how she would take his sarcasm as he didn't know her all that well. A name suddenly came to him, Maya... something. He couldn't for the life of him remember her last name, but he did know her first which was a start. " Nor did I. Welcome to my abode. " He smiled again although as he smiled he looked down to the guitar in his hands, working his way through a slightly difficult chord change. Successfully executed it sounded fine, but it was something that he struggled with at times.
He cast his greenish blue eyes back out to the sky as Maya took a small step forward out of the doorway. He had been decently surprised by the girls accent, but it sounded nice. He nodded his head as he responded to her. " Yeh, that's me. You're... hm.. Maya, right? Fifth year, I think. " He wasn't so sure but was decently confident in his guess. As he held a chord he reached up to his curly locks and brushed them out of his eyes and enabling him to see better. " What brings ya out here then? "
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Maya Castillo
Hufflepuff
Fifth Year
A cat's worst fear is a closed door
Posts: 59
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Post by Maya Castillo on Dec 31, 2008 16:04:11 GMT -5
Maya bit back a smile when he said her name. So he knew her too, that was a nice surprise. Maya wasn't much of a social butterfly, so she always found it interesting when people she hardly said two words to knew her name, even if they only knew her as 'Maya, that girl with the funny accent'. Because Hogwarts was a UK based school for witches and wizards, most of the students who attended were of course born in the UK. Maya had yet to meet another who shared her orgins or accent. "Correct," she said and hr white teeth flashed against her golden brown complexion when she smiled, "and you're a sixth year?" Maya was almost positive she was right but she felt the need to confirm.
Maya edged toward the terrace wall, suddenly tense as she neared the edge. "Um, I just came to see the sunrise. It's my favorite time of day. Everything's...new". She lapsed into silence as she listened to the gentle weaving of Beau's guitar, he was quite good at his instrument. Out of habit Maya began humming and vocalizing in harmony with his melody, her soft alto voice rising and falling gently. While she was distracted, Maya chanced a swift glance downward. Bad idea. Her stomach seemed to plummet and her vision swam. A strangled gasp escaped her as she jerked backward away from the edge. Unable to catch herself, she fell flat on her back and the air was knocked from her lungs.
"Ouch..." she grunted as she tried to catch her breath. Suddenly heat rushed to her cheeks flooding them with embarrassed color. Usually when she preformed her small acts of rebellion against her own crippling fear she was alone, so she wouldn't have an audience when she made a fool of herself.
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Beau Hopkins
Hufflepuff
Sixth Year
Really... [on:--online--][of:--offline--]
Posts: 144
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Post by Beau Hopkins on Dec 31, 2008 17:19:13 GMT -5
Beau let his eyelids fall closed as he hummed along with the tune, listening to Maya speak to him. He glanced up just in time to see her smile and did the same as he confirmed her question. " Indeed I am. Hufflepuff, same as you. " He had always taken pride in being in Hufflepuff house and it was good to meet other housemates. He could name two new friends off the top of his head that had been in Hufflepuff all along and he had just never really known them much before. Random meetings were nice sometimes. At the mention of the sunrise the boy looked up just above his head again. There was something poetic and musical about the rising sun, and he was almost appreciating the fact that he had wakened so early that morning. A soft smile lit up his face as he heard Maya's humming joining in with his own. He wondered if she sang.
He quirked his head to the side for a moment before reiterating his thoughts to Maya. " There's just something about it... that's poetic and nice. Reminds me of music... " He tapped his guitar lightly as he said music, letting the last chord ring out as he led his hands slide down and rest against his legs.
It took Beau a second to realize what had happened with Maya laying on her back, apparently having fallen over. A look of surprise caught his features and he attempted to gracefully set his guitar down and kneel over her in one motion. " Are you okay? " He asked, feeling silly on his hands and knees as he asked. " You shouldn't die so early in the morning. You'll miss the sunset. " He joked with a cheeky smile, hoping she was alright.
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Maya Castillo
Hufflepuff
Fifth Year
A cat's worst fear is a closed door
Posts: 59
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Post by Maya Castillo on Dec 31, 2008 17:59:05 GMT -5
Maya closed her eyes for a moment as her head throbed from the impact at which it had hit the stone floor. After a few moments the pain subsided and she opened her eyes to find Beau's concerned face hovering above her own. She was startled to find him so close, and she almost flinched away but his worried gaze held hers. He had the most beautiful blue-green eyes. Maya blinked a few times in an attempt to clear her head, and one slender hand came up to touch the tender spot on the back of her head. "Very poetic," she said in little more than a whisper.
Maya's cheeks flushed with embaressment, but Beau managed to dismiss the awkwardness with his next cheeky comment and a high bell like laugh escaped her lips. "I'll keep that in mind as I try not to die from embaressment," she chuckled and bit her lip. Ok Maya, time to get up. Maya rolled over on to her hands and knees, and gripped the terrace wall as support as she pulled herself up. This time she was careful not to glance over the edge. She didn't want to repeat the insident. Maya winced as she touched the back of her head, then checked her fingers. Good, no blood. After giving Beau a small smile to let him know she was ok she turned to look out at the lightening sky. "I wouldn't want to miss this," she whispered.
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Beau Hopkins
Hufflepuff
Sixth Year
Really... [on:--online--][of:--offline--]
Posts: 144
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Post by Beau Hopkins on Jan 1, 2009 13:37:01 GMT -5
Without realizing it Beau winced sympathetically as he watched Maya reach up and gently touch the spot of impact. ' Very poetic. ' His lips curled into a somewhat shy smile and he nodded once or twice as he brushed his hair out of his face, just looking at her for a second to make sure she was okay.
He offered up a grin as he replied to her. " Embarrassment wouldn't be a heroic death at all... Now getting mauled by lions or something, that would be more interesting. " He lifted himself up into a standing position and was just about to offer a hand when Maya stood up on her own. Instead of returning to his former sitting spot he stood next to the girl, partially because he didn't want her to fall over the ledge this time. Plummeting to death wouldn't be very ' cool ' either. " It is nice... but are you sure you're alright? No concussions? No hospital wings? " He wasn't opposed to spending more time with her by any means, but he hoped she was well enough to avoid the hospital wing. The place was creepy to him at times and if at all possible he preferred not to have run ins there.
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Maya Castillo
Hufflepuff
Fifth Year
A cat's worst fear is a closed door
Posts: 59
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Post by Maya Castillo on Jan 1, 2009 16:55:09 GMT -5
Normally, when Maya first met someone she tended to be shy and rather reserved, acknowledging questions with one word answers until the other person became too unnerved by her silence to stick around. Eventually people learned to leave her to her horses, and Maya seemed to prefer it that way. It was difficult for Maya to open up to anyone who wasn't family or already close friends with, but with Beau it was different. She found it was easy to talk with him, and that he could make her laugh.
He seceded in pulling another chuckle from her as she leaned against the wall and turned to smile at him, raised one delicate eyebrow. "Lions?" she said, cinnamon eyes dancing with amusement, "that also sounds more painful. It sounds a little too heroic for me, besides what if I'm a coward?" Her tone was edged with amused sarcasm but there was truth in her eyes. Maya loathed her fear with every fiber of her being, which was part of the reason why she was so determined to conquer it. In a way Maya was making progress in her mission. She no longer froze in uncontrollable terror, she just broke into a cold sweat, or get dizzy, or fall flat on her back in this case.
Maya shook her head grimacing as she felt the bump forming under her auburn hair. "I think I'll be OK, just a little bruise. Besides," she continued wrinkling her small nose, "I don't like the hospital wing. It's far to...clean." She glanced over at her companion to see if he shared her opinion of if he was going to attempt to drag her there anyway.
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Beau Hopkins
Hufflepuff
Sixth Year
Really... [on:--online--][of:--offline--]
Posts: 144
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Post by Beau Hopkins on Jan 1, 2009 17:52:48 GMT -5
Well she was breathing, and talking... and... laughing? Beau wasn't really the comedian type. He found himself funny but he wasn't used to make other people ( especially girls ) laugh. It was nice though, and he allowed for his smile to remain in place as he listened to Maya respond to his comment. He contemplated her question for a second or so before coming up with a reasonable answer. " I doubt you're a coward. " His comment was said nonchalantly, as though five minutes of observation could really give him much to go off of about who Maya was and whether or not she was a coward. She didn't seem like the type to be cowardly... but then again, what did he know? " But... I don't really know you... so.. " He let the thought trail off, giving a small joking smirk.
Beau had always thought of himself as more of a coward, he never had many friends and refused to socialize up until last year. Having such an ease filled conversation such as this one was nice. He chanced a sideways glance at Maya as she once again touched the sore spot on her head. " Honestly I didn't want to take you... I mean... " He fumbled for his words for a second, grinned apologetically and continued on, " I agree with you. I don't like going there too much... too... eerie. I enjoy hanging out with you, though. " His cheeks flushed a pink color at his tripping over his words and he looked away out to the sky once again.
Beau decided that a small change in conversation might be nice so he turned and asked, " So Maya if you don't mind me asking... where are you from? "
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Maya Castillo
Hufflepuff
Fifth Year
A cat's worst fear is a closed door
Posts: 59
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Post by Maya Castillo on Jan 1, 2009 19:20:37 GMT -5
Maya felt her golden cheeks turn slightly pink and she ducked her head in an attempt to hide a smile. She was flattered that he thought well of her, but he had a point, they were still only in their first conversation. So far all she knew of him was that he was a wonderful muscisian, had somewhat of a poetic mind, and he had eyes to die for. Maya guessed that all he had gathered from her was that she was a klutz who woke up insanely early to watch the sunrise, and she had a funny accent.
Maya glanced at Beau sharply from behind her bangs, surprised to find that he was flustered. Had she done that? She deffently haden't ment to. Then she didn't even try to hide her pleased smile when he said he enjoyed her company. It surprised her even more to see that he was blushing. Shaking her head in wonder she decided to go along with the change of topic. She let out a small chuckle and said, "Well I guess it's obvious I'm not from London. I was born in Mexico, in the middle of the desert." Her voice became whistful, and her eyes gained a far away look as she talked about her home. "I came to visit my aunt when I was eleven, her husband is a wizard and that summer I got accepted to Hogwarts. I miss home terrably, but I couldn't be here if I moved back home so..." she trailed off with a shrug gazing up at the sky, and closed her eyes as the first rays of sunshine hit her face turning her hair red.
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Beau Hopkins
Hufflepuff
Sixth Year
Really... [on:--online--][of:--offline--]
Posts: 144
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Post by Beau Hopkins on Jan 3, 2009 11:23:01 GMT -5
Beau hoped she wouldn't notice that he was blushing... It had been a while since he had done anything to embarrass him to induce the blushing, but he supposed it was better now rather than in broad daylight. He was thankful that she merely played along with the new topic, letting his cheeks return to their former pale color.
As Maya told of where she was from Beau nodded along slightly, thinking that it made sense for her not to be from London or the UK in general. Mexico... that was rather far away though. He had been about to ask how she ended up here when she answered the question without him uttering a word. He let a small bout of silence drop in between them to let Maya have a few seconds to herself. The sixteen year old offered a smile as he finally responded. " That must be very hard for you... Maybe you're not a coward after all. " His tone expressed his joking opinion on the matter, although he did think it must be very hard to be so far away from family members as she was.
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Maya Castillo
Hufflepuff
Fifth Year
A cat's worst fear is a closed door
Posts: 59
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Post by Maya Castillo on Jan 3, 2009 15:07:03 GMT -5
Maya rested her chin in her palm as she leaned against the terrace, soaking in the sunlight. With a contented sigh she opened her eyes but didn't look at Beau as he spoke. Instead, Maya focased her attention on two birds wheeling and diving through the morning air slightly above the pair of Hufflepuffs. Maya's dark eyes became thoughtful as she contemplated Beau's words, and her soft mouth took on a pouty appearence it gained whenever Maya was lost in thought. The corners of her mouth, which normally held knowing smiles, were now pulled slightly downward.
Just then Maya's lips curved into a rufal smile, "I never thought about it that way," she said her voice soft but audible. "Leaving home, I never thought of it as brave just as a choice that could give me both pain and happiness. I miss my papa, my brothers, my desert, my horses...but I like my friends here and I love being a witch." Aburuptly, Maya stopped talking. She hadn't ment to say so much because she hardly ever spoke her personal feelings outloud, and even more rarely did she talk about her home with other people. She told herself there was no use getting embaressed about because she couldn't take back what she said, and she wasn't even sure she wanted to. Her gaze flicked breifly to Beau's face then back to the birds as she started toying with the simple silver horseshoe necklace that hung around her neck. Maya wasn't normally one for jewlry, but her brothers had given it to her for her 12th birthday and she had hardly taken it off since.
"I envy them," she said, startling herself by saying her thought outloud, "the birds I mean..." Jeez Maya spill your guts out to a perfect stranger why don't you... she thought bitterly, making sure to keep this thought safely in her head.
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Beau Hopkins
Hufflepuff
Sixth Year
Really... [on:--online--][of:--offline--]
Posts: 144
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Post by Beau Hopkins on Jan 4, 2009 18:42:42 GMT -5
Every now and again the sixteen year old would take himself from staring at the sky and instead glance to the girl next to him. She was very pretty, he had immediately noticed that upon first seeing her, and evidently intelligent as well. She didn't seem to be self absorbed either, which was yet another plus. All in all the boy was rather glad she had interrupted his solitude that morning. Without her disturbance he would probably still be playing his guitar all by himself. During one of his casual glances over he noticed that Maya's smile had taken on a slightly sad look.
Beau leaned against the guard rail, using his arms as a cushion as he listened. He hadn't ever had to do something like that. His entire family lived in the UK and any time he came here to Hogwarts he always had his sister around in case anything were to happen. He couldn't really imagine being so far away from everything as she was. " I... " He trailed off, not thinking of anything to say that could make her feel any better about the situation. He let her have her moment or two of silence, knowing that if she wanted to talk more about it then she would bring it up.
' I envy them, ' The boy tossed a confused look her way, wondering who she was speaking of. ' the birds I mean... ' A smile lit up his features as he nodded his head. " They're very free, I'll give them that... but some of them aren't. It depends on how you look at it all. " As with a lot of things, Beau supposed it depended on your perspective.
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Maya Castillo
Hufflepuff
Fifth Year
A cat's worst fear is a closed door
Posts: 59
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Post by Maya Castillo on Jan 4, 2009 21:32:11 GMT -5
Maya started to feel guilty for laying all of her pent up homesickness on her new friend. Even if he wasn't upset that she had intruded on his solitary morning, he had said he enjoyed spending time with her, but even so Maya doubted that he had been expecting a heart to heart. Maybe he was just being polite in not telling her to get lost, but Maya preferred to think that he was honest and actually enjoyed her company.
He started to say something and then stopped, and the two lapsed into a short silence. Maya glanced over at him, worried that she had somehow upset him. Her gaze lingered on his face slightly longer than she had dared to look before. For the first time, Maya realized the considerable height difference between the two. Maya had grown used to being shorter than most others and it almost never bothered her anymore, but the difference between the two house mates was almost laughable. Beau had to be nearly a foot taller than herself. This realization made her mouth twitch in an amused smile before her inspection continued. Her eyes rested briefly on his curly locks then moved down to his ocean colored eyes. Oops his eyes. Quickly Maya looked away, nervously reaching up to brush her stubborn bangs from her eyes. Had he noticed her staring?
Just then Maya was grateful for her golden brown skin because it mostly succeeded in hiding her frequent blushes. She glanced over in time to see his smile, which made her heart flutter briefly in her chest, before he replied. This time Maya's sigh was audible as she straightened up, tilting her face upward to follow the birds flight. "Well they certainly have more freedom then I do. I wish I could fly." It was only after Maya said these words that she realized how silly they must sound to a wizard. Of course he would assume she could just hop on a broom and satisfy her wish that way, but Maya didn't expand on her wish. She was curious to see if Beau could put two and two together because the one thing Maya refused to say out loud was that she was afraid of heights.
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