Just A Walk(Open)

[aleeza]

In the short few months that she'd been at Hogwarts Aleeza had yet to travel to the dungeons for more than the classes that she was attending down there, and no longer then she needed to be. Stories had been told to her about the 'eery' slytherins that frequented the dungeons of the school, but she'd never taken the time to look around down there.

It was really beautiful, if you took a good look around. Though not many people did, she knew. With a bag slung comfortably over her shoulder Aleeza made her way through the maze that was the dungeon slowly before realizing that she'd gotten lost.

Getting lost, just what I needed. Aleeza thought, leaning back against one of the walls. She didn't need to be lost and she didn't want to be stuck in the dungeons until someone came to find her. Deciding to take advantage of the time she had she pulled out a notebook and started to write, needing to do something while she waited.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

The kitchens and his quarters had been his choice of places to eat something during meal times. They were unoccupied for the most part, other than the house elves, and he’d rather be as far away from the students and peering eyes of the other staff members as much as possible. Who knew what anyone was thinking, on that matter, who knew what any of the students could say to him. It was annoying to say the least.

Just the other day as Alfonz was seen in the hall, a random, and very young boy had run up to him for an autograph. Bright eyed and much too enthusiastic, Alfonz made up some excuse about not having the right quill and therefore he could not give the lad the autograph he so deserved. Alfonz scoffed at the young boy when he had left, hoping that he wouldn’t see the child again throughout the halls.

And so, as meal time was almost through, Alfonz made his way back toward the ground floor where his quarters were. Away from the classrooms but at the same time, near enough to everyone he could hear what was going on. It helped a bit that he had made some alliances with some of the portraits to know some of the workings around Hogwarts, and to keep him uptated, but he’d rather be in his room when the wanderers were walking around. Alfonz hadn’t wanted the spot light as a child, nor as a Quidditch player, he definitely didn’t want it as a staff member at Hogwarts.

As he continued his small journey, he passed a girl, standing and writing in the hallway. Briefly glancing at her, he didn’t stop, nor did he slow his pace. She looked engrossed in whatever it was that she was doing, and for that Alfonz felt a bit of a relief flow over him. At least she wouldn’t recognize or follow him if she was doing homework or something. Walking by, he made his way, and Alfonz thought about his next task that had to be completed during the day. Yes, it was sure to be an interesting day as long as there were no interruptions.

[aleeza]

Wrapped up in her own work Aleeza vaguely noticed one of the Professors walking by. The story was unfolding slowly, characters forming, plot taking shape. Now if only she could find her way out of the maze and back up to the Ravenclaw dorms she could take the time to sit down and flesh the story out without fearing that she would never get out of the dungeons.

It took her nearly a full minute to realize that she could simply ask the Professor that had walked past. Surely he wouldn't have a problem helping a student who had stupidly lost her way. Sliding her notebook into her bag as she pushed herself off the wall she followed the professor for a few seconds before finally speaking.

"Excuse me." Aleeza said softly, doing her best to keep pace with the much taller man. "I was wondering if I could ask a favor, Sir." Hating that she sounded so much like a brown noser she cringed before tugging on the strap of her messanger bag nervously.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

And he was so close, yet obviously Alfonz hadn’t walked fast enough to get away. He briefly turned back toward the girl, but never stopped. “What’s the favor entail? Hurry though, I’m rather busy.” He was brisk with his words, and even more brisk with his tone. He didn’t want to help anyone, but he figured that in some small ways that was apart of his job. Alfonz sighed and abruptly stopped in place to allow the girl to catch up to him.

“What were you saying, Miss…?” Alfonz asked her, not exactly wanting to know what he was getting himself into.

[aleeza]

Aleeza instantly recognized the professor in front of her. She'd heard tell of him. Most students knew him solely for his Quidditch career, though Aleeza had never known the sport, growing up in the muggle world. She was slightly annoyed that he kept his pace and even more annoyed when he stopped so that she could catch up. It wasn't as though she couldn't have done it herself.

"I've managed to get lost. I don't frequent the dungeons and so I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to the ground floor." She said softly, keeping her nerves in check. He was a rather intimidating man, but she couldn't put her finger on why. Taking a moment to really look at him as they began to walk again she slid one hand into her pocket.

Eyes on the floor she walked as fast as she could so that Professor....Jedynak, yes that was his name...didn't feel as though she was getting into his way too much. She wasn't there to be a burdon on anyone. "Aleeza. My name is Aleeza, Sir. Aly for short." She added the last part without thinking, shrugging gently as she realized that she was taking at least three steps to his one.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

Alfonz, almost bewildered, looked at the girl and sighed. Could she really be lost? He didn’t question it, fearing that he’d regret the more detailed explanation that he didn’t really care to hear. He nodded his head, and began to walk again, not at the pace he was so that the young girl could keep up with the strides of his long legs.

“Don’t worry about it, I’m going that way myself. Just make sure you study your surroundings…it’s not good to get yourself lost in a different playing field.” It was Quidditch terminology, but in any case it worked all the same. He, himself, had been just finally getting to know his way around the campus but he also found himself studying it to know exactly where everything fell. It made sense that he did that, other wise, he’d be at a very large disadvantage.

As the girl gave him her name, but not her last, he almost still wondered if it were appropriate to call her by it. He didn’t know, but from what he saw, most of his colleagues called the students by their last name with a prefix in front of some sort. Again, he found himself not caring all too much as he nodded. “Well, Miss Aleeza, make sure you’re taking good notes on to how to leave the dungeons. You never know who you may run into the next time,” Alfonz gave the young girl a forced smirk but then looked ahead and rolled his eyes. He’d better be getting brownie points somewhere for this one.

[aleeza]

"Don't worry." Aleeza said softly. "I know how to run." And it was true. She did in fact know how to run. And right now she was fighting the urge to take off in the other direction. Professor Jedynak's obvious indifference about what he was doing scared Aleeza a little more than she would like to have admitted.

Green eyes darted back and forth slowly as she tried to soak up every detail around her. It annoyed her slightly that she hadn't been paying enough attention before. She was a writer and an artist. Detail was her life more so than her actual life. And now she couldn't even pay any attention to that.

"You used to play Quidditch." She didn't know why the words left her mouth and she didn't know if it was something that would make Professor Jedynak angry, but she needed to say something to kill the uneasy silence they were walking in.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

Well at least Alfonz couldn't say the girl didn't have some spunk to her, as she practically ran to keep up with his strides. He smirked to himself and started to walk a bit more normally, which was faster than the pace he was going at when he had started back on their journey up to the ground floor. Alfonz only wondered if she'd be able to keep up now...it wasn't mean, but it wasn't all that nice either.

Not paying much attention to the walls that he had told Aleeza to pay attention to, for he had already done so many times, he was yet again lost in thoughts about all he had to accomplish and eventually do throughout the afternoon. Maybe Celina would come to see him if he sent an owl? Well, time would only tell...that and an owl if he sent one to her first.

You used to play Quidditch.

It came out of nowhere, and was just as uninvited. "Used to?" Alfonz asked as he turned a narrowed glare on the girl, only to straighten it out and make it calmer. She was right, after all. He was not playing at the moment, so in some senses it was true, even thought it stung something fierce. "I'm only on leave. The castle needed a bit more staff to help with the games since the....well....since the security at the school was threatened." Alfonz explained himself no more to the girl, not knowing really what else to say. All he needed was for her next comment to want something from him. "Do you play?" he asked her, feeling the fact that the girl obviously wanted to chat....and as much as that annoyed Alfonz, he had to keep up an impression for the school at least...for Celina.

[aleeza]

Her feet moved haster than she remembered them ever doing before in her life, but she refused to give in. It was obvious that Professor Jedynak was not in the mood to chat but the uncomfortable silence was killing her and it was easier to have awkward conversation rather than awkward silence. She wished that she could consintrate on something more than walking through the hallway with the professor.

There weren't many times Aleeza was uncomfortable, but the man walking next to her made her uneasy and she would rather babble mindlessly than deal with her own uncomfortability.

"Oh yes, of course. The castle does need more security. I know I feel safer knowing that there are more people around." She said with a small shrug, looking down at the floor before looking up to look at Professor Jedynak.

"Me? Play? No. I wasn't even raised around Quidditch. I grew up in the muggle world. But I've seen the games. And a lot of people talk about how good you were, or are rather. Must be annoying having everyone talking to you about Quidditch all the time."

[alfonztytusjedynak]

Alfonz actually let out a laugh at how much the girl huffed as she tried to keep up with him. It wasn't until she told him where she grew up that he actually slowed his pace a bit though, almost as if someone had shot him with a curse in the chest. No, it wasn't as if he was expecting her to be a pureblood, especially with how little attention she had paid to the detail when finding herself lost, but it did surprise him how easily she gave the information away. Even with Shay, Alfonz had to ask her directly about it. It was something he didn't understand...how could one be proud of being...impure?

Proud enough to talk about it freely....

"Annoying? A bit. But I'm usually not found as easily outside of the school....I'd rather it that way," Alfonz answered the girl, his tone cold and barely responsive. He figured he'd have a lot of encounters like this one, and had had in the past many of the sort, but it only proved to Alfonz how wrong this school was for Celina. Sure, Durmstrung had never accepted her, but after a year or two she could have well transferred with the grades she had gotten. But still...

"And, I'm alright. I like the game, and play it because I can...but we all live for different things I suppose..." Alfonz trailed off and shrugged as he did so. Be good...for Celina's sake, be good, he told himself what Celina would say to him and sighed. "So...do you live for anything?" Alfonz asked her, somewhat defeated at the fact that he felt obligated by his position at the school to associate with the girl. What a pain...

[aleeza]

Aleeza was quite proud that she'd made the professor laugh and thought nothing of it as he slowed down. Maybe I'm making an impression. Gripping the strap on her bag that was slung over her shoulder she pondered why such a devoted Quidditch player would leave the game to come to Hogwarts. She'd heard tell of him being related to one of the students in her house, but she never paid enough attention nor did she care enough to find out. It was none of her business anyway.

The question caught her off guard and she looked up at Professor Jedynak quickly, wondering exactly how to answer that question. Did she tell him why she wanted to come to Hogwarts in the first place? Did she tell him that her sister couldn't handle her 'wild ways' and needed a break from taking care of her baby sister? Or did she lie, make something up?

"Making my parents proud. They were killed when I was young. My sister was away at school in France, though my parents were none to happy about sending her from what I can remember, which isn't much. All I really knew about magic was that my parents wanted to keep my sister and I safe, so they left for the muggle world not long after I was born. They always told me it was easier that way, but they died anyway. Now all I want to do is make them proud, prove that I can be a good witch like my mother was."

Looking down at her feet, Aleeza bit her lip. There were reasons that secrets were kept, reasons why people burried them under the surface of a fake smile and an empty laugh. And Aleeza was finally starting to understand why. Secrets brought out memories, good or bad, and sometimes...Sometimes it was easier to forget.

[alfonztytusjedynak]

A simple question brought out a long and complicated answer. Wasn’t that his luck? The only bright side to that was that he didn’t have to talk as he barely listened to what the girl’s story was all about. Something about trying to make her parents proud because they were dead. How did one make dead people proud? As much as Alfonz wondered, he had enough tact not to ask it of the younger girl.

“There’s the stairs, they lead up to the ground floor. Are you capable from there?” Alfonz asked Aleeza, looking at her, wondering if she had been at all crying. He hoped not. Alfonz could barely deal with Celina cried, he wasn’t about to stand for a little girl crying over a story Alfonz never actually asked for.

As they neared the stairs, Alfonz looked at Aleeza again and sighed. “Well, don’t give up…” he said to her, finding it tiring that he kind of cared…but not really.

[aleeza]

Caught up in her own mind she nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. She wasn't the type to cry for any reason, let alone the telling of something that happened years ago, and she wasn't going to start crying now. Tears were only a showing of weakness and Aleeza had learned young that showing weakness would only end in trouble.

Nodding slowly she looked up at Professor Jedynak and then nodded. "Up those stairs. I'll be alright from here. Thank you for your help." Even if you didn't want to give it. She nearly mumbled, but bit her lip to keep the comment to herself. There would be no good if she made an enemy of one of the teachers at school. She didn't need that to deal with.

"I um.... I hope you have the chance to get back to Quidditch soon." Aleeza said with a small shrug before walking away, not really sure what she said or why she said it. It just seemed like the right thing to do. She only hoped it was.