Thoughts || Open

Oliver's hands were shoved into his jean's pockets as he silently walked around the courtyard. It was nearing sunset and Oliver liked the idea of how quiet everything was. He wasn't much of a talker but he knew how to carry on a conversation sometimes.

Oliver heard the clock tower chime, signaling that it was six p.m. He rolled his eyes and sat on a bench.

Anna walked around the courtyard, expecting to see no one there. Besides the Common Room, this was the one place in the rare occasion that she would go to be alone. Sometimes, being the funny, clever, upbeat Ravenclaw was too much for her, and she needed someone to see a different side of her. And she didn't mean Natalia.


Anna saw another boy from her house sitting by a bench. She was surprised anyone would be out here at six, 'cause most people would be either: a) holed up in their Common Rooms, b) in the Library or c) at the Grounds. She knew no one ever went to the Clock Tower Courtyard unless they wanted to have some peace or they needed someone specific to talk to.


Anna sat on the bench, not too close to the boy but not too far either. Her gaze went to every single corner in the courtyard, looking at everything she could possibly rest her gaze on.

"Yes?" He asked the girl who had sat next to him. He didn't mind that she was there but it was rather odd to him that someone would just sit next to him without trying to make any type of conversation.

Anna shook her head, her eyes back in focused, when the boy next to her finally decided to say something. For the first time, she was a bit nervous, trying her best not to say the wrong things.

"I - I just thought..." she began, her voice quivering. "T-That you needed s-some company. You looked kind of... lonely out here."

"Oh," Oliver said plainly. "Thanks, I guess."

He sat there, looking around and just stared up at the clock tower, unsure what to say.

He cleared his throat, "You're in Ravenclaw too right?"

Isobel watched the two from the tree she was perched on. She had been here for a while now, watching the passionate colours of sunset splash the pale canvas of the sky. She had noticed the boy when he arrived, but decided it best to leave him alone. He looked wrapped up in his thoughts, and Isobel respected that. She leaned back into another branch, looking down at the ground. A small, satisfied smile tugged at her lips. This was a rather tall tree, taller than the ones at home. She loved challenges- that's part of what made her a Ravenclaw, she supposed.

She watched as a smaller figurine made her way to the boy. She frowned a little. If they were making conversation, she should probably join them. You know, to make friends. But she wasn't much of a talker. More observer. She shrugged a little and gracefully leaped from the tree. She wandered what she should do next. Go to them, or back to her solitude?

"Yes," Anna nodded. "But I think we're in different years, since I don't remember you in any of my classes. What year are you in? I'm in Second."

Anna looked around at the place, her eyes resting on a figure near some trees. She then shook her head and turned back to the boy.

"Lovely, isn't it?" she sighed. "And what's your name? Out of all questions, that had to be the one I forgot."

Isobel saw the girl shake her head. She cocked her head to one side. She could not decipher this gesture. Was it confusion as to why she was here? Or because she didn't know her? Or simply because she didn't want her there? She could never understand people's body language, and could never register or catalogue an atmosphere- she had promised her aunt she would work on it when she joined Hogwarts.

Still undecided as to what she should do, she moved closer to them, only just so she could see their faces. She was about 10 meters apart from them, and she could see their blue ties clearly. Ravenclaws. She silently sat crossed-legged in the lush grass and waited to see if either the girl or boy would say something. She didn't want to intrude and wouldn't join the conversation unless spoken to. Actually, she probably preferred just lying in the grass, watching the final rays of sunlight swallowed by the indigo night. But she promised her aunt, and she always kept her promises.

"Yeah, I'm in third year," Oliver replied, nodding. "And my name is Oliver Penderghast, what's yours?"

Oliver hadn't realized there was someone else in the courtyard. He was thinking a little too much of his younger sister, Quinn, because his mother had owl'd him that she had the dragon pox. He really wanted the holidays to hurry up and get here because he wanted to help his sister so much.

Isobel's hand flew to her mouth.


She didn't mean to. But then she never meant to.

It wasn't her fault she was a natural Legilimens. It wasn't her fault she could hear other people's thoughts so easily when near.

She didn't mean to. Honestly, she didn't. She was often beaten by her mother when people would ask questions in their head and Isobel would answer them out loud when she was younger.

She turned around and locked gazes with the boy- Oliver, she thought he said his name was.

I'm sorry about your sister. she thought clearly directly at him. She brought a finger to her lips casually, pretending just to play with her lip, knowing that only Oliver would recognise this as a sign to keep quiet about her "gift."

Oliver hadn't seen the girl until he saw something moving and locked gazes with the girl, his eyes widened at the thought of someone being able to read his mind. But when she gave her concerns about his sister and made a sign, telling him not to say anything, he nodded understandably.

He then turned to the girl that hadn't responded to her, "What was your name?"

"Annabeth Tshering, but call me Annabeth and I will hex you, which is why most people call me Anna," replied Anna, starting to feel a bit suspicious. She looked around to see if anyone was nearby, and even though she couldn't see anyone, she could feel another soul behind one of the trees.

"Is anyone there?" she asked, drawing her wand from the pocket. "Show yourself!"

"Expelliarmus." she whispered. The girl's wand flew from her hand. She stepped into their view.

She smiled softly and walked towards the girls wand, picked it up and handed it back to her.

"Sorry." she said, her voice hoarse for not talking for so long- 9 hours this time? Maybe more. Which wasn't bad for her. Not bad at all, actually.

She cleared her throat.

"I didn't want you to jump and hex me when I came forward." she smiled politely.

"Erm..." she muttered, looking around. She didn't have a clue what to do now.

Then she finally figured what she should say next.

"I'm Isobel. Isobel Bourque." she smiled softly.

"Never mind," replied Anna, fiddling with her wand. "And besides, I won't hex you as long as you put yourself forward like you have now."

She smiled at the girl after she explained herself, "Sorry, I don't do serious very well. I'm Anna, Anna Tshering. Are you French, if you don't mind me asking?"

"But what if I like the name Annabeth? Will you hex me if I still call you that?" Oliver smirked playfully and laughed. "Because it is a pretty name."

"And my name is Oliver," He introduced himself once more to the new girl.

Isobel silently smirked slightly. She was pretty certain she could counter-curse Anna's hexes, but she wasn't going to say that out loud. That would probably be getting off on the wrong foot. Instead, she replaced it with a smile. It felt weird. Alien. Her face was usually blank.

"Anna and Oliver..." she murmured, cocking her head to one side- she was trying out their names. She smiled softly- this time it was genuine.

"Oui, je suis francais. J'ai vecu a Paris." she spoke fluently in French.

"You may call me Belle, if you wish." she said dreamily. She was still slightly distracted by Oliver's sister. His thoughts were constant and strong about her. She smiled. The girl seemed sweet. She knew she shouldn't be "eavesdropping", but she couldn't help it anymore than she could breathe.

"Okay, fine, maybe it is a nice name after all," Anna smiled, looking at Oliver. She was trying her best to hide her blush, so she played with her hair until it covered her cheeks. "But I think it makes me sound centuries older."

Anna swore she could feel her cheeks turn scarlet when Belle said her name and Oliver's together. Anna and Oliver... well, that does sound nice, she thought.

"You're from Paris?" Anna asked, looking at Belle as if she was some sort of science experiment. "Oh... I've been there once. It's beautiful! And yeah, I think I'll call you Belle. That means beautiful in French, I think. I don't know. Oh Merlin - my French is terrible!"

"Annabeth it is then," Oliver grinned. He noticed Annabeth's cheeks redden but then shrugged it off as both of the girls began talking about France.

"Are you still in my thoughts?" He suddenly remembered Belle's secret. "Because if you are, I'm not comfortable with this."

Belle gave a knowing look and grinned (which was unusual for Belle) at Anna when she heard her thoughts. Of course, Anna would think it was the blush that gave it away. Besides, anyway you'd slice it- it was pretty obvious.

A tinge or rose pink stained Belle's ivory cheeks, but she quickly fought it back.

"Yes, it means beautiful. I didn't call myself beautiful though." she added quickly.

"My father-" she winced slightly at the memory of him.

"-nicknamed me that after I was born. It just stuck, I suppose." she smiled softly.


She sighed warily in her head.

"Oliver, I'm going to have to be quite blunt now. I can't help it anymore than I can stop breathing. I won't apologise for being what I am. But I do respect your wishes, and if it bothers you so much, I won't come near you again.

She paused.

But please don't tell Anna.

"Oh, you don't have to stop talking to me or anything, have you ever tried controlling it though?" He thought. "And I won't- you have my word."

He hadn't meant to offend the Belle and now he did felt bad.

"I've never been to France," Oliver admitted. "But I've been to Italy a few times."

Anna raised her eyebrow when Belle and Oliver were almost, in a way, looking at each other. It made her feel unwanted, and feeling unwanted made her feel vulnerable.

"Do you guys want me to go?" she asked. looking at the two of them.

She laughed bitterly in her head- something that sounded alien to Belle's usually soft and gentle laugh.

"I've been trying to control it ever since I was born" Images of her mother beating her for her "gift" flashed through her mind and she winced. She quickly covered them up before Oliver had a chance to see them clearly.

She paused again.

"Thank you." She really didn't want Anna to feel...well...most people didn't like the idea of someone always knowing what you were thinking.

She smiled.

"I've always wanted to go to Italy- the muggles there are fascinating."

Her eyes widened.

"No,no." she said quickly.

"I'll speak to you about this later." she thought quickly at Oliver and quickly closed off the connection he had to her. She could hear him now, but he couldn't hear her.

"I was just looking at that oddly shaped cloud behind Oliver." she laughed. There was on oddly shaped cloud behind Oliver. It looked like a foot.

"Italy is wonderful!" Anna smiled. She had been all over Europe with her family when she was young, and she remembered all those memories so vividly. How she does that, she does not know.

For some reason, Anna felt a sudden pang of sadness in her heart, but she had no idea why. She shook it off, though it left her feeling a little teary, not to mention that she started gasping for breath. A tear trickled down her face and she wiped it away with her hand.

Oh Merlin, what is happening to me?

"I-It's" Anna gasped, sucking in air. After that, her pain, as abruptly as it came, it disappeared. She relaxed. "It's nothing."

Anna looked behind Belle to see a foot-shaped cloud, which she found odd, but not weird enough to make a point out of.

"I see," she whispered, gazing at the cloud.

And right in her head, a song began.

Belle's face contorted in concern and she reached out to Anna, and put a hand on her shoulder. But then Anna stopped. What was that?

"Anna, are you alright?" she asked softly, genuinely scared for her.

"Okay," he thought to Belle.

Then Annabeth started to look like she was hyperventilating and he grew worried.

"No, please don't go," Oliver said as he reached for her hand, worriedly. "Are you sure you're okay? I can take you to the Hospital Wing if you need to..." He offered.