Dancing with myself (Open)

J. J. let her eyes glance over the words in the book absorbing every sentence until her imagination got too far ahead of her and she couldn't concentrate anymore.

Flashes of colour and fancy flashed in her mind's eye as she imagined the scenes she had just read. A ball - suddenly she was filled with a desire to be something she wasn't.

Regal, graceful, royal - she wanted a fairytale, just for a moment.

Not giving it another thought, she set her book aside, and stood in the middle of the tower. Curtsying to an invisible partner, and then holding her arms up she began twirling about the room in hew own invisible waltz.

If she closed her eyes she could almost pretend she was there at some ball, her partner, handsome -

Of course then her natrual grace took over and she tripped over her own feet, crashing to the ground, only just managing to get her hands up to stop her.

How Savannah had ended up at the base of the clock tower was a mystery. She'd been walking through Hogwarts without much of a purpose, simply looking around at the majestic castle. Actually, she'd been looking for the owlery and had evidently ended up somewhat sidetracked. Clutching the sealed envelope addressed to her mother, she looked up the winding staircase. This better be it. Gritting her teeth, she headed up the staircase. Walking quietly, she soon found herself at the top at a place that was not the owlery. If it hadn't been for the blonde girl dancing with herself, she would've simply turned around and walked back down. But instead, she stood there in the doorway, amusing herself as she watched the girl dance. When she fell, Savannah couldn't help but smirk. Speaking out, she crossed har arms, grinning, "Had fun dancing?"

J. J. looked up at the question, surprised to be interupted. The clock tower wasn't usually a popular spot.

She blushed slightly at being caught but smiled anyways, "Yes, I did actually. Right up until I tripped anyways."

Pulling herself up, J. J. dusted herself off and introduced herself, "I'm J. J."

She held out her hand for a shake and noticed the envelope in the girl's hand.

"Oh, were you looking for the owlery?"

Smirking at the blush that spread along the cheeks of the blonde in front of her, she stepped towards her, nodding curtly as the girl introduced herself. Though she hadn't neccesarily come up here to interact with people, she dedided that it wouldn't be that hard to simply introduce herself to the girl. Shaking the offered hand, she replied, "I'm Savannah. Pleased to make your acquantince."

Glancing down at the letter for her mother in her hand, she nodded, "Yes, I was," looking up at the girl, she asked, "By any chance, do you know where it is?"

"Savannah - that's a nice name," J. J. smiled, "I like it."

She got reminisaint for a moment, "Ah, getting lost; I did that a lot last year - try not to do that with your classes, some of those teachers won't let you off, even if its your first day." She gave the girl a rueful grin.

"I do actually - you weren't that far off," the girl walked over to the window and pointed, "You can actually see the roof from here. You can just go back down the stairs, and then walk across this courtyard, around the part of the building that sticks out and then you will be able to see it."

Had she just complemented her? Though she was slightly taken aback, and was now positive that it was visible all over her face, Savannah smiled nonetheless. Nodding, she stammered, "Th- thank you."

Thankful for the conversation change, she smirked, rolling her eyes, "I've heard stories about what happens when you're late. There really should be a map," thinking for a moment, she glanced up at the older girl, "Is there a map? I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't; after all, the school is huge."

Staring over in the direction that JJ pointed at, she nodded, hoping to remember the distinct roof. Glancing down, she bit her lip. Merlin, it was high. Taking a step back, she nodded, "Thank you." Glancing down at her letter, she shrugged, "My mother's not expecting an urgent reply, so I'll just do it later."

J. J. gave her a little grin. The girl seemed surprised at the compliment, but J. J. had meant it. She like the name.

"You're Welcome."

J. J. thought about that for a moment, "There really should be; I don't think there is though... I heard a rumor that there was a magical one used for mischeif, but," she shrugged, "If it's even real I don't know who would have it."

"Though show up late to one of classes and I'm sure the Professor would be willing to turn you into a map," she gave a little chuckle and shook her head.

She watched the girl glance down at the edge and then step back.

"Not a fan of heights?" J. J. raised an eyebrow at Savannah.

Savannah nodded slightly. Sure she hadn't been expecting the compliment, but it was nice. Sure, even though it wasn't for something she'd done, but it was good enough. So, there was no map? Savannah felt slightly disappointed, but at least there was a slight silver lining; she could always make one. "Oh well, I guess I'll just have to figure it out myself."

Pausing for a moment, and glancing over at JJ, she hesitated for a moment. She shouldn't tell her about her hatred of heights. It would seem weak and childish. Making up her mind, she shrugged, "Only when I'm not on my broomstick."

"It's not as hard as it seems at first," J. J. said, "After all, I figured it out. If I could do it, anyone can."

J. J. looked at a girl moment, before nodding.

"That's cool," she said as she looked out at the drop - having yet to move from the window, "heights is one of the only things it seems I'm not uncomfortable with... the dark, storms - You name it, I probably don't like it." She gave a little laugh, only blushing slightly.

Alright then. It probably wouldn't be that hard manoeuvring around the castle. After all, Savannah had seven years to spend here. It had to get easier eventually. Nodding, she said, "I guess I'll figure it out eventually."

Sitting down on the floor, far away enough that she couldn't see the drop, but close enough to still talk to JJ without raising her voice, she shrugged, "Everyone's scared of something. It just happens to be heights for me," despite the calm tone of her voice, her blue eyes glimmered. Tell me everything JJ. Reveal all your secrets.

"Heights a more rational fear than some of the common ones," J. J. responded easily.

She looked back at the girl, and for a moment got distracted by the odd spark in her eye. It seemed... she wasn't sure what but it was rather unsettling.

After a long moment though she shook her head and looked back out at the window. Everything looked so small from up there. She enjoyed the feeling for a long moment well thinking of something else to say.

"Were you excited to come to Hogwarts?" she assumed from the way the girl casually mentioned magical things that Savannah had grown up with magic, not been suddenly thrown into it. "I always figured it made it a lot easier adjesting to this place when... well when you always knew you'd end up here one day."

She nodded, "That's true. It's better than being terrified of say, water. Because it's easy to avoid heights. Water? Not so easy." And besides, being scared of water will get you laughed at by absolutely everyone.

Was I excited to go to Hogwarts? And why was the question so hard to answer? Thinking hard, she stared over at the Owlery, watching an owl fly off for a few minutes. Speaking slowly, she said, "Yes, and no. I mean, it's cool to get to learn magic and everything, but I hate being so far away from home. And-" she cut herself off abruptly. She didn't need to talk about her father. He wasn't what the conversation was about. Instead, she simply decided to save face, "- I miss my mom." At least that was the truth, but it wasn't the full story.

J. J. gave her a sad little smile and a nod.

"That is very true; it is hard to be away from home... even if its to learn something as cool as magic. I miss my mom too... I miss my whole family."

Grant it, she also missed them most of the summer since they weren't the same. They were never the same. J. J. shook her head and shoved those thoughts away. She needed to accept the way things were and just get over it.

"Do you have any siblings?"

At least JJ had a whole family to miss. All she had was a mother. A great mother, but she missed her father nonetheless. Shaking her head softly to expel the thought of her father, she looked up at JJ's question, shaking her head, "Nope. I'm an only child."

Pausing for a moment, she added, "But I always wanted a sister. Or even a brother." Shrugging, she stares out the window again, trying to come up with the right words, "I just want someone so if something happened to my mother, I wouldn't be alone,"

Leaning back, her palms propping up the back of her head, she looked back at the blonde, "What about you? Do you have any siblings?"

J. J. gave the girl a sad smile. It seemed as if there was something unhappy in her past, and she briefly wondered what happened to her father - for he had to be out of the picture for her to feel as if she would be alone if something happened to her mother. The young Hufflepuff didn't want to pry though - she understood that none of that was her business.

"I have two brothers and a sister," she responded easily, "All older... they aren't all its cracked up to be most of the time," she gave a little laugh. "But I guess it's nice to have them."

She shrugged and began to twirl her hair as she thought.

"Though... sometimes you can feel alone even with all those siblings."

Two brothers and a sister...she couldn't even begin to imagine how amazing that would be. To have someone to always confide in, to tell your secrets, to fight with and to always be there for each other. Sighing, she looked up at JJ, smiling.

"I don't see how having siblings can be a bad thing. Unless they're all 10 years older and don't understand what it's like to be young," Crinkling her nose, she added, "That'd be like having more parents."

"You obviously have never had to share a bathroom, or a bedroom, with them," J. J. gave a little laugh.

She paused to think about that one for a moment, "Well, Simon's eight years older than me, so I guess you could say that... I've never been all that close to him, and Abby can always be a little..." she trailed off and shook her head, as she tried to find a kind way of explaining her sister, "Stuck up -but... it is nice to know they're always there... or were..."

She paused for a moment and looked out the window, not really seeing the view outside anymore but stuck in her thoughts.

"It's not being young that they don't understand," she finally said, "It's having magic."

She bit her lip, before giving a little self-conscious laugh.

"I still always have Zach - he's only a few years older than me, and he... he tries to understand..." she gave a fond little smile, "He's a good brother... a good person."

She was a muggle-born. And just that would make her a perfect recruit. Of course, her kind personality, as much as it made Savannah almost want to retch, was a factor too. And she would have an advantage; she cared about Muggles much more than the rest of them did; after all some of them where her family. Savannah grinned up at JJ, moving to stand beside her, "That's pretty cool, being muggle-born. It makes you special. Being half-blood is just boring. And overrated." Giving the older girl a lopsided grin, she added, "Besides, blood purists wouldn't like me much either, it's just how they are," shrugging, she glanced down at her feet, and then back up at the brunette, "But it must be terrible worrying about them all the time with this war brewing,"

J. J. gave the other girl a side glance as she came up, and a bit of a smile.

"I wouldn't know if it's any cooler than anything else... it's what I've always been," she responded, "Though sometimes I do think it would be easier to just be one or another - Muggle, or Witch - right now its like I'm straddling two worlds... and with everything going on it feels like one day I'm going to have to give up one."

She gave a small shrug, and looked off to the distance or a moment.

"Yes and no - Most of the time I'm pretty sure they'd all just stay out of it. We live in a small town and except for me... I'm their only connection to magic anyways."

She bit her lip.

"Though... sometimes I worry that, that's enough - Me, that connection..." she trailed off, her voice wavering ever so slightly, "If something were to happen... I think I'd feel it was my fault - I brought all of this on."

Savannah gave JJ an understanding glance, "I could never choose. Of course, I haven't spent much time in the Muggle world, but it must be like choosing between family and magic," shuddering slightly at just the thought, she ran a hand through her dark hair. Merlin, that's a difficult choice. Choosing between Mum and magic. At least I know she'd choose me over the Ministry.

Sure, it was a comforting thought, it didn't really help the feeling that sides had to be chosen in this war, and she'd never been 100% sure that her mother was on her side in the war. Yes, her mother had let her join, but it was the fact that she'd never went herself that bugged Savannah, "Don't feel that way," she reassured, patting the older girl awkwardly on the back, "At least this way, you know they're out of harms way. And you could always join one of the orders. I've heard that they have guards." Pinching her face, she was tempted to point out that they didn't really do much, but decided that that was counterproductive.

J. J. got a far away look in here eyes as she thought about it, "It pretty much is."

J. J. gave the girl a small smile at her attempt at comforting. It was a nice though it didn't do much.

"The orders?" she had heard about 'sides' being drawn, but she had never really been given much information on who was doing what. She always thought - since she was only twelve - it didn't make much sense to get involved yet, what did she know? But maybe... "Tell me more about these orders. What are they? What are they doing?"

Savannah returned JJ's smile. It was good to know that her attempt at comforting her was working. Taken slightly aback by her question to explain the orders, Savannah blinked rapidly. Staring outside for a moment, she began slowly, "Well, there are three orders: Exodus 22, Maius Bonum, and Protectores Mundi. Exodus 22 is a group of Muggles who think all Wizards should die, Maius Bonum is a group of Wizards who want Muggles to die, and Protectores Mundi is a group of Wizards who want to protect Muggles and Wizards alike."

Smiling at the mention of Protectores Mundi, she looked back at JJ, "That's pretty much all I know."

J. J. listened carefully to the explination. It didn't tell her much more than she had known before... after all most of that was said she could figure out but she had names now.

"Why is it that we all need to go about killing each other?" her voice grew hard with irritation, "What does it really solve? What damn difference is it going to make?"

She blushed a bit as she realized she let her thoughts and emotions get away with her.

The girl cast look at Savannah, "So that other order... the protector one... are they actually doing something? Do they have any idea how they're going to stop a mass of angry, confused... murderous people from killing each other?"

Savannah nodded, almost enthusiastically, "I agree. Killing each other never resolves anything. All it leaves is a trail of dead bodies everywhere." Wringing her hands, she stared outside for a moment before adding, her thoughts turning towards her father, "And it always leads to trails of people of who've lost people they cared about."

Nodding, she corrected the older girl, "Protectores Mundi. Yeah, I think they do have a plan. Of course, I'm not 100% sure what it is, but it would make sense if they did."

J. J. sighed, "I'm afriad that before this is over... we're all going to have lost someone."

She didn't want to think about it. She has, through her life, been surprisingly sheltered from death. She was quite sure she didn't understand what it was actually like to lose someone, but she was almost as equal sure that she would know it soon enough. Everyone was fighting and she was niave enough to think that some how she will magically avoid all problems.

"Well, I hope they do," she finally said, "and I hope it works... we all need something that will work."