strolling about || PALOMA

ora was sitting on the cobblestoned pavement, admiring the beautiful view ahead. She felt a sense of freedom from being able to get away from the walls of Durmstrang. She loved her school, but for some reason, it sometimes felt a bit too...dark for her. There was this air of depression she couldn't quite explain and to be here in the open felt good.

Normally, she'd be with Kait or her other friends but she wanted some time alone. She smiled to herself as she looked around the place and thought of her sister. Why couldn't it have been me that was killed? Her mind screamed. Instead, I had to watch it happen. She shook head to clear the thought, she hated being depressed. She felt the cool breeze and wondered if anyone would show up. Her smile faded as she thought of Kait who was kidnapped. She knew that Frodo, Dylan and herself had to come up with a plan to bring her back.

Paloma stopped to catch her breath as she jogged along the riverside. She'd only been running from about half an hour and was already tired . . . she really needed to remind herself to work out more during the next school year.

She decided to just stroll around the Riverside before going back home. It was just one of those days where she didn't feel like going home, for whatever reason.

Sitting down on the pavement, she looked at the girl beside her. She recalled seeing her around Durmstrang and in a few of her classes, though she was a fourth year. Though she seemed pretty happy and laughing in Durmstrang, right now she was looking a bit depressed.

"Hello. Alora, isn't it?" Paloma asked, quietly, "Is everything ok?"

She hoped the girl wouldn't think she was prying, she had never really done this before. But she just hated seeing fun people sad.

Lora looked up in surprise and plastered a smile on her face. "Hey there. Yeah, it's Alora, but you can call me Lora. And you are Paloma, yes?" She remembered that the Uchitel was there on her team during Battle Strategies. She didn't know whether it was a good thing or bad thing that someone was willing to talk to her.

"Just the usual drama stuff that makes people feel really frustrated," she told and grinned lightly. She didn't want to scare the girl away already by talking about what's bothering her. "So, how's your summer going so far?" She asked, motioning to take a seat next to her.

Paloma saw her put a smile on her face and wondered how many times she had done that and fooled people into thinking she was alright.

"Yeah, I'm Paloma," she said, "And I suppose you can just call me Paloma, since it's such a sucky name that makes it impossible to find any decent nicknames for it."

She could tell it was more than just 'the usual drama', but she didn't want to bombard her with questions.

"I don't know about you, but running, flying, swimming and dancing really help clear my head and calm down when I'm feeling frustrated or sad," she told her, "Maybe you should give one of them a try, you like flying, don't you?"

She sat down, "Oh, just the normal. Been visiting my sister and just. . . doing nothing. What about yours?"

Lora laughed softly. "Don't worry, your name doesn't suck. It's different. Or you know, I can just call you Pal," she teased.

"Sadly, I'm not much of the athletic kind. But yeah, I do love flying. In fact, it is my source of comfort most of the time," she admitted. "But somehow, it wasn't enough this time. And the worst part is, all the bad stuff is happening to my friends." She sighed and threw a rock into the river. "I'm sorry if I sound like I'm complaining. You're free to walk away whenever you want."

"Oh, that sounds nice. Younger or elder sister?" She asked with a smile. "Well, I went home for a few days, and realized that was a bad idea. So I came back here. I may be going to France though." She needed to get out of here so bad but she was not willing to go back to her mother.

Paloma laughed, "It's certainly better than my little brother calling me 'Pallie',"

"You don't sound like you're complaining," she said, "You sound like a normal person. Everyone has problems, some are bigger than others, but everybody has them." She looked at the rock, sinking in the river. "You just have to let it out, you can't keep it all bottled up. I know from personal experience, that doesn't work. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, "If you want to vent, cry, punch something. . . "

"Elder, she's just finished Hogwarts," she said, "We've been kind of alternating between England and here. France seems nice, though, I'm sure you'll have fun there."

Paloma looked down, "Avoiding home? I know how that is. I'm kind of doing that, also. But I don't really know why,"

Yes you do, a small part of her brain screamed, but she just ignored it.

"Alright then, Pal it is!" Lora declared with a grin.

She looked at the Uchitel for a few seconds before turning away to face the waters. "My best friend has been kidnapped, one of my other friends has cancer and may die, saw my boyfriend flirting with another girl, haven't slept in months cause I've been having nightmares and finally, trying to stay away from my mother," she told in hurried way and sounded like a breathless rant. She forced herself to calm down and risked a glance towards Paloma. Great, now she's really going to run away, she thought.

"Oh, so where is she currently living?" She asked. "Thanks, it's been one of the countries I've wanted to travel. After days of fighting with my mother, she allowed me to go," she smiled humorlessly.

She gave Paloma a hug and asked, "Sure you don't know why? I mean, if you want to talk, I am so ready to listen." She gave a sincere smile.

Paloma gave the girl a hug, "Hey, it's ok. It's all gonna be alright, Lora, you'll see it will all work out in the end."

She let go and faced her, "Now why don't you explain to me the whole story? Who's been kidnapped, who has cancer, how did you catch your boyfriend flirting, and why are you having nightmares? Maybe I can help you figure out a way out of all of this. If you want to, that is."

"Oh, she's in England. Working at a Muggle joke shop, much to my parents' dismay," Paloma laughed quietly, "And that's great! You'll have so much fun!"

She smiled, it was nice having someone who was willing to listen to your stupid problems, when what they were going through was much worse. She sighed, "I don't know. I just. . . I'm tired of them. They expect me to be perfect, but I can't be. I'm fourteen, I want to have fun. But I don't want to disappoint them. Not again."

Upon hearing Paloma's request, Lora looked at her in surprise. "Oh um, okay. Well, Kaitlen is the one who got kidnapped. She had skipped classes and gone off to Greece and that's where it happened. My other friend in Slushatel, her name's Faye, she has cancer and I had gone to UK to visit her. I don't know if she'll..." she trailed off and blinked her eyes repeatedly to stop the tears from falling. "Dylan wasn't actually doing anything but that's the problem. The girl he was with was completely flirting with him, and he did nothing to stop her. And finally, the nightmares. They are always about my sister's death," she admitted in a quiet voice.

"A joke shop, you say? Sounds like just what I need," she grinned lightly. "No matter what your parents think as long as your sister is enjoying her job." She replied with a smile. "So how many siblings do you have?"

"Aah, all parents are like that. I mean, that's what I've heard. Most of the times, they forget that we are just children." She commented, smiling sadly. "And what do you mean, 'not again'?" She asked.

"Kaitlen Gem, the girl from Hrabrost?" Paloma asked, "Do you have any idea who might have wanted to do this to her? She seems like a pretty cool girl. Or do you have any idea where she might be? I can help you look for her, if you'd like. . "

She paled, "Faye Hansoff? Second year who was crownapped?" The girl from the Amphiteatre? Paloma sighed, even after all this time, even though she knew Faye was rescued, Paloma still felt guilty. She was so pathetic that day, so useless she. . . she let her get crownapped. She could have stopped it. And then when she realized she had to do something, the only thing that came to mind was a stupid summoning charm. And now Faye had cancer? She closed her eyes. Faye seemed like such a lovely girl. She sighed and nodded, "Okay, Lora, I-I know this is hard, but you have to be strong for her. She-She can survive! They have treatments now that work most of the time, there's still hope! And if she does. . . uh, go, she'll be in a better place." She thought back to her late grandmother, "They're always in a better place once they go. Just remember to make their last days special."

"Boys are boys," she told her, "They'll be stupid and they'll not notice a lot of things. Maybe he didn't even realize it, most of them are just really slow. I don't think you should hold that against him, not yet. But make it clear that if it happens again. . . "

Her eyes widened. She had heard some people talking at Durmstrang a few months ago, saying that Lora had found her sister. And now, she was dead? She hugged her, "I know there's nothing for me to say that can make this easier for you. I don't think 'I'm sorry' is enough, just. . . I know we barely know each other, but if you want to talk to someone, you can count on me."

Paloma smiled, "She's enjoying it a lot. I have two- Robert, my little one, and Alice, my older sister, the one with the joke shop."

"It's- It's different," she explained, "They don't just occasionally forget I'm a kid. It's been like this since. . . since my sister decided she had had enough of it. You see, being the older one meant she had all the pressure on her. She left, and now I'm the one pressured. They just. . . they don't understand. They want me to follow a career in the Ministry, I can't drink, I can't go to parties, I have to get perfect marks, I have to be perfect. I don't want to be perfect, I want to be me. " She looked down, "The reason I don't have many friends is because I've spent up until the middle of my third year studying in my dorm, and afraid of meeting people."

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm dropping all this silly family stuff on you when it's nowhere as big as what you have in mind."

"Yeah, that's her," Lora confirmed with a sad smile. "She never mentioned she had any enemies out there, so I don't know who could have done it. I just wish for once in her life, she had actually listened to me about safety. I mean, what was she thinking skipping classes and go out of the country?!" She exclaimed feeling angry and helpless. "All I know is that it happened in Greece, her home country. Thanks, I'd really appreciate that," she gave a small smile. "I'm sure Frodo might be feeling worse than me, though."

"Yes, Faye Hansoff." She picked up another rock and threw it into the water. "I know, I'm praying everyday that she makes it through. You should have seen her Pal, she looked so pale and weak..." she felt a few teardrops but she couldn't care. Why was life so unfair? Why was it all happening to her friends. Yet, she couldn't disagree with the Uchitel. "A better place," she repeated. She turned to look at her friend. "But she's not ready to go to that better place! I mean, she's only..." She closed her eyes and shook her head.

She laughed lightly. "He told me the exact same thing; that he was slow to realize it. I guess I'm not that mad, just confused. It's a stupid thing to get upset about but it just caught me off guard." She admitted.

"Actually, my real sister was killed when I was six. I keep getting nightmares about that because she was killed in front of me," she told in a quiet voice. "After that, my parents split and I never saw him again. A few months back, I came to know that he had remarried and I now have a half sister Tanya and half brother, Zakaria. I met Tanya one day and we did a blood test, that's how I found out."

"Aw, I would love to meet your siblings, especially Robert!" Lora replied with a small grin. She had no idea what it was like to have a small brother and none of her friends had younger brothers, so she was looking forward to it.

"Have you tried talking to your parents about this?" She asked gently. "I mean, they can't force you to live your life the way they want. And besides, don't they know that no one can be perfect?" She said, feeling angry. She hugged the girl tightly and said, "And hey, that shouldn't stop you from meeting people and making friends. You'll find that life seems a whole lot bearable when you have people to count on." She smiled. "And now I'm one of them. If you want, I can talk to your parents in case they are not willing to listen to you at all." She offered.

"Oh no, it's not silly!" She protested immediately. "Please, don't hesitate to talk to me about whatever is bothering, no matter how big or small. Everyone has problems and one shouldn't look at the size of importance, so just remember that. And it's not a bother, really." She assured with a smile.

"She really doesn't seem the type to have enemies. . . She must have felt the need to get away. We all feel that, sometimes," Paloma sighed, "Frodo's her boyfriend, isn't he? He's such a nice guy. You can be sure I'll help you guys, owl me if you need anything or if you want me to do something. . ."

Paloma looked down, "She really isn't ready. She's so much more to live for. We've never talked, but she seems like such a lovely girl, I'll pray, as well. She needs you now more than ever, Lora, she needs her friends to support her and give her strength to make it through. I can't promise you she'll be alright, but if there really is a God out there, he'll listen to your prayers."

"It's not stupid," she said, "It's a girl thing, it's a human thing. No one liked seeing other girls flirting with their boyfriends."

Her eyes widened when the girl said her sister had died in front of her. "Oh, Lora," she threw her arms around her in a big hug, "You're so much stronger than most people I've met. You've been going through so much, it's not just 'the usual drama stuff that makes people feel really frustrated' like you said to me earlier, and you don't ever, ever have to pretend it is."

"I'm sure he'd love you!" Paloma said with a grin, "He's very fun and. . . the type of boy who runs around all day, you know?"

She smiled softly, "You don't have to. I appreciate it, though. I've talked to them. . . they think it's just the normal 'teenage rebellion'. But it's not like they haven't been through the same with Ali." She shrugged, "I just- I don't know. It's not the same as with Ali, though, I don't want to go against them. I think. . . I think they're just looking out for me and wanting a better future." Oh, stop making excuses for them, that part of her brain yelled, but, as usual, she ignored it. They were her parents, after all. She smiled, "I'm really glad I have you as a friend now."

She'd never had a friend who was so willing to listen and help before, and that really touched her. "Thank you, Lora," she said, "Really. Thank you so much. For listening, for giving me some advice, for. . . caring."

"The thing is, she doesn't really have a good family background. So I'm guessing it has something to do with that," Lora told hesitantly. "Trust me, I totally get why she would want to get away but I just wish she had told me, cause then I would have gone with her. I'm really scared Pal," she told in a quiet voice. "Yeah, he's her boyfriend," she nodded. "I take it you've met him, then?" She smiled lightly. "Thank you, I will definitely do that."

She felt tears in her eyes at Pal's words, but she knew it was true. "We are there for her, she doesn't have to doubt that," she whispered. "She doesn't deserve such a fate, but then again, who does? I know you can't promise that and I'm glad you didn't," she admitted. "You're right, I'm sure our prayers will be heard. It's just not fair, though." She shook her head.

Lora chuckled at that. "Funnily enough, he's one of the jealous types as well. It's stupid because amidst all the bigger things, this one just seems really irrelevant."

She hugged the Uchitel back just as tight and laid her head on her shoulder. "I'm not that strong, I cry almost everyday thinking about it. And it's getting worse cause of the nightmares. I miss her so much and I wish it was me that had been killed instead," she mumbled. "It's only because of her death that I am so determined to be an Auror; I want to prevent this from happening to other families." She shut her eyes to stop herself from crying and quickly wiped away the tears.

"He sounds adorable!!" Lora exclaimed with a grin. "And I'm really not used to boys like that, so I'm sure it'll be so awesome!"

"Better future or not, it is not right how they're treating you Pal," she replied. "If they really want you to be happy, they should let you do the things you want to do. I mean come on, this is the age when you can just let go and not have to worry about anything. And they're not being good parents if they are taking that away from you," she reasoned. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude and I don't usually say stuff like that but..." she trailed off and blushed lightly. "I still stand by what I said though. But you know what? If all else fails, I'll help you have the most fun ever at school!" She told and winked.

"You are really welcome," she replied with a smile. "I'm so glad I have you as my friend also cause really, I need more people to annoy with my blabber," she grinned. "And you can come talk to me about anything and everything okay? So from now on, no more feeling lonely, yes?" She asked.

"Don't worry," Paloma told her, "It'll be okay. We'll find her." She nodded, "Yes, I've met him. What are the kitchens for at night, huh?"

"It isn't," she agreed, "It's so not fair. This shouldn't be happening to anyone, especially not to a little girl who's got so much to live for."

She smiled a bit, "It may seem now, but at the time it wasn't, was it? Just forgive him, I'm sure you two will make up in the end, either way."

"Don't say that!" she exclaimed, "God, don't ever say that again, Alora! You miss her, I know you do, but don't say you wish you'd died instead. Don't. And crying does not make you weak, do you hear me? It's totally ok to cry. People won't think you're fragile because you do. It doesn't make you weak, it makes you normal. Everybody cries." She nodded, "You'll be a great Auror."

"I just hope he doesn't end up like some of those idiotic boys we have these days," she said.

"Maybe. . ." she said. What Lora was saying made sense, and she agreed with it, but still. They were her parents. She was sure they wanted the best for her. Ali just didn't get it, but Paloma did. She grinned, "Oh, school this year will be a blast! Did you apply for the exchange program?"

She laughed, "It's not annoying, And alright, no more feeling lonely."

"Thanks for the comfort," Lora replied with a grateful smile. "I know I'm being difficult right now and I'm kinda surprised you stayed about." She laughed lightly. "Oh yeah, kitchens are definitely places where the unexpected happen," she agreed as she recalled the times she spent with her friends at the kitchens. "Frodo is like Kait's polar opposite, you know? But then again, opposites attract." She grinned lightly.

"I'm sure she'll be happy to know that we're there for her," she told with a small smile. "And I think she'll be okay." She waved her hand as though it was no big deal. "Oh, we already made up. I was just really angry but he was being stubborn as well, so there was no choice," she commented teasingly. "Plus, he tends to bring humour into everything, so that sort of helped me calm down."

She smiled humourlessly and said, "I know I shouldn't say that, but I can't help but think it. Mostly because I wish I had done something to help. She hid me from them so I'd be safe, and I just watched while she...." she trailed off and took a deep breath. "You know what? If the Aurors had not arrived when they did, I'm almost sure that I would have been killed as well." She shrugged. "If I become an Auror, I really shouldn't cry so much," she told with a laugh.

She nodded her head. "Yup, it's going to be awesome! I did apply actually, what about you?" She asked. "It would be so cool to go to a much less insane school than ours. Hopefully there won't be any killer teachers won't be there," she joked.

Paloma looked at her, "You're not being difficult, and of course I stayed. Did you really think I'd run away?" She smiled, "Opposites do attract. I do hope someday I'll find my opposite."

"That's the spirit, girl!" she cheered, laughing.

"Do you... Do you know who did that? Or why?" she asked in a small voice. "Let's just be thankful you're here," Paloma said, "And do you think Aurors don't cry as well?"

"I applied as well," she grinned, anxious to know if she was accepted. She had gotten the letter, but after that fight with her parents she went out for a run and hadn't had the chance to open it yet. "We better hope not!"

"Actually, that's exactly what I thought," Lora replied with a sheepish smile. "It's just that nowadays people don't have the time or patience to listen cause they have their own things to deal with." She giggled at Pal's comment and said, "Don't worry, I'm damn sure you'll find your opposite. If not, I'm always there to help you!" She winked.

"Well, I can recognize the faces cause I keep seeing them in my nightmares," she confessed. "But I still don't know their names, and I have no idea if they're in Azkaban or not. Yeah, I guess I am sort of thankful," she gave a small smile. "Aurors do cry I suppose, I just don't want to be one of them....at least, not while I'm working." She sighed.


"Awesome! It'd be so amazing to go to Hogwarts and even better, if we're together!" She exclaimed happily. "I bet it'd be sorta better than here, at least for me. I mean, our school can get really depressing and maddening at times," she shuddered.

Paloma nodded in agreement, "Unfortunately, you're right. Most people only think about themselves these days." She laughed, "Oh, what are you going to do? Put Amortentia on his drink, so he'd fall in love with me?"

"How I wish you never had to see their faces, or that scene," she looked sadly at her friend. "But you'll be an amazing Auror, and those murderers," she spat, "will get the ending they deserve. If they aren't in Azkaban already, you'll put them there."

"It'd be a dream!" Paloma sighed, "Our school really does get depressing at times, doesn't it?"

"And that's exactly why I could use people like you in my life," Lora smiled softly and gave Pal a hug. She looked surprised at her friend's question. "Why would I want to put Amortentia in his drink when he'd fall in love with you without it?" She asked.

"The nightmares are nothing compared to what I saw in reality," she whispered. She shook her head in disagreement. "No, I'm glad I saw their faces cause now I know who to hunt for. And thank you so much for the encouragement, it really means a lot," she told sincerely. "My mom doesn't think I'd be amazing and my dad...well, I wouldn't know his thought on the matter." She shrugged.

"It really does. And I just hate how some of the students and teachers are so crazy that they try to hurt or even kill people," she said. "But despite that all that, it is our home huh? When the war gets worse, we'll see how united or divided we are."

"Awn," Paloma hugged Lora, "I could use happy, fun people like you too, you know." She laughed, "Lying is very bad, miss Alora. You'd have to put a lot of Amortentia in his drink, it's true."

"Don't listen to what your mom says," she told her, "You're stronger than you think, you can do this. My grandmother used to tell me I could do anything, I just had to really want it." She smiled sadly at the thought of her gran and said, "Your dad loves you, wherever he is."

"We have some very weird people at Durmstrang, we do," she agreed, "I can't even imagine me killing someone, and the thought that some students our age already have. . ." She shuddered, "It's. . . weird. But sometimes I wish I could be a part of a war, I wish I could fight for what I believe in, I wish I could do something."

"See, I'm not at all a dull person!" Lora told with a laugh and hugged Pal. "I mean, even if I'm depressed I always make sure I'm happy enough for my friends," she grinned pointedly at the Uchitel. "But I'm not lying!" She protested. "You don't need love potion to make someone fall in love with you. And trust me, if someone like me can get a boyfriend, then so you can you. Also from now on, I'm going to be on the lookout for boys who could be your potential lover," she said with a sly look on her face.

"I don't listen to her anymore," she said and threw a rock into the river. She liked doing that cause of the ripples it formed in the water. "By now, I am convinced that I'll be a pretty good Auror and then I can just show off to her," she giggled. "No, I don't think he does. If he did, he would have at least tried to make contact with me once," she pointed out.

"They just don't have a conscience," Lora decided. "Nor do they have the regret; just an urge to kill or hurt more." She shook her head. "You will get your chance to do that Pal, once we leave Durmstrang," she told in a quiet voice and smiled softly. "The time we spend in school is training; preparing us for what's out there. And someday, everyone's time will come."

"You couldn't be dull even if you tried," Paloma stated, "But you shouldn't have to act happy for other people. You don't have to pretend." She rolled her eyes, "Even if that was true, it's not like there are any single boys. That are worth something, that is. And what do you mean 'if someone like me can get a boyfriend' huh? You're gorgeous, funny, friendly, smart, how could you not have a boyfriend?"

"Every parent loves his child," she said, "No matter what. Deep down, they always do, even if they don't realize it."

"I have no idea what I want to do when I leave Durmstrang," she admitted, looking down, "But all I know is that I want to be something, I want to make a change."

"I can get really hyper though, and that is not sometimes a good thing," Lora grinned. "If I'm ever depressed in front of my friends, it'll make them sad as well, which I really don't want," she said. "Don't worry, you will find someone worthwhile," she assured her friend. This time she rolled her eyes at Pal's comment. "I think it was mostly luck. Besides, Dylan has a lot to handle by dating me and I keep warning him every time," she half joked.

She nodded her head in agreement. "I just wish that parents would show that they love their children, instead of us having to figure it out."

"We're all going to get a chance to make a change!" She declared with a grin. "After all, this is our generation, so why not?" She winked. "Okay, on a more random note; which ice cream flavour do you like?"

"I know you don't want to make your friends sad, but you can't hide your feelings. Most times, your friends will want to know if something's wrong, so they can help you. At least, don't pretend to be feeling something you're not around me, deal?" Paloma asked and rolled her eyes at what Lora had said, "A lot to handle? A lot of fun, you mean. A lot of good times. A beautiful girlfriend. . . that's what he has."

She laughed softly, "They do like making things harder for us. But hey, what's life without a bit of challenge, huh?" She winked.

"I don't know," she said, "Sometimes I think I'm not good enough for anything. I- . . . I was there when Faye got crownapped. And I couldn't do anything to stop it. I was shocked, I was scared, I was confused, and when I got over all that, I did the most stupid spell ever. If I couldn't prevent that from happening, how am I ever going to make a change?"

Paloma laughed, "Um. . . melon. What about yours?"

"It's just that I hate complaining about my craziness when my friends are going through some of their own," Lora admitted. "Besides, I can pretty much deal with myself without any help." She chuckled at Pal's request and replied, "Alright, I promise not to pretend around you." At the compliment, she blushed lightly. "Thank you, that means a lot. And I'm glad you think I'm fun, despite all the sappy things I said."

"Challenge is definitely what keeps our life from staying monotonous," she agreed. "I'm pretty sure fate is a big fan of all things drama," she told with a grin.

"Hey, that so wasn't your fault okay? Anybody in your position would have felt the same," she said softly and hugged the Uchitel. "That's what school is for; to learn how to overcome such fears so that you'll be prepared for what is really out there. We're all still young Pal," she comforted. "And you definitely shouldn't let a situation like that make you believe that it will have something to do with your ability in the future," she told in a firm but gentle tone.

"Ooh, I haven't tired melon! My favorite is chocolate. Well actually, any flavor is fine as long as there is chocolate involved," she laughed. "You think there's an ice cream shop anywhere around here? I'm suddenly craving some," she smiled sheepishly. "Okay, favorite colour?"