Sitting by the fire (Open for anyone!)

by **Naomi Narcissa Night** Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:44 am

Naomi was up late that night after not bothering to try to fall asleep. She was sitting in her regular spot by the fire and watched as one by one the Gryffindor's went to bed, it was around 12 am by the time she was the only one left in there. She didn't know what to do so she just started reading the book on curse-breaking that her brother sent her.

It was about 2am before she noticed that she was already half-way with the book. That was more then enough for her for one day. Setting the book to the side, Naomi pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them, staring into the blazing flames of the fire.

She didn't know how long she was just staring at the fire and she didn't know that someone else joined her in the common room. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, to add some more warmth to herself.

by **Humphrey Williams** Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:08 am

Humphrey was still having problems sleeping, and he had considered asking the potions professor for the draught of peace. He figured that he should just wait it out, either there was going to be an attack or there wouldn't be. That was what was worrying him now more than how much he would miss his friends.

The book he was reading now was one of Shakespeare's famous plays, Romeo and Juliet. As far as types of plays that Shakespeare wrote, tragedy wasn't his favorite, but he wanted to see if this really was the best of Shakespeare's works. His favorite so far was still A Midsummer Night's Dream.

He looked up once he reached the bottom of the steps and noticed a girl sitting staring at the fire. She looked familiar, and if he had to take a guess her name it would be Naomi. They'd never really talked before, but he might as well say hi. Plopping down into a comfortable seat to let her know he was there, he set his book on the floor. "Hey, is your name Naomi? You look familiar, but I don't think we've ever actually talked before."

by **Naomi Narcissa Night** Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:45 am

Naomi kept staring into the fire wishing that somehow she would be able to fall asleep but she knew it was useless. She sighed heavily and let her eyes close for a few minutes, thinking if she should just head up to bed and at least try to fall asleep.

Hearing someone walk down the stairs, Naomi peeked at the person and thanking whoever was listening that it wasn't a perfect. She closed her eyes again and listened as the boy sat in a seat before she heard him speak.

Turning to face him Naomi smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm Naomi... and you are?" She pursed her lips, not knowing who this was. She wasn't into learning names.

by **Humphrey Williams** Tue Jul 24, 2012 11:41 pm

"I'm Humphrey Williams. You're a third year, right? I can't believe we've never actually talked before. Sure, I like to stay busy, but still...you are a Gryffindor. It's not like you can be not cool, since you're one of the brave, chivalrous students at Hogwarts." Humphrey told her, joking a little bit.

Naomi didn't come across as a social butterfly, but maybe he was imagining it. First impressions weren't always correct. "So what's keeping you from sleeping? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, just curious." He knew that they weren't friends yet, so he didn't want to come across as prying or nosy.

by **Naomi Narcissa Night** Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:11 am

Naomi giggled quietly, her lips quirking into a small smile. Despite her normally emotionless mask, Naomi let her real emotions show when she was in the walls of the Gryffindor Common Room. It wasn't a secret that her father almost had a fit when she ended up in Gryffindor but he knew that she got that trait from her mother.

"Nice to meet you Humphrey." She nodded. "Yeah, I'm a third year. I don't normally talk to people because of who my father is or in general it's just my family as they are scared to actually face my fathers wrath. Of course I'm a Gryffindor." Naomi huffed, her lips pulling into a sweet pout and her eyes widening to add the kicked puppy effect. "Seriously... If I wasn't a Gryffindor would I be here? And let me tell you something, I am in no way, shape or form brave. Yes, I can brave the Snake's Pit, Yes I'm not scared to speak my mind to the Pure bloods who think they're all that but I am not brave." She grinned impishly at him.

"I'm just having nightmares, that's all." Naomi said, not indulging further into the subject. She didn't want people to know about the tortures she witnessed when she was younger due to her fathers' sadistic nature.

by **Humphrey Williams** Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:21 am

It was a shock when the quiet Naomi let out a giggle. Part of him wondered whether she was used to hiding her emotions for some reason. He wanted to ask why, but he knew she probably wouldn't tell him until they at least had gotten to know each other a bit better.

"Your father, why don't people like your father? I take it he was intimidating because of the way you just referred to him. Sorry, I'm a muggleborn, so if he is famous or something I wouldn't know." It was nice to see Naomi actually being herself, at least that is what it seemed like. "I was just trying to show some house pride, I knew you were a Gryffindor. That sounds brave to me, you just don't see it." Humphrey told her honestly. When he saw that impish smile he knew she was teasing him a bit. "Nice to see you actually grinning Naomi. To be honest I don't think if I've ever seen you smile before." It was the simple truth, he'd known her for three years, and never seen a smile when he passed her in the common room.

"I understand that, I've been having them as well. Plus I'm a bit worried for the other students, if the past four years are anything to go by there's going to be an attack at the end of this school year. Myself I could care less about, I know how to take care of myself, but the younger students. Well, I'm a bit protective of them." It wasn't his job to protect them, but as one of the fourth years he did know more magic than the students younger than him.

by **Naomi Narcissa Night** Thu Jul 26, 2012 11:04 pm

Naomi kept giggling quietly, her eyes dancing with amusement. It was a slight shock for her as well when she heard herself giggle, she never did that not when she was with someone she didn't know anyway. She knew that he probably wondered why she hid her emotions but she would just give him subtle hints as to why she was this way.

"My father..." She pursed her lips, her emotionless mask crumbling slightly. "He's a Slytherin in and out... He's sadistic... The whole Night family were the supporters of the Dark..." For now that's all she was going to say, thinking if Humphrey would be able to connect the dots and figure out the reason as to why her father was like that. She didn't like talking about it as she knew there were people all around her that reported to her father if she did something that wasn't fit for a Pure-blood or the ideals that she was taught.

"I know you were trying to show some house pride, I was just teasing." She kept grinning impishly. Her cheeks flushed a light pink when she realized that she was actually grinning and giggling in front of someone that she didn't know fully. "Well..." She trailed off, not knowing what to say to that, she didn't realize that she was this closed off to the whole House. The only people who ever saw her laugh were her brother and a few of her close friends.

Naomi sighed and rubbed her temples, cursing the on-coming headache. "I know what you mean... I just know that there is going to be an attack at the end of the year, I think that we should just be thankful we aren't living in the Voldemort era." She shuddered at the thought of that, she heard stories not only from her father but also from some of the parties she attended.

by **Humphrey Williams** Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:35 am

It was odd, she was giggling quietly to herself. Part of him wondered if it was nervous laughter. Or, maybe she just found something funny about their conversation. Humhrey had to admit, it was interesting talking to her. He'd never met somebody quite like Naomi before. She was a bit strange, but so was he.

Listening quietly, he pieced together a rough idea of what she was trying to get at. Not too difficult to put together from the hints she was giving. "I see, I think I understand what you're getting at. If you ever need anything Naomi, even if it's just somebody to talk to, let me know. It's always nice to make new friends, yea?" He felt for her, her father was a supporter of Voldemort way back when. A pureblood mania personality from what she was saying. Thankfully, Naomi didn't inherit those traits, and for that he was glad.

She obviously had a headache, but he didn't know what to do for her. There must be a simple spell to cure them, or a potion, but he didn't know how to do either one. "That's true, we may be in a war, but at least we don't have to face the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time." This topic was getting a bit depressing, yet at the same time, it felt good to talk about it, as opposed to just hinking about it.

"So, what do you like to do for fun Naomi? As in, hobbies and that sort of thing." He really didn't know that much about her other than she was a quiet Gryffindor.

by **Naomi Narcissa Night** Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:39 am

Naomi grinned lightly at Humphrey before she pulled her hair out of her pony-tail and shook it out. The conversation was turning into a few different things and she actually enjoyed it. She knew she was strange but then again, who wasn't?

Naomi knew that as soon as Humphrey connected the hints together he got what she was talking about. She hated to admit to the fact that she wasn't ready to talk about her family now or ever if at all. She didn't know if she'd be ready at all but she knew that she needed someone to talk to. "Thanks Humphrey, I'll think about it." She grinned slightly yet her eyes showed the sadness that was always there when she thought about her father. "It's really nice to make new friends but because of my father that is probably impossible to do." Her shoulders sagged a little.

She kept rubbing her temples as she willed the head-ace away/She knew it looked as if the whole conversation was making the head-ache come but in truth it wasn't, it was her own stupidity that did it. "I'm actually thankful to Potter for getting rid of that Dark Lord, even though so many lives were lost... Like Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks... But I think the biggest blow to the wizarding world was the death of Albus Dumbledore..." She sighed, not actually ating the fact that she was talking about this as if it was a normal conversation.

"I love writing poems, drawing and dancing. I enjoy it fully... I also love to just fly on a broom." She grinned at him. "How about you?"

by **Humphrey Williams** Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:49 am

Naomi grinned again, and he smiled back just a bit. Seeing somebody who was always frowning actually smiling was good to see. It made him feel good about stopping to talk, instead of just going back up to his dorm.

Growing up in a family like Naomi's would have been hard. Humphrey could now see why she was a little more reserved than most students. He probably would have been a bit quieter if he had been in her place. "That's all I ask, and you're welcome." Suddenly, a sadness came across her, and he guessed it was because of her father. "Hey, if you make a real friend they won't care whether or not your father approves. I'm not sure what it's like to have a family like that, but you ever need a place to get away, escape to, you can always come to my house. We have plenty of space there. I'm sure my aunt wouldn't mind." he said.

He wished he had advil, or tylenol to give her. It was clear her head was killing her. Before he responded he made sure to speak softly. "I am too, he did a great service for all of us. As a muggleborn, I didn't know much about what it was like until I came to Hogwarts. It's obvious that Voldemort was close to taking over Britain and it would have affected both wizards and muggles alike if he would have succeeded. I've heard of Dumbledore, he sounds like an amazing man." To him, it seemed like it was almost personal to Naomi. In a way, it kind of was, and he felt for her.

"Wow, you sound a lot like me actually. I love writing, both books and poems, drawing, painting, and I'm learning to dance a bit. Flying is amazing, it is the most freeing experience, I absolutely love the feeling of being in the air. Also, I read a lot, am a bit of a nerd so enjoy studying and learning new things. What else...oh, I also like to build things. Like, both carpentry type stuff, or out of metal, or just make plans for buildings or other random things." If he wouldn't have found out he was a wizard, he probably would have tried to become an architect.

"So, Naomi, anybody special in your life? I'm dating somebody, but I've never seen you with a guy. Just not interested in anybody at school, or what?" he asked. Hopefully it wasn't a touch subject for her.

by **Naomi Narcissa Night** Mon Jul 30, 2012 6:10 am

Naomi tried not to look sad as her mind once again decided to take a turn in her fathers' direction. It seemed to her that wherever she went he was always there, no matter what she tried to do.

The young Gryffindor bit her lip as she blinked back her tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. "I know Humphrey yet... Whenever I actually make a friend my father just finds some stupid excuse to make them leave me." She sighed as her hand raked through her hair, messing it up more. "My brother is the only one that approves of my friends." She admitted, her hand dropping to her lap as her eyes looked down to the floor. She wasn't used to people inviting her to their homes and this was new for her.

Naomi sighed softly as the headache started re-treating, her eyes softening. "He did an amazing service... My mother was saved thanks to him." She smiled softly, remembering her mother. "She hated the fact that my father, her boyfriend at that time, became something she hated through and through yet she still loved him. If it wasn't for Harry Potter then our world would probably be in darkness right now and we wouldn't have had Hogwarts." She shuddered at the fact of not having Hogwarts.

She giggled quietly and cocked her head to the side. "Really?" She asked. "That's hard to believe but hey, mine is probably hard to believe too." She shrugged. She didn't know what kind of job would include building stuff or making plans for buildings and she didn't pry.

Sighing, Naomi chuckled quietly. "No, there isn't anybody special in my life. I haven't met the right man yet."