Chilling Out (OPEN)

by **Charlotte Smith** Mon Jan 30, 2012 1:00 am

Charlotte sighed happily and slipped into the booth nearest the door, she was excited to be out of school now and she wondered what was going on with her friends now they were free from school and she hoped that she would get to see one of them soon.

Ordering a cherry flavour ice cream, Charlotte began to eat it slowly, it was going to last her a while, since she was going to be here all day.

She hadn't felt right since the fight at Hogwarts, her chest had felt abnormally tight but she hadn't brought that up at all because she didn't want to worry anyone.

Charlotte sighed and looked out of the window.

by **Tess McCartney** Mon Jan 30, 2012 5:50 am

A lot had changed for Tess; she no longer saw the world like she had before. To her, the worst thing that occurred to her during the attack was not the cuts, scrapes, and bruises, but rather the loss of innocence.

She no longer trusted as she once had. Humanity had disappointed the young girl and she'd never be able to overlook or repress that.

In the exterior she looked back no normal. As Healer Henley had said 'A good bath, some salve, and a good nights rest will do it' and she did look like her former self, but inside she was wary and always anxious about the idea of being attacked.

She was breathing a little heavy from the surprising change of temperature, and she entered the establishment hoping to cool off with some ice cream, for even when not wanting to be a child, she adored I've cream.

She looked around and walked towards the server.

"Hello dear, what can I do for you" the person said.

" Vanilla Bean please" she replied.

"Right"

And they walked off forcing her to find a place to sit. Seems she wasn't the only one with the same idea seeing as the establishment was crowded. A frown etched on her face as the conundrum was noticed.

by **Charlotte Smith** Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:18 pm

Charlotte looked up when she heard a familiar voice ordering something at the counter, she wondered who it was and as she turned she saw that it was Tess, truth be told she had been a little worried about her recently.

She saw her looking around for somewhere to sit and she stood up with a smile on her face, leaving her coat and ice cream in the booth as she walked up to her.

"Hey there Tess, do you want to come and sit with me? It's a bit maic here today isn't it?" Charlotte asked, hoping she would say yes.

by **Tess McCartney** Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:34 am

She was surprised to see Charlotte there, and she let out a small smile, followed by a nod. She had to try ad be social again, this is what her mantra told her.

" Yes, quite the chaos here" she murmured.

She slipped a strand of hair behind her ear and followed her to the table. Soon her ice cream was brought over and she took a small spoonful, and while it tasted great, it wasn't as sweet as she had oce remembered, nor did it manage to lift her spirit a bit.

"How are you?" she asked politely.

by **Charlotte Smith** Tue Jan 31, 2012 7:41 pm

Charlotte sucked at her lip piercings and wondered if the battle had effected Tess more than she realised, but she was sure that once she got her out of her shell it would be like she used to be.

"Maybe it's because all of the students are off and their parents have decided to give them a treat."

She suggested lightheartedly, while eating another spoonful of her ice cream, lapping the melted part from her spoon. Taking a little glance around Charlotte saw one family take one look at the crowded room and then leave...

"I'm alright thank you, and yourself? Why are you not going back to the States for the holidays?"

by **Tess McCartney** Wed Feb 01, 2012 4:00 am

At Charlotte's body language Tess grew a little wary. This was because she knew enough about Charlotte to know that the lip piercing thing meant she was either nervous, or deep in thought. She decided not to push any longer and she sighed.

"Hm...yes definitely, that makes sense how silly of me" she responded somewhat dryer than she meant it to be.

She cleared her throat and took another spoonful of ice cream.

"Actually,they are here on business"

And they were. After they found out about the attack her mother went on a rampage trying to figure it how this happened. So they had gone to talk to the department. She said for them to calm down, but it was no use.

"Once they finish we'll head back to the states to visit family but return two weeks before school starts once more. And You?"

by **Charlotte Smith** Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:30 pm

A little taken aback by the way that Tess replied Charlotte decided to just put it down to the fact that she was still a little shaken up by what happened, so was she, but she knew that everything was alright now, there wouldn't be another attack for a while.

"Oh I see! How lovely you get to see some of your friends while they're here then, it must be nice to spend time here with your friends then know you're going home to sunny America."

Smiling happily Charlotte spooned another bit of ice cream into her mouth with a happy sigh, it was making her feel a lot calmer and a lot happier than she was before.

Charlotte was still a little afraid of being out on her own, not that she'd tell anyone that.

"Well I'm not going anywhere I don't think this holiday, I'm just hanging around the house with Papa, hopefully he'll take me out swimming or something."

by **Tess McCartney** Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:27 am

She smiled slightly. Charlotte's comment on "sunny America" was true, somewhat. She was going to visit her family, but not to visit friends. She didn't have friends...she was never very social growing up, often times ostracized because of her uncontrollable magic. Now nearly being twelve, she felt that she could no longer go and try to socialize with them, there was no use, she didn't need them.

"Yes, California is sunny this time of year" she commented lightly.

Tess had forgotten that Charlotte was the daughter, whether adopted or biological she didn't know, of Professor Smith. It didn't really surprise her that she was going to spend time with her father, but at Hogwarts? That seemed sort of lonely.

"Hogwarts, or a cottage around the area?" she asked.

by **Charlotte Smith** Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:16 pm

Seeing Tess smile made Charlotte feel a whole lot better about everything, and she herself relaxed a little bit more, she was worried of course about her father, he had gone on a job to Germany and he wasn't back yet, but she was sure he would return soon.

"It's not hard to be sunnier than England, but I bet it's lovely and hot."

Charlotte realised that she didn't really talk about her father much, and she smiled slightly when Tess asked her where Cobalt lived, it was surprising to say the least, she was surprised when she saw it.

"No no, Cobalt lives in a bakery in Ireland, and I live there with him, I use the floo power he leaves me to go out when he's away from home like today."

by **Tess McCartney** Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:42 pm

Taking a bite of her ice cream, she closed her eyes and briefly imagined her home. It was always warm, full of love and her parents. She knew that every morning when she woke up it'd be the same. Her mother usually sang as she cooked something that Tess missed more than anything, and her father would tap his foot as he read the paper and added a few lyrics himself. Her lips twitched trying for stop a smile from appearing. She missed them so much. Despite the fact that they were on business, she missed their environment, sunny California.

Her eyes fluttered open and she let sighed serenely.

"Yes...it is very warm" she hummed.

Her parents did always put her in a good mood, and she believed that if she stayed with her parents they would cause her to regain her belief in humankind.

A small wisp of a smile appeared on her face at their current situation. It was funny, how she sat there speaking to Charlotte then realizing that they knew little of one another. And while they were roommates, they rarely talked there, usually used it for sleeping as they were always off doing their own thing.

"Oh I didn't know that" she said hearing Charlotte's comment. "That must be nice right?"

by **Charlotte Smith** Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:44 pm

Charlotte blinked a little bit, unsure of what to do when Tess closed her eyes and began to think about something with a lot of purpose, hoping that it was something good, Charlotte guessed that it was because she seemed happier when she thought of it.

Deciding that it might be easier to leave that subject alone, it seemed to either make Tess happy or extremely sad Charlotte smiled happily.

"Hai! It's a wonderful place to live and it always smells great, it's just a little hard when he's away from home, I always worry about him."

Staring out of the window Charlotte smiled and thought of something that she regretted not doing, but she knew that her fear would prevent her from taking the lesson:

"Did you take flying class last year? Are you going to try out for Quidditch this year?"

by **Tess McCartney** Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:03 am

"Hm...the smell of bread is definitely one of the best smells" she commented.

She remembered all those times were her mother and her walked towards the marketplaces and walk by fresh breads. It always made her hungry and reminded her of just how she liked the environment. Though, at the mention of how Charlotte's father wasn't always there, not to mention Charlotte called him by his first name, was a little quirky to Tess, who decided to say nothing because she didn't want to be rude.

The silence was soon ignored at the mention of Quidditch. H jocolor

er mind soon changed to the game and she let out an involuntary smirk.

"I did take the class, and yeah I'm thinking about it. It was really great to go flying" she said softly. "You?"

by **Charlotte Smith** Sun Feb 05, 2012 5:03 am

Charlotte nodded at what Tess said, the smell of the bread as it cooked and the smell of the cakes was one that was simply delicious and she never got tired of it no matter how much she smelt it.

"So true! But you know what beats it? The smell of melted chocolate...sometimes they melt some to put on top of the cakes. It always makes me hungry."

Pouting a little Charlotte finished off her ice cream with a happy sigh, placing her bowl on the end of the table for one of the servers to collect when they were ready.

"I wish I could have taken flying. But I'm afraid of heights you see...so I missed that class, what position are you thinking of taking up?" she asked interested in the game.

by **Tess McCartney** Sun Feb 05, 2012 5:13 am

She shrugged at the mention chocolate.

"I'm not really a fan of chocolate" she said good naturedly.

She no longer had any appetite for her ice cream and pushed it towards the edge of the table to signal she was done. It was a nice treat, but sweets wasn't really her thing.

"That explains why I didn't see you there" she murmured. "For Quidditch? Well I've been reading upon it, and probably....Seeker"

She looked down at her hands. It seemed a little foolish to try out for such an ambitious position, but she liked flying, it was a freeing experience.

by **Charlotte Smith** Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:31 pm

Charlotte smiled softly and knew that not everybody was a big fan of chocolate, it was something that you either loved or hated because it could be sickly depending on what type you got, Charlotte had a fondness for Muggle chocolate.

"I see, some people aren't, how come? Is it just...bleh?"

Unable to form a proper word to describe it Charlotte hoped that she would understand.

Smiling at the fact that Tess wanted to try out for the position of Seeker, Charlotte knew it was the most important in the team and she hoped that she got it.

"I think you'll be able to do it Tess, you're going to be one amazing seeker, and you'll win Slytherin the Quidditch cup!"

by **Tess McCartney** Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:22 am

Tess laughed softly at the comment about chocolate. In her home, chocolate was not there, they had white chocolate truffles but that was about it. Now during celebrations while chocolate was given, she state away from it.

"It is very bleh" she said a twinkle of mirth obvious.

But soon her amusement turned to embarrassment. Did Charlotte really think that she could get the Seeker position? She blushed and shook her head.

" I am going to try out, it's another thing if I he picked.....a total different thing. But...it'd be nice"

by **Charlotte Smith** Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:15 am

Charlotte giggled happily and was glad that Tess understood what she was meant to express about the fact she didn't like chocolate, it was a feeling she felt a lot in relation to food.

"Yeah I know how you feel, I feel bleh when Cobalt tries to feed me burnt onions or tomatoes..."

Shuddering slightly Charlotte smiled at Tess, she seemed to be a little embarrassed and she smiled reassuringly, although she hadn't taken part in flying she knew that Tess could do it.

"I truly think you'll be able to do it Tess, you'll be chosen I have no doubt! Do you know anyone else who is trying out?"

by **Tess McCartney** Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:41 am

She shook her head and smirked amused at Charlotte's comments about onions. She hated onions, but admittedly gave food flavor, at least that's what her mother said to her all the time.

"Hm...Yes onions are disgusting, but they do give great flavor to things, at least that's what I'm told by mother" she said amused. "But as for tomatoes, I don't know what you mean, they are delicious and can go with almost anything!"

Perhaps it was her mother's love of Spanish food and the whole culture that she found tomatoes so delicious, but still, if she found chocolate disgusting, she supposed that others could find tomatoes disgusting too.

But when it came to Quidditch that's when she frowned more.

"Well...no not yet, but I do wonder how that will go. Perhaps there are better flyers than I am, and if that's the case...I suppose I should be practicing this school break...are you going to take flying lessons next year?"

She knew it was unheard of, of second years taking flying lessons, but Charlotte was very ambitious, at least in Tess' eyes and she figured she would, to overcome her fears.