Nightly Walks

by **Sofia Slytherin** Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:56 am

Sofia was glad to be back home. It had not taking her long to get her house up and running. She was still so tired from the battle at the school she had decided to let Ali do a little work around the house. Sofia could not help but laugh at how excited the young elf became when she had told her she could clean this time.

"Oh yes misses, Ali love to clean, you know it is what I love to do, so happy you let Ali do it for you." Ali pooped away[b]

Such a sweet girl, the only reason Sofia even took her in was she felt sorry for the way an old master had treated her. Now don't get Sofia wrong she does let her do some things, like help with parties and take care of guests, but Sofia does not like to use her.

After a lovely dinner of roast turkey, baked potatoes, and green beans, Ali had gone all out and made her favorites she wanted to treat her Mistress to the best. Even made her German Chocolate cake for dessert.

At 8pm exactly she mad the trip out her back door and down to the lake. It was a beautiful night but there was a chill in the air so she decided to she better grab her shawl. Granted she could have just casts a warming charm, but she did like to be old fashion once in awhile. Walking down by the lake it was beautiful and she could hear the loons, and crickets which made it all the best for the walk.

by **Horst Sollmann** Tue Feb 07, 2012 2:27 pm

Horst Sollmann had written Sofia Slytherin a couple letters over the summer. Lady Slytherin had said he was welcome any time he wanted to and informed him she took nightly walks. He had been glad to be back at home with his family, but he missed Hogwarts and Sofia was a connection to Hogwarts. She was the first person he had started talking to on the Hogwarts Express and they had kept their friendship going. In his opinion, Sofia was very smart and talented, all of their conversations were interesting. Selena told him it was fine if he wanted to see Professor Slytherin and she told him that sometime she would simply have to meet her.

The Slytherin Manor was beautiful, and the lake by it made it even more so. As he approached the castle, (he had apparated just outside the grounds) he thought he spotted a figure walking down towards the lake. Horst wasn't sure because it was dark, but he decided he would head down to the lake to see if that was where Sofia was. There was the sound of crickets in the air and the night was just slightly cool. Once he got close to the lake the sound of loons joined the crickets. Then he saw Sofia appear out of the darkness. He walked over to her and while he was approaching, "Hello Professor Slytherin!" he boomed out. Curious to see how she would react.

by **Sofia Slytherin** Tue Feb 07, 2012 3:48 pm

Sofia was nearing the end of her walk when her wards alerted her to an arrival. She had known that Horst was coming by to join her for her walk, she had received an owl earlier in the evening and told him to come on by.

Walking up towards her house she heard her name being called. "Oh please on private time its just Sofia." She walked up to him.

"Well Horst welcome to my family home. Its been in the family for centuries." Sofia had made it by his side.

"So tell me how your holidays are going? Everything ok with the wife and family?"

Sofia was wondering how everything was going especially after the battle at the school. It had practically taken a toll on him and she was wondering how his wife was taking the news.

by **Horst Sollmann** Wed Feb 08, 2012 3:03 am

"It is a beautiful home. Who was the first Slytherin to live here?" Horst asked. He was always curious about history, it was such an interesting subject that you could learn so much from.

"The holidays are going swimmingly. Trying to decide on what musical to try and do this fall at Hogwarts. Thinking possibly an american muggle production called Hairspray, it seems to be a pretty fun one. My family is doing as well as can be expected, Selena is very glad to have me home. She was very upset that we were attacked and I was so drained from the battle. In fact, she was ranting about how the security at Hogwarts wasn't good enough and how the Headmistress was not taking care of us. I simply had to defend Briony and told her that there was no better person to be leading Hogwarts at a time like this. Little Roran is doing pretty well, but Selena's worrying has rubbed off on him a bit. He knows something is wrong though not what." Horst told her.

It felt good to be talking to Sofia, she was always so pleasant to be around. Which surprised him at first, because she is, after all, a Slytherin. "Enough about me, how are your holidays going? I wasn't the only one who fought at the battle, you had to face off with one of the Durmstrang Professors from what I hear."

by **Sofia Slytherin** Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:38 am

Sofia smiled when he commented about her home. Yes she had loved it ever since she could remember. She had mad a few changes here and there, but for the most part it all stayed the same. She was sure there was probably some secret passages she hadn't been able to find yet. Magic did not show you everything, castles were meant to be explored and she still found herself doing that once in awhile.

When Horst asked who was the original Slytherin she had to stop and think, sometimes it felt like this man wanted to know everything about everything, and sometimes things were not meant to be an open book.

"The first Slytherin was Jedediah Elmero Slytherin. And honestly I cannot remember how he is related, he just is. To complicated to explain." There were so many great greats, and other things she couldn't remember the correct amount of who or what.

"As for my holidays what you see is what you get." Waving her hand around as to point at the grounds.

"During the days I am working on lesson plans for the upcoming year, and in the evenings I take my nightly stroll." They made it back to her gazebo.

"Would you like some tea and biscuits?" Sofia asked as she invited him to take a seat in the warmed inclosed gazebo.

by **Horst Sollmann** Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:57 am

"Hmm, Jedediah Slytherin, can't say I've ever heard of him. History has always interested me, sometimes I wish I had tried to become a history professor instead. But, I think becoming librarian was the right choice for me. Being among books always presents an oppurtunity to learn, you can learn more about yourself too. Some people read books and don't take in anything from them other than the mere facts. One reason I like reading fiction is that the characters show us so much about the different personalities and people int he world, and occasionally you'll come across one who you feel is very similar to yourself." Horst rambled, and after he realized he had been rambling.

"So you are staying here all summer? No adventures, nobody to go and visit or anything like that?" he asked her. Seemed dull in a way, but it was a beautiful place to spend the summer. "Well, I suppose if you are going to stay somewhere, this would be a good place to stay. Lesson planning is good, with two classes I am sure there is lots to do. So do you stroll about the whole grounds, or just to the lake, or do you mix it up every night?" Horst inquired.

"Tea and biscuits sounds lovely Sofia." he told her as he entered the gazebo and took a seat that she had offered. The gazebo was pleasantly warm.

by **Sofia Slytherin** Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:27 am

When Horst said he would like some tea and biscuits she thought she better call her little helper.

"Ali..Ali" in popped her little helper.

"Mistress would like something? Ali will get she will." Ali stood looking at her mistress with the occasional glance to the new comer.

"Yes Ali will you please bring Mr. Sollmann and myself a tray of earl grey and biscuits." With a pop Ali was gone.

"Well Horst what you see is my company. I have some friends, but have have learned to like my solidarity. You stay out of trouble that way."

Her next thought was interrupted as Ali popped back in. "Here you be Mistress, well you be needing anything else from Ali?"

"No Ali thank you." with that Ali popped back out again

Looking around the grounds she thought about Horst's question. "Well it really depends on how clear the sky is, what is on my mind."

She doesn't have a man in her life, well she does just not in that way she would like, but it wasn't in the cards.

She had added her sugar and milk to her tea. "So Horst, you seem like a family man yourself, do you have any friends besides you wife?"

by **Horst Sollmann** Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:13 pm

Horst watched as the little house elf popped in and came back with tea and biscuits for them both. "Thank you, Ali." he said and then her mistress dismissed her and she was gone. House elves were, in his opinion, lovely little creatures. Not many shared his view, but he thought that they deserved freedom, and were smarter than people thought. Not all house elves were treated as kindly as Ali seemed to be by Sofia. "Ali seems like she would be excellent company. Personally, I think that house elves need their freedom. I hope someday they will get it. Not every elf is treated as kindly as Ali is by you. I suppose you do stay out of trouble that way, but don't you ever consider finding a man Sofia? You must get lonely sometimes." Horst remarked.

"So where, for example, would you walk if you were thinking about the war?" he asked her. Not meaning to pry, but he was curious as he always was. That was one of the things that bothered his wife, she always teased him about wanting to know everything. He would reply, not everything, just most things.

"Yes, my family is very important to me. With little Roran and Selena I am very content. My mother stays with us as well. There aren't very many besides you actually. One of the reasons I was so excited to go to Hogwarts was the prospect of meeting new people."

by **Sofia Slytherin** Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:59 pm

Sofia thought about about what he was saying.

"Horst it is really hard to have friends, and people to care about when your a Seer." Sofia took a drink of her tea and a nibble of her biscuits.

"When your a Seer, everyone whats to know everything about their life and things so not as simple as people think it is. That reading that I gave Mr. Williams took a lot out of me that's why I can only do one at a time." taking another drink.

Then he wanted to know about taking a walk. "To be honest Horst I never know about the walk until I start the walk. My mind and body lead the way and that's the way I go."

by **Horst Sollmann** Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:59 am

Horst took a sip of his tea, earl grey was his favorite. Then he took a bite of his biscuits, they were good, and not too crumbly. "Must be a tough life Sofia. But honestly, I don't see why people can't just treat you like they would any other witch. Just because you have the ability to see into the future doesn't make you so different from the rest of us." he remarked. "Ah yes, I did notice that you were tired after that. Didn't think much of it at the time."

"Sometimes our bodies know where we need to be better than our brains do. Probably good that you don't think about it. Just wondering if you did. If there is one thing I am not lacking, it is curiosity." Horst told her.

by **Sofia Slytherin** Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:38 am

Sofia could not help but laugh when Horst talked about lacking curiosity. If that was one thing she has learned about Horst was he always seemed to want to know everything about everything.

"But you know that old saying don't you Horst. Curiosity killed the cat." Sofia could not help but smile as she said the word cat. Almost as on cue Salt walked up to them and sat next to Sofia.

"Speaking of Cats Horst, this is my white panther Salt." Sofia said as she began to pet his head. "He has been with me for many years.

by **Horst Sollmann** Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:57 pm

Horst laughed when she said curiosity killed the cat. "I suppose you got me there. But, I don't think I could stop myself from being curious even if I tried. It is simply part of my nature, asking questions comes as naturally to me as breathing." he stated. It felt good to spend time with Sophia, never a dull moment.

"Salt, a very interesting name for a panther. How ever did you think of it Sofia?" Horst inquired. The cat purred as Sofia began to pet him. Salt would be another thing to keep her company, maybe she wasn't as alone as he first thought.

by **Sofia Slytherin** Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:05 pm

((OOC: Sorry about that..I figured you had read my bio so I didn't even think to place in there that Salt is a White Panther))

"Salt actually was the name he chose for himself, that and with him being white it seemed to fit really well."

"Well Horst it is getting late and I have a busy day tomorrow. I shall retire for the evening. Thank you for the company." Sofia stood up taking her wand and cleaning up the mess.

"Ali will be glad to show you to the gate, you cannot apparate from here." Sofia said brushing off her pants to straighten things out.

"Ali" the small elf popped in. "You needing Ali Mistress"

"Yes will you please show Horst to the gate?"

[i]"No problem Mistress" Towards Horst "You be following Ali you will, come please."

"Have a nice rest of your evening Horst, please come again." With that Sofia walked up the back steps up to the back patio and into the house.

by **Horst Sollmann** Sun Feb 12, 2012 9:10 am

"I see. The name does fit him, I've just never really thought of Salt as a name before I suppose."

"Yes, time does seem to be flying by as it always does. No thanks is needed Sofia, I was glad to drop by and chat for a while." Horst got up, and wondered if things had turned out differently, whether there could have been a romantic relationship between him and Sofia. Just as quickly, the thought passed away and he remembered his wife and son. He wouldn't trade them for the world.

"So long, Sofia." Horst said, and then turned and followed Ali to the gate. Once outside the grounds of Slytherin Manor, he apparated back home.