Staring at the Stars {OPEN}

[Aaralyn Kai Leeson]

It was a beautiful night. The sky was clear and the stars were sparkling like crazy. Aaralyn sighed as she walked over to the ledge of the astronomy tower. She knew it was a spot that couples favored, not that she had ever been taken up there by a guy. She had only ever had one boyfriend, and that ended within a couple months. He was a muggle, and one of her neighbors. With them going to different schools, and hers being a boarding school, it just didn't work out. She sat on the ledge, being careful enough to not topple over the edge and fall to the ground far below.

She spent a lot of time alone lately. She had a bunch of friends, but something just seemed to be missing. She didn't know what it was. Just something. She looked over her right shoulder when she heard footsteps in that direction. She saw someone walking towards her, but she couldn't see who it was. Slightly anxious, fearing the worst, she said, "Who are you?" in a shaky voice. She gripped tightly onto her wand in her right hand.

[Cameron Matthews]

Cameron had noticed that Aaralyn had been spending more of her time alone than her usual friends. He didn’t really know how to ask her about this as he was one of her friends and he felt they hadn’t talked in a while. Catching Robyn after class he asked her what she should do if a friend was ignoring him. He had felt the shock as much as Robyn did. When did he ever ask Robyn for advice? But his sister was nice enough to give him a bit of advice. And even if it was something he didn’t do. Which was pressure someone into talking to him, or forcing. He decided to follow her when she began to leave her friends behind to be left on her own. He wanted to know what was up.

He could hear worry in her voice when he approached. Surely his footsteps must have caught her off guard. Cameron walked in with his hands up as if in surrender. “It’s just me Aaralyn.” He assured her, now being able to fully see her. He made a jerking movement, as if he wanted to pull her off of the ledge and back safely into the tower but refrained from doing so. “Just Cameron. Sorry. But I followed you.” He admitted slightly sheepishly. He didn’t want her to be angry or annoyed at him.

[Aaralyn Kai Leeson]

"Oh, hi Cameron," Aaralyn replied, loosening her grip on her wand. "I just came up here to think." She wasn't angry at him for following her, or annoyed even. He was one of her friends, and she'd been blowing them all off recently. So, she figured he had a slight right to follow her. She didn't feel great about ditching her friends. She just couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something in her life. She wanted to try to figure out what it was. Plus, her parents were thinking of pulling her out of school.

She moved so there was enough room for him to sit next to her. "Wanna sit?"

[Cameron Matthews]

Cameron didn’t say anything and just listened to Aaralyn speak. Telling him the story of just coming up here. But that was only part of what he wanted to know. Something was bothering her and he could tell. It was just something Cameron had always been good at. Knowing what people were feeling. Well, not necessarily feeling. But noticing differences in people quickly. “Sure.” He replied walking over and sitting in the area she had made room for him.

“So Aaralyn. What’s been going on?” He asked bluntly. He had gone off the advice his sister had given him. So far it had worked. Maybe it could work a bit further.

[Aaralyn Kai Leeson]

Aaralyn bit her lip and twirled her wand in her fingers as she faced her internal dilemma. Cameron was a good friend of hers. Most of the time she had no problem telling him her secrets. However, she didn't know if she was ready to spill about her parents doubts of letting her stay. Or of the nagging feeling she had at the back of her mind.

She looked over at him, and sighed in a defeated manner. She couldn't not tell him. "Lately," she started, "I've just been feeling...I don't know, incomplete, I guess. You know, like there's something missing. I've been trying to figure out what it is." Aaralyn glanced up at the twinkling stars above her, the back down at her friend. "Plus..." She stopped to sigh again, only instead of in defeat, it was a saddened sigh. "My parents are thinking of pulling me out of Hogwarts." She stopped talking, and waited to see what his reaction would be to everything.

[Cameron Matthews]

Cameron sat beside his friend. The unmistakable feeling that something was bothering her was there. Of course he wanted to know, but he was always one to refuse pushing it too much. So he was a bit grateful and more at ease when she began speaking. Like always Cameron would listen. It was something he was good at doing.

Looking at Aaralyn, Cameron wondered what that could be about. She felt something was missing, but yet had no clue as to what that could be. Cameron had been watching her look up at the stars. She soon looked back down at him. He was shocked to hear what she said next. Her parents trying to pull her out of Hogwarts? “Why would they do that?” Cameron asked confused, worry for his friend showing through his eyes. She was definitely in a predicament. Perhaps she had been trying to think this through which was why she had left her friends alone for some time.

[Aaralyn Kai Leeson]

"'You've had your fun, Aaralyn'," she answered, mocking her mother. "'It's time you grow up. I don't think you should stay. It's not safe there.'" She stared down at her wand in her hands. "I don't want to leave. I feel...normal here. Like I belong, you know. It's hard to fit in with muggle friends and relatives when you're a 'freak'." Aaralyn fought the urge to cry as she stared down at her hands. "What if I can't convince them to let me stay?"

[Cameron Matthews]

Cameron bit his bottom lip slightly as he watched and listened to what she said. So her parents wanted her out of Hogwarts because she had her fun? “That’s stupid.” He said bluntly, In those two words showing that he was on her side. “Couldn’t they just wait until you were done with your schooling?” He asked. The questions just tumbling out of his mouth. He didn’t want his friend to leave Hogwarts when there was still so much left.

He was quiet for a moment. Thinking of a way to tackle the problem if it did come down to her parents trying to pull her out of Hogwarts. “You could explain to the Headmistress. I don’t think she’ll let you just leave like that.” He said trying to assure her and him at the same time. Would her parents do that without really thinking it through. Because that is what it seemed like to him.

[Aaralyn Kai Leeson]

"Do you really think the Headmistress can do anything?" Aaralyn replied. "I'm not of age yet, so I can't really do anything. I have sent a letter to my parents explaining how much I want to stay here." She knew her voice had gotten shaky from her fighting back tears, and her hands were shaking slightly. "The people who mean most to me are here. My friends are here. I don't know what to do if they reply saying I have to go. I should get a reply soon, I just don't know when."

[Cameron Matthews]

“Well.” Cameron started, knowing this would probably one of the first times he would suggest something like he was just about to. “Your parents are muggles. They can’t really communicate with us here at Hogwarts without inside help.” He began, his voice admitting his hesitation. “They wouldn’t be able to pull you out until Vacation. Or School ends.” He said looking over at Aaralyn. “It’s a bit much to think about.” He admitted. “But I don’t think your parents can contact the school saying they want you out.”

[Aaralyn Kai Leeson]

"Unless they send a letter back with their reply to my letter," Aaralyn replied softly, being very cynical about the situation. "I hope you're right, though," she said after a couple seconds of silence. "I really do." She nudged him with her shoulder and said, "After all, you usually are." Then she laughed. "I don't know what I'd do without you, you know that, right?"

[Cameron Matthews]

“We’ll hope for the best.” He smiled as he nudged her back. “And if worse comes to worse. You’ll be mine and Robyn’s hostage.“ He grinned knowing his sister would be all for it. Her parents really would probably think it was dangerous. “What would you do without me.” He chuckled playfully. It seemed he heard that a lot. If he probably wasn’t around to be the calm person he was. He wondered how crazy his friends would go. “Just Kidding Aaryalyn.” He amended quickly, “But you don’t have to think about it.” He smiled. He was letting her know he would always be there. There was no point to even think of what it would be like without him.

[Aaralyn Kai Leeson]

"Good," replied Aaralyn as she linked arms with him. "Because you know if you ever tried to ditch me for a long period of time, I'll just find you and hex you." She laughed, knowing she'd never have to do that. Cameron was too good of a friend. She felt bad for ditching her friends for that period of time, but she'd apolgize when she saw them all later. She was about to say something else when an owl swooped down and landed beside her. She took the envelope the owl offered her before it flew off. She looked at Cameron nervously. "It's from my parents."

[Cameron Matthews]

“More of a reason not to ditch you.” He chuckled good naturedly. “I don’t feel like being hexed any time soon.” He grinned giving her a gentle nudge with their arms linked. If he had pushed a bit too much, she still wouldn’t have fallen because he would have gotten his grip on her in a moment.

Cameron watched the Owl curiously as it came to deliver its message and then take off. He wasn’t going to ask about it, but she then said it was from her parents. He noted the nervous look she had on her face and smiled encouragingly. Hopefully the news would be good, and if it wasn’t. That she would be prepared to do what she had to, to do what she knew she wanted. “Well.” He said quietly motioning over to the letter, staring at it. Willing it to be good news.

[Aaralyn Kai Leeson]

With a deep and nervous sigh, Aaralyn opened the letter. 'Please, oh please, let it be good news', she thought. Slowly her eyes scanned the paper, filled with her mother's neat handwriting. When she reached the end of the paper, she sighed again. Then a bright smile crept onto her face. "They said I could stay!" she said happily. She unlinked her arm from Cameron's and then hugged him, complete joy filling her at the fact that she could stay at the place she considered home.