| Details for The Fountain and the Stars |
| Summary: | The meeting of the two souls, who needed some fresh air. |
| Date: | 1938-10-02 |
| Location: | Gardens, Hogwarts |
| Related: | None |
| Characters |
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Gardens Hogwarts
It is a fall night. The weather is cool and fair.
Sculpted box woods and grafted flowering trees border fountains and statuary, benches of a wide variety of shapes and sizes affording a person the opportunity to stop and appreciate the beauty here or a quiet moment from the courtyard. A riot of salvia and geraniums are visible from one angle, maroon begonias alongide tall and bright scarlet bee balm blaze from the southern corner. Black eyes susans, contrast with rising sunflowers, tightly-clustered heads of sunny marigold and goldenrod bob lazily in the breezes that blow from the west. Across from the sunflowers, a profusion of green in the form of hostas and ferns coupled with Canterbury bells and even a few pitcher plants twist in a wilder jungle of more loosely-controlled foliage. Deep blue foxgloves, creeping lobelia and Siberian iris serenely fill the northern corner. Seventh Year Herbology students tend the garden of their own House's colors, those who truly care for their duties obviously taking visible pride in the health of their flowers.
It is a cool fall night, still early enough that curfew isn't violated, but it is starting to get close. The cool breeze drifts across the garden, carrying the soft scent of it's flowers in it's wake. Most students are off socializing or playing games of some sorts, a few are even studying. Though a single lone figure sits on one of the fountains, his eyes staring up at the night sky, silent and still, clearly in deep thought. That figure is Niko, a book sitting next to him.
Clearly a ghost is gliding through a small path in the moonlight. A ghost, whose Slytherin cloak is swaying playfully in the armful of a small breeze.
The white curls, falling on petite figure's shoulders, radiates the brightness so vividly, that the viewer could have to frown slightly, thinking that the moon himself is walking through the gardens.
Quite thoughtful melody is jumping from one flower's blooms to anothers. The melody, which leaves colourless lips of the gliding creature, whose grey eyes are resting somewhere on the horizone mutely.
If this is really a ghost, likely long time ago she was a lady. Maybe even a princess in some kind of exotic Kingdom. Each step is full of elegance, each move, is so genteel.
Niko's eyes move away from the stars, as he looks over at Janette, though he doesn't recognize her right away, his mind does in fact thing that it is a ghost. His right hand moves up and slowly rubs his chin softly, trying to place were he has seen this one before, before finally he blinks, his tone soft and pleasant, "Abbott?" he asks softly, tilting his head slight to the left, his wild hair cascading down his face, partially covering his left eye.
The girl flinches slightly, as she would been awaken from sweet sweet dreams.
Grey gaze is fixed on the source of the disturbing voice. Janette stares at the boy a few moments, as she would be looking at the ghost, actually. The evil ghost or something like that.
Indeed, girl looks a little bit afraid, but she offers dim curtsy. "Denholm," frosty voice whispers, before she crosses her arms on abdomen and raises the gaze at the sky.
Niko nods at her softly, "Lovely night out tonight, the Gardens really amply it." he says softly, his head turning back up at the sky staring at the stares, a soft smile on his face, "I told you before you are always welcome to sit with me." he says softly with a chuckle, "That is of course, unless you would rather stand." he continues with a small wave of his hand.
Janette turns her gaze to the boy, studying him as the rider studies his possible stud.
"Sit… With you?.."- mumbles the girl, more under her nose, than for the world to hear, but the silent night carries these words around the gardens as silent lullaby.
Girl paces in all her grace closer, but does not take a seat. She cants her head instead and with the struggle to hide all the contempt, she lets the question out: "Your mother or your father?"
Janette shifts from one foot to another.
Niko looks down from the stars a smirk on his face, "Whatever do you mean?" he says softly, his right hand moving up and running through his hair slowly, "Is that what has you in a tiff about me?" he asks softly with a small chuckle, "My Mother and if you are curious also, I am very proud of were I come from, both Muggle and wizardly." he says with a smile, tapping the fountain next to him, "Don't worry, I hear Muggle isn't contagious, you can have a seat." he says playful with a wink.
"Oooh… really…" grey eyes darkens, as the whole creature becomes somehow shadowed. "They took away my uncle and grandparents. They made an imputation against my mother's family's good name," explains Janette coldly. "I don't think they are oooh so inosent."
She still does not take a seat. But her intent gaze stares straight at the boy's orbs.
"Did I do any of those things?" Niko says slowly, the soft smile still on his face, "Abbott, I have done nothing to wrong you or your family." he say slowly with a nod, his bluish green eyes staring back into her grey ones, "I choose to live my life, by what I experience, I do not cast judgment on any individual without cause." he says slowly with a nod, "However, if my lineage, has some how offended you, I am sorry. I can't change that and I am very proud of my roots regardless." he says softly with a smile, once again offering her the seat.
Janette sniffs slightly and raises her cloak, to slip into the offered seat as a real Princess.
She straightens the fabric of her cloak then. And.. just sits there all mannerly, hands resting on her knees, back straight and gaze once more stabbed into the horizon.
She does not say a word.
Niko smiles warmly, "See not so bad." he says slowly staring back up at the stars, "Sometimes I think the world, would be a better place if everyone just slowed down for a moment, stopped and enjoyed something beautiful." he says softly, his tone not much more then a whisper, "Everyone is so focused on this that or the other, I think they forget why they are doing things." he says slowly, tilting his head to look at Janette, more of his hair falling in his face, "What do you think?" he asks.
Janette slowly licks her colourless lips, before hiding a few white curls behind the ear. "I do not think about it," still cool voice whispers. As cool as her snowy skin may look like.
After a moment of silence she adds: "But the evening is nice. Indeed."
Niko chuckles softly, "Have you thought about why you haven't thought about it?" he asks, his tone now more playful then anything else, a smirk on his face, "But it is a lovely evening, you are certainly right about that." he says with a nod, "Makes me wish I could just stay out here forever." he continues with a stretch.
Such question and a chuckles brings two strawberries. One on the right cheek of the young girl, another on the left cheek. Strawberries are small, but because of radiating whiteness, they look more vivid, than they should.
Girl does not answer, just starts a bit nervously tugging the corner of her cloak, which rests on her knees.
Niko just shakes his head a bit, his eyes moving back up to the sky, "Then what do you think about?" he asks curiously, his hand reaching up into his field of vision and closing slowly around the stars, "I think about going to the stars, I know that is crazy." he says with a chuckle, "That and how I am not going to loose my mind with all the NEWTs." he says a smirk on his face, "Your turn." he says looking back at her, with his bluish green eyes.
"Home," blurts the girl and pale fingers quickly, covers her lips, if she would be afraid for her answer. Or she is afraid, that she answered at all.
"Home?" Niko says softly with a nod, "A noble thing to think about, I am certainly impressed." he says softly, "I am a firm believer that we should always remember were we come from and home is always such a special place." he says softly, "Though, do you not like it here?" he asks softly, looking at with a tilt of his head, in the other direction, causing his hair to shift to the other side.
Janette glances at the boy very briefly. Maybe even a tiny smile jumps up on the corners of her lips. But just for a shorter time than second.
Then girl quickly turns her gaze away, stabbing into to a flower, flustered by a small breeze or the girl's look.
"Good…" drawls Janette "I mean it is good in here. Potions, books…"
"So you are happy here." Niko says slowly with a smile on his face, "But yes, I would agree Books and Potions are full of fun." he says slowly with a nod, leaning forward to try and spot what Janette is looking at, but just very bluntly asking, "Whatcha looking at?"
When a boy leans closer, Janette flinches and quickly moves aside. Girl starts playing with her curls, whirling them around fingers, pretending, that she brushes them or whatever. Just keep doing something, Janette, just keep doing.
"Nothing. I just had to look somewhere. Or I have to close my eyes?"
Niko gives her a small smirk, "Nope, just curious what you were looking at." he says softly, "Seemed to be pretty interesting." he says playfully before stretching slightly.
"Ooh," giggles the girl for some reason. "My grandfather used to say, that curiosity dished the cat…"
She starts weaving in her seat, trying to find slightly better position, or just feeling still uncomfortable.
Niko chuckles softly, "So why did you come out here tonight?" he asks softly, his hand moving up and running through his hair, his eyes still on Janette, "Need some fresh air?" he says his hand moving to his chin, "Star gaze?" he continues, "Wanted to see the flowers?" he asks.
Janette rolls her eyes, reacting at such liveliness and curiosity of the young boy. She makes the same gesture as he, running with her fingers through the frosty curls.
"I usually come here at this time. There is no sun in the sky. The best time for walking. My skin has allergy for the sun. It's better to avoid it."
She finally dares to look at the boy's orbs again. "And you? Do you usually sit near the fountains at nights as areal romantic, asking girls to sit beside?"
Niko considers the question for a moment rubbing his chin and looking up into the sky, "Yes and no." he says bringing his gaze back down on Janette, meeting her grey eyes, a smirk forming on his face, "I come to this fountain when I am feeling overwhelmed or need to clear my head." he says slowly, "Normally by myself, however this has been a pleasant deviation from routine." he says warmly with a nod.
When the boy looks at her, and speaks about pleasant deviation, girl just quickly lowers her gaze, blooming in wild roses, and starting to chew on her bottom lip.
"Sorry, didn't mean to upset you." Niko says softly with a smile, reaching over to pat Janette on the shoulder softly.
When the girl feels boy's hand on her shoulder, she just slides back, that he couldn't reach her again. The blush becomes even more vivid, and cold gaze is changed by the shy one. Shy and… all self-confidence just vanishes.
"You did not upset me," answers the girl, trying to keep her genteel posture. "It's just… a bit awkward to see so, well-bred half-blood sixteen years old boy…"
She sighs, turning her grey eyes to the sky. "Shouldn't you make fun of others, be all mean, think about how to break rules and just be mean, that you could be cool and?.." she becomes a bit annoyed.
Niko rubs his chin slowly, "I could…" he says slowly before shaking his head, "But I would rather do the things I enjoy. Isn't there enough, people making fun of one another, being mean to one another and also I think I am pretty cool." he says slowly rubbing his chin, "You don't think I am cool?" he asks playfully.
Such question forces quite loud and lively laugh burst from girl's throat. "Oh, indeed," she nods. "Each cool person perfectly knows, that he is cool… I don't know if you are cool or not, but that you have some strange uncommon aristocratic manners for your kind - of course," she nods as some kind of judge, who just decided, that the boy may live. "Maybe your mother is noble in… the Muggle world. You have such titles, yes?" girl cants her head and a bit mischievous smile flashes in her features. She chews on her lip a bit, before chuckling and mumbling: "Oh, … add… handsome…"
Niko chuckles, "Well then maybe I am not cool, because I have never really thought about it." he says with a small chuckle, he listens to Janette speak and chuckles, "Nope, not noble. No title. Though yes in the Muggle world such things exist, I was simply raised by two set principles, treat others as you would wish to be treated and enjoy life, even the little things." he says softly his gaze moving back up to the stars, she compliments him and he smiles softly, "Thank you and you are very beautiful yourself." he says slowly.
When she gets compliment back, she obviously doesn't believe it. So, girl just sniffs. "I like gentlemen and ladies. If everyone would be like that… It would be nicer to live. Though…" Janette scratches her knee "Behind all these gentle manners hides… Something unnatural. Like now… I give you a compliment and you are just forced to give one back, no matter what you think…" she tosses some curls back, even if the wind tries to tickle her nose with one of those.
Niko lets out a small laugh, "Forced?" he says softly, shaking his head, "Nothing I do is forced, I am a wizard of my own free will." he says with a small wave of his hand, "Perhaps, more often or not, things become an act for some, however." he says looking at Janette, "I already told you, I treat people how I would like to be treated, and I would not like to be lied to, so I do not lie to people." he says with a chuckle tilting his head a bit to the side, his hair cascading down his face, "So now that we have established that I think you are beautiful, was your compliment to me sincere?"
The best wine is not so red as the girl right now. "It was…" she starts stammering "… more… I just stated the fact, actually… it was not a compliment…" Oh, girl, but your cheeks and sparkles in the eyes says different. You were telling the compliment, indeed.
After a second of awkward silent girl adds: "But I like your hair as much, as you do, I guess…" Janette lets the chuckle out, which was hold in her throat for awhile, seeing that boys habit to touch his hair.
Niko smiles softly, he doesn't say anything at first before he stands up, his gaze moves towards the stars for a moment, before he says softly, "I understand and thank you, you have very pretty eyes, just as an observation also." he says simply, that warm pleasant inviting smile still on his face. His hand moves forward to tap Janette on the nose, softly with the tip of his index finger, "I'll see you in potions, Abbott." he says softly, as he brings his hands up, and resting them behind his head as he walks.