Jake Santoro
November 26, 2005 9:20 PM
It's good to be back. by Jake Santoro
Jake was happy to be back at Sonora. It had been a rather...difficult Christmas. And it had been surprising, adventurous, and fun. Not only was he able to see his family during the holidays, but Julia had been able to come home and he had received a gift from John. And he really did love his gift. It was a Quiddtich notebook where he could write down all his plans and moves. But not only that, John had already written out some plays of his own within the notebook.It was an awesome gift.
Now he was back at Sonora, and feeling much better than before. But something was different. He couldn't quite place it just yet. It was...quieter?
Jake looked around the hall. Not many people were there, but that wasn't what was making him uneasy. Why was it so eerily quiet? And then he saw it. The reason why it was unsually silent.
The waterfalls were frozen over.
This was new. Or, at least, Jake didn't recall that ever happening in his first year. Perhaps it was a new trick that the Professors were doing. Or...maybe it had something to do with why they had a duststorm and a mudstorm. But Jake couldn't be certain. All he knew was that it wasn't quite the same eating this food without the noise of the waterfalls surrounding him.
With that in mind, Jake turned to the closest person to him to share his thoughts, "Anyone else think it's weird that the waterfalls are frozen?"\n\n
6
Jake Santoro
It's good to be back.
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Jake Santoro
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Elizabeth
November 26, 2005 11:29 PM
Yes, it is. by Elizabeth
Elizabeth grinned as she landed outside, her bright blue eyes taking in a view she had longed to see all holiday break- Sonora's beautiful front view. It had been one of the longest breaks in her memory, and possibly one of the most unique. First of all, she had spent Christmas in England- England! She had been with Jen's family, and what an interesting family it was. She'd met a variety of people, but one really stood out in her mind, a certain cousin of Jen's, a one William Noire. Merlin, she doubted that anyone in the world could have pushed her buttons more than that boy. Okay, so he was a year or so older than her, but she could still call him a boy if she wanted. Nevertheless, the wretched thing with his best friend Tony had followed her and Jen around the whole break, pulling pranks or just bothering them at every chance they could get. It had been a very interesting Christmas.Lizzie nearly ran into the building she'd missed so, yet upon her entering the Cascade Hall, Lizzie immediately felt that something was missing. It wasn't the usual din of student chatter fresh from a holiday break, nor the rucous that was emitting from the groups of Pecaris sitting and chatting, for that was surely there- she was able to hear it from the front doors of the school's foyer.
Elizabeth, her eyes flicking across the room with an inquisitorial air, took a seat at a table, not really paying any mind to who was sitting by her, nor which house seemed to be predominately seated there. As she was in the process of sitting down, she realized it. The walls- they were still. Something had happened to the waterfalls, and for a minute, Lizzie wondered what it could possibly be. Then it dawned on her- ice! They were frozen solid! It was at this moment that the person nearest her spoke.
"Anyone else think it's weird that the waterfalls are frozen?" She looked up at this question, and realized it was Jake! Lizzie gasped as soon as she had recognised him, and then responded cheekily to his question.
"You mean you didn't know? It always freezes like this is Arizona," she laughed, then continued on seriously, "Jake, how were your holidays? Did you get any good presents this year?"\n\n
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Elizabeth
Yes, it is.
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Elizabeth
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Jake
November 27, 2005 8:39 PM
Bite your tongue! by Jake
Jake realized that it was Liz who had been the one to sit by him and then so graciously answered his question. Of course, her answer wasn't what he had been expecting. "It must have slipped my mind." Jake retorted with a grin. He would have preferred a better answer. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out how exactly the falls could have frozen over. He didn't think it was that cold and the way the water was in constant motion, he thought it would be right hard for it to have frozen completely solid.He thought a moment about how exactly to explain his holidays before finally settling on one thing.
"My holidays were...interesting. I saw my entire family, as usual, played some Quidditch, Julia was there, which was fun. As for gifts, yes, I actually did get a really cool gift, but you can't see it. If you see it, you'll want it, and that just can't happen." Jake teased.
"So, Elizabeth" Jake pulled at her name for emphasis, "How was your holiday?"\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
6
Jake
Bite your tongue!
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Jake
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Elizabeth
December 07, 2005 10:39 PM
:-p I think not. by Elizabeth
Liz grinned at Jake's response, knowing that he probably wanted a real explanation, like she did. It really was puzzling to her... Maybe it was another weather spell going haywire. Oh well, she thought to herself, trying to pay attention to what Jake was saying."...If you see it, you'll want it, and that just can't happen." he said, almost taunting her. Oh how infuriating that was! Of course now that he had said that, Lizzie's curiosity was sparked. However, she rolled her eyes, determined to find out what it was that he had gotten that would make her so curious.
"My holiday was spent in the wintry snowscapes of England with Jennifer of course," she grinned, recalling one of her only white Christmases, "And I got some rather excellent gifts as well from my brothers, but since you seem so keen on not telling me your presents, I'm afraid I can't disclose information on my own."
Tossing her head back smartly, Liz smiled smugly at her retort. In all honesty, she had recieved fabulous presents from her family and friends, and couldn't wait to show everyone else the cool things she had gotten. But if Jake wanted to play that game, she had no problem waiting him out.
Lizzie's brothers had indulged her greatly as always with the usual assortment of treats and candies, but also with new sleek quidditch chaser gloves and brand new self-warming snow boots. Her aunt had given her sapphire earrings along with her own words on how Lizzie should be living her life, both of which were just about staples of any gift-giving occasion from her Aunt Rose. Her twin cousins Hermia and Helena sent a quidditch chaser's guidebook and a book of "Useful Spells", respectively. Other assorted family members had sent their gifts to the Noire's manor for the holiday as well, but none of their gifts were all too notable.
Sighing impatiently, Elizabeth struck up conversation again, "Oh come on Jake, you can't possibily hold up for too long, now tell me what was so great that you got."
\n\n
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Elizabeth
:-p I think not.
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Elizabeth
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Jake
December 15, 2005 3:02 PM
BAH! by Jake
Jake listened to Lizzie talk about her holiday. He was rather impressed that she had gone off to Europe instead of staying the Louisianna where she was from. "England nice." Jake commented, "We usually only stay in Spain though, when we're out in Europe. You know, visiting the family and such. But this year my mom wanted the party at our house." Jake told her with a shrug.Jake laughed loudly when Elizabeth declared her refusal to tell him what she had received for Christmas until he told her what he had gotten. He shook his head and rolled his eyes, "You probably only got a bunch of girly stuff." Jake teased, "I have no use for such atrocities."
He laughed again and looked around at the arriving students. He was really intrigued by all the weather anomalies, "Seriously though, Liz, do you think all this weather stuff has been fixed? I mean, no one really talked about it, but could you imagine what could have happened if the tour had been outside at the time?" Jake asked her, lowering his voice slightly in case a professor happened past. "And now the falls are frozen. It's weird is all..."\n\n
6
Jake
BAH!
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Jake
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Elizabeth
December 18, 2005 12:35 AM
It's nice to see you too... by Elizabeth
Lizzie allowed her mouth to drop in fake shock as Jake suggested that she had recieved girly presents. How dare he accuse her of girlness? Okay, so she admitted it, she was becoming a little less resistant to the whole concept, but if she ever let on like that to one of her guy friends, there went her credibility. Elizabeth was about to open her mouth and tell him just what she got to prove it's un-girly-ness, but then she stopped herself. That would be telling. All she allowed was a low mumbling of 'I did not get girly things.'"I don't know Jake, everything seems to be sort of out of control," she said finally after his more serious statements, bringing her warm cloak tighter around her, "I mean, I know they didn't think I'd pick up on it, but I could even tell by my brothers' handwriting that they were stressed; worried, even. I'm just glad they allowed me to return- could you imagine missing a term here? I know a lot of parents were worried about how safe it was to return here, but Brett would hear nothing other than my immediate return to Sonora. I guess it's 'cause he went here, and I sometimes it helps with the whole 'trusting the school and their judgement' issue."
She shivered impulsively, the cold air filling her lungs. If the hall was so cold it was freezing the falls, it certainly was freezing the poor little Southern girl. Lizzie shifted her seating position slightly as to have the most cloak covering her as possible. It seemed that even the innerhalls of the mansion were having to be heated, not to mention her common room, which must have had a good ten logs on the blazing fire by this time.
"Anyway, I just can't stand this cold anymore... I mean, it's snowing outside for goodness sakes!" Lizzie said, taking a small scoop of the steaming oatmeal that was sitting in front of her. \n\n
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Elizabeth
It's nice to see you too...
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Elizabeth
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Jake
December 28, 2005 3:39 PM
Well, of course, cos...it's me! by Jake
Jake smirked when Elizabeth tried to defend her girly presents with a lame way of saying they weren't actually girly. Jake enjoyed getting under girls' skin. It wasn't so hard and he had plenty of practice from his sisters. Bella was the easiest when it came to calling her girly. Sophia was the hardest because she didn't mind her stuff being called girly.He listened as Liz spoke about her family and how they had been thinking about not allowing her to come back. It would have been sad if she hadn't been able to come back here, Jake decided. She was a good friend to him and he would have been lonely out on the pitch if he didn't have her to play against.
"My family didn't really discuss anything with me. I'm sure they thought about us not coming back, but Julia talked them out of it. She says that she has faith in our school and our Professors and that Mama and Papa should have the same faith in them." Jake said with a grin. "And mis padres have a habit of listening to Julia."
Jake huddled under his cloak and looked around the Hall. He could see his own breath and he wondered, once again, what exactly was going on and whether or not the professors would have faith in the students to tell them. "Yeah, the snow doesn't bother me so much as the wind does." Jake commented, staring at his half finished food with a look of disgust. "You think they'll tell us what's going on?"\n\n
6
Jake
Well, of course, cos...it's me!
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Jake
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Elizabeth
December 28, 2005 9:33 PM
Sorry, Ignore Below by Elizabeth
Taking another spoonful of oatmeal, Lizzie watched as the steam rose steadily from the hot breakfast cereal. It was the most bizarre weather twist she had ever seen, and she lived on the Gulf Coast, and they had seen everything. Hurricanes, tornadoes; you name it, they had seen it on the Southern Coast. Lizzie put the hot spoon in her mouth, thoroughly grateful for its warmth. The honey and moist oats made her cold taste buds warm instantaneously, making her feel slightly better. She then looked up from the table and listened as Jake finished talking."...And mis padres have a habit of listening to Julia."
Elizabeth laughed, since that was nearly exactly what had happened in her family. She hadn't been there of course, but from the letter her brother Javon sent, she learned that her Aunt Rose had pitched a fit and demanded that she be transferred. Brett, of course, had intervened on Lizzie's behalf, and being her guardian, he had the last say in the matter. She was immensely glad that Brett had seen through her aunt and her claims of the school ruining the family name by sending her there and allowed her back at school. Sonora was becoming more and more like her second home, and her friends almost like extended family. Liz would have been miserable without either.
"Well," she said in response to Jake, "I agree with you there: the only wind I like is the one that blows in your face during quidditch. And I highly doubt they'll say anything we don't already know. Probably something like: 'Hey kids, it's cold. Sorry. Don't get frostbite.' Adults tend to do that sort of thing, you know? Not really give you the facts, but just sort of dance around the issue."
Lizzie took another scoop of oatmeal, subconsciously knowing that it was probably one of the only things keeping her from freezing to death. Okay, maybe her subconscious was a bit of an exaggerator, but it really was cold, and the cereal was nice and warm. A perfect combination in her mind. \n\n
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Elizabeth
Sorry, Ignore Below
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Elizabeth
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Jakey Poo
January 02, 2006 1:19 AM
Yes, I'm doubly excited it's you by Jakey Poo
Jake laughed loudly as Elizabeth mocked the Professors (or adults in general) about the weather. He was in total agreement with her of course. For some reason, adults like to think they were stupid or lacked the brain cells necessary to grasp anything of substantial importance. When would parents and adults learn that children could handle quite a bit of anything so long as they had faith in them?"Yeah, adults are stupid in that sense. Having little faith in our abilities to understand even the simplest of tasks. Honestly, if my sisters and brothers didn't tell me things, I'd be in a dark hole with my head between my legs and my butt in the air because I'd be so vulnerable to everything." Jake said in a joking manner. "Without the knowledge from my siblings, I'd be a bloke walking straight into walls, I expect."
Jake went back to picking his cold food for a moment while Elizabeth went out having another spoonful of her oatmeal. "So, besides the girly gifts, what'd you do on your holiday with Jennifer?"\n\n
6
Jakey Poo
Yes, I'm doubly excited it's you
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Jakey Poo
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Lizzie
January 05, 2006 9:39 PM
I know, I know... by Lizzie
She nodded along with Jake's affirmation of her earlier comments. A smile made its way to her features as he described his situation as possibly being stuck in a dark hole. Like anything would keep that boy in a hole... Elizabeth laughed and rolled her eyes slightly at his last comments. She pulled her cloak tighter around herself as she thought about what she would tell Jake that she had gotten."Well, I was holding out on you, but I suppose that will prove impossible. I did get pretty awesome presents from my brothers for use in England like a pair of charmed self-warming but sleek fur-lined boots, these great new chaser gloves guaranteed to keep your hands warm during a game. You know those leather ones are near impossible to use in a freezing game; they stiff up and then you can't catch for your life."
Lizzie grinned as she started talking, something she did subconsciously whenever talking about something that she was really interested in. Her eyes sparkled like a small child in front of a glistening Christmas tree, and she began to forget the freezing temperature that had kept her hands firmly clutched around her cloak. Liz was now guesturing, her cold fingers not recognizing their removal from the warmth of her winter clothes.
"But that's not all- Javon gave me a new servicing kit for my broom as well as this wicked new thing that he said I couldn't see until I got home next time. Supposedly he got something to go on our manor quidditch grounds. I can't wait to see what it is though..." she realized then that she was rambling on, and stopped, turning her attention back to Jake, "So, what did you get for Christmas? Surely they were all very manly."
She grinned. Liz loved messing around with people. \n\n
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Lizzie
I know, I know...
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Lizzie
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Jake
January 15, 2006 10:48 PM
*Grins* by Jake
Jake listened with interest as Lizzie explained what it was she had gotten for Christmas. He was rather amused that she had misunderstood what he had asked her. He wanted to know what she had done while on holiday, not what she received for the holiday. Either way, Jake still got to know what her presents were. And one of them was girly."They were quite manly" Jake said in agreement, though his lopsided grin showed that he was only teasing. "Well, I got the usual sorts of gifts from the relatives, nothing fancy or extraordinary. New robes, cool tricks from my favorite joke shop, that sort of thing." Jake said, and most of it was true. His knew dungbombs smelled of the worst sorts of smells, and his exploding quill was a hoot when he used it on Sofia (though she would say otherwise), but they were nothing compared to what he had gotten from John, "But the best gift of all was the Quidditch notebook I received from my brother."
Jake paused here. She would probably make a remark about his notebook, or at least think something to herself and Jake was perfectly okay with her doing so. After a moment, his grin grew wider, "It's really cool. You can write down each of your plays and study them while it shows you every possible outcome for it. Plus, John wrote in a few of his own plays. It's wicked cool." His excitement for the gift was evident with every word he spoke. The gift was all the more special because it had been given to him by John.
"By the way, Lizzie, the gloves were cool, but the boots...those were girly." Jake teased.\n\n
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Jake
*Grins*
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Jake
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Lizzie
January 16, 2006 10:33 AM
They are NOT girly! by Lizzie
Lizzie knew perfectly well that Jake was asking about what else she did and not what she got, but in all honesty, she just wanted to know what he had gotten. That meant telling him what she had gotten. Besides, she now knew his presents, and one of them was quite thought provoking indeed. A Quidditch notebook from John, his estranged older brother must have meant a lot to Jake. Lizzie knew that he missed his brother, and couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for him to watch John leave. Liz knew about having older brothers, and how important it was."Yes, very manly," she continued jesting with him, but then her voice took a more serious tone and she continued, "Jake, that really is a great gift, especially since you're captain. But Jake, isn't John your brother who...?"
She felt bad about leaving the sentence open like that, but it was hard for her to actually say what she was thinking. Liz remembered that conversation they had first term on the Quidditch Pitch when they first met, and the information she had gained from it. John Santoro was the brother that had essentially "run away". Well, the way Jake had told it, it was more like "just left". But to recieve word from him, much less a Christmas present after all that time must have been tremendous for Jake.
"Sorry," she said, apologizing for the earlier sentence fragment and silently switching vocal tones again, "but that must be some playbook. Is it the one that will lead the Teppenpaw house to victory? I mean, assuming the Pecari team isn't playing you."
Lizzie grinned. She couldn't let her side of the conversation end without a bit of a tease, now could she? \n\n
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Lizzie
They are NOT girly!
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Lizzie
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Jake
January 20, 2006 12:19 AM
They are fur lined and sleek. That's girly by Jake
Jake looked slightly away from her when she sort of hinted at his brother. Yes, John was the one who walked away. The one who chose what was right over his family. Someone who Jake had hated and loved for so very long. But, he was still his brother and someone Jake admired and wished to be when he became...well...a man.But could he let go of his family the way John did? Well, technically John never let them go as he was still in contact with Julia and had been trying, albeit, unsuccessfully, to get into contact with Jake and his siblings, but still...He walked away. Turned his back and never thought twice about it since. Could Jake ever be that strong? Perhaps.
"...the one who left?" Jake finished for her. "Yeah, he is." His voice was somber, but he was still willing to talk about it. He needed someone to confide in and Jake knew that Elizabeth was having a hard time deciding things when they had spoken during practice on the field. "But Jules said that they talk at the Ministry. They are just careful about it all. Not that Papa or Ma would ever notice if they did. Jules who career is based on stealth and secrets." His voice held an almost bitter tone to it, but he kept himself in check. He really was proud of what his sister did for a living.
He shrugged at her apology. It wasn't her fault for being curious and he couldn't right well blame her for it. He probably would have asked the same thing. Is it the one that will lead the Teppenpaw House to victory? I mean, assuming the Pecari team isn't playing you.
Jake grinned at looked at her. "It might just be, Lizzie, it might just be." He commented, "We may be the friendly house, but you best be watching your pretty little back on the pitch, Elizabeth we've got a wicked team and an even more wicked game plan."\n\n
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Jake
They are fur lined and sleek. That's girly
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Jake
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Elizabeth
January 20, 2006 4:31 PM
Hey, they're warm, which suits me perfectly fine by Elizabeth
She nodded as he explained the contact situation between his siblings, knowing it had to be extremely difficult having to have such sparse contact with his brother. Though she was getting better, Lizzie still missed her brothers from time to time, but she always knew she'd see them as soon as holidays came around. But to never know when you'll see a sibling again? It was a hard concept for her to get her head around."Well, even if you don't see him often, he sure does know what to get you for Christmas," she said, continuing on, "As for you and your house team, you forget who our captain... or captains, really, are. I have faith in Sorrel and Ash, as well as our team. It's your kindhearted Tepps that have to be wary of us Pecaris. We do have the repuation for being crazy, and with good reason."
Liz grinned. She sighed and took a look at her watch, noting the time. She stood up from the table, getting ready to get back to her commons to unpack and all.
"Jake, it's been great talking to you," she said, "And I hope we get a chance to face each other soon. I'd like to see some of those fabulous plays of yours in action. I'll see you around, okay?"
She left the table and exited the Hall out into the foyer, making her way back to the Pecari Commons. \n\n
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Elizabeth
Hey, they're warm, which suits me perfectly fine
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Elizabeth
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5