Being bored on Labyrinth Gardens

Danae Dupree

October 04, 2007 10:33 PM

Being bored by Danae Dupree

Being a third year meant one tended to have more free time. Most of the material learned was being built on what they had already learned the past two years and CATS seemed forever away, and as such Danae found herself finished with her homework rather early and rather bored.

She didn’t want to stay in her dorm room, because for the most part she didn’t get along with her roommates, especially Caedence. She was generally surprised the two hadn’t gotten into a physical fight with fists or wands. She could have gone to the Hall, but she really didn’t like to sit by herself while others were having a good time with friends. She wondered what it was about herself that repealed others that weren’t those she shared a room with.

Another option was the library, but she already had plenty to read and there was nothing to do for school. Besides, her brother, Devian, tended to spend a lot of time there, and he was generally scheming in one way or another and would try to drag her into it. Best to avoid that area. This mostly left the Gardens, where she wouldn’t be embarrassed to sit by herself nor would she be at risk of her slightly insane sibling.

Opting for the Gardens, Danae exited out of her House into them with a book. After a few quick turns, she found a bench in a relatively unused area. Curling up on the bench, she opened her book and placed it on the seat in front of her. As she read, she began to play with her hair, making little braids. She didn’t have any rubber bands to secure them so they flowed into her hair.

A chapter later, she heard footsteps nearby. Looking up, she apologized, “I’m sorry. Am I in your spot?” She rather hoped not for she rather liked the seclusion of where she was.
\r\n\r\n

0 Danae Dupree Being bored 91 Danae Dupree 1 5

Paul Tarwater

October 05, 2007 7:23 PM

Really? Same here by Paul Tarwater

Paul twisted his hands around each other as he walked through the maze of the Labyrinth gardens. He was tired of sitting in the Library, just because it was close to his house didn't mean he wanted to spend all his time there. Besides, he felt suffocated in there, the musty air. Paul loved the smell of books, but time after time and again then some? It was too much for Paul, and he needed some time outside. With the nice, freash air.

Paul walked aimlessly, not really caring where he was going and just enjoying the solitude. He liked not having big hoards of people following him and adoring him, like many in his year he saw. Paul never wanted friends, they were too hard to deal with, and he didn't know how people did it. Sure, Paul had one or two people in this school who he talked to, Red for one. And he had talked to other people. But he hadn't tried to make anything lasting, because he didn't want it. He barely wanted to make contact at all, but Paul couldn't always help that.

Especially when practicing Quidditch, it seemed the Pitch was always filled with loud and obnoxious Pecaris. Though Paul had always enjoyed Quidditch, he didn't practice much anymore, not wanting to run into Elly or any of the clones she called "friends". Paul always ended up the bad guy when he tried to set people in their place, which was another reason Paul kept to himself. People didn't need to have an opinion of him (though they seemed to form one anyway).

Paul wandered, finding himself lost but not exactly caring. He'd find his way back, in the end. He had enough free time to spend making his way back. Paul had finished all his homework (it hadn't been hard) and had no classes today. He was free to do what he pleased, unless he found Cissy wandering too (doubtful, she didn't like being lost) then Paul would have no freedom and he'd have to hide. Paul was careless and happy now. He wasn't smiling, but he felt as if he were glowing. It was a nice day after all, and there was no one to ruin it. He was all alone.

Paul nearly jumped seeing a girl at a nearby bench, for a second he thought it was Cissy. But he felt foolish for this thought, as they looked nothing alike, and Paul found himself seeing this girl as familiar. She was in his year, he knew that. But Paul had believed he may have spoken to her before. Though that didn't matter, Paul had no interest to talk to anyone, so he just started up walking again, until she looked up and spoke. It hit him then, he had spoken to her in first year. The library...

Danae. This was Danae. One of the better Pecaris. She said something about being in his spot and Paul shook his head. "Not mine," he said. "Honestly, I didn't even know it was here." You learned something new every day. Like there was some random bench in a place you've lived at for three years, and you never realized. Paul had to grin at this thought. "Did you know it was here?" he asked lightly.

0 Paul Tarwater Really? Same here 0 Paul Tarwater 0 5

Danae

October 05, 2007 9:10 PM

Then, we shall be bored together by Danae

By using one hand as a visor to shade her eyes, she was able to get a better look at who was talking. Oh, it was Paul. She remembered having a small conversation with him a couple years ago. They hadn’t talked since. She knew Paul to be a bit of a loner like her and she supposed that was why.

Giving a grin, she replied, “I just discovered it today.” Then, with a small shrug, “I like to get lost in here. It’s actually much quieter than the library.” She gestured towards the book that she had been reading.

“Do you come in here often?” She asked in genuine curiosity, as she closed her book and set it in her lap. It wouldn’t surprise her if he did for the maze was rather enormous and it was easy to get lost and never meet anyone. She often did this when she wanted to escape the rambunctious nature of the Pecari common room, which is what happened when one put together many loud, attention-seeking teenagers.

0 Danae Then, we shall be bored together 0 Danae 0 5

Paul

October 06, 2007 12:25 PM

What fun...? by Paul

Paul nodded. "Looks like we both made this discovery then," he said lightly, looking around. It was a nice place, quiet and secluded. Certainly not many people knew of it, and this was a nice thing to think of too. He could stay here for hours and no one would come to bother him. And it was one of the few benches he'd seen in the Gardens, therefore he'd be able to just sit and read without a tree sticking up his back.

"It is, quieter," he agreed, enjoying this place immensely. "Probably because no one knows it's here, so you don't have hoards of people ruining everything, like they end up doing in the library." Paul frowned bitterly, obviously not liking how much louder the library was than what it should be. Couldn't people find a better meeting place? It seemed annoying and obnoxious people liked to ruin everything. Paul couldn't go on the Pitch or in the Library for fear of finding people.

If this place was ruined, Paul didn't know what he would do. All he liked was to be alone, and Sonora was not a place for loners.

Did he come here often? Paul shook his head. "Whether you mean this place or the Gardens in general, the answer is no. I spend most of my time indoors, since Pecaris seem to dwell on the outside." He gave her a small grin. "No offense, but most your house tends to give me a migrane. I just needed some fresh air, decided to wander, and found myself here. It's a nice place, actually."

0 Paul What fun...? 0 Paul 0 5

Danae

October 06, 2007 12:59 PM

Terribly so by Danae

Danae nodded her head. The library did tend to get ruined. It was supposed to be a place a quiet place where one could study and not be distracted, however, it was far from that. Not only did groups of friends gather just to hang out there, but also some people even made out in the stacks. And the librarian didn’t even stop them! Granted, he could have just been clueless to it all for it was easy enough to go unnoticed, but still…

As for the Gardens, she supposed that either it hadn’t been invaded yet or the immensity and being outside dispersed the noise. It would be a shame if it was the former and soon they found the Gardens just as noisy, then she really wouldn’t have anywhere to get away to.

She gave a small chuckle. “No offense taken. At least, you don’t have to live in there. Or worse, with Miss Popularity and Miss Violence.” She was referring to Elly and Caedence in those terms, but couldn’t really say anything about Meredith, as she seemed to be rather sweet. If she was honest, with herself, her biggest problem with Elly was the fact that she hung around Caedence, who Danae just found to be uncouth.

Seriously, what was the point of wanting to beat everyone up? She was surprised that the girl wasn’t a beater on the Pecari team. She really needed an outlet that didn’t involve random people. At least in a game, they knew what they were getting into.

0 Danae Terribly so 0 Danae 0 5

Paul

October 06, 2007 2:16 PM

Quite right then by Paul

“No offense taken. At least, you don’t have to live in there. Or worse, with Miss Popularity and Miss Violence.”

Paul nodded, chuckling at the thought of living in Pecari and the name Elly was given (he was a bit frightened at the 'Miss Violence' thing though before he realized it was Caedence not Cissy she was speaking of). That would be awful. Not only would he have to deal with Sierra, but Elly and other obnoxious people would be there too. Paul didn't know how Danae could handle rooming around such people, as Paul would have probably snapped on the first day. Even without Sierra.

"I certainly don't envy you," Paul sighed. "I do admire that you haven't gone mad in there yet, though. How do you do it." The question was a rhetorical one, even though he would like to know how one who had the same liking of being alone could stand being around so many hyper overactive people. Sure it would be a fine place for one with that attitude, but he'd marveled at how Sierra and Danae (two very non-hyper people) made it in such a house. They seemed more Crotalus or Aladren to Paul, to be honest (though he wouldn't want Cissy in his house).

"Miss Popularity, Miss Violence, and the clones," Paul sighed. "They're all the same goody-two-shoes, hyperactive... Though I have seen a few people there who don't follow in that way," he had to admit, not all Percais were horrid, though he did act that way. Paul barely admitted he could be wrong though, he didn't like being wrong. And since the general population showed him being right, technically he wasn't wrong.

Paul looked around the spot again, then sank to the ground. He wanted to stay here. Danae was easier to talk to than many people, mainly because she didn't seem to enjoy conversation either. And even if he was here alone, it would be nice, he could fall asleep here and never be bothered. Or so he hoped. Leaning up against the bench Danae was curled in Paul looked up at the sky. Perhaps he could come here every day.

He may even be able to throw a little Quidditch practice in here without anyone seeing him, if he tried hard enough. Because Merlin knew the Pitch was infested. Sure, Paul enjoyed Quidditch, Beating was a good outlet. But Merlin, sports weren't everything in life.

0 Paul Quite right then 0 Paul 0 5

Danae

October 06, 2007 3:05 PM

Right as rain by Danae

How she did it was easy. She kept to herself. She avoided everyone else in her dorm, except when the opportunity proved too good. And when group work presented itself in classes, she tried to work with people in other Houses. It wasn’t the best, but it was a solution. She had already made it through two years and was working on her third.

Paul was right that there were some that weren’t like the others. There was one boy that she knew of, Matt Santoro, who didn’t seem to be a part of the rather large in-crowd. She didn’t really know much more about him, other than he had a twin, Josh, that she had worked with once in Care of Magical Creatures. Josh had been nice, so she reasoned that Matt might be too.

When Paul sat down, she was rather surprised that he stayed. Paul generally seemed to be one that steered clear of others. She couldn’t blame him though for she did the same thing for the most part with only a few exceptions. She suspected it might become more so now that her sister, Lucie, was attending Sonora. Lucie was one of those outgoing people and it was a wonder in Danae’s opinion that she didn’t end up in Pecari. Actually, it was a fair miracle that a Dupree had ended up in Teppenpaw at all, even if it was Lucie.

Her gaze followed Paul’s to the sky. She loved to look at the sky. One could find daydream or even find shapes in the clouds. Pointing to one, she said, “That one reminds me of a turtle.” She liked turtles, having a collection of them at home, none of them an actual one.

0 Danae Right as rain 0 Danae 0 5

Paul

October 07, 2007 6:01 PM

Let it rain then by Paul

Danae semed a little surprised that Paul was still there, not that it mattered. He guessed even she would think him to walk away when the conversation was done (though normally he walked away during the conversation as well). He didn't mind, it was a fine reputation for him. People wouldn't talk to him. Everything was fine, and everything felt fine at this moment. It was an odd feeling to have for someone who felt smothered and scared most of the time.

Even though sitting against the bench was uncomfortable, Paul was smiling. Why was he sitting against this bench when the grass felt nicer. That poked him a bit, but when he layed down it was fine and he could see the sky better. He liked to watch the clouds drift, this was what the library didn't have (other than quiet). And it was one of the only things that helped keep him calm and happy. Which never happened, or rarely did.

“That one reminds me of a turtle.”

Paul looked over at Danae, a bit surprised. "What looks like a turtle?" Paul looked up at the sky, where was the... oh wait! He remembered this, his mother always used to do this when he was little. Paul never saw what she'd seen, and always cried when she kept trying to point it out and he still couldn't see (he blushed at this, as he was embarrassed to be remembering how he had cried so much as a child). Paul tried like he did back then to see the shape in the clouds, then frowned.

They just looked like pillows to him. Turning his head slightly in Danae's direction he admitted. "I was always awful at this game, I can't see a thing. I might be creatively blind," Paul grinned and tried to pull something from his mind the cloud looked like. Hm... well... "But that one... the skinny one, it looks like a... quill? Or a wand?" Paul had to laugh, it was a bit raspy and short, he didn't laugh a lot and when he did it was at himself in good moods like this.

0 Paul Let it rain then 0 Paul 0 5

Danae

October 11, 2007 9:00 PM

But we don't have umbrellas by Danae

While Paul staying had caught her off guard, the fact that he couldn’t see the shapes hadn’t, oddly enough. He was an Aladren and they were supposed to be logical, not necessarily creative. Besides, when she thought of Paul, she pictured someone that was very serious and methodical.

Glancing at the cloud he was referring to, Danae replied, “Defiantly a quill and there’s ink seeping from it. That’s what the blotchy cloud right underneath it is.” She gave a small giggle. It was fun just to be silly and just make up things. It was something she didn’t get to do often. She had never really had the opportunity to make friends to do things with. Somehow, she had gotten lost in the shuffle.

It was easy for people like Elly, always the center of attention. People always wanted to be around her, because she was obvious fun. Since she was friends with Caedence and Meredith, it seemed people wanted to be around them too. She wondered if the same would have been said if she got along with Caedence? That’s why she avoided the other two and she said mean things, because she was jealous.

Shuffling the thoughts out of her head, she said thoughtfully, “Maybe you’re creative in another way. Like, being smart is sort of creative, right? Cause you can see things in a different way.”

0 Danae But we don't have umbrellas 0 Danae 0 5

Paul

October 13, 2007 9:17 PM

Then we'll get wet by Paul

“Defiantly a quill and there’s ink seeping from it. That’s what the blotchy cloud right underneath it is.”

Paul squinted his eyes hard to look under that cloud and find what Danae was speaking of. Sure, he saw the cloud under it, but he was getting frustrated, unable to see it. Paul just imagined a leaking quill in his mind (Merlin knew he'd seen more than a few) and opened his eyes, imagining the two clouds were whaty he'd pictured. It was easier to see the quill, but still not easy. He frowned. "I think I see it, this is just confusing though,n you have to picture it in your mind before you actually see it... or I do."

Paul let his hands move up to rest behind his head, as the grass was tickling his dark hair some. Paul's eyes searched the sky, until he saw another cloud that was easier to picture. The long skinny one with small bits of cloud breaking off from it... could that be... a wand? Perhaps? Paul screwed his face to squint again. His mother was better at this, she was a smart Aladren, happy and bubbley though, yet not annoying, smart and creative, why couldn't he be like her? People told him all the time he had his mother's brains, but somehow he was starting to doubt that.

Paul was about to ask Danae if she saw a wand in that cloud, or if he was just being an idiot, but she spoke up before him. Clamping his mouth shut, he thought it through.

"Maybe..." he muttered, slightly unsure. Paul squinted a bit more at the wand?-cloud. "I guess in class, I pick up on things. I... I remember things and I guess that helps. When I was little, I used to think my sister was stupid because she couldn't remember things... I guess now it just means I have a lot more space to hold things in or sommething." Now Cissy would near kill him for calling her stupid. Paul also, as much as he never admitted, wasn't one to not do homework. He actually couldn't not do it. If he went to a class, and was given something to do, he did it. He'd start freaking out inside if her didn't, that was one of the reasons it was hard to try and get himself kicked out first year.

Paul blinked, his eyes unable to handle the stress of being so close for so long without blinking. They were drying out, and they hurt a little . Biting his lip, Paul decided to make a fool of himself again. Pointing over to his cloud, he asked Danae, "It looks like... uh... a wand. I think."

0 Paul Then we'll get wet 0 Paul 0 5

Danae

October 19, 2007 10:42 PM

What if I get a cold? by Danae

“I wish I could pick up on things in class,” Danae sighed wishfully. It wasn't that she was incompetent, but it seemed like she had to work harder than everyone else. Most of it was just in her mind and was most likely her mother's doing. If Lucie knew how to properly hold her spoon within five minutes, then Danae had to know it in four. She was older and therefore, should be better in everything, according to Mother Dearest. In other words, if she didn't bring home top marks and Lucie did in the same subjects, regardless of having easier material, it would mean a summer of endless studies and condemnation.

On the note of Paul's sister, Danae mentioned hers, “I have a little sister too. Her name is Lucie. She ended up in Teppenpaw.” At this she made a slight face. It was hard to believe that a Dupree would be in what was known as the nice House. “Though, I suppose it's better than Pecari.” She had been expecting Lucie to end up there for how sheerly outgoing she was, but apparently some sort of friendly trait had won out. It shouldn't have been so surprising for people were always drawn to Lucie's sort of charming personality. It was utterly disgusting really and if she were honest, Danae completely wished she was like that.

Perhaps, if she was, she would have had friends, but then again, it was possible that she still wouldn't have. Caedence seemed angry at everyone, regardless of personality. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't figure out how Elly had managed to become friends with the girl. Personally, she tried to keep her distance, except in the dorm where it couldn't be avoided. In that case, Danae took on the tone of a snobby, equally angry, Pureblood. It was a wonderful defensive measure.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Paul pointed out a cloud and said it looked like a wand. She gave a grin. “It's defiantly a wand,” she said agreeing. “What kind of wand do you have? Mine's made of Rosewood.”

0 Danae What if I get a cold? 0 Danae 0 5

Paul

October 20, 2007 7:33 PM

You have the permission to cause me harm by Paul

“I wish I could pick up on things in class,”

Paul chuckled. "Most people do," he said gently, rotating his head briefly Danae's way. "I suppose it's just an aquired trait, only a few people can do it, the rest have to study hard and work themselves to death." Most of the people who picked things up, he noticed, were in Aladren too. It was their description, but Paul was surprised to see so many people in the same place. It made him feel less... special... he supposed. Though now he didn't really care.

"At least you have a nice sister," Paul muttered, feeling a bit safer saying it here (it wasn't like he was stating exactly what she did to him, and she was moody lately). "Mine has to be the child of some evil wizard, definately not my mother's. And she's been acting worse since she got 'betrothed' or whatever." Paul grinned, "Well, Tepp is the nice house, it's probably honestly the best of them all," Paul frowned, closing his eyes, he really had no house superiority, just nice people made him feel safer. And Teppenpaw had a whole slew of nice people.

Pecari scared him, mainly all he found when he looked were falsely nice people. Who ended up hypocritical, or Devil's in disguise. Sierra, Cissy, was that Devil in Disguise. Or rather, now she was crueler to him than she looked and acted to others, giving up on the nice act. It just wasn't working for her. Paul supposed it must be hard, he'd never tried it before. That would kill him, it would be horrible to act so sweet and nice to people you just did not like.

A proud smile crossed his face when Danae agreed with the wand statement. "Mine is maple, I think it's supposed to be cheapest," Paul had a bitter look on his face. "And, dragon I think it has in it. Dragon." Paul held out his light colored wand. "I wouldn't know though. What does yours have in it?"

0 Paul You have the permission to cause me harm 0 Paul 0 5

Danae

October 25, 2007 4:04 PM

I'll take your word for it by Danae

OOC: Just a thank you to a good friend for coming up with the sad soul in limbo. You rock!

BIC:

Danae gave a small chuckle at Paul's description of his sister. The same could be said for Lucie, but for the complete opposite reasoning. Paul was right in saying Lucie was nice. She was and sometimes even adorable. She didn't hate her little sister. She just hated the way others reacted, especially her family.

It was hard to live with someone that could do no wrong. It was harder to live with someone that did everything wrong and was still rewarded for it. If Devian was a devil and Lucie was an angel, what did that make her? She supposed she was just a sad soul stuck in limbo.

Her stomach gave a small clenching when he mentioned his sister's betrothal. All the Duprees were. They found out who before their fourth year. The Family considered fourteen to be the time when they would begin dating and they wanted to try avoid any sticky situations. Devian had found out his over the summer, which he had taken all in stride. His only requirement was that she didn't stand in his way in his climb to power.

Danae would be finding out hers this next summer and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. What if she didn't like him? What if she liked someone else? Not to mention, she was only thirteen. She didn't want to think about marriage yet. She just wanted to be like everyone else. She just wanted a chance. Quietly, she asked, “Can you really blame her? She has no say.”

“I think Aladren is the best,” she said in disagreement. Teppenpaw might have been the nice house, but Aladren was the smart house. She wanted to be incredibly intelligent, because then she would have something to offer. Even if she was in Teppenpaw, she could never be as charming as her little sister.

Danae got up off the bench and sat on the grass near Paul to get a better look at his wand and held hers next to it. Hers was a darker and richer, but his had a nice sheen to it. “Mine has unicorn hair. What is your wand supposed to be good for?” She couldn't remember about rosewood.

0 Danae I'll take your word for it 0 Danae 0 5

Paul

November 02, 2007 7:19 PM

Whew... by Paul

Paul turned away from the clouds and lightly went to his side as he traced small shapes in the grass, easier for him to see than the shapes in the clouds as he was making these shapes. His thoughts went to Cissy, hoping she wouldn't find her way out here. For some reason, she had a way of popping out of no where on the Garden Grounds. He rested his dark hair in the grass, making his rounds harder and harder until he dug up a little dirt. Paul flicked the small bit of soil from under his finger nail and rested his hand.

Why did she have to be everywhere around him, just ruining Paul's life and hurting him. Paul didn't want to say he hated Sierra, he didn't know if it was possible to hate someone of your blood, but it was too much for Paul to even pretend to like her. After he knew what she could do to people, and his parents just thought she was their "little girl".

Paul listened as Danae practically whispered the words he had to struggle to catch. Frowning, Paul felt bad, even though Danae surely didn't know that Cissy was always cruel and stone faced, he had to say he really didn't know what his sister was going through now. Marrying some random guy she didn't know, some guy (hile extremely nice and naive) was all wrong for her. "I can't really... I suppose," he said, his own voice very low. "She's... never been nice really, but it must be harder on her. She never even wanted to get married, really..."

Paul wondered why Danae had spoken so quietly. Thinking again, Paul directed his voice to her. "Are you betrothed too?" he asked gently, not wanting to sound nosy but for some reason wanting to know. It seemed like such a hard thing, after all.

“I think Aladren is the best,” she had contradicted, and Paul felt himself smiling again. It was hard to feel bad in a place like this, even if it was for other people. "Why is that? Just being smart won't get you everywhere. Good additude should though," Paul chuckled. Though it helped if you were a normal human being, as Paul had found out from the many jobs that had rejected his werewolf father.

“Mine has unicorn hair. What is your wand supposed to be good for?”

Paul frowned, what had he been told by that wandmaker? "I think... I think I was told sheilding and countering. Defensive spells," he mused. Paul held his wand a few inches from his face. "But I can't be completely sure. It hadn't interested me at the time, so my memory's a bit fuzzy."

0 Paul Whew... 0 Paul 0 5

Danae

November 06, 2007 7:53 PM

Were you worried? by Danae

’Are you betrothed too?’

Danae shifted uncomfortably at the question. “Yes, but I don’t know to who. At least, not until this summer. It’s scary.” It was odd to be talking to Paul about this, because they didn’t know each other very well, but he had asked and she didn’t like to lie unless necessary. “I worry that I won’t like him or that he might be mean. I can also marry someone of my choosing as long as they are considered the same or better status as whom my parents pick,” she explained. It was all rather confusing.

“My older brother is in Aladren and my parents are always going on about how intelligent he is,” she confessed with a touch of sadness in her voice, as to why she thought it was best. “Devian’s the smart one and Lucie’s the baby.” She was the unnoticed one, whether it was at home or at school.

His wand was for defensive spells? “Are you really good in DADA? What did you think of the whole boggart thing? I was really nervous.” She bit her lip at the memory. She was afraid of what everyone was going to see, especially her roommates. That was the last thing she needed was for them to know what she was afraid of.

0 Danae Were you worried? 0 Danae 0 5