Back from practice [Sirius, Alannah]

[haileyswan]

ooc; is it okay to pretned this is after quiditch practice?

Hailey reached back and undid her ponytail that had held her long hair back during practice. She shook her hair loose so it hung down to the small of her back. She glanced down at the clothes she had worn for practice, now slightly muddy from the rain. Hailey rolled her eyes. Practice had been enjoyable enough. It had been nice getting to fly with the others after a summer of flying alone in the sprawling backyard and woods.

She smiled and glanced down at her broomstick. It was nicely made and flew well. It had been hers since seconds year when she made the team. She grinned, remembering when she first started to get to know James and Sirius. It had been nice getting to see them again, even if they hadn't exactly caught up much. Well, she had talked to James during the feast but she still hadn't found time or place to talk to Sirius. Oh well, they were in the same house- the occasion was bound to arrive soon.

Hailey giggled to herself, imagining talking to Sirius about their summers in november if this kept up. If what kept up? It's not like you're avoiding each other. You just happen not to bump into each other like normal. Too true. Hailey grinned, oh well. Anyway, she needed to run if she was gonna get started on that homework. Rolling her eyes Hailey began to jog down the corridor.

[/blockquote]

[megazostradon]

((Sounds good to me))

“See you later, Prongs,” Sirius’s cheerful voice echoed down the hallway. “I’ll see you at dinner!” He laughed, and ran a hand through his moist black hair. The rain had stopped practice early, despite their captain’s desire for it to continue. James’ spirits could not be dampened by the rain. That was the best thing about James. Nothing could knock him down a peg. He absolutely never gave up. Sirius chuckled and shook his head, mumbling to himself. “I dunno how you do it, man.”

The boy smiled up at the ceiling. How wonderful it was to be back. His summer had been a bit more than shaky. Sirius’s parents had finally officially kicked him out. ‘Well,’ the Gyffindor boy thought pensively, ‘I guess that statement isn’t entirely fair. It was a fairly mutual separation. .... Okay, so I ran away from home.’

None of that mattered now, though. He was back at Hogwarts: his real home. Nostalgia began to taint his joy. It was, after all, his last year. Sirius chewed on his tongue as he pondered about where he was going to go once he graduated. A long time ago, he had decided on his career path, but he had never really thought about where he was going to live or how he was going to afford the down-payment on a house of his own.

((Shouldn't we add Alanah to the title of the topic, so she knows to join?))

[haileyswan]

ooc; added it

Hailey slowed down as she quickly realized that she didn't really care if her homework got done or not. She never had been one for outstanding marks and loads of respect from the teachers. Anyway it's not like she was failing. She was passing average- like always. Last year had been the worst- what with her parents threatening to take away her broom and owl for the whole summer and making her spend the entire summer cleaning and doing chores if she didn't pass her OWLs. Thankfully, she had, and had gotten free rein all summer long.

It was too bad practice had ended early. She loved the rain, always would. Hailey giggled quietly, remembering how, as a little girl, she would run outside during rain storms and run around while her parents yelled at her to come inside. And her yelling back that they could come and get her. The memory made her smile and also made her glanced back at the trail of wet footprints she had left behind her, proving how wet she still was.

Just as she turned her head, Hailey caught sight of someone else, coming around the corner at the end of the hallway. Sirius. Her eyes widened slightly but she just smiled. "Hey Sirius," she called, grinning. She hadn't really talked to her friend at all since school had started. She walked back, retracing her footprints. "Long time no see," she teased. "So, how was your summer? I think you sent me like one owl during the entire two months." This of coure was a bit of an exageration but Hailey didn't care, she was just teasing him and Sirius would know that.

[/blockquote]

[megazostradon]

Sirius looked up and smiled as he saw the young-looking Gryffindor girl striding down the hallway towards him. He lifted his hand in a cheerful wave. "Hello Hailey!" The boy trotted the few last steps to her, then slowed to a walk beside her. "So, where are you headed?"

"You dyed your hair," he lifted his hand and toyed with a lock of her long, light golden hair. "It looks good. Blonde suits you." Sirius winked and then let his hand drop to his side again. "Even when it's wet."
((assuming she dyed her hair. o_0 If she didn't, let me know and I'll change my post.))

At the mention of his neglectful owl post, he smiled awkwardly. "I'm sorry. It's been a busy summer, and I haven't got an owl of my own." The boy chuckled and thought of his small gray cat, and the jealous look it would give him if he mentioned getting an owl. "Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade my Aphrodite for anything, but an owl would certainly be useful."

[alanah]

It wasn't in Alanah's nature to lurk about in corridors eavesdropping on her friend's conversations, really. It wasn't normal for her. But today hadn't been a normal day, and now she was reduced to listening in on Hailey Swan, a 6th year Gryffindor who she actually wasn't exactly attached to, and Sirius Black, another Gryffindor who was in fact one of her best friends. Unfortunately, she couldn't reveal herself yet, owing to some rather dark circumstances. You want a run down of today from Alanah? Well, here goes, but trust me, it's not going to be pretty. Alanah woke up this morning later than usual because she'd worked late into the night on homework and had to rush to classes today. And during her rushed breakfast, she didn't notice that some jam managed to stick itself in her hair, blatantly obvious to everyone except her. And so, when she stumbled into Transfiguartion this morning, still half-asleep, she didn't remark on the giggles that flurried across the room as she entered. And then, when the professor asked the class for their homework assignment, it turned out Alanah hadn't finished the essay he'd assigned them last Friday.

Alanah stayed after class to receive her detention, and the professor wasted no time in saying he was surprised at her for forgetting to finish the assignment. And she was so exhausted and miserable that she paid no heed to him when he told her there was some jam stuck in her hair. And so the day went. Alanah received another detention in Charms, but luckily she'd finished most of her homework. But even one detention was unusual for the studious Ravenclaw, so it was no surprise she was a bit moody today. And she didn't even ask what everyone was laughing about. But her day wasn't over yet. Walking out of Defense Against the Dark Arts, she became the victim of a prank. She trod on a rope spread out across the hall, and a bucket of paint (the paint, not the bucket) came tumbling down from a staircase that had just been at the moment moving. And so, covered in paint and jam but with no time to change and take a wash, she was forced to tramp into her next classes wet, miserable, and dripping. And now, after dinner, she was about to go up and wash off when she heard voices. The next moment, Alanah whisked behind a hall as two people came by, talking loudly. She was about to follow them until she realized who they were.

Well, of course she wasn't going to to show herself to Sirius and Hailey sopping wet with paint, and she was about to go a different way when she froze. It was a bit unusual for the two to be seen alone together. Alanah bit her lip and quickly regretted it, but her mind was still focused on the pair just beyond the corridor she was hidden in. Well, maybe she could stay a bit longer and find out what they were doing, and then creep back to Ravenclaw Tower and get a wash. Silently she tiptoed back to the edge of the hall, where she had a good listening point but couldn't be seen from the way the two had stopped. Was she sure she wanted to listen in on their conversation? No, but she had to know what was going on.

((Hee hee. Poor Alanah. And remember, please don't let your characters see her yet!))

[haileyswan]

Hailey smiled as Sirius responded with a cheerful wave. She raised one eyebrow. "Well I was headed back to the common room to finish some work but I saw you and figured Id rather catch up." She gave a half-smirk. "And you know what an honor that is cause nothing usually can tear me away form my work," she teased, knowing that Sirius knew just as well as she did that she was constantly looking for exscuses not to do work: people she had to talk to, places she had to be...

Hailey gave a soft smile as he reached to toy with a lock of hair. "Yeah well it always gets alot lighter in the sun so this summer I decided just to go with it and dye it lighter. Thanks." She gave a soft smile. She had been worried, to be honest. Ever since she had gotten a crush on Sirius during the summer she had been worried she would feel all nervous around him. Thankfully she felt the same as always. Sirius would always be one of her best friends- no matter what- and she was glad to feel so comfortable around him.

"Dont worry about it. I know you dont have an owl so I was just teasing. Still a couple of letters via muggle mail is impressive. Im always confused when I got to the post offices." She grinned "My parents would have been shocked to see the mailman trudging up to our door- he never does." She giggled, just remembering how surprised she had been to see the funny man with the stiff mustache looking all surprised that for once there was mail for the people in the house with the long walkway. "Of course they werent there so they missed it." Hailey gave a weak smile. "They werent ever there," she muttered under her breath.

She glanced back up at Sirius. "Sorry, dont mind me. I just got kinda ticked off this summer cause my parents were constantly working and I love having a free rein but I kinda felt mad that they didnt even want to spend time with me when it was my two months of the year that Im at home." She rolled her eyes. "Oh well, what can I say? I got the house to myself." She bit her lip. "Sorry. I mean, I know it might be hard for you to listen to me complaining about my parents...James told me about you getting kicked out." ((does james know lol?? if not ill edit that)) Hailey gave a smile,but she felt bad. Anyway, most things didnt bug Sirius about his parents but this was more than just disliking him. Here she was rattling off her problems, not even asking how he had coped.

Hailey glanced at the older boy, feeling sorry for him. She took a step forward and hugged him- as a friend-, but maybe holding on a second longer than necessary. She stepped back and brushed a bit of hair off his face, grinning. "So how are you? I mean how was your summer?" She smiled.

((maybe make it not so unusual for haily to hug sirius since hes one of her best friends right and she was hugging him as a friend but maybe allanah doesnt know that lol))

[/color][/blockquote]

[megazostradon]

((I figure he should ^_^ so no worries!))
“ Sorry, dont mind me. I just got kinda ticked off this summer cause my parents were constantly working…”
“Ah, don’t worry about that,” Sirius replied, rolling his eyes. “I know how you feel.” He paused, then smiled sheepishly, “Well, I mean, I used to. I stopped caring… but-” The Gryffindor boy placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Parents are hard to please, but do your best, and normal parents will acknowledge and love you.” Sirius grinned. “James’s parents love me! They gave me a cake for getting a load of O. W. L.s!”

“James told me about you getting kicked out.”
“Eheh,” he ran a hand through his hair; his token nervous habit. It had gotten longer during the time he had spent away from home, but the look suited him. “Yeah,” Sirius glanced away, wondering where to start with the story. It wasn’t that it was painful to talk about, but it still felt odd. He knew his parents disliked him, but he never thought they would completely give up and let him run off unhindered. At the very least, he expected one owl asking him to come back.

His silver eyes widened in surprise as he was pulled from his musings. He smiled softly as her arms wrapped around him. Sirius nuzzled the top of her head playfully. ‘Like the little sister I never had,’ he thought happily. “Thanks, Hailey.” The tall, silver-eyed boy leaned down and gave her cheek a quick kiss before answering her last questions. “I’m fantastic. My summer was great! I spent a lot of it with James!”

[haileyswan]

Ah, don't worry about that...I know how you feel.
Hailey sighed. "I'm sorry, honestly. Me here complaining about my parents..." She gave a quick, apologetic smile and resumed her train of thought. "And you're right- about how normal parents will acknowledge and love you and just do your best but sometimes I wonder..." she sighed. "I wonder if it's just me. I mean, when Jason and Jake were at Hogwarts my parents were always there during the holidays and we would have so much fun spending time with them. But then last year was my first year being at Hogwarts with no older brothers and suddenly it was like they didn't care. They just worked straight through my holidays and I never really saw them."

Hailey ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry, it's just...hard." She sighed and leaned into the older boy, resting her head on his shoulder. She had missed him. Sirius had always been one to come to when she needed to talk and she was glad she had the opportunity to do so now. "Sirius? You are an amazing, sensitive, talented and wonderful boy. Wonderful person. And if your parents don't see that it's their loss." She smiled and kissed him back on the cheek, wanting him to know that he could talk too. No matter what else she was feeling, Sirius would always be her best friend and she owuld always be there for him.

Hailey smiled. "Sounds pretty cool. No- don't even tell me what you two were up to," she laughed, imagining what the boys had done over the course of an entire two months out of school and together. "My summer was alright, honestly. I mean I had tons of fun and it was pretty nice having a free rein to do whatever I wanted." She grinned remembering all the stuff she had done. All in all it had been a great summer- if it hadn't been for the fact her parents had ignored her existance throughout it. Lazily, Hailey traced small circles on Sirius' neck. "Thanks for talking to me...for listneing." She pulled out a bit and continued. " It really helped, you know? But talking to you always helps," she paused. "For someone who complains about essays you sure have a way with your words, Mr. Black," she teased.

[/blockquote]

[alanah]

Alanah slumped to the floor in despair and groaned at her own stupidity in thinking she could eavesdrop on someone. Whatever else she was, she wasn't a snob. She looked outside and saw something she didn't want to see. Almost at that moment, she heard a small squelch. Wrinkling her nose in disgust, Alanah stood up and glanced down, and immediately noticed the splatter of paint she'd left on the hallway. Cursing herself, her life, and - the Ravenclaw whirled around and dodged behind the corridor again as she heard what Hailey said to Sirius. "Sirius? You are an amazing, sensitive, talented and wonderful boy." Forgetting all about the dirty hall, she bit her tongue accidentally, and prevented herself from crying out by doubling over and covering her mouth. Mistake. She removed her hand from her mouth and felt the paint covering it. Swearing under her breath, Alanah dug in her pocket for her wand and finally managed to dislodge it from where it had been stuck to her jeans. She pointed at the floor, "Terego!" and then at herself in an effort to clean herself off. She managed to get the worst of the paint off and even the jam, but because her hand was shaking so much and the pain she was feeling, she did it badly.

Stuffing her wand back in her jeans pocket, Alanah turned around and began to stalk away, wondering, wondering... Could the hug and kiss she just witnessed be more than innocent, friendly gestures? In her desperation, she felt certain it could not. Smiling grimly to herself, she moved back to the corridor, where she could hear Hailey's and Sirius's low voices. Maybe she could do something about it. Perhaps it was because she'd had such a bad day, and wanted to do something, anything, to tell the world she wasn't just a sore loser, and teach Hailey a lesson or two! Perhaps she partially blamed her sorry state on the completely innocent Gryffindor. Perhaps she was so sick at being beaten around and pushed around she was determined to get back at someone, even if they hadn't been the cause of the events. If she had a guilty thought about what would happen when Hailey found out it was all Alanah's fault about the gossip, she pushed it to the back of her mind, shaking her head, to tell herself later. Whatever forced her to grit her teeth and listen all the harder to the conversation wasn't the Alanah everyone else knew. It wasn't the Alanah she knew.

The Ravenclaw gripped a strand of her dangling dirty hair as though it was a lifeline and it would mean whether she would continue to remain hidden to the speakers standing right beside the corridor she ducked into. She thought for a moment about casting a Disillusion Charm to make her presence even more disguised, but thought better of it. Even in the current state she was now she wouldn't make herself invisible to listen to conversations when she had no right to do so. Though, she reminded herself guiltily, she wasn't exactly supposed to be listening on this one either... Which made her grit her teeth and try and glean more from this most interesting conversation. What if Sirius found out? The thought was more frightening to her than the thought if Hailey found out, because Sirius was her best friend, like a brother to her, her first best friend, and the thought of losing his friendship was more than she could bear. Why she continued to listen in... Well, dear friends, we'll leave that up to your imagination.

[megazostradon]

“Talent and laziness are two entirely different subjects, my dear little Hailey,” Sirius said with a wink. He grinned widely as he thought of all the mischief he and James had performed over the summer. One incident involved hiding out in a field of goats. He was minus one set of robes, thanks to the appetites of the goats, but plus one very interesting and fun tale.

“What was that?” he glanced over Hailey’s shoulder as he heard a muffled squish. “Hm...” He took a step away from her and towards the sound. Without any further disturbance, Sirius shrugged dismissively, “Maybe someone’s toad’s escaped.” The Gryffindor boy turned back to Hailey. “I heard some first year earlier whining about losing their pet. Poor bloke, he shouldn’t worry so much. Toads always seem to find their way back to their owners.”

“Anyway!” Sirius clapped his hands together. “James and I have a lot planned for this year,” his eyes were alight once again. “For one thing, we’re going to try to plant some dugbogs into the Slytherin common room toilets.” Sirius smirked, “All Slytherins love having their butts kissed, so we thought that it might be some ironic punishment when they find jaws clamped to their bums.”

[Andromeda Black]

Hailey smirked. "There's the humor I've been missing all summer long," she teased. She grinned. Her own summer had had a fair share of adventures too- most of them involving muggles of course- somethign that might have apalled her parents if they had even had the slightest clue of what was going on.

Hailey blinked as she too heard the noise. She frowned and glanced over her shoulder. "Hmmm. Maybe." She remembered when she was in the first year- always getting lost and such.

(not finished- and yeah i realized its the wrong account, ill do it form hailey when im done lol)