Luke sat deep in the forest, thinking to himself. He was sitting on the ground, fiddling with the leaves and twigs that were scattered around him. He was new to Hogwarts, and only knew two people. Both girls that he had met at a bar. Izzy and Jackie.
Jackie was beautiful, a girl that was probably way out of his league. He had been nothing but nice to her. It seemed to him as though she had just gotten out of a relationship, and that it wasn't her idea.
Izzy was also very pretty, a girl that he could see himself being friends with. He hadn't really talked to her very much, but she seemed extremely nice.
As he thought about these girls, and the girls that he had left at home, Luke heard a noise. He scrambled to his feet, so startled that he even pulled out his wand.
Alexis slowly walked in the forest aimlessly. She was going anywhere in particular, just trying to get out of the school for a little while. She sighed to herself. It was rather quiet out in the forest, but that was to be expected since not many students came out this far.
She slowly walked, looking down at her feet as the breeze slowly blew by her. Her dark hair wipped around her as she walked deeper and deeper in the forest, barely aware of where her feet were taking her.
Alexis lifted her head, and noticed by whom she didn't recognize. He seemed to be thinking about something deeply, so she didn't want to bother him. But on the other hand, this may be the only person she may find in the forest to talk to.
"Hey. It's okay." Alexis said, holding her hands up as he held his wand out. "I was only walking around."
"Oh. Uhm... right..." Luke mumbled as he put his wand away. He hadn't met this girl before, but that was to be expected.
As he slowly recovered his manners, he said, "Sorry about that! I didn't think anyone came this far into the forest, so I wasn't expecting anyone. My name is Luke, Luke Forlity."
He smiled at her, wondering what she was doing out here. Do many students come this far into the forest? He looked around, but didn't see anyone else. Maybe it was just them.
Alexis politely grinned at Luke. She liked meeting new people. She slowly lowered her hands, and looked at the new boy.
"It's okay, don't worry. I'd be a little freaked too, not many people come here." She replied.
Alexis slowly over to Luke. She held her hand out for him to shake it.
"I'm Alexis." She introduced herself with a warm grin. "Is this your first time in the forest?"
Luke smiled back at Alexis and shook her hand. He sat back down, leaning his head back against the tree.
"Yeah, I didn't think that anyone would be out here..." Luke said. He realized his mistake and continued, "But I don't want you to leave. Really!"
He laughed and said, "Actually, yeah it is my first time!"
Alexis slowly sat down on her knees beside him, she hoped he wouldn't mind the company. She grinned lightly, her eyes shining despite the dim light in the forest.
She looked at him, and layed her hands in her lap. Alexis quietly giggled.
"Well, good thing someone else was here. I probably would've walked on forever and ended up getting myself lost." She said with an amused smile.
Alexis lifted her head to look at him.
"So, what year are you in, Luke?" She asked him casually.
Luke smiled at her, glad that she had decided to stay. He liked company, and wanted to meet new people.
Luke chuckled and said, "Have you gotten lost in the forest before?"
Alexis seemed like a smart girl, and he couldn't picture her wandering too far into the forest that she would get lost. At least, not unless she was trying to.
"Well, it's my first year coming to Hogwarts, but I'm not a first year. I'm 16" He said, explaining his predicament.
Arianna had been stalking through the forest in her animagus form; a midnight black bobcat with unnatural bright green eyes. Her ears flicked toward the slightest noise as she stalked a small mouse. Quite often she came out here now, honing in her skills on trivial little pursuits; her favorite were rabbits. They gave a fast paced chase, but there were none out tonight. None, at least that she detected.
The breeze was turning, about to carry her scent downwind. She bunched her muscles, ready to pounce, but whipped her head up at the sound of human voices. Neither were familiar, but she was relatively new, thus; it was rather an expected thing at this time. She looked back down; the mouse was long gone. She growled lightly and bounded toward the voices. She saw two people, sitting and talking.
The boy was attractive, and the girl equally so. It seemed that everyone around here was gorgeous. The only flaws were personality flaws. She let out a huff of air, which probabaly sounded like a growl to them.
She was about to duck behind a tree to change; she liked switching between her forms to be more secluded; but then decided it may be nice to see their reactions. She sat and waited, hoping she wasn't interrupting anything big.
Luke heard what he thought was a growl come from somewhere behind him. Confused, he turned around. A bobcat sat there, staring at him with bright green eyes.
The sound that escaped his mouth could only be described as unmanly. He scrambled backwards through the brush, finally shielding himself behind the tree. As he gasped for air, he continually stole glances at the feline.
Oh, god! The bobcat coughed, the equal to laughing. Arianna was having a hay day. She stopped laughing though and felt somewhat bad. She probably just totally messed up any chance this guy had with the girl. Why did all fun have a price? It wasn't really fair if you thought about it. She sighed again, deciding it was time to change again.
She padded behind a few trees and changed. She was wearing tight jeans and a light blue hoodie. She left her brown hair down and pulled her sunglasses into place. They covered her eyes and were completely dark. Then she strode out, confidently into the clearing, and over to the guy. "I apologize. Are you ok?" She asked, laughing slightly.
As the bobcat moved away, Luke relaxed a little. He was still slightly shaken, but he would get over it. When a girl walked out of the forest, he jumped to his feet. She had just come out of the same spot that the bobcat had disappeared. She must have seen it!
"What are doing!? Didn't you see the bobcat!?" He almost yelled.
"Pah! Haha! Oh my..." Arianna laughed, delicately holding her sides. She couldn't believe it. This was hysterical; had he never heard of an animagus?
Arianna, paced back a few steps after she stopped laughing. She tilted her head and studied the boy. He looked nice, but she liked guys with a bit of an edge. She had seen this other guy with red spikey hair walking around yesterday... She thought for a moment, adjusting her sunglasses, securing them. Then she spoke in a soft voice. "Um... I was the bobcat..." She said, as if it were obvious. At least she thought it had been.
Alexis grinned, even though she was surprised by Luke's reaction to the bobcat. Did he really think bobcats would attack students in the woods? There were much more frightening things in the forest.
Alexis looked at the new girl whom she hadn't met before. It's funny how so many students wandered in the forest at this time of day. Apparently more students were much more adventurous than she would've originally thought.
"You're an animagus?" She guessed, even though it was obvious now.
Alexis probably would have been laughing too if it weren't for the fact that even a bobcat in the dark woods would be a little frightening.
Luke froze. "Wait... so you were the... and that's why you..." He thought about it for a moment, and then his head fell to his hands. "I feel like SUCH an idiot!"
He had just completely embarrassed himself in front of two girls, both of whom he had just met. He sighed, figuring that now they would assume he was totally and utterly useless in every way. At least Alexis had some respect for him still.
"It's totally ok." Arianna said, smiling. "Bobcats are fun though!" She said, pirrouetting in a small circle and landing on the ground as a bobcat. She went up to the girl and rubbed up against her leg purring.
She didn't usually do this, but it was rather fun. The feel of something besides trees against her fur felt good. It was happiness. Arianne smiled, animals were easy to please; extremely easy. She wove between the girl's legs, and then boiunded over towards the boy. She stood on her hind legs and put her front paws on his chest.
Alexis stood still as the bobcat purred against her legs. She almost afraid, it wasn't every day a large cat purred against you. She gently bent down, and petted the large cat between the ears. She couldn't imagine an actual bobcat being this friendly.
As Arianna retreated over to Luke, Alexis grinned again with her white teeth shining in the light.
"What does it feel like...to be a bobcat?" She asked the girl quietly, unable to help her curiousity. She would have to wait until she changed back to answer.
Luke jumped again slightly as she turned back into a bobcat. He wasn't used to this! He relaxed more when he saw how at ease Alexis was with her.
Luke began to back towards a tree when he noticed her coming towards him. When her paws hit his chest, the weight knocked him against the tree. Shakily, he reached out a hand towards her head. He pet her gently, a scared smile slowly spreading it's way across his lips.
The bobcat sprang into the air, and Arianna landed crouching on the ground a moment later. She smiled widely, lithely standing up, the grace and power of the cat in her stance. She looked at the girl. "By the way, I'm Arianna, and being a bobcat is an amazing feeling. Its like... happiness in a bottle. A big strong powerful bottle. That can be graceful and fun at the same time!" She said, practically bouncing in place.
She was bouncimg so much that her sunglasses fell off. She immediatly shut her eyes and groping on the ground until she found them. She put them back on and stood up, looking flushed.
Luke smiled back at the girl. She seemed to be somewhat of a showoff, but not too bad. He liked her, she seemed nice.
His smiled turned into a frown. When her sunglasses fell off, she had shut her eyes almost instantly. As he contemplated why that might be, he watched her blush.
"You know, everyone is clumsy sometimes." He said, smiling at her once again.
"Yes, I suppose they are." Arianna replied, her voice whimsical as she took in everything around her. It was very nice out, only the lightest of breezes to ruffle her long hair. "By the by, who are you? I don't believe I know you. Not exactly surprising... but I just transferred here. I was a bit too much trouble back home so they decided Hogwarts might straighten me out." She said, smiling widely and exuberantly.
She picked up a stick and twirled it between her finger tips, appearing to concentrate extremely hard. Then she smiled and looked away from the stick, and it was suddenly surrounded by a swath of bright orange flames. She continued to twirl it between her fingers as she waited for their names.
Ended up doing a maze event ahead of time, raids started a bit late due to that. Killed Manaetic Behemoth with around 60 coming, then Vallon Zek and Tallon Zek. Congrats to all the people who came and got a flag or loot.
Luke watched the girl, puzzled. She was a very interesting character, and seemed to be one that you could watch for hours without ever getting bored. As she twirled the flaming branch, Luke shook his head. She was definitely a show-off.
"I'm Luke. I just transferred here as well, so I don't know many people!" He chuckled slightly and smiled at her, knowing they were in the same situation friendship wise.