``another m o r n i n g |Zelphar/open|

[violethorses]

Azzurra waited until Zelphar had his hands set under the snowball and then helped him lift it up. Together they managed to carry it over to the other snowball and put it on top. Azzurra put it down and inhaled, a bit out of breath. "Looks good so far," she commented, looking over at Zelphar.

[squiggle]

"Yeah, it does," Zelphar replied with a smile. At that particular moment, Zelphar felt the happiest that he had been in a long time. Perhaps he really did need to slow down and enjoy something as simple as constructing a snow man with his best friend. Although still in the back of his mind Zelphar worried about Azzurra almost constantly, he could tell sometimes that she wasn't completely happy. It was probably one of the most frustrating things in the world, as Zelphar knew there was relatively little he could do about it.

[violethorses]

Azzurra smiled back at Zelphar. It was hard for her mouth to form a smile, but this one was genuine. She had almost forgotten how nice life could be when she took the time to do simple things instead of worrying about everything at once. For the first time in a long time, Azzurra was fairly at ease. There was still a small part of her that was on edge, but it was far less prominent than it usually was. "I'll make the head," Azzurra offered, starting to pack together another snow ball in her hands.

[squiggle]

"Okay, I'll find some sticks for the arms," said Zelphar, smiling back at Azzurra. It had always made him feel good to see her smile, even more so now than a year or two ago. He didn't have to search far for suitable limbs for their snowman, and came back in a couple of minutes with the sticks. Zelphar carefully added them to the sides of the middle snowball, he took a step back to admire their work.

[violethorses]

Azzurra nodded as she carefully packed together a snowball that seemed about the right size for a head. She flattened the top of the middle snowball slightly and put the smaller one on top. Azzurra stepped aside as Zelphar added the sticks as arms. "I think it needs a face," Azzurra commented, looking at the snowman. She hadn't built anything like this since she was little, so this was certainly a bit odd to her.

[squiggle]

"Right," Zelphar agreed after nodding his head once. It had been such a long time since he had done anything like this, which waas perhaps why he was enjoying it so much. He didn't have to worry about everything going wrong in his life- he could just enjoy an activity that he had loved so much in his childhood. Zelphar uncovered two small stones from beneath the snow and carefully pressed them into the top snowball for eyes. It was a start at the least.

[violethorses]

Azzurra dug in the snow a bit until she found several stones, each of which were smaller than the two that Zelphar had found for the eyes. One by one, Azzurra pressed then into the top snowball until there was a careful smile etched across the face. "I don't have a carrot," Azzurra commented with a half-smile. She supposed if they wanted the snowman to have a traditional nose, they would need to go down to the kitchens and ask for one.

[squiggle]

"Nor do I," said Zelphar, smiling a bit. Instead of making the trek back into the castle and going down to the kitchens to ask for one, he pulled out his wand. Deciding to show off the technique of non-verbal spells that sixth years were taught, he thought Accio carrot! and waited. After a moment of focusing a good-sized carrot zoomed to his palm. Zelphar smiled, magic never failed to amaze him, even after five years of knowing he was a wizard. "Will you do the honours?" Zelphar said, holding out the carrot to his friend.

[violethorses]

Azzurra couldn't help but let out a small laugh as a carrot flew out from the castle and right into Zelphar's palm. "Nice," she commented. "And yes, I'll do that." She took the carrot from Zelphar and reached up to the top snowball. Azzurra gently pushed the carrot into the snow until it was firmly lodged. "Now it looked like a snowman," she said with a nod.

[squiggle]

Zelphar nodded once, a grin on his face that was slightly pink from the cold. He had always had a notoriously pale complexion, never really having much colour to him. If it weren't for his naturally dark hair Zelphar might call himself an albino. "Yeah," Zelphar agreed, "but I think he needs a name, what should we call him?"

[violethorses]

"Hmm," Azzurra mumbled, stumped by Zelphar's quesion. She eyed the snowman carefully, begging her old creative capabilities to resurface so she could think of a good name for the snowman they had created. Azzurra came up short though. She shrugged as she looked back at Zelphar. "I can't think of anything," she admitted, biting her lip. "Any ideas?"

[squiggle]

Zelphar smiled a bit, it was almost like he was a kid again. So many pleasant memories of days long before he had even known that he was a wizard were coming back to him. Spending his days at primary school, and his afternoons playing outside with Azzurra. He wished he could go back in time and hit his eight-year-old self for wanting to grow up. He made a noise of thinking and then... "Miguel," Zelphar said, doing his infamous half-smile, "fits him, doesn't it?"

[violethorses]

Azzurra couldn't help but burst out in laughter at Zelphar's suggestion of a name. "It's perfect," she said, agreeing. "Miguel." Azzurra smiled again, feeling happy for the first time in what seemed like forever. "Now, if some stupid first years decide to crush poor Miguel, I will be rather upset," Azzurra commented.

[squiggle]

"Well, it'll be a faster death than a slow and painful melting," Zelphar commented, smiling. The weather was already getting warmer, he wouldn't be surprised if the snow was entirely gone within a week or two. But as for now, Miguel would stand tall, fashioned out of their time making firmly-packed snow.

[violethorses]

Azzurra chuckled again, softer this time than before. "Yes, it would be alright for him, I suppose," Azzurra commented. "Either way, he'll probably be gone in a few weeks if the snow melts soon." She was certainly hoping that it would warm up soon. While Azzurra didn't mind the snow too much, she didn't like the cold. Hopefully spring would be on its way quickly this year.