p a t r o l {open}

[potter]

Elliot shivered a bit, drawing her cloak a bit more tightly around herself. Ever since the murder of Ascella Malfoy on school grounds by "dark witches or wizards unknown" (Death Eaters, she was convinced) she, and several other Aurors, had been regularly stationed to patrol the grounds. Elliot, however, knew better- their kind weren't likely to stick around once they had committed their crimes. Their time would be better spent elsewhere, trying to track them down rather than protect the school. Though Elliot wouldn't argue with her supervisors, even if she was freezing being outside all day in the middle of January. "Cold, eh, Potter?" said Jacobson, the fellow Auror she was patrolling with.

"Try fucking freezing, Jacobson, fucking freezing," sighed Elliot, using a quick charm to conjure a scarf from nowhere. She wrapped it around her neck in hopes it would keep her a little warmer. Jacobson laughed, though it was a hollow sort of sound, not genuine. Elliot could understand that, he had been there with her when they stumbled across the massacre that had happened within their very department- resulting in the death of two fellow Aurors and three interns. She ran a hand through her hair shoving the disturbing images from her mind. They haunted her enough when she slept, she did not need to dwell on them in waking hours.

Elliot ran a gloved hand through her hair, peering between greenhouses two and three. As she suspected, nothing out of the ordinary. She sighed. "Anything suspicious that way, Jacobson?" Elliot asked dully, unable to help feeling they were wasting their time. He snorted in half-hearted laughter again. "Nope," said he. It was then that they heard footsteps not too far away- wand instinctively drawn, Elliot turned only to look at...

[natalia]

Greenhouses are miraculously full of life and warm, no matter how dead and ugly and cold it got outside. Natalia had taken most of her winter refuge either firmly by the fire in the common room, or in these greenhouses. She looked at her muggle watch, which was insistently beeping, telling her she ought to get to class. She had just managed to save up enough money to buy this book on herbal remedies to add to her growing collections, and she was finding less and less time to use it.

"Fine!" She snapped, hitting her watch to silence it. She packed up the book, looked one last time at the little life there was in winter, before pulling on her coat and scarf. She trudged through the snow, spirits already sinking as she looked around the grey hideous curse of snow. There was never snow in Italy, she thought snidely to herself. But this was England. How did they survive?

She was shocked when she heard footsteps braving the hellish weather. She looked up to see, of all people, Elliot. She grinned. Elliot was one of those few people Nat would smile when she saw. With Elliot dating Erik, she saw Elliot quite often, and didn't mind. She had also been a Ravenclaw, that had been unbelievably patient with Nat when she struggled with social interactions. She still did, but the patience was more than appreciated. "Hey-" She faltered, another person beside her, presumably an Auror. Erik had explained what they did, and it left an even icier feeling behind, knowing they had to be on school grounds. The death of a Slytherin girl had been terrible, but the Aurors were even more frightening. "Hi!" She repeated, not wanting to look as scared as she was. She hugged the coat tighter around her. "You look cold," she noted, silently cursing every snowflake with what little she knew of curses. When she was older, she was going to move to a desert somewhere, where snow never even touched the sky.

[potter]

Elliot instantly relaxed when she saw it was only Natalia, there was no threat there. She hoped that one day they might become close, she meant a lot to Erik, so Elliot wanted to make as much effort as she could to be in good standing with the young lady. They had quite a bit in common, so thankfully she was easy to get along with, it was effortless, almost- like spending time with her own little sister who was around Nat's age. She returned the young girls eager smile, glad to see her a little less awkward, a little more comfortable in her own skin.

She pocketed her wand once more, assuming her usual, non-threatening posture- finding herself having to ever so slightly direct her gaze upward to look Nat in the eye. She figured that if given a few years the girl would become noticeably taller than her, just like all her own siblings now were presently. Elliot had never had a problem with being short, she could always increase the height of her heels, though sometimes it was slightly disappointing to see people several years younger approaching or exceeding her natural height. Though most of the time it wasn't her height that bothered her, it had always been her weight.

"Hi Nat," said Elliot, still smiling warmly, half wondering if the young Ravenclaw should be in class. Though it had been eight years since she had been a second year, perhaps they had changed the time of morning break. "Yes, it's freezing out here," said Elliot, wrapping her cloak a little more tightly around herself. Jacobson caught up to them, also relaxing at the sight of a student. "Lunch break, Potter," said he, tapping at his watch. "Go on Jacobson, I'll catch up later," said Elliot to him before turning her gaze back onto Nat.

[natalia]

"You going into the castle?" Nat asked. She would love to talk to Elliot. Even just briefly seeing her had brightened her gloomy day. It was also a small ego boost to see it had not been her imagination, as Raug had teased her, but she really had gained at least two inches over the summer. Her own birth mother had been a willowy, tall women, her birth father a solid tree. She was destined to be tall, unlike Raug. "So, um..." She didn't know how to phrase the question, shoving a hand through her unruly hair. Her dark hair had once been straight, but as she grew, it began taking on the wild and ruthless curl in her grandmother's pictures. The water and snow only worsened it, no matter how many spells she attempted on a daily basis. How do you phrase that question? So are you here to make sure other people aren't slaughtered in their school? She mentally shook her head. "What are you doing here?" She hoped her tone was casual and nonchalant. She didn't want to be scared in school, school which had become her sanctuary, but the sight of the Aurors caused knots and twists deep in her stomach.

[potter]

"Yes, to warm up a trifle," said Elliot, "I'm heading for lunch break anyway before going back out into the tundra." She shook her head lightly, sending droplets of water and snowflakes down to the ground. She was not looking forward to yet another afternoon on the snowy grounds, though she would keep quiet, she was getting paid for it, after all. Elliot just hoped that her supervisors would catch on shortly enough, their efforts would be better spent elsewhere. "Due to the, ah, event in December our department has been making alternating rounds, I'm here all day Tuesdays and Thursdays," said Elliot, carefully avoiding saying what specifically had happened in December. Natalia, no doubt, already knew, and it made her feel hopeless admitting what had really happened. "Why don't you walk with me?" said Elliot, she wouldn't mind spending time with Natalia. It made her feel good to see the girl finally opening up.

[natalia]

It was exactly as Natalia had thought. Her stomach clenched, but it didn't show. Nat had had years of experience hiding every emotion in her. She smiled at the offer. It had seemed like it had been an eternity since she'd had a real conversation with someone who wasn't a professor complimenting her on her schoolwork. She nodded eagerly. "As long as we are out of the snow," she looked at the gray sky with open distaste. They climbed the castle steps, and Nat embraced the warmth that hugged her as they entered. "So how are you and Erik?" It was the only mutual topic that came to mind as she tried to pull her sluggish mind from thoughts of the incident. An invisible shiver traced down her spine. It was a pressing presence in the back of her mind. As soon as she had dared to peek her head out of her shell, she had come to find the world was in a worse state than she could have thought. Kids were dying. Of all things, it wasn't death that scared her. It was being left behind. Her gaze flickered over Elliot, whom she was growing ever closer to. And Erik, a wonderful guardian. She didn't even want to think about what might happen to them, let alone everyone. Of course, she lectured herself, voice of reason finally stepping in. You are being quite over dramatic, she quickly pulled her thoughts into check as she peeled her gloves off of her numbed hands. She flexed her fingers in slight discomfort, urging feeling back into her digits.

[potter]

Elliot saw the brief look of what looked almost like worry or unease in Natalia's eyes. Being an auror she had been trained to read people quite effectively, though she did not mention anything further about the topic. She was here to help people feel safe, not to remind them of what could happen if there were not aurors stationed at the school. Of course, Elliot figured the deed had been done, it would be foolish of the Death Eaters to make an attack on the school again. Though she was glad to see the smile as the girl accepted her offer. "Of course," said Elliot, "I don't want to be out in this any longer than I have to be." She really didn't care much for winter, even though her birthday was in December. As a general rule, after Christmas she lost all interest in the snow. She ran a gloved hand through her hair, she was outside much too long in the cold to not wear them. "Just fine," said Elliot, suddenly adopting a wide smile and a twinkle in her eye, she really did love Erik.

[natalia]

"That's good!" Nat meant it seriously. It was sweet, seeing Erik have someone store some order in his hectic life. Although she wasn't big on the concept of love and relationships, the two made it seem more natural than she had always thought of it. Of course, she didn't think that much on it anyways. Most girls in her dorm room had begun to venture into the domain of romantic novels. The writing and plot had been so disastrous, it was the second book Nat had ever fallen asleep reading. The first was potions. Oh, how she loathed potions. She shook her head.

"Anything big happening back home?" She asked, grappling for another topic. Thinking too much of relationships bored her to tears. She had barely begun to work out the equation to understand humans, but romance and love and lust hadn't even touched the thoughts. If she thought of that for a minute, she might as well give up on understanding humans ever.

[potter]

Elliot beamed at Natalia, glad for the girl's enthusiasm. Although she would never say it aloud, she looked for the approval of the girl, she meant so much to Erik and felt that their relationship probably wouldn't work unless Natalia liked her as well. She wouldn't be able to impose herself like that, not in that manner. She pulled off her gloves and tucked them into the pocket of her cloak, Hogwarts was warm, cozy, and inviting, just the way that she remembered it. Elliot at times found herself nostalgic of her school years, mainly the ones before fifth, when her anorexia had started- though sixth year she had had Erik...

"No, not particularly," said Elliot, completely keeping out anything about the attack on the auror office. It still bothered her, still gave her nightmares that would keep her awake more than half the night trying desperately to calm herself- made her rely more heavily on her cigarettes and her drinks. But Natalia didn't need to know those things. "How are things going around here?" Elliot asked curiously. She imagined they might be tenser than normal, though she didn't see a whole lot of change in the Hogwarts she had used to attend.

[natalia]

Natalia automatically found herself questioning if Elliot was truly interested in the happenings of her average life. Much to her surprise, Elliot was, being one of the few that really did mean questions meant for social niceties. Although it only confused the forming equation she had for social interaction, Nat greeted the change with a grin. "Nothing much," she frowned slightly. The death hadn't shaken a lot of people in the school, even if the girl had been a Slytherin.

Nat had met her once, her first month in school. The girl had pitied her as Nat found herself near to tears on the moving staircases, backpack on the other end of the great stairwell. She thought of that nasty Slytherin prat, who she surprisingly found worse now that he had lost her. It was the little social contact she had had, attempting to torment him with no luck. "When do we learn hexes?" She asked, attempting nonchalance. It had already been a current thought in her head. She had figured those who pushed her around could do with a good hex or two. Charms was surprisingly a great subject for, which she hadn't expected being muggleborn. Hexes and curses however, she'd only read probably a few pages on.

[potter]

Elliot nodded, there had been a time in her own life where she felt like she was simply waiting around for something interesting or exciting to happen- only doing her schoolwork while still quietly craving some sort of event to shake things up. Though in times like these, events didn't seem to be of the good variety. A massacre at her place of work, a murder in the grounds of the school that was supposed to be the safest place on earth... Though Elliot did have her doubts about that, given the adventures that had happened in her father's school days. All the same she liked to think the school was much tamer now.

There certainly weren't any three-headed dogs or basilisks to worry about anymore. There wasn't any Voldemort, though Elliot had the terrible sinking feeling that whatever was out there had the potential to be just as bad as the Dark Lord himself. She chuckled lightly when Nat quite suddenly inquired about when she would be taught to use hexes, though couldn't help but feel slightly worried, was she being teased? "Third or fourth year," said Elliot, and then lowered her voice a little, "though they really don't teach you any of the good ones."

[natalia]

Nat had to grin. Elliot kept defying everything she had come to expect from people. Her confiding tone was somewhat of a relief to Nat. When Erik had brought both of them into his life at the same time, she'd been slightly worried, but Elliot seemed to understand Nat. "Really?" She felt her eyes widen.

Nat had read about them, and the strategy, but few books that weren't in the restricted section showed her anything of use. She felt slightly betrayed that the school wouldn't teach her all there was to know. She had once seen the words unforgivable curses, which left her wondering what in the Magical word could be unforgivable? Especially with a curse to blow objects up? No other book mentioned those, and when she had returned to read the first book, it had been gone. "Do they teach us anything exciting this year?" Her schoolwork was slowly losing it's fast and wild pace which she had loved. She'd been learning something new everyday, but with her home being the library, there was little the classes offered now than practice. Especially Herbology, where they were reviewing diffindo, which had been in the books Erik had bought her for summer reading.

[potter]

Elliot nodded. Most she knew about hexes she had learned herself. She hadn't ever really used them, as she had been mostly a loner during her school years. She didn't talk to many people, nor did much attention get called to her. Sure, there was the novelty of her being Harry Potter's kid the first few years, though after that she was left mostly alone. Elliot assumed it was because she had been bookish, nurdy, and shy- whereas her father, well he was Harry Potter. That and she lacked the Quidditch skills both her parents had had, Elliot liked to work out, though she had never been terribly athletic, especially not on a broomstick.

Elliot went quiet a moment, thinking all the way back to her second year. It seemed like it had been so long ago, though she supposed it had been a while since she had worn the blue-trimmed robes, been practically afraid of her own shadow... "Nothing too outlandish," said Elliot, "though I believe you'll begin work on creatures and beasts in Defense Against the Dark Arts toward the end of the year. You'll go more in depth next term, though."

[natalia]

Nat nodded, feeling a bit disappointed. Creatures really weren't her forte. "Did you like Defense Against the Dark Arts?" She asked as they entered the dining hall. "I mean, you're an Auror, so it has to be fun for you," going in to school, she had looked at the extensive list of classes, and thought how in the world any of those would come in handy. She hadn't even begun to think there were so many careers involved in the wizarding world. Some were the most outlandish concepts she couldn't have thought up herself. Auror had been one of those.

She couldn't see herself or very many of those people she knew standing against a dark wizard or any of those things called Death Eaters. Then again, it was better than a mundane job behind the desk of a shop. Even the wizarding world had such boredom. Then there were truly odd jobs like Dragon feeder and keeper. Suicide jobs, she figured.

Few students with a free period were hanging behind in the dining hall, but Nat normally skipped lunch when it meant she could be in the greenhouses. The house elves whom she was learning by name didn't hesitate in making her anything she was craving.

[potter]

Elliot ran a hand through her hair, if not for the potions it would be a telltale sign of her troubles with eating. Though in her fifth year she had learned what she needed to do to hide weakening hair. Really, it was a simple elixir, designed to make hair thicker, stronger, and shiny. She still took them, she still didn't feel she was anywhere near recovered... Elliot shoved those thoughts from her head when Natalia inquired if she had enjoyed Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, stating she thought it must have been fun for her considering that she was now an auror. Which was true, it was the subject that proved most useful in her profession.

"Oh, yes," said Elliot, reflecting more on her school years. She had thoroughly enjoyed all the subjects, she had even enlisted a time-turner in her third through seventh years so she could take every last one. She had scored all Outstandings on her exams, though Defense Against the Dark Arts had always been her favourite. She supposed she had inherited that from her father, everyone knew how gifted Harry was in the area- especially given his career with being an auror like herself.

"It was always my favourite, next to charms," Elliot added, now sticking her hands into the pockets of her cloak. She wondered if perhaps Natalia had a class she needed to get to, she didn't see too many students hanging around, she didn't want to be the reason that the girl was late... Elliot didn't say anything, however, figuring Natalia would let her know if she needed to leave.