not much of a stroll

[Theodore Nott]

Summer had gone by as quickly as it came. It hadn't been like the years before, the weather was much more gloomier and the wizarding world seemed almost empty. Some good things had happened though, Theodore got his letter informing him of his new school title. He couldn't really believe it had happened and almost wished that his father hadn't died months before. Being assigned the head boy position was finally a way to show him that he was going somewhere, that he was something worth noticing and boasting about. But his father was dead and he was thought of as a disappointment. He tried not to let him bother though, did his best and it actually worked. Of course the state of things were still bothering him, hanging on the thought that being pureblood meant safety wasn't really doing it much. All was reminded in on the ride to school. Everything was different, the school had less students, which at times he was glad for, but other times it almost worried him. Theodore wasn't sure where to stand so often he'd disregard it.

Well, walking around late at school trying to snoop out any trouble makers was enough to keep his mind occupied. Though not much was going on, especially since curfew wasn't broken yet. "Well, someone must be doing something wrong" he thought and looked inside a corridor but heard nothing. He sighed and nodded when he saw the Carrows slithering around. Their presence made him feel strange, almost uncomfortable. Which was nothing compared to the cold feeling that hit him as he passed Professor McGonagall. Theodore didn't say anything to her and his nod wasn't exactly complete. He wondered if McGonagall thought of him as the others, considering his father and the fact that he was slytherin; one who didn't question Snape or the Carrows. It would have said a lot about him. Something about McGonagall's stern look always got to him without knowing why. "I'm following all the rules, should count for something in her book" Theodore thought to himself and continued to walk around.

As the evening seemed to be normal one, Theodore glanced at his feet, forgetting where he was going. It was only when he heard a cough that he looked up, it had just been Professor Flitwick. But as he looked up he saw a Ravenclaw that he hadn't spoken to in such a while. Theodore nearly smiled. The way Cordelia had reacting towards his friendship with Shalie had made him feel bad, almost guilty. But time had passed, even as he saw her now he didn't feel as oddly weird as he did before. He wondered if Shalie was the same, he assumed she was so he went up to her. "It's a quiet evening isn't it?" he asked and moved his lips inwardly "Hi Shalie.....odd running into you again. It was the library before wasn't it?"

[Shalie Matsuoka]

Shalie had never really been the sort to give into misery, but it was getting more difficult to avoid all the time. She thought that she knew why. Her father had been killed over the summer by the Death Eaters, people who were running this very school, and if that wasn't bad enough a lot of the friends that she had before weren't allowed back at school because of their blood status or open allegiance. Her optimism and generally cheerful nature was typically brought out by those around her. To be truthful Shalie actually didn't have that many friends even before this year. Still, with the few that she did have before she had never felt alone as she did now. Being alone and being lonely were very different things. How many other people felt the same right now? Their inability to connect in a way that wouldn't bring them to the attention of the Death Eaters was a huge barrier. And she really wanted to keep from their sight anyway in case they wanted to exercise their new-found power over the students.

Every time she thought to do something another reason crept up why she couldn't, or shouldn't. The library reminded her of times past, she couldn't write her father, and she definitely had to stay out of trouble. As of yet she wasn't sure if the Death Eater that killed her father was taking part in the new curriculum. By now if he was, she would know, wouldn't she? Either way, Shalie not getting killed herself prevented her from wanting to test that luck further. Eventually there would come a time to avenge her father's death. She hoped, anyway. She didn't particularly want to be in this state of darkness forever. If people around her being in a slump depressed her she didn't want to know how this would effect her in the long run. More than anything she wanted someone who understood to some extent what she was going through, just to talk to.

It was very strange to hear a voice right as she was thinking that last. She turned and looked at the speaker. She hadn't talked to him in a long time other than the occasions where she had to. She had tried talking to him again after his apparent lack of interest and had given up since then. She wasn't sure what she had done to earn his indifference in the first place, so being spoken to now, she was on the defensive. She tried to be polite as she had always been. “It has been quiet since we got here. I think everyone is too afraid to talk.” She examined Theodore for a moment, taking in the ways that he changed since she last saw him. It was almost infuriating that she was relieved to talk to him while still she didn't know why he was talking to her in the first place. “How is it odd to run into me? Did you think that I wasn't going to be back at Hogwarts?” She paused at her slight outburst and looked toward the ceiling. “I'm... sorry. I see that you got head boy.” It was awkward talking like this! But she didn't want to lose the chance to talk to someone at all... It was obvious though by the way she wouldn't quite look at him again that she had been hurt by his avoiding her before.

[Theodore Nott]

If it had been another time, Theodore's mind would be running around with insecure nervous thoughts of why he was standing there, what would be said and if he was about to say the wrong thing. But instead he stood proud, no more slouching and a clear mind. It didn't really bother him, the time that went unspoken and naturally he assumed it had been the same for Shalie. Listening to what was said, he was aware of what Shalie meant. Most people did seem afraid of talking, people were hardly mumbling these days. But Theodore didn't really feel sympathy for them, as a pureblood around those that were like his father; he didn't know what it was like. But he didn't really say much on the topic. Instead he barely nodded "Well they had to go and be born that way" he thought about those that weren't of pureblood.

Theodore actually took notice when he was examined, it gave him a strange feeling that nearly made him smile but as the sharp reply got him, he lowered his brows instead. "Well yes" Theodore said bluntly "Since you aren't a pureblood, I'm certain the ministry took you in for questioning. Most wizards didn't pass their test....as you can see by the less number of students" he shrugged, almost without care. The fact didn't really affect him, personally anyway. Shalie's apology made him sigh, for his own reasons, though he didn't explain. Instead he looked down at his Head Boy badge and smirked "Yeah" he looked back up "Finally got something done right. Great seeing that it wasn't Malfoy for once" the fact that malfoy hadn't been pampered with the title like he did as Prefect made it all the better. Theodore's eyes glimmered with confidence, taking in his own self-worth at the moment.

"What are you doing here anyway" he asked "Wondering around that is, you seem suspicious to them..." Theodore glanced around though there was no one there. Although he wouldn't count on the lack of visible evidence for anything. People always seemed to be hiding, he used to, so he knew it wasn't that far off. There was a strange tension that he felt suddenly, it caused him to be almost uncomfortable. Looking at Shalie, talking to her again as if nothing had happened, it was starting to hit him. Scratching the side of his neck, he appeared worried, his lack of confidence trying to take over him again though he fought hard to push it away. Theodore wanted to say something although he wasn't sure where to begin or what he wanted to say. One thing that hadn't changed though was his humour, what he usually used when he was lost. "Weren't looking for you glasses again..eh? ..heh"

[Shalie Matsuoka]

“They did take me in for questioning. But my mother was pure of blood, my mother was a Slytherin. And since my father is dead I guess that it didn't matter so much.” There it was, out there in the open. It startled her to hear it come from her own mouth so easily. Shalie hadn't talked with anyone about what had happened over the summer. Who was there to talk to, really, though? She remembered having to go through all of her father's things in his study and dealing with his will. It had been a sharp wake-up call to a girl that spent too much of her time with her head in the clouds over the past few years. Her mother's death was still painful to her but even thinking about her father made her feel a bit sick. Shalie and Theodore had disagreed in quite a few ways ever since the beginning of their friendship right up to the undefined end, so she didn't know what to expect from him after hearing this news. And she had slightly less patience than she did before because he never had the decency to tell her that they weren't going to be talking anymore. It was something like breaking up through an e-mail, though that comparison didn't exactly mean the same thing. They weren't dating... but it was just as important to Shalie because she didn't have a lot of friends. After dealing with Theodore, she didn't really have it in her to make many more friends after because friendships seemed somewhat fleeting.

She couldn't help but be happy for Theodore for getting the head boy position. It was one of the greatest honors that someone could get while they were in school. She did wonder if his competition was more than halved by the fact that the muggleborns and a lot of half and pure bloods even were gone from the school. But he was miles better than most of the students that could have gotten head boy with the school in the situation that she was in. “I'm sure you'll do a good job. And if not, I'll just have to get on your case, won't I?” Once she said that she realized that she really was talking as though nothing had happened between them. Instead of fixing her thoughts on this that made her feel more awkward. Even though he probably didn't like being around her anymore (he had to have stopped talking to her for some reason, she still cared about him. She wanted to consider him a friend again. A fair weather friend was still better than no friend at all!

“I'm not really wandering around... I was just thinking. I don't really want to go to my common room. And... I don't really care that much if I seem suspicious. If you ask me it's the people who are cowering in the common rooms that are more of a threat to things.” She wondered if she should have said that, giving any ideas to people who may or may not be there. But it was true. You couldn't exactly plot against people if you were standing or walking around in the open. She thought for some reason of Grima Wormtongue when she thought of suspicious behavior. She had been pretty invisible throughout her years at Hogwarts. She doubted that anyone but the Death Eater who had killed her father would see anything in her but a timid smart kid. She had that going for her at least. She looked up at Theodore when he brought the glasses up. She tried to look annoyed but she ended up smiling anyway. “No. I keep better track of things now. I guess you could say that I learned my lesson. What about you? Patrolling the corridors looking for evil doers?” She winked at him. He was, after all, a new authority in the halls of Hogwarts!

[Theodore Nott]

"Dead?" Theodore repeated, with a slight interest. But what seemed like interest soon changed to an indifferent tone "A lot of people have been dying recently, yes" his shoulders shrugged "Didn't affect you so much did it, your father's death" Theodore asked and in a casual manner added "Mine either. Actually, I think it gave me a slight freedom" His father's death didn't appear to cause much grief. At least that's how he made it out to be, but even pass his outer appearance, he made sure it hardly affected him. Maybe it was denial, harboured deep inside him. Never letting himself wonder if he cared or not about his father's death. It was more of a problem and like most of his problems he tucked them away.

At Shalie's change in mood, Theodore moved his head back but tried not to look surprised. He was happy in fact. The sudden break in their friendship hadn't been so long ago and it was mostly his own doing. After feeling guilty for associating with a 'half blood' during the time when things began to stir in the wizarding world, Theodore began to fear for his own safety. His father was still alive in those days and the other slytherins were already giving him odd looks. But mostly he stayed away because he didn't want Cordelia to look at him as if he was contaminated. He didn't really like the idea and matters hadn't exactly gotten better in the wizarding world. Though now with his father gone and this new source of 'power' as head boy— well some confidence was surfacing, perhaps even hope in having friends again. Shalie was allowed back after all, he was sure that meant that it was alright to talk to her without getting in trouble.

"You won't be making me try sweets again if that's what you're thinking" he replied and smiled crookedly "Might have to send you to headmaster snape if you do" Theodore teased, just like when they were actual friends.

People hiding in the common rooms, Theodore repeated in his mind. At first he didn't understand the logic Shalie was presenting but the more he thought about it the more he had to agree. He made a mental note to sniff out the slytherin room when he returned. Some of the slytherins didn't like him because he wasn't excusing their behaviour and actually sent them off to Slughorn; though that was the fun of it all. No one to walk over him or push him around, Theodore really loved his new responsibility and so he reminded of the rules "Well, it's nearly curfew. You shouldn't be wandering around, even if it is innocently" Theodore said seriously, though the wink shalie gave him caused him to smile a bit. "No, stop that" he thought and straightened his robes "Not evil, just the troublemakers" he mumbled and gazed at the adults passing by; there was nothing he could do about them, he really didn't want to get in their way either. Stopping Longbottom when he seemed weirder than usual was more of his area for now. "Do you want me to take you...." he stopped "I could...I mean, it wouldn't be any bother if I escorted you to your tower" Theodore nodded, brushing away that hesitancy. He was head boy now, it wouldn't of been out of the ordinary to be walking with a student, right?

[Shalie Matsuoka]

Shalie was somewhat startled that he would say that. She was affected by her father's death, but it was more than anyone could know. She put on a facade that seemed to be working rather well if even Theodore couldn't see through it. Then again neither of them knew how much the other might have changed when they weren't speaking to each other. Keeping her true feelings about her father's death was absolutely crucial if she was to ever get revenge on the man who killed him. She shook her head a little bit. “Well, I suppose that it would have given me some freedom, too; you remember that my father was going to have me marry a muggle. He can't make me marry anyone now, and he can't force me to live in the muggle world anymore.” She realized that was probably the only truly good thing to come of this situation. It was terrible to think that there was anything good at all from death but she was realistic and understood that there were shades of gray to everything, even situations.

“Sending me to the Headmaster just because I offer you sweets?” Shalie replied seriously, as though he had actually meant to do it. This was all part of the act as well, playing around in a way that she hadn't been able to at least since this time last year. She folded her arms and regarded Theodore with an almost parental disapproval. “You know that he, and everyone else at the school, have a lot more to worry about than some candy-toting half-blood Ravenclaw. Besides, I've left all that in my common room.” Now that she thought about it, it was sort of funny that even in dark times Shalie did have a stash of candy. It wasn't from this summer, though, but rather the summer before. She assumed that it was still good... It was sad to think back on years past such as the one she was discussing with Theodore. She was hardly the same person it felt like some days.

“Curfew... I've broken that more than once by complete accident.” Actually if he had allowed her to get away with it, this would be one of those times. She looked at him with some amusement. He was playing with the power that he had, wasn't he? What a time to get reacquainted with an old friend – when he was Head Boy of a school that had gone completely insane. She gave a little shrug to show her surrender. “Alright. Hey, I know what you're doing,” she said, turning to him with that old playful expression again. “Candy in the common room, and suddenly you want to lead me to my tower? I think that you actually liked that candy, Theodore.” She looked as though she had just made a gold mine of discovery. She held her arm out to him. “Come on, then. Would you like to pull me by my robes to look more impressive?” Okay, maybe that was a little mean-sounding, and maybe it would bring him to a scowl or some sort of dramatic expression... But she didn't mean it in a rude way, she was still testing the waters in teasing him. It was hard to know what was too much and what wasn't enough since they hadn't spoken in so long! She remembered how often she seemed to accidentally offend him...