Erm... How does this work again?

[Jenny Bay]

((Roleplaying?!?!!? I haven't done this in a while ))

Jenny received the shock of her life when she dropped in at the school and realised that TERM HAD ALREADY STARTED. It felt like years since she had roamed the school grounds and she found that she had forgotten everything she had once done so well (or at least believed she had). She figured it was too late to start her classes now, seeing as they were already halfway through the lessons and her conscious was really busy with assignments and didn't want to catch up.

So there she was, simply strolling around the lake trying to recall how to RP live and what the rules were and how everything worked. It was as though her entire memory had been wiped and she would have to learn everything over again. She had realised that she did not know a majority of the students currently and was trying to think about what she could do to fix that... God forbid she should have to actually... be social. She almost shuddered at the thought of it.

She felt like she would have to start fresh. In her old life she had been the striking image of a celebrity named Mandy Moore but she had transformed now into a blue-eyed blond just because she felt like it. Perhaps one day she would change back but for now she was quite happy with how she looked. She took a deep breath of the crisp morning air in and decided that she would be a completely different person this year. She may be missing her first term back but a break was always good wasn't it? Plus, it would give her time to get used to the whole idea of roleplaying life again.

Oh yeah! Didn't she own a ferret?! She looked down at her pet ferret, Hue, who was trotting happily beside her. He was just as happy to be back as she was and he probably didn't mind that she was missing the actual "school" part of being as school. Wistfully, Jenny gazed up into the sky, with a satisfied feeling. It was good to be back.

[Jacob Clark]

((Since you didn’t mention the time of day, I’ll just take some creative license. Feel free to amend/correct me if you’d prefer something else))

Jacob, in a rare moment of solitude, was skipping pebbles near the lake’s edge trying to get the stones to skid across the frozen surface as far as possible, when he heard someone walking past in the snow-laden ground. It was a pretty girl who looked to be around his age. His duty as Host Club president tugged him away from the lake’s rocky shore and into a steady walk toward her. His feet crunched the snow lightly as he walked the distance between them. The hems of his Burberry charcoal colored suit were kissed with the fluffy white powder. From a comfortable distance he hailed her, “Good morning. I thought I’d be the only one away from class this morning, but I’m pleasantly surprised to see I’m not. Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Jacob Clark.” He removed the glove from his right hand and extended it for her to shake, while closing the distance between them.

[Jenny Bay]

((Don't worry - I thought about putting it in but then decided it didn't matter too much... and I completely forgot it was winter!))

A cool breeze rippled through the air and Jenny suddenly realised that, in the middle of winter, she wore only skinny-jeans and a T-shirt. She tried to think back to where she had left her jumper because she remembered leaving with one. Eventually she gave up - it would be just another thing to add to her list of lost items. She rubbed her hands together to try to stop the cold from numbing them too much. She puffed out and grinned as she realised she could see the mist of her breath in the chilling air.

Her head whipped around, looking left and right to find the source of the sound. Hue, blending into the snow with his white coat, did the same, his keen ears pricked up. Her eyes focused on a figure not too far away and she was surprised she hadn't noticed the boy before. She saw him pick up a pebble and skim it across the lake as though trying to jump it, but instead it skidded along the ice. The ice seemed quite thick and Jenny realised it would probably have been perfect for skating on... too bad she had never learned how to skate and she had seen enough movies to know that it wasn't easy.

The boy saw her, turned around, and began to walk towards her. Now able to see his face, she realised that he didn't look any older than she was. Immediately her heart began to race - this was it. She was being given a chance at a fresh start and this would be the first test of character. How would she be social? Socialisation had never been her forte. His steady steps were slowly closing the distance between them and she knew that he would reach her soon and then... She put it out of her mind, inhaled deeply and then let out her breath in another puff of air. Confidence. Confidence is key.

Then the boy reached her. He smoothly greeted her and introduced himself. Jacob Clark... She had never seen him before. He took of his glove - she noted that at least he had thought of the cold weather before venturing outside - and extended his hand. She put on her most dazzling smile. "Hi, I'm Jenny. Yeah," she laughed, "I sort of missed the first half of term so I'm taking a break until next term." She shook his hand. She looked him over and got the feeling he was either Gryffindor or Hufflepuff and possible a 4th or - like her - a 5th year.

"What year are you in?" she asked. "I'm a 5th year." So far so good - she wasn't completely messing up her first social encounter since she'd been back. In fact, with a feeling of satisfaction, she realised that making conversation was actually coming quite naturally to her. She wasn't going through the awkward process of trying to brainstorm conversation starters. Her dazzling smile relaxed into a more friendly, natural one.

[Jacob Clark]

Her hand was very cold, and he knew that he needed to help her. Other than the fact that she was comparatively scantily dressed for such cold weather, she gave away no outward sign of suffering from the cold. This in and of itself made her appear extremely strong and maybe very confident.

He took of his overcoat and wrapped it around her shoulders. He hoped that the thick quilted lining would help her stay warm, “Jenny, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You look like you could use this.” He felt the cold wind strike his suit coat, shirt, tie, and scarf combination was insufficient in the absence of the overcoat. He tried not to shutter, and opted to stay active instead.

“So Jenny, I’m a 4th year Gryffindor that enjoys tossing rocks on an otherwise hard frozen lake, until I find attractive young ladies freezing in the snow. And you are a 5th year in which house?”

[Jenny Bay]

The boy - Jacob - wrapped his coat around her shoulders and Jenny smiled smoothly. She was kind of annoyed that he had noticed, thinking that she had let the cold show. Her previous worry at conversation had disappeared though and she was feeling a lot more confident. "Thanks," she murmured in response to his comment. She looked around discreetly, searching the snow for Hue. He had the oddest way of appearing when he was least wanted and Jenny found herself kind of hoping he would stay away. She refocused as Jacob began to talk again.

So he was younger than her and a Gryffindor... She let a brief triumphant smile pass over her lips as she realised she ahd been right about him being either a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff. When he called her attractive, Jenny actively fought the brush that threatened to rise in her cheeks. He didn't mean anything by it, she told herself but couldn't stop from letting a smile from coming to her lips. She looked down quickly to hide it, examining the snow and pushing it around with the tip of her Converses. "Slytherin... I'm a Slytherin," she said in response to his question. She looked up then, to see his reaction. She knew that the personalities of Gryffindors' and Slytherins' were almost complete opposites. She hadn't really formed any close relationships with Gryffindors in the past... Stop she commanded herself. This is a fresh start. Who cares if your a Slytherin? She straightened up this time, looking him directly in the eye, challenging him to say something.

[Jacob Clark]

It was difficult for Jacob to discern her exact phraseology behind her quick reply. Perhaps she was so curt in because she was cold, or perhaps because of the social stigmata between their two houses. He’d never really gotten to know many Slytherins, and the ones that he did know were just normal witches and wizards. Sure they may have had a little more zeal for life or ambition then other students, but most were normal enough. He himself didn’t have anything against their house a general rule. After all, he is a ‘pureblood’, so there wasn’t really that obstacle.

Jacob decided not to worry about any ‘possible’ negative connotations to her response and just decided to drive on with the conversation. He was notorious for his witty responses, and he hoped that the frozen air wouldn’t drive the wit from his response. She was after all have a very pretty girl, and he needed to be equal to the task. “So Miss Jenny mysterious 5th year Slytherin cutie, what…if you don’t mind my asking…are you doing out this ‘brisk’ morning, besides curing me from my solitude?” He ended his question with a subtle but fully intended wink as the returned her eye contact with his blue eyes, and waited.

[Jenny Bay]

Jenny withheld the sigh of relief that wanted to escape her lips when Jacob didn't even bat an eye when she disclosed her house. It was nice to know that he didn't care much about the distance between their two houses. Jenny couldn't stop herself from blushing this time with what he said next - he certainly wasn't very subtle. She raised an eyebrow before replying. Jacob certainly wasn't shy.

"Well it's just been so long since I've been here I really wanted to see the lake again... I kind of forgot about the temperature though." She pulled his jacket closer around her, feeling slightly bad now that she knew he would be cold but not at all wanting to give it back to him. "And you? I didn't think I'd see anyone else out here now - aren't you supposed to be in class?" the thought had just occurred to her. "Wait -" she held up her hand, "Don't tell me you're.... ditching?!?!" she made a face of mock horror. She had ditched a few times herself, but found that it was more effort than it was worth. For one thing, if a professor saw you it was trouble. And for another thing, catching up on the homework and what was learnt in class was extremely annoying.

She winked back at him and held his gaze, waiting for his reply.

[Jacob Clark]

He could see that as she basked in the ample warmth of the coat that she might be not just a pretty face, but a glimmer of wit disclosed her as an intelligent person too. He wink was unanticipated and did catch the undaunted Jacob unawares as he was listening with rapped attention. He knew that he’d have to keep the pressure on or she’d have him on his heels in the conversation at least. He thought for a quick second before responding.

He went next to her and while putting his arm around her shoulders he looked to her and explained, “That’s such a harsh term, ‘Ditching’. I prefer to think of it as a break from the hum-drummery of the castle. There are not only less teachers out here, but he air is significantly less stuffy.” He continued, but now with an aire of sarcastic but friendly tone, “I’m sure you’ve never missed a class though.” He then switched to a melodramatic tone, “I just found my way here during an empty period in a very boring day. Just think of my surprise when along came a snow angel.” His tone turned more earnest and sincere as he continued, “So Jenny, tell me a little about yourself…this break from school…or perhaps about what a stunning girl like you does in her free time?”

[Jenny Bay]

Jenny smirked as Jacob hesitated, gathering himself, before answering her question. She laughed at his response. "Touche," she grinned. She laughed quietly, but at his next question her laugh stopped abruptly and the smile froze on her face. "So Jenny, tell me a little about yourself... this break from school..." She had had an ulterior motive in coming back to Hogwarts - it wasn't just because she had missed the place. In fact, she had come here to escape from home. Her mother had been sick for a long time.

Jenny had, at the end of her fourth year, taken some time off to go home and be there for her mother and father as her mother's illness became worse. Jenny had practically lived in the hospital, insisting upon staying by her mother's side. And then... Jenny abruptly refocused her attention on Jacob, resuming her smile as he gave her a way out: "...or perhaps what a stunning girl like you does in her free time?"

"Oh, you know - Watching movies... Taking long walks on the beach... The usual," she said casually. "And you? No wait - let me guess, you jet ski and sky dive?" Jenny had pretty much characterised Jacob as cocky, playful and probably slightly egotistical. They were all quite typical of Gryffindor house so it would have been more surprised if Jacob had been quiet, shy and withdrawn. But she liked Jacob - he was fun. It would be nice to have him as a friend and Jenny was desperately hoping that she wouldn't mess this up.

[Jacob Clark]

Her level of clairvoyance must have been much higher than his, because she definitely picked two activities that he’d enjoyed in the past. “You must be a mind-reader…Although why just sky dive when you can fly?” He left the question as rhetorical and swooped his hand into the air in an attempt to emphasise the point that flying was his main pastime. “But I’m interested in low key activities too. A walk on the beach or a snow covered shore in this case can be great, when you’re with the right person.” Snow was gently falling and a few larger flakes had fallen on her hair. He gently swept the flakes from their place.

Just after he’d removed the snow from her hair, Jacob just happened to catch a glimpse her shoes that were not exactly designed for staying in the snow, and he decided to turn their walk back toward the castle, and warmth. He pointed down at her shoes and said, “Sweet Chuck Taylor’s. How are they in the snow?”

[Jenny Bay]

Jenny rolled her eyes at his reply - she had judged him right. He did make a good point about sky diving though. So he liked to fly? Jenny hadn't ventured into the air many times - but enough to know that she was not made for flying. She had yet to understand how anybody could love the gut wrenching feeling of it. People were given feet for a reason and it wasn't so that they could kick up on their broomsticks. She kind of missed what he said next because she was still recalling the queasiness that flying brought on. Suddenly he reached out and brushed snowflakes from her hair. That was kind of strange... after all she had just met the guy. Maybe it didn't mean anything though, she eagerly shrugged it off and forgot about it.

Jenny laughed at his comment about her shoes, "Very wet actually," she responded. "I packed for summer," she explained, "Because I packed my stuff when it was still summer and I thought I would be back here then but... I got kept back at home for a while and forgot to repack for winter so..." she trailed off and shrugged, grinning. "Well - that's what shopping's for right?"

The breeze had begun to pick up into a chilling wind. Jenny could see the snow was getting heavier and decided that now, was time to move inside. Jacob must have been freezing seeing as Jenny had his coat. "Do you want to go inside?" she asked. "You look pathetic," she added after a moment. It was true, and she figured that's how she must have looked before he gave her his coat. But now, snowflakes were beginning to land and melt on his arms and although she could see he was making an effort to hide it, he was freezing. She brushed some more snowflakes out of her hair.

[Jacob Clark]

((Sorry, but you must be one of the fastest typist that I've ever seen, or maybe it could just be that I'm at work and can't be constantly on OH...looks over shoulder for boss to pass by...))

He tried to ingest her comment, ‘Pathetic’, well that was new at least. He’d never been more confused as how to respond to the jab. He knew he had to do something. He remembered the warming charm his father had used when they were backpacking in the Andes. He got his wand out and pointed it at his feet first and worked his way up. Now with more resistance to the cold he felt a little more confidence return to his frame, “Sorry…I didn’t know that my wilting was so readily apparent. Would you mind?” He pointed his wand to her feet and waited for a sign that he could proceed.

[Jenny Bay]

((xD Yeah... I type pretty fast. It's also night and I'm just about to go to bed... Waiting on Pottermore >_<))

Jenny couldn't help but smirk at his confusion. Jenny was quite surprised when he pulled out his wand. Obviously he wasn't just all looks and talk... he might be able to pull off a spell as well! She watched, trying not to look like she was paying so much attention, as he pointed his wand at his feet and slowly pointed it up his body. She had already guessed that it must have been a warming charm of some kind. She didn't recall being taught it in class so he must have learnt it outside of school. When he finished he pointed it at her feet. Jenny raised her eyebrows.

Her first response was defensive. She probably shouldn't have let some strange boy she had just met use a spell that she had never seen nor heard of on her. But then again... Jenny shrugged, "Sure," she said trying to sound more relaxed and casual about it than she felt. A sudden blast of cold wind reassured her that she was making the right decision because despite his coat, Jenny could still feel the cold.

[Jacob Clark]

((Good night then…Right now I’m in the US Eastern Time Zone…So morning is just getting kicked off and work too, which unfortunately gets in the way a little.))

She looked apprehensive so he tried not to make the warming effect too strong. He remembered the first time; his Father used the charm on him allowing the warmth to fill his extremities that were pointed at by the wand. It was like putting on a warm pair of thick socks and gloves. Of course only her lower legs and feet were not covered by the coat, and they would be the target of the spell. He’d used it during plenty of outings and felt confident that nothing would go wrong.

He thought for a moment of a way to explain his knowledge a little in an attempt to put her anxiety to rest. “I learned this charm backpacking through the Andes Mountains looking for magical trinkets with my parents. The cold was a little bit more intense than here, but it still has its uses.” He used the Warming Charm on her feet and calves. “This should last for about an hour, but you can always use ‘finite’ to cancel the charms effects.” He put his wand away and stood-up asking, “Warmer?” He was enjoying his conversation with her and he didn’t want the environment to get in his way.

[Jenny Bay]

She couldn't help but feel relived as he used the spell on her. The warmth spread through her legs until she wasn't cold anymore. She actually hadn't realised how cold she was until then. "Neat spell," she complimented casually. She no longer felt so bad about having his coat seeing as she knew that he would no longer be cold without it. She noticed that her feet were warm, as though she had extremely thick woolen socks on but her shoes were still wet and she could still feel the wetness. It was a strange feeling as she was still aware of how cold the water was but her actual feet were not cold. It was an extremely useful spell. "I'll have to remember that one."

"So Jacob - tell me something about you. Anything." She was keen to get to know him and he seemed nice enough. So far the only thing she knew about him was he was a 4th year Gryffindor who liked jet skiing and flying and had also been backpacking through the Andes. It was a good start but she new that there was a lot more to him.

((Ugh - lame, but I have no muse atm))