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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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Apr 24, 2017 7:49:48 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2017 7:49:48 GMT -7
Alice was able to shake her head in agreement with Natalia. Crying because you weren't sure how to sometimes properly express your anger was not pleasant. If anything, it was even more frustrating than anything and would sometimes make Alice cry more. But the Hufflepuff alum didn't have any shortage of a temper or anger; she sometimes just got so mad that her temper overcame her and caused her to cry. But Natalia was right. It wasn't a good thing and it didn't feel good either. "It doesn't," Alice agreed once again. Crying never felt good. And it felt nice to at least talk about that with someone. If if that someone was somebody that Alice thought she couldn't stand.
It seemed like the two of them were relatively at peace for the moment. And while Alice didn't want to ruin that, she told herself that it was usually her own temper that got in the way of her potential friendships so Alice swallowed her own pride and took the plunge into a new topic. "So... h - how is James?" She asked, sounding only slightly forced asking about her old best friend. She really was curious, though. She missed James a lot, and if anyone knew how he was doing it would be Natalia.
@natalia
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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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May 8, 2017 15:50:26 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 8, 2017 15:50:26 GMT -7
Finding common ground with her adoptive sister was a bit like walking through a bog, Natalia decided. They had to poke and prod at something before they were sure that it was solid to stand on, and even then, it felt like everything was constantly changing, and that what once was certain could slip away. Still, it was better than nothing, and Nat was hopeful that after they crossed through this initial swamp, they could approach something resembling solid ground. Maybe it would take longer than either of them would prefer, but this conversation was still better than nothing.
When Alice spoke again, Natalia had to take a deep breath. She had been half-expecting the question since the beginning of the conversation, but she had never really talked to James about how she ought to talk to Alice, if the situation ever arose. Nat decided that polite, general information would be the way to go. If she would tell a stranger, she could tell Alice – that seemed to be a safe criterion. “James is well.” Natalia said, trying to force a smile upon her face, which was strange. She normally didn’t have to force smiles when it came to James, but this was a delicate situation. “I think he’s getting ready to enter the work force again, which will be an interesting experience for both of us.” Right now, whenever Natalia wasn’t working, she could spend her time with James. When he was working, too, they wouldn’t be able to see as much of each other.
@alice
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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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Jun 16, 2017 5:57:39 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2017 5:57:39 GMT -7
Alice wasn't sure what kind of answer she was expecting; she was glad to hear that James was doing well, but it kind of stung in a way. Perhaps it was because Alice couldn't have found that out for hereself, she had to hear about it through someone else. It was hard hearing about your old friend like that. Alice fixed her eyes on a spot on the ground just to the left of Natalia so she didn't have to look at her as she nodded. "Oh," was all she said at first while she found the words she wanted to say. When she found them, she looked back at Natalia. "He... he isn't working?" She asked curiously. Somehow, Alice wasn't surprised but at the same time she was surprised that Harry and Ginny actually let him become unemployeed after graduation.
@natalia
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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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Jun 16, 2017 11:00:51 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2017 11:00:51 GMT -7
Natalia blinked at Alice when she just said ‘oh’. How was one supposed to respond to an oh? Natalia knew that she had made the same mistake – maybe in this same conversation – but she just felt… strange. And she was ready to duck out of this conversation as soon as humanly possible… except that Alice asked another question, about James working. Nat had thought that everyone knew that James was unemployed, but apparently not. “No.” Natalia confirmed. “He needed some time to get his head together, and decide what he wanted. I think everyone expected him to go into Quidditch, but…” At the end of the day, everyone wanted to do what they wanted with their lives, not just what everyone else wanted for them, so Nat was proud of James for wanting to follow his own dreams, and make his own path.
@alice
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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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Jul 20, 2017 16:50:36 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2017 16:50:36 GMT -7
Alice just kind of stared at Natalia, making sure she at least blinked so she didn't look totally caught off guard by all this information. Really, it shouldn't have surprised her. James often used to go off on rants when they were studying for their O.W.L.s or their N.E.W.T.s about how he didn't want to grow up and become what everyone expected him to be. She never really understood what that meant. Because for Alice, she never expected him to be anything. He was his own person to her. But she supposed to the rest of the world, he was the first born son of the Boy Who Lived.
"Wow," was the first word out of her mouth. Alice herself never really saw James going out and playing Quidditch professionally. He had lived enough of his life in the spotlight in her eyes. "Has he... has he said anything about what he wants to do?" She inquired further. It was odd that they seemed to be able to discuss James easily and not much else. It was a little offputting but Alice saw it as a baby step.
@natalia
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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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Jul 25, 2017 18:06:43 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2017 18:06:43 GMT -7
Natalia nodded when Alice said ‘wow’. She wasn’t sure what the wow was for, but the Ravenclaw was sure that James’s life was shaping up differently than anyone would have imagined. Both of their lives were changing, really, but Nat believed that was a good thing. Neither of them were bound by expectations, because all they really expected of each other was doing something that made them happy. If James wanted to become a cattle farmer, Nat would have encouraged him to do it, if that was what he really wanted to do. Alice asked if James had said anything about what he wanted, and Natalia nodded cautiously. “He has an idea, but it’s… I guess you could say vague.” Nat said, biting her lip. She hoped that didn’t sound like an insult, because it wasn’t meant to be. “James just wants to help people. And I think he’s still working on how he can do that the best.” She explained. Natalia had wanted to help people, and that combined with her interest in healing had lent itself quite nicely to the career she was currently pursuing. For James, things were a little more nebulous. There wasn’t one clear-cut choice for him.
@alice
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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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Jul 25, 2017 18:52:55 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2017 18:52:55 GMT -7
Alice found herself awaiting Natalia's response rather anxiously. Here was this girl who was now the one who knew every little detail of James Potter's life. Alice never really saw herself having to ask someone else about what her childhood best friend was up to these days. But the more Natalia and Alice spoke, the more Alice realized that if it had to be anyone that James chose... she was beginning to be glad that it was Natalia.
The Hufflepuff alum raised an eyebrow at her adopted sister when she explained that James's future was vague. Though really, the answer didn't surprise her. James was always changing his mind about things. The answer that Natalia ultimately gave brought a small smile to Alice's face. "Well, good," she nodded once in response. "That's something he is at least good at." The eldest Longbottom found herself cracking the joke fairly easily now, but then went back to a more serious demeaner. "I'm sure after everything... well, I can see why he wants to do that now."
@natalia
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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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Jul 26, 2017 14:37:11 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2017 14:37:11 GMT -7
Natalia wasn’t sure what she was expecting from Alice when it came to James’s job. It was strange, how relieved she felt when Alice said that she approved of James’s choice, saying that he was at least doing something that he was good at. Why did she care what Alice thought? It wasn’t like the Hufflepuff and her boyfriend were close anymore. But they had been, once, Nat admonished herself. Of everyone else in the world, Natalia thought that Alice – and maybe Fred or Finn – was the one who came the closest to knowing James the way she did. “I don’t understand why that’s not everyone’s goal in some way or another.” Natalia said diplomatically. She understood that Alice’s job was more concerned with creatures and their behavior, but the Ravenclaw rather hoped that Alice was still trying to better the world with her work. People who only wanted to see things destroyed – or worse, people who destroyed themselves – were absolutely intolerable, as far as Nat was concerned. The world needed more light, so of course it was only right that James would try to break through the darkness himself.
@alice
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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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Aug 7, 2017 8:07:14 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2017 8:07:14 GMT -7
Alice wished that things had turned out differently. She wished she hadn't spent all her school years holding a stupid grudge against all Ravenclaws, and she hated that she had turned against James for just following his heart and doing what made him happy. He was happy right? "Yeah... James is a good example," she trailed off. What was she saying anymore? She had so many things she wanted to ask Natlia, but she knew they weren't questions she could answer. Or at least, she shouldn't have to. They were questions better suited for James, but still Alice had to ask, "he's happy?" She couldn't stop herself from asking it, and by the time she had it was too late and she found herself biting her lip in regret.
@natalia
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last online May 2, 2024 2:20:17 GMT -7
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Aug 7, 2017 8:34:57 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2017 8:34:57 GMT -7
Natalia blinked at Alice when she asked if James was happy. The answer to that question seemed obvious, and even if James wasn’t happy, Natalia wouldn’t have admitted it to the other girl. They had just barely become polite with each other, and wrecking that by saying that she made Alice’s ex-best friend miserable didn’t seem to be a good idea. That wasn’t the truth anyways, but still… Alice should have known the answer to that question. “Yes. He’s happy.” Nat said with a firm nod. “I should be getting home…” Nat said, trailing off. Home to James, she was about to say, but it seemed unwise to reiterate that at the moment. “It was good to talk to you, Alice.” Natalia said. She smiled for half a second more, and then Apparated away, home to the boy of her dreams.
@alice (le end!)
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