go with the flow // ellie

[tobias charles watkins]

first week of september

The world was slightly blurry. Actually, the world was incredibly blurry nowadays. But this was a sacrifice Toby was willing to make when the cute puff Iliana Krum commented that he 'totally had potential' without the thick glasses hiding his face. She actually used the word 'fit'. Toby had never been called fit before in his life. So, here he was... Counting his steps, and bumping into people, statues, and the worst? Toby managed to trip over a house elf who wouldn't stop apologizing, pathetically. Which only made Toby apologize even more, and before he knew it, they were stuck in a battle of 'I'm sorrys' in the third floor corridor for over five minutes.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea... Hogwarts was much more overcrowded now with the schools coming together after the attacks. There were students flooded everywhere. Nowhere was quiet. Not even the Ravenclaw common room was serene or sacred for studying anymore. Which was why Toby was in pursuit of the library. Surely, the librarian wouldn't let him down. She was known for giving students a dirty look that would quiet any soul who dared to speak anything above a whisper. Thank Merlin.

Toby was standing on the third floor landing, patiently awaiting the staircases to meet. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, head cocking upwards, as his eyes squinted slightly to see how far it was. That's when he came to the conclusion that he was definitely suffering from a little condition called 'Myopia', AKA extreme farsightedness. If he ever doubted it before, now was the real proof. The blurry blob of the staircase moved sluggishly, as if they wanted to be sure everyone knew that they were working extra hard now that there was more bodies to move throughout the day. The eagle stood with a comical strained expression upon his face, still focusing on the distorted staircase.

@ellie

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[attr="class","next"] Ellie had figured out the moving staircase her first night to Hogwarts, of course, they had the help of the class prefect guiding the transfers and the first years to their house common room’s location. Ravenclaw was sadly located on the fifth floor and trying to figure her way down or up, that was hard, especially since she didn’t know the way the staircase moved or when to expect it. She had made it up two flights of stairs before the damn thing started moving, and quickly she grabbed the railing as it did so, it was heading for a landing that was currently occupied by a guy. The staircase had already moved twice on her, and she had been standing on this one for a few minutes now. Which landing did she need, did they all connect? If she was making her way to the Ravenclaw landing, she knew which way to go, but trying to figure her way all the way up for her class in the highest tower; then she was royally fucked.

She closed her eyes as the staircase snapped into place on the third-floor landing and quickly snapped it open. She looked at the person that was stepping on, or about to, her eyes holding a begging look within them. “Please tell me you are going up because I am so turned around…” she breathed out. She recognized the guy from her house, but not his name. She just prayed he was heading to the tower or could at least help her get there before leaving for wherever he was going himself.

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[tobias charles watkins]

first week of september

Toby was pulled from his thoughts by a voice he didn't recognize right before he was about to step onto the staircase to the left going upwards. He stopped and awkwardly fumbled for his glasses in his breast pocket and pulled them onto his face. His eyes adjusted...and it was a cute Ravenclaw girl seeking assistance. Tobys face twisted into an awkward but polite smile, she looked a bit hopeless, maybe a tad scared. "Oh, uh, yeah, I can help you, it's okay. I can take you wherever you have to go." he assured her as the staircases changed again before their eyes. The library could wait - it wasn't every day he got to help a pretty girl through the castle. Who would have thought the staircases to be a prime location for damsels in distress. He'd have to keep that in mind if he ever worked up the courage to flirt with a girl.

"Where are you trying to go?" he asked her helpfully, warm brown eyes peering down at her through his glasses. "My names Toby. I have seen you in the Ravenclaw common room." Toby stated earnestly, and immediately regretting it. Oh, Merlin. That was a bit of an awkward statement if taken wrongly. It wasn't like he was watching her, but he noticed most of the new kids.

@ellie

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[attr="class","next"] Ellie could tell that she pulled the boy from his thoughts, and while she felt sad that she had done so, she was too confused and frustrated to care. He seemed not to mind the interruption, which the young girl was thankful for and quickly plastered on a polite smile, one that slowly appeared through awkward movements in his face. He promised to take her anywhere she needed to go, and she let out a sigh of relief, thanking whatever God that was out there that she found someone willing to help. Something she probably wouldn’t have gotten if she was in America. “Thank you,” she breathed, hope filling her being and making itself visible in her eyes.

When questioned on where she was trying to go, she opened her mouth but didn’t speak. Instead, his warm brown eyes peered down at her as he added his name and that he had seen her before. She pondered for a minute, her eyes scanning over him looking for any familiarity, and she realized she had seen him – but he was a bit awkward around the common rooms when she did notice him. “I’m Ellie—and no it isn’t short for anything—my parents are just weird,” she said a bit of awkwardness leaving her lips as she said it, did he needed to know that? “I’m trying to go to the common room. I know it’s on the fifth floor, but getting there is confusing when the stairs have changed like five times. Heading down is waaaay easier than going up,” she said with an awkward laugh, tucking a strand of brunette locks behind her ear.

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[tobias charles watkins]

first week of september

The girl before him thanked him, so Toby waved away her gratitude like it was no big deal, his expression softer than a marshmallow. Tobias truly enjoyed feeling helpful or needed, which is why he made such a good big brother. He didn't really know it, but he was always subconsciously looking for people in need like a damn Hufflepuff. For a Ravenclaw, he had many traits of a badger. However, it wasn't often that he got to walk with pretty girls other than Kinsey, so he'd take it. Toby tried to hide the bashful smile, feeling his face heat up, "No, it's honestly not a problem at all... Those staircases are very tricky when you're first gettin' to know them." he told her in the most friend awkward tone he could muster, trying to make her feel better. "You're not alone there. My parents are weird too - which is why I gotta go by 'Toby' instead of 'Tobias' - it's much too formal." Toby shared, they already had a silly common ground.

As the staircase started to move again, he gestured for Ellie to follow him upwards. "How long have you been stranded, Ellie?" Toby couldn't hide the small smile, allowing a laugh to slip from his lips. He could tell that she spent a fair amount of time on the landing by the relief that washed over her girlish features when he agreed to help her. That was actually very cute.

@ellie

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[attr="class","next"] The male that she had run into was very helpful so far, and he just so happened to be in her same house. She had seen him around before, even in some of her classes, but this was the first they talked. He gave off the vibe of being a nice person, and he reflected it now as he awkwardly told her that the staircases were something you had to get used to, that they would get better. She let out a soft laugh, nodding her head and rubbing the back of her neck, “Hopefully. I’ll probably figure them out by the time I graduate,” she added with another awkward laugh that left her lips. It could go either way; she could figure it out by next term or by the time she graduated and no longer needed to understand the way they worked.

She smiled lightly as he said his parents are weird as well, something that made her let out a soft laugh and shook her head. “At least you can shorten yours to something nice. The best I can get is ‘E’ or ‘El’ which is even weirder. But people always assume my name is short for Eleanor or Ellen or something,” she said softly. Finn was also like that; their parents just liked using nicknames for full names instead of allowing them to shorten it to something interesting. She loved them though; they were just a little crazy.

She began following him and let out a soft laugh, brushing a strand of brunette hair behind her ear. “Not long …at least, I don’t think it’s been long.” she said truthfully with a frown appearing on her face. Had it been a few minutes that she was stranded or longer?

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[tobias charles watkins]

first week of september

"Hey, just be glad your name isn't 'Eleanor'. That's a name fit for a little ol' bag lady you see on the tube." he joked in a reassuringly friendly tone, offering a playful shrug and a soft laugh. The chit chat with the stranger was surprisingly easy. Ellie was very sweet, maybe even a bit shy, which would make the two of them.

He listened as the girl pondered how long she had been stranded on the staircases. It didn't seem too long for her until she asked for help. Toby stepped onto the next staircase going upwards, while sharing a bit of advice about the staircases. "One thing to remember about the stairs is to stay on the left side - like driving an automobile - I suppose this would be opposite for you guys since you drive on the right side in America--" he mused with a dorky drone in his voice, before continuing, "A good rule is to stick to the left, and rush to the top or bottom - depending on where you're going - once you get on. There's about thirty seconds until it changes again." Toby shared, his tone friendly and relaxed. He didn't really have anywhere to go, so he was just enjoying the ride with Ellie.

As they started upwards on the new staircase, he stopped suddenly to look down, "Also -- watch for the missing stairs...A.K.A. 'sink stairs'.." he gestured a lazy hand at the one they were approaching right below their feet. "If someone falls in just right...half of their body is stuck, so there's no way out until someone pulls 'em out." he told her, a slightly serious tone there, since it wasn't a fun experience for those students that fell in. Toby had many years ago, and that was the first and last time. "So, skip those stairs...if you could." Toby skipped the stair like he instructed, offering Ellie any assistance if she needed it.

@ellie

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[attr="class","next"] The brunette let out a soft but amused laugh at Toby’s words, nodding her head in agreement. “That is true. Though I think it’s pretty, almost proper,” she said, faking a horrible British accent when she said ‘proper.’ She frowned, “Sorry—still getting used to being around actually Brits that I still make jokes like I did at home…” she said, hoping that she hadn’t offended the guy. Great Ellie, good going, she thought to herself as she bit her bottom lip.

Toby started moving upwards on the staircase, and she followed closely behind, listening as he gave her instructions on how to figure out the horrible contraption on her own. She nodded her head, “Left side and run…seems easy enough.” It seemed easy, but would it be when she tried it? She would likely fuck up the first couple of times, but she was confident she would figure it out…eventually.

“Sink Stairs?” she questioned just as he gestured to one, showing her exactly what he meant. She frowned deeply, now scared of these so-called steps and the consequences of falling into it. Knowing her, she would be that person. She nodded her head, “Totally going to skip those. I’ll be one of those few that fall in…” she said with a bit of an awkward laugh as she brushed a strand of brunette locks from her face.

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[tobias charles watkins]

first week of september

Toby feigned a straight face when she faked a dreadful British accent, quickly stopping herself mid joke. His head cocked to the side, "Oi. Ya think mockin' our pish posh accents for your entertainment is funny, huh?" he asked uncharacteristically gruffly, shooting her a comical offensive look. His serious expression immediately faltered, shooting air out of his nostrils, "I'm just messin' with ya, mate." he laughed.

Ellie seemed to take his information about the stairs to heart, verbally noting the information about sink stairs and sticking to the left. He nodded his head, unable to hide the shy but friendly smile. Ellie was very cute. "Aye, if you stick to those rules you should be good to go. Just watch for the sink stairs because they appear randomly." he told her in a helpful tone. They reached the top of the staircase that she was originally heading to. "Oh, and whatever you do, don't buy an elevator pass if anyone offers you one..." Toby instructed her, unable to hide the smirk from tugging at the corners of his lips before offering more information. "I hear some Hogwarts students are selling elevator passes to lost American kids." Toby chuckled. She definitely fit that role. Unfortunately, the kids that fell for that trick were bloody idiots... if they seriously thought a castle as old as time would have Muggle technology such as an elevator drop, they deserved to be tricked.

@ellie

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[attr="class","next"] ‘Oi. Ya think mockin’ our pish posh accents for your entertainment is funny, huh?’ Ellie’s eyes widened, and her mouth opened and closed like a blubbering fish. However, his expression changed from serious to amused as he told her he was messing around with her, laughing as the words left his lips. Ellie let out a small sigh of relief, placing a hand on her chest. “Oh crap—you made me think that you were pissed at me!” she cried out, a small pout playing at her lips.

She nodded her head, “Yeah—got it no sink stairs and follow the rules, sounds simple enough” she stated just as they reached the landing that had just the door she needed. She turned to him and frowned when he mentioned elevator passes, and she widened them as he said that people were pranking newbies with them and getting away with it. “People actually fall for that?” she questioned, “I haven’t even seen an elevator, so there would be no way I would have fallen for that,” Ilvermorny didn’t even have them, so what made people think that Hogwarts would—didn’t they realize that the wizarding world was behind on its time. “Welp, this is my stop. Thank you so much for helping me Toby,” she said with a smile, “I’ll see you around…?”

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NOTES end on your part?

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[tobias charles watkins]

first week of september

Toby couldn't help but laugh when she awkwardly thought he was mad at her. Sometimes it was nice making the other party awkward, since he was usually the one too awkward to function. He smiled to show Ellie that he was only kidding, laughing along with her. "All good, mate." he reassured her with  a laugh, looking down to watch for any sink stairs. She mentioned have never seen an elevator at Hogwarts and admitting she wouldn't have fallen for that prank, "You'd be surprised." he told her, a laugh slipping past his lips as he scratched the back of his neck. He had almost been one of those kids that bought an elevator pass until Kinsey stopped him. That would have made him feel extremely stupid his first year falling for that one.

As they reached the final step, Toby gave her a polite bow. "No problem at all. If you have any trouble getting around don't hesitate to ask." he assured her with a polite smile that was borderline awkward. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ellie. Have a nice day." Toby told her before turning on his heel and heading back in the direction of the Library.

[END TOBY]
@ellie

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