Keeping my thoughts to myself. (Katherine)

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Jacob had many hiding places when he needed them and even though this was a completely new school to him some of the same places were still great for being alone. The kitchens being his number one place to hide way for awhile during a free day and just do what he loved most. Sadly this being a new school meant these were all new house-elves, creatures not used to him being there and for the most part didn’t want him there either. They didn’t outright say it and Jacob assumed they just couldn’t if they even wanted to as it would go against their nature. Yet they weren’t very subtle about it. The library could be another place to be alone but it seemed the students of Hogwarts liked their library even more than those of Ilvermorny.

No, the best place he could find at the moment to get some peace and quiet was near what the school called the black lake. Ilvermorny didn’t really have a lake near by like Hogwarts. His old school was up near the mountains so it was an interesting sight. Jacob liked being alone sometimes for a number of reasons. One was that he wasn’t nervous with no on around. He never understood why but being around people he wasn’t sure of yet always put him on edge, especially girls. The second was that being a natural born legilimens he could read people from a very young age with almost no training. What training he did need was to not hear people’s thoughts or know memories. It wasn’t too hard to keep out of people’s minds but if Jacob wasn’t paying attention he could easily hear what someone was thinking. Even going so far as to answer their thought, which never ended up going well as people would think he was going through their thoughts on purpose.

He was happy just sitting back by the lake and relaxing for a moment, sure he’d rather be in the kitchen but this was nice too.

(open)

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Katherine was hoping to have a moment alone but, alas, those were rare in nature. She had chosen a spot by the Black Lake that she had found peace with many times, but as she headed there now she noticed someone else was already sitting in her spot. She grimaced, almost turning around, before she realized who it was.

Jake.

She took a deep breath in through her nose, concentrating for a moment on making sure her thoughts were completely blocked off, before approaching him. She hadn't really talked to him that much since they came to Hogwarts. They were put in different houses and all, not too mention that they weren't that close to begin with...

But, he was her brother and... well, there really wasn't any other good reason to talk to him. Seeing him though, out there by himself, she felt a short pain in her stomach. She missed Ilvermorny. She missed New York. She missed home.

"Hey," she greeted, softly for Katherine. She took a seat next to him, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She looked over at him, "what brings you out here?" her tone was a little less gentle that time, but she was having a hard time hiding the slight emotion on her face.

Okay, okay. She missed her brother.

@jacob

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It was nice being alone and away from people for while. Sure the kitchen was empty most days besides the house elves but being alone by the lake was a different feeling. There was no worry about staying out of people’s thoughts or the constant nervous feeling he had around people he wasn’t comfortable with yet. Jacob wondered if he’d ever be comfortable around people he didn’t know. Some people made it look so easy but he always found himself worried what they might think, which didn’t help when he could figure out just what they were thinking also.

Jacob had just been relaxing with his eyes closed when he heard a voice say something. He jumped for a moment before looking over and seeing it was Katie. He laughed nervously for a second, “You scared me there.” Jacob replied though his awkward laughs. He hadn’t seen much of his sister since they started going to Hogwarts. It took some adjusting to since they had been in the same house for years back at Ilvermorny. Jacob missed his old school and how things were before, he even missed seeing his sister regularly even if she did just use to avoid him before. Katie sat next to him and asked what brought him out here, being surprisingly more friendly than normal. “Oh, I was just looking for a quiet place for a little bit. There aren’t many places like that in this school now that two different schools are here.” Which was the truth, Hogwarts wasn’t packed but he could only imagine there being less room now that Ilvermorny was here.

“How have you been?” Jacob asked, trying to keep the conversation going and friendly.

@katie

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He jumped at her voice, and she didn't apologize. He said he had scared her, which was obvious. He answered her question, saying that he was just looking for a quiet place. She nodded, she understood that. Especially since both schools were there and the school was busy. She nodded as he spoke, showing she agreed, "I feel like I'm suffocating in there a lot of the time, especially with all the stuffiness from the brits - no pun intended," she added, her voice entirely void of any humor about the situation. She didn't like this place and she didn't like them, it was pretty simple and there was no need to try and cover that up.

He asked how she had been and she shrugged, resting her cheek on her knees, still turned toward him. "Pretty good, I think. Other than having to be here..." she started, "I've been kind of seeing someone in your new house, actually," she admitted. Maybe the two boys had already talked and met, she wasn't sure and a part of her didn't want to get into it... but there she was. "His name is Lance Linley."

@jacob

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For as much as Jacob and Katherine were different they also had a few things in common. They didn’t like the stuffiness of Hogwarts. Either because it had more students than normal with Ilvermorny joining this year or it being unfamiliar and in Jacobs cause just more people he didn’t know or feel comfortable around. Whatever the reason the both of them had come outside to get away from it. “Yeah I don’t blame you. You can’t seem to find any place without running into more people.” Jacob explained, even the place he felt most comfortable which was the kitchen was busier than back at Ilvermorny. He wasn’t sure if Hogwarts was just like that or if it was because of the added people.

Katherine explained she was doing okay even with having to be in Europe. She had made it painfully clear she didn’t want to come here before they moved. He couldn’t totally blame her even if eventually he saw it as at least an interesting trip. It wasn’t their fault the school had been damaged yet everyone had been forced to come to Hogwarts or find their own tutors back home. “Yeah, it’s not totally terrible but... it’s not home.” It didn’t help that everything new added to his discomfort. Katherine had said she had started seeing someone from his house which was news to him but they also hadn’t spend much time together yet that rarely happened before too. She said who it was and Jacob started laughing, he couldn’t help it and knew it would be seen as rude by Katherine. He hadn’t really talked to lance but they had enough classes that he knew about him. “Really? You came all the way to Europe to date the one guy that was from America to begin with?” He joked as he didn’t have any problem with Lance but just found the whole idea hilarious.

@katie

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Jake said he didn't blame her, that you couldn't find anywhere in the castle without running into more people. She knew that Jake liked his space too, for similar and different reasons to why she did. For one, he had the voices in his head which she was sure was not an easy thing to deal with. For two, he was quite shy when it came down to it and all these new people were probably stressing him out. She thought about saying something comforting, how she knew what he was going through, but she didn't. It was hard for her to express things like that, especially to her brother. Instead she just nodded, agreeing with him.

He said it wasn't totally terrible, but it wasn't home, after she made her own similar statement. She sighed, nodding again, "home," she muttered a little. She missed New York so much it almost felt like a real ache in her chest. She missed the lights, the towering buildings, the ferry rides, the parks, the libraries, the museums. She missed Ilvermorny too, of course. It was different enough from Hogwarts to feel an ache for it too.

Jake questioned her coming all the way to Europe just to date a guy from America. She couldn't help the tiny, tiny smile that cracked her lips at that. "To be fair, I already scoped out most of the guys from our school," she had only dated two or three of them, but that didn't mean she didn't notice them. "And don't think I'm only seeing last because he's the 'last American standing'. He's special," she snapped, her voice defensive even though Jake didn't even say anything.

@jacob

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Katherine nodded while he spoke about how it was hard to find a quiet place at Hogwarts. He didn’t need much more than that really, she knew what he meant and it was nice enough to have that with someone. He had friends but not many knew he was a Legilimens by nature, which just left it on more than he would like. He had tried to explain it to a few people but it just made matters worse. He could tell and read that they just thought he was reading their thoughts and memories all the time. Katherine repeated the word home after he spoke about missing it. “I suppose we can go back as soon as schools over, guess we’re lucky to be in our seventh years when all this happened. Just have to spend a year here.” He couldn’t imagine what it would be like for the younger Ilvermorny students. Would it be repaired by next year or would they have to keep coming to Hogwarts.

Jacob stopped laughing as Katherine explained herself and defended her choice of going out with Lance. It was better than the punch he had been expecting. “It’s just funny is all. I guess the word would be ironic.” He laughed just a little bit more before continuing. “I haven’t really met him but I share a few classes with him. Seems nice enough.” Jacob explained before pausing. “So when are you bringing him home to meet mom if he’s that special?” He made a weak attempt at teasing.

@katie

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The full school year was still too long for her liking, but Lance did soften that blow. She was happy to explore this foreign castle with someone she trusted at her side. Someone she hadn't known that long, in all honesty, and if he chose to betray her that would be all too easy. It was a vulnerable place for her to be in but... She didn't want to give it up. "Poor B is going to have to endure much more if -" she passed, noticing her emotions getting less guarded. She locked her brain into place again. "If the school doesn't get fixed and safe again." Of course she meant their school, not here.

He chuckled again and her eyes narrowed. He said it was just ironic that she had found Lance, and she ceased her glare. He said he didn't know him that well, which kind of disappointed her . She would have been interested in another take on Lance. She may have disliked her brother, but he was generally a good person she knew and would be interested what he thought. She brought the glare back at his question, "we're in school, Jake. Can't just bring him to New York for the weekend," she frowned. "And you? Still hiding from girls in broom closets?"

@jacob