|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Jul 31, 2019 22:08:29 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2019 22:08:29 GMT -7
February 3, 2025 It was a Monday evening, and Zeke was getting back into the swing of being in school after the winter break. While he had enjoyed his time off—save for the news of the dragons in Hogsmeade and Azkaban's destruction. So far, they were a month into the new semester, and no fugitives of the law had broken into Hogwarts yet, so things seemed to be pretty okay.
He was on his way out of the Great Hall from dinner when, as he was exiting the room, he accidentally bumped into a much shorter Gryffindor girl whom he vaguely recognized, although he didn't think that he had spoken to her before. He didn't think that she was in his year, anyway, nor did he recognize her from Ilvermorny.
"Sorry," he apologized quickly. "Didn't mean to run into you!"
@jessiemeadows
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Jul 31, 2019 22:28:24 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2019 22:28:24 GMT -7
Jessie's tiny feet pitter-pattered against the stone floors. "Shoot...I'm gonna miss dinner," she mumbled to herself, after catching a glance at her Muggle watch. She wasn't necessarily running--but if there was a speed limit on walking, she would be receiving a hefty fine for speeding. She giggled at the thought of a law enforcement agency committed to catching speed-walkers.
Just as she had remembered that hall monitors did in fact exist to catch people running in the halls, her head clunked into someone's chest. "Oof," Jessie let out, as her breath left her momentarily.
"It's...okay," she breathed, as her lungs gathered more air. "It happens a lot, I'm quite small," she gave him a quick smile to ensure him that all was well. Once her head cleared up from the collision, something about him struck her with familiarity. "Are..are you from Georgia? Your accent seems so familiar."
@ezekiel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Jul 31, 2019 22:45:52 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2019 22:45:52 GMT -7
February 3, 2025 The girl didn't seem to be too bothered by his having run into her, short though she was. That she wasn't angry with him for having collided with her, though, wasn't what struck Zeke about the girl; it was how she said it. She was an American, without a doubt. Even more, she sounded Southern.
She seemed to have heard his accent, too, picking up on it more acutely than he had picked up on hers. "Are… are you from Georgia? Your accent seems so familiar."
Zeke laughed, nodding. "Damn," he grinned at her. She was good, and what were the chances? He just happened to run into someone he'd never met, and she immediately pegged his accent as being from Georgia? "Don't tell me you're from Atlanta, too, now," he teased her. That would be a coincidence.
@jessiemeadows
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 1, 2019 10:33:12 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2019 10:33:12 GMT -7
His grin triggered her own. "Damn," he said. Well if she wasn't sure of his accent, she was now. There's a certain way that southerners say the word 'damn', and it was unmistakable that he was from Atlanta. "Don't tell me you're from Atlanta, too, now," he teased.
A small pang hit her heart, as his accent making her yearn for her family. She missed them dearly. It wasn't often that she was around those who reminded her so much of home. Jessie didn't dwell on it however, and mentally cast the sad thoughts aside.
She was becoming giddy off of his cheery attitude, and it spurred her on. "Not quite," Jessie began, fixing her hair from their collision. "I'm from Hiawassee, just north of Atlanta. But my mother would take me to Atlanta for concerts and stuff sometimes. I'm sure we stuck out like sore thumbs though. Our small town didn't what fashion was."
@ezekiel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 1, 2019 12:01:48 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2019 12:01:48 GMT -7
The girl he had run into wasn’t from Atlanta, she informed him. Admittedly, Zeke was sort of relieved by that. How weird would it have been to run into a girl he’d never met who happened to be from his hometown in the United States while they were all the way at Hogwarts? “I'm from Hiawassee, just north of Atlanta. But my mother would take me to Atlanta for concerts and stuff sometimes,” she explained to him. She added that they must have stuck out like sore thumbs in Atlanta, though, because her town didn’t know what fashion was.
“Nice,” Zeke chuckled as she made that jab. He’d grown up in the suburbs, so going into the city itself had still been exciting for him. He was glad that he wasn’t from out in the middle of nowhere, though; that had to have been rough. “Wait… Are we talking No-Maj fashion or magical fashion?” he questioned. He had seen wizards who didn’t know the next thing about how to dress non-magically, though he didn’t think that he had ever run into any wizards in Atlanta at random. If he had, he hadn’t known it.
@jessiemeadows
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 1, 2019 19:35:15 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2019 19:35:15 GMT -7
An even wider grin split across her face as he chuckled. “Wait… Are we talking No-Maj fashion or magical fashion?” he questioned. SHe gave it thought for a moment, as she pursed her lips. "Well.. I don't know of any witches or wizards from my town. I'm the only one, as far as I know. I'm muggleborn, you see," she explained.
"But yes, Muggle fashion was a struggle for someone from a small, country town." She ended the sentence with an airy laugh, thinking back to her gaucho days.
With a start, she slammed her hand to her head. "Oh rats, where are my manners? I'm Jessie, by the way, Jessie Meadows," she said, retracting her hand from her forehead in order to offer it to him.
@ezekiel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 1, 2019 19:46:21 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2019 19:46:21 GMT -7
The girl clarified that she didn't know any witches or wizards from her hometown. As far as she knew, she was the only one; she was Muggle-born, she said. "But yes, Muggle fashion was a struggle for someone from a small, country town."
Zeke nodded, though he was slightly amused when the girl used the term "Muggle" rather than the more American term "No-Maj". The British kids really must have rubbed off on her, he thought to himself.
He watched as the girl put her palm up to her forehead, asking herself where her manners were. "I'm Jessie, by the way, Jessie Meadows."
The name didn't ring a bell to him, but Zeke shook Jessie's hand. "Zeke Walker," he introduced himself. He was only really called "Ezekiel" during attendance or when his parents were exceptionally angry with him for something. "What House were you in at Ilvermorny?" How hadn't they met before?
@jessiemeadows
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 1, 2019 20:16:43 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2019 20:16:43 GMT -7
She smiled at the sound of his name. It was so american. It comforted her, just the slightest.
As her hand fell back to her side, Jessie gave him a bashful smile. "Oh yeah, I guess my use of 'Muggle' probably caught you off guard. I was supposed to go to Ilvermorny. My parents requested I attend Hogwarts instead. My sisters didn't take too kindly to me being a witch, so they figured distance would stitch everything back up," she let out a nervous breath, stopping herself before she babbled her whole life story to him.
"But enough about me, what house are you in?" She tried to look at his uniform in order to gauge which house he was sorted into. Despite the students being here for an extended period time, she was still struggling to identify the trademarks for the Ilvermorny houses. She was a Hogwarts student through and through.
@ezekiel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 1, 2019 20:48:39 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2019 20:48:39 GMT -7
“Oh yeah, I guess my use of 'Muggle' probably caught you off guard,” Jessie realized. “I was supposed to go to Ilvermorny. My parents requested I attend Hogwarts instead. My sisters didn't take too kindly to me being a witch, so they figured distance would stitch everything back up.”
That explained a lot, Zeke thought, but he felt bad that Jessie had been forced to go all the way to Hogwarts just because her sisters weren’t alright with her being a witch. She was still the same person that she had been before. He couldn’t imagine what it would have been like to have a family who wasn’t supportive of his being a wizard. He felt bad that his little sister wouldn’t get the same experience.
“But enough about me, what house are you in?”
“I’m in Hufflepuff,” Zeke told her, “but I was in Pukwudgie back at Ilvermorny.” That probably didn’t mean a whole lot to her, though, if she had been at Hogwarts this whole time. “I’m sorry about your sisters, though, Jessie. That sucks. My family isn’t magical, either, but they’ve never really had a problem with it.” His mother, being that she was a teacher, had been primarily concerned about whether or not he would still get a good education at a boarding school for magical children.
@jessiemeadows
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 2, 2019 20:36:03 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2019 20:36:03 GMT -7
“I’m sorry about your sisters, though, Jessie. That sucks. My family isn’t magical, either, but they’ve never really had a problem with it," he said. Wow..she thought to herself. Hufflepuff suits him. "Oh, don't apologize, it's not your fault. And to be right honest with you, I think I fit in better here." She allowed herself a small moment to be jealous of his accepting family, before brushing off the green-eyed monster. She had plenty of friends to make up for lack of family.
Jessie glanced back towards the dining hall, noticing as the number of students within were starting to dwindle. "So, I know you just came from dinner, but I need to grab some myself. Would you like to join me? That is, if you don't have any other plans for the next half hour?"
She offered him a small grin, as if to persuade him into joining her. Jessie immensely enjoyed talking to Zeke. He was kind. That was something she valued quite a bit. Besides, there was no telling when the Ilvermorny students would be leaving, so she might as well make as many new friends as possible.
@ezekiel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 3, 2019 6:32:41 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2019 6:32:41 GMT -7
February 3, 2025 "Oh, don't apologize," Jessie told him. "It's not your fault. And to be right honest with you, I think I fit in better here."
Zeke nodded. Hogwarts and Ilvermorny absolutely had different vibes, so he could understand that. He had never really had to think about what the other magical schools around the world were like, because he had gone to Ilvermorny and been under the assumption that that would remain the only school for witches and wizards that he would ever see. Yet it felt as though the whole world had descended upon Hogwarts, by that point.
Jessie looked over at the people who were still eating their dinner in the Great Hall. "So, I know you just came from dinner, but I need to grab some myself," she said. "Would you like to join me? That is, if you don't have any other plans for the next half hour?"
She smiled, probably in an attempt to convince him not to run off to go do homework or something, but Zeke was already unbothered by the thought of sticking around. Now that his applications for his (hopefully) future career in magical law enforcement were in, he had taken some of the pressure off of himself to spend so much time on his schoolwork. Although Eli probably wouldn't have minded if he had decided to, he wasn't slacking. He was merely reminding himself that there was a life outside of schoolwork and that that was the last semester that he would have to enjoy it.
"Sure, yeah," he replied, smiling back at Jessie. "I don't mind." Zeke turned, moving to walk back in the direction from which he had come.
@jessiemeadows
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 4, 2019 20:34:05 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2019 20:34:05 GMT -7
As if on cue, Jessie's tummy grumbled with hunger. She found her self falling in behind his step, until they sat down at the nearest table. Much to her joy, the tables were still stocked with plenty of food. It always amazed her how amazing the food was. That's a lot considering she grew up with Southern styled dinners.While piling her plate high with roasted chicken, boiled potatoes, and other delicious foods, Jessie asked him, "So, are you enjoying Hogwarts? Or are you dying to go back to the States?"
As she dug into her food, Jessie imagined the Ilvermorny students were positively homesick for their own school. She certainly would be, if their roles were reversed. Knowing how much she missed Hogwarts during the summer, she'd be horrified if she had to transfer to another school for the term. Wizarding schools were supposed to be a home away from the home.
@ezekiel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 5, 2019 0:23:50 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2019 0:23:50 GMT -7
February 3, 2025 The two of them walked back to the tables and sat down. Zeke wasn't too concerned with which one of the Houses' tables they were seated at, and it didn't appear that Jessie cared much about it, either. There was still more than enough food remaining from dinner, and Zeke waited as Jessie began to help herself to what was there.
"So, are you enjoying Hogwarts? Or are you dying to go back to the States?" she asked him.
For Zeke, he guessed that it was probably easier that he was in his last year of school regardless. While Ilvermorny would always be his school and he did worry about whether or not its students would be able to go back for the next school year, it also didn't affect him as much. He would be graduated, in any case, moving on to other things in life. "I mean, this is my seventh year, so it's sort of like study abroad or something," Zeke explained. At least in his mind, he didn't see a reason to dislike Hogwarts. He missed his family, but he would get to see them again soon enough. "I know some of the other Ilvermorny kids talk about this place like it's a prison or whatever," he acknowledged, "but I don't think it's that bad. It's just different from what we're used to."
@jessiemeadows
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 6, 2019 19:17:37 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2019 19:17:37 GMT -7
"I know some of the other Ilvermorny kids talk about this place like it's a prison or whatever," he acknowledged, "but I don't think it's that bad. It's just different from what we're used to." Jessie grimaced at hearing Hogwarts and prison in the same sentence. Though, she was almost certain she would feel the same way if she were stuck at a different school. She took a sip of pumpkin juice and nodded. "I can understand it feeling like a prison sentence, in a way. Everyone looks forward to going back to school with all their friends, I reckon."
She certainly did. Every summer day she spent back in the States were filled with watching the days dwindle down until the school term was about to start back again. "I am glad, though, that you seem to find it alright," she said, tossing him a kind smile before taking another bite of food.
When she finished chewing that bite, she looked back at him, "What year are you? Certainly we've had classes together before?"
@ezekiel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online May 19, 2024 3:53:48 GMT -7
|
|
|
Aug 8, 2019 10:13:59 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2019 10:13:59 GMT -7
February 3, 2025 Although Zeke wasn't of the same mind about the British wizarding school as some of his peers, he understood their frustrations. They were thousands of miles from their homes and Ilvermorny, and Hogwarts was different from the school that they knew. He understood why it was difficult for some of them and why they were so resistant to the change, especially with how suddenly it had happened. He didn't see why those who weren't such fans of being at Hogwarts had to be so rude to the Hogwarts students and teachers, though. It wasn't their fault that they couldn't be at Ilvermorny.
Jessie, despite being a Hogwarts student and never having gone to Ilvermorny like most other magical Americans, seemed to get it, too. "I can understand it feeling like a prison sentence, in a way. Everyone looks forward to going back to school with all their friends, I reckon."
Zeke nodded. That was probably part of it, too. Not everyone from Ilvermorny had come over to Hogwarts, and it was strange not to have them around.
"I am glad, though, that you seem to find it alright," Jessie told him.
It could have been much worse than it was, and the trauma that the Hogwarts students seemed to have been through over the years was proof of that. They, as Ilvermorny transfer students, might have been temporarily moved away from their school, but it wasn't permanent, and they would get to see their friends and family members who had stayed behind. At Hogwarts, people had been killed. Zeke thought about that occasionally, but he also figured that the entire student body would know if there was anything weird happening anymore; the castle's security was tight. "It's not so bad, you know?"
"What year are you? Certainly we've had classes together before?"
"I'm in my seventh year," he repeated, though his tone didn't give away the fact that he was telling her what he had only just said. Although he had just said it, maybe she hadn't caught it when he'd said it before? Zeke wasn't sure. He also didn't think that he'd seen Jessie in any of his classes before, but that could have been explained by her simply taking a different set of subjects than what he was taking. Either that, or she was in the year below his; she didn't seem as though she was much younger than that. "You?"
@jessiemeadows
|
|
|
|