Peace and quiet?

[Renshaavik Encougne]

Renshaavik walked quickly, his shoulders hunched as if against some phantom wind. He stepped measuredly, neither ambling nor running. Ren (as he was called by all those who knew him) did many things in this way.

Not many students of Hogwarts wanted to go to the Forbidden Forest. In fact, it was generally not a place where students were permitted to go. Ren would probably never dare venture deep within those dark, mammoth trees either, for he had heard gruesome stories about the dark creatures and horrors that could be found deep within. He had been told those who went in never came out. He much preferred to stay on the fringe of the forest, near the smaller, normal-looking trees that overlooked the Hogwarts grounds. Here he felt much safer.

And because no other students came here, it was very quiet, and very peaceful. He often liked to just sit and think and smell the scent of the pine trees. This was only when he wanted to be alone however. He had once tried to convince a couple of friends to accompany him, but naturally they had been to afraid, and skirted the forest's edge as though it were some sort of living monster that would leap forward and swallow them up if they dared venture too close to its leafy maw.

He smiled, remembering the terrified looks on their faces. There really wasn't much to fear on the outer fringes. Besides, the large, burly gamekeeper Hagrid lived not far away within his cabin, which he could see from here, windows lit, a small plume of gray smoke curling up from the brick chimney. He felt much safer with the reassuring presence of Hagrid. Most people didn't like Hagrid much, but Ren enjoyed what he had to tell. Plus, the man was enormous. Not much would care to tussle with such a man. The huge backdrop of the Hogwarts castle behind him, rising up like some craggy, multi-peaked mountain, also gave him a sense of reassurance. He was safe here.

With a small sigh, he sat up against the rough bark of a tree at the fringe of the forest, closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply. A small smile lingered on his face as he soaked up the evening sounds of small creatures calling and rustling in the dim light. He felt his cares of the day being washed away, as he sat there, man and nature, perfectly calm and serene.

[Lillykra Sphynx]

Lillykra brushed the dirt off the back of her pants as she stood up. She was in the heart of the Forbidden Forest, which, she thought, was a silly name to call it. The forest was no more fearsome than a Thestral (although those things did frighten her a bit). She'd been sitting beneath one of the many crazy looking trees, thinking deeply about her life and her friends. She'd been so happy lately... and yet she still felt like there was something missing.

It wasn't too long ago that she and her Muggle boyfriend broke up. For all the time they'd been together, Lillykra was too afraid to admit that she was a witch. What would he think of her then? She was so frightened by his possible answer that she'd never had the courage to tell him. But, to her dismay, he found out anyway. She'd accidentally mentioned something about her schoolwork to him during the summer, and ended up being forced to tell him the entire truth.

She was surprised to hear that he had no problem that she was a witch. What bothered him most, he told her, was the fact that she'd lied all this time. He was too hurt by that to continue on with their relationship. What else had she been lying about? he'd asked her. With tearful farewells the two parted ways. Ever since then Lillykra hadn't been able to stop thinking about him, how he was doing, and what he was up to at the current moment.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she started trudging through the forest. The gnarled trees reminded her of her heart and mind twisted together into some horrible thing. She still loved her ex, but now that he was gone she knew there was nothing she could do about it. She wiped a few tears from her eyes and continued moving. The twigs, branches, and bushes kept scratching up her exposed skin, and already some of those cuts were bleeding.

Lillykra sighed again as she reached the frayed ends of the Forbidden Forest. The trees here were less menacing and much more tree-like. For some reason she always loved the forest, no matter how many rumors were spread about it. None of the creatures within ever bothered an outsider, minus the rude centaurs and their prideful leader. However, through chance circumstances, Lillykra had actually saved one of their kind, thus creating a bond between them that, though weak in appearance, was actually very strong. So, because of that incident, the centaurs had always left Lillykra and her friends alone whenever they went in the woods.

The girl took a deep breath and picked out thorns from her hands. She wasn't bleeding too bad, but it looked as though she'd just been in a slightly horrid battle. Her hair was tangled with twigs here and there, her exposed skin was covered with cuts and bruises, and her hands were very dirty. Lillykra shrugged off these petty thoughts and sat down beneath a pine tree for a moment's rest. After stepping over so many roots and dead stumps, she'd gotten slightly exhausted.

"Sometimes this forest is unbearable," she murmured, her heavy British accent clearly audible in the gloom. "At least the sky is peaceful..."

[Renshaavik Encougne]

Frowning, Ren tilted his head, a slightly quizzical expression marring his former one of peace and tranquility.

Interrupting his quiet resting session, his ears had suddenly picked out an unfamiliar sound amidst the night-time animal sounds. It had begun with an interruption in the small chirps of crickets and the low, quiet sounds of other small creatures. They had paused suddenly, as though something had disturbed them. Then he heard a faint rustling, as though a slightly larger creature was moving through the edge of the forest.

He would have continued on with his thoughts, dismissing it as a natural occurance between animals of the forest, if he hadn't subsequently detected--was it?--Yes, he had heard distinctly, a low, murmuring voice.

Opening his eyes, he turned his head left, then right, searching for the source of this interruption. All he saw were the exaggerated shadows of the trees, elongated by the nearly-set sun casting it's light across the forest's fringe.

He stood, slowly, and stretched. He looked carefully, searchingly, trying to find if there was someone else who perhaps had had the same idea as him and decided to go out for a walk in the Forbidden Forest. (An interesting thought, since not many that he knew of would want to do such a thing...)

[Lillykra Sphynx]

Lillykra froze in her seat and pricked up her ears. She had an impeccable sense of hearing, even though she feared she was going deaf. (Blasting music didn't help.) She looked about her in all directions for the source of the noise. There was the familiar sounds coming from the forest, but there was also the distinct noise of clothes rustling.

She slowly rose to her feet and looked about her again. Then suddenly her eyes caught sight of a silhouetted figure standing nearby. It appeared to be a boy, though the details were shadowed in the setting sun. Slowly Lillykra made her way forward, careful not to crush any twigs or leaves along the way.

As she got closer she could see the boy's messy brown hair and dirty clothes. In comparison, she looked much worse. Then snap! a twig broke in half beneath her foot. Lillykra knew now there was no use in hiding. She was sure that the snapping noise echoed through the trees. She stepped around the boy and stood in front of him.

Wow, he's kind of cute, Lillykra thought immediately. Shocked at her own brain she shook her head slightly.

"Hi," she greeted. "What brings you to the Forbidden Forest on a night like this? Most people are too afraid to enter this place. Who are you? I'm Lillykra. Lillykra Sphynx of Gryffindor."

[Renshaavik Encougne]

Ren suddenly detected movement off to the side from the corner of his eye. He remained standing in the same position, although he tensed his muscles, ready to flee if it was some large, dangerous being that had, for some reason, ventured close to the school grounds.

Then the figure stepped closer, directly in front of him. It was a girl. He relaxed a little. So it was just a student. Apparently he wasn't the only one who came here for some relaxation and silence...Not only this, but it was a girl who was out here, walking around, dirty, scratched and mussed up, with a very matter-of-face and unafraid expression on her face.

She spoke, nonchalantly, introducing herself as a Gryffindor.

He replied, more on instinct and politeness than anything else, "I'm Renshaavik of Hufflepuff, but you can call me Ren; all my friends do. I was just sitting down for a bit of peace and quiet...I didn't think anyone else really came out here."

He smiled, a bit wryly, and continued, "I guess that's a little silly to assume, since it's such a large school, it's just that most people I've known seem to be afraid of the forest for some reason."

[Lillykra Sphynx]

Lillykra chuckled and pushed her hair behind her ears.

"You seem to be afraid to venture inside the forest. It's one thing to just be near it, it's another to actually explore it. My friends are the same way though; they're too afraid to be within twenty feet of here. They'll never understand how wonderful it is," she replied.

She paused for a moment. Her talkativeness always got the best of her whenever she met new people. She'd just ramble on about anything to keep awkward silences from happening. As she sat down on the damp grass she sighed. Coming here alone had its kicks, but she still enjoyed the company of someone else her age.

"Well, you can call me Lilly if you'd like, Ren," Lillykra said as she looked up at him. "Everyone does, except my parents. They absolutely refuse to give me any nicknames. They're such a bore. Anyways, why don't you sit down with me? I don't like feeling so insignificant since you're standing."

[Renshaavik Encougne]

Ren watched her amusedly. This Lillykra (or Lilly as she said) seemed very talkative. They had just met and already she was telling him about herself.

He smiled, holding up his hands as though to signal her to slow down for a moment. "You actually explore the forest? I would never do that! I'd probably get myself lost and be more likely to die of thirst and starvation than anything else."

His eyes sparkled with sudden interest. "Do you think you could take me with you? I'd love to see more of the forest, but any adults or teachers in this school that know the forest would most likely refuse even the thought of exploring the forest, much less show me around."

He sat down, hardly registering her request for him to do so. He liked this girl already. She had actually explored the forest alone and was standing before him cool and collected as though she had gone for a stroll through the park.

"Well Lilly, I'm glad I met you. Even if you won't take me with you, it's still interesting." He tilted his head back as a small breeze drifted through the trees. "I always thought this forest was much more relaxing than terrifying," he murmured. "Looks like I've found someone else who shares my opinion."

[Lillykra Sphynx]

"Taking a liking to me already?" Lillykra answered thoughtfully. "Most times when I meet a person they assume that I'm crazy, only to find out later that their assumptions are true. It's amazing that I've been able to keep this up for so long."

She took a deep breath of the pine scented air and smiled as the breeze played against her cheeks. It felt nice on this midsummer day. Fragmented thoughts of her ex floated through her mind, though she tried to push them away. She hated appearing sad or weak in front of people, especially if she just met them.

"I'd love to take you into the forest," Lillykra continued. "We could go now if you'd like, but it's up to you."

[Renshaavik Encougne]

Ren grinned. "Sure! We can go now if you're willing."

He paused for a second, frowning slightly. "Although you are pretty scratched up already. Perhaps you don't feel like getting yourself even more to add to your collection of scrapes."

Thoughtfully, he added, as he stood once more and brushed the dirt off his jeans, "And I can't see why people wouldn't like you that much. You seem alright to me. To tell you the truth, most people here only want to follow the rules and never do anything else. It's boring sometimes. That's why I like to get out away from them all and have a little breather now and again...

"I mean, don't get me wrong," he added hastily. "I like my friends. Sometimes I wish I could find someone a little more like me though. Somebody I could relate to a little easier. I end up being more friends with the teachers than the students sometimes, just because they actually have very fascinating stories to tell," he admitted, unable to help feeling a little sheepish doing so.

[Lillykra Sphynx]

"Well, don't worry about that," Lillykra replied. "I'm good friends with my teachers as well. I personally think it's a lot more fun to talk to them than it is to my friends. With my group, it's always the same old chatter about boys, clothes, and shopping. Those are subjects I get sick of very quickly, so I sit with my teachers instead and talk with them. My friends never understand why though, which I think is quite amusing. Anyways, I'm talking too much so let's start walking."

She stood up from her spot on the ground and brushed off the back of her pants. Without waiting for Ren, she began climbing over tree roots and dead stumps towards the heart of the Forbidden Forest. The scratches on her skin began to add up, but Lillykra kept her mouth shut and didn't complain one bit. When she was far enough to realize Ren wasn't behind her, she stopped in her tracks and looked back.

"Are you coming Ren?" she called through the trees.

[Renshaavik Encougne]

Ren watched her receding back as Lilly quickly turned and began pushing her way through the underbrush. He watched her absently, his mind off in another world as he contemplated this new person. He liked her quite a bit, and she was definitely quite interesting. Besides, she was showing him the Forbidden Forest!...Oh...She was showing him the forest...

He suddenly realized that he had been standing there watching her dumbly as she continued forwards. She turned to call back to him, shaking him out of his thoughts and back into reality. Ducking his head, he followed her quickly, trying his best not to crash headlong into any trees in the process.

He managed to catch up to her, and he kept up alongside her, following her lead, and interestedly peering around at the sights. The trees grew much larger as they ventured further within the depths of the forest, and became more scattered apart as well.

"So, ehmmm...Where exactly are we going?" he asked, casting a glance at the girl who walked next to him.

[Lillykra Sphynx]

"We're heading to my little hang out," Lillykra answered. "You should see it, it really is quite beautiful. It's surrounded by gnarled trees and dying bushes, dried up leaves litter the floor and the tree roots intertwine with one another like nobody's business. It was the place where the famous Harry Potter had one of his encounters with You-Know-Who. It's beautiful in a frightening way."

The girl smiled thoughtfully as she maneuvered herself between closely aligned trees. To most people, her little hang out was very scary and gruesome. But in her own eyes, the place was absolutely fascinating. A landmark, she liked to think. However, not one of her friends knew about it. She always asked if they'd like to take a look, but they'd been too afraid to take up the offer.

"Have you ever wondered why people still say You-Know-Who instead of You-Know-Who's name?" Lillykra asked curiously. "I mean, he's been dead for two years. You'd think that people would start calling him by his real name by now. Are you scared to say his real name?"

[Renshaavik Encougne]

Ren nodded, allowing Lilly to continue on with the description of her hide out. The site of one of the many famous confrontations between Harry Potter and Voldemort? A little shiver went down his spine. Naturally, the "Dark Lord", as he had been known as to all those who feared him, had been dead for a long while. He had heard it being shouted down the streets the day that Voldemort fell to Harry Potter's true, overwhelming power: love.

To think that something so simple could rid the world of such a hideous evil was what had inspired many people in the years afterwards to rebuild Hogwarts and set about the long process of repairing the minds and thoughts that had been corrupted by the notion of constant fear and constant evil.

Nevertheless, he would be interested to see the place where the two had met. Based on Lilly's description, it didn't sound like a very fabulous place, which is why most students probably wouldn't be very interested at all. But it interested him nevertheless.

"Sounds good," Ren replied, trying to keep a positive attitude, a small smile on his face. He was being friendly, in hopes that Lilly would return the favor. He followed closely, skirting in between two trees and continuing on beside her once more. He did NOT wish to be lost in this forest alone.

[Lillykra Sphynx]

"You haven't answered my question," Lillykra said after a few minutes passed. "I guess the only reason why I say You-Know-Who is so people won't be so weirded out when they're around me, you know? But, you're only one person, how bad is it going to be? Voldemort doesn't scare me. He's dead, though his memory will live on forever."

She stopped abruptly when she felt Ren's presence close in. She chuckled softly to herself and looked at him with a smile.

"Are you scared?" she asked playfully. "Don't want to get lost in here, do you? Well, I quite agree, although I know these woods really well. For you, however, losing your sense of direction would be a fearsome ordeal. There's a lot of creatures in the forest that would scare you. There's the Thestrals, centaurs, ghouls, giants, griffins, hippogriffs, and many more. They don't do anything to you, except the centaurs. They're a prideful race that take their time gazing at stars to determine the future of the school. They used to kill outsiders that came in the forest, except for good old Hagrid. They would've killed me too if I hadn't saved one of their people. But, that's a story for another time. Oh, look, here we are."

She came upon a large opening in the heart of the forest. A splendid place it was, minus the menacing trees and overgrown bushes. With careful maneuvering, Lillykra managed to climb over the tangled tree roots and get to the center of her hang out. She turned around with her arms stretched out wide and a large smile on her dirty, cut up face.

"Welcome to my hangout."

[Renshaavik Encougne]

Ren creased his brow in thought. "Ehhm, I suppose I don't really mind saying Voldemort's name. It has no meaning nowadays. Mostly today I think of saying You-Know-Who as a way of covering up something ugly, like a swear word. His name is so tainted in the minds of so many people, they would prefer not to be reminded of it at all.

And there's always the off-chance that he might not be truly dead. Some of the older people are still very much paranoid about him. And they probably always will be...that's just the huge effect that he had on the people."

He backed off slightly, a little self-conscious, as Lilly laughingly commented on him staying so close to her. He glared at her, a little crossly. "Well, sorry for being concerned with my own well-being. Perhaps I should go skipping off into that patch of bushes over there so I can be gobbled up by a man-eating tree or something. Just because I'm intelligent enough to stay close to my guide doesn't mean I can't hold my own."

He continued to follow her forwards-facing figure, concentrating on a point directly where the back of her neck would be, if it weren't covered by her hair. He tried not to let his eyes wander. He didn't want to be distracted.

And then they were there. He looked around, slightly awed by the quiet majesty that these ancient trees gave off. It was almost a tangible aura. These trees had been around for much longer than he had, and had stood tall during the confrontation between young man and dark sorcerer. He couldn't help but stare a little, his eyes off of Lilly for the time being.