Lighthearted Escape [open!]

[Milo Abbott]

(((((Again, don't be intimidated by the length of my first post, they tend to shrink down to two-three. You get what you give! Jump on in!)))

“Mr. Abbott, you get back here at once! Detention! Detention! 200 points from Hufflepuff! MR. ABBOTT!!!!”

Milo’s chest heaved as he ran at full sprint, laughing as he went with the Charms Professor hot on his trail. Milo had managed to switch wands, replacing the Professors ancient and charming 10 inch maple, with a replica that when used can only produced rotten egg salad. Needless to say the Charm’s classroom wreaked and the smell was now floating into the hall. Milo would have potentially gotten away with it, too, had he not been the one student to burst into laughter. This was always a dead giveaway on guilt. The muggleborn Badger slid around a corner and reached the Statue of Gregory the Smarmy. Tickling it’s foot, the statue swung open just long enough to Milo to disappear within it’s passageway.

These secret hallways, rooms and passages were something Milo discovered in his second year at Hogwarts. They were great in a pinch and allowed him to avoid using his other gift: metamorphmagus. It wasn’t as if Milo was embarrassed of his special talent, after all he was born that way he simply couldn’t help it. It was more that if people found out he was one, all they’d want from him was to see him turn into this person, or grow orange dreadlocks, or have an elephants nose. Truthfully his body only changed in dire situations to avoid trouble, or to avoid terrible boredom.

The 5th yr jumped down over three stairs within the drafty dampy passageway and reached a dead end. Clearing his throat and rolling the sleeves up of his fairly ugly brown and yellow argyle sweater (a personal favorite of his), Mr. Abbott placed his palms against the cold surface of the brick wall and pushed. A creaking sound was omitted and light shined into the tunnel. Milo Abbott now stood behind a very tall bush just outside the main court yard. His eyes brown eyes darted around to make sure there was no sign of his Charms Professor, before he closed the passageway and stepped from behind the bushes.

Welll…not stepped as so much fell. Not fell as much as he did tumble from the bushes, leg getting caught in a small branch, Milo fell face first. Letting out a loud groan, he rolled over and grabbed his leg pulling hard. His leg was released and he stood up, brushing off his ugly sweater and pulling leaves out of his unkempt brown hair. The boy looked around once more. No women in sight.

“Phew”

It seemed unusually empty in the court yards today, as on a beautiful day of 65 and sunny the place was usually teeming with couples snogging on benches. Today however, lucky for Milo, he was spared witnessing tonsil hockey and seemed to have the place all to himself. Walking between some tall hedges to a small rose garden, Milo jumped onto a cement bench and lay himself down, back against the cement top. He took in a deep breath and enjoyed the silence before the young Scotsman broke into song.

“I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts’ deedaleedee, there they are standing in a row bumbumbum.”

[Pandora Sun]

Pandora closed her chocolate brown eyes and lifted her face to the clear blue sky. Even though the sun brought the freckles on her cheeks and nose out more, she didn't care, the warm glow she felt on her skin was so lovely. It was usually this hot, but it was a nice change from the typical english weather.

She was surprised to see that hardly anyone was out, it made her glad. Feeling relieved that there was no people to run into made her feel guilty, this was her year to make friends after all, she'd promised herself she would.

Pandora opened her eyes and found herself entering the courtyard. Again, no people around. And this was usually couple hell! She hated being somewhere where there were people lip locking, it reminded her that she was 17 and never had so much of a kiss with a boy. The thought brought gloom to her face.

Seeing as there was no one around she decided to let her passion run free and sun into dance. She loved ballet, she'd danced pretty much before she could walk properly. Her gracefully movements flowed beautifully and conveyed her emotion as if it were an expression on her face.

Pandora soon froze, standing on one leg with one arm outstretched in front of her and the other behind as the silence was broken by a crash, followed by the snapping of twigs. She paused and stared over at the wall of bushes and a young boy tumbled out of it. She stared at him with disbelief and he soon began to sing.

[Milo Abbott]

Milo continued his song, closing his eyes and letting his feet dangle off the side of the bench, moving to the imaginary beat in his head. At this point he was totally unaware that he was not alone in the courtyard, although he did hear the slight rumble of Loxley nearby. Loxley was a cat he brought with him from his farm in Fife, and although the cat spent most of its life feral, he had proved an excellent messenger. Loxley fetched like no cat before, and was often more efficient than the owls the school provided. How the cat slipped in and out of Hogwarts so quickly was a mystery to Milo.

Loxley had to have weighed at least 28 lbs, with scraggly grey and black hair. He walked sort of side to the side, instead of straight forward, due to a lazy eye. Milo was very fond of his odd cat, but was often embarrassed by him for the pure reason that Loxley had a habit of killing other students pets and bringing them to Milo as gifts. The cat would often parade around with some poor boys toad, or some girls brand new owl in his mouth, a little trail of blood dripping behind him. It was fairly horrifying and hard to explain. Milo felt the rub of his cat against his right foot and opened his eyes, leaning up to look at the cat. Low and behold, it held a rat tight in its mouth.

“Oh Lox for heavens sake…” Milo said with a gruff pulling on the rat, “Please tell me this isn’t a students pet. Oh please, please..”

Loxley let out a meow and sauntered left and away from Milo. He continued to meow, but Milo was too preoccupied with the dead rodent to notice Loxley rubbing himself against the girl that was standing there watching them. Milo turned the rat over in his hands once or twice before deciding it was too dirty to be a pet and picked it up by it’s tail. He began to stand in preparation of disposing of the dead animal when he noticed the girl. Milo froze. His first thought was, Perhaps if I stand perfectly still she won’t notice me. After about a minute of silence, and after realizing he was still holding the dead rat swinging by it’s tail, Milo cleared his throat and stuttered out.

“Oh…um..hel-hello I didn’t –erm- see you there. Sorry…” He attempted a smile and his face seemed to take shape of a grimace instead. Milo lifted the dead animal in her direction, ‘This isn’t your rat, is it?”

[Pandora Sun]

Pandora simpled gazed at the boy, wondering if someone had used an invisiblity spell on her, again.. 3rd year, she didn't like to remember it. Although she was still staring she moved her arms and legs self conciously into a normal standing position. Her eyes fell to the bushes were a rather abnormal cat came trotting awkwardly with a rat in it's jaws. It reminded her of Pumpkin, he was always bringing dead animals to her.

Her mouth curved into a smile at his comment, she'd never even thought of that when her ginger tabby had brought her rats! She felt rather bad, now, but also found it quite amusing. Her face soon became a little confused as the young hufflepuff just swung the rat round by it's tale. But her eyes fell once more on the cat that was approaching her.

She reached out her hand out and let the cat rub his nose against it before she began stroking him. His fur was rough and scruffy, but it didn't stop her from touching the creature. He was a little strange looking, but it kind of made him cute. She soon froze as the silence was broken and the boy spoke.

"..I..uh, most people do." She replied, flashing him a nervous smile. She wasn't very good at talking to people, most of them seemed to ignore her. Her smile became more relaxed as he sent her a question amused her once more.

"No, I have a cat." She stated, her gaze falling to the cat as she began to play with it. Her cat looked a bit younger than this, probably because he had short hair that she brushed quite regularly.