Fleeing to the Forest

It was nearing nightfall when Amelia reached the edge of the forbidden forest, and the shadows of the trees were long across the grounds. There was a distinct chill in the air, one that made Amelia’s cheeks turn pink and her fingers cramp up as they got colder, even from within her gloves. Over one shoulder, Amelia was carrying her book bag, still filled from the library, where she had been just prior to this.

Although Amelia was not usually one to leave the library any earlier than she had intended when she arrived, there were certain circumstances that encouraged her to leave the bookish confines. A gaggle of giggling fourth years taking up residence at the table next to hers and all simultaneously trying to get the attention of a boy at a table several meters away was once such circumstance. Amelia had only tolerated this interruption for a grand total of three minutes before she rolled her eyes heavily and packed up her things, annoyed at having to leave the one place in the castle that was supposed to be quiet, all because of noise.

The forest, however, promised to be silent, or at the very least free of giggling girls. It was not one of Amelia’s frequent haunts, but she was not afraid of what lay behind the bank of trees that marked the edge, and thus she did not hesitate to step into the forest and disappear beneath the canopy, the shadows swallowing her easily.

25 meters or so inside the forest edge, Amelia came to a clearing that she had used before as an escape. There was a wide, circular space of ground – covered with leaves but thankfully not yet with snow – and a fallen tree that served well as a place to sit. When Amelia collapsed onto the dead tree, she let her bag fall down on the ground beside her, exhaling and taking pleasure in the fact that her sigh was the only thing she could hear.

Reaching into her bag, Amelia pulled out a jar that had once held potions ingredients, but was now empty. Taking her wand from the waistband of her jeans, she cast the charm for bluebell flames into the empty jar, making it glow bright with everlasting and non-destructive fire that illuminated Amelia and the space around her.

Carefully, Amelia set the jar down next to her and reached into her bag again, this time to reach for the charms book she had been reading before she was forced to remove herself from the library. Settling herself against a still-standing tree that was behind the log, Amelia began to read again from where she had left off, hearing nothing but the occasional sound of a page being turned or the spark of a flame from the jar beside her.

((Cue Topher))

It was a cold evening, yet that was what Topher enjoyed the most, one where you could see your own breath, but it wasn't loose any limbs cold. The air was very clear, and sky bright, what Topher considered to be a beautiful evening, but he could find beauty in any situation. Topher carried a light load with him tonight, his wand, and the clothing on his back, there was, indeed, no need for anything at this moment.

Topher had gone to the forest to escape the stress of being a student at Hogwarts, with all of the classes, and the drama, and, well, he just had troubles with being confined, he had to wander, it was just one of his traits. As he explored the forest that rarely anyone but himself went to, he noticed a glow ahead of him. As he got closer, he noticed a pretty girl sitting on a log reading a book.

"That's a pretty light that you have there," Topher said as he walked over and sat down on the a few feet from her, "the name is Topher," he said with his classic grin.

(ughh..i suck at this compared to you lol)

Amelia sat in complete silence for nearly 30 minutes, kept warm by the heat thrown off from the fire sitting next to her. Even if she had been cold, she likely wouldn't have noticed, so wrapped up was she in her charms reading. When Amelia read, it was like being in a different world. This happened with textbooks, novels, muggle literature, even fairy tales. She stepped out of herself and wherever she was, which likely contributed to her only ever having to read something once to remember it.

It also probably contributed, however, to the fact that she hadn't heard the approaching footsteps coming toward her clearing, and she didn't even process that she was no longer alone until she heard a voice from only a meter or so away, which made Amelia's head snap up rigidly to look for the source of the sound, while one hand flew to her wand in surprise.

She had her wand raised at the intruder before he could finish his first few words, but that didn't seem to stop his introduction at all. Amelia narrowed her eyes at the boy who, without invitation, had decided to sit on the same fallen tree that she had chosen as her perch. She had seen the boy before, but didn't remember his name until he said it. He was grinning, but Amelia was not. Instead, she was doing something that more closely resembled a scowl.

"And that is a very bold assumption you just made," Amelia retorted snarkily, referring to the fact that he had assumed she wanted company and that he could invade her personal space by sitting next to her although she had not made any invitation for him to do so.

"What are you doing here?" Amelia continued, not hiding her annoyance very well at all. She had come into the forest to avoid people, and yet here was Topher, a boy she had never met, taking the gumption to not only greet her but make himself comfortable, as though he intended to linger. Either the boy hadn't heard any of the talk about her, or he was one of those that thought he could change her, break through the icy exterior to the warm, gooey center or whatever it was these people thought resided within her.

Been there, done that... Amelia's subconscious added, And definitely not worth a repeat visit.