On The Rocks [FINISHED]

[Anthony Culver Goldstein]

Anthony figured that her father, unlike Lorena herself, was the typical Slytherin... Ambition with no boundaries, including murder. Alright, maybe that was a little bit of a stretch when he considered his classmates, but some of them would be like that when they grew up. He was certain of it. He just looked at Lorena, thinking about how awful her childhood had to have been, living with people that she was afraid of for all of these years. She had just a few left before she was an adult by wizarding standards, and she could finally be out on her own.

“And when you turn seventeen, will you be able to cut them out of your life?” He meant both if she would be able to part from them or if her father would track her down, and also if she was emotionally able to separate herself from them. On some level, she probably still loved them because they were her parents.

As he held her, he felt the need to protect her, a resolve that was hardening in his heart. Even if they would draw odd looks if anyone found them this way, he couldn't help but hold onto the moment. He did not think that he was ready to take on actual Death Eaters, of course, but he wanted her to feel safe. One day, maybe he would be trained and strong enough to protect not only her but all of his friends. School was not a big, dangerous place... but they had their futures ahead of them, and who knew what that would bring?

He thought about her words. “Well, maybe it won't be like that when you're faced with that situation again. If they found out about Raine, and had her in a room ready to do away with her, would you stand there and let it happen? Or do you think that you would do everything that you could to save her life?” He wasn't trying to put a lot of pressure onto her, but trying to get her to realize that it would be a different set of circumstances than just a small child watching her much more powerful and persuasive parents do whatever they pleased. “I feel like you are the sort of person that would do their best to stop it. Maybe your avoiding people is an extension of that... But if it benefited them, they would probably kill her even if you didn't know her.” Like Death Eaters proving their loyalty or some other rubbish.

“Hmm, I don't know either,” Anthony said with a teasing smile on his face. Her compliments to him made him reflect on himself now. He didn't think that there was much interesting about him. He was a rather boring person, sticking to studies instead of partying or doing things that other people his age were. “You must be seeing something that no one else does, like I do with you.” He was not sure how to respond to the last part of her statement, and was rather embarrassed. He laughed a bit nervously. “How I carry myself? How do you mean?”

[Lorena Angela Scott]

love is a dangerous game

It was funny, Lorena knew she belonged in Slytherin for a reason. Besides, her whole situation with her parents, she had goals in life and did whatever in her power to achieve them. However, she knew deep in her heart and soul that she would never, ever kill someone to achieve one of her goals. It just wasn't in her nature, unlike her parents. She didn't understand how it was possible for people to be able to murder others without feeling anything at all. No remorse, no guilt, no sadness; nothing. She just couldn't fathom it. However, she knew those were who her parents were and she was pretty sure some people in her house would turn out the same way if they continued to act how they did.

Will she be able to cut her parents out of her life once she turned seventeen? Lorena didn't know. She wanted to be believe that she could, but she doubted herself. She wouldn't be shocked if her parents tried to track her down once she tried to cut ties with them. They went to extreme measures to keep Lorena on their short leash, so it wouldn't surprise her at all. Still, Lorena also had another side of her that knew that she had to prepare for anything once she actually made the decision to leave her parents behind. She knew she wanted to do it and she knew it wouldn't be easy, but she still didn't know how she would react once the time came. So, she answered honestly.

"I don't know." She whispered. "I've been planning on how I would do it and how I would try to avoid and protect myself from anything they throw at me, but I'm still worried that I'll fail and they'll just bring me back and try to control me again." Lorena couldn't but help but feel a little embarrassed admitting this to Anthony. On the outside, she presented herself as this confident and strong person, but on the inside, she was the opposite when it came to her parents. She became less confident in her abilities, despite being a bright witch, and extremely insecure. Whenever she was around her parents, she felt like she was beneath even the lowest of scum. She felt like everything she did was wrong and she always disappointed them no matter what she did and she was letting it show by what she was telling the Ravenclaw. She couldn't even really look him in the eye from being so ashamed. She didn't want anyone to see her so weak, yet her Anthony was, seeing her for what she thought she really was: a coward.

Lorena grew uneasy at the thought of Lexie being at the mercy of her parents. Of course her parents would kill Lexie just for the mere fact that she was muggle-born, even if she didn't have any association with Lorena. Still, would Lorena help? Well, she already knew the answer to that. The mere thought of something horrible happening to her best friend made Lorena so angry to the point where she would fight anyone that harmed the Hufflepuff, and she knew that included her parents if that situation ever occurred.

"I wouldn't let them touch her." Lorena responded, her blood starting to boil at the image in her head of her parents hurting her best friend. "She's one of my best friends and if I have to give my life to save her... then so be it, even if it means going against my parents. I'd be scared and I'd probably be a nervous wreck, but I don't want anything happening to her and just thinking about it... it hurts me."

Lorena caught his teasing smile and couldn't help but smile bashfully before nudging him playfully with her shoulder. It was nice to be able to talk with someone and to have that person be so... open. Lorena didn't feel judged at all by the Ravenclaw and it relieving. She honestly thought he would bolt out of once he heard about her murderous family, but he stayed and continued to comfort her, which made her happy. He was making her happy, happier than she had been in a long time and she couldn't help but feel a bit giddy that he was trying to get to know her. She never felt like she was worth getting to know, but Anthony was making her feel maybe she was worth it, just maybe.

"Well, though I may not look like it, I'm a very observant person and I can't help but notice you." Lorena almost slapped herself for admitting that. Why would she tell him that? It made her sound like a stalker or some weirdo that just watched him during class, which was not true. She got the great grades she had for a reason, but when she was able to see him in the great hall or any other place around school, she couldn't help but notice him. He spoke in such a way that many students didn't. He was modest, but from what Lorena could tell, it wasn't like he was saying he wasn't smart or incapable of doing something for attention. Like those Quidditch players who would say they weren't good at Quidditch after just showing off how good they actually were for attention. Anthony was just Anthony and maybe that wasn't anything extremely noticeable to other people, but Lorena couldn't but notice.

Lorena raised an eyebrow at Anthony when he questioned what she meant. Was it not obvious? "What do you mean what do I mean? I like the way you hold yourself." She repeated like it was obvious. "For example, the way you speak. You speak so well and proper, but at the same time, you don't make other feels like they are inferior to you by the way you speak. Also, you are extremely intelligent, but you don't show it off like many Ravenclaws do. Um, no offence." Lorena hoped she didn't offend him by her comment about his house. She didn't think all Ravenclaws were stuck up, but she just so happened to met a lot of them that preferred to show of their intelligence and it was annoying. Still, Lorena continued.

"You're also very friendly, but I don't think you let people walk all over you. You're honest and you know who you are. You carry yourself knowing exactly who you are and not letting anyone change that, despite how they think... It's very admirable." When Lorena finished, she couldn't help but look down from embarrassment. She didn't know how he was going to take her comments, but she did know that she was glad she got them off her chest. She was glad she was able to find someone she could be honest with, for once, besides Lexie. Anthony just seemed like a person she could learn to trust with all her heart. Sure, as of now, she still had some doubts and worries, but he was slowly removing them. It just felt like he was saying all the right things to earn Lorena's trust, so she just hoped she wasn't wrong with opening up to him.

AnthonyxLorena

Anthony Culver Goldstein

ψ

[Anthony Culver Goldstein]

, being a half-blood, couldn't help but think about old muggle movies involving rescuing someone who was in a istuation like hers. If life were easy like those movies, he could make himself into bait, letting her parents try to kill him and leading to their arrest from magical law enforcement waiting in the shadows. But there was so much wrong with that. He could die before they got enough proof that her parents were actually capable of that. Just getting the aurors to believe that they had a shot at taking out two likely Death Eaters would be hard. Especially when it was a fifteen year old boy telling them so. No, if they were going to get caught, more likely than not, someone else would have to die. And the likelihood of her parents slipping up and doing something where others could see was quite low.

“Well... What sort of a plan do you have so far?” Anthony asked. He wondered if she really had been planning, or just hoping that one day she would get her escape. He decided that if she was willing to keep him in her life, he was going to try to get stronger and work his way to protecting her. He would have done that for anyone who was in need of help, it was what his parents had always taught him. But Lorena had to let him try, first. He couldn't force his way into her life, and declare himself her protector. That was medieval behavior and took away her choices. She had enough people trying to control her life. If she had a plan, he could help her with it, and they could come up with a solution together. That was much more appealing.

He found emotions swirling in him that he wasn't quite used to, and one of them was quite like pride. He was proud of her for knowing that she could challenge her parents if they were to injure her friend. It showed a lot of character, especially with how fearful she was of them. “Hopefully, it will never come to that. I'm sorry I made you think about it, but... I just knew that you wouldn't give her up to them. You're a good person, Lorena.” He smiled gently at her, feeling kind of inspired. It was not that hard for someone who was in a better situation to say that they would do the right thing whatever the cost, but in her situation... No one could blame her for giving up hope. She wasn't there yet.

Anthony laughed a little bit. Of course they'd notice each other in the most superficial of ways, since they were in school together for years. But to pay attention... That was something else. Her description of him was interesting... It was hard to know what other people thought of you. He knew some people thought he was arrogant for speaking out in class because he knew the answer.... It seemed Lorena saw him different. Her comment about his house was dead-on. “That's what other people think that I do!” he laughed. “But you know, there is a reason why they put Ravenclaw and Slytherin together a lot in classes... I don't think that we are all that different when it comes to academics.” He was teasing her by calling her house know-it-alls too. Well, the ones that were actually smart unlike the Crabbes and Goyles of the place.

“I... never knew that you thought of me as anything more than a pest,” Anthony said with a smile on his face. It was reassuring, given his feelings about her. “I like you because you're different from the common Slytherin, too. You seem to care about your studies, and you don't go out of your way to find people to berate. Now that I've talked to you, I can see that you're a strong person... Struggling through things, but not giving up or letting it change who you are inside. You're a beautiful person. Inside and out.” Yikes, that was kind of cheesy... Anthony was embarrassed, but it was the way that he felt. This sounded like the world's cheesiest romance novel.

Lorena Angela Scott

[Lorena Angela Scott]

love is a dangerous game

Did she have a plan? Lorena wasn't 100% sure. She dreamed so many nights about how she could leave her parents behind, but she wasn't sure if she could actually follow through with it. She wanted to believe that she could execute a plan if she actually thought about it, but she didn't know if she could. Still, she didn't want to look like a complete coward in front of Anthony, so she told him what she honestly thought.

"My grandmother left some money in my name, for when I leave Hogwarts, so when I turn seventeen I'll take that money and I'll run. I don't know where, but I'll find somewhere I could live peacefully without them finding me." She answered, looking out into the lake. "I don't want to give up on being witch, but if I have to live in the muggle world and never use magic again to make sure they never find me, I'll do it. I don't want them to control me anymore, Anthony..." She knew she didn't sound brave by talking about running away instead of confronting her parents, but how could she? It was clear her parents weren't afraid of doing anything to get what they wanted. She didn't want anyone to get hurt, so if she had to live her life isolated so no one else could get hurt, she would do it. She didn't want anyone else to suffer because of her.

A good person? Lorena couldn't help but grow visibly surprised by his compliment. It was one of the last things Lorena would have thought of when trying to describe herself. She didn't see herself as a good person. What would make her a good person? She was constantly living a lie and she felt like all she brought to people was suffering. How could she be a good person?

"I'm glad you see me that way... but I'm not a good person, Anthony." She replied honestly."Good people don't constantly lie and have to treat others like they are below them. Good people don't hate other people just because they are different from them... I have to act like people who aren't pure bloods are one of the worst people in existence and I feel terrible about it. I really do." By the end of her speech, she was holding back sobs. She felt guilty for all the mean and horrible things she had to say to other students just to keep up her facade. She didn't want to hurt anyone, but it just seemed like that was all she could do.

"How do people think you're a know-it-all?" Lorena asked with a giggle, his laughter becoming somewhat contagious. She never felt so free before and she was glad Anthony was helping her take her stress away, even if it was just for a moment. "Well, I do know everything." She teased back. She was well aware that a lot of students in her house were know-it-alls, just like a lot of Ravenclaws as well, so she didn't take offense to the joke. "But seriously, I don't understand how people can think you're a know-it-all. From what I observe in class, you're not being arrogant about it. You just answer the questions when you know the answers. It's not like you're flaunting how smart you are. I mean, that's based of what I've seen at least."

Lorena swore her heart stopped for a brief second. Did Anthony just say the words 'I like you'? What way did he mean when he said he liked her? Did he like her for her personality or as a friend or did he mean something more? Lorena didn't know and she was almost too scared to ask. Was she looking too much into it? Would she ruin anything if she asked? She didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable by asking him, especially if he meant nothing by it. But at the same time, she wanted to know if he liked her in the way she hoped he did. Anthony was the first person to actually know her deepest secret and accept her for it. Sure, Lexie knew a lot about her life, but Lorena was too ashamed to bring up her parents' sins. Anthony listened to what happened and instead of seeing her as a monster, he embraced her while she cried. She already felt her skin grow warm whenever she accidentally made eye contact with him around school and one time, she bumped into him while walking down the hall and she swore her heart skipped a beat. She was intoxicated by how good he smelled that she almost forgot to insult him for bumping into her. She still felt bad for all the times she was rude to him and she wanted to apologize, but she was too caught up on whether she should ask what he meant or not. However, before she could ask, he then called her beautiful, causing her eyes to widen. Had she been called beautiful before? Yes, but it never meant anything deep, but with Anthony, his words went straight to her heart, causing it to pick up in pace. There was no way she could misunderstand that.

"Y-You think I'm beautiful?" She stuttered softly. She wanted to say more to sound a bit smoother, but her brain was now mush. She couldn't form a sentence because all she could think about was how Anthony just called her beautiful. If Lorena was honest, Anthony was her ideal type. He was smart, funny, easy to talk to, and he made her feel cared for and accepted. She didn't care that he was half-blood or that he was a Ravenclaw. She just liked him as a person and no matter how much she tried to fight it and deny it, she knew she was only lying to herself, but that wasn't new. She had feelings for Anthony and for a while now, she just never wanted to admit it to herself because she was afraid of getting too close and him ending up hurt. She still worried about his well-being and her brain was desperately telling her to stop all of this and go back to the way everything was before, because he'd only end up hurt, but she couldn't. She was already too deep in to take everything back. She was sure if she tried to go back to regular Slytherin Lorena, Anthony would see right through it. "I don't see how you can see me as beautiful, but if I had to guess... it's probably in the exact same I see you; how I think you are completely perfect, inside and out. Beauty and brains, if you will." She ended with a joke, giving him a playful smile.

As Lorena started to laugh at her own joke, the wind picked up a bit, causing the leaves that had fallen around them to move around in the direction of the blowing wind. However, this also caused dirt to move around as well, which eventually turned into Lorena getting some of that dirt in her eye. Once she felt the slight pain and discomfort in her eye, she quickly closed it and rubbed it with one of her hands. "Ow." She winced, "I think something got in my eye." She informed the Ravenclaw. She tried opening her eye and blinking it away, but it just grew more uncomfortable, causing her to grow a bit irritated. She was just trying to enjoy her short time with Anthony, but it looked like the universe had other plans for her.

AnthonyxLorena

Anthony Culver Goldstein

ψ

[Anthony Culver Goldstein]

So it seemed as though Lorena only had to last two more years before she could get away from her parents. It wasn't that far away, but he couldn't help but be sad for her that her entire Hogwarts experience was soiled by their constant threat. Unlike many of her classmates, Lorena couldn't just enjoy being at school and meeting people that were different than she was. It was something that Anthony had always appreciated. But it could be that there were many other students going through the same thing. Suddenly, Anthony realized that even someone as awful as Draco Malfoy could be hiding a home life that was turbulent and ever reaching into his personal life... He doubted it, but still, there existed a possibility.

“Then when you're seventeen, I'll help you into the muggle world,” Anthony said with a smile on his face. “Until your parents give up the search, anyway. My family lives in a muggle community now.” He realized that if she had any anti-muggle sentiment herself he was probably going to hurt whatever friendship they might have started by admitting it. But there could only be full trust in a real friendship, so he just decided to continue on. “I mean, it isn't as though they live as muggles, but alongside them. My mother is muggleborn so it has always been a part of my life. There are a lot of differences you'd have to know before you could effectively pretend that you are one of them, so... I could always help you with that.” He smiled at her a bit nervously.

For some reason Lorena looked even more upset when Anthony said that she was a good person. Sometimes, people had a hard time seeing the good in themselves... It hurt him a little bit to think that she was seeing herself probably like her parents did. But maybe it wasn't his place to even have an opinion on someone that he had just started talked to today. Maybe he still had a touch of idealized vision when it came to her.

“You're right. Someone that hates a person because they are different can't be a good person. But you are only pretending... And you're pretending for a good reason. You don't want to hurt anyone. You're protecting your friend at your own expense. How could you be anything but good?” He wished that he could see herself like he did. Maybe in time, if she allowed him to be in her life, he could show her. But this might very well be the last time that they spoke to each other because she had this other self she had to uphold around everyone else. He felt lucky to have seen her true self even for a moment. He gave her a light hug around the shoulders to comfort her, hoping he wasn't overstepping that invisible line.

He laughed, especially when she said that she knew everything. “I guess it is because I'm not really giving anyone else a chance to answer the questions. I just get so focused on what I am thinking, and I don't realize that there are other people that want to try to answer, too. Besides, it does move classes along more quickly when there is always someone ready to answer the questions. I'm not sure what the problem is.”

Anthony hoped that he hadn't upset her by calling her beautiful. It was really how he felt, but some women were insulted by it. And if she thought that he wasn't worthy to think that way, then... She'd probably be even more angry. Still, he had been honest with her about everything so far. But while he was still trying to think of the words, she'd said that he was perfect inside and out. That... meant something, right? That she felt the same way that he did, maybe... He felt his face heating, and his heart beat speeding. He was always so calm and collected, but he was sure that he was blushing, and that was embarrassing.

“You're right... That's exactly how I think of you, too.” He swallowed hard, really unsure how to proceed. The last thing that he wanted was for her to think that he'd been nice to her today, and listened through all her secrets, just because he was romantically interested in her. It is true that he liked her, but he would have thrown the possibility away if she was not equally interested, and he still would have wanted to help her... But then the wind picked up, and apparently planted something in her eye. This was like a scene in a romantic comedy, where nature just had to stick her nose in where it didn't belong. Anthony leaned in to look, to see if he could detect what it was. “Don't rub it, you'll only make it worse. Tilt your head back, I'll try to flush it.” He knew the proper spell, though technically it was above his year. He took out his wand. “Do you trust me?”

Lorena Angela Scott

[Lorena Angela Scott]

love is a dangerous game

Lorena couldn't help but grow a bit excited when Anthony mentioned helping her into the muggle world. She was happy that Anthony was willing to help her, because that meant she got to spend more time with him to learn about the muggle world, and she was also excited to actually learn about the muggle world. Lorena wasn't obsessed with muggles, but she did find them very interesting. She liked learning about the differences between their world and hers, but even though she liked learning about it, she didn't know much, since she was forbidden from learning anything about muggles besides how awful they were. Lorena didn't believe they were awful though. Of course there were probably some muggles that were horrible people, but she didn't believe all of them were scum like her parents did.

"Your family lives in the muggle world?" Lorena asked, her eyes widening a bit in surprise. "Well, I'm very happy you want to assist me, to be honest, and I accept your offer." She replied honestly with a small smile. Still, though she was happy about Anthony willing to help her, she couldn't help but add to her previous statement. "Um... can I ask... what it's like in the muggle world? I haven't been there since the last time I played with Melanie, so I don't remember very much of it..." Lorena couldn't help but blush from embarrassment. She couldn't help but feel a bit stupid knowing almost little to nothing about muggles, but she couldn't stop herself from letting her curiosity get the best of her. She just hoped that Anthony didn't think she was dumb for asking.

Lorena wanted to rebuttal and say he was wrong, but she couldn't come up with anything to respond to him. She didn't see herself as a good person, but at the same time, she knew she was being biased. From what she knew, Anthony didn't have any reason to be biased in this situation. So, instead of fighting him, she just sighed and smiled slightly at him. "I'm starting to see why people don't like you." She teased. "You're really good at leaving people speechless when they are trying to argue you." Suddenly, he wrapped an arm around her and it caused her to tense up, since she was not good with physical contact, but she made sure to quickly explain herself before he could think she hated it. "I'm sorry," She quickly apologized, "I'm not used to people hugging me or giving me support through physical contact, so it still takes me by surprise... but if I had to be honest, I like when you hug me." Lorena looked down, her cheeks growing heated at her sudden confession. "I actually like it a lot, so... if you are comfortable with it, please don't stop... It makes me feel safe..."

Lorena was happy that the atmosphere was a little lighter. She liked being able to joke with someone and not have so much to worry about, even though she knew it wasn't going to last forever. Still, she appreciated this time with Anthony. "I think the people who don't like you for constantly answering questions are the same people who hate professors who just randomly call on people to answer questions." It was bit hypocritical, in Lorena's eyes. Did they want someone to answer questions and avoid getting called on or have a professor who didn't care who knew the answer and just called on people randomly? It didn't make sense.

When Lorena noticed his cheeks grabbing some color, she couldn't help but feel a bit happy. He looked adorable and she wished she could seem him do it again in the future. It was a nice sight that she wouldn't forget. "I like when you blush." She admitted without really think, casing her eyes to grow wide. "Um, sorry... it just came out before I could really stop myself." She admitted, now blushing herself. "So, if we are both perfect, does that mean we are perfect prefects?" She teased, trying to ease the tension a bit. She didn't think there was bad tension between them, but she knew after both their words, there was something strong between them. She didn't know exactly what it was, but she didn't want to make things awkward by adding more to her previous statement. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if she should tell him about how she felt about him. Would it be moving top fast since she just opened up to him? Would it be one-sided? She wasn't sure.

Anthony told her not to rub her eye, causing her to pout a bit. "But it bothers." She said, a little childish whine in her tone. She was slowly letting her guard down around Anthony and he was making it easy for her to be a bit more playful than usual. Still, when he asked if she trusted him, her heart stopped for a second. It just sounded like it had a deeper meaning to it. However, even if it did or didn't, her answer would have remained the same. "Yes." She replied, before tilting her head back.

AnthonyxLorena

Anthony Culver Goldstein

ψ

[Anthony Culver Goldstein]

Anthony laughed. “You seem surprised. You know, there aren't actually that many places for wizards to live where muggles aren't living, too. It's nice, in a way, to be surrounded by people that don't know what you're capable of.” More than once, he'd imagined how it would be to save his parents from a robber or something. Even though he could get into trouble for using magic outside of school it was nice to know that he had a weapon no one would imagine if he ever needed to defend himself or the people that he loved.

“It isn't all that different from the wizarding world. Or... maybe I just feel that way because I knew both worlds. But it is pretty similar. People are just going about their lives, trying to make the most of their time. I feel like... maybe people are more serious in the muggle world.” He'd always thought that they were boring when he was a small child, so... His vision really was kind of skewed. “Obviously they don't have the same shortcuts as we do. They don't have charmed objects, they can't use a spell to clean a mess. I feel like witches and wizards have a lot more time on their hands because of it.” It was kind of unfair, especially since their lives tended to be a bit shorter on top of that.

He laughed again, unable to help himself. He really did have a way of making people astonished. “I'm sorry. You don't hate me now, do you?” he asked with a playful smile on his face. He felt as though his heart was fit to burst when she said that she felt safe in his arms. That was all that he wanted in this moment, to make her feel safe... And to be able to protect her when the time came. It was difficult when Umbridge was trying to keep the students from doing magic, but it was not going to deter him. “Let me know if you do get uncomfortable though, alright? I never... want to make you feel like you have to stay close.” He swallowed rather hard. This was... He made it sound like this was going to be a routine thing. Not that he would mind...

“Well, I am saving them from getting called on,” Anthony said with a small shrug. He'd always thought that it was a win/win, but some people would never be happy. Being smart was not really in fashion, though if it was, Ravenclaws did pull it off better than anyone else. “I don't spend that much time thinking about why people don't like me. There are more important things to worry about.” He was saying this in hopes that she realize that same truth in her life.

He couldn't believe that she was just casually pointing out his blush. This made it even worse, and he couldn't exactly hide it when they were as close as they were now. “You're... the only one that this happens with,” he admitted. Part of it was what he said, but he'd found himself blushing when they bumped in the corridors, or when she caught him glancing her way in class. She made him uncharacteristically nervous. When she used the phrase 'perfect prefects' he wanted to cringe. Instead, he poked her on the nose. “At least one of us is.”

He glanced around to make sure that no one was watching, as if he'd get into trouble for using slightly more advanced spells. But then he took his wand out, held it above her, and concentrated very hard before he said “Aguamenti.” It worked, a small jet of water shooting forth with just enough force to wash her eye clean... But he wasn't quite good enough to avoid soaking the front of her at the same time. “Did... Did I get it?” He tried not to laugh, because he did kind of feel bad. It didn't matter as long as her eye was alright!

Lorena Angela Scott

[Lorena Angela Scott]

love is a dangerous game

Lorena blushed in embarrassment, for she knew she sounded incredibly stupid for not knowing something she assumed was obvious. "Sorry, it's just... our house is basically isolated since my parents on so much land. All of our property is gated, so I forget that not everyone lives similarly to me." She explained before looking down, regretting what she said already. Anthony was someone she admired and thought highly of, so she tried so hard to not come off as dumb or ignorant, but she just did the exact opposite. She felt truly embarrassed.

Lorena let his words about the muggle world sink in. It sounded a lot different, but at the same time, she couldn't stop the interest she had for it. Though it sounded like it wasn't as convenient when it came to cleaning and cooking, Lorena couldn't help but think there was a uniqueness to it that she couldn't place her finger on. Though she was ignorant about the muggle world, she hoped that one day she could go herself and experience the world on her own, or maybe with Anthony as well. "It's sounds interesting." She told him honestly, smiling a bit. "Hopefully I could go there and enjoy my time there. Experience living among actual muggles and observe how they live. It all sounds so fascinating."

Lorena giggled when he questioned if she hated him now, causing her to bring her hand up to her chin in pretend thought. "Hm, I'm not sure." She teased before smiling at him. "Of course not. I think I'm incapable of hating you." She replied, her cheeks heating up slightly. Her heart wanted to melt when he was concerned about her feeling comfortable. How could she not? He has been one of the only people in the world to know everything that was going on with her family and he stayed to comfort her about it. He was the safest place for her to actually feel like herself and be herself. "Don't worry, I'm comfortable." She reassured before scooting closer to him and laying her head on his chest. He smelled so nice that it calmed her and made her want to have time freeze just so she could stay in this position a bit longer.

"You definitely save me from getting called on." She joked, giggling at her own joke. Lorena did participate in class when she could, but there were many times where she found her mind drifting away from the lecture and into her own dream land, so she was extremely grateful for Ravenclaws who always wanted to answer the questions. He mentioned not worrying about what other people thought about him, causing Lorena to look down at hers and Anthony's hands. She started to play with his fingers to comfort herself, for she wished she could be as confident as Anthony. She was embarrassed about being so insecure with herself, especially around Anthony, but she couldn't help it. She wished she could just let go of all negative emotions she got from her parents, but she couldn't at the moment. "I wish I could be like that." She mumbled as she continued to play with his fingers, too ashamed to look up at him because she felt so vulnerable.

Lorena thought her heart was going to leap out of her chest. Was she really the only one that caused Anthony to blush? She couldn't believe it. He was just so handsome and friendly that she couldn't imagine any girls not liking him. He was just perfect in Lorena's eyes, so how had he not had a crush or a girlfriend that made him feel like this? Then again, she was in the same boat as him, if what she assumed was true. She never had a crush on any boy or even had a boyfriend so all the feelings she had for Anthony were foreign to her. She was afraid of taking initiative and asking if he felt the same way, because she wasn't sure if that was the right move or not. Still, she desperately wanted to know, because she didn't want another girl to possibly capture his heart while he still had Lorena's. Should she ask him? She didn't know.

"You're the only one that makes my heart beat a millions times faster than normal." She admitted, staring at him so he knew she was being truthful. "If... we both feel like this about each other... does it mean something?" She asked cautiously, trying to ruin what she thought was just starting up. However, when he poked her nose, she couldn't help but giggle. "Yeah, it's you." She said, poking his nose back in return. "I'm usually trying everything in my power to not run into students while I'm doing my rounds, so I'm glad we will be relieved from our duties for the night of the Christmas Ball... Um, do you plan on going to the ball?" She asked shyly. She hoped that he would be there, since she was going. However, she didn't know what she was going to do to spend time with him at the ball, especially since she was going with Blaise, but she still didn't give up hope that they could somehow be able to spend time together, alone, at the Christmas Ball.

Lorena felt the water enter her eye and she quickly blinked away the rest of the water that was still left in her eye. "I think you got it." She said after she blinked a couple of more times and realized that she had no more irritation. "Thank you so much." She said with a smile. "I hope I never had to repay the favor, but if something gets in your eye, it'll be my turn to flush it out." She teased with a giggle before playfully nudging his shoulder playfully with hers. She was happy that he was able to make her smile and joke around, because she couldn't even remember the last time she had fun with someone else and not worry about anything.

AnthonyxLorena

Anthony Culver Goldstein

ψ

[Anthony Culver Goldstein]

Anthony didn't seem deterred by her lack of knowledge. “It's fine. It's easy to forget how other people might live... I mean, have you ever seen the way that witches and wizards disguise themselves to look like muggles?” He laughed before realizing that might seem insulting if she didn't know how off the pures were about that kind of thing. “Err, sorry. Don't worry, I will show you how they dress, if it really comes to it. Especially since we probably won't start out somewhere that is well-off.” He meant when he helped to hide herself in plain sight, but it did sound a bit like they were settling down... Maybe one day, he thought to himself with uncharacteristic optimism.

“You will definitely miss being able to do all of those things with magic. Especially since if your parents are as well-connected as you say they are, they might be able to bribe the Ministry into letting them know your location. They can find it by your magic use.” Actually, maybe she would be able to just swap out wands. But it probably wasn't that simple. Since the rise of Death Eaters before, they had found new ways of tracking people.

Anthony was clearly pleased with her response. “I couldn't hate you either, Lor...ena.” He had almost called her 'Lori', as a shortened nickname, but realized that they didn't know each other that well. And maybe she wouldn't like such a nickname, either. It sounded as though he'd forgotten her name for a minute, and he couldn't help but laugh. She did slow his thought processes a bit, by being so attractive and so sweet at the same time. His heart quickened as she rested her head on his chest. He could feel the cold of the oncoming night creeping up on them. But he didn't want this moment to end. Her laughter at his eagerness to answer questions made him smile, but her lack of confidence caused it to fade. “I think that you're more confident than you realize. You just... Have the shadow of your parents over you all the time,” he said, gazing downward at their hands.

This seemed like one of those moments that he would treasure forever... Or regret forever, if he said and did the wrong things. His future might even be in the balance, if he wanted to have any kind of relationship with the beautiful girl beside him. But their touches, and exchanged sentiments, they definitely meant something. Was it too soon to know what? Despite all his attempts, he couldn't find the words. “I... I don't know... Maybe...” He was kicking himself for not speaking right. The words were in his head but they got lost somewhere on the way out. The ball, that was a welcome conversation change. Normally it wouldn't be, but right now, anything might save him. “I don't think so. I mean, unless you plan on going...” He looked at her, wondering if he should just ask her.

He was pleased that the spell had worked. He hadn't been so sure it would, and he'd have lost the chance to help her. “Well, let's do our best to just avoid it, make sure it doesn't happen.” He was teasing her, as though she'd made choices that led to her getting something in her eye. He looked into her eyes, first making sure he saw nothing there... But then, he was lost in those eyes, and before he knew it, he was moving in closer to her...

[Lorena Angela Scott]

love is a dangerous game

Lorena wasn't offended by what he said, instead, her eyes widened at a sudden realization: muggles dressed differently!? Lorena just assumed that they dressed similarly to wizards, but according to Anthony, she was dead wrong. What kind of dress code did they have, Lorena wondered. She hoped by the time she went to the muggle world, Anthony would be there to assist her with dressing appropriately. She didn't want to stick out like a sore thumb, especially if she was trying to lay low. Then, Anthony mentioned starting off somewhere that wasn't well off, causing the Slytherin to panic internally. It wasn't that Lorena wasn't willing to try to live a different life style, it was more that she wasn't used to not having everything she wanted in a materialistic sense.

"Um, you know... my grandmother left me some money for when I leave Hogwarts and it's only for me, so my parents can't touch it. So, if it comes down to us being alone in the muggle world, I could probably find a way to have it transfer to muggle currency so we could use it... together. I mean, you are already deciding to do so much for me once we leave Hogwarts, so the least I can do is have us both live comfortably." Lorena hoped that she wasn't coming off as snobbish or materialistic. She really wasn't, she was just afraid of what she could even accomplish in the muggle world. How would she make money? She didn't know what kind of jobs were available in the muggle world and she certainly didn't think she could become successful enough to live decently, at least not right away. So, she wanted her and Anthony live in stability while she figured all of that out for herself as she learned and grew more accustomed to the world of the muggles.

"Sounds like I won't be able to use magic for a while, huh?" Lorena added. She knew her parents were well connected in many areas, so if she had to not use magic to get away from them, she would do it. "I hope you can teach me how to become more comfortable with not using magic." She said honestly with a small smile. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous about not using magic, but she was willing to try, especially with Anthony by her side.

"Did you forget my name already?" She joked before giggling. She didn't know why he paused when saying her name, but she hoped it was because of good reason, like he got distracted by her eyes or something cheesy like that. However, when talking about her confidence, the mood around them grew somewhat serious. She didn't mind talking about it with Anthony, but at the same time, she didn't want him to see her so weak. "It's a very dark shadow." She added on. "It sucks, but this is on my mind almost 24/7." She told him honestly. "I try to bury it or ignore it, but the more I try, the more it suffocates me. So, most times, I just give up fighting and let it take over my mind... I know it's not good, but it's just something I'm so used to that it almost feels normal to me. I rather deal with all this than have others deal with it, so I just let this shadow consume me, as long as it doesn't consume others." She couldn't believe she was being so honest with him, but she couldn't help but let it all out. She felt safe and the safety in his arms was causing words to come out like word vomit.

Maybe? She didn't know exactly what maybe meant for their situation. It actually just confused her more. However, she didn't want to push him, so she didn't question it and let it go. Maybe they both would figure out later. She was glad the ball was now the focus point of the conversation, since it was something she was actually excited about. "I'm attending." She answered, a smile reaching her lips. So would he come if she went? She just told him she was going, so she was hoping that was the case. She didn't know if she should tell him about going with Blaise or not though. Would Anthony be upset? She could easily explain to him that Blaise was nothing but a friend, but would it work? She didn't know if Anthony was the jealous type or not, so she wasn't sure if mentioning Blaise or not would be a good idea.

Lorena giggled at his joke before playfully rolling her eyes. "I'll do my best to avoid every little speck of dust that tries to fly into my eye." She joked back while giving a two-fingered salute. Then, it became silent. He was staring at her and she could feel the heat rise to her cheeks just by being under his gaze. He started to lean in and Lorena froze, unsure of what to do. Her mind was telling her that it was a bad idea, but her heart was telling her to let it happen, because it was what she wanted. Deciding to listen to her heart and be selfish for once, she started to lean in as well, her heart racing. She couldn't believe it was actually going to happen... well, that's what she thought.

"Lorena! Lorena where are you!? Some weird Hufflepuff said they saw you come this way earlier, so I better find you here!" Lorena heard from the distance, causing her to pause and listen carefully. The voice was familiar. It belonged to one of Lorena's housemates and room mates, causing her to groan softly in disappointment.

"It's one of my housemates." Lorena whispered. She was practically almost nose to nose with him, so she could feel his warmth and wanted nothing more than to stay, but she knew if she was caught with Anthony, it would be bad for both of them. "I have to go." She said before getting up. "I hope to see you at the ball." She told him honestly with a small smile before letting her body take over by planting a kiss on his cheek. She lingered there for what felt like a good second before pulling away with a smile and running off to her annoying housemate.

AnthonyxLorena

Anthony Culver Goldstein

ψ

[Anthony Culver Goldstein]

“Don't worry. I don't mean that we wouldn't have any modern conveniences... My parents make decent money. What I meant was, I think that it would be a good idea not to show off that you came from wealth. If your parents do decide to look for you in the muggle world, they're going to expect you to be somewhere that it is full of wealthy people because that is the kind of life that they know. We can have security, but live a simpler life...” He trailed off because it sounded like they were embarking on something romantic, when really it was more than that. It was about her life. And was it right to take her away from the kind of life that she knew? “It doesn't matter right now. We can give it more thought, we have a few years to plan it out.”

Anthony was a little embarrassed to admit that he didn't know something around her, because he wanted to impress her. But he wasn't a liar by nature. “I'm not sure? I mean, maybe if you used someone else's wand it wouldn't immediately trace the spell work back to you. I don't know exactly how it works.” He was pleased that she was willing to at least try! “I will teach you everything that I know!” He laughed a little. “Well, at least the important parts of it...”

He didn't know what to say to her. She was dealing with things that he didn't have the slightest idea how to deal with... She was stronger than he was, that was for sure! “Think about how free you'll feel when you can be who you are... you've been so strong through all of these years. The rest of your life will be easy compared to this.” He was being optimistic in part to make up for her hopelessness. But he really did believe that if he could just help her get away from her parents, she would blossom.

She was vague with her answer, not giving him much to go on. With that in mind, he decided not to ask her straight out. He could ask her there, if the situation was right. “Well, then I'll make an appearance. I have to at least see what kind of dress you wear.” Uhm, did he say that out loud? That was probably one of the more awkward things that he'd ever said. EVER.

Anthony was so ready for this moment. He hadn't dreamed about kissing a girl like other boys his age did... Not until this year. And he hadn't thought that it would happen so soon. Was it too soon? But they liked each other, they'd both said that... So he was very intent on making this happen. But then there was a voice, and they both had to stop to hear what it said. Her housemate. Someone was looking for her, and he knew that she couldn't be seen with him. That secrecy was going to make it hard for him. “O-okay... I'll see you then,” he offered weakly. He watched her run to join her friend, and decided that it was probably time for him to head back, too. There were people who'd wonder where he was.