Two Peas in a Pod PV Paisley Brown finished

It was too early to be awake.
That was what Paisley thought everyday she woke up. Being a werewolf was hard, and what was harder was having to wake up before the sun to get to classes on time, completely ready for the day.

Unfortunately, the early schedule of school had messed with her mind. She now woke up at 7:00 everyday, thinking it was a normal time for humans to be walking around.
It just so happened that particular Saturday morning, Paisley had woken up later than usual. She was glad it wasn't a school day, because if it was, surely her teacher wouldn't be happy.

Paisley had gotten ready for the day quickly, so that she didn't miss breakfast. She brought with her a small, tiny notebook. One that was so small it fit in her pocket of her robes easily, and could practically live in there. (You know, if notebooks had homes)
She also had a muggle pen, because bringing a quill and ink with you everywhere was large and took up too much space. Of course, her wand was there too, but she wasn't confident in any spells to actually use it.

She scarfed down her breakfast quickly, and then continued on outdoors. The fresh air outside calmed her, and it was so peaceful, for a moment, Paisley was lost in a pleasant daydream. The scent of rain was still fresh in the air, seeming to fill the whole world with a pleasant bliss.

She was brought from her reverie, however, when a girl from nearby cast a spell. "Wingardium Leviosa!" They said.

Paisley, knowing she had heard that spell before, inched closer shyly. She was not the best at confronting new people, but she decided this girl looked nice enough.

"Hello there," she said quietly. "I-I couldn't help but overhear your spell. You're great at that. Casting, them, I mean. Casting spells."

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@Paisley Brown
Date: Saturday, September 10

OOC: (Sorry I forgot!) Hex Code: #400080

The Ravenclaw smiled, happy that the spell had worked. And on her first try, no less! Okay, well, maybe not her first ever try, but close enough. Allie and her classmates had practiced the Levitating Charm a few times during Charms Class, but that was all. So distracted by her thoughts, the first year neglected to notice another girl walking up to her until she spoke.

"Oh! Hello," she said quickly. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." The other girl complimented the way she had been able to cast the spell so quickly and Allie gave her a warm smile. "Thank you!" she said. There was a short pause, in which Allie remembered to introduce herself. "I'm Allie," she said.

Looking around the courtyard, Allie was surprised to see that no other students had come outside yet. Usually, by this time, the whole place was flooded with people. She sighed. Maybe Allie had chosen the wrong day to wake up early. . . But it didn't matter now. She was already outside, so. . . "Oh, sorry!" she quickly apologized, turning back to the girl in front of her, who was most likely confused as to why Allie hadn't said anything else yet. "I - well, usually the courtyard is crowded at this time, and I had purposely came out early so I could find a good place to practice my spells and read." she explained. After saying it all out loud, it sounded a little silly and she laughed. "Never mind."

Looking at the girl more closely now, she noticed that she had green eyes, which were actually quite pretty looking. Allie's eyes were a chocolate brown, basically the same color as her hair, and she thought it wasn't very pretty, even though many people had told her otherwise. Smiling once again, she set down her wand, letting the feather fall back onto the bench beneath her. "Would you like to sit down?" Allie asked, moving her belongings over and sliding with them so that there was more room.

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"I'm Allie," said the girl, giving a smile.

"I'm Paisley, it's wonderful to meet you," she said, then there was a pause. Allie, seemingly thinking it was her fault, apologized quickly. Paisley shrugged.

"It's alright, silence can be good There's a lot to be read between the lines." she said.

"I - well, usually the courtyard is crowded at this time, and I had purposely came out early so I could find a good place to practice my spells and read." she explained. "Never mind."

Paisley gave a soft, melodious laugh and sat down next to the Ravenclaw when she offered. "Thanks," Paisley paused again, running a list of options of what to say through her head. There were so many choices for topics, it was hard to decide which to pick.

"Have you ever heard of gobstones?" she asked at last, deciding she better say something interesting, because where was the fun in a conversation if it were all honey-covered compliments? "I've never played, but I'd like to someday."

Paisley thought for a moment before speaking. She often did this when she was trying to be interesting. "I don't suppose you're a 2nd year. I've never met one of them, but they do seem a lot taller than 1st years, don't you think?" she asked, giving a careless shrug. She was comfortable and calm around this girl, a rare occurrence.

Already Paisley had an experience at Hogwarts, and none of it was what you'd call "comfortable and calm". In fact, her first real memory from Hogwarts, her first transformation in the shrieking shack, had been absolutely terrifying. Paisley hated being near other werewolves. Their howling seemed to be heard for miles, and it was a wonder no one else heard, calling the ministry of magic or something terrible like that.

You're fine!

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@Paisley Brown
Date: Saturday, September 10

The girl introduced herself as Paisley, and Allie smiled genuinely. "It's nice to meet you too," she said. After she apologized for getting distracted by her thoughts, Paisley responded by saying silence could be good sometimes. Allie smiled a little wider at that and nodded as the other girl took a seat next to her. "Yes, I suppose it can." she agreed.

"Have you ever heard of gobstones?" Paisley suddenly asked. Allie startled slightly, but then nodded quickly in reply.

"Actually, yes, I have. I used to play them all the time with my mother before I came to Hogwarts." When Paisley told her that she wanted to play but never had before, the first year tilted her head to the side. "I can teach you if you'd like. . . we'd just have to get a set, and I'm not sure where we can get that." she paused, thinking. "Maybe we can ask around. . ." The other girl seemed to be thinking about this and Allie waited for her opinion on the offer.

When she was asked about second years, the Ravenclaw couldn't help but giggle a little at the random question. "They do seem a lot taller now that I think about it. . . but who knows. Imagine if every first year suddenly grew, like, five inches over the summer each year?" she laughed again at the ridiculous idea. Allie didn't joke around very often, this may have actually been the first time since arriving at Hogwarts that she had felt so at ease. The corners of her mouth quirked up in surprise. She had been so focused on her studies for the past few days, it seemed like she hadn't had any time to relax at all, or even just spend time with other students her age.

Glancing back over at Paisley, she noticed an odd expression on the other girl's face. It seemed like she was thinking about something rather unpleasant, and Allie quickly checked to make sure she was alright. "Paisley?" she waited a moment. "Is. . . is something wrong?" She had gone from smiling to frowning in seconds, and Allie wanted to know why.

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I can teach you if you'd like. . . we'd just have to get a set, and I'm not sure where
we can get that. Maybe we can ask around. . .
"Actually, I have a set. I bought it in diagon alley with a few extra sickles." said Paisley, and then she laughed at herself, her voice sounding almost song-like. "I'm not quite sure why I bought it if I don't know how to play, but there was nothing else to spend sickles on. At least, nothing very interesting."

"They do seem a lot taller now that I think about it. . . but who knows. Imagine if every first year suddenly grew, like, five inches over the summer each year?" Allie said.
Paisley laughed. "That'd be hilarious. I totally think it happens, though, really. That or they all got enchanted." She flicked a piece of hair behind her ear, her eyes bright and cheerful. She still looked fatigued, but there was a glow to her that hadn't been there before she began speaking to Allie.

"Paisley? Is. . . is something wrong?"
Paisley was brought out of her flashback and back into today. "Yes," she said, and then corrected herself quickly. "I mean nes. No. I'm furry-I mean fine! she let out a defeated sigh. She had practically given her curse away. She looked down into her lap, refusing to look Allie in the eye as she spoke.
"Things can be difficult sometimes. Especially when you're like me," she spoke softly, meaning every word. She hated everything about being a werewolf.
Suddenly she was aware that she was rubbing her hand on her scar, which began just above her collar bone, almost on her neck. She always touched her scar when she was thinking of werewolfry, it was just a habit.
I wonder if I should tell her... she thought, mulling it over in her mind. No, it's too soon. I want Allie to know me for who I am inside, not about what I look like every full moon.
But looking at the girl next to her, Paisley got the feeling she could tell her everything.

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@Paisley Brown
Date: Saturday, September 10

OOC: Thank you so much! You are amazing at writing as well!

Paisley told Allie that she actually had already bought a set at Diagon Alley and the Ravenclaw grinned. "That's perfect! Maybe we can meet up another time and I can teach you then?" she asked hopefully. She enjoyed helping and teaching others, and being around Paisley was just a lot of fun, so. . . "And really, it's a great thing you bought a set, although if you hadn't it would've been fine as well."

After she joked about the first years growing much taller over the summer, Allie was surprised at how funny Paisley thought the joke was. She laughed a little as well, because laughing could be really contagious at times. "Hmm, they might have to be enchanted for that to happen anyway though," she said, thinking about it with a serious expression on her face for a few more moments. Glancing over at the girl beside her, Allie noticed that Paisley looked quite happy, which made her smile grow bigger.

"Yes, I mean nes. No. I'm furry-I mean fine!" Allie frowned. That answer was. . . odd. She could tell Paisley wasn't fine. The other girl had turned away from Allie and was looking at her lap instead. Pondering the strange wording of Paisley's sentence, the first year bit her lip. Furry. . . "Things can be difficult sometimes. Especially when you're like me," The soft finish sounded angry somehow, and Allie wondered once again what had happened to make Paisley say this. When she glanced up again, she saw her rubbing something on her neck and looked closer.

Suddenly, something clicked in Allie's mind. "Werewolves." The word fell out of her mouth and she stared hard at the other girl. "You're a werewolf." Everything made sense now, Paisley's slip of the word furry, her scar. . . Most people probably wouldn't have guessed it so quickly, but Allie's mind worked a little faster than that. Waiting for a confirmation, she twirled a strand of hair around her first finger. The girl next to her didn't seem werewolf - y, but she had never really met one before, so she didn't really know what was werewolf like and what wasn't anyway.

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Paisley could only stare at Allie in astonishment.
"How-how did you know?" It was obvious, of course, how she had guessed. Paisley had made her lycanthropy so clear that any observant person might know if they looked hard enough. She consciously pulled her sweater over her scar.
Despite Paisley's horror, there was a layer of gratitude. She wasn't sure if she would've been able to tell the Ravenclaw about her curse on her own. If their friendship were to go anywhere, and Paisley really, really hoped it would, it wouldn't have been good if Allie hadn't guessed. Chances were Paisley would've tried to tell her, but she would've just kept chickening out. It was a sad thought, but deep down, Paisley knew it was true.
Paisley, deciding she should explain, gulped and started to speak. She had played the scene of becoming a werewolf over so many times in her head it wasn't hard to recall.
"It happened 2 years ago. A werewolf scratched me here," she pointed to the top of her scar, below her left shoulder, "All the way down to here.she traced her scar across her chest, until her hand settled above her right hip bone. The whole scar had turned pink over time, so that it blended in well with Paisley's fair skin. Still, it was visible. She never expected it to go away completely.
"It was a terrible experience. I almost died, thank goodness I didn't. It's been hard on my whole family, you know? With the wolfsbane and everything. My mom's terrible at brewing potions, and my dad's not magic."
Paisley turned to look at Allie, her eyes like windows to her emotions. There was desperation and intensity so visible in them that surely the Ravenclaw could tell how passionately Paisley felt about not messing this up. What she was about to say was important. She knew it would affect the rest of her life. She couldn't mess it up.
"I don't want our friendship to be destroyed because of me. I've already screwed enough things up as it is. You're really nice, and make me feel good about myself. You really seem to get me, and I'm pretty sure I get you. I don't want to lose an important friendship because of my lycanthropy. I don't think I could stand it.
"No one I know has made me feel this way about myself. Not even my family could give me this feeling inside of me. It's really making me happy talking to you. It's strange, but I like it.
"If I could cast an unbreakable vow, I would. I don't know how to, but I promise I won't hurt you. Please let my promise be enough. Please." The last word came out in a whisper. Tears stung at Paisley's eyes. She tried to hold them back, but it was too much. A lump threatened Paisley's throat and she pushed it down.
Although she had just met the girl, Paisley felt as if she could truly trust her. They had only exchanged a few words, and this much emotion did not usually show itself in a friendly conversation, but this was different. Allie was truly a good person. Paisley just hoped she would react well.

I've been writing this response since you posted, because I was online at the time, and the internet went down twice. Both times my finished responses got deleted. At least it's up now! This is really fun.

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@Paisley Brown
Date: Saturday, September 10

OOC: I know, that's happened to me before! I was writing this super long post and once I closed the tab I was writing it in and the other time it wouldn't save, so it deleted it!

Allie almost felt like laughing at the look of total shock on Paisley's face. She didn't though, knowing that it might make the other girl feel bad, which wasn't something Allie felt like doing right then. Instead, she explained her thought process. "Oh, well. . . you mentioned the word furry on accident, which got me thinking, since, you know, that isn't really a word someone would say on accident unless it was on their mind. Then I saw your scar, and everything just. . . I don't know, clicked into place?" she took a deep breath then continued. "It sounds a little complicated now that I'm saying it aloud. . . and now that I think about it, I'm surprised at how quickly my mind jumped to the conclusion that you were a. . ." she trailed off. "Anyway,"

The Ravenclaw watched as Paisley covered up her scar and listened as she started talking. "It happened 2 years ago. A werewolf scratched me here, all the way down to here." Paisley ran her finger along what seemed to be the length of the whole scar and Allie couldn't help but gasp. It was much longer than she thought it was, since she hadn't been able to see the whole thing. Paisley continued telling Allie her story. When she finished, the first year didn't know what to say.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," she finally said. "It must have been horrible." she paused, knowing that probably wouldn't help much. When Paisley started talking again, Allie was grateful, but when she heard what the other girl was saying, she didn't know what to feel anymore.

"Paisley. . ." Allie looked at Paisley for a few moments before saying anything else. Seeing the other girl so desperate, so in need of a friend, it broke her heart. "You haven't destroyed anything Paisley. Please, believe me. I want to be your friend no matter what, okay? You are fun to talk to, and just to be around. Nothing can change that, even the fact that you're a werewolf." she took a deep breath then continued. "I know you won't harm me in any way, I trust you. And even if you did know how to cast an unbreakable vow, there wouldn't be any need for it. Your promise is more than enough for me." She saw the tears sliding down Paisley's cheeks and she reached out to comfort the other girl, squeezing her hand reassuringly. Feeling her eyes well up now, Allie swallowed hard, and looked the other girl directly in the eyes.

"Some friendships are so strong, nothing can break them." she said softly. "Ours will be like that too, I know it." Her smile was genuine, and only a touch of sadness lingered in her eyes. But there was no doubt in her tone. She believed every word she had just said, and she believed them with her whole heart.

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"Some friendships are so strong, nothing can break them. Ours will be like that too, I know it." Allie took Paisley's hand and the Gryffindor let out a shaky breath. She hadn't expected her day to be this eventful. She hadn't expected any day to be as important as this felt in all her life. Still, Paisley couldn't help but feel relieved at the same time. Speaking to Allie had lifted an incredible weight off of her shoulders. Although she had just met her, Paisley felt as if she had already known her forever.
"I-I'm sorry for dumping this all on you. It must seem so sudden. But to me, it's like-like" she searched for the right words, "The grounds today. Last night there was a storm outside, but today it's just the nice feeling after a rainstorm. And you, you're like that rainbow, over there. The reason this day is so wonderful," Paisley gazed into the distance, lost in thought. Her minds drifted here and there. She wanted to tell Allie exactly what she felt, but she didn't know how. That was when she realized she was overthinking it, so she turned to Allie, her voice sincere.

"Thank you." she said. There was nothing more to be said. Paisley didn't think there were any other words in the entire universe that could portray her emotions correctly. Perhaps Allie would say something, perhaps not, but it didn't matter.

Paisley felt tears sting her eyes again, and she let go of Allie's hand to wipe them away. Her smile glowed as brightly as the sun that day, and she felt as free as a small child.

After a few more minutes of silence, Paisley spoke once more. "So, tell me a little bit about yourself. What's your family like? You mentioned your mom played gobstones with you, is she
a witch?" asked Paisley, genuinely interested.