beauty lays behind the hills

[Otis Barberis]

Otis knew there was still snow on the ground, but he needed to go for a run. He needed to move around since all he had been doing lately was sit around in his dormitory or the Rouerie Common Room. He just didn't feel as motivated these days because he hardly had anything to do. Not being Head Boy anymore gave him all this free time since he no longer had to go to meetings or go on prefect rounds. He missed going on those night rounds. It was peaceful in a way since there was hardly anybody up. The empty castle seemed bigger with hardly anybody occupying its space. If Otis wanted to do that now, he'd be breaking the rules. He had been a stickler on rules when he first became a Prefect, but it was hard to do that when his friends were so adventurous and liked to do all sorts of things Otis might have freaked out about. Of course, they were Prefects too, so Otis wasn't even sure what he had been worried about. He just adapted to the wild environment he was being sucked into.

He knew he hadn't made a mistake in retiring from his position. Before he left for his internship in England, he could feel the pressure and anxiety building up. He had taken on so much that he was drowning from it. Otis kept telling himself that he needed this free time to do other things. Sure he loved being a leader, but Otis would have to figure out a different way to lead people. He didn't need a title to tell him that he could boss people around and be nice to them. Otis was already a pretty nice bloke in his opinion. He just didn't know where to start. Running could be his start. He hadn't run much when he was a Prefect or Head Boy. He'd been too caught up in that and his school work in which he took way too many classes that were required. Otis was a bit of an over-achiever and he wasn't sure if that was a strength or a weakness now.

He knew it was going to be a bit chilly out with it still being winter, so he threw on a long sleeves under amour on with another long sleeves t-shirt over that. He did the same with his legs, but had shorts on instead. He knew that his legs could keep themselves warm. It was always his arms and feet that grew cold the fastest. He continued to shove a hat on his head, gloves onto his hands and tied his sneakers up. Just to be on the safe side, Otis cast a spell to make his shoes resistance to the snow so his feet wouldn't get wet. Wet socks were literally the worst. Just as he suspected, it was cold outside. Otis still hated the winter even though England was much worse, but the change in scenery was probably the only thing keeping him from complaining all the time. He often got teased for complaining about the weather since Englishmen were used to it. Otis just rolled his eyes every time. Say what they will, Otis was just trying to get used to it. It bothered him, but not so much anymore. He wanted to tolerate the snow and just winter in general, but the Greek inside in veins was telling him that he couldn't handle it.

Well, he was defying that side of him today by running in the snow today. There were a few paths that got run down so the dead grass could be seen. Otis didn't really have a destination or how long he was going to run. He was going to run until his insides began to burn. Then he knew it was a good run. The problem with that was that Otis was a bit out of shape. He hadn't been this physically active in such a long time that he was winded in two minutes. Otis didn't stop though and kept going. If he was going to get his endurance back, he would have to gain some pain. He inhaled through his nose and exhaled through his mouth once he found his rhythm. Running was a mental process and Otis began to think to distract his mind from telling him to stop. It had been about a week and he hadn't really seen any of his friends. At one point he almost thought he saw his little brother here, but he was sure he would have heard about Chrysander going to Beauxbatons by now. He hadn't exactly stayed in touch with anybody, so it's not like Otis would have been the first person they would have told. He was supposed to be in England still until summer began. His parents probably weren't expecting to send a letter just yet. Otis wasn't even sure Chrysander thought he'd back. Of course, that is if he was here. Otis began to think of what house his little brother might be in. Otis rolled his eyes. As if Otis needed to think about that. Chrysander would be a Rouerie. He'd just have to ask around or go searching for himself.

tag; meera
muse; xmen: first class score
notes; i think this is the fastest i've ever gotten a thread up after saying i would.

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[meera hausser']

Her guitar case was slung carefully over her shoulder, softly bumping against her small frame with every movement. Her coppery curls had been pulled into a ponytail, which bounced on her shoulders with every step, falling carelessly onto the scarf wrapped delicately around her neck. Her thumbs were pulling gently on the belt loops of her jeans as she walked through the quiet courtyard. The grounds were becoming less crowded each passing day, as autumn had made its descent into winter. Her blue eyes watched the path in front of her, in pursuit of any familiar faces. Distraction was something she should she should have been avoiding as she had been looking for them for far too long. It really was the last thing she needed with the school work starting to pile up. The tune of her guitar or a smiling face seemed much more approachable than any empty parchment – the very thing which had been haunting her for hours.

Even beneath the blanket of snow gravel crunched beneath her feet with every step. The cold brought a thin smile to her lips and caused her to pull her jacket tighter across her waist, shaking her head slightly to rid her vision of a few misplaced locks of coppery hair. The overcast skies were chilling, making the grounds seem recluse. Though Meera was one to enjoy company over solitude, she couldn’t help but think the grounds looked hauntingly beautiful. Even with the bitter reminder that snow was on the horizon and cold nip was in the air, she loved the season. The soft whites and greys were a stark contrast to the colored portraits of spring and fall. The chilling beauty served as a sort of poetic inspiration. None of the other seasons were so pristine, not in her eyes that was. She slowed as her blue eyes fell upon a stone bench washed of all its colors, a perfect retreat.

Resting her knee on the bench, Meera carefully pulled her case over her shoulder, placing it carefully against the stone. She knew she really shouldn’t have it out here in the cold like this, but every fiber of her being had been calling her to wander outside. She simply hadn’t had the motivation to return it to her room back in the dormitories. Her room in the towers was so confining, she was much more comfortable out here in the open air, besides it was more likely that muse would strike here. She was still seeking out the perfect lyrics to the new melody she had created. She let her hand rest wistfully on her guitar case, her eyes taking in her crystalline surroundings. Here out on the grounds, she felt as though she were in a picturesque setting, much like those one would find in a muggle’s snow globe. The thought of such a scene resting on her grandmothers’ shelf brought a warm smile to her lips.

Leaving her guitar placed carefully on the bench, Meera pulled gloves onto her hands before digging her hands into the fresh snow. She always hated stealing the peaceful serenity of an unbroken blanket, but she felt the sudden need to revisit her childhood. She rolled the handful of snow into a small ball, delighted at the fact that it stuck. This was perfect snow for making snowmen, she hated when the snow was powdery and dry. While beautiful, she found it served little to no purpose. Unless you were a skier of course, but she’d not done that in years. She doubted that was even considered a wizarding hobby. Shaking her head, she used her free hand to push her coppery locks back over her shoulders. Placing the small snowball on the ground she began pushing it about until she had a rather large ball of snow which was beyond her ability to move any farther.

Satisfied with her work she started the process again, turning a small ball of snow into a considerably larger one. When she thought the middle was large enough she stopped. Upon moving to pick up the snow she realized it was well beyond her limits. Meera paused realizing that she had not really thought the process through thoroughly enough. She really should have settled with a smaller snowman. Sighing in distaste she sat back down on the bench, resting her chin in her palms. This was certainly a dilemma. Gazing down at her guitar case Meera huffed, thinking that maybe this had been a lost cause after all. Nearly decided on giving up she turned her eyes, when movement settled in her peripherals. A male was making his way through some worn path, jogging it seemed. She had never been much of a runner and she couldn’t help but to think running on a winter day would be wretched. Surely the cold air would tighten up his lungs. As the individual neared, Meera was aware she didn’t recognize him, bu tis dodn’t stop her from stealing his attention.

Hey.. She called, waving her hand at him politely as she stood from her spot. Would you mind helping me? If only for a second? She smiled politely. Surely when he realized her question he would think her silly, but that was the least of her worries. She’d wanted to see a completed project and hopefully now she had the ends.

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[Otis Barberis]

Soon he could no longer feel the pain and Otis knew he had been running for a long time now. If he stopped now, he wouldn't be able to start up again. Half of him wanted to stop and just take a shower and lounge on a couch, but the other side told him to keep going since he was out here and running already. There was no point in turning back. He would be testing his self-motivation. Not that he really needed to. Otis has always been a self-motivated person with many things. It was just that he was no longer Head Boy and was just a regular student with way too much time on his hands. He was growing lazy and knew that this run would help him get a hobby again.

His runner's high did help him not focus on the pain in his legs or the gut ache he had earlier at least. Plus, it was like a mini tour all over again with the grounds of Beauxbatons. He remembered most of it because of so much repetition and Otis always had a great memory to start with. His visual memory was excellent. It was why he always remembered faces so well and knew so many people when first arriving to Beauxbatons. Otis could even get names correct, which most people can't do when they are able to recognize faces better than names. Otis just had that intuition that came with his Seer ability.

A voice had brought him out of his thoughts and Otis looked up, a bit startled by the suddenness of the noise piercing through the silence around him. He kept on running, but saw a girl who was waving her arms at him. He knitted his eyebrows together in confusion and figured he could stop and help her. His vision shifted and got a closer look at what was up ahead. When it shifted back to normal, he looked down at his watch and had been going much longer than he thought. Otis began to slow down as he grew closer and saw that she was building a snowman. Or at least, that's what he figured with the giant snow balls lying around.

He stood there for a bit with his finger held up for a moment's pause as he began to breath heavily, trying to catch his breath. After a minute or so, Otis felt like he could speak. "Need help with that?" Otis asked with his hands on his hips, still breathing heavily as he looked at the snow ball. This girl was surely trying to build a rather large snowman. Otis couldn't remember the last time he had built a snowman. Maybe when he first came here and thought snow was cool? Nonetheless, Otis avoided the snow like it was the plague.

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[meera hausser']

Meera watched from her place, a small smile creeping across her lips as the boys slowed and finally stilled. Before giving her a chance to speak he held his finger up to her, giving her a moment’s pause. If you gave yourself a moment to breath you wouldn’t be so out of breath. She said, her words light and teasing. It seemed obvious that he had been running for some time or was extremely out of shape, though she wasn’t likely to believe the latter. The boy’s face was flushed and winters chilling grasp had stolen the color from his cheeks. She had never been much of a runner herself, but she had always preferred running in warm weather – winter not only robbed you of color, but also left a sharp burning sensation in your lungs. It was nothing she had really ever enjoyed. Meera smiled as he asked if she needed help, offering a curt shrug of her shoulder as she spoke. I’d hate to overexert you, but I could use some help. I seem to have overestimated my strength; perhaps you’ll be better suited for the job.

His hand were placed casually on his hips as he struggled to regain his breath and she let her eyes fall on the two balls of snow which lay on the ground before. Looking at them now she was sure she’d gotten carried away. She wondered how she’d even gathered the strength to push them across the courtyard as she had. The only thing she’d really managed to do properly was end with the two of them close together. Huffing slightly she pushed her copper curls over her shoulder with a mitted hand before turning her eyes on the male. Looking at him more closely, she felt like she recognized his dark hair and crooked smile. Surely she had seen him around, but she couldn’t place a name with the face. Of course if you can’t get it I’d be willing to help. She said as a sudden afterthought, with a slight nod of her head. I’ll not make you do all the work, but I think the finish project will be well worth it.

She was sure that there was probably a spell which would have worked just as well, but having grown up around muggles she was used to doing everything on her own. She didn’t always understand the use for some of the spells. As intrigued as she was by magic, she liked to sort things on her own. Besides making snowmen was something she’d always done as a child, it was more for the fun of the past time than anything else. Besides it’s be nice to have a friendly snowman on campus, perhaps she’d spell him to do something else when she was done – wave at nearby students or something of the like. Shaking her head she turned her head back at the boy, as she gragged her foot aimlessly through the piled snow.

Oh, I nearly forgot. I’m Meera, by the way.

ooc: please forgive the lateness and the bleh-ness. I lost muse there >< lol

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[Otis Barberis]

Otis smiled and looked at the ground as he rubbed his head, a bit embarrassed but he knew she was just teasing him by the tone of her voice. His hands dropped down to his side as he took deep breaths in through his nose and deep exhales through his mouth. It wouldn't be long before his breathing would be back to normal, but his heart rate was a bit high still after the amount of time Otis had spent just running. He was actually kind of proud of himself for going as far as he did. It may not be as long as he used to go for, but it was a start. If Otis no longer was a Prefect or a Head, he could use this sort of motivation to keep him busy. Plus, running had always been his escape when things turned sour. Otis only ran for fun if he was with something else like Scarlett or if it was summer and Otis had nothing else to do. He looked back up and could start to feel the cold pierce his skin. Otis may start to feel the cold, but he didn't show it. He had been here many winters before and knew that his wand was waiting for him back in his dorm to warm up his feet. "Oh no, that's fine. I haven't made a snowman in years." Otis said as he waved his hand in the start as if to wave off his condition. He really hadn't made a snowman in years, mostly because Otis hated snow. He should really get over it since he'd be living her for another couple of years, but it was almost as if hating snow was built into his Greek DNA.

Otis looked down at the snowballs before him. Otis may be tall and had decent upper strength, he was no his brother. They would definitely have to work together to lift that snowball. Plus, he wasn't sure how much strength he would have after running all those miles. He was already starting to feel hungry and his lungs burned a bit whenever he inhaled. He remembered why he didn't run as often in winter. "Yeah, sure." Otis said in reply as he began to take one side of the snowball. "You take the other side while I take this side. Might be better than me dropping it halfway there and ruining all your hard work!" Otis explained. Before he did anything though, he introduced himself to her after she said her name was Meera. Otis had come across many names he had never heard before and was still surprised when he heard a new name he hadn't heard before. It was a nice name, definitely unique. "I'm Otis. Nice to meet you." Otis said with a smile. Bending down and making sure he was going to lift with his legs, not his back, Otis got two hands on his side of the snowball. "Alright, let's get this one up there. One...two...three!" Otis counted down and then lifted it up. He inched over to where the base snowball was and carefully set the middle snowball on top of the base snowball. Otis brushed the snow off of his hands and was just glad he was wearing gloves because he could feel the wet snow seeping into his gloves. At least his body radiated heat or Otis would have been a shade of blue by now.

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[meera hausser']

She bit her lip softly as he turned his face towards the ground, running a hand through the short length of his hair. She’d not meant to embarrass him with her comments and she hoped he only took them lightly. Meera had always had a habit of turning everything into some sort of jest or playful remark; she’d been cursed with that tendency. It was hard for her to take much of anything seriously – perhaps that would explain why she was out in the midst of the cold building a snowman while others, such as this boy, were out trying to do something productive. Well that makes two of us.[b/] She said, her lips turning in a smile. I grew up in the Southern states and they never got much snow there. For that matter, any matter of snow had been enough to close the school systems. It had never been enough to properly so something as build a snowman though, yet another reason she’d felt the need to take on the task.

She was glad when he stepped up to the snowball, admitting that he’d help her. She watched him for a moment, thinking on how cold he must be out here in the crisp cold, but found herself nodding when he asked her to grab the other side. She nearly stumbled over her feet in her rush to help him, taking the giant snowball in hand. It was heavier than she had anticipated, even with the both of them lifting it. I’m not sure you could consider it hard work… really. She said, contemplating it as she stepped away to grab the smallest of the snow balls, placing it atop the one they had just lifted. There… a finished product. She said stepping back, admiring the handiwork. Well nearly. She said, wrapping her scarf around the neck for better effect. She’d really not thought out past building it. I suppose he can do without a face. Shrugging nonchalantly she turned her attention back to the boy.

Well thanks Otis. She smiled, repeating his name back at him. You must want to get back inside, you must be freezing out here. She said again glancing at his less than warm choice of clothing. She’d not had many plans past building her snow man, her guitar still seated in its case on a nearby bench. I could always accompany you inside.

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