Haven't seen you around... tag Alyssa

Jackson sat down near what he thought was the entrance to the Ravenclaw dormitories. He'd heard that they didn't use a password to get in, instead a riddle, and wanted to hear how tricky these riddles were. He folded up his cane and stuck it in his robe pocket, sitting against the wall, his sightless eyes staring forward.

Alyssa had been running late for class, but the day was over and she was looking forward to a good night's sleep. She sighed when she spotted the Ravenclaw door knocker. (Sorry, my neighbors came over and my sisters and I took a walk with them, we haven't seen them for about a year.) The riddles were usually roundabout and paradoxes. Today, at least, she was hoping it would be a more simple riddle. She knocked and the knocker said, *To be a true queen, you must have one thing, and only one. What is this thing?* Alyssa rolled her eyes. Once again, it sounded like a paradox. She looked around; usually 7th years, Prefects, or Head Boys and Girls could solve them easily. Alyssa knew she should probably be able to because she was a 6th Year though. She leaned forward to tell the door knocker her answer and almost tripped on a boy sitting down near the doorway. She hadn't seen him before. "Um, hi. Are you in Ravenclaw? I don't think I've seen you around before."

((It's cool, life happens))

Jackson heard footsteps, and a metal-on-metal sound.
To be a true queen, you must have one thing, and only one. What is it?
Before he could try to think of the answer, an older girl asked if he was in Ravenclaw.
"Hi." He smiled and tilted his head up toward her voice. "No, I'm in Hufflepuff. Don't mind me, I just want to try the riddle." He scooted about a half meter along the wall. "Sorry if I was in your way."

His first thought was a crown, but queens could be queens without crowns. Was it a King? Did a Queen need a King to be a Queen? Because it was called a KINGdom? Oh! A kingdom! A ruler needed people to rule over!

"Uh, no you're fine. I just wanted to get inside, finish my essays and charms practice, and get some sleep." Alyssa yawned. "You said you wanted to try the riddle? I dunno if someone from another house can get in, but you can try if you want. Just don't take too long." Alyssa stepped back and waited for the younger Hufflepuff boy to give it a try. She thought she knew what the answer was, but she wasn't sure...(By the way, I know the answer and it's not people or a king, just letting you know)

((haha thanks. btw I'll be logging on and off, switching accts))
"Er, is it a kingdom? 'Cause a queen needs people to rule over?" Jackson asked. It made sense, but he wasn't sure if it was right. Riddles were supposed to be hard to figure out and really simple once you knew the answer, he didn't think his third guess would be right. Oh! "Is it a weeding ring, otherwise she'd just be a princess?"

Alyssa tried the two answers, a kingdom and a wedding ring. They didn't work. "Um, maybe it's not something we can see or touch? Maybe it's like, a characteristic or something?" Alyssa guessed leadership but the door still refused to open.

(Do you two mind of Jett joins in?)

(I don't mind, I don't know if Jackson does)

((fine with me))
"A characteristic a queen has to have to be a queen?" Jackson thought, rubbing his face with his hands. Queenliness? That was too easy. Cleanliness? No...
"I dunno. I'm not in Ravenclaw for a reason." He shrugged, smiling.

Jett was no rush to get back to the Ravenclaw common room, so when he reached the corridor where its entrance lay he was more than happy to see two people standing in the way. He strutted up to them with a smile on his face, showing off a set of perfect teeth.

"Why hello there. Having a party are we?"

Another person walked up, he sounded older than Jackson, too.
"Hullo." Jackson turned his head toward the boy's voice. "I was trying to figure out the riddle, but I think it's too tough for a Hufflepuff." He smiled and stood, tilting his head back was making his neck hurt.

Alyssa laughed. "You don't necessarily have to be clever or smart to be in Ravenclaw. Anyway, I'm sure that you've got other things you're good at." ALyssa turned around, hearing footsteps, and saw another Ravenclaw boy about her age striding up the corridor towards the door. She turned back towards the younger boy sitting on the floor. "Someone else is coming, maybe they can help us with the riddle?" She guessed that he was maybe blind, the way he tilted his head towards everyone noise and had unsettling eyes.

Alyssa turned to the Ravenclaw boy.  "Hi, do you happen to know the answer to the riddle?  We can't figure it out. And, no, there's no party here. There's no need to be rude either." she said, eyeing the other Ravenclaw.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean to come off as rude!" Jett wondered how such a lovely young girl would have misconstrued his intentions. Being new to the school he didn't know either of the two students there and it just wouldn't do to have a bad reputation started. "I was merely implying that if there was a party I would love to be invited. As for the riddle...it's simple. A queen must have class and grace, beauty and sophistication. But that's no riddle answer, is it?"

Alyssa stared at the boy. For some reason, she didn't like him, and she wondered where he was from. He looked to be new, but if he was starting Sixth Year new he must've gone somewhere before. "Sorry for misinterpreting your actions," she said, "And where are you from? And a queen doesn't have to be pretty. It's inner beauty she has to have. Also, a queen can be a commoner or a peasant, class has nothing to do with true royalty." (My character has a natural distrust of most people, you can read it in my character application if you want ha ha.) The boy seemed like he was from a wealthy family, the way he talked and walked. "Who are you, by the way?"

"It sounds like it makes too much sense to be a riddle answer." Jackson frowned, scratching his head. "Maybe she just has to act regal? No, that makes too much sense, too. I'm Jackson Smith."
He was sort-of thinking out loud. He didn't who the girl was asking who he was, so he answered.

((g2g help with dinner))

(Okay thanks for telling us. I'm going to keep going if Jett wants and if you don't care.) "Ha, so you're saying it has to not make sense to be a riddle answer? And thanks for telling me your name, I was actually talking to the boy over there. Wait a second...I know the answer! It is kind of confusing I guess, because if it was true it wouldn't be true. Nothing! A queen doesn't need anything to be queen, because she must sacrifice and give up everything for her people and kingdom!" The door knocker squwalked, *Very nicely put, you may enter.* Alyssa slipped through the door quickly, closing it behind her.

This girl was getting him all wrong! Jett wondered how to win her over, if she was in the same house as him it would be best if they got along. The other boy, Jackson, seemed nice enough so far if a little scatter brained at the moment. Jett smiled at him and offered a hand shake. Meanwhile the girl slipped through the door, leaving Jett behind.


(Should I meet you in Ravenclaw to continue?)

(If you want to. Ha ha by the way my character left you behind so you have to answer another riddle. And your character doesn't know that Jackson's blind, does he?) Alyssa called out through the door, "If you ever want to finish your homework and get some sleep, you'd best ask the door knocker again." She smirked at him through the door even though she knew he couldn't see her.

((Back))
So, the answer to what a queen needed to be a queen was nothing because she gives everything up? Jackson heard a door open and shut. He groaned and rubbed his forehead with the heel of his palm. Should he go to his own dormitory, or stick around and try another riddle? This one kind of gave him a headache...

"Well, what an intriguing girl!" Jett turned to Jackson as the door shut. "Say, you're not in Ravenclaw are you?" He noticed the boy was younger than him and that he had a cane in his hand, kind of odd behavior.

"That's a word for it." Jackson would have gone with 'weird'... "No, I'm in Hufflepuff. I just wanted to find out how hard the riddles are. Pretty hard."

(Jeez, you're forcing my character to hate yours even more and more... intriguing? Really?  Grr, ha ha I think you made your first enemy.  You forgot that she's listening through the door...)  Alyssa fumed on the other side of the door.  This was why she didn't belong at Hogwarts. She belonged outside in the mountains, or high up in the trees.  She belonged with the birds and with the wind.  At least the Hufflepuff had called her weird instead of intriguing.  That Ravenclaw boy was dumb and rich or something like that.

(Oops I forgot that your character thought the word weird instead of saying it...)

Jett ruffled his hair out of habit and took a closer look at Jackson. Why would a Hufflepuff want to test himself with riddles? Whatever his reason, Jett found it admirable. There was nothing quite like exercising the mind.

"Riddles are not about being hard or easy, Jackson. They are about a mindset and the way you perceive things. Anyone can become good at riddles, its just takes a little rewiring in your head." Jett clasped his hand onto the younger students shoulder, a sign of camaraderie.