Two of a Kind [Claudia]

Jett was exploring the castle. There was not other reason for him to be peering over the edge of the suspension bridge into the mists below. He had been methodically making his way through the grounds, learning its every nook and cranny. If he ever needed to get somewhere in a hurry this information would be needed. He did not overlook a thing as she stored a virtual map in his head of Hogwarts. He liked this particular spot connecting two towers, it was open and wide but stable. You could see all of its secrets just by looking, nothing was hidden or trying to deceive.

It was getting later in the afternoon and he could see many students rushing around the grounds but for now he was alone in his endeavor.

Claudia was walking around the castle. She loved looking at all the sights on the grounds. She had gone almost everywhere but still had some ground to cover. She made her way to the bridge. She would have to take pictures of the sights she saw to show her mother and father when she got back home. She walked across the bridge and saw a Ravenclaw boy that looked like he was in the year above her. She didn't want to disturb him so she went to the other side of the bridge.

Hearing footsteps behind him Jett turned from the edge of the bridge and looked around. A girl in Gryffindor had started crossing the span of the bridge. Seeing her graceful way of walking and the confident way she held her head up he thought he sensed something familiar about her.

Jett held up a hand in greeting from across the bridge. "Hello!" His voice was full of warmth as he wondered who the girl was.

She was busy looking out over the bridge that she almost forgot that the boy had said something to her. She turned around and smiled "Oh, Hello." She turned back to look one more out over the bridge. She loved the way the mist created a dewy look. It was quite beautiful. She sighed at the sight.

Jett made his way over to where she was standing and followed her gaze. The school grounds didn't have a spot that wasn't beautiful. He watched as she sighed at the sight, still trying to figure out why he felt something familiar about her.

"It's lovely, isn't it? There's nothing quite like enjoying the beauty around the castle. I'm Jett." He looked away from the grounds and back into the girls eyes.

Claudia smiled brightly. "I know it is quite lovely. I just love how beautiful it is. My name's Claudia. Nice to meet you Jett." She looked as the birds flew overhead. "What brings you out here to the bridge?" She was always curious of other people.

Birds swooped and dove about them, their calls filling the air. Claudia...no, he had never heard of her before. But still, there was something....similar about her that he couldn't quite place just yet. He made it is goal to find it, a new mystery to solve.

"I'm merely perusing the grounds," Jett didn't need to let everyone know he was memorizing it's intricacies. That way if ever someone needed help getting around he could help and impress them at the same time. "And what about you, Claudia? What brings a lovely young Gryffindor like yourself out here?

She smiled. "I am looking for places i can take pictures of. My family keeps a photography wall at home where we put all the beautiful sights we see from places we go. I wanted to surprise my parents with sights from here to put up." She felt quite proud of the wall because it was something special and unique.

A wall of pictures? Why couldn't they just recall the scene in their heads and view it that way? The memory was more lasting than a flimsy piece of paper. Jett would never have said that to Claudia, though. "That's a nice idea. You must be a great photographer if you take pictures so often."

He looked away again in order to give her a moment to continue the conversation or not. How would he go about finding what it was about her that resonated in him.

She noticed him look away but continued on the conversation. "Yea, Im pretty good at it. My dad got me into photography. He always gets himself the latest cameras being a muggle and he works at a factory that makes them. I took this amazing picture of a sunset over our lake we have behind out house. It is Beautiful. The best i have ever seen." She blushed. "Sorry for rambling on most people don't want to hear about it."

A slight blush graced Claudia's cheeks bringing out an appealing rosy glow. The more he looked at her the more he noticed little aspects of her appearance that stood out more than those on others.

"Oh, please, there is no need to apologize. Your lake sounds wonderful. I would love to see that picture of it if you have it here at school." Jett paused, letting the sun warm him face. He realized he was looking down into Claudia's face. She was quite a bit shorter than he was. He thought about what she had said about a muggle father and an opportunity to find more about her arose.

"So you grew up with a muggle father? Is your mother a muggle as well?"

She was glad that he didn't mind her rambling. "I think i have it here. I will have to look. I grew up with my mother and father. My mother isn't a muggle, far from it." She never had anyone ask about her family. Her face was etched in curiousity.

Her answer brought a bright laugh out of Jett. It echoed across the still bridge twinkling in the quiet air. Jett was found of laughing and it transformed his handsome face into something even more alluring.

"My mother is far from a muggle as well, as you put it." Jett was beginning to piece together what was so familiar about Claudia. It was a rare thing, and a far shot to be true, but maybe...He would have to learn a bit more before being sure.

She tried to hold back a giggle. "I see we have one thing in common." Her eyes shined brightly. She was happy to have someone to talk to that actually wanted to listen.

"I think we may have more in common than you think Claudia." Jett grinned down at her, pondering how to continue his questioning. He didn't want to be obvious and have her catch on to what he was doing. "So tell me, what house are you in?"

Claudia didn't understand what he ment by that but she ignored her thoughts. "Im in Gryffindor. What about you?" She already knew but she wanted something to talk about. Claudia looked up into his eyes. She realized how short she was compared to him. As she looked she noticed something familiar but on the other had so very new.

"Ah, Gryffindor. My father was in Gryffindor when he went here. I have heard that what house are you in usually is the same as your parents. I must be an oddity as I was sorted into Ravenclaw. Was your mother a Gryffindor like yourself?" Jett casually inquired after her mother, trying to confirm his suspicions.

She laughed. "No, She was in Ravenclaw. I almost got sorted into Ravenclaw but i guess Gryffindor was more for me. Did your mom go here?" She was curious if maybe his parents went at the same time as her mom.

Jett felt a small frown sneak its way onto his face. This wasn't getting him the information he needed yet. He would have to try another approach.

"My mother studied at Beauxbatons, as did I until this year. It's quite a difference here at Hogwarts, I must say I am enjoying it though. There are so many lovely people here, such as yourself." Jett let his most charming smile light up his face, feeling his veela blood channel through his veins to add it's power to his smile.

Claudia managed a small smirk. "Yea you could say it's quite different here. What lovely people have you met while you have been here?" She didn't know what he was trying to get at but she was going to find out.

Was she catching on to his scheme? He would have to be more careful as she tried to get more information about her family. Jett turned and gazed out over the grounds as he thought to answer her question. He had met a couple professors, that flighty Ravenclaw girl, Alyssa, a handful of others. And Ella, but he didn't dare mention that.

"Oh, just a few people in my house and some of the professors. I've been trying to make new friends here but I believe you are the first Gryffindor I have had the pleasure of speaking with. I hope they are all as nice you."

She watched him look out over the grounds before he spoke. It was almost like he had to think before he answered. "I'm sure they will be just as nice as me."
She leaned over the edge of the bridge and took a deep breath. It always helped her compose her thoughts. She felt like she could trust him even though she had only just met him. She didn't talk openly to just anyone but he seemed different in a way. He seemed too much like her.

Claudia was one of the few people he had met so far that spoke openly and without an air of defense. It was refreshing to have someone speak to him in a casual manner. She seemed unaffected by his natural abilities, a trait Jett rarely came across. It was possible to talk with her without worrying about whether she would fall prey to his charms and forget him as an actual person with a personality of his own. All signs were leading to possibility that they were of the same breed and Jett burned to know the truth.

"Excuse my frank behavior," he started smoothly, "but I can't help but notice something different about you than others I have met here. I mean that as a compliment, of course."

She leaned back from over the ledge. She smiled. "I could say the same for you." Returning the compliment. She was glad to have someone around that she could relate to. Everyone that she had met in Gryffindor hadn't shared any common interests or personality traits.

"I don't think i have met anyone like you." She smiled while looking up at the sky as the clouds slowly went by. "And i mean that in a good way."

Jett took the compliment with grace. Of course, he had heard it many times. All his life, in fact. More important than her words, though, were her actions. He had been watching them closely for signs familiar to his mother and his behavior. They were there, perhaps faintly. He needed to observe her interacting with others to be certain. That could wait until later.

"Claudia, it has been a pleasure to chat with you. I feel like this meeting was fated. I must be going now, though. Please, send me an owl if you care to talk again or hopefully I will see you around often." Jett moved away from the edge of the bridge, presented one last winning smile to Claudia and turned to leave.