Exploring the Castle (Open)

The echo of Vincent's footsteps pierced the quietness of the Corridor. He was casually walking up and down every hallway getting a good look at the castle. Ever since he had stepped off the Carriage he had planned to explore the whole castle and most of the surrounding area. He thought it would be best to get it all done now so he wouldn't have to worry about it later. He walked slowly, looking over all of the pictures and objects along the walls. It had a uniqueness to it all. Nothing like what he saw at Beauxbatons but it was fit for Hogwarts. He stopped at a window and looked out over the grounds. It was a great view of the area. He might actually like the short time he stayed here.

The halls were a mystery just as Veronica was. Every portrait went about their daily lives, moving from one picture to the next. Even in the empty of the corridors the hall was abuzz with whispers like a hive of bumble bees. It was a nice hum that brought a twinkle to Veronica’s eyes as she floated pass Vincent going the opposite direction. She didn’t notice him of course. How could she, when she is a tumbleweed passing by. No one ever took notice of a withered old weed tumbling across the barren desert, but the welcomed soothing breeze that followed it. It never perturbed her that she only left a footprint against the sand, only to be washed away seconds later. He too was a passing thought in the collection of dreams.

Aurelia was talking a walk around the castle when she found a girl and a boy. She knew they didn't attend Hogwarts, because of their attire, and they were here because of the Twiwizard Tournament. Both of them looked around her age. "Hey. Do any of you need a tour guide?"

Startled by the break in the quietness Vincent turned around to see a girl asking if any of you needed a tour guide. He didn't know there was more than just him in the hallway. He turned and saw Veronica Fay. He had never had a long conversation with her but they exchanged words ever so often back at Beauxbatons.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Miss Veronica Fay herself." She was a quiet one. Always within reach but never noticed in a crowd. "I can see you blend in with the background even here. Not a sound. Tranquille comme une souris, vous etes." He smirked at Veronica. It was not ment to be rude just a simple statement to be said. "How does a tour guide sound to you?" He knew that she most likely would say no but he didn't care.

Ever so once in a while that same tumbleweed gets caught in a cactus that not even the wind can break it free. She stopped near a window where the light illuminated the dark corridors. Tranquil to stand there all day, she watched nothing in particular, but looked outside all the same. The sun, even the heavens in the sky held in place in those eyes of hers. She was lost to this world and already in the next, as she pulled away from the window continuing her stroll through the Hogwarts castle.

All she gave was one fleeting glance to the stranger and a smile that was touch by angels, before disappearing down another long corridor.

Vincent shook his head. Always the same. She barely said anything or was always in another world when you spoke to her. Like a flower blown away by the wind always out of reach, out of grasp. He thought he would never figure her out. He turned back to the girl. "I guess i wouldn't mind a tour guide even though i have seen most of the ground already by myself." He smiled a wide smile that always was plastered on his face at some point.

Jackson had going up to the Owlery, but heard people talking and went to investigate. His cane quietly clicked over the stone floor ahead of him as he trailed his hand along the wall.

((hope you don't mind the blind kid joining))

(I don't mind at all)

Vincent heard a quiet sound coming from one end of the corridor. He turned his head toward the sound and his eyes fixed on a kid that seemed to be in his third year or so. He quickly noiticed that he was Visually impaired. He never liked to use the term blind because his sister had eye problems. She wasn't completly blind but it was pretty close.

"Bonjour, it is good to be aquainted with a new face. May I ask what your name is if you don't mind."
He felt that he didn't need to be cocky or prove that he was better than anyone around this kid. He decided to reveal a side that he rarely let anyone see but a select few. The nice caring version of Vincent that no one would believe to be real unless they saw it with their own two eyes.

"Hullo, er bonjour, I'm Jackson Smith." Jackson grinned, glad the kids from the other schools spoke English. "And you are?" The boy sounded older than him, but his accent made it hard to tell how much older. He stopped when his cane bumped something squishy and quiet, likely the boy's trainers.

Vincent laughed slightly when the boy bumped into him with his cane. "Im Vincent, Vincent Renwick. From Beauxbatons Academy if you didn't already guess.", he said referring to his accent.
He looked out the window once more and then back at the boy. "I very much like Hogwarts. How does it treat you here?" He hoped his question made sense. He sometimes had a hard time making sense of his words when he didn't think about them for long.

Vincent had laughed at Jackson's cane bumping him, but it didn't sound like a teasing laugh. He asked how Jackson liked Hogwarts and Jackson thought for a moment. What would an older boy want to know about Hogwarts?
"The House Elves are great at what they do, the professors tend to be nice, the stairs move and you can get lost but any of the students can help you. Also I think the Forbidden Forest is still dangerous. And we're not supposed to do magic outside of class." Jackson smiled.

Vincent smiled at Jackson and let out a chuckle. "I will surely keep those things in mind." H ebegan looking up and down the hall casually and then leaned against the wall. "Do you have any points of interest around the school i may want to take a look at?" He liked to hear people's opinion on interesting places to see if they really were interesting.

Jackson thought. Points of interest...
"Well, the Great Hall, of course, there's always a snack on the tables and usually people skipping class. There are some balconies on towers that are nice, I'm pretty sure the bridge is on the fifth floor? It might be cold enough to go ice-skating on the lake. I've heard of people sliding down banisters but never tried it. And you might be able to find some hidden passageways, and watch out for trick steps on staircases." He'd gotten caught in a trick step a few times, but never the same one twice. He hoped he was helping Vincent.

Vincent was processing everything that Jackson was telling him. They all seemed pretty interesting form what he was hearing. He knew that he would probably check most of that stuff out. "I will surely keep all of that in mind." He made a mental note to keep a look out for those places and things. "Do you mind me asking what you enjoy most about Hogwarts?" He found himself asking a lot of people question if they were new to him and he hoped that Jackson didn't mind them.

"I dunno." What Jackson liked best about Hogwarts? "Most of the kids are nice. I like learning magic. And going away to live at school." He supposed it wasn't a very odd question so much as it was a hard question.

Vincent nodded to himself. He liked hearing other peoples opinion about certain topics. He liked to see the different views of everything. It helped him view things differently. He didn't really know what to say to Jackson so he decided to talk about the Tournament.

"Do you know anyone who may enter into the Tournament?"

He didn't know if he cared for the Tournament or not but he wanted to get his view on it all and see how he felt about it.

"I dunno." Jackson repeated. He shrugged. "I knew one kid who might have entered but I think he finished school or transferred or something. I think you'd have to be daft to enter, what if you were picked? You could die. Not, er, not that you're daft if you put your name in. It's just bloody dangerous." He didn't want to insult Vincent if he had been thinking of putting his name in. "Maybe I'll put my name in as a joke, there's no way I'd get picked." He grinned, kidding. He didn't even know if he was old enough.

Vincent analyzed his answer. He was hoping that he might have known someone who was entering into the Tournament so he could learn alittle bit about them beforehand.

"I actually was going to enter. I always liked things that involved danger so." He knew that he was only joking about putting his name in. He didn't even look old enough to enter.

"Any favorite classes of yours?" He wanted to know as much as he could from every student he met at Hogwarts. He just hoped he wasn't making the kid uncomfortable with all of the questions that he was asking.

"Um..." Jackson's favourite classes? "I like Potions and Charms and Care of Magical Creatures and stuff where you get to do stuff, y'know? History of Magic is boring... Music can be fun... I only went to Flying once..." He really ought to go to more classes.

(sorry I am not typing much i have been mega tired and my brain has not worked well haha)
Vincent nodded. "Have you met anyone from Beauxbatons or Durmstrang?" He was wondering if he had had the pleasure or displeasure of meeting any of the other students.

((it's fine))
"No." Jackson remembered to shake his head. "You're the first kid that's not from Hogwarts I've met." Vincent had said Beauxbatons, right? Beaubatons was the French school? "I think next year I'll be old enough to go when it's held somewhere else, but I don't know if I will."

Vincent was sort of surprised that Jackson hadn't met any of the other students. They were all over the grounds. Vincent was also surprised when he had said he probably wouldn't go to another school when a tournament was held there.

"You should go if it is held at Beauxbatons. My sister goes their with me and I think you would really like her." He wasn't refering to the Vision problem but Jackson seemed like a nice kid and it was hard for his sister to make friends. Even if he was from another school it was better than not making friends.

"Maybe." Jackson shrugged. "Getting lost gets boring. Though it would be nice to have a pen-pal or something. Maybe. I don't know which school it is next year. Wasn't it Durmstrang last year?" He couldn't really remember, since he didn't go.

Vincent had to think back to last year. He had a hard time remembering things but he faintly could remember what happened last year.

"Yeah, I am pretty sure it was Durmstrang that hosted it last year but my memory is slightly fuzzy so I can't really remember."

He knew that the conversation was getting boring but he didn't want to stop talking since not many people would take the time to talk to him. He tried to make the conversation last as long as possible.

"Did you go last year?" Vincent sounded old enough to have gone last year. He sounded older than Jackson.