#bnwstarter

If confusion had been the biggest thing on Alexander’s mind moments ago, it had dissipated with a surprising ease. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t still concerned about it, but now he had some idea of what the next step was. He wasn’t wandering through New York waiting to be contacted or mugged, the latter being far more likely. While still an important matter, it had been shelved for the moment. Hank was going to try to pick his brain, and that was the best idea he could think of.

He cast an observant eye over the building as they approached it, Hank saying something that Alex wasn’t really listening to. It was clean. Higher end. Even had flowers and plants growing on the balconies. He wasn’t quite the expert on New York rental rates, but something told him this wasn’t a place your everyday kids could afford. 

As the young Gryffindor made her way to the Great Hall, readying herself for a much needed meal, she found herself letting her mind wander, effectively tuning out the general chatter around her until she found herself quite literally flat on her arse, having walked right into a solid mass of human. “Oi, maybe watch where you’re going, mate.” Ash snapped as she stood. Because of course it couldn’t have been her fault for not paying attention. “Head up in the clouds like that and you’re gonna run some poor innocent into the ground.” As she spoke, she brushed herself off, not bothering to spare the other a glance. 

She’d been in the hospital wing for only half of a day before the fever got to her head. She shot up in her bed, flames rising with her. It was obviously a magical manifestation of her physical state, but it was still no less terrifying. Usually her accidental magic protected Shae, but sickness was the body attacking itself, so the magic followed. Shae’s head whipped around as she tried to locate her wand, but it was nowhere to be found. She hated dependency on anyone, everyone she ever got close to or depended on was in danger. Still, there was no way out of this one without assistance.

“Help!” she called out, her voice hoarse and dry. With her panic the flames rose higher. “Someone, please, help!”

The tears began to sting. She'd run to the her favorite secluded spot in the dungeons and let herself sob until she lost track of time. When she opened her eyes she was surrounded with hundreds of roses and burning candles that she hadn’t meant to place there. She knew her subconscious had done it for her yet again. She lifted one of the roses to her nose and breathed in the calming scent. “For Shacklebolt,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from all of the crying.

Finn had just settled in to his dorm room earlier that day. After the tour with Claire and Ryant, he felt a little over energized. This entire business of starting over was wearing on his nerves, and he thought a run might clear his head. Digging through a box he found a pair of athletic shorts and his running shoes, and pulled them on with an urgency he hadn’t felt in a long time. This whole world was new and interesting, but change always made Finn uneasy. Being a soldier, he knew. Being this... whatever he was now, he didn’t. 

He had just left the dorms, paying special attention so he could find his way back, and the thudding of his feet on the pavement as he jogged helped ease his tense shoulders. Once he cleared the courtyard, he headed for the gate, hoping to run the boarder of it to get a better idea of the layout than the tour he’d received. As he neared the front gate, he saw a silhouette in the dying light of the day. Broad shoulders, arms probably crossed, and legs set at shoulder width apart. 

Finn knew that stance, he’d seen it for years, and knew he adopted one similar whenever he was ‘at rest’. Always alert for danger, but projecting a relaxed aura for anyone watching. This man was a soldier. Anything familiar was welcomed by Finn’s tired mind at this point, and he made a bee line for the other man, making sure he made plenty of noise to warn the other of his presence before he came in to view.

Finn looked down at the small piece of paper he’d been given that told him when and where to meet. He stood outside the front office, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He couldn’t believe he was nervous about this. He’d faced down scarier things overseas, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that what he was involving himself in now was more frightening. It meant he was acknowledging the fact that whatever it was that had happened out there was actually a piece of him. 

Crossing his arms, he looked off towards the rest of the campus wondering who this ‘veteran student’ that was supposed to be showing him around was. Would they know about him? He always felt like strangers eyes would follow him, knowing that he was dishonorably discharged, and judge him for it. Finn knew it was all in his head, but it was hard to dismiss the feeling. \