Something Familiar in the Unfamiliar (Open) (PG-13)

Racquel missed France and Beauxbatons already. They had only just arrived several days ago, but it seemed like an eternity. Wanting to feel something familiar, she glanced out the window of her dorm and smiled at the bright sunshine. Maybe some fresh air was what she needed...

Dressed in black leggings, black boots that came just below her knees, and a tunic the color of cornflowers, Racquel put her hair in a quick braid before grabbing her blue and white recurve bow and black quiver of arrows and heading outside. Walking quietly down to the lake, she marveled at the beauty of the grounds and found herself beginning to feel better already. Upon reaching a spot that she thought would suit her needs, Racquel drew her wand and cast a few spells that created a target each: one hanging by a rope from the trees, one at a standard distance from her, and one at a long distance from her. Smiling to herself, she nocked an arrow and took aim. Letting the arrow fly, the sound of it sinking into the center of the target closest to her reached her ears, the gentle thunk filling the area around her.

She had been shooting for about five minutes and had just retrieved her arrows when she sighed, contently. Racquel was happy she had come out to shoot. It was just what was needed. Taking aim, the sound of a snapping twig startled her. Turning towards the sound, she let the arrow fly, sinking it into the ground just in front of the foliage that concealed whatever or whoever made the sound. Nocking another arrow, she raised her aim to what would be a chest shot to anyone standing. "La prochaine aura pas manquer! Qui est là?" she called in French to the darkness, her eyes intent on her unseen target...

Translation:

"Ne tirez pas! C'est moi, mon amie!" a clear voice called out and Fleur stepped out of the woods and smiled warmly at the younger girl. She had been watching her for a few minutes already and was impressed with her skill. She too, trained often and appreciated her peace when doing so.  Fleur walked over to her schoolmate and ran a gentle hand down the girl's hair. "Vous avez du talent." she remarked, glad to be speaking French again.

translation:

Ashton decided to take a stroll by the lake. He heard voice speaking french and thought it must be a few Beauxbaton babes. He chuckled and approached the two ladies. "Hello darlings. How are you today?" He recognized one girl as the girl his brother was talking to at the feast. He approached her and smiled, "Racquel right? Apollo told me about you. I am Ashton." He then turned to the girl. "I dont believe we have met." He took her hand and kissed it. "Echante Madameoiselle."

Elena's warm smile turned into a detached expression when they were interrupted by someone. She did not get overly friendly with people she did not care for, especially not male people, as they seemed to always fall over themselves to impress her due to her veela charms. When she turned around, her hair gently flew over her shoulder and her bright blue eyes took in the young boy in front of her. She pulled back her hand before he could touch it with his lips. "It is not polite to touch a woman without asking first." she told him, her French accent giving a melodic sound to her words.

"My apologies, Miss... I'm sorry. I didnt catch your name. I am Ashton. Ashton Sanders. I assume you lovely ladies go to Beauxbatons. My brother Apollo attends there. However, I am of Durmstrang." He bowed deep as his instructor had told him to do many times in the presence of a lady.

Estelle had went to do some exploring today. She wanted to do already days but always didfind something else to do. Today she finally did it. Soon she reached to the lake and saw there her fellow school mates Fleur and Racquel and then boy who she didn't know. "Hey," she said when she was near them enough.

Hearing a familiar voice and seeing Fleur step from the bushes, Racquel lowered her bow, relaxing her pull and smiled. "Je regret, Fleur. Tu m'avais peur," she said with a smile. Unnocking her arrow, she tucked it in her quiver with the others. As the older student stroked her hair and complimented her archery, Racquel felt a slight blush color her cheeks. "Merci! C'est quelque chose que j'ai toujours aimé faire," she replied, setting the end of her bow on the grass and leaning gently against it.

Glancing around Fluer at the sound of a boy speaking to them. He looked familiar and once he mentioned Apollo, Racquel knew why. Watching as he interacted with Fleur, and she in turn pulled away, she couldn't help but hide a grin. As he bowed to them bow, she was pleased to see that he had a touch of a gentleman in him. From what Apollo had told her about him, he was incredibly forward, and to see this showed that he had a more resevered side.

Glancing up at another familiar voice, Racquel waved and called back to their friend, "Bonjour!"

Translation::

When the boy introduced himself in a more polite way, Fleur inclined her head slightly in return to it. "My name is Fleur Delacour and zis is Estelle." she introduced the other young girl that joined them. The Durmstrang student seemed like a bit of a flirt, so she would have to make sure he did not take liberties with her girls. "What brings you out 'ere, Aston?" she asked, his name proving a bit difficult to pronounce for her.

Apollo heard the sound of familiar french voices. He followed the sound along the side of the lake and found himself upon Fleur, Estelle, Racquel and Ashton. What was Ashton doing her. He apporached the group and bowed, "Bonjour, ladies. Ashton, are you bothering my classmates? My apologies for his behavior."

"Why brother? I am insulted. How could you think so little of me as to bother these lovely ladies. I just happened to be taking a stroll when I stumbled upon these visions of beauty." He winked at Fleur and smiled at the other two. He would not go after Racquel seeing as Apollo had a thing for her. Bit the other two were fair game.

Tipping her head to Ashton as Fleur introduced her, she caught sight of someone coming down the hill towards them. Seeing it was Apollo, she waved and smiled in reply as he joined them. Seeing how he responded to them in contrast to his brother was amazing. For brothers of the same age, they were completely different, just as he had told her at feast. Catching Ashton's smile, Racquel looked away before glancing at her schoolmates. "Eet seems being outside is ze place to be," she said lightly, her French accent quite thick and laced in her English words. In a way she was surprised that she had been joined by so many when she hadn't seen hide nor hair of anyone on her way down here. Be that as it may, she was happy for it.

Estelle looked at all of them now. Fleur had introducex her to that boy who seemex to be Ashton nkw. Then the other boy was Apollo if she rememberex right now. She smiled. "Nice to meet you, Aston," she said then with french accent actually. She wasn't really sure what else to say there now since yeah she wasn't that social one that these two girls.

Fleur raised her brow in surprise when she realized just who the boy's brother was; one of their own and it was quite unusual for siblings to be separated like this, but as they seemed to be quite different it might be a with good reason. "'ello, Apolo. You're brother does seem a little forward, be he did show his manners after a little prompting." she said with a slight smile, ignoring Ashton's wink. Men always flirted with her, at least if they were able to think clearly with her around, so she mostly just pretended they didn't. Instead, Fleur smiled at Racquel and nodded. "C'est ce qu'il semble." she agreed.

translation:

Ashton chuckled and threw an arm around Apollo, :Dont you just love little Polly? He is so sweet." Ashton spoke in a sickening voice that atunted his brother more than praised him. He laughed and ruffled his brothers hair, "I'm just jerking with you Apollo."

Apollo glared at his brotherand growled softly. "Shut up Ashton." He rolled his eyes and pushed his brother. "You are so annoying Ashton." He glared at hus brother but then turned to Racquel and Fleur. "Now you ladies see what I deal with."

Racquel, seeing the brothers taunt one another, smiled thinking of her brother that had graduated last year. Just one more thing for her to miss about home and being so far away. Nodding to Apollo she chuckled. "Oui... We see," she said. Brushing a loose lock of hair out of her face, Racquel shook her head playfully at the two of them. There were so many times that she and Guillaume messed with one another like this. "How ez eet zat you both do not attened ze same school?" she ventured, taking her time to make sure her English was as clear as she could make it.

Estelle nodded her head and just listened what others said. She wasn't sure what to say thede exactly still. She nlw missed her little brother. He was a two year younger than him but he haven't seen him right now around here much. She looked at them all and sighed. "I wonder it too aren't in samw school," she said there finally something

Fleur smiled slightly and reached over to brush her hand lightly against the younger boy's cheek. Somehow he reminded her of her own little sister, Gabrielle, and she felt the need to take care of him. "You are doing admirably well, Apollo." she said warmly, though she too wondered why the brothers went to different schools. At Beauxbatons, Ashton would have learned better manners, that was for sure.

"Thank you, Madameoiselle Delacour." He nuzzled his cheek against her hand and smiled. "Ashton and I attend different schools by choice. He wanted to go to Durmstrang. And Beauxbatons caught my eye." He chuckled and noticed that Fleur had something in her hair. "Miss Fleur, you have something in your hair, May I?"

Apollo gagged at all the manners that surrounded him. "I will go back to the castle now. "I will see you all at dinner." He bowed once again, hugged his brother, and left.

Racquel found it interesting that the two had chosen to attend different schools. Chosen.... Not forced to or selected to. They wanted to go to different schools. "Intéressant..." she mused softly. She, for one, could not imagine attending a school different from her family, but they made it work. As Apollo asked to tend to Fleur, Racquel smiled, but that smile faded when she heard the mock gagging from his brother, prompting her to send him a hard look. When Ashton dismissed himself in a somewhat gentlemanly way, Racquel commented, "Au revoir." Once he was out of earshot, she said softly to the others, "Beauxbatons serait bon pour lui. Pourrait lui enseigner les bonnes manières..."

Tanslation:

Estelle just smiled there again. She didn't really get it too how could they choose different schools. She and her brother did attend same school and thet didn't even think to go different schools. "Cela pourrait être vrai," she said there the .

Translation:

Her eyes widening slightly at the young boy's words, Fleur motioned for him to go ahead, as she could not see what had got stuck in her hair. Ususally it was much too smooth for anything to get tangled in it, so she was not used to looking after it a lot. 
"Au revoir, Aston." Fleur echoed the other girl's words as they boy left them, obviously feeling a bit out of place. She laughed softly at Racquel's words and nodded in agreement. "Tu as raison, Racquel. Il serait bon pour lui. Mais je pense qu'il se sentirait à sa place "

translation:

"Now, now, ladies. Ashton may be a bit barbaric, but he is still my brother. Although I must agree some manners would do him well." Apollo then reached out and brushed a leaf out of Fleurs hair. She showed her the leaf and chuckled, "Here you go, my beautiful Fleur." He then turned to Racquel and smiled, "Can you please take it easy on my brother, Miss Racquel. Hes trying his best."

Smiling as she looked at Apollo following his comment, she did agree. He might need a lesson in manners, but Ashton was his brother. Having a brother herself, she could understand his defending him, even if he did find Ashton irritating on more than on occasion. Nodding with a small sigh, Racquel answered, "Ov course... Ee ez just more foreward than most." This first meeting with Ashton didn't seem so bad, he was just not as formal as they were used to.

Apollo chuckled and nodded, "Indeed. he is." While the girls had French accents, Apollo had Australian fixed with French. He smiled at the girls and suddenly got an idea. "How about we all go explore the castle? Or go to the Quidditch fields? Something fun?"

Estelle looked at others. "I'm okat with both ideas actually, depends on what Fleur and Raquel want to do," she said there now with a smilw there.