hello hello (Open)

Sophia walked into the great hall and took an empty seat at the Hufflepuff table. She looked around and saw no one she really knew, then again, that was normal for Sophia. She didnt really know alot of people. She pulled out her sketch pad and began drawing the things around her. The piles of food, the chattering students, the professors discussing their days lessons. All of it was being documented by Sophias moving hand.

It was a crisp morning, and the cold was particularly noticeable in the Dungeons. She hardly every actually slept in her dorm, and it was no different for that night. She had returned to her dormitory only to change into her school clothes. So, with that done, she headed up to the Great Hall for breakfast.

She quickly concluded that most of the students were still coming to breakfast as she walked through the door, heading in the direction of the Slytherin table, until she noticed a girl sitting at the Hufflepuff table alone. Normally Astoria wouldn't have even noticed her, but she saw that the girl was drawing, and so as she walked past, she paused and said with a smile, "hi. What is that you're drawing?"

Sophia looked up and saw a Slytherin girl who was older than her by a few years. Well maybe a year or two tops. But never the less, she was in fact older than her. She blushed and looked at the girl and then showered her her drawing, not saying anything as she didnt speak much when it came to new people she did not know

Astoria tried to soften her gaze as best she could as she noticed the girl's discomfort. She didn't want to make her feel so tense, but she couldn't very well keep walking now. So, she took in the girls drawing, offering her another smile. "It's really good," she said, "you've just been doing this this morning?" Looking around at the similar scene to the drawing that was actually going on around them, she concluded that the girl likely had only been working on the drawing that morning.

Sophia nodded and closed her sketch book, "Im a fast drawer." She said in her tiny french accent. Sophia a bit nervous about talking to someone she didnt know, but she decided to give it a shot. She was doing ok so far

Astoria noticed the slight accent of the girl, and she thought about where it was from. She thought perhaps France, as it sounded somewhat like the girls she had spent some time with during her third year. In any case, she thought that the girl seemed sweet enough, though wondered if she acted that way or if it was genuine. "I can see that," Astoria said, sitting down on the bench across from the girl, "do you draw often?"

Sophia nodded, "I draw quite alot. My dream is to return to Paris and study art there. I lived there until I was 9 and then my father got relocated in his line of work to here, in London. I miss Paris terribly. I miss my friends as well." She had never talked so much to a complete stranger before and it frightened her a bit

Astoria nodded as the girl seemed to open up a bit more. She noted that she had been right about the girl’s accent, and she had to admit that she envied the girl a little. At least in France, it would have been easier to ignore everything that was going on in the United Kingdom. Britain had been the center of Death Eater activity, though she wouldn’t be surprised if they had managed to spread since the Battle. Returning her attention to the Hufflepuff, she smiled and said, “I’m sure that it will get better. With times as they are now, it must be hard knowing that you could have been in France, but soon enough it will settle. Do you have any friends here?”

Sophia blushed a bit as the girl asked if she had any friends in the school. She shook her head slowly, "No, not really. I do not really talk to other students as much. This is actually the longest ocnversation I have had with another student." She pushed her light blonde hair back from her face and smiled softly.

Astoria noticed the blush at her question and smiled softly, trying to show her encouragement. “That’s quite sad,” she replied without thinking, before quickly adding, “what I mean is, do you not talk to people or so they not talk to you?” She was glad that at least the girl seemed comfortable enough talking to her, despite her obvious nerves. “And at least we’re having a conversation now, right? That’s a start.”

"It is a tiny bit of both. I do not talk to them, so I guess they do not feel the need to start a conversation." She said softly and gave a tiny shrug as if to say, what can you do? She smiled at Astorias next words, "That is very true."

“That’s generally the way,” she replied with a small nod of her head, “maybe you should try and talk to people more? Even just a hello or something? It couldn’t hurt.” The Slytherin noticed a few of the Hufflepuffs around her giving her odd looks, and she returned them with an intense glare before returning her focus to Sophia. “If you ever want someone to talk to, you can always come and find me,” she added with a soft smile.

Sophia smiled softly at Astorias kind gesture, "That is awful kind of you, thank you." She said blushing a bit. She looked down at her sketch book and got an idea, "I was wondering if I could maybe draw you. Ive been wanting to try real life sketches, like of people, but have not had the courage to ask anyone."

“You’re welcome,” Astoria replied, a little annoyed with herself for being so nice, but at the same time not being able to help it. She was having a hard time at Hogwarts at the moment as well, so helping someone else made her feel as least a little bit better. “Um,” Astoria said, her eyes widening just the tiniest bit, “I suppose you could, if you wanted to. That was a good step, there, by the way. Asking something of someone. You’re on the right path already.”

Sophia smiled and quickly began sketching away, her hand moving as fast as ever. Soon, she had a very well detailed drawing of Astoria on the paper and she showed it to her new friend, smiling softly, proud of her new piece of art "I added the tattoo for my own pleasure."

Spoiler:

Astoria watched as Sophia began to draw, she she purposely avoided look at the paper. She was definitely fast, and she seemed to be pretty good, so she wondered what it would be like. Looking around the room, she saw a couple of Slytherins giving her dirty looks and the Huffepuffs from before staring at her. But she just rolled her eyes at them as Sophia showed her the drawing. Blinking a couple of times, she smiled and said, “it’s really good, Sophia.” And it was. It was interesting, but definitely well drawn. “Do you plan to do something with your art when you finish school?”

"I plan to return home to France to study art there. Maybe a bit of culinary on the side as I enjoy to cook as well." Sophia said pushing her hair back. She looked at her house mates and gave them a reassuring smile to show she was ok

Astoria was about to respond in a way that she was sure the girl wouldn’t like, but she quickly bit her tongue. Smiling, she instead said, “I’m sure that will be lovely. I still have no idea what I’m going to do once school is finished.” Once the war is over, more like, and that’s even if I survive it, she thought, but she kept her smile in place, not wanting to turn the atmosphere of their conversation sour.

Sophia smiled and continued to draw a bit, she began drawing their head master, trying to get every detail in place, but she was too far away to get the intricate details in. She sighed and crumpled the paper, giving up on that piece, "You should do something you enjoy." Sophia said finally answering her statement

Astoria watched the girl as she drew, wondering why she kept screwing up her work. She didn’t ask, though, figuring that she had decided against the drawings for a reason. “I should,” Astoria agreed, “but at this point, what I enjoy is living and that may not last very long if we’re not careful.”

Sophia nodded, "That is very true." She said closing her sketch book as lunch ended, "Wel it was very nice to meet you Astoria." She said standing up, "See you around." She said before leaving