Breaking out of my shell (Cian)

[Guest]

Azaria needed some time to relax, so she decided to go down to the lake. She didn't know what it was about sitting by the water that made her feel so calm, but she went there often. With her Potions book in her hand, she headed down to her spot. She was surprised to find that someone was already there. There was an older boy from the other school sitting in the spot that she usually went to. She didn't want to bother him, so she walked past him silently. She spotted a shady area a few yards away, and she sat down against a tree. She opened her book up, but she couldn't stop glancing at the boy. She didn't know if he knew she was there, and she wondered if he would say anything.

[Cian Dawson]

Cian was sitting, just enjoying some time to himself. A lot was on his mind as of late. He was finally out of his sling and could again play his music to help calm his nerves and mind. However, music brought no peace. He had thought to play at the lake, but he hadn't opened the case yet, opting instead to just sit and listen to the water.

He heard light footsteps coming up from behind him, but didn't turn to look. When they faltered, a small grin touched his lips. He was where someone else wanted to be. As the footsteps moved around him, he glanced up and was stunned by what he saw, a lovely young woman walking towards the shady place near where he was. Cian dropped his eyes to the black case next to him, then he picked it up and walked over to her. "Pardon me, Miss, might I join you in the shade of your tree?" he asked with a crooked smile, his Irish accent lightly woven through his words.

[Guest]

Azaria watched as the boy approached her, she was nervous since she didn't know the boy. He asked if he could sit with her, and she noticed that he had an Irish accent. She was also Irish and she hadn't met any other students who were. She thought for a moment, but didn't want to be rude. "Of course," she said. "Are you from Ireland? I used to live in Ashbourne, before I came here." She smiled at him sweetly, happy to find a topic of discussion.

[Cian Dawson]

She's nervous.... Cian took a seat, not too close, and set his case down. "Aye, I was born and raised there. Still live there... Have you ever been to Wicklow?" he said turning his soft brown eyes on her. "Ashbourne is lovely. I've been there a few times," she said brightly. He reached out a hand to her, "I'm Cian. Cian Dawson."

[Guest]

Azaria smiled at him and shook his hand. "Azaria Renner," she said. "Wicklow? I don't believe I've ever been there. My family liked to stay pretty isolated." She didn't mention that when they found out about her being a witch, they kicked her out and stayed isolated. She noticed her hands shaking, so she curled them together tight and tried to stop them. She was always so shy, and she couldn't stand it. She never understood how some people have such great confidence. She tilted her head a bit, and noticed that the boy had a black case with him. She didn't know what instrument it held. "What do you play?" she asked, gesturing to the case.

[Cian Dawson]

He shook her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you. If you ever get to visit there, you might like it." Cian picked up on how nervous Azaria was. She's deffinatly a shy one... When she asked about what he played, gesturing to his case, he smiled and opened it up revealing his ebony violin and matching ebony bow. He turned the case so she could see it and looked at her, "You enjoy music, lassy?" His brown eyes glittered happily.

[Guest]

She watched as he pulled out a violin. She didn't play, but her mother used to. She used to sit at her heels and listen to her play. When she was seven, her father bought her a beautiful acoustic guitar. She would spend hours by herself, teaching herself to play. She nodded and smiled. "I used to play guitar. I haven't heard any true music in such a long time," she said. She loved music, but the Hogwarts choir wasn't exactly what you called angelic.

[Cian Dawson]

Cian lifted his violin to his chin and plucked the strings to tune them. "I like the guitar, but never learned to play. Guess my passion was always with these strings instead," when he was happy with the tuning, he took out his black horse-hair strung bow and set it on the strings. "Hope you like this one..." Cian drew the bow across the strings, letting the MUSIC fill the air around them. It was nothing overly complex, but it hearkened back to the Emerald Isle for both of them.

[Guest]

Azaria sat quietly and listened to the beautiful music. It reminded her of home. Her home before she discovered music. She was always the ugly duckling, but her family was still her family. She held back tears when she thought of her family. They hated her, and she knew it. To them, she would always be that child gone wrong, and she knew that if she ever did see them again, they would act like strangers. She turned her blur eyes back to Cian and just listened. She tried to forget everything, and it almost worked. When he finished, she said, "That's was amazing," with a huge smile on her face. Her nerves had vanished and for the first time in a long time, she felt happy.

[Cian Dawson]

Cian had closed his brown eyes and moved slightly to the music as was his normal action when he put a great amount of passion into whatever he played. When he finished the song, he lifted the bow and let the last notes carry and fade out over the lake. He opened his eyes and drew a deep breath and let it out, taking the viloin from under his chin and resting it on his knee. When he looked at Azaria, his eyes filled a touch of worry, as he spotted the tears that hadn't fallen from her blue eyes. But, the worry was lessened when he saw her smile and how happy she truly seemed to be. "I'm glad you liked it. It one of the ones that reminds me of home when I'm missing it," he placed the instrument back in the case, but left it open. "I notice you're rading about patronuses," he said motioning to her book, "Have you found yours yet?"

[Guest]

Azaria remembered the night that she had discovered her patronus. She had heard so much about the dementors, and they terrified her. She had no way of protecting herself against them either, and she knew that she wouldn't learn how to conjure a patronus until her fifth year in DADA at least. She decided to take matters into her own hands, so she spent about a week in the library and another week in the forest. She knew that if she was caught, she would be in huge trouble, but she would be in more trouble if she were caught by a dementor she would be in more trouble. She had no doubt that she had the skill, since she had once been told that she had the knowledge of a fifth year, but the courage of a baby bird. When she came up with her happy memory, it would always be her mother. The mother she used to know, before Azaria got her letter. She spent forever trying to conjure it, and it eventually turned out to be a lioness. Azaria snapped back to reality and kept her voice low, though no one could hear her either way. "I have, but let's keep that between you and I. I'm only a second year, after all. Anyway, it's a lioness. Do you know yours?"

[Cian Dawson]

"Aye, and between you and me, mine's a horse," he said whispering back and winking at her. Cian remembered when he first discovered his patronus. It was completely by accident. He had read about the spell in a book and simply followed the directions for it. On about the fourth try, his patronus formed. His memory will always be home, on the rolling green hill of Ireland. His family was very important to him, but home made him truly happy. "Say, I hear there be a Ball coming up. Have ye anyone to take you?" he said leaning back on his hands, looking at her.

[Guest]

Azaria smiled when Cian winked at her. Since the students from the other school had arrived, she had pretty much avoided them, but this one was different. Azaria had completely forgotten about the Ball until he had mentioned it. She had bought a dress already, but she didn't have a date. "Actually, no one's asked me yet," she said. She knew most people already had dates, so she thought she might have to go alone. Then she wondered if maybe Cian was trying to ask her.

[Cian Dawson]

A crooked smile spread across Cian's face at hearing that no one had asked this girl yet. "Well, then what do you say? Will you go with me? Two Irish kids together for a night of dancing? Can't get much better than that!" Cian asked, eye sparkling. He hoped she'd accept. He hadn't really planned on taking anyone, but Azaria was nice and a nice girl didn't just go alone. He was raised better than that...

[Guest]

Azaria's heart picked up a bit when he asked her to go to the Ball with him. She really liked him, and she didn't think she'd have anyone else asking her. "Of course. That sounds amazing," she said. She smiled at him brightly. She was glad that she was able to get a date, and the one she got seemed like a fantastic person. She couldn't be happier.

[Cian Dawson]

Cian's smile brightened as Azaria accepted his offer to go to the ball with him. "Fantastic! I'm sure you've picked your dress already. What's it like?" he asked, just in case he needed to change what he was planning to where or add a little something to match his date.

[Guest]

Azaria had already picked her dress, and she knew it was perfect. She wanted to make it a surprise, so she said, "You'll just have to wait and see." She grinned. She didn't care if they matched at all, so she could keep him guessing.

[Cian Dawson]

She's good.... Cian was curious, but would have to wait as she asked. He wasn't one to press for answers when one wasn't willing to give them. Normally, he would plan how to get the answer from her, but for something like this there was no need. The Ball was fast approaching, and he could wait that long. His suit was very neutral and classically him, so there wasn't a problem in the matching department. "As you wish then. I will wait," he said. Then a plan stuck him. His crooked grin spread across his face as he decided to follow it.

[Guest]

Azaria was glad that Cian didn't argue with her. She grinned at him, and she was happy to have finally found some confidence in him. She had been so shy, and she knew that she couldn't live like that anymore. She really liked Cian, and she was happy to say he was her date to the Ball.

[Cian Dawson]

Cian just looked at Azaria. She really was quite lovely, and it felt nice knowing he was taking her to the Ball. He was also glad that he could give her enough courage to talk to him and accept his offer. Cian smiled to himself. He just had that way with people... "Where shall I meet you that night? Outside Ravenclaw tower?" he asked.

[Guest]

Azaria smiled. "That sounds great," she said. She wasn't the best at conversation, but she was trying. Then she remembered. She hadn't been keeping up with the Tournament too well, but she remembered that Cian was names of one of the champions. "Hey, aren't you competing in the tournament?" she asked suddenly. She didn't like the idea of the tournament. She didn't understand the point of risking student's lives for entertainment. There had to be another way to earn glory, surely.

[Cian Dawson]

"Then I will be waiting there for you," he said as she said meeting outside Ravenclaw Tower would be a good place to meet her. Her next questions surprised him a little. He looked at her, his brown eyes glimmering in the sunlight. "That I am. Are you not watching the tournament?" Cian asked.

[Guest]

"I'm not, actually," she said. "I just don't support it, I guess. But good luck, though." She hoped she hadn't offended him. She was a very opinionated person, and she knew that he would have to learn that. She hoped nothing would happen to him, though.

[Cian Dawson]

Cian wasn't surprised that she wasn't following the tournament. There were many witches and wizards that weren't interested in it, and some who even found it barbaric. But, he was touched that she wished him luck anyways. "Thank you, Lassie. I had to battle a mermaid in the first task. You're actually luck to have found me today. If it had been yesterday, I wouldn't have been able to play for you," he said with a smile as he touched his violin gently. He had missed playing his music, and to finally be able to play again brought him lots of happiness. To get to play for a pretty girl just added to that.

[Guest]

Azaria giggled. She had never liked merpeople. "Well, I'm glad I caught you when I did," she said sweetly. Her blue eyes glittered, and she looked out at the water. She would never dare go in it, but she still found it beautiful

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