5th floor Common room, Tuesday morning

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River had acquired some fresh fruit, something she'd missed a lot on Serenity. She'd filled a large bowl with apples, oranges, grapes and pineapple, and started with an apple, cutting it into neat wedges before eating it.

[Open. Fruit for all.]

Comments

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River picked up an orange at threw it at Cedric, expecting him to catch it. "Time away was good. New experiences. Felt longer than it actually was." She tilted her head. "How have you been?" she asked carefully.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He caught the orange out of the air, rolling it around in his hand for a moment. "I've been well. Nothing to complain about."

Nothing really to rave about either.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Have a seat?" River gestured at the couch and handed him a fruit knife, looking into his mind. "New friends?" she asked.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He took the offered seat and said, "Some. I seem to have become a hermit during this summer. Practicing spells and reading up on textbooks I ignored last semester."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"I met another wizard yesterday at the picnic," River said. "No broom though. What spells have you learnt?" She put an apple slice in her mouth.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Brooms are better," he said and grinned. "Nothing very significant. A few smaller spells on healing, some transport spells, and some combat spells."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Without having personal experience, brooms seem useful," River replied, returning the grin. "I'm learning to fly spaceships."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Are you?" Cedric grinned. "How're you doing with that?"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Good. Am a fast learner." Having finished her apple River picked up an orange and began to peel it. "I'm planning to get the Acorn flying again if I can." She looked up. "You have any plans for the rest of the summer?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"I don't," he said, peeling his own orange. "Besides workshops. I might start flying a few times a week."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Show me sometime?" River asked. Her smile faded a little. She'd only experienced broom flying through Jack's memories, and now that was something she'd rather not think about. Shaking her head, she began to pull the orange peel of in regular pieces, creating a pattern.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Of course," he said, catching the change in expression. "Everything all right?"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River made herself smile again. "Yes," she said. "All right." She tilted her head to one side. "Was a big change, learning to fly, helping during jobs. I'm not longer the crazy little sister." She shrugged. "So strange to be back."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Good for you," Cedric said geniunely. "Now, you can boss your friends around!"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"So I can," River replied, a wide grin on her face. "Did before occasionally as well. Being considered crazy has some advantages. Of course, they still think I am, so no change there. Just more reliable."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"What are your friends like, if you don't mind me asking?"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"My brother Simon and I ended up on Serenity by chance," she replied. "Simon saved me, gave up everything he had for me. Now he's uncertain what to do, when I don't need him as much." She thought for a moment. "Then there's the crew on Serenity. Good people, most of them. Make a living on slightly illegal activities." She smiled as she spoke. "What are you friends at home like?"

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Wizards and witches," he replied. "Hogwarts, that's the school I attend when I'm not here, is a special school for those of us in training to be witches and wizards. It's sorted into houses. Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. I was a Hufflepuff. So, I was friends with a lot of other people in my house."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River got some idea of the place through his memories, and found the names of the houses quite amusing. "Do Hufflepuffs huffle and puff? Do Slythering slither?" She had no intention of making fun of Hogwarts, it was just that the names just lended themselves to wordplay.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He laughed and said, "No. No, they were named after the founders of the houses. Helga Hufflepuff founded the Hufflepuff house. Salazar Slytherin founded the Slytherin house. The Hufflepuff house is supposed to value hard work, loyalty, determination, patience, friendship and fair play."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"And do you?" River asked, suddenly looking quite serious.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "Yes, I do."

[About to head home whee! AFK for a bit.]

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River gave him a look with a hint of envy. "I no longer trust concepts placed into words. Bendy, unreliable." There was a sudden look of sadness in her eyes.

[Yay home!]

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"That's understandable," Cedric agreed. "Words can be twisted very easily."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"When using phrases of clearly established meaning within a social context it's easy," River said. "When further precision is needed I resort to a combination of different metaphors and similes. Tricky. Even mental images in combination with emotions can be unclear." It was obvious that the subject was important to her.