A Little Homesickness.

The lake brought her memories of New York. It was so smooth, so beautiful, just like her place of birth. She was the only American in her family, but despite that, she never felt left out. Sitting down by a nearby tree, she watched the peaceful waves move. Lucy began to feel the first signs of homesickness as she remembered her Father, Phoenix, and her home in New York. She missed the street walls, with Muggle art and foul words written on them; the smell of their garden and the roses she had planted with her mom when she was six; the tall buildings and even the Statue of Liberty. She missed it all.
Both, Cheshire and Hogwarts were beautiful too, in many ways. But it wasn't the dirty yet elegant and mysterious New York she had known her whole life. She remembered the mansion Phoenix had bought in Cheshire a while ago; it was amazingly big for two people. Truthfully, she wasn't very fond of it. Suddenly, a golden owl flew close to her and landed near the shore of the lake, a couple feet from where she was. It was Jacques.
Lucy smiled as she noticed her owl carrying a letter.
Jacques flew toward her, and stood on her knee, as she was holding them close to her body when he had arrived. Lucy quickly untied the letter from his leg, and recognized her father's handwriting immediately, as it was written in his unique dark green ink.

Dearest Daughter,

I hope your arrival at Hogwarts was very pleasant. You have been sorted into Slytherin, right? If you have not, then do not fret. I am very proud of you, no matter what House you were honored with. *As long as it is not Gryffindor, of course. Imagine what your Uncle Draco would say about that?! I trust the Sorting Hat to have made the best choice for you. How is your cousin Isabella? Have you made any acquaintances yet, Darling? Oh, I almost forgot, Peter called some days ago. He asked me about you. I told him you were doing very well in boarding school. He wishes to come visit during Christmas break, in the case we are not allowed to travel to America. I promise to do my very best to take you back so you can visit him.
Tell me about your classes, Darling. How are the teachers? Are you playing Quidditch like Uncle Draco said you should?
I miss you very much Sweetie. Oh, look at me. Using American language. How wonderful. I hope you are enjoying your time at Hogwarts. Send me an owl as soon as you wish.

Love,
Phoenix.


Lucy had not noticed, but her father's letter brought a couple tears to her eyes. Jacques did notice however, and he was softly rubbing his head against her arm, in a comforting manner. Rubbing the tears away, she decided she did not want to answer Phoenix just yet. If she wrote to him now, he would be able to read her feelings, and that scared her, to be honest. She scratched the side of Jacques' head as she waited patiently by the lake for her feelings to calm down.

After spending hours sitting at one of the desks in his Common Room unsuccessfully trying to come up with a name and a design for his broomstick, James decided to take a break from his Flying Lessons homework. Leaving the Ravenclaw Tower, he figured that having some fresh air might give him the inspiration he so desperately needed. After rushing down the Grand Staircase, he passed though the Entrance Hall and emerged outside.

It took him a few seconds to get used to the brightness of the sunlight after staying inside for a long time. After pondering for a moment, he headed towards the Lake as he had always found it appeasing. Searching for some shade, he finally sat down under an old oak near the water and contemplated its black surface. A lot of students were outside, taking most of the sunny weather and the fact that they still didn't have that much homework to do. Suddenly, he noticed Lucy Malfoy, resting by a tree not far from him. She was caressing a Gold Owl with one hand while holding a piece of paper in the other, apparently lost in her thoughts and visibly troubled. James hesitated, thinking that he should probably ask her if everything was alright, but at the same time assuming that she may prefer not to be disturbed.

While so lost in her thougts and emotions, Lucy felt unsure about whether Hogwarts was a good idea. After the talk with Professor Clark, she wondered if she was following her Uncle's footsteps. Suddenly taking her mind off such disturbing things, she looked around. Kids of all grades were out in the lake, and it surprised her to not have noticed them there before.
I hope nobody saw me crying, she thought, but just as she was turning around, as to not let them see her face, she saw James Riddle.
He was looking at her. It made her a bit nervous, because her recent crying session was visible on her eyes, however, she smiled at him.

While James was pondering, Lucy suddenly glanced at him. He immediately thought of turning his gaze the other way, hoping that she didn't notice he was staring at her, but he realized it would be pointless. A smile slowly appeared on Lucy's face, even though her red eyes suggested that her mood wasn't as cheerful as she wanted to make it appear.

Smiling back at her, James stood up and approached. "Hi" he greeted her joyfully, sitting down next to her. "Is everything okay?" he inquired, successively glancing at her face and at the letter she was still holding.

James stood up and walked towards Lucy, something that she really did not expect.
"Hi, " he greeted her, "is everything okay?" He sat down close to her. She saw him glance quickly at the letter, and Lucy thought about telling him everything, but she decided not to.
"Hi. Yeah, um, it's alright I guess. Father sent a letter." She said while motioning to the letter in her hand.
" How are you?" Looking down, she asked him quietly, trying to make sure her feelings were not showing. It would be embarrassing to cry in front of James.

"Hi. Yeah, um, it's alright I guess. Father sent a letter." Lucy replied. For a second, James thought of asking her more about it, but he then realized that she probably didn't want to discuss it with him, and that mentioning it could sadden her even more.
"How are you?" she inquired before he could say anything. "I'm fine", he answered, "I was trying to do the homework professor Clark gave us for Flying Lessons, but I'm having trouble finding a name for my broomstick." he answered, staring at the Lake. "Not to mention actually drawing it. I'm terribly bad at drawing." he admitted with a smile, glancing at her. "How is yours going?"

"I was trying to do the homework professor Clark gave us for Flying Lessons, but I'm having trouble finding a name for my broomstick." James answered as he looked toward the lake, "Not to mention actually drawing it. I'm terribly bad at drawing." he smiled and glanced at Lucy. "How is yours going?" He asked her.
"Honetly, I have not even started it. I just can't come up with a design. I'm not that bad at drawing, but I'm no master." She answered honestly, breaking away from his gaze, a little embarrassed.. Suddenly, Jacques flew off, and Lucy saw him fly toward the Owlery. She watched as he disappeared in the distance and then looked back at the lake and the people around them.
"Do you ever wish you were home?" she asked him, still not facing him.

James remained silent for a few seconds. Although he did miss his family, discovering that he was a wizard and coming to Hogwarts was the most amazing thing that ever happened to him, and he was still marveling at everything he would learn about this whole new world. "I guess this is home now" he replied, fixing the giant stone castle. As he was saying that, he realized that this was truly the way he felt. Here, he was finally free of the fear of always being considered as different and people didn't constantly avoid him anymore. He even managed to make a couple of friends.

Facing Lucy, he noticed that she was not sharing his enthusiasm. She obviously missed her old life. "But don't worry, I heard that they will let us see our families during Christmas break." he tried to comfort her.

"I guess this is home now" James replied. She guessed it must have been very hard for him. She was about to ask him about his life as a wizard in the Muggle world, and maybe about some funny happenings. Every wizard had them, even her, and she was really in the mood for a laugh, she wanted to stop feeling like that.
"But don't worry, I heard that they will let us see our families during Christmas break." James tried to comfort her.
"It's not the same. My father and Wade are truly all I've got. We've always been together. It's hard to be away from them. And yes, this is home now. I feel it. But I just wish I could be with." she told him.

Wade was walking outside, by the lake, when he noticed a girl with blonde hair and a green robe. It was Lucy. He headed towards her but stopped suddenly as he recognized a Ravenclaw who was sitting with her. He knew he was in some of his classes, but they had never really talked. He contemplated whether or not to go up to them. He decided he would, since his cousin seemed to be getting emotional over there. He walked up to them and overheard her, "My father and Wade are truly all I've got. We've always been together. It's hard to be away from them. And yes, this is home now. I feel it. But I just wish I could be with." she told the Ravenclaw.

Truly not wanting to interrupt, but for the sake of his cousin, he introduced himself.
"Sorry to be a bother, but I couldn't help but notice that you're sitting way too close to Lucy." he told the Ravenclaw. Lucy stared back at him, blankly and confused. "I'm just joking," Wade said, trying to get rid of the awkwardness that he had started.
"I'm Wade Malfoy. Sorry to have given you a bad impression. I just wanted to see that she was okay."

"It's not the same. My father and Wade are truly all I've got. We've always been together. It's hard to be away from them. And yes, this is home now. I feel it. But I just wish I could be with." Lucy replied. James desperately tried to find something to say that would make her feel better, but the right words were simply slipping away from him.

"Sorry to be a bother, but I couldn't help but notice that you're sitting way too close to Lucy." James suddenly heard. There was a tall boy standing in front of them. James was unable to see his face as the sun was directly positioned behind him. "I... I'm sorry" he mumbled, utterly confused, while moving a couple of inches away from Lucy. "I'm just joking" the boy admitted. "Oh" James exclaimed, smiling, though he was furious for letting himself get intimidated that easily. "I'm Wade Malfoy. Sorry to have given you a bad impression. I just wanted to see that she was okay." Wade added. "Lucy was just telling me about you. I'm James."

As Wade approached, James could distinguish his traits more clearly. Although everything in his appearance contrasted with Lucy's, from his tallness to his dark hair and blue eyes, there was also an unquestionable resemblance between the two of them. "So, you are brother and sister?" he inquired.

"I... I'm sorry" The boy mumbled and moved a little away from Lucy.

"I'm just joking" Wade smiled. "Oh" the boy responded, smiling,although clearly annoyed by Wade.
"I'm Wade Malfoy. Sorry to have given you a bad impression. I just wanted to see that she was okay." Wade added.
The boy said, "Lucy was just telling me about you. I'm James."
"Hey there, man." Wade said as he approached them, making his face clear to James, who seemed to be studying him. "So, you are brother and sister?" James asked.

Wade smiled a little, while standing next to the boy. "Not really. We're just cousins. Nice to meet you by the way." he said. "I've heard quite a lot about you from Lucy, here." he said.

"I've heard quite a lot about you from Lucy, here." Wade said. James smiled, somewhat embarrassed though trying not to show it. A silence followed, until he glanced at Lucy's cousin again. "I haven't seen you at any of our lessons so far." James remarked with an interrogative look. He wondered what was the reason for Wade's absence, guessing that he might have been ill or that he had just arrived at Hogwarts, even if that would be strange because Lucy had been there since the beginning of the term.

"So, you are brother and sister?" James asked. Lucy flinched a little, but hid her face by turning away from the boys. Yes, she loved Wade as a brother, but no one had ever asked if they were siblings. It was a strange thing for her to hear.
"Not really. We're just cousins. Nice to meet you by the way." Wade answered him. Lucy was about to say that he had been living with her and Phoenix ever since she could remember, but Wade spoke first. "I've heard quite a lot about you from Lucy, here." he said. Lucy closed her mouth shut; she did not know what to say about this. Yes, she had spoken to Wade about James, but how could she not? He was a great wizard! Lucy started to feel uncomfortable, and it was starting to show.
Oh dear, Wade, will you ever be quiet?, she kept asking herself.
It was until James smiled that she felt a little better, although she could tell he felt uncomfortable about Wade's comment too.
There was an uncomfortable silence, and Lucy tried not to look at James, clearly embarrassed about her cousin's behavior. "I haven't seen you at any of our lessons so far." James asked Wade suddenly.
Before Wade could open his mouth and spill something important, Lucy spoke.
"He was in Hawaii, with his mother. He arrived a couple days ago." James turned to look at her, and she could feel the embarrassment clear in her cheeks again.

"He was in Hawaii, with his mother. He arrived a couple days ago." Lucy responded before Wade could say anything. "Oh, all right" James replied, turning his gaze from the boy to her cousin. However, he quickly directed it back towards the Lake, since Lucy seemed a bit uneasy. After another brief silence, James glanced at his watch. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave." he announced to the two others. "I still have my homework to finish." he explained as he was standing up. "It was nice meeting you, Wade. Bye, Lucy. See you tomorrow." he added with a smile, though avoiding to look directly at her. Turning away from them, he made his way back to the entrance of the castle.

"Oh, all right." James
Said while turning towards the lake. He suddenly looked at his watch, "I'm sorry, but I have to leave. i still have my homework to finish." As he sfood up, he continued, "It was nice meeting you, Wade. Bye, Lucy. See you tomorrow." He added a smile,and Lucy tried to smile back, but she knew he wasn't really looking at her so she turned to look at Wade instead.
Once James was far enough, she said to her cousin, "I can't believe you told him that! I barely talk to him and now he must think I'm.....strange or something."

As James left, Lucy turned to him. "I can't believe you told him that! I barely talk to him and now he must think I'm...strange or something." Lucy said, a little worried. Wade couldn't help but laugh. "It's no big deal Lucy. From what I've heard of him, he's not the type to judge. Besides, it's actually a compliment. You always talk about what a great wizard he is and how talented he is, he deserves to know that you admire that." He told her in an attempt at calming her down. "Come on let's head down to the common room and you can teach me what I've missed in DADA." He said as he helped her up and walked her to the common room.