roll with the wind

Lying flat on her stomach, Savannah narrowed her blue eyes, staring into the amber ones in front of her. She hadn't been planning on holding a staring contest with the cat, but he looked so much like Ross that she'd just had to make sure that he hadn't used up one of his kitty lives to come see her.

So far, the results were inconclusive. But, the cat that may or may not be Ross was winning. Crushing her, really. Frowning, she sat up, staring suspiciously as the grey cat stretched before flicking its tail at her and padding off. "This isn't over," she called out after its retreating figure. "I declare a rematch!"

For some reason, I think you'll lose.

Scowling, Savannah sat up crosslegged, looking around at all the flowers around her. They were pretty, but flowers reminded her of funerals. And even though they had they had the word fun in it, they were no such thing.

His reasons for even going near the Hogsmeade Gardens was a simple one: Oliver's mother favorite flowers were located there and he had wanted to go get one and send it to her. The brown haired Ravenclaw was sure that he would be able to charm it to make it last longer, at leas until his mother work up from her coma.

And as he wandered said gardens, the young man couldn't help but laugh at girl who he had been staring shamelessly while she had a staring contest with a cat. Once the cat had retreated, he walked and stood next to her.

"I'm assuming the cat won this round?" The brown eyed boy teased lightly, the his lips turning into a slight smile.

Jumping at the sound of a male voice, Savannah whirled around, eyes wide and heart pounding. She hadn't heard him coming. How had she not -? Shaking her head slightly as her heart rate slowed down, she looked up at the older boy. He looked much older, sixth, maybe seventh year?

"Sadly," she sighed, frowning ever so slightly, pushing a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "But next round, I'll win. I'm sure of it." Nodding swiftly, she smiled up at the boy.

Chuckling at the younger girl's response, Oliver decided on taking a seat on the near by bench considering he didn't want to get his suit pants dirty. "Cats are a tricky thing," the ravenclaw pointed out when smiled politely, "That's why I only have one but it belongs to the family."

"Was that your cat... or was it a random stray?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.

Watching him walk away for a moment, she suddenly wondered if their little conversation was finished as quickly as it had begun and just as quickly wanted him to stay. Sure, he was older and probably had better things to do, but she just wanted someone to talk to. About to work up the nerve to say something, he sat down on the bench and she instantly relaxed. "I love cats," she said softly, grinning, hugging herself. But she didn't want another one. Not now. Not so soon after Ross' death. "What's your cat like?"

Glancing after the cat, Savannah shook her head. "No, I actually don't have a cat anymore. H - he died. We both got hit by the Whomping Willow in November, and Ross died." Her voice going soft, she frowned down at her lap, blinking back tears before looking back up at the boy, wiping tears away as they began to roll down her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to just tell you my whole life story."

"The cat that we have is very much mean and grouchy but I assume that it's because of his old age," he mused , wondering that that furry little puff ball was doing at t his exact moment. Ollie scratched his head in slight confusion, trying to remember why exactly that cat and him didn't get along. "I think it might also include the fact that I might have thrown him in the toilet a lot of times and gave him swirlies when I was a young tyke."

Frowning, he shook his head once more with a sad chuckle, "I'm sorry to hear that but you know, that's not your whole life story. Usually it starts with being born, growing up and how one got certain scares, etc. etc," he tried to lighten up the mood, considering she had began to cry, "But hey, if you want to talk about it, you can."

Letting out a little snort of laughter, Savannah shook her head. Beginning to imagine a younger version of the older boy throwing a cat into a toilet, the Gryffindor burst out laughing. Dissolving into a bunch of giggles, she clasped her hands over her mouth in an attempt to stop laughing. Finally calming down, she grinned at him, "That's adorable! Well, not for the cat, but you didn't know any better." Giving him a smile, she brushed a strand of her long hair away from her face.

"You know what I mean," Savannah laughed tearily, continuing to rub tears off her face. "I don't even know you and I'm sitting here unloading all my problems..." sighing softly, she looked up at him, "But I guess if I was going to humour you with my life story, I'd start with my name. Savannah Lerran." she said, giving him a little smile.

"No, I knew better," Oliver laughed, reminiscing those times with a smile, a light chuckle emitting from his lips and throat every other word. "I just happened to find it hilarious and it was... for me. Poor Alex, that's the cat's name, he didn't like it but on the plus side, even though it was toilet water, he was clean most of the time. My mum tried to give us both an intervention which doesn't make sense considering Alex is a cat. After a while, my mum got over and it just reminded me to put soap on Alex before I placed him in the toilet."

"I do know what you mean but I did successfully manage to make you laugh, did I not?" Ollie grinned, feeling accomplished by this. Much like with Annabeth, he never liked to see a girl cry or frown. For one, it sort of freaked him out so he would quickly jump onto the humor train - and usually, it worked.

"Alright then, start humoring Savanna Lerran," Oliver grinned. "I'm Oliver Penderghast by the way, it has been a pleasure meeting you as of this moment."

Grinning, she watched, rapt, as he told his story. Nodding along to his words, her grin grew and she giggled along with him. Her imagination playing images of him tossing a cat into a toilet and flushing gleefully, Savannah laughed harder. "I can't blame him for not liking you. If it was me, I wouldn't like you much either."

Giving him a grateful smile, she nodded. "That's true. You should go around and make everyone smile. Be a traveling comedian. You'd be great at it." she complimented, her eyes sparkling. 

"Alright," she grinned, giving her head a small shake. Pulling herself up off the ground, she plopped down beside him on the bench. "But you have to humour me after. And same to you, Oliver Penderghast." Swinging her legs for a moment, she began, "So, I was born in London on November 28th 2043. My parents are Julie and Scott Lerran. My mum's the deputy Minister, so maybe you've heard of her?" she shrugged a shoulder, rubbing the back of her neck. "My childhood was pretty boring, actually. It was nice, but not really exciting. I didn't go around dunking cats into toilets," she grinned mischievously, nudging Oliver softly. "I used to go camping all the time in the Forest of Dean. You know, the place where Harry Potter and Hermione and Ron Weasley camped out one time? Yeah, we'd go there." Nodding, her voice suddenly went soft, and she rubbed the back of her neck again. "My dad died the summer before first year. Well, he was murdered, really. They never found the guy who did it." she shrugged, hugging herself, though she didn't dwell on it. She'd done enough of that over the years.

"I was Sorted into Gryffindor and...what else happened first year? Oh, right. I met my best friend, Juliet. She's a Hufflepuff and a year older, but we're still best friends. I also met my mentor, Rosie. She owns Honeydukes," Savannah pointed a thumb in the general of the candy store. "I get free candy. Tell her you know me and you might get some too." she added, grinning. "Um...oh, I also got kidnapped by that crow that was running - flying, whatever - around and well, kidnapping people. It wasn't that bad actually. We had food, and I met some cool people." She shrugged again, drumming her fingers against the bench. She wasn't about to tell him about Ava and Honey. That was just too personal.

"During the summer, I met Chris," she grinned, blushing at the mention of him, a little giggle escaping her throat. "He's my boyfriend," she added, sighing happily, her fingers reaching up to play with the necklace he'd given her. "He's a student at Beauxbatons, so I don't really see him except for breaks, but I send him letters all the time, so it's almost like he's here." Her mother's suicide attempt. Was that going to be told to him too? Sneaking Oliver a little glance, she quickly looked back down at her lap. No. "Second year was pretty boring. Nothing really happened. Except I saw my boggart," she frowned, wincing at the memory. "And forgot it wasn't real and sort of - broke down.

"And a couple weeks ago, I sort of ran away from home." she shrugged sheepishly, a nervous smile dancing on her lips. "My mum's always busy with her job and everything, so I moved in with my mentor. She's alright with it," Savannah added hastily, "both of them are, so I guess it's a win/win situation for everyone." Twiddling her thumbs, she looked up at him, "And that would be my whole life story."

"Doubt that," Ollie laughed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I think I'd be boo'd off stage way to many times and then, three years later, you'd see me working at Hog's Head or something. Besides, I only like to make certain people laugh, not an entire audience."

Listening to her words and nodding every so often, he would insert a remark or a simple smile to make it aware that he was listening to her every word. The crow part made him add something to her story.

"I remember that," Ollie mentioned with a shrug. "My sixth cousin was kidnapped as well. Charlotte West. Blonde, my age and very mean or blunt."

Continuing to listen, he frowned when Savannah mentioned she had ran away from home. "You sure your mum is alright with you living with your mentor?" He asked her curiously with a laugh, "because if you were my child, I'd have a field day about it and try to convince you to come back. Well, either way, it's not of my business really.

"But that's your life story then," Ollie stated as he nudged her with his elbow as she had done, "Quite interesting."

"You gotta have a little bit more confidence in yourself, Olz, or people'll just walk all over you." Why in the world was she going around giving life advice to someone she didn't know? And to someone older, who'd lived longer and seen more in the world and was just an all around smarter person. But hey, if he took it, Savannah'd be over the moon.

Sitting up a little straighter at the mention of Charlotte, she tilted her head slightly. "I think I remember her.... I mean, the memories are all fuzzy now, but I do think I remember her."

Frowning slightly, she looked up at him, rubbing her head. "I - I think so. She let me stay, so I reckon that means she's okay with it, but I don't know, I haven't really talked to her since..." Savannah trailed off, wringing her hands. "Do you think I should talk to her?"

"Thank you," Savannah beamed. "There are parts where it hasn't been the happiest ever, but it's better than nothing, right?"

"I don't allow people to walk all over me," he replied and meant it half way. The only person that he'd allow, if she hadn't so already, to walk all over him would be Annabeth but his train of thought always drove to the conclusion that she'd never do such a thing. "Besides, being a comedian isn't my thing. It isn't want I really want to do with my life, really. Come to think of it, I don't really know what type of profession I want to got though but I know it's not comedy," Ollie assured Savannah. With that in mind, he looked over at her, "What do you want to do?"

He shrugged with a playful grin, "Don't worry about it, she's real easy to forget."

"It's really up to you," the Ravenclaw commented as he crossed his legs - in a manly matter of course - as he took out his wand and twirled it with his fingers. "I can't really say considering I don't know much of your situation and relationship with your mum. Therefore I don't want to say something that'll do impact on your future."

Oliver nodded, agreeing with what she had said. "It's better than to have not lived at all," he said. "Besides, problems always help us involve into better people and to become a better person."

Nodding along to his words, Savannah couldn't help but wonder if she let people walk all over her. Of course not, she brushed off. There was no way she'd do such a thing. That'd be weak. Snorting slightly at that thought, remembering just how obsessed she'd been with not appearing weak during her first year.

"I don't really know," Savannah said softly, inclining her head at him. "There are so many things I want to do. I love Quidditch, so I could do that, but I love duelling and charms and maybe I could be an Auror. I reckon I have time to decide, though."

Grinning back, she laughed softly. "She can't be that bad."

Well, wasn't that helpful? Frowning slightly, Savannah shrugged. Oh well. She'd come up with something. Maybe she'd owl her. She wouldn't expect a reply for a long while, but still, at least she tried.

"Yep," she nodded, smoothing out her jeans, humming softly. "So what about you?" she asked softly, looking at him curiously. "What's your life story?"