Peeking Into the Future

Salem Everwood held her bag on her shoulder as she walked slowly towards the Forbidden Forest. She had no plans to go inside... Just to peek inside and see if she could glimpse some of the intriguing plants and animals that were supposed to be inside.

Salem was not one into danger or adventure, but the possibility of animals and plants she had never seen before was too great. Both were things that called to her, and she wanted to at least get close. Maybe not even close. Just stand nearby, and feel the presence of them.

She glanced over her shoulder and walked closer, feeling her heart beat faster and harder. She licked her lips nervously, her wand gripping her wand. She reached the edge of the forest and went over to one of the trees. She lightly pressed a hand onto its smooth trunk and moved her head to peek inside the forest.

Why was Andrew out in the Forbidden Forest? Why had he decided to break the rules once more and venture to the forest? It was because of the drug 'adventure'. It twisted his mind, made him pull reckless events and stunts. Yes, adventure was a drug he depended on to keep him alive. For it was the only thing he had at the moment.

In all reality, he just wanted to find something as a momento of his sixth and almost last year of Hogwarts. It was a tradition he had pulled years before, taking a teacher's quill and even a page that had some philosophy on it. It had really changed his mind about being a shadow in Hogwarts and allowed him to fully expand his surroundings.

So he stood at the edge of the forest, his gauntlets around his hands in their original form. A shiny, almost metallic, silver that had been patterned with a black around the wrist. He wasn't scared of the forest, not anymore. He was just about to step into the forest when he saw someone nearby. He quickly toke cover behind a tree, hiding himself from her view. He couldn't trust most people anymore. Only the PA was his family at Hogwarts. A dangerous family at that.

He moved quickly to another tree, keeping an eye on the girl. She looked harmless enough, but looks were deceiving. She could have been one of the headmaster's lackeys, a complete kiss up. So he would hide for the moment...until she left or proved that she was trustworthy enough. Or he would probably leave...if nothing happened, that would be his option.

Salem could see a familiar plant a little deeper in the forest. From where she stood, she was fairly sure it was lamb's ear, but she could not be sure. She could see the purple flowers that often gave it away, but those very well could be another sort of plant. Her curiousity was itching, but her fear of doing something that would make her stand out even more was holding her back.

If she were caught, she would get a reputation. She did not care what the people in this stupid school thought, but she did not want to get a detention and get locked up with the rest of the hooligans this school had to offer. She really did not think that was wise, seeing as they would probably be the people who bullied her for not speaking on a regular basis.

Finally, she decided to venture forward. She raised her wand and thought Lumos. A faint light filled her path, but she really could not see any better. She stopped. She would not be walking half blind into the forest. She thought for a moment and then thought Expecto Patronum! A small hedgehog lept from her wand and scampered down the path. She smiled, allowing for a little giggle, and then followed it.

She felt braver, with the little silver hedgehog with her. She followed it a few yards in until she reached the lamb's ear. She crouched next to it and reached out a hand to brush the velvety leaves. There was no mistaking that it was lamb's ear, that was for certain. She turned and reached out a hand to the patronus as a thank you, before turning back to the little plant.

Andrew blinked a couple of times as he watched the girl. She seemed harmless...probably just a drifter out looking for plants or something. Andrew carefully stepped over some tree roots, hoping to approach the girl. Who knows, he might make another friend. He walked towards her, realizing that he had to have been at least a foot taller. She had an odd design about her. It seemed rather...sad or something.

"Excuse me," he spoke out in his regular voice, his body still as he stood "may I ask why you are out in the Forbidden Forest? Don't worry, I'm not here to get you in trouble or anything." He cautiously looked at what she had been holding...and he was right. It was just a flower, yet could not answer what type it was. That was curious.

Salem was thoroughly absorbed in the precious little plant, rubbing its leaves between her index finger and her thumb. She started to hum slightly as she pulled out a water bottle from her backpack. The plant looked parched. She let some of the water trickle into the soil and she smiled. She felt herself relax, all edge of nervousness go away. She could chance a few words...

Suddenly, someone spoke behind her. She jumped to her feet, letting out an "Eep!" She whipped around, careful not to tread upon the little plant behind her. Her patronus disappeared and she turned to face whoever was there, alone. Had some bully followed her, to harass her at their own ease. She pulled the backpack to her chest.

No, it was a Gryffindor boy she did not know by name but knew by recognition. He was pretty popular, she thought, and she was fairly sure he was on the Quidditch team, if not the captain. She stared at him, her eyes wide and listened to what he asked. She stared at him. He must not know that she did not speak. She lowered her eyes slightly and pointed at the plant in response.

Andrew blinked a couple of times as he waited for her answer, yet to his dissapointment, none came. He looked down however when she pointed to something however and saw that there was a couple of plants. "Oh," he said calmly, crouching down and picking up the small flower in his left hand. He stood back up and examined the flower in his hand, taking in it's physical features.

He handed her the flower, looking back at her eyes. "I see." He said, knowing now that she had been looking for flowers. "May I ask for your name? Mine is Andrew." Something seemed odd about the girl. Something different. But he had not noticed yet...and didn't know if he would ever find out. He was horrible at analyzing people at points

A smile flickered on her face as he studied the flower and she blinked at him, the smile gone the instant he asked her another question. Either he truly did not know that she didn't speak, or he was one of those dreadful people who thought they could startle her into speaking. She hated to break it to them, but that was not the way it worked.

She bit her lip, her large eyes meeting his and she dropped to the ground, sitting criss-cross applesauce. She rummaged through her backpack and found a scrap of paper and a pen. She flattened the paper on her knee and bent over it, her black hair curtaining her face. She scrawled her name and then straightened up, holding out the paper to him, a small smile tugging on her lips.

Andrew was confused on why she had not been speaking. Was it something he said? Or done? He had no clue, but something was keeping her from talking. He toke a knee when she had sat down and was apprently writing something down. He toke hold of the paper as she handed it to him and examined the page. It had read 'Salem'. He smiled and looked back into her eyes, handing back the parchment. "Nice to meet you Salem!" He said in a kind tone "So what house are you in? You seem to be a Ravenclaw really."

He toke a seat next to her, looking back at the flowers she had been collecting. "I'm just wondering," he said calmly "but may I ask why you cannot speak? If it is no trouble, I mean."

Salem took back the parchment, looking up and noticing that he had lowered himself so that he was kneeling. She gave him a tiny little smile and set the parchment back onto her knee, transferring the backpack out of her lap and next to her, so that it would not hinder her if he asked any other questions.

He asked what house she was in and said she looked like a Ravenclaw. Her smile widened slightly and she nodded her head. She was proud to be in the house that treasured wit. She gave him a quizzical look and pointed at him, inquiring about his house with her large, deep, dark eyes.

He asked why she did not talk and she turned a paler shade, her cheeks warming at the thought of the question. Normally when people asked her, they did so rudely, and she wound glare at them and hurry on. But he had been kind, and she did not want to be rude. But she was not ready to talk about her disorder. She scrawled onto the paper, with a shaky hand, I just can't... It's a nervous thing... She handed it to him, her eyes on the ground, not able to look up at him.

Andrew toke a look again at the parchment, analyzing the language on the paper. He read the words, then found himself going "Oh...". She was a mute. He had never actually met one in his life, but he had gotten the idea when she first refused to speak. But he didn't want to sound rude or anything, so he didn't ask until that moment.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, trying to show the sympathy in his eyes in his eyes "I didn't mean to be offensive or anything." He looked back at the ground, trying to think of his next words carefully. "So um..." He said in his regular voice "did you come out here just to pick the flowers?"