[Owlery] At The Tallest Tower...

[leonrenolds]

Leon had finally made it up all the steps to the owlery. He was fit and healthy, but it seemed like they carried on forever. He could feel the wind strongly up here compared to nearer the castle, it was probably wind from the lake he thought.
He had a few letters to send back home to his parents and other family members.
He walked up the narrow cold stony grey steps until he saw where his owl was dozing, well, half sleeping.
He smirked and gave a quick hmph, a short laugh.
"Devon you damn fool, wake up!" He said stroking the bird.
The bird awoke with a startle, and Leon swore that he frowned at him, but Devon simply shook off the sleepiness and carefully took the letters off Leon waiting for his command.
"Alright, now you got them?" he asked Devon. Devon simple nodded rhythmically for a moment.
"Okay, now the top letter needs to go to mum and dad, the middle letter needs to go to Uncle Trey and Aunt Wilma, and the bottom letter needs to go to Cousin Earl. You got that?" He said to Devon with a raised eyebrow, pointing to the letters.
Devon simply nodded again.
"Good, I'll see you when you get back" Leon answered, tieing a little bag of three galleons to his owls leg. With that, the Barn owl simply expanded his wings, turned around and flew out the window. Leon watched him fly away until he was just a speck in the sky.
Just then, he heard the owlery door close. He froze as it startled him, then made his way halfway down the stairs to find out who it was. A girl enter...

[vampireangel]

Rikki kept her eyes on the stairs as she went up, making sure she didn't miss any. Not many people, well no one actually, knew this but Erika was afraid of going up steps. When she was fourteen she had fallen backwards down a very steep flight of steps and ever since then, had been terrified of going up them. Coming down, she was fine... going up... that was a different story. Erika was so focused on the steps that she walked right into someone. She felt herself falling back, and with a cry grabbed at the wall, as if that would do her any good!

[leonrenolds]

Leon's eyes widened as he saw the girl panic. He grabbed her and pulled her towards him.
"Are you alright?" He said worried. He was now holding her at the top of her arms and looking at her.
It's the first time he'd seen her close up and she was beautiful, her gold eyes were a little watery with panic.

[vampireangel]

"Uh... yeah... I think so. Thanks." she replied breathlessly. She smiled up at the boy, "I'm Erika McCallister."

[leonrenolds]

"Urm, no problem" He smiled proudly, letting go of her.
"Leon, Leon Renolds. Where abouts are you from?" He asked intrigued.

[vampireangel]

Erika frowned, should she tell him the truth? "I... uh, don't remember where I was born... my parents died when I was sixteen, and somehow I lost my memory. I stay in the castle over the summer."

[leonrenolds]

Leon could sense the awkwardness coming from Erika. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
There was silence for a moment after Erika had spoken. What would Leon say after that bombshell?

"Urm, Oh, well, that sucks. I'm sorry to hear that" he replied, rubbing the back of his head.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

((It's Kris (Erika), don't worry. Not barging in))

Ash climbed the steps to the owlery, a letter clutched in his hand, a letter telling his father, who had finally gone back to France, that he was taking his mother's French maiden name of Laurent, and that there was nothing his father could do to stop him. Nearing the top of the stairs, he spotted two Gryffindors, one he recognised to be Erika McCallister, the other he didn't know. "Hi." he greeted them with a friendly smile.

[vampireangel]

Erika grinned at Leon, "It's fine, you didn't know." She grinned again, and shifted her bag to her other shoulder, "Well, I better get this letter mailed, "I promised Richard I'd meet him in Hogsmeade. Nice talking to you." she turned, and saw Ash on the stairs. "Hey Ash, how's it going?"

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash grinned up at Erika. "Not much, just sending a letter to my dad." he replied, holding up the letter.