11 Pleasant Chat

The fading rays of the sunset cast an orange glow across the quad as Ezra made his way to the large oak tree he agreed to meet Enid under. He spotted her blonde pink and blue highlighted hair peeking out from behind the trunk, a textbook open in her lap.

"Fancy seeing you here," Ezra said with a grin as he approached.

Enid glanced up, her eyes lighting up when she saw him. "Ezra! You made it."

"I said I would, didn't I?" He sat down next to her in the grass.

"I know, but I thought you might get distracted exploring the campus or something." She nudged him playfully.

Ezra chuckled. "Well, the mysterious halls of Nevermore are hard to resist, but I'll always make time for you."

A faint blush rose on Enid's cheeks at his words. She quickly changed the subject. " How was your first day of classes?"

"It was...enlightening," Ezra said wryly, settling on the grass beside her. "I learned more about werewolf reproduction than I ever expected to know."

Enid giggled, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Yeah, Professor Wolfsbane really dives into the details."

They shared a laugh, the conversation flowing easily between them. Ezra found himself captivated by the way Enid's eyes sparkled when she was amused, her laughter chiming like bells. He felt himself relaxing in her presence.

"Werewolf class aside, everyone here has been really great so far," Ezra said. "You've made me feel so welcome, Enid. I appreciate you looking out for the new guy."

Enid smiled, glancing down shyly. "Of course, I remember how overwhelming starting at Nevermore can be. I'm happy to help you find your way around here."

"Well, you've done an amazing job," Ezra said earnestly. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

A comfortable silence settled between them as they watched the sunset, the sky shifting from orange to dusky purple. Ezra snuck a glance at Enid's profile, her flawless porcelain skin and delicate features. She really was beautiful, he thought.

Enid turned her head, catching his gaze. They held eye contact for a long moment before Enid brought up another topic.

"So where is your family from?"

Ezra's gaze grew distant as Enid asked about his family. "They're a long way from here," he said softly.

Enid tilted her head. "In England, right?"

"Uh, yeah. Right," Ezra replied, snapping out of his reverie. He ran a hand through his dark curls.

"What are they like?" Enid asked.

Ezra considered the question. He couldn't exactly tell her the truth about his magical lineage.

"Well, I was an only child," he began slowly. "My parents and I were close when I was young, but we grew more distant after I started attending boarding school."

Ezra's eyes took on a faraway look again as he thought of his parents back home, likely wondering where he disappeared to. He felt a pang of melancholy at being so suddenly separated from them. 

Enid noticed the shift in his mood and said gently, "You must miss them."

Ezra gave her a small, grateful smile. "Yeah, I do."

Wanting to change the subject, he turned the questions on her. "What about you? Tell me about your family."

Enid brightened, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Oh, I'm from San Francisco originally. I have a few older brothers who drive me crazy sometimes." She laughed. "But we're really close. They're super protective and taught me to stand up for myself."

"That must be nice, having siblings," Ezra said wistfully. "It was just me rattling around our empty house most of the time."

"Well, now you have me to keep you company," Enid said with a playful nudge.

Ezra chuckled. "Yes, I'm very lucky for that."

He was thankful Enid had steered the conversation to lighter waters. As night fell, they continued chatting under the oak tree, the lights of the castle flickering to life behind them. Ezra felt the heaviness in his chest lift as Enid's laughter filled the air. No matter how far from home he was, he knew he had found a true friend in Enid.

Ezra leaned back against the oak tree, looking up at the starry sky peeking through the branches overhead. "It's beautiful out here at night," he commented. "I can see why you like coming to the quad in the evenings."

Enid followed his gaze upwards. "Yeah, on clear nights you can see so many stars. It makes me feel small, but in a good way." She shifted closer to Ezra, their arms just barely touching. He was acutely aware of her proximity.

"So," Enid said, turning to look at him. "Tell me more about yourself. What do you like to do for fun?"

Ezra considered the question. He couldn't exactly say riding broomsticks or playing wizard's chess.

"Well, back home I liked exploring the outdoors," he said. That much was true. The forests and mountains surrounding Hogwarts held many adventures. "Going on hikes, camping under the stars, that kind of thing."

"Oooh, I love camping!" Enid said enthusiastically. "We should go sometime. There's great spots not far from here."

Ezra smiled at her eagerness. "That sounds brilliant. It's a date."

Enid blinked, cheeks flushing slightly. "A date, huh? With just the two of us in the woods?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

 "Oh, well, I didn't mean—not that I wouldn't—" he tried to explain himself. but then he heard Enid laugh, the sound bright and melodic.

 "Relax, I'm just teasing you, that's pay back for yesterday," she said, though she looked pleased.

Ezra exhaled, chuckling at his own reaction. He nudged her shoulder back. "Well played, Sinclair."

Their banter flowed easily, and Ezra found himself captivated by Enid's expressive face and musical laugh. She was so vibrant, her eyes shining as she described her classes and friends. He soaked up these details, wanting to know more about her.

"Can you tell me more about your family?" Ezra asked. "You said you have a few brothers?"

"Yeah," Enid replied, absently playing with a blade of grass. She smiled fondly. "They used to team up and prank me all the time when we were little. I got them back occasionally."

Ezra grinned, picturing a young Enid engaging in sibling hijinks. "I always wished I had a brother or sister to get into trouble with."

"Well, if you ever need someone to help prank the pilgrim boys, I'm your girl," Enid said with a smirk.

Ezra threw his head back, laughing. "Good to know. I'll keep that in mind."

He marveled at how comfortable he felt with Enid already. He'd never opened up this quickly with anyone before. But with her, it felt natural.

...

[A/N: If you like the story so far feel free to give a review and throw some powerstones my way!]