Full of Charm(Hallie/Open)

[Charlotte Monroe]

Back from vacation Charlotte made her way through the inner courtyard and sighed. She had missed Hogwarts, well no not really Hogwarts itself though the castle was beautiful. No, she missed being adored by her fellow students, being lavished upon by younger girls, and being doted upon by the boys. She loved school for that reason solely.

Oh no. Not only for those who adored her. She forgot one reason she also enjoyed school. Smiling something malicious she spotted her less than worthy cousin sitting in the courtyard, well there was no use for it. Temptation was far too great.

"Hello bookworm." she said as a casual greeting. She couldn't believe she was related to this graceless mess. She preferred not to think about it at all except that Hallie provided a prime punching bag.

[Hallie Monroe]

Hallie sat in the courtyard, reading as always. She was still in a bit of a depression from the champion selection ceremony, although she knew she shouldn't be. She would have been a terrible champion and she knew it. She would have failed miserably, of course. She always did, whenever she tried to challenge herself.

So as she stared down at her book, she wasn't really absorbing what she was reading. In fact, she hadn't actually turned the page for close to 10 minutes now. But to the outside observer, she looked deeply involved in the book. And as a voice spoke above her, she didn't react at first.

But after a slight pause, she shook herself out of her stupor and realized there was a shadow over her. She looked up and saw Charlotte... her wicked cousin. Ever the princess, Charlotte had been allowed to leave school in the middle of the term and go on vacation. Great... now she was back. Hallie was just barely able to keep from groaning aloud.

"Oh... hi, Charlotte," she said, smiling weakly. Hallie already knew she was mousy, but Charlotte made her feel doubly so. Triply, even. "Um, I guess you just got back, huh?" She laughed awkwardly.

[Charlotte Monroe]

"Brilliant deduction bookworm, you belong in Ravenclaw after all." she said snidely, "Another book? What's this?" she asked taking the book from her cousin without a second thought and reading the title, it was of no interest to her so she tossed it asside.

"Good heavens Hallie, if you were to spend half the time on your looks as you did in those books perhaps there would be a shred of kinship between us...or do you enjoy looking the way you do?"

[Hallie Monroe]

"Hey!" Hallie cried when Charlotte grabbed the book from her and tossed it aside. "I was reading that."

She wasn't, actually. But she was annoyed that Charlotte thought she could just waltz in here and take her things, like they didn't matter. Like she didn't matter. Of course, in her cousin's eyes, she didn't matter at all, and Hallie knew it. But then, she was used to it.

"Not everyone can look like you, Charlotte," she mumbled.

[Charlotte Monroe]

She rolled her eyes when Hallie made the fuss but warmed at the backhanded compliment, " No, I suppose not, but you don't even try." she said with a sneer of disgust. "I don't know how your parents tolerate you." she sighed, "You'll never make a match looking the way you do, and you're intolerably clumsy."

[Hallie Monroe]

Hallie frowned. What could she say to that? Her self-esteem was already about as low as it could go, and she couldn't exactly defend her frizzy hair that she could never control, or her glasses or her utter lack of curves. Her parents did love her, though, and constantly told her that she was beautiful even though the mirror proved them to be liars.

"I'm comfortable the way I am," she lied. "This is me and anyone who doesn't like it can... um... go away." It was what her mom had always told her to say, but it was just empty words for her. She didn't believe them.

She stood up then, not wanting to continue this conversation any longer. "I have to go," she said. She took a few steps and bent down to pick up the book that Charlotte had tossed aside.

[Charlotte Monroe]

"Go Away huh?" she asked rolling her eyes, " I'm not the one who's running now, careful not to trip darling." she laughed before getting out her wand and shooting a tripping jinx straight for her cousin after her cousin picked up the book, not that Hallie needed any help in tripping, but it was just fun to watch.

The sad part was as children they played together, before Charlotte transformed into a beautiful swan and became aware of what society asked of her, and while Hallie stayed her "ugly duckly, yet utterly charming in her own way...well not to Charlotte" they drifted, and then animosity started, but one time...one sweet time when they were both innocent Charlotte had adored her cousin. You would never guess that now.

[Hallie Monroe]

"Oof!" The trip jinx hit Hallie, and she stumbled, falling face down on the cobblestones. Tears sprung to her eyes, but she tried to blink them back. Her knees and hands, already scarred from all the other times she'd tripped, burned with the sting of impact, and she was pretty sure she felt a spot of blood trickling down her chin.

Quickly, she scrambled to sit up and inspect the damage to her hands and knees. She didn't say a word to Charlotte. She wouldn't let her know that she was close to tears.

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan had been sitting in the courtyard when he saw a ravenclaw girl tripped by some older slytherin girl. He frowned immediately. He didn't know either of them but he felt obligated to help the fellow ravenclaw somehow. He walked up to the two girls and bent down next to Hallie and gave her a hand up. She wasn't very pretty but he didn't like the way she was being treated.

"Next time you feel like tripping someone why don't you pick on someone your own size." He addressed the slytherin girl who apparently thought she was untouchable where the ravenclaw was concerned.

[Charlotte Monroe]

Amused Charlotte glanced at the boy, "I would if there was someone my size around." she told him leaning back, the bug had no idea who he was pissing off by invading an issue that wasn't his own Charlotte liked to retaliate in dramatic ways. Hallie would know, a younger slytherin had insulted her once, she arranged for his broom to throw him twenty feet, both his legs were broken now and Charlotte thought that was getting off easy for an offense done to her. She told Hallie of some of these things because the girl would never rat her out for multiple reasons, they were family afterall, and Charlotte was part of the "important" side of the family, the kind that could destroy the unimportant kind.

[Hallie Monroe]

Hallie placed her hand in the other boy's gratefully. As she got to her feet, she looked up... at the cutest boy she'd ever seen. Immediately she flushed bright red and cast her eyes downward. He had dark good looks, with hooded eyes that seemed to speak of a wisdom beyond his years. Hallie didn'tm know if there really was such a thing as love at first sight, but if there was, she had just found it.

"Th-thank you," she said in an unnaturally high voice. She ignored Charlotte's comment; there was no way this boy would fall victim to Charlotte's bullying. He was like a prince.. a knight in shining armor. Of course, he probably thought she was mousy and plain and dorky... hardly the princess type. But he'd helped her... and that was a start.

[Kyle Atkins]

Kyle was in search of Hallie. It wasn't about anything important, he just wanted to talk to her. He reached the courtyard and stopped just as he entered. Hallie had tripped from talking to a blonde girl, but some guy was there that rushed to her and helped her up. Kyle was grateful that someone helped her up rather than laugh at her, but he wished that he was the one that got there quicker. He stopped and watched for a moment. Hallie looked up at the boy who Kyle recongized as the transfer student in Ravenclaw.

Kyle wished that she would look at him that way, but knew that wasn't going to happen. Although, being friends with her wasn't that bad either. He loved being friends with her. He stood there for a few more moments only to take a few steps back. Kyle would ask her his question later. It wasn't too important. His eyes didn't leave Hallie, as he stepped away. Kyle took a deep breath and headed back towards the common room.

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan gave Hallie a friendly smile and completely ignored the blond girl. Well he didn't ignore her but he pretended to. He had learned long ago to watch his back when others thought he wasn't looking. And he was used to protecting people... he'd always protected his sister and Hallie though not as exotic as his sister was in looks kind of reminded him of Anya in a way. Someone who could use a friend that was able to stand up to those who would otherwise bully them.

When he stood up to his full height and breadth however, he towered over the blond girl. He might be only fifteen but he already looked like a professional quidditch player in size. And had the intelligence and wit to back it up. He however had a soft and yielding heart despite his skills and body outwardly. Like a big teddy bear who you didn't want to upset.

[Hallie Monroe]

Hallie glanced up just in time to see Kyle retreating inside, but she had no clue as to why. Without even giving it a second thought, she turned back to watch Ivan as he dared to confront Charlotte. Her cousin was a b*tch, she'd always known it. Even when they were children and they had been close, Charlotte had spent most of her time bossing Hallie around. Because Hallie was eager to please and was happy to have a playmate, she usually did whatever Charlotte wanted. And even now, if Charlotte wanted something, like someone to do her homework for her, Hallie was completely unable to say no.

She wondered about her newly-appointed protector. They were in the same house, and he looked to be roughly the same age as she was. How could she have never noticed him before? Was he new? What was his name? She needed to know the answers to these questions, and hoped Charlotte would leave soon enough, so that she could find out a little more about him.

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan didn't notice the boy and he turned on the blond girl. He may only be 15 but if he could survive Arachne.. no girl could hold a candle over him. Especially this blond bully. He crossed his arms infront of his chest but under his robes his wand was already within his grasp. And he wasn't afraid to use it to defend himself or the girl she was abusing.

[Charlotte Monroe]

Charlotte raised a brow at his heroic tendencies, then rolled her eyes at Hallie, "Merlin Hallie do you have to stand there and gawk at him like some pre-pubescent school girl? Godric you are so socially challenged besides which take in the key factors, this...boy..." she sneered, " is even out of your league, which is pathetic, you're a Monroe for heaven's sake. A guy like him wouldn't look twice at a girl like you except when he feels pity, poor pitiful little Hallie it's a wonder your face isn't flat like the rest of you since you fall down on it every other minute."

Charlotte didn't have to even acknowledge the boy really, she could handle herself with a wand and there was nothing Ivan could really do to her, besides she'd only make Hallie pay worse for it later.