Post by stephen alexander cornfoot on Aug 16, 2012 4:21:56 GMT -5
STEPHEN ALEXANDER CORNFOOT
[/b] It was when he was two years old, the accident. This muggle born boy tried to climb from his crib, and the floor caught him. His head struck the floor, and the consequences were serious. As muggles, his family didn't know a thing about magical healing. Young Corny was left to heal in a hospital room. Most of these memories would fade, but the results of his fall left a lasting impression on his life. Corny lost the ability to speak until he was eight-years-old. His words came to me but were short, mumbled, and sometimes he would jumble up words that he tried to say. This would make him angry. Lack of communication usually lead to him holding his breath until he was red in the face, and something flying across the room. At first his parents thought he was throwing a tantrum, and Corny had no words to explain what was happening around him. Glasses would explode. Doors would slam. Toys would fly across the room and explode. At their wit's end, Corny's parents were forced to send the eight-year-old child to see a professional. Cornfoot, at this point, was installed into a mental hospital.Corny
Along with therapy, he saw one of the doctors that helped him the most at that point in his young life. This doctor was a speech specialist. Corny learned to form his words, learn more words to portray thoughts, and to properly communicate with others both his age and older. He was a quiet child, never spoke up for himself, and rarely raised his voice. His parents and doctors were at the conclusion that he was going to be "slow," or suffer some sort of brain damage. This could not be further from the truth. Due to his speech issues Corny would always concentrate and think hard before he spoke. Corny had a great deal of issues with talking to others and making friends, even though he was learning proper English. When he was nine he was allowed to return home, and enter a normal school. He was placed in learning disabled classes immediately, and floundered when in social settings. Corny learned to hate school, but his time there lead him to one of his greatest passions in life. Gardening.
At his age, in his school, he was not allowed recces. Instead, the teachers and assistance would take them out to play in the garden. She taught Cornfoot how to plant seeds, what qualities dirt held, and how to grow small plants and flowers. The love of plants sprouted from there, and soon his favorite part of the day was to tend his small portion of the garden and help the other children work their gardens. This kept him at peace, and his anger soon faded into a forgotten past. Corny learned flowers, plants, and herbs much quicker than he could learn complicated subjects like Math, and History. Reading came easy to him, but mostly due to the fact that he was attracted to Gardening magazines, and Almanacs. He would smile only when he was reading in a garden, or tending to his growing section of flowers and vegetables. Corny was soon leading the other children in the garden activities. It was the only place he found his confidence. His love for Herbology has never faded.
Stephen turned ten in the Spring, and soon his family was confounded by an owl dropping a letter on their Saturday picnic. This was followed by a visit from some one representing the sender of the owl. Corny sat in the living room floor in wide-eyed wonder as his parents was told what was going on with Cornfoot's temper, and the reason things were going on around him. The parents blinked as the representative showed proof that true magic existed. Corny was explained that he had a gift, and was invited to attend a school for gifted and talented children. This upset this child at first, until he was told about all the magic he could learn from herbs. Young Corny's heart exploded with excitement and joy. This was something his parents never saw in their son. The letter was read, questions were asked, and the next thing the muggle family knew they were standing in the middle of the most wonderful place on Earth... Diagon Alley. As the representative was explaining facts to his family, Corny wandered around pressing his nose against the glass of windows, and blinking at the oddities he witnessed. Several wizards excused him as he bumped into them in excitement. The Alley was the most interesting thing he ever saw, and he could not believe that this was nothing but a dream. He expected to wake-up at any moment; yet, Corny never woke up as he found that everything he was seeing was more than real. And, joy of all joys, he was invited into this world.
The summer passed with his nose pressed against the pages of wonderful books, including one that had nothing to do with anything but Herbology. He read the whole book, and started his own garden in his backyard. Corny held his new wand, and stared at it wondering how magic could possibly come out of a piece of wood. He shrugged and put it in his trunk, and glanced at other books as confusing as the wand. He put all his materials in the giant trunk, but pulled his old book bag over his shoulder with the Herbology book tucked into it wrapped in cloth for safe keeping. He also managed to learn to write with a quill and kept a small notepad, quill, and ink in the backpack. Everywhere he went the backpack was with him. As the weather began to settle down, Corny found himself looking at a solid wall with an arched brow. A glance to his father showed a smile and a nod. Corny shrugged, held the backpack tight, and went through the wall. There was an other side, and immediately ran into a tall boy in a green robe. The boy seemed to want to say something, but Corny's parents were soon behind him, and smiling down at their son.
The train was massive, red, and loud. His heart fluttered as he looked at the crowds loading onto the cars. It was almost too much, and Corny wanted nothing more than to turn and run... and run fast. However he remembered his book in his little yellow backpack. He stroked it's form under the canvas, and hugged his parents. He didn't cry as he boarded the train. He was afraid, but what was to come was a lot more important than his fear. He struggled to move through the corridors and find a seat. A lurch as the train began to move knocked him into the same tall boy in the green robe once again. This time there was no one around to save him. He was pushed to the ground hard as more green robed boys surrounded him. His heart began to speed up as he blinked around. He was called names, he was kicked, and his backpack was ripped away. Corny tried to grab for his beloved book, but his items were poured down over him. The book hit him hard in the head, and his face started to go crimson. He reached for his wand, not knowing exactly what he might do, but was stopped by a strong hand.
Another older boy bent over him and smiled as he helped him to his feet. His robes were red, and he moved Corny to stand behind him. A girl as young as Corny started to pick up his quills and ink. The older red-robed boy ran the green clothed guys off, and turned to return the Herbology Book to Corny. However, Corny had no knowledge of anything from that moment on. The little girl had captured his attention as she smiled and handed the book back to him. He tried to thank her, but couldn't form the words. The girl smiled to him, and his mind ran away. Stephen felt stupid, and couldn't think of anything to say. He tucked the book back into his pack, and mumbled a quick thanks before running away to stuff himself in the corner of one of the small seating rooms. Ever since that day, his eyes followed the girl anytime she was around. At the time he didn't know it, but she would grow to become the single person he would love as much as Herbology.
Yet, he had no courage to ever tell her.
Alexander[/b], as he was called by his mother, was sorted into Hufflepuff Bare with me here! Please? and his first experiences with classes confused him, filled him with wonder, and showed him a world he had never witnessed before the day he stepped into Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He could have never imagined anything so wonderful, and so right. Life was as near to perfect as he had ever seen it. Yes, he was awkward. Yes, he couldn't communicate with other students very well. He was quiet, and somewhat shy. He managed to learn well enough to not get called out in class, nor in trouble for not trying. However, he blossomed when it came to Herbology. Having read the book twice, he found the concepts so easy to grasp that even the professor commented on how well he was adapted to working with herbs, and herb-lore. This tickled Corny so much, that he blushed and the rest of the class giggled at him. He didn't seem to mind much at all, as long as he could learn everything he could learn about plants. Magical Animals was not hard for him to learn, as they were part of nature and he tended to go in that direction. The concepts of Potions was fairly easy for him, even though the class seemed to be somewhat dark and scary. Potions required herbs, and plants. Herbology was his strong suit, and potions went hand-in-hand. He learned potions with little problems.
However, charms and transfiguration was something that eluded him. He couldn't learn it as easy as most other people in his classes. He required a tutor to get through lessons, but as he caught on he made a decent grade. It was hard for him to remain close to someone and speak up while in lessons, but he was lucky enough to be taught by someone who was very caring. This guy became the closest thing he ever had to a friend. Since the first year these two boys had been somewhat inseparable. Fast friend, Corny became very loyal to this boy and the boy helped him in his classes. In turn, Corny helped his friend in Potions and Herbology. Together they were the perfect student. However, this friend was not the only person Corny was getting close to. And this would lead him to learn a lot more about life, outside the realms of a classroom and garden.
Cornfoot found himself in love. As his current year began he found himself following the same girl he met in his first year, during his ride on the train. She was beautiful, kind, and had easily stole his heart. They spoke constantly, and often studied together. She invited him to school dances, and parties. She always told him that she didn't want to leave her best friend out of things. She never noticed how much he blushed around her. She became the single person who had to face his constant blabbering. With almost everyone else Corny was a silent person, mostly nodding. However, with this girl he loved, Stephen would go on and on about almost anything. He was always nervous around her, but hide it in conversation. There would come times when she would have to tell him to shut-up or she would have to find something to do with his lips. Of course this would shut him up immediately, and the blush would explode on his face. Then she would suggest him invest in bubble gum, and his heart would falter. Yeah, he was in love.
He couldn't tell her, with his voice. But, Corny had a secret. Since his second year at Hogwart's he would use his ability to create wonderful words by sending anonymous owls to this girl. He would write poetry, tell her how beautiful she looked, and ask her how she was doing in classes. Soon the two were holding these long, deep conversations without her knowing who she was speaking with. He become almost like her personal diary that would answer back. As he fell deeper in love with her, she came to enjoy her secret friend even more. They would talk about the conversations, he would often ask her who she thought her admirer might be; but, she had no idea who was writing her these secret things. The owls would only stop when she began dating someone. Corny would usually keep his distance in pain when she saw other guys. He acted like nothing was wrong, but he mourned when she wasn't around. He thought about how he felt, and wondered if it was becoming an obsession. He even tried to "go-out" with someone, but he found he knew nothing about relationships. He floundered and never kept anyone for more than a few weeks. His friend would always give him advice, and set him up on double dates; but, mostly Stephen would pine for the girl he loved. He concentrated on Herbology until the girl was once again single.
Hours turned into days, days turned into weeks. Weeks onto months, and months turned to years as they so often do. As he grew older, things changed for him. He began tutoring others in Herbology, and Potions. He didn't make many friends, but he was liked enough for others to come to him when they had classroom problems. He continued with the secret owls to the girl he loved, and did well in class to know he wanted to be a Professor one day. He had no major enemies, and everything was fairly normal... until one day everything changed...
NOW...[/b]Stephen Alexander Cornfoot, known as Corny to his closest friends, was standing in the owlery, the quill was moving quickly along the parchment of the current letter he was sending. It was another delightful anonymous letter to the woman he loved, adored, wanted to spend the rest of his life with so bad... He was about finished when he heard a small gasp. His heart raced in his chest as he turned around. She stood in front of him, her delicate hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. Corny was ten-years-old once again looking at the most beautiful person he had ever known. He opened his mouth... no words came out. She looked up to him, blinked, and...[/blockquote][/blockquote]
I will not lie, I designed Cornfoot to be a Hufflepuff through and through. He has a heart of a garden, always growing and blooming new sprouts to share with the world. He loves dirt, and all things that come from dirt, and often has dirty fingers and clothes from planting, sifting, and just day dreaming while laying in the grass. He is soft spoken, quiet, shy, but when it comes to Herbology he could teach a master level course with all the gusto of the eldest Professors. His heart is yellow, but not from fear but from pride in everything he does in life and from a love of Hufflepuff. His house, his home, his loyalty. To place him in another house would be a disservice to the man, the castle, and the site. That said, Stephen Cornfoot is a silent man. He doesn't raise his voice much, and usually spends more shy time with plants than he does with people. He talks to plants, loves them, and uses all his free time within the confines of the Greenhouses. It is his desire to one day return to school to teach Herbology and perhaps even become Head of Hufflepuff. He has all the makings for the perfect House head, even if he doesn't know it himself.
Cornfoot is a romantic at heart, only he never uses this skill other than in the secret owls he sends to the girl he loves, his best friend ____________________. He is free with a smile, but often is too shy to join in with the gang. He is a meticulous thinker, and can craft wonderful day dreams but has a touch of attention deficit and can fly off on a tangent that has nothing to do with the project at hand. He is in no way slow, in fact he has a brilliant mind to go with his heart ofyellowgold. When he cares for you, he will always care for you. He is loyal to a fault, which could be easily taken advantage of if he is not paying attention. Corny, as he is called among friends, can be the best pal to anyone especially if they show the smallest amount of pleasure from plants and herbology.
'I did something wrong. I did something wrong. I did something wrong.' The thought kept flashing in his head like a red light shining on the wonderful memory of her touch. The echoes of the red bounced around him almost obscuring his vision as he realized that he had done something seriously wrong to someone he really cared for deeply. She had always been a friend, and in a moment of moonlight and emotions he had kissed her and she turned away from him. The moment played through the red and he recalled how she had reacted to his touch, his fingers moving on hers as their lips met for the first time. She acted as if she had liked it, but then when she pulled away and wretched the box form his hands; Stephen knew he had done something wrong. Past relationships blinked in the darkness between the red flashing. Each time someone walked out of his life, turned him away, or went on with someone new. He could see each girl who made him feel so hurt between the red warning that he had done something wrong to Isabel. And his heart finally began to move in his chest, and he reached up to rub the spot. Dirt streaked his shirt, but his eyes was locked onto her back as he knew she would walk away from him too. Just like so many others, he had done something wrong. Again.
What enchantments did the moonlight hold over him, to see her in that light with a smile was all he desired. To know she was alright, and the soft Stephen was not her words to warn him away. Had he crossed a line that was invisible to the eye, but clear to his friend? Would she never speak to him again due to this transgression of friendly boundaries? Stephen was not very good at this, as all his short relationships might have proven from his past. He shook his head lightly and lowered his eyes to a single piece of herb that rested on the ground between them. The whole night had been perfect. It had been filled with light conversation, laughs, and glances between the two that had made him happy to share the workload with her. She was so pleasant to be around that he got lost in the moment, and for the merest of moments he thought that maybe there could be more between himself and Izzy. He thought of them together, walking hand-in-hand, on the grounds of the school while the rest of the student body disappeared into a fading background. He imagined them standing on the side of a raging river, watching the deep waters churn while knowing that nothing would be deeper than what they could share together. He saw them in a warm cottage, a huge garden on the side, with two beautiful children running at his feet as he prepared dinner for her. He blinked his eyes, and a single tear moved to land on the dirt of the greenhouse floor. He wiped it away with a quick hand and knew he had done something wrong.
His mind often ran away with him, pulling him in directions even he had a hard time following. He knew he had a problem, and he struggled to be normal every day. He pulled himself into form so often, that he almost didn't know who he was any longer. He wished on every star each night that he might be normal like all the other guys around school. Then another day dream would start and he would be lost in what he had come to know as 'Corny-land.' He knew many people didn't like him because they couldn't understand him. Often, people would pull away because he was excited and talked to much to them even when he hardly knew them. His own mind would roar at him to stop, but he couldn't help it when the odd words flowed. He would blink with sad eyes as they walked away from him, sometimes even making a joke at his expense. He had gone through it too often, and had hidden his heart in the flowers and plants he loved the most. They never rejected him. With every stem and leaf they would love him for the love he gave. His heart would grow with them, and when they bloomed his heart would explode with joy. It was a pleasure no one could understand. All he had hoped for is to feel that same emotion with a girl. A girl like Izzy. But, he had done something wrong.
Her hand lifted and ran through her hair, and Stephen knew it was only a matter of time before she would walk away. He couldn't stop her. He was scared that if he opened his mouth something he couldn't control would move out into the air. He would say the wrong thing, or go on a tangent about something that had nothing to do with the magic he had just felt from her kiss. His heart would cry as he said something about the Whomping Willow, or the owls he had sent to his grandfather; and, this would only confuse her or make her think it was all a joke. 'Izzy, it wasn't a joke!' His mind whispered to her back even as he kept his lips tightly sealed. Another tear fell, and another quick swipe hid it from view. He knew he didn't have it in him to tell her how he felt. He was positive there would be no way he could ever show her again. His first attempt had been wrong, and it showed on her face as she pulled the box from his hands. Did she hate him now? Was there no hope that he might make her understand what was inside him wanting to get out? Stephen held no hope that he could react in the correct way. If only he could say the right words he might have saved their love that night. It was something he said. It was something he did, and his words would not come out right. Though he tried so hard inside, he knew he couldn't make anything right. His eyes looked back to the single piece of herb on the ground.
The Betony laid crushed in the dirt.
