#01 [September 5, 2016: Monday, Week 1. It's still Luke and Eliana's very first day at Hogwarts, though things have transitioned into the first evening at Hogwarts, and the majority of the student populace is gathered for dinner. And what a dinner it is! Though it's not as good as the end-of-semester feast, any student who's spent a decent amount of time in the muggle school systems can safely say that Hogwarts has the best cafeteria food basically in the history of ever.] #01 [The ambiance is, admittedly, also relatively lacking: no ghosts, minimal decorations, and so on... but well, when you have an enormous hall done in ancient style, with long, long tables of students, plentiful food, and large hourglasses already slowly filling up with rubies, citrines, sapphires, and emeralds, each proudly displaying points for the houses, all under the watchful eyes of the present faculty and staff at the head table... what more do you need? Really?] #01 [Eliana has found a place at the Slytherin table, shielded by some third years (maybe she's not in the mood to deal with her classmates?) and has managed to eat a plate of roast goose, vegetables, and then a small slice of pie with minimal conversation (they are not particularly interested in her first year shenanigans). Once that's done, she wipes herself off with a napkin - no ink repeats! - and scans up and down the Slytherin table for Vesper.] #01 [Start!] <@Luke> [Vesper is a little ways down the table, presiding over a small group of sixth- and seventh-years. Mostly, he's quiet, except when it seems he needs to inject some judgment or speculation. He took note of Eliana when she sat down, but otherwise hasn't appeared to be paying attention to her over the course of dinner.] #06* Eliana spots him, tilts her head a bit, and searches those students. Any Evangeline? <@Luke> [Nope. Evangeline is down on the other end of the table, apparently catching up on the gossip with a gaggle of similarly pretty and (possibly) empty- headed cohorts.] #06* Eliana gets to her feet, then, and checks to make sure she has her letter on her - she does, that's good! - before heading over to where the older students are to wait for Vesper to have a moment. She doesn't want to rudely interrupt if it's not Evangeline. <@Luke> [Vesper notes Eliana moving toward him and excuses himself from a conversation about some class Eliana hasn't heard of. He rises and turns to greet her with a smile. (Like most things about Vesper, it's understated, but impeccable.) "Hello, Eliana. Are you ready to go to the owlery, then?"] #06* Eliana smiles and tries not to fidget (she does a little). "Yeah. And um... can Luke come, too? If that's okay. He said I can use his owl, and he doesn't know where the owlery is yet either." <@Luke> [Vesper pauses for a moment of rapid thought. (Not to say calculation.) "Your Hufflepuff friend, right? Sure. Go on and get him and I'll meet you by the doors."] #06* Eliana actually beams at that. "Thanks!" She turns to get him, then stops, and turns back. "What class were you talking about?" <@Luke> [Vesper's eyebrows rise. "Alchemy. It's only offered to sixth and seventh years, and then only if enough people want to take it."] #06* Eliana blinks. "But I'm already taking Potions. Isn't Alchemy like Potions?" <@Luke> ["It's similar in some ways. In Alchemy you study the four basic elements and how to transmute one substance into another substance using that knowledge. There's more theory in it than you get even in advanced potions classes."] #06* Eliana nods. <@Luke> [Vesper waves at Eliana and heads for the door. "I can tell you more about it later, if you'd like. Go get Luke, and I'll show you the owlery for now." He grins a bit at her over his shoulder.] #06* Eliana looks like she might've been about to say something - probably as more questions - and then at Vesper's comment she blushes. Just a tiny bit. "Okay. Thanks again!" And she actually heads to the Hufflepuff table, now, to find Luke. #06* @Luke is there! He's with some of the other first-years, getting to know his housemates and talking about the first day of classes. Matthew's a little ways down the table, giving his younger brother space but still glancing over at him occasionally to see how he's getting along. #06* Eliana walks up to Luke, much more confidently than she was with Vesper despite her trim being the exact wrong color for this table, and taps him lightly on the shoulder. #06* @Luke was totally engrossed in trying to convince Barry that potions class is really not so bad, and he didn't notice Eliana approach at all. He jumps at the tap on his shoulder, but smiles when he sees Eliana. "Eliana! Oh! Are you going to the owlery now?" <@Luke> [Matthew glances over to see his brother talking to a Slytherin and starts in surprise himself, then frowns. He's too far away to intervene, though.] #01 Yeah, whenever you're ready. Vesper said it's okay if you come with. #06* @Luke nods and jumps up. "Thanks!" He turns back to the table briefly. "Um, I gotta go - I'll see you later. Bye, everybody!" #06* Eliana backs away as Luke gets up from the table. #06* @Luke is either oblivious to or deliberately ignoring the odd looks he's getting from the table he's leaving. He looks at Eliana expectantly, waiting for her to lead the way to wherever they're meeting Vesper. #01 [Barry still seems pretty bummed about potions, but he says, "Okay. Bye, Luke. Thanks for the, um... thanks. See you later." The other kids also say goodbye, and a couple of them look at Eliana dubiously... along with a bunch of *other* Hufflepuffs, not even first year, looking over at Eliana with varying levels of dubiousness to curiosity. Hufflepuffs were never known for hiding their feelings.] #06* Eliana gives the onlookers one of her better eleven-year-old 'If you have a problem, say it to my face' looks before she turns and heads over to the exit, where Vesper's waiting. #06* @Luke tags along, looking ahead curiously to see the Head Boy who's helping Eliana. <@Luke> [Vesper is standing by the door, as promised, evaluating Luke in turn (though far less obviously) as the two of them walk up. He smiles at Luke as they get within speaking range, but unlike the ones he's directed to Eliana, this smile does not quite reach his eyes, though they crinkle fairly convincingly. "Hullo, you must be Luke. I'm Vesper Kartal. Nice to meet you."] #06* @Luke slows to a stop just behind Eliana, watching Vesper uncertainly. "Um, hi. Nice to meet you, too." #06* Eliana smiles; she's brightened up considerably since semi-glaring at the other students at the Hufflepuff table. #01 Luke's really smart. He's explained lots of stuff to me about magic and the wizarding world that I didn't know before. <@Luke> [Vesper's eyes brighten almost imperceptibly as he turns his smile on Eliana, but his expression flickers at that and he glances back to Luke a little more thoughtfully. "Is that so? Well, I'm glad. C'mon, let's go to the owlery. It's a bit of a hike." He opens the door and holds it for the two younger students, then takes the lead as they head out.] #06* @Luke blushes as Eliana says he's smart and Vesper looks at him again, but can't manage to untangle his tongue to say anything before they get going. He just follows along quietly for the moment, still watching Vesper. #06* Eliana nods. "Thanks," she says when the door's held for her, because she can be polite. #01 So um, Headmistress McGonagall said it's okay for me to wear pants, but for a while I wasn't sure she was going to *even with* Professor Slughorn there. <@Luke> [Vesper half-turns to look at Eliana as he leads them down the hall. "What happened?" he asks.] #06* @Luke stays quiet, listening. He's still watching Vesper with a faint air of hesitation. #06* Eliana frowns a little as she walks, remembering. "Well, we went in, and I told her that I didn't want to wear a skirt... and I told her that my last school let me wear pants, like the boys do." <@Luke> [Vesper nods and waits attentively for her to continue.] #01 Then she asked why they have a uniform at Hogwarts, and I said probably for the same reasons we do at non-magic schools, to promote unity and 'eliminate social and economic differences'. And she said it's tradition too, and I said that's okay, but the tradition doesn't *work*. I mean, kids pick on each other anyway. They just find other reasons to do it. #01 And it's not really equal anyway, because girls and boys still wear different uniforms, so that doesn't even make very much sense if you're really trying to make things equal. #06* Eliana isn't being very attentive as to where she's going - too busy recounting things - but she's following Vesper's lead so it's not too bad. <@Luke> [Vesper's eyebrows rise a bit at that, but all he says is, "And what did she say?" He's still giving half a mind to traversing Hogwarts, which, since he's been doing it for seven years, is at least enough to keep them going in the right direction.] #01 Well, the headmistress frowned at me and she said... she said, 'There are a lot of things that we do for our safety and the safety of others... I cannot have my students picking which they choose to do or not do simply because they do not like to.' #06* @Luke frowns a little worriedly at Eliana's mention of bullying, but keeps listening. <@Luke> [Vesper tilts his head, glancing at Luke before looking back to Eliana. "In general, it's true. A lot of rules are there for people's safety. But - well, this doesn't seem like one of them."] #06* Eliana mutters, "I got kinda angry about that." She brushes some hair out of her face, looking at Vesper now, "Anyway, Professor Slughorn jumped in and said that's not what I was doing, and he explained that wasn't what I was doing, really." #01 Because I didn't just decide to wear pants; I was *asking* and following procedure, so... #06* @Luke nods. <@Luke> Well, it's better that way. I mean, um, people shouldn't just decide to do stuff, because it might *really* not be safe and if they didn't know that they might get hurt. #06* Eliana nods at Luke. "Yeah." #01 In the end, Headmistress McGonagall said that I can, and I think she thinks other girls might start asking soon, too, and... oh, and *then* she told me, right when I was about to leave, not to compare the magical world with the non- magical world, because the same rules don't apply, and that made me angry *again*. #01 But I was better that time and didn't say anything. #06* Eliana is done with the story! She shuts up now. <@Luke> [Vesper smiles at her, a little wryly. "Probably good. Talking back to the Headmistress on your first day wouldn't be the best idea."] <@Luke> Um. Yeah. #06* Eliana makes a face. "I guess." <@Luke> [Vesper studies Eliana closely, then glances aside at Luke again with a faintly frustrated expression. It vanishes almost immediately, however, and he turns back to Eliana and says carefully, "It's never good to get off on the wrong foot with important people."] #06* @Luke sideglances at Vesper. #06* Eliana nods. "Yeah." #01 That's mostly what Professor Slughorn told me afterwards, anyway... like, Headmistress McGonagall has to make all sorts of people happy because they're important, even if *they* don't have to wear school uniforms anymore. So she has to at least look strict. #01 Still... she didn't have to say that to me. At the end. The non- magical world's mostly what I know. I can't *not* compare them. #06* @Luke tilts his head, looking uncomfortable. "She probably didn't mean to upset you. I mean, she might really have just been warning you, or something." <@Luke> [Vesper flicks an unreadable glance at Luke, and then his gaze flits back to Eliana. He stays silent for the moment, letting the younger students drive the conversation.] #06* Eliana rolls her eyes. "Yeah, right. She might've just said that to see what I'd do." #01 Professor Slughorn said that he thinks she likes me, but she has a weird way of *showing* it. #06* @Luke blinks at this revelation. "Maybe she was trying not to show it. Um. If she has to look strict, and everything." #01 Yeah, to who? #06* Eliana blinks, then looks at Vesper. "Are there cameras in the office?" <@Luke> [Vesper blinks, too. "Not that I know of. There's the portraits, of course, but they almost always side with the current Headmaster or Headmistress. They wouldn't spy for anyone else."] #06* @Luke looks rather leery, as if this wasn't a possibility he'd thought of before. "Uh. They do that?" #06* Eliana thinks. "It'd make sense, right? I saw someone from one portrait go into another portrait once. And they talk, and they can probably remember things." <@Luke> [Vesper glances at Luke and says lightly, "Oh, yes. A lot of them are terrible gossips. They don't have much else to do, after all." He grins.] #06* @Luke does not look completely reassured. "Oh." <@Luke> I guess that makes sense... #06* Eliana grins, then says to Luke, "It's okay. They probably don't get people into trouble that much." She looks at Vesper. "Do they?" <@Luke> [Vesper shakes his head. "Nah, they don't really care most of the time. Though if someone manages to really get themselves hurt and there's a portrait around, they'll go get help."] <@Luke> ["It doesn't happen that often, though. Hogwarts is a really safe school. There're spells built into it and stuff to alert the teachers if someone is hurt or in trouble."] #06* @Luke relaxes a bit. "Oh yeah, I remember Matthew saying that once." <@Luke> [Vesper looks over at Luke again. "Your older brother, right? He seems like he'll be a good prefect. Glad to have him around."] #06* @Luke blinks and eyes Vesper uncertainly again. "Um, thanks." #01 Oh, I remember him! He's the one who told Mark that phoenix wands are unpredictable, like him. <@Luke> [Vesper nods at Luke, then gives Eliana a surprised look. And then he actually laughs. "Mark MacRae. Gets up to all kinds of trouble, but never anything really bad."] #06* @Luke blushes a little. "Um, yeah." #06* Eliana nods. "He's in Gryffindor, right? I think he yelled Luke's name when he got sorted into Hufflepuff yesterday." #06* @Luke blushes harder. "Yeah. That's Mark." #06* @Luke smiles a little then. "He promised he'd cheer for me even if I didn't get sorted into Gryffindor. Anyway, we both knew I wouldn't." #06* Eliana smiles. "Yeah. Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, right?" #01 He sounds pretty nice. It's cool that he was happy no matter what house you got into. #06* @Luke nods. "Yeah. Well...he's my brother still, and all." <@Luke> [Vesper's cheerful expression flickers for a moment, but he continues without comment. He's leading them up a long, winding stairwell now - he wasn't joking about the owlery being a bit of a hike from the dining hall. Hopefully they're getting close by now.] #06* Eliana is following Vesper up the stairwell. "Does this one move, too?" she asks him. <@Luke> [Vesper glances back at her and blinks for just a moment before he realizes what she's talking about. "Oh, like the one to the Headmistress' office? No, more's the pity. I think that might actually be the only stairwell in Hogwarts that does that - moves you up instead of sideways or something, I mean. At least, I haven't seen any others that do it."] #06* Eliana nods, still climbing the stairs. "I guess they don't want us getting lazy. It's gotta suck for a handicapped student." <@Luke> [Vesper blinks at her for a moment. "Oh, right. You're muggle-born, aren't you? No broomsticks or anything like that. Normally they're not allowed in the halls, but people who have trouble walking get special permission to use brooms or other things to get around. Though they're enchanted to not go over a certain speed inside."] #06* @Luke is climbing! Since he doesn't need to participate in the conversation just now, he's saving his breath. Stairs are harder when you're short for an eleven-year-old! #01 Oh, so like motorized wheelchairs, only they can go upstairs. Cool! #06* @Luke looks up curiously at that. "Oh, is that something else that works by electricity?" <@Luke> [Vesper glances back at Luke and then to Eliana, though he's careful to watch his footing at the same time. Hogwarts staircases can be tricky. "Electricity?"] #06* Eliana nods. "Yup." And she looks at Vesper. "Oh, most power is converted into electricity in the non-magical world. You use it to make electronics work - so like, computers and phones and televisions - and a lot of mechanical things, like cars, have electric parts to them." #01 But it doesn't work in Hogwarts, which is why I can't listen to music. <@Luke> [Vesper digests this. "Huh. Maybe you can tell me more about it, later. In the meantime..." He emerges from the stairwell and makes a broad gesture, worthy of a theatrical grand reveal. His smile is equally broad, and his eyes twinkle. "Welcome to the owlery."] #06* Eliana walks into the owlery, and her eyes go wide at the sight. It's enormous and tall - taller than she can make out, really - and filled with what seems like countless owls,hooting and preening and sleeping, with clear gaps in the walls that allow the owls to leave without endangering the structure of the owlery itself. "Wow. How are we gonna find Alannah in this?" #06* @Luke takes a few quick steps forward, eyes lighting up, but then he slows down so as not to startle any of the birds, many of whom are just waking up. "Alannah?" he calls quietly. #06* @Luke cranes his neck around, looking for his pet. #01 [There's some faint rustling high in the owlery, and then Alanna flies down to alight herself on a perch nearby. She hoots a greeting at Luke before preening a few feathers.] #06* @Luke doesn't-quite-run over to her. "Alannah!" Her feathers (and bones) are way too delicate for him to hug her like he would a person, but he does reach up to scratch her gently between her wings. Then he turns back towards Eliana. "Alannah, this is Eliana. She's my friend. You can carry letters for her, too, okay?" <@Luke> [Vesper watches all this thoughtfully from the entryway, eyes flicking back and forth between the two first-years.] #06* Eliana looks over and takes a few steps closer to Alannah, who watches her silently, but stops out of owl-striking range. She looks a little nervous, which is not the greatest way to deal with animals. Alannah, for her part, cocks her head as she regards Eliana. #01 Um... she'll do it, right? #06* @Luke blinks at Eliana. " 'Course. It's what she's trained for." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small owl treat, which he then offers to Alannah with a smile. "Here. C'mon, Eliana - where's your letter?" #06* Eliana reaches into her robe and pulls out a letter while Alannah happily gobbles up her treat. She holds it to Luke, still looking at his owl nervously. #06* @Luke takes the letter, though he gives Eliana a somewhat confused look. "She doesn't bite or anything..." He flips the letter over to see the address and reads it to Alannah, then hands the letter to her carefully. "You got that, Alannah? I think he lives with muggle, um, not-magic people, so be careful, okay?" #06* Eliana nods. "Nerius DiSano in Sunbury-on-Thames," she says, repeating Luke a bit but trying to make sure Alannah understands. "He lives by himself and knows about magic, but there are non-magical people living next door." #01 [Alannah nuzzles Luke's hand before taking flight and grabbing the letter with her talons. A few powerful strokes of her wings, and she's flying to Sunbury.] #06* Eliana watches Alannah fly, and she says, "She really is pretty." #06* @Luke turns back to Eliana from watching his owl fly off and smiles. "Yeah. Too pretty for me, I thought, but...my mom liked her, and thought she would be a good pet for me." He shakes himself a bit. "Anyway, she'll get your letter to your uncle." #06* Eliana smiles at Luke, a little shyly. "Thanks." #06* @Luke smiles back at her. "No problem." #06* @Luke glances towards Vesper. "Um...I dunno what you're doing now...I guess I'll see you in classes tomorrow?" <@Luke> [Vesper straightens himself up from where he'd been leaning against the door, fading into the early evening shadows. He waits for Eliana's reply before he says anything, though.] #06* Eliana smiles. "Okay. Thanks again!" She hesitates for a second, then darts in and gives him a really (really) quick hug. #01 See you tomorrow. #06* @Luke 's smile deepens, his eyes bright and warm. "See you tomorrow." #06* Eliana waves. "Bye!" #06* @Luke waves to Eliana and heads out, walking past Vesper as he goes. "Um, good night, Vesper. Thanks for showing us where the owlery is." <@Luke> [Vesper nods at Luke, smiling warmly. "No problem. It was good to meet you, Luke. Can you find your way back okay?" #06* @Luke nods. "Yeah. And if I get lost, I can just ask a portrait or something." He waves again, and starts making his way down the long staircase back towards his common room. <@Luke> [Vesper turns to Eliana once Luke is gone and tilts his head, considering her. "He seems nice. But then, he is a Huffelpuff."] #06* Eliana blinks; she almost forgot Vesper was there, and she smiles at him. "Yeah, he is nice." #01 Are Hufflepuffs usually nice? #06* @Vesper pauses for a moment, considering his words. "Yeah, usually. Hufflepuffs...well, you heard the Sorting Hat. They believe in being fair. Plus, they don't get all wrapped up in whatever they're doing the way Ravenclaws or Gryffindors do a lot of the time, so they'll almost always stop to help other people." Unaccountably, Vesper looks almost sad for a moment before he shakes it off. "Loyal, too. They're good friends to have." #06* Eliana is paying attention now, and so she actually does catch that. "Are you okay?" #06* @Vesper raises his eyebrows. "Hm? Oh, yes, I'm fine." He smiles at her again. #06* Eliana smiles a little. "Okay." She knows what 'I'm fine' when not completely fine means, too. #01 So if Hufflepuffs believe in being fair, why did a lot of them look at me funny when I went to their table? Is it the whole dark lord thing? #01 Or is it just me? #06* @Vesper blinks and then his smile turns wry. "It's not just you. Slytherin...sometimes gets a bad reputation, and yeah, it's partly the dark lord thing. And partly sometimes some Slytherins are stupid and do stupid things - don't repeat that, please. Plus, with Hufflepuffs specifically...well, they believe in being fair. But *we* know life really isn't fair. We really do want to be better than other people, because we know we *can* be. A lot of Hufflepuffs don't like that." #06* Eliana nods, thinking about that, then says, "Like when we were on the train. I said that if power's the only thing that people understand, it'd make sense that you'd want it. And Luke said that it's not the only thing people understand... which, yeah, but I was really just thinking that it's the only thing *some* people understand. So having it would be nice for that." #01 But he was really upset about that. #06* @Vesper nods. "Yeah, that's...a pretty common difference of opinion. It's too bad, really; I like working with Hufflepuffs when I can. Ravenclaws are smart, but they're not always reliable." He doesn't even mention Gryffindors. #06* Eliana shifts a little. "Well, you don't *have* to be a Ravenclaw to be smart, at least. Why aren't they reliable?" #06* @Vesper shrugs. "Oh, some of them are. But sometimes they're more interested in satisfying their curiosity than getting anything else done. And you never know when they're going to discover some *new* project and want to go running off on that instead." #01 Oh, yeah. That makes sense. #06* @Vesper nods, then cocks his head to one side, considering Eliana. His mouth curls up at one corner. "Now, brains *and* ambition - that's a good combination." #06* Eliana blushes and looks down. She shifts her weight, then looks like she's about to say something when there's a wet plop. #06* Eliana freezes. Her eyes widen, and she slowly puts her hands to her hair to feel what happened there... and she screams. "AN OWL POOPED IN MY HAIR!" #06* @Vesper actually jumps at the scream. "Whoa, calm down! Hold still a moment." He pulls his wand from his pocket and points it at her, then gives it a peremptory flick. "Scourgify." #06* @Vesper beckons to Eliana, eyeing the roosting owls. "Should've told you not to stand there for too long. Didn't think about it." #06* Eliana tries to hold still when she sees Vesper pull out the wand, but an *owl* pooped in her *hair*. She is justifiably squirmy. #01 Can we get out of the owlery? I don't think they like me. Or, um. At least don't know where to poop. #06* @Vesper nods. "Yeah. We should probably find a better place to talk anyway. Never know when someone's going to show up to owl their mum they forgot something." #01 Like toothpaste. Or a hairbrush. I'm glad Uncle Nerius packed mine, 'cause I totally forgot it. #06* @Vesper grins down at her warmly. "Yeah. First day of a new term, there's usually a whole parade. Come on, I know a good spot." And he starts down the stairs again. #06* Eliana tags along. "I bet you know all about the castle now," she comments as they head down the stairs. #06* @Vesper chuckles. "*No one* knows all about Hogwarts. Not even the Headmistress, I bet. Well, maybe some of the ghosts might. But if they do, they're not telling. I know a lot, though. It can come in handy." #06* Eliana smiles. "Yeah. Did you explore a lot?" #06* @Vesper nods. "Yep. Every chance I got. There are some *really* odd corners in this castle. Maybe I'll show you some of them, sometime." He grins. "Or maybe I'll let you find them yourself." #01 That'd be fun! Either way! I think Luke'd like exploring, too. #06* @Vesper 's smile dims for just a moment, but then it returns. "I'll let you two do it, then. And you can tell me what you've found. Like I said, no one knows everything - you might find something I didn't." #06* Eliana nods. "Okay." And then she grins. "But if I do, you'll have to trade for it." #06* @Vesper grins back at her. "Fair enough. We'll see how it goes. I've got a lot to trade." #01 Yeah! It's a good deal for you. #06* Eliana looks around, then moves a little bit faster so she sticks closer to Vesper. She's not as familiar with this area of Hogwarts. #06* @Vesper has been leading Eliana down back hallways, deliberately or not, and they actually haven't seen another soul since they left the owlery. Vesper steps aside into an alcove and opens an unassuming door - it probably goes largely overlooked, even by the people that come down this hall. #06* @Vesper turns to smile at Eliana. "Yeah. I'll give you this one for free, though." And he leads her into a small, cozy room, just barely large enough for a few comfortable-looking armchairs and a loveseat, as well as a few low tables. It's all decorated in blue and silver and dark wood, and the ceiling is painted dark blue with stars and constellations picked out in silver. #06* Eliana looks around with big eyes. "Wow." She scoots to the center of the room and looks up at the constellations. "I know some of those!" #06* @Vesper shuts the door behind her, then turns to watch her with genuine pleasure. "Yeah? Which ones?" #06* Eliana points up. "The Big Dipper, and the Little Dipper," she says, moving her finger a bit. "Everyone knows those. Oh, and um... Orion's there, and that's Gemini, I think." #06* @Vesper nods. "Pretty good." He drops into an armchair, somehow managing to lounge while still giving the impression of contained power. #06* @Vesper waves Eliana to choose a seat of her own. #06* Eliana looks up at constellations a bit more, trying to see if she remembers any others, then snaps out of it and claims one of the other armchairs. She gives no impression of lounging *or* contained power. #06* @Vesper considers Eliana for a bit. "So, how was your first day of classes?" he asks eventually. #01 Oh! They were okay. Um, I had a hard time with a quill, I never really used one before? But I think I kept up in Defense Against the Dark Arts pretty well. It was mostly just lecture anyway. #01 Flying was... terrible. I don't think I'm any good at it. I couldn't get my broomstick off the ground, and the Gryffindors in that class were *really* annoying. #06* @Vesper grimaces faintly. "They can be, yeah." #06* Eliana frowns a bit. "Yeah, *and* they were really *good* at flying, which somehow kinda makes it worse." #06* Eliana brightens. "But Potions was fun! Professor Slughorn's really nice, and I got to talk to Luke, and use my wand, even if it was just to wave it once at the cauldron..." #01 And I got three points for Slytherin! #06* @Vesper smiles at her. "Good for you." #06* Eliana smiles back. "Thanks!" #01 I was really glad, I mean... #01 At my old school, I was the best at a lot of subjects without trying too hard. Here... I dunno, it feels like I'm really behind most of the time. #06* @Vesper shakes his head. "It's only the first day. Yeah, you're having to learn a lot of things other people know already - but you *will* catch up, and my money says you'll do it fast." He grins. #06* Eliana fidgets a little. "Yeah, maybe. We'll see." #01 Will I get to use my wand more soon? Luke said he got to use his in Transfiguration. When do I get to learn the spell you cast? Scourgify? #06* @Vesper eyes Eliana. Something predatory gleams for just a moment in his half-hooded eyes. "Remember which house you were sorted into," he says softly. Then he sits up, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Scourgify is a charm. I don't remember off the top of my head what year you usually learn it in. You will get to use your wand a lot in Charms class, though, and in Transfiguration." #06* Eliana blinks at Vesper's reminder, then she nods, thinking. She doesn't seem to have anything to say, though. #06* @Vesper watches Eliana for a little while more, then says, "You can always ask Professor Flitwick when you learn Scourgify, when you have him. He's the Charms teacher." #01 Yeah... maybe I will. I wonder if you can learn spells out of books. #06* @Vesper nods. "Yes, but it's harder for some. You have to get the wand movements and pronunciation right, after all, and that's harder to get out of a book than it is if someone shows you." #06* Eliana nods. "Yeah, that makes sense." It's clear she's considering possibilities at this point. #06* @Vesper sits back and lets her. Always good to see the gears turning. Besides, she seems to come up with interesting ideas. #01 So really, I could possibly learn Scourgify any time, as long as I have the right intonation and wand movements. #01 And the word, of course... and maybe some practice with easier spells, if that *isn't* an easy spell? #06* @Vesper nods. "You have to have the power for it, as well. It's not *that* difficult a spell, but you don't have much practice yet." #01 Yeah... and theory might help, too. But then, you don't need to know how a computer works to *use* one. #01 But this means that I could learn spells early! That's awesome! #06* @Vesper blinks at the mention of "computers", but nods. "Yeah. And you could always get an older student to help you, if you couldn't learn it just from the book." He grins at her a little, eyes merry. #06* Eliana smiles back. "Yeah, that's true. I'll ask you, then." #01 Maybe, um. When other people aren't watching? #01 Luke was surprised you were going to show me to the owlery. I guess that's not normal? #06* @Vesper nods in approval. "Good idea. And...no, normally Felix would do that kind of thing." #01 Then why didn't you just send me to him? #06* Vesper raises his eyebrows at her, smiling faintly. There's a bright spark of mingled amusement and approval in his eyes. "How about you tell me? You're smart; figure it out." #06* Eliana looks at Vesper a little warily; she not sure what to make of the look in his eyes combined with the suggestion she figure it out herself. Still... she folds her arms and settles into the armchair (which really is very comfortable), thinking. #01 I don't think you'd do it for *any* first year, because otherwise you'd probably be talking to us a lot more. Usually when I see you, you're talking to someone a lot older than us. #06* Vesper smiles wider, but doesn't speak just yet, waiting for her to go on. #01 You did answer my question about sorting and families when I didn't ask you specifically... maybe that time, you were helping, kind of generally? And you talked to me about all sorts of other stuff, but... I was trying to figure out why the hat sorted certain ways in families, I mean, it doesn't make any sense for *everyone* in a family to end up in a particular house unless there's something to the fact that they're just in that family, but if it's all individual then it'd be families pressuring the individual- um- #06* Eliana blinks as she realizes she just went off topic and steers her brain back to the puzzle at hand. #06* Vesper 's smile faded a bit at Eliana's tangent, but it returns with a quirk as she realizes her mistake. #06* Eliana catches the faded smile and says, suddenly, "Ravenclaw!" #01 Ravenclaws often get distracted and they go off on something they're curious about! #06* Vesper 's smile widens just a trifle. "Yes." #06* Eliana is gesturing now. "You said you thought I might've gotten sorted into Ravenclaw, when I mentioned it! And later, when we were in the owlery and before one *pooped in my hair*, you said something about brains and ambition! Not that you said that before you decided to take me there, but maybe you thought I had both of those things before you did." #06* Vesper sits back with an approving smile. "Very good." #01 So you could've been giving me an empty compliment, but since you actually took me to the owlery, it probably wasn't actually one. #06* Eliana stops suddenly as her brain skips to the next logical thought, then asks, "I... impressed you?" #06* Vesper blinks at the mention of a false compliment as if that possibility hadn't actually occurred to him. Then he smiles again. "*Very* good." #06* Eliana beams back. She succeeded at the puzzle! And then she looks puzzled again, and asks, "How?" #01 It was my first day, and I'm practically not a wizard at all. #06* Vesper raises his eyebrows. "You're obviously bright. You catch on *very* quickly. And you think about things other people don't. Maybe being muggle-born gives you a useful perspective." #06* Eliana bites her lower lip as she considers that. "Yeah. Maybe it does." And then she catches all of the things he said before, and she looks down at her lap as she tugs at her hair. "And thanks." #06* Vesper grins at her. "You're welcome." #01 I think you're smart, too. Not that my opinion probably matters as much, because *obviously* you're smart, but I do. And it really was nice of you to show both me and Luke to the owlery, even if you didn't invite Luke really. #06* Vesper smiles a bit. "Well, I'm glad you think I'm smart anyway. And you're welcome," he says again. #06* Eliana smiles up at Vesper, a little hesitant now that the excitement of puzzle solving has worn off. #06* Vesper tilts his head at her. "Are you ready to go back to the common room, then?" #06* Eliana kicks her feet. "If you want to," she says, with some reluctance. #06* Vesper raises his eyebrows at her again. "And how come you don't?" he asks mildly. #06* Eliana mutters, "I don't like my roommates." Ah. Why not? #01 They're *annoying*! Yesterday I got back from seeing Professor Slughorn and all I wanted to do was read, but they were there and they wouldn't stop talking even after I asked them to. They just gave me these looks when I tried, like I was ruining their fun, and they didn't even talk about anything really *interesting*. #01 Like, okay, so I know I don't know a lot about the wizarding world and everything, but it really sounded a lot like the stuff that the girls talked about at my last school and we didn't like each other there, either. #01 Like- like Evangeline. My room is full of Evangelines. Do you like her? #06* Vesper blinks and asks carefully, "How do you mean, exactly?" #06* Eliana just gives Vesper a frustrated look and gestures wildly. "Do you *like* her. I don't mean date her, or whatever, do you like listening to her talk about stuff at you, like yesterday when I interrupted." #06* Vesper 's smile twists wryly. "She is...not the most interesting conversationalist, no. Please don't repeat that, either. But your roommates might surprise you, sometime down the line. They must have been sorted into Slytherin for a reason, after all." #06* Eliana frowns. "I guess, but ambition doesn't mean they have the ability to *succeed* at it." #06* Eliana sighs. #01 Anyway. I never had roommates before. And I can't listen to my music. And they remind me of people I don't like from my last school. #01 That's all, I guess. #06* Vesper tilts his head and nods. "I understand. I'm not saying you'll ever *like* them. I'm just saying - don't underestimate them, just yet." #06* Eliana nods. "Okay. And I'll..." She hesitates, then says, "I'll try to get along." #06* Vesper smiles faintly at her. "It's always good to at least try." #06* Eliana smiles a touch back. "Thanks," she says, as she gets to her feet. #06* Vesper rises too at that cue, and his eyes twinkle a little as he looks down at her. "So. How about I guide you until you think you can make it back on your own?" #06* Eliana looks way up at Vesper, and she nods. "Okay. Thank you, Vesper." #01 [End!]