#01 [September 6, 2016: Tuesday, Week 1. After breakfast, the second day of classes has continued with little incident, with Mark and Matthew hanging out with their friends and attending classes. Mark hasn't even been tardy for any classes (possibly because there's no homework to turn in yet)! We open in the early afternoon and one of the wider Hogwarts halls, up a few floors, as Mark heads for Transfiguration.] #01 [Start!] #06* Matthew has had a lot on his mind this morning. Classes were already ramping up as one would expect for classes of his level, but at the same time, he could not shake the feeling that something was troubling his youngest brother. He rounds the corner and notices his brother Mark, and decides to see if maybe he had the same feeling. Hey! Mark! #06* Matthew approaches his brother #06* Mark stops and looks over, then smiles, waving. "Hey!" #01 What's going on? Decide to guide me to transfiguration? i can if you don't think you can make it on your own... but nah, i just wanted to ask you something #06* Mark blinks, still standing in the middle of the hall. Not often Matthew wants to ask *him* something. "Yeah?" did you get the impression that Luke was a bit down this morning? #01 [Other students continue on their way to class, sidestepping the brothers as they do so. Fortunately the hall is wide, so nobody's running into each other.] #01 Um... well, yeah. It was pretty obvious. #06* Mark scratches behind his ear. "Not really cool for his second day here; he hasn't even gotten to Professor Sinistra's homework." yeah... just kinda bothersome. he's usually so cheery #06* Mark shrugs. "Maybe he's just overwhelmed?" He doesn't sound super convinced. maybe... i don't know. i could be wrong, i guess. just didn't seem his usual self, you know? #01 I dunno, Matthew... he seemed fine at first. To me, anyway. yeah... at first... whatever... maybe it's just me #06* Mark shakes his head, overlong reddish bangs falling into his eyes. (He really should have gotten his hair cut.) "Nah." #01 Our brother does *not* poke at his eggs for no reason. #01 What were we talking about? Was it what's-his-name, the head boy this year? #06* Matthew nods. Vesper? #01 Yeah, that's the guy! #01 He took Luke and that batty Slytherin girl to the owlery! yeah #01 That's pretty unusual. A seventh year paying attention to a couple of first years, and one of them's muggleborn even if she's in his house. And he's Slytherin, too... #06* Matthew nods. unusual? that's worrisome, if you ask me #01 Well, *you're* a prefect. What do you think about the guy? Vesper? he's... good at what he does. but he's definitely Slytherin... through and through #01 Whaddaya mean? well... you've been here long enough. when you think of Slytherin, what comes to mind? #06* Mark rolls his eyes. "You're not my *professor*, Matthew, but *fine*." He starts walking. #06* Matthew walks with Mark. "i'm not trying to be a professor... im trying to make a point" #01 Sure you're not. Anyway, I usually find they're mostly out for themselves. Like, they help other people out, too, but only if it's going to work out for them. I heard they cheat more in classes and on homework and stuff, too, but I haven't *seen* it a whole lot, so I dunno about that one. Why, you figure Vesper cheats on tests? not sure... we don't really have classes together. but it does seem that he does things if he's going to get something out of it. #06* Matthew rubs his chin. "and even still... it's hard to prove" #01 Okay. Makes sense. So what do you think he wants out of Luke? i wish i knew... it might make me feel better right now #06* Mark smiles, punching Matthew lightly in the arm. "Hey, he'll be fine. He's tough, and we're around to help out." yeah... but not as much as his Slytherin friend is... put her together with Vesper... i don't know. #06* Matthew bites his lip. #06* Mark frowns at Matthew's lip-biting, then asks after a moment, "You think they're working together?" maybe... it's only the second day, but who knows... maybe they hatched something last night? #01 That'd be pretty nuts, but uh... it's not like we can stop them from hanging out or anything. And she seemed okay at Ollivander's. If kind of defensive. true... maybe she's not in on it yet... #06* Mark shrugs. #01 Well, maybe he'll make some other friends. I hear Gryffindors are pretty awesome. you aren't as worried, i take it? some are... and then there's you #06* Matthew grins #01 Eh, I dunno, Matthew. I haven't really met the guy. But- aw, you dick, I was going to say something NICE about you, too. #06* Mark punches Matthew in the arm again, continuing, "*You're* worried and trying to hide it, and snakes are a little slimy, and it is a little weird that Vesper took them to the owlery." #06* Matthew rubs his arm where he was punched. "you left yourself wide open for that one... don't blame me. but yeah, i am a bit worried. aren't you?" #01 Well *yeah*. I wasn't really thinking about it before, but I am now. Not a whole lot we can do about it, though. we can keep an eye out for him... that's what Mom said to do when we caught the train, right? #01 Sure. That's what brothers do in general. Like, you've got spinach in your teeth. what? really? #06* Matthew quickly starts trying to get the spinach piece out of his teeth #06* Mark grins, but he points it out. "Yeah, really... over there... yeah, I think you've got it." ah... yeah... ugh... hate that. thanks #01 No problem! Don't wanna kiss Paige with spinach all over your teeth. #06* Matthew flicks the piece of spinach off of his finger #06* Matthew blushes a bit. "what? no... we're not even... no... shut up seriously? shut up #06* Mark cracks up, but he manages a salute even while laughing. "Yes sir." He tries to contain his laughter. "Will not comment on the fact that you are blushing, sir." #06* Matthew frowns, trying to regain his composure and then slugs Mark in the arm when he has trouble managing that. "shut up" #06* Mark gets punched, which only makes him laugh harder. #06* Matthew pushes Mark into the wall. "watch where you're going!" #01 Whoa! #06* Mark flails, knocking into the wall and bouncing off relatively harmlessly. "Minus five points from Hufflepuff!" he calls to Matthew in his professor voice. "No rough housing in the halls!" #06* Matthew laughs. "Minus five points from Gryffindor!" he replies. "Thou shalt not imitate a professor... poorly!" #01 HEY. I'll have you know that my professor imitation is *amazing*. I fooled two second years yesterday! riiiiiiiiight... sure you did #01 I did! And one of them was from your house. #06* Mark is walking again, but at least he's not laughing at Matthew anymore. pfft! whatever! they were probably just trying to humor you... that's something we do in our House #01 Humor the Gryffindors? #06* Mark grins. "I'll let the guys in my house know." good. sometimes you take yourselves too seriously #06* Matthew smiles. even he can't keep a straight face for that statement #06* Mark nods, assuming his Serious Face (tm), which really, anything but. "My greatest flaw." #06* Mark glances at the clock as they pass by, and the Serious Face drops. "Awwww, man." problem? #01 Might be a little late. Promise you won't ding me for running in the halls, Prefect? #06* Matthew shakes his head. "go on... my class is right here. once i go in, i can't see what you do" #06* Mark grins and pinches Matthew's cheek. "You're a peach," he says, in his best Aunt Jackie voice (which is actually terrible), before rushing off. #06* Matthew swats at Mark's hand at his cheek, but misses. "keep an eye on Luke!" he calls after Mark. #06* Mark calls back, "Will do, don't worry!" and breaks into a run after rounding the corner. #06* Matthew shakes his head, smiling. He opens the door to the classroom, feeling a bit better about things. Just in time... his next class is going to be rough. #01 [End!]