29 May 2020, 06:38
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
@Jack Burnett
"Come on Cadmus, let's go meet somebody else, okay?"
Jake walked through the Great Hall, with his arm held out like a perch. Cadmus, the arctic owl, sat atop it. His talons were sharp, but they gripped the small boy's arm no more tightly than necessary. He was a very good owl - one of the best Jake had ever met, and his favorite, though he still had a problem with snapping. Jake was trying to work on that. Cadmus had always been very gentle with him, but not everybody else had been so lucky. Maybe if he met some of Jake's friends, and got a little more used to people, he might feel a little more secure. The world had to be scary when you were an owl, after all. Maybe Cadmus wasn't grumpy. Maybe he just didn't feel safe. George didn't think that was the reason. George thought that was dumb. Maybe George was right. He usually was, but Cadmus seemed a little calmer when Jake was around, and Jake felt a little calmer when Cadmus was too.
As he made his way past some other students eating their breakfast, he spied a familiar face. A Slytherin, but a nice one. Jake liked Jack, even though he didn't know a lot about him. They'd met in the library months ago. Jack was really good at making book forts. He had let Jake stay there, even though he had accidentally stole it. He'd seen Jake with Freddie, and not made fun of him. They'd talked about bullies together. He'd heard about how Jake was bullied, and told Jake that he was bullied too. They'd both had a bad time at muggle school (though for Jake that was a very long time ago). So they did have something very important in common. But Jake had come to find that there was even more that they didn't...
Like friendship. They couldn't have been more different about that one. Jake DID know what it was like to be scared of making friends, but now he'd come to find that he could make them after all and had managed to make a lot. Jack didn't want anybody to be called his friend, which was weird since he seemed to have a lot too. It was something that Jake really didn't understand, and it had taken him a long time to learn that he just couldn't say that word around him. But Jack knew a lot about a lot of things, much more than Jake did, and whenever they talked, Jake felt like he was learning something, even if he wasn't sure what.
Anyway, even if he said they weren't friends, he had always been nice to Jake, so Jake smiled and walked up to him.
"Hi Jack," the little Hufflepuff greeted, holding out his arm. "Have ya met Cadmus? Say hello Cadmus," he instructed gently. He held out his arm with the bird perched. Cadmus didn't seem impressed. "This is Jack, but he's a different Jack from the one you know. His last name is Burnett," he explained to the bird.
"Be still now," Jake coaxed softly, before looking back up at the Slytherin boy. "He's my friend Georgie's owl, not mine, but I help take care of him." he explained. The bird was still the closest he'd ever come to having a pet. He had babysat before too - he'd been worried George wouldn't trust him with the responsibility, but he had, and Jake had done everything in his power to make sure he did a good job. It had been a little scary. Nobody had ever trusted him with any responsibility before, but he had managed it and felt very proud of himself after. And Cadmus had been very well behaved.
"There now Cadmus, don't worry, he's nice," Jake said. Then looked back to Jack. "He doesn't always like strangers, so ya have to be really careful until he gets to know you." George had warned him that right from the beginning. Cadmus had yet to snap at him though. Jake stroked the birds back gently and Cadmus seemed to become just a little more willing to begrudgingly tolerate the new young Slytherin, though he still seemed to regard him with some suspicion. "He does bite a little..." Jake admitted sheepishly.
"But he's VERY smart," he told Jack proudly.
"Come on Cadmus, let's go meet somebody else, okay?"
Jake walked through the Great Hall, with his arm held out like a perch. Cadmus, the arctic owl, sat atop it. His talons were sharp, but they gripped the small boy's arm no more tightly than necessary. He was a very good owl - one of the best Jake had ever met, and his favorite, though he still had a problem with snapping. Jake was trying to work on that. Cadmus had always been very gentle with him, but not everybody else had been so lucky. Maybe if he met some of Jake's friends, and got a little more used to people, he might feel a little more secure. The world had to be scary when you were an owl, after all. Maybe Cadmus wasn't grumpy. Maybe he just didn't feel safe. George didn't think that was the reason. George thought that was dumb. Maybe George was right. He usually was, but Cadmus seemed a little calmer when Jake was around, and Jake felt a little calmer when Cadmus was too.
As he made his way past some other students eating their breakfast, he spied a familiar face. A Slytherin, but a nice one. Jake liked Jack, even though he didn't know a lot about him. They'd met in the library months ago. Jack was really good at making book forts. He had let Jake stay there, even though he had accidentally stole it. He'd seen Jake with Freddie, and not made fun of him. They'd talked about bullies together. He'd heard about how Jake was bullied, and told Jake that he was bullied too. They'd both had a bad time at muggle school (though for Jake that was a very long time ago). So they did have something very important in common. But Jake had come to find that there was even more that they didn't...
Like friendship. They couldn't have been more different about that one. Jake DID know what it was like to be scared of making friends, but now he'd come to find that he could make them after all and had managed to make a lot. Jack didn't want anybody to be called his friend, which was weird since he seemed to have a lot too. It was something that Jake really didn't understand, and it had taken him a long time to learn that he just couldn't say that word around him. But Jack knew a lot about a lot of things, much more than Jake did, and whenever they talked, Jake felt like he was learning something, even if he wasn't sure what.
Anyway, even if he said they weren't friends, he had always been nice to Jake, so Jake smiled and walked up to him.
"Hi Jack," the little Hufflepuff greeted, holding out his arm. "Have ya met Cadmus? Say hello Cadmus," he instructed gently. He held out his arm with the bird perched. Cadmus didn't seem impressed. "This is Jack, but he's a different Jack from the one you know. His last name is Burnett," he explained to the bird.
"Be still now," Jake coaxed softly, before looking back up at the Slytherin boy. "He's my friend Georgie's owl, not mine, but I help take care of him." he explained. The bird was still the closest he'd ever come to having a pet. He had babysat before too - he'd been worried George wouldn't trust him with the responsibility, but he had, and Jake had done everything in his power to make sure he did a good job. It had been a little scary. Nobody had ever trusted him with any responsibility before, but he had managed it and felt very proud of himself after. And Cadmus had been very well behaved.
"There now Cadmus, don't worry, he's nice," Jake said. Then looked back to Jack. "He doesn't always like strangers, so ya have to be really careful until he gets to know you." George had warned him that right from the beginning. Cadmus had yet to snap at him though. Jake stroked the birds back gently and Cadmus seemed to become just a little more willing to begrudgingly tolerate the new young Slytherin, though he still seemed to regard him with some suspicion. "He does bite a little..." Jake admitted sheepishly.
"But he's VERY smart," he told Jack proudly.
4 Jun 2020, 17:51
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
If Jack had known that Jake the Hufflepuff thought of him as 'a nice Slytherin', he might have made more of an effort to change the other first year's mind. As he didn't, however, the redhead continued to behave as usual while remaining blissfully ignorant of the badger's opinion.
While Jack had heard of Jake here and there in the past, including how the whole Hufflepuff house and maybe half the school seemed to adore and protect him, he had fully expected to dislike the badger along with all other badgers which he did his best to avoid when at all possible. However, upon actually meeting Jake, the Slytherin had discovered his inquisitive peer was actually more intelligent and attentive than most and was pleasantly surprised by him.
More surprising to Jack, however, was that he had seemed to accommodate Jake's insecurities and child-like behaviors automatically. He would have presumed such mannerisms would have made him believe the Hufflepuff tended more toward stupidity, which he detested, but somehow Jake never struck him as dense in any aspect. Though perhaps a little more timid than usual for his age and eager to seek safety and comfort in the presence of others, the curious child still conveyed an unusual thirst for knowledge and a selfless interest in others. Perhaps it was for these reasons Jack could not bring himself to act bluntly toward the other boy, but whatever the cause, it continued to perplex him.
At first he thought that perhaps it had been a fluke. Maybe he'd just felt weird or lonely that day he'd first met Jake. As the pair began to stop to chat every so often when passing each other in the halls, though, Jack realized this was not the case. He thought he genuinely liked and respected Jake to some degree, though his kindness still made him wary. Furthermore, he dared not interact with the young badger when his fellow housemates were around. When it was just the two of them, though, Jack found himself astonishingly at ease with his fellow knowledge-seeker. How could he dislike someone who was so keen on actually learning and who possessed the rare skill of being able to pay attention and care about what was said to them?
Yes, they did have their disagreements, of course, but Jack could only respect Jake all the more for not going along with Jack's opinion just because it differed from his own; nor for fear of being disliked. He also appreciated that while the Hufflepuff may have disagreed with the Slytherin, the younger still respected his opinion enough that they could come to a civil, mutual understanding about their differing beliefs on a topic. They could then continue with their conversation without either of them taking offense. It was a nice, level-headed arrangement between them and Jack frequently found himself appreciative of it regardless of how strange the circumstances were under which it had come to be.
When the Slytherin first saw Jake walking by in the Great Hall with a Snowy Owl perched on his arm, his eyes went wide, astonished at the shorter boy's bravery with the very large and dangerous bird of prey. Wiping his mouth with a napkin when he saw the Hufflepuff coming his way, he quickly finished off the last of his food, snatched up a piece of bacon in his left hand, slicked some hot sauce on his right, and got up to intercept his acquaintance. The last thing he needed was people from the Slytherin table seeing him get all friendly with a Hufflepuff. And despite half the school loving and being protective of Jake, Jack didn't want to unintentionally endanger the kid like he felt he'd done with Selim and Ruka just by associating with them.
"Good morning, Morris," he greeted the slightly-younger first year with a small, tight smile, his anxious gaze mostly focused on the predatory bird as he kept his hands behind his back. "Shouldn't, uh...shouldn't you let your buddy, there, get to the owlery to sleep for the day...?" It was all he could do not to take a step back or lean away when the arm with the owl was held out toward him. For all he knew, the thing could smell fear. Or see it. Or hear it with its...weird, asymmetric ears typical of its species.
When he saw how calm Jake was around the animal, Jack's tension eased up a bit as well, but only a fraction. He wasn't sure the other boy knew exactly what the creature was capable of. Or...what it wasn't, since he kept talking to it as if it could talk back. The Slytherin's brow furrowed just a little as he was told the owl's name was Cadmus.
"Interesting choice of name," he commented, recognizing the Greek reference. "Why's he called that?"
Ah...so the bird belonged to George Henry. But...Jake took care of him? Okay, just helped, but hopefully George wasn't taking advantage of the other Hufflepuff. Jack had presumed George was like all his fellow badgers, but after what he'd seen of him at the ball, that opinion had changed severely. "Huh...so he listens to you as well as he does to his owner?"
When told that Cadmus didn't 'always like strangers', Jack had to resist a snort. He felt like he was mostly the opposite. Strangers were interesting until they so often became predictable and turned out to be just as boring as everyone else. Except for the few who defied expectations, of course. Leaning forward (though more on the side of Jake that didn't have an owl close), he cupped a hand around his mouth conspiratorially to softly speak to his peer.
"Um...I think I'd be really careful no matter how much he 'gets to know me'," Jack told Jake with a sheepish grin. "Morris...is it really a good idea to bring Cadmus here? He's an animal. I know he's a pet, but there's food everywhere. What if he goes for something? Or sees a mouse and freaks people out trying to catch it?" Smart or not, animals had instincts. In fact, Jack might have argued, it was one of the 'smartest' things about them.
@Jake Morris
Last edited by Jack Burnett on 5 Jun 2020, 00:01, edited 1 time in total.
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
4 Jun 2020, 23:16
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
@Jack Burnett
Jake took a look at Cadmus, who didn't seem tired at all. "Don't worry, Cadmus is an arctic owl," Jake brightly told the bigger boy. "That means he's diurnal." If it was somebody that didn't know about animals, Jake might have explained what that meant. He didn't have to explain to Jack though. Jack knew a lot more words than Jake did, sort of like George. In fact, after how much Jake had heard him talk he was pretty sure there weren't any words he didn't know. "So he already slept, and now he just woke up."
But because nothing could get Jake talking like animals could, he explained a little more. "Where Cadmus is from, up in the arctic, sometimes it's sunny all day and night, so all of his ancestors they couldn't even tell the difference. They're used to the sunlight. He doesn't mind." he explained. If he was going to be any owl he'd want to be a snowy owl just for that reason. Good to fly in the sun when you were scared of the dark.
Jake thought for a moment when Jack asked about the owl's name. He had asked George about that once, and there was a whole story behind it. He had to think if he was going to get it all right. "His name comes from a wizard storybook. There were these three brothers, and I forget their names...but one of them is called Cadmus. They make Death mad because they make a bridge and cross a river. Well...He gives them these magic items like a coat that makes you invisible, and a stone that can bring people back from the dead - and then they go home and use them, but most of them die. It's not a very good story," he said, his voice becoming more hushed at the end.
He hadn't really read it, just had George tell him as best he could from memory, but Jake could still tell that it didn't seem very good. Good stories usually had some kind of problem in it (or maybe an adventure) where the good guys won, or a lesson at the end if they didn't to teach you what they did wrong. This story didn't have either of those things. The brothers had been smart to make a bridge, and then Death had just come to get them anyway, and it sounded like they all got punished in the end with nothing they could have done about it. It was sad and not very fair.
Jake looked up and saw the way Jack was looking at Cadmus. He looked a little bit wary, but that was probably a good thing. You had to be careful with animals. You had to make sure that they wanted you near them, before you got too close. The question of whether Cadmus listened to Jake as well as George was a complicated one, since he didn't always listen to either of them, but after a moment Jake answered with some confidence. "I think so," Jake said, reaching up his hand to stroke Cadmus once more. "He doesn't always listen. But he listens a lot. And he never bites me, or pecks or scratches. Right Cadmus?" Cadmus tilted his head in a way that Jake was sure meant yes. Even if Cadmus wasn't Jake's owl, he still loved him just as if he was. "I spend time with him a lot. I'm maybe not his owner... but I'm still his friend."
Jack leaned closer and Jake's arm tensed just a little, worried that Cadmus would think the boy had gotten too close before he was ready. Cadmus's talons gripped him just a little tighter, but to Jake's relief Cadmus did nothing more than eye the boy. Jack gave him a hushed warning, and Jake blushed.
"I know..." he said sheepishly. "But he's very well behaved. We have been working on his manners. If he sits on my arm he won't fly anywhere else until I say. And he hasn't ever ate my breakfast before, even when he flew all the way from Wiltshire."
Jake took a look at Cadmus, who didn't seem tired at all. "Don't worry, Cadmus is an arctic owl," Jake brightly told the bigger boy. "That means he's diurnal." If it was somebody that didn't know about animals, Jake might have explained what that meant. He didn't have to explain to Jack though. Jack knew a lot more words than Jake did, sort of like George. In fact, after how much Jake had heard him talk he was pretty sure there weren't any words he didn't know. "So he already slept, and now he just woke up."
But because nothing could get Jake talking like animals could, he explained a little more. "Where Cadmus is from, up in the arctic, sometimes it's sunny all day and night, so all of his ancestors they couldn't even tell the difference. They're used to the sunlight. He doesn't mind." he explained. If he was going to be any owl he'd want to be a snowy owl just for that reason. Good to fly in the sun when you were scared of the dark.
Jake thought for a moment when Jack asked about the owl's name. He had asked George about that once, and there was a whole story behind it. He had to think if he was going to get it all right. "His name comes from a wizard storybook. There were these three brothers, and I forget their names...but one of them is called Cadmus. They make Death mad because they make a bridge and cross a river. Well...He gives them these magic items like a coat that makes you invisible, and a stone that can bring people back from the dead - and then they go home and use them, but most of them die. It's not a very good story," he said, his voice becoming more hushed at the end.
He hadn't really read it, just had George tell him as best he could from memory, but Jake could still tell that it didn't seem very good. Good stories usually had some kind of problem in it (or maybe an adventure) where the good guys won, or a lesson at the end if they didn't to teach you what they did wrong. This story didn't have either of those things. The brothers had been smart to make a bridge, and then Death had just come to get them anyway, and it sounded like they all got punished in the end with nothing they could have done about it. It was sad and not very fair.
Jake looked up and saw the way Jack was looking at Cadmus. He looked a little bit wary, but that was probably a good thing. You had to be careful with animals. You had to make sure that they wanted you near them, before you got too close. The question of whether Cadmus listened to Jake as well as George was a complicated one, since he didn't always listen to either of them, but after a moment Jake answered with some confidence. "I think so," Jake said, reaching up his hand to stroke Cadmus once more. "He doesn't always listen. But he listens a lot. And he never bites me, or pecks or scratches. Right Cadmus?" Cadmus tilted his head in a way that Jake was sure meant yes. Even if Cadmus wasn't Jake's owl, he still loved him just as if he was. "I spend time with him a lot. I'm maybe not his owner... but I'm still his friend."
Jack leaned closer and Jake's arm tensed just a little, worried that Cadmus would think the boy had gotten too close before he was ready. Cadmus's talons gripped him just a little tighter, but to Jake's relief Cadmus did nothing more than eye the boy. Jack gave him a hushed warning, and Jake blushed.
"I know..." he said sheepishly. "But he's very well behaved. We have been working on his manners. If he sits on my arm he won't fly anywhere else until I say. And he hasn't ever ate my breakfast before, even when he flew all the way from Wiltshire."
10 Aug 2020, 02:48
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
Nodding absently at Jake's comments that Cadmus was an arctic owl and diurnal due to his species and its place of origin, Jack soon realized the information wasn't typical knowledge just anyone might be aware of, even an animal-lover. Jake - or George? - someone had really done their research and Jake had certainly made sure to pay attention. The Slytherin began to wonder if maybe he was just overreacting after all. Once again, he found himself pleasantly amazed by the more naive-seeming first year.
"Huh...that's really cool," the redhead commented sincerely. "Do you know if George got him specifically because he's diurnal?"
If Cadmus has just woken, that probably meant that what was breakfast to the students was also breakfast to the owl even though that wasn't typically the case for most of his kind. The thought amused Jack. As Jake began to explain the true reason behind Cadmus' name, the redhead listened, interested and curious, as he held out the strip of bacon for the owl.
He might have torn it into smaller pieces rather than just offering one long strip, but he didn't fancy the idea of that sharp beak carving at his fingers just to get what pieces he could. Better to allow the bird of prey to rip up his own food or else digest the thing whole and be rid of whatever he didn't need in owl pellets. It wasn't as if there were any bones in the piece of meat anyway. He wasn't likely to choke on it if he wouldn't choke on a mouse, right...?
To find out the name Cadmus had been derived for the owl from a wizard storybook rather than Greek mythology was fascinating to Jack. Now that he thought on it, he did think he recalled hearing that name in a story he had browsed in the library once since he loved history books just as much as he loved folk tales and children's stories. The items in particular that Jake mentioned brought the title back to the forefront of his mind and Jack recalled that that particular tale was speculated by some to be at least partially based on true events.
"Oh...that sounds familiar," he muttered, still watching the owl, but his mind on the story. "Is that The Tale of the Three Brothers by Beedle the Bard? The one with the Peverell brothers? Cadmus was...the second one, right?"
Jack chose not to comment on the way the Hufflepuff asked the owl for confirmation - again, like he expected him to speak - nor on Jake's declaration that he was Cadmus' friend. The redhead figured Cadmus was probably the same type of comfort friend that Freddie the stuffed toy dog was to Jake, so he wasn't about to say anything against the belief no matter what he himself thought of it. Heck, by Jack's standards, many of Jake's so-called human friends weren't worthy of the term in Jack's eyes. Still, they were Jake's relationships to judge as friendships, not his own, so he wasn't so foolish as to think he had a say in the matter.
"So...he hasn't ever eaten any breakfast, you say?" Jack asked, voice turning a little sly as he smirked. "Even when it's in plain sight in front of his face?"
@Jake Morris
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
13 Sep 2020, 22:05
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
@Jack Burnett
"I don't think so," Jake answered, thinking back to when George had first gotten the white owl. Jake had asked him all about it. He would never forget that day. "I think he got him 'cause Alan's mum had one. Alan and him bought him at the pet store together. Alan has a kitty named Tiger, but George wanted an owl 'cause an owl could send letters and they're really smart. And Cadmus is smart as any owl you'll ever meet," he said proudly.
Jake thought that most animals were a lot smarter than people gave them credit for - cats too. There was something in Cadmus's eyes that let Jake know that he understood a lot more than some people thought he did. It was why Jake always talked to animals. If you did it right, they could really understand you, and Cadmus just as much as anyone. Most of the time people didn't know that, because they hadn't always tried. In a lot of ways, Jake thought animals were easier to talk to than people were.
The subject of Cadmus's name came up, and of the story that he was from. Jake had forgotten the title, but once he heard Jack speak it he was sure that was the one. "Uh-huh," Jake nodded. "I think so," Jake said, trying to remember. "I think he's the one that...had the stone that made people come back from the dead..." The boy trailed off. Even talking of death was eerie, but he was even more distracted by Jack. The blonde first-year watched (a little uneasily) as the taller boy held out his left hand, a piece of bacon within it. It maybe wasn't such a good idea.
"Um, I maybe wouldn't do that if---" the smaller boy tried to say, but before he could even finish his sentence Cadmus left his arm and swooped forward hungrily at the strip of bacon. Jake cringed as Cadmus snatched his feast from the redhead's hand and then sailed back to Jake's outstretched arm, looking quite proud of himself. Jake looked nervously at Jack's hand, but luckily Jack's fingers were untouched. "Cadmussssss, no," the Huflepuff admonished softly, blushing a bit. The owl regarded him, wolfing down the piece of bacon with one swallow. Jake looked guiltily at Jack.
"Well that was no fair...he thought it was a treat!" the boy protested. "He doesn't eat breakfast off my plate..." he said quietly. He turned back to the owl and sighed. It was embarrassing, but how could he be upset when Cadmus was just learning? "I'm not mad at you but ya can't take food from strangers, okay?" he told the bird solemnly.
Jake looked sheepishly back up at the Slytherin. "Well...we're still working on some things, b-but..."
"I don't think so," Jake answered, thinking back to when George had first gotten the white owl. Jake had asked him all about it. He would never forget that day. "I think he got him 'cause Alan's mum had one. Alan and him bought him at the pet store together. Alan has a kitty named Tiger, but George wanted an owl 'cause an owl could send letters and they're really smart. And Cadmus is smart as any owl you'll ever meet," he said proudly.
Jake thought that most animals were a lot smarter than people gave them credit for - cats too. There was something in Cadmus's eyes that let Jake know that he understood a lot more than some people thought he did. It was why Jake always talked to animals. If you did it right, they could really understand you, and Cadmus just as much as anyone. Most of the time people didn't know that, because they hadn't always tried. In a lot of ways, Jake thought animals were easier to talk to than people were.
The subject of Cadmus's name came up, and of the story that he was from. Jake had forgotten the title, but once he heard Jack speak it he was sure that was the one. "Uh-huh," Jake nodded. "I think so," Jake said, trying to remember. "I think he's the one that...had the stone that made people come back from the dead..." The boy trailed off. Even talking of death was eerie, but he was even more distracted by Jack. The blonde first-year watched (a little uneasily) as the taller boy held out his left hand, a piece of bacon within it. It maybe wasn't such a good idea.
"Um, I maybe wouldn't do that if---" the smaller boy tried to say, but before he could even finish his sentence Cadmus left his arm and swooped forward hungrily at the strip of bacon. Jake cringed as Cadmus snatched his feast from the redhead's hand and then sailed back to Jake's outstretched arm, looking quite proud of himself. Jake looked nervously at Jack's hand, but luckily Jack's fingers were untouched. "Cadmussssss, no," the Huflepuff admonished softly, blushing a bit. The owl regarded him, wolfing down the piece of bacon with one swallow. Jake looked guiltily at Jack.
"Well that was no fair...he thought it was a treat!" the boy protested. "He doesn't eat breakfast off my plate..." he said quietly. He turned back to the owl and sighed. It was embarrassing, but how could he be upset when Cadmus was just learning? "I'm not mad at you but ya can't take food from strangers, okay?" he told the bird solemnly.
Jake looked sheepishly back up at the Slytherin. "Well...we're still working on some things, b-but..."
3 Nov 2020, 05:22
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
Jack's mouth twisted at the mention of Alan, guessing that perhaps Jake was referring to Alan Vanes from Gryffindor, but he said nothing. If Jake considered Alan his friend, then he wasn't likely to want to know Jack's negative opinions on the older boy. If it was the wrong Alan, however, then there was even less of a reason for him to speak. Better to stay silent altogether since he wasn't sure and didn't care to be sure on that account.
So, instead, he changed the topic. "If owls are chosen to carry mail for wizardkind because they're smart," Jack began, getting a funny sort of smirk on his face like he couldn't help himself, "then why don't they employ ravens instead? Aren't ravens supposed to be the smartest birds in the world?"
When Jake acknowledged the tale Jack had mentioned as the right one that the name had been derived from, he wondered inwardly why George had chosen that name of all things. Could it have just been because he liked the sound of it, perhaps? Or was there more to it than that?
"Why that brother?" he wanted to know. "Does he have other animals named after the oldest and youngest brothers, too?" It sounded like Jake was unsure enough about which brother Cadmus had been from the story that he likely wouldn't have known the answers to Jack's questions. Still, the redhead thought it wouldn't have hurt to ask just in case.
Jake's concern caused Jack to laugh, especially when he gently scolded the bird and blushed in embarrassment.
"If he thought it was a treat, who's to say he won't think someone's pet rat is a treat? Or if someone waves around a bit of sausage to gesture to someone else while they're having a conversation over the table?" the Slytherin challenged, though without anger or malice. "It's good if he doesn't eat off of your plate...but your plate is also far from being the only one out in the entire dining hall."
Something about the way Jake told the bird that he wasn't mad at him, however, caused Jack's eyes to flash and narrow for a moment. When the Hufflepuff turned back to him, he couldn't help but ask in a colder voice than he meant to use, "...What makes you think that top-of-the-food-chain predator gives a rat's ass as to whether or not you're 'mad at him'?" It was spoken so quietly that Jack might have even just meant to say it to himself, but said it he had.
@Jake Morris
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
7 Mar 2021, 09:02
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
@Jack Burnett
"Well ravens are smart, but owls are wise," Jake said matter-of-factly. "I mean, they know where everybody's house is. And you don't even have to tell them. They've gotta be very good at directions."
He didn't even know how they did it. His mum and dad always got lost and that was using GPS. Owls didn't have GPS, they couldn't read street signs, and would have to use only the sun to navigate. Birds knew how to migrate but owls at Hogwarts didn't just go north and south. They went absolutely everywhere. He didn't know if just every bird could do that. Plus, it wasn't like it was just about the directions. You could just look into Cadmus's eyes and see that he could understand what you were saying to him. Couldn't Jack see that...?
"No, I don't think so," Jake said, "He's just got Cadmus and a bull named Bully but he's..." Jake trailed off, blushing a little. "U-um, well, he's not a real bull, so..." he mumbled. George might not have liked him mentioning the stuffed bull that Jake had got him for Christmas, but it had just slipped out. Quickly he tried to change the subject before the Slytherin would catch onto anything. "I think he just liked that name."
But the Jack talked about what Cadmus might do in the Great Hall. Things like snatching up a pet rat or grabbing sausage over the table.
"No, he wouldn't...!" Jake insisted, but his eyes betrayed his nervousness. "I-It's...it's just 'cause you held it TO him. That's how...that's how we give him treats..." he said, reaching up to stroke the owl with two fingers, as much for his own comfort as Cadmus's. Maybe he was still a little early in his training for these tests. "and we don't give him rats..."he mumbled.
But the smaller boy couldn't hide the guilt in his eyes, as Jack pointed out how his plate wasn't the only one in the whole dining hall. He lowered his head for a moment. He knew Cadmus could behave... he just needed more practice. But was he ready?
Then, when he tried to let Cadmus know that he wasn't upset, he heard something different from the other boy. The little Hufflepuff flinched at the A-word that Jack used (no matter how much the other boys said things like that he still couldn't get used to it), but even worse was the cold tone. He looked up at the taller boy with unease. "'Cause he does..." he mumbled. "Anybody would care if somebody was mad at them..."
He looked up at Jack quietly, studying his eyes, the tone of Jack's voice still in his ears. But after a moment he spoke again.
"He's not just a predator you know. He can understand a lot more than people think. And his feelings get hurt too, just like you and me." The boy's eyes still showed uneasiness and hesitation, but his mouth was pursed with resolve. He didn't like to argue, but this was about Cadmus.
"Well ravens are smart, but owls are wise," Jake said matter-of-factly. "I mean, they know where everybody's house is. And you don't even have to tell them. They've gotta be very good at directions."
He didn't even know how they did it. His mum and dad always got lost and that was using GPS. Owls didn't have GPS, they couldn't read street signs, and would have to use only the sun to navigate. Birds knew how to migrate but owls at Hogwarts didn't just go north and south. They went absolutely everywhere. He didn't know if just every bird could do that. Plus, it wasn't like it was just about the directions. You could just look into Cadmus's eyes and see that he could understand what you were saying to him. Couldn't Jack see that...?
"No, I don't think so," Jake said, "He's just got Cadmus and a bull named Bully but he's..." Jake trailed off, blushing a little. "U-um, well, he's not a real bull, so..." he mumbled. George might not have liked him mentioning the stuffed bull that Jake had got him for Christmas, but it had just slipped out. Quickly he tried to change the subject before the Slytherin would catch onto anything. "I think he just liked that name."
But the Jack talked about what Cadmus might do in the Great Hall. Things like snatching up a pet rat or grabbing sausage over the table.
"No, he wouldn't...!" Jake insisted, but his eyes betrayed his nervousness. "I-It's...it's just 'cause you held it TO him. That's how...that's how we give him treats..." he said, reaching up to stroke the owl with two fingers, as much for his own comfort as Cadmus's. Maybe he was still a little early in his training for these tests. "and we don't give him rats..."he mumbled.
But the smaller boy couldn't hide the guilt in his eyes, as Jack pointed out how his plate wasn't the only one in the whole dining hall. He lowered his head for a moment. He knew Cadmus could behave... he just needed more practice. But was he ready?
Then, when he tried to let Cadmus know that he wasn't upset, he heard something different from the other boy. The little Hufflepuff flinched at the A-word that Jack used (no matter how much the other boys said things like that he still couldn't get used to it), but even worse was the cold tone. He looked up at the taller boy with unease. "'Cause he does..." he mumbled. "Anybody would care if somebody was mad at them..."
He looked up at Jack quietly, studying his eyes, the tone of Jack's voice still in his ears. But after a moment he spoke again.
"He's not just a predator you know. He can understand a lot more than people think. And his feelings get hurt too, just like you and me." The boy's eyes still showed uneasiness and hesitation, but his mouth was pursed with resolve. He didn't like to argue, but this was about Cadmus.
7 Jun 2021, 03:28
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
"I guess," Jack sighed when Jake explained that ravens were smart, but owls were wise. It wasn't exactly an explanation; at least not one that Jack thought counted, but if it was enough for Jake, the Slytherin wasn't going to press him on it. He doubted either of them knew the real answer anyway.
The comment about a bull named Bully caused the redhead to blink and look abruptly at Jake with a quizzical expression, but the boy was blushing. Jack took that as a sign that maybe it was something he wasn't willing to elaborate on. "Uh...huh," was all he replied to the thought that George must have just liked the name.
Shrugging when Jake fell back on petting the owl, Jack smirked when he was told they didn't feed Cadmus rats. He decided he'd messed with the Hufflepuff boy enough for that morning, probably, judging by the uneasy demeanor Jake was exhibiting. However, it seemed the younger boy hadn't missed what Jack had said about Cadmus caring if Jake was mad at him because he flinched at the curse word used before responding.
Well, if Jake had heard, then there was no helping it. Jack took a deep breath.
"''Cause he does' isn't a reason for why you think he does," the Welsh boy countered. "Aren't you just projecting your own ideas of what he thinks onto him? You have no proof that he cares at all. You're just imagining he does." He shook his head slightly. "Don't you realize how detrimental that is to animals, Morris? When you anthropomorphize them like that and give them human qualities that they don't necessarily have?"
He spread his arms. "Who's to say he even has feelings? I mean okay, maybe elephants and chimpanzees have been studied and shown to exhibit behaviors that suggest emotions, but owls? Predatory birds? They don't do stuff like that. You have no proof. You're just believing what you want to believe." Jack shook his head again.
"Animals aren't like you and me, so it's wrong to assume they feel things like you and me, too. It's like thinking that just because you can see in color, all animals can see in the same colors, too. Without study or evidence, you can't know for sure because you're not them. To think everyone, including animals, see the world the same way you do is egocentric and childish."
@Jake Morris
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
7 Jun 2021, 21:50
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
@Jack Burnett
Jake's mouth pursed in a pout when Jack finished speaking. "So what if I'm childish, we're children...." the boy mumbled, though his feet shuffled, and his voice ever so slightly betrayed his embarrassment. Try as he might to sound sure of himself, the cracks in his self-confidence showed. Lots of people called him childish, or even a baby if they were meaner. It wasn't like Jack was the first person who said so. Maybe Jake didn't get what was so wrong about being childish... but everybody else did. He was different from them somehow. He didn't know why, but he just was.
He couldn't even answer everything Jack said to him, because he didn't know what lots of it meant. He knew childish of course, but ego what? It was one of many words that Jack knew and he didn't. He was eleven and Jack was twelve, but when the older boy used words like that it made Jake feel much smaller. Normally he thought it was cool how smart Jack was, as much as it was confusing. Whenever they talked, Jake learned a lot from him, sometimes about things he never had even thought about. Today, though, it made Jake feel like a little kid...like he didn't know anything at all.
Maybe that was why Jack could talk circles around him, same as George could. Everybody knew things he didn't, they understood things he didn't, and it all went back to that word. Childish.
But even though it often felt like everybody around him was bigger, there was one thing JAKE understood, and that was animals, and he wasn't going to let Jack tell him different. How could he look at Cadmus and think he didn't feel?
"That's not true..." the smaller boy insisted. I don't know what an---...anthr---..." Jake's mouth hardened in rare frustration, and he exhaled. How could he argue with somebody when he couldn't even say the word. "I don't know what that means but...But animals DO have feelings...you just have to watch him to know. He moves his wings different when he's sad. And you can see it in his eyes when he's angry or when he's happy. Just 'cause animals can't talk doesn't mean they don't have feelings... They just show them different than we do..." Jake watched the way the owl on his arm regarded them. Did he know what they spoke about, or was Jack right? Whatever the true answer was, looking at the owl's body language, Jake felt sure he could read it.
"I mean...I'm not other people...but I still know they have feelings," the boy pointed out quietly. He looked up to see what Jack would say to that. He was trying to imagine what the Slytherin was saying, but no matter how he tried it made no sense. He couldn't prove it, but why did he have to prove it when he could see it...? In a lot of ways, animals made a lot MORE sense than people did. Trying to understand what the other kids were feeling was much harder. If you went with what Jack said then you'd never know anybody had feelings, but they all knew that wasn't true, right? Why would it be any different for animals?
"Like... like my uncle's dog... he had really bad owners before they adopted him. He still gets scared of grown-ups because of that. But he always comes to me... Dogs get jealous when you pet their brothers instead of them... they can tell when you're feeling sad. Or... or what about those videos... where a dog sees its owners for the first time in like a year, and they get so happy they can't stop jumping and crying and wagging their tails. That means they miss them, right?" Now that Jake had been away from home for the first time, he was even more sure...he knew what it felt like to miss his Mum and Dad, away from them for the first time...and how when he had come back for Christmas break all he'd been able to do was run into his Mum's arms and cry.
"Lots of animals have feelings..." Jake mumbled, looking at Cadmus's eyes and stroking his head gently. "People just don't know how to talk to 'em..."
Jake's mouth pursed in a pout when Jack finished speaking. "So what if I'm childish, we're children...." the boy mumbled, though his feet shuffled, and his voice ever so slightly betrayed his embarrassment. Try as he might to sound sure of himself, the cracks in his self-confidence showed. Lots of people called him childish, or even a baby if they were meaner. It wasn't like Jack was the first person who said so. Maybe Jake didn't get what was so wrong about being childish... but everybody else did. He was different from them somehow. He didn't know why, but he just was.
He couldn't even answer everything Jack said to him, because he didn't know what lots of it meant. He knew childish of course, but ego what? It was one of many words that Jack knew and he didn't. He was eleven and Jack was twelve, but when the older boy used words like that it made Jake feel much smaller. Normally he thought it was cool how smart Jack was, as much as it was confusing. Whenever they talked, Jake learned a lot from him, sometimes about things he never had even thought about. Today, though, it made Jake feel like a little kid...like he didn't know anything at all.
Maybe that was why Jack could talk circles around him, same as George could. Everybody knew things he didn't, they understood things he didn't, and it all went back to that word. Childish.
But even though it often felt like everybody around him was bigger, there was one thing JAKE understood, and that was animals, and he wasn't going to let Jack tell him different. How could he look at Cadmus and think he didn't feel?
"That's not true..." the smaller boy insisted. I don't know what an---...anthr---..." Jake's mouth hardened in rare frustration, and he exhaled. How could he argue with somebody when he couldn't even say the word. "I don't know what that means but...But animals DO have feelings...you just have to watch him to know. He moves his wings different when he's sad. And you can see it in his eyes when he's angry or when he's happy. Just 'cause animals can't talk doesn't mean they don't have feelings... They just show them different than we do..." Jake watched the way the owl on his arm regarded them. Did he know what they spoke about, or was Jack right? Whatever the true answer was, looking at the owl's body language, Jake felt sure he could read it.
"I mean...I'm not other people...but I still know they have feelings," the boy pointed out quietly. He looked up to see what Jack would say to that. He was trying to imagine what the Slytherin was saying, but no matter how he tried it made no sense. He couldn't prove it, but why did he have to prove it when he could see it...? In a lot of ways, animals made a lot MORE sense than people did. Trying to understand what the other kids were feeling was much harder. If you went with what Jack said then you'd never know anybody had feelings, but they all knew that wasn't true, right? Why would it be any different for animals?
"Like... like my uncle's dog... he had really bad owners before they adopted him. He still gets scared of grown-ups because of that. But he always comes to me... Dogs get jealous when you pet their brothers instead of them... they can tell when you're feeling sad. Or... or what about those videos... where a dog sees its owners for the first time in like a year, and they get so happy they can't stop jumping and crying and wagging their tails. That means they miss them, right?" Now that Jake had been away from home for the first time, he was even more sure...he knew what it felt like to miss his Mum and Dad, away from them for the first time...and how when he had come back for Christmas break all he'd been able to do was run into his Mum's arms and cry.
"Lots of animals have feelings..." Jake mumbled, looking at Cadmus's eyes and stroking his head gently. "People just don't know how to talk to 'em..."
8 Jun 2021, 04:28
Haaaaave you met Cadmus?
The sight of Jake's pout caused Jack to sigh. "Even if we're children, that doesn't mean we can't behave more maturely than our years or seek to be more knowledgable," he answered, but a little more gently than he'd spoken before. "I know you're smarter than a lot of kids our age, Morris. So the fact that we're children shouldn't be used as an excuse to remain willfully ignorant."
The Slytherin had to work extra hard not to smile when Jake had trouble pronouncing the word 'anthropomorphize'. He listened carefully to what the shorter boy had to say, wanting him to know that his opinion was valued and heeded by his opposition. Still, what he said caused the place between Jack's brows to grow pinched and corregated.
"I'm not saying animals don't have feelings," he insisted. "I'm saying it's not up to you or I or anyone to try to interpert those feelings as we see fit. Maybe they don't feel happiness the same way we do if they feel happiness at all. Maybe what they feel is a sort of contentment. And maybe what they feel isn't sadness or anger, but discomfort and aggression. Yeah, it's easy to liken what you feel to what you think they feel, but it's not necessarily the truth. They aren't humans so their range of emotions may be different than ours just like their range of smell and sight is different from ours."
Upon hearing about the Hufflepuff's uncle's dog, Jack made a face. "Dogs are some of the easiest animals to anthropomorphize, even on accident," he said. "You can say that dogs get jealous, but what if they're just defending their relationship with their source of food? Maybe they worry that if their owner likes another dog more, they'll get more food than them. And sure, animals will get scared of humans that abuse them, but that's just a natural behavior toward danger; you learn to avoid it."
He spread his arms. "I don't know. Maybe dogs do get happy to see their owners for reasons more than just because their owners are the people who feed them. But again, that doesn't mean owls are the same way. Just like humans and owls don't have the same capacity for sight or emotion, I think it varies between owls and dogs, too. Owls aren't social animals like dogs are so they don't need emotions like humans or dogs have. There wouldn't be any use for them."
@Jake Morris
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori