Closed New Horizons Open

Mamori spotted the single silhouette by the Black Lake as he walked through the fog of early morning, and it caught his interest. Wearing a casual sports outfit, he had woken up early to go for a run — a habit he'd developed since he was younger — also eager to see Hogwarts' surroundings before they came alive with activity. He ran along the path surrounded by this serene environment, taking in every single detail he could see. The air was crispy and refreshing; each breath seemed to add life as it rustled over his shoulder in a whispering sound like leaves.

The person wearing a cloak stood unmoving, wrapped up in deep thoughts; as if their eyes were fixed on something far beyond the horizon.

Mamori moved forward silently, with a mischievous smile on his face; while his footsteps were unheard as they sank into the cold dewy grass. He always had an uncanny ability to pair faces and names together and he remembered seeing Marcus during the Sorting Ceremony ᅳ another newcomer like himself. In Mamori's mind stories of giant squids came up that made him speak out imaginative views about them. His face grew closer and closer until details of Marcus became more visible ᅳ emerging day light outlined them softly.

"Hiiiiiii good morning," Mamori greeted cheerfully as he walked up next to Marcus, his breath visible in the cold air that surrounded them. "Are you here for the sunrise or expecting the giant squid to wake up?" His eyes skimmed the serene lake waters, picturing the colossal squid awakening from its slumber deep below. "I heard it sometimes waves its tentacles to say hello to early birds like us."

Oh, the polite, formal, but reserved type, Mamori thought to himself as he observed Marcus. He had seen such behavior among the older peers, but this was not so common with people his age. He wasn't certain if it was the tone that Marcus used, the specific vocab he chose, or simply the aura surrounding him, but he now found himself momentarily at a loss on how to proceed.

He adjusted his position and cleared his throat. "Ah, I see," pausing in between as he searched for more words to say. "About the sunrise, yes... I mean, isn't it spectacular? Waking up to such a view is ᅳ well, it's inspiring."

Mamori looked at the giant squid tentacle almost covered in water with only a twinkle visible from where he stood. "I've always been intrigued by magical creatures," he spoke on, adjusting his tone to a rather formal style and sounding slightly more self-assured. "My father is a Magizoologist, so I was raised surrounded by all sorts of fantastical beings. The giant squid ranks high among the curious ones here at Hogwarts. I've heard it has a gentle disposition and doesn't mind students interacting with it ᅳ some even go as far as tickling its tentacles. Just remember to offer it some food afterwards, otherwise it might ignore you next time."

There was a brief pause during which Mamori examined Marcus, attempting to read his response. In that moment, he abruptly noticed the lack of formal introduction on his part. "Oh, by the stars, please forgive my rudeness," he said with a chuckle as he recognized his oversight. "I'm Mamori Anezaki, first-year Hufflepuff." He extended his hand for a handshake; typically he refrained from such gestures with peers of his age, but Marcus appeared more mature and composed, so he took the leap.

OOC note: Just a heads-up, please remember to tag me using

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[mention]Mamori Anezaki[/mention]

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Mamori smiled wider at Marcus, liking the firm grip on his hand; he was right about this Gryffindor being steady and grounded, which Mamori found reassuring.

"Nice to meet you, Marcus," he said with a slight nod after shaking hands and stepping back. "You know, the giant squid in the lake here at Hogwarts has a very picky diet. They say it only eats first-years."

He paused for a moment, hoping his joke would land, but then started to second-guess whether Marcus was the type to enjoy that sort of humor. Feeling a bit uncertain, Mamori quickly tried to recover."Oh, well. Just kidding! The squid here is an omnivore of sorts. It'll eat pretty much everything that's tasty apart from men, like toast and ham."

He gave a sheepish smile, determined not to let his small misstep dampen his spirits. He thought about how different Hogwarts was from home yet how similar some experiences felt in trying to make a connection with someone new and it reminded him that, despite all the magic, some things didn't change.

"Maybe we should conduct some, uhh, experiments later on," he offered, hoping to inject some levity into the subject, "you know, a fun little project to see what it likes and what it doesn't?" Mamori chimed in brightly.

OOC note:

Reducio

Sorry for the late RP reply. I've been swamped with exams, and my brain's been fried.
2024-09-08 Edit: polishing lines to avoid godmodding