The Summer BBQ Open Closed

Professor Solomon Lear stood up and the pale boy was finally unsquished. He could finally breathe again and man, the air could not be any sweeter. Okay, that was an exaggeration. But it was true that people tend to take things for granted. They only realized what they had when it was taken away from them. Arc did not know why he suddenly became philosophical, but he did know why his chest and ribs were still throbbing.

"Merlin, are you all right!" Professor Lear exclaimed.

”I-I would be lying if I said I’m completely alright,” said Arc still slightly out of breath, “but I’ll manage.”

The boy finally got a good look of the man who just fell on top him. It truly was the Headmaster of the school, Solomon Lear. How the man could wear his signature armor through the Summer heat and why, Arc could not fathom. That was what it meant to be a Headmaster, he guessed. To always be ready for anything, to protect the school and everyone in it in a moment’s notice.

“Are you alright, Professor? What happened?”

Arc stood up himself when the pain had lessened somewhat and looked towards where the sound that had called him came from. There was a…girl hiding inside the leaves of a tree? What? Who? Why? And more surprisingly, suddenly, from behind the tree, his best friend, Raine Sage, suddenly ran away, probably going back to her cabin. Seriously, what was that all about?

Interacting with @Catriona Staverly

As the girl requested details about being a Gryffindor, Meenauh halted. Talking portrait? Lion heads? Did that all matter? Being deep into the books and research completely hid the surroundings from her until that evening with Marla when she finally had a chance to gaze around. Were there really lion heads on their bedposts? Now, she had to start paying attention to answer such questions.

"Well, I had a bit of an issue with the Sorting Hat, so I'm not sure I'm quite a Gryffindor really despite my sorting. Or I'm still on my path to glory," she nervously laughed, recalling the Hat's words, "As for the lion heads, I suppose they are everywhere. But everything is indeed scarlet and gold."

Meenauh thought of using some old photo device to make photographs of the common room and show to others. Because if only Gryffindors could visit the Gryffindor common room, was it really fair for other houses to never have even a glimpse of other common rooms at least once for seven years? Electronics didn't work at Hogwarts, but at least some tech should, right?

Meenauh attentively listened to what the shy girl was saying about her house preferences and it was clear she had a lot of mother's influence on her.

"Well, you, know, being boring has nothing to do with the houses. The Hat wouldn't care, probably. There's no such personal trait as being boring the last time I checked. If we keep it traditional, I may say you'd make it Hufflepuff, but my latest analysis of different people sorted the last year, I'd say you may end up even in Slytherin. There's no pattern, really. Just be a kind person and follow your real wishes as the houses are mere labels and they shouldn't influence your personality in any way," she monologued that think to Catriona, wishing to bring at least a bit of self-esteem into her and set her free from the path her mother wanted her to follow.

Solomon was a bit disoriented as he peeled himself off of the unfortunate Ravenclaw. "I was--" he rubbed the side of his head with his hand. "Distracted by a bad feeling," he commented wistfully. He did not know why he felt so unsettled, that the source of his dis-ease was the very thing that caused his gait to falter. 

There was some girl yelling at Solomon's victim. He would glance in the direction of the voice and spy the Slytherin Ryan-girl calling out to him. He felt bad for the kid, the Raveclaw did not look like much of a troublemaker, that little girl was going to eat him alive. Or... that little girl that she just announced had a crush on him. Oh teenage drama. It was unending. 

"Sorry about that m'boy," Solomon apologized, following his statement with a sigh. This creepy-crawly feeling reminded him of his ex-wife. It was just weird. He tried to shake it off. "Should catch that poor girl," Solomon advised sounding a bit distracted as he said that. He pointed at Raine as she ran off as a result of some bullying at her expense. "While I--" his voice trailed off. Look into what is giving me the creepy crawlies, he thought to himself. The pale, awkward boy who was somehow lovely could not be the course of this disembodied dread that the Headmaster felt. 

"Uh-- yeah," he looked around for an excuse. "Talk with Miss Jensen," he lied as he brushed himself off and tried to brush Arc off. Solomon would awkwardly try to excuse himself and walk off, not in the direction of Jensen in the least. He would wander away from the group and stare at the woods. 

The girl did not appreciate Erin's meddling. That will teach the Slytherin to ever be helpful. Arc was fine, albeit a bit squished which was a good look on him. When the fuck did Arc get hot? Possibly when the Headmaster sat on him molded him into something somewhat palatable. She shook her head. Dammit! Stop seeing things weird.

Erin would swing out of the tree and land on the ground, mostly ignoring Raine's dual salute that should have gotten her dumped in the lake. "Actually, never-mind her," Erin announced as she made her way across the grass. "When did you get hot?" Erin was not one to keep those sorts of questions sealed up without good reason. She eyed him over as she said that. He was still tiny, at least in comparison to the soon-to-be third year. Easy to overpower. Easy to dominate.

Poor Arc.

It was not easy being beautiful and useful. Unfortunately for Arc he was now both. With a smirk Erin would look back at the departing Gryffindor. Her loss. "I don't think we ever formally met," she was bleeding on him the last (and only) time they met. "I am Erin Ryan from Slytherin," she announced with an assertive presence only a girl such as Erin could muster. Time to bullshit a reason to interface. "I never had the chance to thank you for helping me out with..." her voice trailed off as she feigned feeling troubled, a forced expression of vulnerability. "Howard White." She was not scared of that madman, he was a project of hers and his progress was nothing short of exceptional. The crones were pleased. "So uh--" sound awkward "thanks."

Interacting with @Meenauh Silmataurea

Catriona had to stop herself from openly gaping at the other girl. Meenauh was right, of course. But Catriona couldn't help but doubt. If she wasn't boring, why didn't anyone like her? It would do no good to be boring. Magic itself wasn't boring and Hogwarts sure wouldn't be. So maybe being the most boring normal person at Hogwarts made her unique. Or at least interesting enough to befriend. And look, she'd even made a friend. Or at least talked to someone.


If only her mother could see her now.

"You're right," she said. Catriona sat straighter and squared her shoulders.

She was not boring. And as soon as school started, she was going to prove it by doing something stupid and very decidedly not boring. Like sneak into the Restricted Section. Or... well, it was fine if she couldn't think of anything. The best laid plans were ones that took time.

And if Catriona was one thing, it was clever.

The smell of grilling hamburgers wafted in the air and reached Rielle's nose the moment she walked out onto the campgrounds. Following said scent, she made her way over to where the summer barbecue was being held and glanced briefly over everything that was being prepared by the Head of Slytherin House. She smiled at the adult, but didn't say anything, preferring instead to go over and sit near a group of students, a bit shy about actually joining them but hoping they'd notice her and invite her to join in on what they were discussing at the moment. Her knees cracked as she sat down, causing her to blush slightly. She was definitely going to have to get back into shape before the school year started again.

Interacting with @Solomon Lear & @Erin Ryan

The headmaster looked a bit disoriented and not completely focused. Poor guy. The man must have a lot on his plate. It was not easy to be the head of something as important as Hogwarts. The armored wizard then said that he was distracted by a…bad feeling? Was he talking about Arc? Nah, that could not be it. How narcissistic of him to think that way. He must have been talking about another completely different thing. Something much, much more important than a lanky almost-teenager boy.

"Sorry about that m'boy," apologized Professor Lear before continuing. "Should catch that poor girl," he advised while pointing towards the running Raine.

“Ah, yes, um.” Arc did not get why the professor said ‘poor girl’, but he would not bother his Headmaster with a silly question when he already seemed so distraught. It was already nice of him to care about Raine’s well-being. “We’re going to plan out our Summer holiday, sir. And we’re going to take the same train back home, so… Yeah, I will. Thank you, sir.”

The middle-aged man bid his farewell and walked off, wandering away from the group, even though he said that he was going to talk to Professor Jensen. Huh. That was weird.

“Bye, sir! Hope you get better!” Arc said with a wave and his best smile. His chest still hurt, but the pain would go away. And the man might need a smile.

With a sigh, the young boy looked back towards the girl that called him before. As if on cue, the girl swung out from the tree and landed on the ground. Now that she was not covered by layers of leaves and he could take a good look at her, he realized who she was. He had met her before. She was the bleeding girl from the Ravenclaw Common Room’s toilet. Thankfully, there was no blood on her anymore. Had her wounds completely healed up? The girl shouldn’t be swinging from a tree like that, yet. One thing for sure, though, she was as pretty as he remembered.

"Actually, never-mind her," she suddenly announced while making her way across the grass. "When did you get hot?"

Ah. What? The dark-haired boy blinked a few times before answering, “I’m sorry. I’ll take that as a compliment. Especially coming from someone as beautiful as you are. But I don’t know how to answer that question. You truly think I’m hot?” Arc was blindsided. He was certainly not expecting that kind of question. When did he get hot? He was certain that she was talking about attractiveness kind of ‘hot’. Was he even ‘hot’ then?

"I don't think we ever formally met, I am Erin Ryan from Slytherin,” she then said assertively. It was amazing. She did not even stutter or tremble in front him. Not even a hint of fear that kids usually showed when they were this close with the young Prefect. Erin reminded him of his best friend, Raine Sage, in this aspect.

“I’m Arc Perscivious,” he offered his hand for a handshake, “Ravenclaw. It is nice to finally formally meet you, then, Erin Ryan.”

"I never had the chance to thank you for helping me out with...Howard White.” The Slytherin teenager said. Her voice was trailing off and she seemed troubled. It was very much unlike the ferocious girl he had met in the bathroom. Poor girl. It must have been a traumatizing experience for her. “So uh--thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. You are very much welcome, Ms. Ryan. I certainly hope it won’t happen to you again.” Arc said with his utmost genuine smile. “Speaking of which, are you sure it’s okay for you to swing from a tree like that? Don’t get me wrong, not many could look that good while bleeding. But you look even better without a bloody midsection.”

Solomon shivered as the boy casually talked about his summer holiday plans. Why the heck did he have these heebie-jeebie feelings just now? He looked around, dedicated to the woods. There was nothing there, nobody that he could see in any case. He would look back at the Ravenclaw and this heavy lead-like feeling would settle into his gut. It was the boy he realized and the hairs on the back of his neck would stand on end as the revelation entered his mind. What was wrong with that kid?

With an almost perverse curiosity he would watch the meal-time scene. The students enjoying their grilled meats, the Professors that chose to stay behind catering to the youths or conversing among themselves. His eyes narrowed as the unsettling boy as his presence attracted a delinquent. Nothing but trouble he silently complained. 

Solomon would kneel on the ground and take something from his pocket and plant it where he stood. It was level with the blades of grass. He sighed audibly as he returned to his full height. This will be enough for now he decided as he retreated from the gathering. He had other things to do, other places to be. He would be keeping tabs on them, but his priority was hardly the students gathered there at this moment but who was passing by when nobody noticed.

Half mad, a perpetual state for the Headmaster he would leave without a word.

Leaving Topic

Poor Arc being targeted by some pretty girl. Hot boy problems. Poor baby. 

"Congratulations, you are one of the the beautiful people," Erin announced almost flatly. It was an objective fact. It was not a particularly exclusive club but it was a club none-the-less. She introduced herself, although it was likely her reputation preceded her. There were not many girls that looked anything like her, that acted like her and who stood out like she did. Yes, she was pretty but that was hardly her claim to fame, she was better known for terrorizing her peers, underclassmen and on occasion if she was feeling particularly reckless upperclassmen. People held a wide breadth when they saw her, unlike Arc they had a reason to avoid her, yet despite the reasoning they were alike in this regard. Of course she would not realize this common thread between them, she lacked the ability to grasp the fear that plagued those around him that Arc found him the epicenter of.

She thanked him, although from his demeanor it did not seem to be necessary. She was studying the Ravenclaw like a curious bauble, attempting to determine what made him. Reassessing his value, his quality as well as her potential need or want of him -- be it for his mind, his body or his hands. 

“Don’t mention it. You are very much welcome, Ms. Ryan. I certainly hope it won’t happen to you again.” 

He really did not know her did he? "Yeah, let's hope not," it was not a true lie but it was not the truth either. "But trouble has a way of finding me," she admitted. Well, she had a way of making trouble. Every once in awhile someone has both the strength and the  gall to try to fight back. 

“Speaking of which, are you sure it’s okay for you to swing from a tree like that? Don’t get me wrong, not many could look that good while bleeding. But you look even better without a bloody midsection.”

Erin shook her head, she had no idea if it was safe or not to swing from a tree she just knew that she could not afford to stay still. "No clue," she replied. "Can't really stop," she commented honestly not that the boy would understand. "But I am a lot better than I was," she gestured towards her stomach, lifting the lower corner of her blouse. There was a red, raw mark that was mostly, but not entirely, healed. Of course it was not a solitary wound, there were others like it but older, not from Howard. Howard was merely the most dangerous, his wound the deepest she had endured in Hogwarts to date. Erin was no stranger to violence, she seemed to welcome if not encourage it.

She brushed her blouse downward with the palm of her hand as she let out a breath of air and looked around at the other students who were gathering for varied cooked meats. She wondered which ones were the problems. She did not see herself as the deviant, she saw herself as a researcher of the human spirit, a seeker of truth and a person burdened by the many things that she lacked. She did not see anger or sorrow as bad but rather necessary. Joy and love as lies. As of late she also realized that she found interest in pretty things. "But I am more interested in you Arc," Erin declared. "Heard you were a Prefect," she added. She would extend her hand and attempt to play with the collar of his shirt. It did not need fixing, it was just an excuse for physical contact. "Exceptional really, a first... well second now year..." she continued "being such a standout." Yes, she was using the boy to learn something about the dark and insidious gathering of students and Professors that had been amassing in Hogwarts, defying logic and resulting in the disappearances of many of her peers.

The girl might be mad but she was damn persistent. 

"I would have thought it unusual," she lied. She found it very unusual. "Had it not been for your exceptional and exquisite nature," she flattered him with her words. "Tell me a bit about yourself, I don't recognize your surname among the pure-blood families," she reasoned. It cannot be pedigree. "It could only be your efforts and deeds," she concluded even if she did not believe the thread of logic that she had traveled along. "I find myself enamored with you," she chose a word with a dual meaning for a reason. She did not feel love for the boy she hardly knew. The carnal sentiments were simply natural, hardly counted. She was however, fascinated with what his story might be.  

Halden walked up to the bbq place where @Caradoc Browne, the head of his new house, was cooking. He looked up at the bright sun and rolled up his sleeves, he should probably get some better clothing that wasn't as warm as his black robes. It would get unbearably hot if he stayed in the sun, he'd probably have to seek shelter in the cool shadow of a nearby tree. Hopefully, they wouldn't think him some kind of vampire weirdo who's allergic to the sun. Halden did have pale skin, though, since he didn't go outside a lot (not even when playing tennis since it was inside). The only good thing about his robe was that it covered him completely, so no sunburns here. Unfortunately, this had no effect on his arms as he had rolled up his sleeves.
He sighed and put a hand up over his brow to shade his pale eyes from the sun. Then he took a few determined steps toward Mr Browne and the BBQ tables, his stomach rumbled uncomfortably. "Mr Browne, could I have something to eat? Preferably nothing with asparagus." He hungrily eyed the burgers and the salads before him.