𖤓 Hesitation Is the Death of Advantage 𖤓 PV Prat Pass closed

Lost in thought, Cassian nearly jumped out of his skin when someone approached him. He wasn’t this normally surprised, but he was on edge from his own nerves. He had always been a little too good at working himself up into a tizzy and he was certainly well on his way to one. Cassian resisted the urge to square his shoulders when he got a good look at the stranger. It was a boy who was a good half a head taller than him, a Slytherin by the look of his robes. He didn’t buy into the whole Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry thing as much as many of his Housemates tended to, considering the disproportionate number of Slytherins in his family, but it was inevitable that the tensions affected him a little.

Cassian didn’t do anything that could be misconstrued as a threat — considering that the other boy was obviously part of the Duelling Club, that would be supremely foolish and, more importantly, potentially give a bad impression of himself — but he did set his shoulders slightly as he met his gaze.

The accusation that was lobbied at him was... He had every right to be here, okay? It wasn’t like Hogwarts had any rules saying that students couldn’t be pacing in random hallways when they weren’t in class — at least, he was pretty sure it didn’t. “I’m not!” Cassian said, his voice coming out clear and strong despite the roiling in his gut at being caught red-handed. He made a deliberate choice not to back up when the older boy took a step towards him. Cassian didn’t think that he was trying to be threatening, but if he was, he’d find that Cassian wasn’t one to go out without at least swinging a few times. “I’m just… thinking,” he finally settled on. It was a little lame, but hopefully it’d get him out of this particular awkward encounter.

Cassian shrugged as the Slytherin continued to question him, uncomfortable under the barrage of interrogation. “I don’t know, but I aim to find out,” he responded. “I’m a first year, so this is the perfect time to explore, right?”

He startled a bit as the other guy (he should probably ask for his name soon, it was getting weird just calling him “the Slytherin” or “the other boy” in his head) shot him a small smile. So apparently snakes could act friendly too, could they? Cassian supposed that he shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was, given that he could clearly remember his loud and proud Slytherin uncle spending hours tossing him up into the air as a child. Maybe this interaction wasn’t such a lost cause after all. The older boy seemed so… mature, sure of himself in a way that Cassian hoped he would be one day.

“Thanks for the advice,” Cassian said simply. “I’m Cassian, by the way. Gryffindor, obviously,” he gestured to his scarlet and gold-accented robes, “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, I suppose.”

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•Lovely Creature in Effect•

@Cassian Montelise Byrne

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Prat's eyes betrayed his intent, they had a hint of amusement as the first-year Gryffindor, Cassian, spoke of his curiosity and the desire to explore the fabulous and perfect art of duelling. He enjoyed all his encounters with the young wizards and witches that had the same eager spark in their eyes as the one Prat had before his arrival to hogwarts. A familiar thirst for knowledge and a yearning for adventure that was as potent as rarest poisons. "Whenever you begin is the perfect time mate," Prat told Cassian, reminiscing in his about his own early days at Hogwarts, when he too built up the courage to go asking around for a duel. Prat's first duel was quite an event, he went no hit against the satan and fainted, atleast it was enough to show him worst of it. An experience that only helped him get better at duelling. Even the duelling club was a place that had shaped Prat to an extent, both in mind and spirit. He hoped those students who walked into this room would find their own unique interests and have an unforgettable experience.

He extended an inviting smile and introduced himself as Prat Pass, a Slytherin Duellist. It was part of Prat's job to be curious about the young stock of kids in Duelling, afterall with time they would form what each house's respective team looked like. A healthy competition only benefits you. He had seen one too many overexcited kids attempt to duel above their league and fail. Yet, there was something about Cassian's earnestness that stood out, he seemed less sure of himself than one would expect. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Cassian," Prat said, his voice resonating with a warmth that was as surprising to him as it likely was to the first-year.
The prospect of a new, untainted puppet for trials was a refreshing change from the tireless schedule that so often kept this slytherin occupied. Inwardly, he decided to keep an eye on Cassian, to help him, bah who's he lying to, it was to watch and see what drama entailed this young one, to see if he could make Prat's time entertaining.

Prat studied Cassian's expression, to him it seemed as if his eyes searched for recognition. As if seeking validation from outside, a feeling Prat was much too familiar with. "So, tell me," Prat began, his tone measured and inviting, "have you any prior experience with duelling, or is this your maiden voyage into wandiworks?" His question was not one of arrogance, but rather genuine curiosity.

He had seen first-hand how a beginner's luck could sometimes lead to surprising feats of magic. It had been a while since he had taken an active interest in another duelling amateur, the gravity of secretly doing so was not lost on him. Yet, he was willing to extend the hand of guidance, or at least a semblance of help until he found his footing, to this intriguing first-year.

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Cassian tilted his head, a flicker of surprise flashing across his face at Prat’s warm tone. He hadn’t exactly been expecting kindness from a Slytherin duellist — not that he’d say it aloud. Still, it threw him off just enough to alleviate the tension in his shoulders a bit. He adjusted his grip on the strap of his bag, unsure of whether he should offer his hand to shake or not. His father would have his head if he knew Cassian was lacking in manners, especially to one of his seniors, but this didn’t seem like the appropriate situation for a handshake.

“Well, if now’s the perfect time,” he said with a wry smile, “then I must’ve turned up right on cue.” There was a hint of nerves leaking through his voice, but it was easily covered by the fact that he was rapidly losing the trepidation that had driven him to distraction in the first place. “First year, first week, loitering in corridors I probably shouldn’t be in — really making a name for myself, aren’t I?”

He raised an eyebrow slightly as Prat introduced himself properly. Prat Pass. The name rang the faintest of bells. He had probably seen it in Duelling Club announcements or heard whispers involving Prat in his common room at some point or another. There was something confident about the way he carried himself, a sort of self-assuredness that put Cassian surprisingly at ease. Still, he straightened up a little and met Prat’s eye.

“At the risk of sounding wildly underprepared — no, no proper experience,” he admitted, though he kept his tone light. “I’ve read plenty about duelling, though. My father was apparently quite the duellist back in his Hogwarts days. He keeps going on about my balance and wandwork and the like. I think he’s convinced that if he can stuff enough information into my brain I’ll be able to become some duelling prodigy within my first few months at Hogwarts.” Cassian’s father was, of course, a quintessential Ravenclaw and had never quite understood that his only son was far less inclined towards research.

Cassian shrugged lightly, shaking his bangs out of his eyes from where they were threatening to obscure his line of vision. “I’d like to learn more, if I get the chance to. I want to do it properly, though. There’s no point in duelling if you’re just going to flounder your way through.” Even as inexperienced as he was, Cassian was more than aware of the numerous mishaps that could occur if an untrained duellist was unleashed into a match. “If you’ve got any pointers, I’d appreciate it.”