Booked PV Leo Ashton

After settling into his dorm, Leo figured it was time to get some actual work done. He wasn't sure where to begin. He grabbed the first book on his bed and made his way out of the dorm, holding the book to his side. The common room was fairly quiet, but there was no room for him to sit and get a head start on his homework. To the library then, he thought to himself, making his way out of the common room.

Leo wasn't in any particular rush to get to the library. He took the time to examine the castle more. The moving staircase was most interesting. He watched as the staircases moved around as students rushed to get off before they moved again. He noticed one student wouldn't get off one of the staircases and had to move with it twice before he could get off. Chuckling to himself softly, he continued to make his way to the library.

It wasn't long until he reached the library. He took a few steps inside before examing the room. The library wasn't too full, thankfully. He gave a small smile to the librarian and began walking around, looking for an empty seat. As he walked, Leo pulled the book from his side and looked at it before huffing to himself. He hadn't picked up a textbook. It was only a notebook. There wasn't a chance he'd only read blank pages. Putting his book back to his side, he turned towards the shelves, looking through the books. Maybe he could find something on Charms or even Potions. Leo stopped between two shelves, noticing another boy was looking for a book too. He watched as the boy fumbled with the book, trying not to laugh. He cleared his throat and continued to look for a book to read. "Nice catch," Leo said, his eyes on the books. He wasn't sure if he came across as sincere or as completely rude, so he didn't say anything after that. He reached for a book on Potions before moving out of the isle of books. He noticed a table with three chairs, one of which had a bag on it. Sure the person who was sitting there wouldn't mind sharing, he made his way over and placed his books on the table. Leo began flipping through the pages of the Potions book as he sat down.

Though Emerly was a bit sorry for having glared at someone who didn't do a thing wrong by merely looking at the same bookshelf he was looking at, he found own countenance darkening when the boy made a joke about fumbling the book. In school back in London he once had someone that would always throw things at him on purpose and utter the same thing. Every time Emerly would forgive him, he would go right back to doing it. Not until he was expelled from the school did the fellow stop.
"Nice catch."
Emerly cooled down, realizing he was tying people to things they hadn't done. He closed the book he held, and, face turning red, realized he was holding a volume by a particularly glamorous witch who winked and smiled from the cover of the book. He looked at the back, "How to make waves in social circles- use clothing to your benefit!" Now, he wasn't insinuating it was wrong for fellows to dislike fashion, but he'd set a completely false first impression of himself as the subject did not interest him personally at all. Now, that irked Emerly yet again, and he gave a deep breath, shelving the book very, very intentionally. Nevermind. He'd just, forget that just happened, give the fellow the benefit of the doubt- maybe the opportunity to explain himself would surface one day. He picked up the other book he intended to read, and cheerfully brought it back to the table... where...
Ah.
Of course.
Sighing, took his seat directly across from the other student (a First year too, perhaps?), where his bag was hanging. He set the other book he was holding in front of him. He opened it, and then his mouth to begin explaining, but closed it again. It would be very difficult to explain how, despite believing that blood status didn't matter, he at the same time cared enough to find out what the wizarding world, and Slytherins especially, thought of Half-bloods like himself. Secretly, he was not so ready to broadcast he was one to anyone he encountered just yet. He decided on something else.
"Thanks for the company." he said, meaning it genuinely. He had yet to get very well acquainted with most of the other students, but as he was distracted and irritated, it came out sounding awfully sarcastic. Of course, this passed over Emerly's head, as he was already digging into social relations between magic folk and muggles.

"Thanks for the company." Leo looked up from his book, slightly confused. Did he come across as rude before? Still puzzled by the sarcastic remark, he simply looked down at his book, now quite annoyed. His short temper was getting the best of him at this point. He bit on the inside of his cheek gently, trying to keep his cool. Maybe he wasn't trying to sound sarcastic, maybe it was all in his head. It usually was in his head. At this old school, he had his fair share of people he'd gotten into fights with. There was one incident where a boy spent weeks teasing him for the scar on his eyebrow. One day he just snapped, turned and punched the boy square in the nose. He was given three days of suspension for that incident.

After that particular incident, he became a lot better at controlling his temper. His mother helped him with a counting exercise that seemed to work really well. However, today it wasn't working. He closed his eyes and counted to ten in his head. Maybe twenty will work. He didn't stop at ten and continued to twenty. By around eighteen, he was feeling much better. He opened his eyes and continued to follow the words on the page. "No problem." Leo said, still biting the inside of his cheek. Of course, this made him sound quite full of himself. He wasn't. He was simply keeping his cool.

Emerly awkwardly peered up from his book, narrowing his eyes upon seeing the boy in front of him reading his own book about potions with his eye closed. Emerly hadn't been able to focus knowing a complete stranger was directly across from him, possibly staring at Emerly's book, wondering why, of all the things the Slytherin could be reading, it just had to be about Muggles. Yes, that was definitely questionable. He covered more of the book with his arms, wondering if could check it out and read it from the privacy of somewhere less... crowded, like the grounds, for instance. From what Emerly could tell, all the classes he looked forward to attending were to be situated around there, Herbology being one of them. Perhaps he could sit under a nice tree and scope out the area, or at least he could if he wasn't too lily-livered to wander around a magical school all on his own.
Instead, his gaze went back to raise a brow at the boy, who seemed to be falling asleep right in front of him. Was he alright? Did he need to call for the school nurse or something? He was right on the edge of shaking the other student's hand out of concern when he opened his eyes.
He smiled at the reassurance that it was no problem, "Oh." Emerly then chortled, "I was just about to suggest you go get a different book, if Potions tire you out so much. I was on the verge of thinking I might have to catch more than a book if you fell asleep reading, slid out of your chair or something. That was frightening."

Leo pursed his lips gently as his eyes moved up from his book to the boy in front of him. Why would he think I’d fall out of my seat? I closed my eyes, I didn’t fall asleep! Leo thought to himself, gently brushing the hair out of his face. He put his book down, his eyes fixed on the boy in front. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. I have this thing where I count to ten in my head, and I sometimes close my eyes, so I don’t get distracted.” He admitted, fiddling with the sleeves on his robes. Leo was never the kind of boy to admit his problems, not unless he felt comfortable sharing such private information. Maybe he had gotten off on the wrong foot with this boy. Just because they were in different houses didn’t mean they couldn’t be friends. His hands moving to the bottom of his tie now, Leo continued to watch the boy, failing to notice the book he was reading. Maybe he should be friendly to the boy. He always liked making new friends. “I’m Leo, by the way. It’s nice to meet you.” Leo moved his hand forward, leaning in a bit to shake the other boy’s hand. The polite approach seemed to always work in the worst situations.

@Emerly Pine (so did I heh)

Emerly watched the boy called Leo reach out in a peace treaty of sorts. Perhaps a little uncharacteristically, the Slytherin leaned back in his chair, letting it balance on its back legs, playing at there being a sort of invisible magnetic force repelling them apart.
"Oh no," he replied, gaining a sort of steely iciness in his normally cloudlike eyes, "no, my uncle wouldn't have that." a slightly tricksy smile played onto his features, and he would have remained thus for a while if not for him being concerned with upsetting the librarian. He righted his chair and pointedly placed his chin in his hand, reading the book again as he spoke, "You're a Gryffindor. So was my uncle, and that's exactly why I cannot shake your hand. Especially if you're a pureblood." he was aware this was all very enigmatic, but he was mostly trying to convince himself of something, whispering lower than before, "But. My father would tell me to do just that. I suppose it's up for me to choose who I'll listen to, then."
After a moment's consideration, he looked up again, "I don't shake hands, but I'll tell you what, I could use help getting an idea of how to leave an impression on this place." He looked around and leaned in a little, the clouds back in his eyes instead of ice, "And a secret for a secret-" he glanced aside,"I never knew about any of this until about a year ago, and am as lost and overwhelmed around here as anything... I mean, have you seen those moving stairs?" looking traumatized, his eyes wandered back over to the Gryffindor, "Anyway, despite some words I got from a talking hat, I don't think I'm as brave as you are. Just a hunch. Maybe you can't relate..."

Leo watched as the boy pulled back from his hand. Why was he pulling away? He pulled his hand back slowly, a little upset at the gesture. His uncle? Leo thought back to when his parents would meet new people. They would always introduce themselves then extend their hands as a friendly gesture. Maybe he did it wrong. Leo watched as the boy began to talk about his uncle who was also a Gryffindor. Maybe this boy’s family had something against Gryffindors? Nonetheless, Leo thought this was ridiculous. His mother was a Hufflepuff, so was the rest of her family. He was the first Gryffindor in his family. How happy his mother was to find out, too. While she was slightly disappointed he wasn’t in her house, she was still very proud of him.

Lost in his thoughts, Leo began listening again when the boy began talking about needing help with leaving an impression. He was already failing, Leo thought. “Well for starters, you could not be so rude about handshaking.” Leo said, his voice was a little shaky. He hadn’t done anything wrong to the boy, maybe he shouldn’t be so upset. “Sorry.” He sighed softly. “Maybe you could tell me your name? Just simple things like that can help.” He quickly said, putting his book down. Then the boy started talking about not knowing about Hogwarts. That was something they had in common. “I think the moving stairs are pretty cool.” He smiled a little, looking down at his book. “And I can relate. I only found out about Hogwarts a couple of weeks before my letter came. That’s less time than you.” He noted.

His eyes widened, and he looked ashamed. Maybe he cared too much about the opinions of people that didn't give good advice. He bit his lip. If he was going to be a Slytherin, a good one, one that proved that the house was more than its history, he would have to follow through fully. He couldn't shift his weight all over the place because of all the contradicting information he'd been given- he had to be polite, and do what he felt was right, decide for himself.
"Oh, I'm Emerly Pine. You're Leo...?" he peered up, "Leo Ashton, right? You like those stairs?" His eyes widened even more and he shook his head, looking off to the side, "Maybe you could be a stair-whisperer. Whenever I go I end up facing a dead end wall for longer than I'd like. Almost was late to a class." He looked more closely at the other boy, "Maybe I'll become famous for being rude with handshaking and getting stuck on the moving stairs." He laughed outright, but not loud, it was a library, after all.
He wondered if perhaps he'd made a negative first impression on the Gryffindor, maybe he'd thought Emerly was a troublemaker of some sort. His eyebrow raised at the news, "Couple weeks?" He must the same as Emerly, unless his parents raised him outside of the wizarding world, "You're..." he swallowed and peered around before asking, "you're... Half-blood? Muggle-born?" He inhaled and shakily exhaled, extending a hand over the table and the book, which he closed, revealing the cover under his other free hand. Maybe he could make an exception once. Just this once. It would be just as hard to do so in the future, but he'd have to work toward it until he could just let people in and make friends at the drop of a hat, regardless of all that ridiculous brainwashing he'd endured.
"Well, might as well get crackin'. I've only got seven years, if I manage to make it through that long!"