In The Custody of Diana PV Brielle Gray Closed

Transfiguration, Bast found, was actually decent fun. It wasn’t his first pick — Defense Against the Dark Arts would always claim that spot, he believed — and it wasn’t even as interesting as Charms, but at least they got to actually do something. Potions was fascinating on a theoretical level, sure, but sitting in the dungeons all class being forced to concentrate on his potion with limited magical use tended to drive him a bit barmy. He might actually go starking mad if he didn’t get to work in other classes during the day too, and Transfigurations was one of those that managed to keep him and his magic from feeling too contained.

Which almost made up for the fact that they were being assigned random partners. Almost.

Bast was coming to find that having a surname that started with A was both a blessing and a curse. He got to be Sorted relatively quickly, which had its merits; he tended to find out instructions and assignments relatively early on when there was a list, neatly alphabetized; but he also tended to get the worst news sooner then everyone else, too, when there was worst news to be had. He listened with resignation as Mister Aurelius was assigned to Miss Gray and wondered, a bit spitefully, why he couldn’t have just been placed with someone he bloody knew.

And here he never thought he’d see the day when he was hoping to have to pair up with a lion. Though, to be fair, he wouldn’t mind — and would truthfully prefer — a snake; he just doubted that he would get that lucky with placement when he was already in a borderline sour and unsociable mood. It was something of a pleasant surprise, then, when he saw the girl that Professor Lian indicated was graciously decked in green. Right, then. Maybe it was time to stop being so pessimistic.

Perfectly content to abandon his table — it was awful close to the remaining Gryffindors, who were increasingly being paired together — he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, sauntering lazily over to his new partner’s table instead. She was vaguely familiar looking, a face he might be able to place from other classes, but he couldn’t think of her first name to save his life. Not that Slytherins — or even Gryffindors, frankly — tended to be so familiar with one another, but Bast had never exactly subscribed to such formalities when it came to address. His mother had mourned his awful manners in that regard far too many times.

”Hey,” he provided with a nod as he dropped his bag and settled languidly beside Miss Gray. He raked a hand through his messy curls before shifting on the stool to face her, pale stare flickering over her briefly in mild assessment as he added, ”’m Bast. Guess we’re partners, then.” 

@Brielle Gray.