Pompous, Pureblood, and a side of Parties PV Dylan Astor

Graci was glad that he didn't think of her as a complete weirdo, she had enough people who already did. Including herself. It was really an issue, but not one she regularly addressed. That's what most people do with insecurity, right? Just... not address it?

"It's good that you can feel like you're back in your own skin now. It's good that you can be home." The mood had changed a bit. More melancholy, well, to her, anyway.

Graci tilted her head, looking at him and wondering how they both could tell so much, yet so little, to a total stranger. That was a thought she'd had many times over the course of their conversation.

I wonder if we could be friends. Like, good friends. I wonder if I could understand why he couldn't feel like himself, truly, for years.

She just shook her head, telling herself to snap out of it. In all reality she probably wouldn't see him again, and she was only twelve. What older kids would call 'not mature enough to have such deep thoughts'. Which always shocked her. Weren't they the same age as her once? Did they not feel exactly as she did at one point?

"So, uh, I'm pretty sure that we're almost out. I think." Looking to the ground she started chuckling, "I- Gosh, I swear, sometimes I'm a complete social butterfly, but other times I'm the most awkward person ever, sorry." Her eyes were crinkling, laughing at herself, though not in a self depreciating way. She did that when she was alone.

Wow, I am just full of helpful things today, aren't I?

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OOC notes:speech: #a70606. I was listening to Friends by Chase Atlantic while writing that, if that explains anything.

coded by Eugenia Karageorgiadi---@Dylan Astor

Interacting with: @Graci Laren Mentioning: N/A Date: Summer

Word Count: 255

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Dylan nodded his head in agreement. It was nice to be home. Even though he still had to face everything he had left behind the day that he left. It was a hard thing to do, but something he knew had to be done sooner or later. Coming to terms with his past was one of those things. Dylan followed Graci as they continued their trek to find the way out of the maze. He wasn’t sure where he even was at this point. His thoughts reeling with the conversation they had just had. He looked at the ground. The fallen leaves strewn across the floor where Graci had dropped them. They would be a great tool to use if they ended up not finding the exit soon. Dylan was a little sad that their adventure through the maze was about to come to an end, but he knew it would happen eventually. He just wished it didn’t happen right in that moment. “I guess every good thing always has to come to an end.” Dylan whispered. Unsure of whether or not Graci had heard him. He didn’t mind if she did. At least she would know that he was having a good time. Dylan laughed a little before saying, “At least you can be a social butterfly. I’m terrible at starting conversations and making small talk with people.” He sighed. For the first time he was relaxed and willing to speak his thoughts to someone else other than his mother, grandfather, or even Avery.

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Graci was a day person. Not an early bird or night owl, more like a day pigeon. A rather unflattering bird, but it was the first thing that came to mind. Better than an ostrich.

She could almost picture where they were in the maze, having spent the majority of the day staring over it. It was bigger than the whole house. Not that that was any large feat, the house was rather small if you took the time to look. Like he spent all his time in the garden.

To say that she loved plants would be an overstatement, but she liked them plenty fine. But not as much as it appeared her great uncle did. Most likely obsessed with herbology when he was younger, though it seemed to have drawn over into his old age.

Leaving the maze would be like saying goodbye to an old friend. Though she would likely be doing that, as well. Except she had only just met him, so they weren't 'old friends' but friends nonetheless. At least, I hope he thinks so as well. It really is a pity this maze could not be so all encompassing as the maze inside of my mind.

Whoa, that was weird. Usually I don't think in ways such as that. Eesh, all this old literature I'm reading is really getting to me.

The end was fast approaching, scornful as she found it. But, as she had heard him say softly, all good things must eventually come to an end.

"Well, you didn't seem very timid to me. Rather talkative once you got going. But I'm glad you deemed me worthy enough to strike up a conversation with."

She was quite glad, indeed. The night would've been much more boring, and less meaningful, without his presence.

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OOC notes:speech: #a70606

coded by Eugenia Karageorgiadi---@Dylan Astor

Interacting with: @Graci Laren Mentioning: N/A Date: Summer

Word Count: 205

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Dylan smiled and nodded as they made their way to the end of the maze. He was sad that his adventure with his new friend, Graci, was ending. He really was enjoying himself more than he had expected. He had expected this night to be boring and full of pureblood talk of who had the better family tree, but instead he had been able to make a new friend that actually wanted to chat with him and be around him. “I’m glad that you think that. My mother always says that I need to be more open and talkative to people. It really had been fun to chat with you. I can say that I’m not very excited to go back into the ballroom. Hopefully my mother will be done socializing, so we can head home. There’s just something about listening to purebloods talk about who is better that makes me want to fall asleep.” Dylan laughed. Dylan walked in silence with her for the rest of the way. Unsure of what he could say that wouldn’t mess everything up. He did have a tendency to mess everything up when it came to making friends. That’s why he had always been so quiet and reserved.

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Graci was in much better spirits than before when she had no one interesting to talk to. She found she had that a lot, all it took to lift her mood was a friend, no matter how new. She hoped he felt like that too, and that she wasn't just being weird.

"Being talkative is overrated, really. Like, there's only so many things I can yap about before I realize I've told the same story twice. And yeah, me neither. Hopefully I'll be able to head back home tomorrow, this place is not for me. If they've already decided that their blood purity is best, I don't understand why they need to see which inside of that group is better."

Officially out of the maze and heading back to boredom. Sigh. Graci really didn't want it to end. At all. They would likely never see each other again, though it was definitely possible.And she could always get in touch with his cousin, Avery. She seemed like a nice person, from afar and by the way Dylan talked about her.

It's nice that he can speak so fondly of someone. It's like me and Zoe, though they seem to have had many more trials.

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OOC notes:speech:#a70606-WC: 203

coded by Eugenia Karageorgiadi---@Dylan Astor

Interacting with: @Graci Laren Mentioning: N/A Date: Summer

Word Count: 276

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Dylan nodded his head in agreement. He was glad to find that at least someone else felt the same way he did about purebloods and their superiority views about each other. Honestly, it could get quite exhausting. Especially when he had to watch two people argue over who had the better ancestral bloodline. He knew that deep down both knew the other would never back down, so why did they even try fighting if there wasn’t a point? That was one of the many mysteries Dylan wished he could uncover about purebloods like himself. After seeing most families split completely and disown each other over silly things, Dylan was glad to have the family he had. Though no one was perfect, at least they could all live together without killing each other. “I understand that. Honestly? I’m not too thrilled to head back to America at the end of the summer. There’s something about being home again that makes me feel. . . whole again. Like the piece I know has been missing was finally found.” Dylan sighed. “I couldn’t agree more about pureblood families. I guess stating and believing we’re superior to everyone else just wasn’t enough. Now we have to argue about who is the best overall? It’s quite exhausting just thinking about it.” Dylan said with a laugh. It was then that Dylan realized what he was about to walk into. Something he wished he could avoid a little longer, but he knew he had to face. Maybe his mom would finally leave since she had probably been socializing the entire time Dylan had been outside with Graci. That was something he could only hope.

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It was always rather odd when Graci met someone who completely agreed with her. Everyone had different views when it came to anything and everything, and especially Pureblood status. Odd wasn't a bad thing, though. It was rather refreshing, actually.

Not that she had much exposure to many, or any, Purebloods such as her uncles and the guests they invited to this thing. A blessing in her mind, and seemingly in that of her parents.

"That's so sad. I mean, I'm kinda split between London and Greece, but I like both of them, so having to be in the one place that you don't like for most of the year... that must be horrible. Have you at least met some kind people at Ilvermorny? I know you said you did, earlier, but there has to be at least something interesting that happened."

She knew that she was just drawing out the conversation, but she was having a genuinely good time for what felt like the first time since Zoe had left. That was a problem with her; she always tried to draw out good things, knowing they likely would never happen again.

Being the rather dramatic person she was, it was probably a flat out over exaggeration, but she thought it was rather reasonable.

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OOC notes:speech:#a70606-WC: 214

coded by Eugenia Karageorgiadi---@Dylan Astor

Interacting with: @Graci Laren Mentioning: N/A Date: Summer

Word Count: 211

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Dylan shrugged when Graci said how sad it was to stay in a place he wished he never had to live for half the year. He had grown so used to America and being the outsider that he had never really thought about it. “Yeah. I guess a couple things happened. I did have some crazy experiences. I managed to go birdwatching with a seventh year that graduated and apparently there’s something called a unicycle that is basically a muggle contraption with one wheel. Like a bicycle cut in half.” Dylan laughed again at the memory of how interesting that unicycle had been. He would never forget that captivating muggle invention and couldn’t wait to see what else the older student, Casey, had to show in the coming year. Dylan honestly wasn’t excited to be going back into the pureblood party. Being out in the garden, he felt free. Like he could be himself. Inside? Well, it felt like he was suffocating as he tried to fit in with the crowd and not stand out. Standing out meant danger. Danger of not only ruining his reputation, but also his family’s since his father couldn’t even attend. That was already enough to start rumors Dylan wasn’t really ready to deal with yet.

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Goodbyes are inevitable, and this one coming far sooner than later. But it wasn't that sad, They would see each other again at some point or another. Just a goodbye to a positive acquaintance.

"Bird watching sounds fun. Though, I am not nearly knowledgeable enough in them. I should research them sometime. Wait- you've never heard of a unicycle? Sometimes I wonder how Purebloods would fare living as a Muggle for even a day." It was in moments like these in which Graci felt as though her 'half-blood-ness' was rather apparent.

As for the bird thing, there was only really one bird she had researched in earnest. The Scottish Crossbill, but that was a whole other story. Though, bird watching sounded boring unless you had someone to talk with. Graci herself had never interacted with anyone more than one or two school years older than her, but she figured they always new much more about life than she did. They seemed so intimidating sometimes... then again, anyone taller than her five foot self inspired at least a little trepidation.

"Well, I suppose this is goodbye then? I am probably supposed to say something like, 'it was lovely for you to stop by, my good sir', but I have never really been good a 'protocol'. I did enjoy talking to you, though. It is getting a bit late, so I'm sure your mom'll be ready to go soon. I hope you have a good rest of your summer with your family."

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OOC notes:speech:#a70606-WC: 250

coded by Eugenia Karageorgiadi---@Dylan Astor
Gosh, I am sosososo sorry for how late this is...

Interacting with: @Graci Laren Mentioning: N/A Date: Summer

Word Count: 259

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Dylan wasn't great at goodbyes. He knew they always happened, and they really would never end, but that didn't make it any easier. He had done enough goodbyes in his life. Enough to remind him that nothing lasted forever. Like this fateful meeting. Though the night was coming to a close, and his mother would probably begin searching for him, he really was sad to go. Being with Graci had the time fly like never before. He just wished that happened more often at the pure blood events. Dylan laughed a little before saying, "Yeah. Thanks to Casey I learned about the unicycle. Who knew the muggles could make such fascinating objects." "I guess it really is a goodbye for now, but hopefully not forever. I'm sure we'll see each other again. If not at school, then hopefully at the ball if you attend. Anyways, I better be getting back to my mother. You're probably right that she wants to go." Dylan waved to his new friend Graci as he walked away back to the house. Sad that the night was coming to an end, but glad that he would finally get out of his suit and fancy clothes. Maybe his mother would even give him a break from the parties for the rest of the trip? Then again, he wasn't that lucky, so probably not. Dylan let out one last sigh as he walked into the house. As ready as he would ever be to face his alternate reality. Being pure blood and having to act like it.

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