User Error PV O. O'Brian

Taliesin felt her face heat under the praise. It wasn't often she heard that she'd actually done something right or well, other than from Nanny. Usually she was the one creating messes and disasters, not the one fixing them. A little swell of pride bloomed in her chest that maybe Hogwarts would finally be her turning point to become something useful. She'd never been so grateful that she'd taken the time to actually start practicing forward in her studies.

Honestly, she was kind of shocked that it had actually worked in the first place. Then again, she vaguely remembered being told by Ollivander when she'd received her wand that it leaned towards the 'naturally lucky'. Taliesin didn't fancy herself lucky -actually she was quite sure the Universe itself used her for it's own twisted comedy show- but maybe that was changing now too.

"Now we’re even,"

Taliesin couldn't help but smile a bit. It was true. They'd both embarrassed themselves quite a bit in their own right, which left them on equal ground with one another. and for once she didn't feel the need to pray for the ground to swallow her up and save her from her own ineptitude.

"Deal." she agreed, taking the other's offered hand, "Taliesin Annwyn. I'm from Beaumaris. First Year, Slytherin. It's a pleasure to meet you Olivia." she grinned, taking her hand back and gesturing vaguely towards the girl's robe, "Lovely robe you have." she giggled in a light tease to their strange beginnings.

@Taliesin Annwyn

Talisien played along, took her hand, and introduced herself again.
There was something almost ceremonial about the moment – something kind of friendship-like – until the Slytherin mentioned something about robes and broke the spell in an instant.

Olivia burst out laughing and felt a quiet joy at seeing Talisien grinning just as widely, a grin that lent her an air of mischief; the tension dropped from her shoulders. Had she really been that worried before?

Her mother wasn’t here.
Talisien didn’t hate her.
Everything was fine.

Still giggling, she nodded.
“Thanks – freshly washed, actually. I like your hair, while we're at it.“

Her face was still warm from laughing as she leaned back against the wall. For the first time that day, the weight lifted, and she truly felt at ease.

“Beaumarise“, she repeated thoughtfully. “That’s not in England, is it?“

If travelling had taught her anything, it was a rough sense of direction – both geographic and linguistic. The name had a certain lilt to it, something vaguely French, she thought.
Like a harp, came the fleeting thought – soft, majestic. Gentle, golden sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of leaves, sparkling like twinkling notes in the air. A clear, softly babbling brook meandered through the meadow, its water reflecting the pearly, crystal-clear sound of the strings. Delicate wildflowers, like violets and bluebells, swayed in the breeze, their scent fresh and light – intricate and elegant… Maybe she had always been a little too romantic.

Taliesin laughed, quietly relieved that Olivia played along with her joke instead of taking it some worse way; like thinking that the snake was making fun of her or something. That would've certainly been a bit heartbreaking; no reason to dwell on what wasn't happening though!

"Oh thanks!" she grinned, giving a small, dramatic toss of her hair, "I just threw it up like this. Easy-peasy." the girl giggled. This was the moment she'd been hoping for when her Nanny had told her about her own school days when she was young; coming into school and next thing you know you've found a friend. Taliesin hadn't entirely been sure how in the world that was suppose to happen. Nanny Morgan made it sound so easy and effortless and instantaneous.

If her first few days of school were any show for anything, it certainly hadn't been any of those things. But right now, it kinda felt like it. Maybe sometimes, it was just a matter of being in the right place, right time, for the right people to find you. Then you have a laugh and that's the long and short of it. Geez, she really hoped that was what was happening right now; that she was finally making a proper new friend.

"Cymru." she said, before quickly correcting herself, "Wales, that is. Its on the Isle of Anglesey in the North by the sea." she explained, "Bodmin is in England right?"

If the other had thought that Beaumaris had been French, she wouldn't have at least been entirely far off. The name did come from Norman French. The only real reason she knew that though was from one of her French tutors who had dropped the fact once during a lesson. She'd gone into the library later after her lesson and had learned that had been during the reign of King Edward I, when he was trying to gain control over Wales. Not a very romantic history, but today, it was quite beautiful with its oceanic views and rolling hills and deep green woods. Taliesin was quite fond of her little island.

@Taliesin Annwyn

Delighted, Olivia noticed her new friend blossoming slightly, returning the joke with a laugh.

“Oi, Wales!“ Olivia said enthusiastically, not knowing anything about the history of Beaumaris, and still believing in her romantic landscapes. “I once went to Swansea with my dad! But that’s, as far as I know, on the other side of Wales, isn’t it? Heaven, it was beautiful there“, she sighed, as a small wave of nostalgia swept over her. Though she kept to herself that back then she had resisted the short trip with all her might.

“You’re right, Bodmin is in England. A quiet, old market town right in the middle of Cornwall. It really is a peaceful little place. If things ever get exciting here, it’s usually only because the postman accidentally rings the doorbell twice. So, if you’re after action, you probably shouldn’t move here. We mostly have moorland“, Olivia explained, picturing the grassy hills, Cardinham Woods, and the scattered little farms. “Or at least, that’s how it feels“, she added thoughtfully.

“Alas, we’re simply a terribly dull bunch of English folk, with nary a language of our own to call home, aren’t we?“ she said in the most exaggeratedly English way possible. She had noticed how Taliesin had pronounced her own strange sing-song – almost like its own melody.

“But tell me about your somewhat newer neighbourhood.“ Olivia was well aware that her curiosity wasn’t always a blessing, thank you very much – “I’ve heard you Slytherins live in damp, cold dungeons?“ – which was neither her curiosity nor her cheeky mouth talking. “I really can’t imagine how an island princess could feel living there.“

Taliesin smiles hearing at at least the other girl had been somewhere in Wales before. Truly, people did not give her little country enough credit for the beauty that it was, "I don't think there's a spot in all of Wales that isn't beautiful, but the city can't compare to the countryside." she grinned.

The girl listened quietly as Olivia told her about her sleepy little town. It didn't sound too different from home, if she was being honest. Sure, Beaumarise had a little bit of a tourist season, but generally it wasn't too bustling of a place the few times Nanny had taken her off the estate. Not like how Cardiff or London was, "The moores can be so romantic though." she pointed out, "Why else would so many writers, poets and artists use them if they weren't something special."

Taliesin giggled a bit as Olivia exaggerated her accent a bit with her faux lament before asking about her 'new neighbourhood, "I don't know about 'island princess'." she laughed, "I mean, I've heard some people complain about the House being in the dungeons, but I don't really mind it. The Slytherin House reminds me a lot of home, so I find it comfortable." she explained thoughtfully, "My family home is really old. Honestly, I don't think anyone is quite sure how old it actually is. But it's old and its by the sea, so naturally it gets cold and damp. That's just the nature of living in a place that's older than dirt."

"Slytherin might not be as cozy as other houses, but no one looks at Slytherin and thinks 'warm and fuzzy' anyway. I think the fact that all the windows look out into the Black Lake unsettles people because we don't really get sunlight, but sometimes the Lake glows when the light hits it just right. Especially at night." the first couple of nights, even Taliesin found the lack of sunlight a little depressing. Slytherin House had the feeling like you had descended into a deep, dark cave, but it had since started growing on her. The darkness had started feeling comforting in it's own strange way; like the lake itself was shielding and protecting them on all sides; which was quite unlike the Ravenclaw or Gryffindor houses that stood high up in their towers. Even the fleeting shadows of the Lake's flora and fauna that felt ominous and encroaching had begun to grow on her, and she found herself lost in searching the dark waters for glimpses of the creatures that inhabited it.

The snake have a little shrug, "Its just exactly what you'd imagine Slytherin House would be." she offered another small smile, "What about Ravenclaw? I just imagine its like the Library, but in blue." she giggled.

@Taliesin Annwyn

Olivia was relieved that Taliesin didn’t seem annoyed by her curiosity. She glanced sideways, half-expecting a flicker of annoyance — but Taliesin remained unreadable. Nothing. That, admittedly, was rare. She doubted the moor was truly romantic, and the only poems she knew were dark and unsettling. And she knew a lot of poems.

She also couldn’t quite imagine what it must be like to live in an ancient stone house. In her mind’s eye, she pictured a towering castle — a vision she quickly dismissed. Her nose wrinkled slightly at the mental image – too dramatic, even for her. Still, it fit surprisingly well with how she imagined Slytherin House: shadowy, cold dungeons built from old stone, hidden deep beneath the ground, lurking beneath a dark lake teeming with eerie creatures. She didn’t believe for a second that Taliesin had grown up in a place like that, and with a slight shake of her head, she pushed the image away for good.

Olivia thought briefly of the Ravenclaw tower and chuckled at Taliesin’s comment. The thought wasn’t all that far-fetched — older students spoke of a hidden library somewhere up in the tower. Olivia had never seen it herself, so she couldn’t say for certain whether it was blue.

“There are a lot of books. And plenty of blue. And from the way you’ve just described your common room – well, I suppose it’s the exact opposite of Slytherin.“
When she thought about it, most of her fellow Ravenclaws probably wouldn’t even notice if they suddenly found themselves down in the Slytherin dungeons. That might sound like a prejudice, but most Ravenclaws wouldn’t lift their heads from their books if their lives depended on it.

“It’s rather airy, I suppose. The ceiling’s high, the windows are enormous, and you can see the whole school grounds from up there… it’s not exactly cosy, but it is wonderful.“ She smiled. “We’ve got a real, working gramophone that plays music all day long!“

What she loved most about their common room — besides the gramophone, of course – was the way every wall, every nook, every corner held some trace of the past: generations of students had left their mark there. Artworks adorned the entire circular room.

Olivia herself didn’t read much, and aside from her occasional creative phases, she wasn’t particularly artistically gifted — or at least, she didn’t think so. Sometimes she wondered whether the Sorting Hat had made a mistake putting her in the house of ravens (or eagles — honestly, that’s probably the greatest unsolved mystery in all of Hogwarts).

She doubted Taliesin had ever questioned where she truly belonged — she’d probably been raised on the name Slytherin like it was mother’s milk.

Her fingers drummed lightly on the edge of the sink, the grin slowly spreading across her face. Taliesin’s calm, witty politeness was clearly bringing out her rebellious streak. “Do you reckon you could sneak me into your common room one day?“, she asked, trying to sound innocent. “Strictly for academic purposes, of course.“

Mentally, Taliesin was already building a picture of what she imagined the Ravenclaw Common Room to look like. She imagined the windows that lined the Slytherin Common Room, but flooded with light and curving up towards the high ceiling that Olivia described, draped dramatically with heavy, blue curtains; and from those windows, miles and miles of sky cut into by the Scottish mountains like giants’ teeth. She imagined bookshelves lining the walls along with stacks of books littered around sturdy, dark furniture that lended itself more to practicality than aesthetics; perfect for planting one’s self in a single spot for hours while reading or working. All while somewhere in the distance, soft music echoed through the room. A perfect nest for all the eagle fledglings to settle in every night after classes.

Certainly, she guessed her imaginings were a bit overzealous, but that didn’t matter to her. It was picture that did certainly strike a stark contrast to the Slytherin House.

Taliesin was quickly brought out of her imaginings though when Olivia proposed her thought i Taliesin would ever be able to sneak her into the House. There was a certain glimmer of cunning in the other girl’s eye that made Taliesin wonder for a moment if perhaps this little eaglet might’ve been sorted into the wrong house. Taliesin, herself, thought on a near daily basis that there must’ve been a mistake in her own sorting. Compared to her housemates, Taliesin felt painfully out of place.

She wasn’t particularly clever or witty, or even really very skilled in her casting like so many of the others seemed to be. She didn’t have big goals to turn the world upside down or make a monumental name for herself or her family. Really, it seemed like the only thing she had in common with many of her fellow snakes was coming from a good background and family. But even then, her ability to behave and present like a “proper Pureblood heir” paled in comparison to the dignity and refinement that seemed to radiate off her peers.

Her ambition was limited to simply wanting to be a good representation of her family, to be something that might actually be a little proud of instead of the embarrassment she currently was.

“I’m not sure I’d even be clever enough to figure out how to sneak you into Slytherin. Much less actually be able to pull it off.” She admitted sheepishly.

@Taliesin Annwyn

Olivia waved it off, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Oh, come on“, she said, shaking her head with a lazy sort of charm. “You’re far too hard on yourself. Your knack for mischief is written all over you — you don’t need to try and hide it.“
Her voice was teasing, her grin dry rather than mischievous.

She noticed Taliesin shifting uneasily, a faint flush creeping up her cheeks — an uncertainty Olivia wasn’t blind to. Instinctively, she let the subject drop. Emotions in the girls’ lavatory were not really her scene, and she had zero interest in turning this moment into a drama. Still, the sudden tension was hard to ignore, buzzing like static in the air.
Her gaze flicked back to Taliesin, briefly taking in the pale face, the brown sweater, the black trousers — and finally that stubborn trace of doubt in her eyes, like she was afraid someone might notice.
“A shame“, Olivia thought, clicking her tongue softly. “Such potential hiding behind all that doubt. What a shame.“
Well, her mum might not have been the best at teaching her proper manners, but confidence had always been her top priority. And honestly, Taliesin had every right to feel that way—coming from a wealthy family, looking good, clearly clever, and actually quite funny. Just you wait.

She leaned back against the cold tile wall, hands shoved deep into her pockets, head tilting slightly to one side in a lazy gesture.
“If you really were the hopeles case you claim to be, talking to you would probably be unbearably boring.“
Her eyes caught Taliesin’s for a moment, without a hint of mockery.
“And I don’t do boring.“
She shrugged, as if suddenly indifferent — hoping she hadn’t pushed too far. There was a fine line between the right amount of comfort — whatever Taliesin might need — and over-the-top sarcasm. Olivia rarely found the middle ground.
To Taliesin’s misfortune, Olivia had already made up her mind. They were going to be friends. And badmouthing friends? Unforgivable. Even if the words came from those friends themselves.
She let out a quiet snort, glancing at Taliesin again, this time with a spark of defiance lighting up her eyes. She hesitated, wondering if she might be scaring off her new acquaintance before they’d even properly met.
“Or did I miss the moment, should I lower my gaze now and say, ‘No, Taliesin, you’re something quite special — you just haven’t found your inner light yet’ or something like that.?“
She paused, putting on an exaggeratedly serious expression.
“Sorry, I accidentally switched that light off earlier in this conversation.“
Careful, Livi...don't drive it too far...

Then she grinned dryly — a clear sign that the conversation had shifted back to familiar territory.

“So, no Slytherin dungeon after all. You’re right. I’ll think of something else, Island Princess.“
She made a playful bow, exaggerating the nickname, her eyes sparkling with genuine warmth and amusement.
In that moment, Olivia found herself already plotting how she might sneak Taliesin into the Ravenclaw common room. Or perhaps even coax her into some other mischief. Or simply to spend time with her—without that slight hesitation lingering in her eyes.
Olivia has always been up for a challenge.

Her? Mischievous? Certainly Taliesin imagined there were quite a few words of a similar nature one might use for her. Madame Daaé certainly had assigned plenty; unruly, deceitful, errant, flighty, to name a few, but never mischievous. That implied a level a wit and intention that was never attributed to her before. Unless hiding in the densest tree or smallest space she could find to avoid some silly lesson she didn't want to attend counted as being mischievous...

The analyzing gaze leveled at her by the other girl made her shift a bit on her feet. For all her talent of reading people, gathering at least a loose understanding of what they may be thinking or feeling, she was currently at a loss trying to decide if Olivia was either unimpressed with her, or disappointed... and Taliesin wasn't quite sure which was the worse option.

The other seemed so effortlessly cool and confident in each easy move she made as she leaned against the wall, hands in pockets and cocking her head to the side slightly; like she didn't care how she might've been perceived by Taliesin, for better or worse.

Taliesin's heart felt like it might've beat out of her chest as the other caught her eyes. "I don't do boring.". Wait, was that a compliment? Or was she stating that Taliesin was, in fact, quite boring? In micromovements of her eyes, Taliesin tried to gather any hint towards one or the other, trying to appear outwardly as calm and relaxed as possible, though inside she was minorly panicking.

It was possibly her greatest Achilles heel how badly she wanted people to like her. Not that her interactions were ingenuine in order to achieve the chance at forging friendships, but the worry always sat at the front of her mind that her next move might finally be her downfall. Taliesin hadn't had many, or really any, friends her own age back home. And while her governess and mother were happy to point out all her flaws that would hinder her ability to make connections, her nanny had promised her that she would find people who'd like her for exactly who she was naturally. Those two idea warred in her brain relentlessly; leading to a constant struggle of how to behave. She wanted so badly to just be herself, but feared whomever 'herself' was, would be undesirable as a connection.

Suddenly, Olivia's cool, indifferent look cracked as she snorted and her expression shifted as she went on. Perhaps she just had a dry, teasing sense of humor, Taliesin thought, harmless. She had to believe that with how Olivia smiled at her before she kept up the joke, relenting on the suggestion of breaking into the Slytherin House, giving a dramatic bow and doubling down on the 'Island Princess' joke. Yes, this was definitely just her way of being, the snake decided. Harmless fun she simply had never met before in this way. Taliesin really needed to get a better hold of her unbridled nerves.

Taliesin carried on with her mask of calm, trying to mimic the nonchalance Oliva had displayed before with her own casual shrug, "I said I couldn't get you into the Slytherin Common Room. The actual Dungeons under the castle, that is quite another story. I've heard some of the older students talk about how to get into them." offering what she hoped looked like a, albeit small, mischievous smile.