Courtyard Chat PV w/ Percival Rocier

Percival smiled as she spoke and focused entirely on her while she described the birds. She really cares a lot about animals, so listening to the way she talked about them was quite heart-warming and interesting. “That sounds… really nice,” he said after a moment. “It must have been amazing, realizing it like that. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone finding out they were magical because of something like that before.”

He leaned back slightly and sighed, “My first time using magic wasn’t nearly as fun,” he admitted with a chuckle. “I was arguing with my brother, and we were fighting over a toy broom. I don’t even remember what started it, but we ended up arguing, and in that moment, I accidentally used magic to pull the broom into my hand." In a way, it hadn't been too surprising to his family that he could use magic, but it was still an important moment.

His smile softened as he thought about it all again. “It's not a very impressive way to find out, but my parents were happy and so was I. It meant I could go to Hogwarts, like my parents once did." And in a few years time, he expected his brother to also be called up!

Finally, he looked back at Aisling and smiled. “I think your story fits you better, though. Birds sound more like your kind of magic.” What better way to discover that you're a witch than having it happen while observing something you love so much?

@Aisling Doyle

Percival laughed a little at her surprise, “Yeah, a toy broom. They look like real ones, but they're just smaller and a lot safer for kids. You can’t actually fly with one, for example.” Still, he smiled at the memories of how he and his brother used to chase each other around the garden, pretending they were famous Quidditch players. “My brother and I used to make up matches, and my mum would yell at us for running inside with them."

He laughed again, then looked at Aisling, “Quidditch is fun to watch, and I do want to play it a little. But... I’m more interested in dueling.” He let out a soft sigh, knowing he had a lot more to learn before he could try it out. “My dad’s really good at it and says it’s what helped him become an Auror and deal with bad wizards."

Since he wanted to become one too, it naturally meant that he'd have to also become a good duelist.

He then briefly paused, as if picturing it all in his head, “I’ve tried a few spells now that I've taken some classes, but I’m still far from good. My aim isn’t great, and I need to work on keeping calm when I mess up.” His mouth shifted into a sheepish grin. “But I’ll get there. I want to be an Auror one day, so I have to.”

He turned back toward her and tilted his head, suddenly curious about something, “What about you? If you could learn one kind of magic really well, what would it be? Or do you already know what you want to become later?”

Then, he smiled, “Maybe something with magical creatures? Since you like animals so much.”

@Aisling Doyle

Oh.

Percival blinked when he understood that he only knew what an Auror was because of his Dad. It made sense that other new students had never heard of it before, especially if they didn't come from wizard families. "Well, Aurors go after bad wizards and make sure they can't hurt other people anymore." It was the simplest way to explain it, he felt, but it was effective enough. His Dad had even hunted down some wizards who were terrible enough to reach the newspapers, and that's what had piqued young Percival's interest.

One day, he also wanted to take down the really bad ones.

"It's just really cool to me, so I want to try to become one. And I'm sure you'll learn a lot more about these types of things soon, too. Hogwarts is great at getting anybody up to speed." He smiled, hoping it would reassure her a little bit. Even to Percival, the school was quite daunting, and he had wizards for parents. He could only imagine what she must feel like, being surrounded by students who grew up surrounded by magic.

Maybe he could help her adjust a bit, as a friend.

When she mentioned that she wasn't quite sure about her future job, he nodded, "That makes sense. Being a Witch or Wizard opens up a lot of new possibilities, so take your time to figure it out!" They were young and had more than enough time ahead of them to make a decision. But... something told him that magical beasts would be involved in her future job.

Or, at least, in a future hobby.

@Aisling Doyle

Percival nodded when she mentioned the Death Eaters, "Yeah, I think most of them are,” he said. “But my dad says there’s always someone new trying to take their place, or other bad wizards out there doing terrible things. That’s why I want to be able to stop them before they can hurt anyone.” There was a lot of determination in his eyes now. For as nervous as he could be, this is something he felt truly passionate about.

When Aisling suddenly drew her wand, he blinked and sat a little straighter, curious about what she was doing. His eyes followed her movements as she swung her wand forward and called out the spell. The green light shot out, illuminating the courtyard for a brief moment, and Percival’s mouth fell slightly open in amazement.

“That was brilliant!” he said, grinning wide. “I know that one too, but mine never looks that good. I think my aim’s still off.” He chuckled softly, still watching the faint glitter of fading light in the air. “You’ve got a real knack for it.”

He then drew in a soft breath and remembered that he'd maybe get a chance to learn together with her, “Maybe when we have Defence class again, we could practice the spells together? I think we’d make a pretty good team!"

It'd also be more fun to practice with someone he already knew.

"I really like this spell, though,” he then said, “It's nice to actually learn something that can be used in the future. Some spells are so... I don't know.” Learning how to turn a whistle into a watch didn't seem as useful to him, as an example.

@Aisling Doyle

Percival blinked and thought about her question for a moment. His gaze shifted down to his hands, which rested on his knees, before he looked back up again. “Hmm,” he began, clearly trying to put it into words. “I think… maybe it’s the way I say it,” he said after a pause before sighing. “Professor said you need to pronounce spells clearly, and I guess I still mumble a bit sometimes.”

He had to speak the words like he meant them.

He also knew there was more to it than just pronunciation. He hesitated just long enough for the thought to slip across his face... that he wasn’t exactly the most confident caster yet. Sometimes when he raised his wand, he doubted himself and his voice, and that hesitation seemed to twist the magic in the wrong direction. But that wasn’t something he felt like saying out loud just yet.

He then smiled again, hoping she wouldn’t notice the brief moment of hesitation in his eyes. “I really just need more practice, I think,” he then said, “And I like the idea of practicing together. It’s easier to focus when there’s someone else to help you out.”

And tt'd be fun! They'd be able to help each other with wand movements, enunciation, and so much more.

He then leaned back and glanced at her wand, "Maybe we can meet up again after the next class and practice what we learned there?"

@Aisling Doyle