In Between the Raindrops PV Percival Rocier

Percival had come out to the courtyard for some fresh air after a long study session in the common room. The dungeon always felt a little too still after a while, and even if the sky looked a little heavy with clouds, it didn’t seem like the rain would come down just yet. So, he’d taken his Defense Against the Dark Arts book with him and sat down, legs folded, eyes scanning over the same paragraph he must have read four times already.

With the goal to become an auror like his Dad one day, he'd have to know this stuff really well. However, luck was not on his side today.

“Awe... come on,” he muttered as he looked up at the dark sky when a light drizzle turned into a sudden downpour. He scrambled to close his book and tucked it under his robes, trying to shield it with his arms. It didn’t help much because the rain came down too fast, and within seconds, his hair clung to his forehead and his robes grew heavy against his skin.

Percival sighed, “Great,” he grumbled to himself. “Perfect timing.”

He thought about making a run for the castle, but at this point, he was already soaked, so there didn’t seem much point in hurrying just to drip all over the floors. Instead, he just did his best to protect his book as best as he could. That's when he heard a voice nearby.

He blinked and turned his head to the girl with her wand drawn. She looked dry, which made him instantly wish he could use that spell as well. The corners of his mouth then pulled into an awkward smile as he held up the book still tucked under his robe. “Uh, yeah, I was caught by the sudden rain."

His cheeks were a little pink, though whether from the cold or this girl approaching him, it was hard to tell. “You’re, uh, better prepared than I am,” he added after a moment, “That charm looks handy.”

@Graci Laren

Percival blinked when she shifted her wand so that the charm covered them both. The sudden stop of raindrops against his head made him sigh in relief. He then brushed some wet hair from his forehead and smiled at her. “Thanks. I really should have learned that spell by now.” He rubbed the back of his neck and laughed a bit awkwardly, “Hopefully we’ll get to it soon in class.”

When she introduced herself, he nodded. “I’m Percival,” he said, still smiling. “Nice to meet you, Graci.” He shifted the book under his arm to keep it from slipping and glanced up toward the gray sky. The rain hadn’t slowed down one bit. Sheets of water rolled down from the stone ledges of the courtyard and splashed into small puddles that were spreading across the cobblestones. “You know,” he added, “I thought the rain might stop if I just waited it out. Turns out I’m not that lucky.”

He laughed again and glanced over at her. She looked comfortable enough under the charm, though her long hair still caught bits of the wind that slipped through. He tilted his head a little, watching a few strands sway past her face before he spoke again. “I think your hair’s still getting wet,” he pointed out with a chuckle.

After a moment, he adjusted his stance a little to keep the water from dripping onto his shoes and looked back toward her. “You’ve got good wandwork,” He smiled again, and this time the nerves in his voice had started to fade. Being under the charm beside her, shielded from the storm, didn’t feel nearly as awkward as it had a few moments ago. “So,” he asked, looking toward the castle doors, “Were you heading back inside before I interrupted you? Or were you planning to stay out here a bit?”

@Graci Laren