28 Feb 2020, 21:22
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
@Flash Holmwood
No matter her substantial studying, Persephone had never been good at Transfiguration. Since her earliest classes, the Slytherin had been unhealthily devoted to her grades, certain that their significance would carve a distinct line between her and the majority. Potions, an undoubtable favorite, was easy to her, the concepts so obvious that she could swear she knew before entering the classroom. From there, however, things got harder despite the immense effort wasted upon every assignment. It was certainly no help that the blonde had been completely distracted since Valentine’s Day, her mind challenging itself in speed to fly between thoughts of frustration, and some other emotion Persy couldn’t easily identify. The redness in her face and the twisting in her stomach was all she knew as it consumed her, preventing the return to the safety of grey. Occasionally, she wondered when that feeling, or perhaps, lack thereof, would return.
Living in the workings of her mind, devoured by each small idea, Persy was almost heedless when textbooks around her snapped shut, followed by the shuffling of possessions among her classmates, a few quiet conversations filling the otherwise silence. Her darkened gaze flashed to the board, instructions for the lesson now vanished before her eyes, aware that she had abandoned most of the lesson for the preferred state of zoning out. It was no wonder the blonde suffered so extremely this hour, even racking her brain there was no recall of even the subject of today’s class. Beside her, a nameless Slytherin girl scoffed, her own gaze aimed down at the still-seated Persephone in something manifesting into superiority. Persy hadn’t realized her reaction until a familiar pain made itself known in the inside of her cheek, teeth clenched with the ferocity of a mother bear. The girl, so insignificant in this world that her name was mere title given to a disgrace, had done this a few times in regards to Persy’s lack of paying attention.
Persephone stopped finding it funny the first time it happened. It was moments like this, somehow planned and somehow impulsive, that made life so dear.
From the pocket of her robes, the blonde produced a small matchbox, that which a muggle family might keep around in fear of a power outage. Perhaps this was a little untrue, modern families often invested in the efficiency associated with a lighter, but toting a lighter among her things didn’t possess the same sense of drama. Whether the idiotic girl, the professor, or a nearby student noticed her pull it out, Persephone didn’t particularly care. Of course, the Slytherin didn’t want detention for something so miniscule as teaching a valuable lesson to a brat, but the price to pay was just that; a price. The reward was enough incentive.
At least, it did seem like that in the heat of the moment.
With a swift movement of her left hand, the wooden match held safely between her fingers became a small flame with a quiet scraping noise against the small box. The heat traveled down to her hands, numbed by agitation and arguable melancholy, the blaze burning the wood away with such ease. A passerby may have thought of this as hesitation, but the twinkle in her eye was that of fascination, the ease of destruction. Silently, Persephone dropped the lit match onto the bully’s homework that lied upon the desk, igniting the parchment in a beautifully destructive inferno.
Even with the grin spreading across her pale lips, the satisfaction in her stare, it set in immediately that this probably wasn’t a good idea. Before registering the action, the blonde was on her feet, attempting to extinguish the flame with a quick breath of air. It was a small fire, reducing the border of the parchment to blackness as a small flame lingered among the edge. Oh, boy, that girl did not look happy. Joke’s on her though, right?
Oh God, I don’t want detention.
ReducioThis thread contains the use of a made-up character for the sake of the plot, and does not refer to any player.
Last edited by Persephone Barret on 5 Mar 2020, 20:14, edited 2 times in total.
Don't talk like one of them, you're not. Even if you'd like to be. - Heath Ledger
Sta: 9 | Eva: 5 | Str: 7 | Wis: 7 | Arc: 5 | Acc: 7
28 Feb 2020, 22:21
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
With Professor Lian wrapping up her lesson succinctly, she pardoned the class for the day. Flash continued scrawling with his quill. Besides what she had elucidated in her lecture, there was much more to look into for the following homework. Being a first year, they weren’t expected to do much in the way of practical transfiguration yet, and had to focus on the theory first. It was a complex subject, and there was much that could go wrong. More than any other class, Flash knew this one deserved his full attention. In his notes he wrote out some of the questions that the lecture begged, wondering if he couldn’t find an answer by the end of the evening. He mostly ignored the students who left the class, some who had already packed up before the professor was done talking.
The idea of transfiguring something was, admittedly, a bit daunting. He saw the effects of transfiguration magic already, but having spent most of his time in non-magical settings, it was one of the more terrifying aspects of magic. That at any moment, with the right knowledge and power, one could simply change him. He would rather that power be in his own hands, made with his own effort. It was better that he knew everything possible about it. The library would be his next stop.
That was his plan, at least, before his eyes were drawn by a familiar sound-- flllick. A blonde girl in the same row as him held a lit match in her hands. No, it wasn’t any blonde girl, it was Persephone Barret-- infamous troublemaker of the Slytherin first years. Like many others, Flash had been mostly ignoring her, trying not to get swept up into whatever chaos she was sowing. It was a fair judgement to make, only emphasized by the casual action of throwing the lit match onto another desk, instantly catching the girl’s papers aflame.
Flash could have easily sat and watched the scene unfold, as the girls invariably got into a fight and the professor would be called back into the room by another student, but something interested him. Almost instantly, Persephone got up and tried to put the fire out. Regret? Or fear? Flash didn’t know her reasoning, but he knew this was something she wished hadn’t happened. Something she wished she could take back. He quickly got out of his seat.
The Slytherin girl whose notes were toast was already furious, unsurprisingly. Her face was red, clearly about to scream something. Flash threw his cloak onto the desk between them, snuffing out any lingering flame and drawing the two’s attention.
”Oh, Rae, your notes…” Flash knew all the the Slytherins names by now, and took the attention off Persephone. ”Don’t worry, now. I’ll share mine with you, alright? We can work on the homework together too.”
The girl huffed, slightly deescalated, but looking between Persephone and him alternatingly.
”Flash, did you see what she did? She lit my things on fire! Can you believe it?!” She started to confide, to rant, to let her anger flow. Flash nodded sympathetically.
”It’s alright. I’ll take care of it, okay? You should go get yourself something to drink, you look stressed.” Flash smiled.
The girl nodded silently in agreement, glaring at Persephone one last time before grabbing her bag to leave the classroom. Once she was out of hearing range, Flash turned back to Persephone, the same smile still plastered on his face.
”Matches…” Flash rubbed his chin thoughtfully, though his expression was playful rather than concerned. ”Miss Persephone, right? Don’t worry, I don’t think she’ll be telling on you now, except maybe to her friends. My name is Flash Holmwood, I don't think we've been formally introduced.”
@Persephone Barret
The idea of transfiguring something was, admittedly, a bit daunting. He saw the effects of transfiguration magic already, but having spent most of his time in non-magical settings, it was one of the more terrifying aspects of magic. That at any moment, with the right knowledge and power, one could simply change him. He would rather that power be in his own hands, made with his own effort. It was better that he knew everything possible about it. The library would be his next stop.
That was his plan, at least, before his eyes were drawn by a familiar sound-- flllick. A blonde girl in the same row as him held a lit match in her hands. No, it wasn’t any blonde girl, it was Persephone Barret-- infamous troublemaker of the Slytherin first years. Like many others, Flash had been mostly ignoring her, trying not to get swept up into whatever chaos she was sowing. It was a fair judgement to make, only emphasized by the casual action of throwing the lit match onto another desk, instantly catching the girl’s papers aflame.
Flash could have easily sat and watched the scene unfold, as the girls invariably got into a fight and the professor would be called back into the room by another student, but something interested him. Almost instantly, Persephone got up and tried to put the fire out. Regret? Or fear? Flash didn’t know her reasoning, but he knew this was something she wished hadn’t happened. Something she wished she could take back. He quickly got out of his seat.
The Slytherin girl whose notes were toast was already furious, unsurprisingly. Her face was red, clearly about to scream something. Flash threw his cloak onto the desk between them, snuffing out any lingering flame and drawing the two’s attention.
”Oh, Rae, your notes…” Flash knew all the the Slytherins names by now, and took the attention off Persephone. ”Don’t worry, now. I’ll share mine with you, alright? We can work on the homework together too.”
The girl huffed, slightly deescalated, but looking between Persephone and him alternatingly.
”Flash, did you see what she did? She lit my things on fire! Can you believe it?!” She started to confide, to rant, to let her anger flow. Flash nodded sympathetically.
”It’s alright. I’ll take care of it, okay? You should go get yourself something to drink, you look stressed.” Flash smiled.
The girl nodded silently in agreement, glaring at Persephone one last time before grabbing her bag to leave the classroom. Once she was out of hearing range, Flash turned back to Persephone, the same smile still plastered on his face.
”Matches…” Flash rubbed his chin thoughtfully, though his expression was playful rather than concerned. ”Miss Persephone, right? Don’t worry, I don’t think she’ll be telling on you now, except maybe to her friends. My name is Flash Holmwood, I don't think we've been formally introduced.”
@Persephone Barret
Last edited by Flash Holmwood on 29 Feb 2020, 05:15, edited 1 time in total.
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
29 Feb 2020, 00:22
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
The blaze was lessening, dying away slowly but clung to life by melting away the parchment without mercy. Persephone blew cold air at the fire, which swayed its direction of destruction instead of extinguishing it entirely, discouraging her attempt at redemption. Instead, the Slytherin froze once again, allured by her contemplation and the capabilities of a small wooden match. It didn’t hesitate in its demolition to survey its motives; good for it, she supposed. Morals were a curse she wished upon no living soul, one of the many maledictions that came with existing in a forsaken world.@Flash Holmwood
Persy’s eyes ripped away from her crime and met those of her newest victim, the girl’s face hotter than the fire itself, so much so that the blonde was sure visible steam was erupting from her ears. A part of Persephone’s consciousness, one of the deeper, abandoned parts that contained urges such as these, silently challenged the girl. Yeah, yell at me. Try to hit me. Give me a reason, I swear. It would’ve been foolish, risky, dangerous even to voice this dare aloud, staring the radish coldly in the eye, nary a hint of regret seen in the glare. This didn’t reflect upon the internal monologue, repeatedly begging for no one to summon the Professor and end this nefarious scenario with a detention, and no physical damage inflicted. That conclusion would’ve been boring however, terribly so, and the criminal Slytherin was morally disputed between having a bit of fun, and avoiding that looming prison sentence.
Conflicted between those two choices, a sheltered part of her mind was thankful to have the decision removed from her hands. A cloak belonging to an apparent lingering classmate was tossed between them, finally extinguishing the stubborn flame, followed by the voice of an unfamiliar boy. The brown-haired student spoke to the girl- evidently Rae- assuring her with a wide variety of sentiments meant obviously to defuse the ticking time bomb. The thick tension was cut by the boy’s silver blade, constructed with a material so deadly it struck even Persephone in the chest: empathy.
For a moment perhaps longer than necessary, the blonde studied the boy as he handled an enraged Rae with such delicacy, carefully quenching her tantrum. Persephone’s dim forest eyes narrowed with discontent at Rae, who quickly attempted a justification that the arson was planned, possibly even performed by someone lacking common morality. Reworded, that statement may have included an ounce of honesty, but realistically, what unhinged person carried matches in their pocket? Absolutely not Persy. As if by instinct, her left hand, white as a corpse, reached into her robe and wrapped her fingers around the matchbox.
As he continued to sympathize with her, explaining that he would handle everything with such a soothing tone, her focus readjusted on his appearance. Considering the class, the boy referred to as Flash was quite obviously a first year, and by that a likely Slytherin. He stood a good length taller than her, which didn’t say much, and had slightly untamed hair. Persy was sure that she didn’t know him personally, as something in her gut (a strongly disliked something at that) said she would’ve recalled him more clearly.
Flash sent the girl off, a toddler who’s bedtime had come earlier than expected judging by her hesitated compliance. With a smile, so gentle that it filled Persephone with wariness, he turned back to face her. His behavior was gentlemen-like, oddly so, and at this attitude her eyebrows raised in inquisitiveness. What exactly was his intention here?
And how did he know her name?
“Yeah, Flash, we haven’t met before.” A frown came upon her lips, obviously questioning him in silence. “Thanks for that, I guess.” It was undeniably difficult to compel herself to thank a boy she didn’t know, but uncalled for impoliteness wasn’t always her style. Persephone made the speedy decision to be rude once he asked for it. And, God knew, he would.
Don't talk like one of them, you're not. Even if you'd like to be. - Heath Ledger
Sta: 9 | Eva: 5 | Str: 7 | Wis: 7 | Arc: 5 | Acc: 7
29 Feb 2020, 01:34
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
Persephone seemed cautious, but Flash expected that by now. He had to deal with enough strong personalities in Hogwarts to realize that to some, his shiny veneer shone a bit too brightly. It looked plastic. Over the last few weeks, Flash had his methodology tested, prodded, and ripped apart. He didn’t let it get to him, and instead just tried to learn from his mistakes. It was just as important to appear genuine as it was to act properly and say the right thing.
His smile softened, to something closer to a resting face, and he sat down on the closest chair, as to diminish his height.
”You are probably wondering why I came over here, instead of minding my own business.” He said, patting the cloak gently, releasing bits of ash from its sides like a backed up chimney. ”Even though I know who you are.”
Having mostly been looking around the room, trying not to appear too threatening, he turned his eyes back to Persephone to gauge her next reaction.
”I just thought if I stopped you from making a scene, you might start to wonder who I am. Maybe you’ll think of me kindly.” Flash started tracing some of the letters from the magical alphabet across his cloak. ”Maybe in the future you’ll see me and think ‘I won’t mess with that guy, he’s only ever been nice to me’, you know?”
Flash realized he was implying a good deal of future misbehavior on her part, but acting like she was a dainty flower would only lead to utter disbelief in his narrative. Instead, he took a chance on being direct. If he was right, people who liked to break rules also liked to break the conventions of proper discussion. It was still mostly uncharted territory for him, but he didn’t get to choose when opportunities like this arose.
”You looked like you really didn’t want to be caught. Maybe someday I’ll be in your shoes, and you’ll feel like helping me.”
@Persephone Barret
His smile softened, to something closer to a resting face, and he sat down on the closest chair, as to diminish his height.
”You are probably wondering why I came over here, instead of minding my own business.” He said, patting the cloak gently, releasing bits of ash from its sides like a backed up chimney. ”Even though I know who you are.”
Having mostly been looking around the room, trying not to appear too threatening, he turned his eyes back to Persephone to gauge her next reaction.
”I just thought if I stopped you from making a scene, you might start to wonder who I am. Maybe you’ll think of me kindly.” Flash started tracing some of the letters from the magical alphabet across his cloak. ”Maybe in the future you’ll see me and think ‘I won’t mess with that guy, he’s only ever been nice to me’, you know?”
Flash realized he was implying a good deal of future misbehavior on her part, but acting like she was a dainty flower would only lead to utter disbelief in his narrative. Instead, he took a chance on being direct. If he was right, people who liked to break rules also liked to break the conventions of proper discussion. It was still mostly uncharted territory for him, but he didn’t get to choose when opportunities like this arose.
”You looked like you really didn’t want to be caught. Maybe someday I’ll be in your shoes, and you’ll feel like helping me.”
@Persephone Barret
Last edited by Flash Holmwood on 29 Feb 2020, 05:25, edited 1 time in total.
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
29 Feb 2020, 02:36
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
Suspicion was one of the few emotions Persephone knew well, having had to be cautious simply to get through her days; if one’s guard was let down, if their eyes lost focus for an instant without a minimal sense of trust, people could shift. Flash could shift. The smile, warm and inviting as if implying he searched for friendliness in this conversation, was all rubber. A mask, one could call it. Few people that roamed Hogwarts, God forbid any of them belong to her own house, could partake in such ignorant practices as to smile at her without some sort of incentive on their own part. It was malpractice. There was a certain honor that pursued those in Slytherin, and that honor code didn’t consist of indirectness. Try to use me, get hit, walk away. Make it easy, Flash.@Flash Holmwood
Even aside from the straightforward logic that tangled with his actions, there was certain familiarity about the way he was. Perhaps the similarity lied in the way he spoke, the softness of his smile, his demeanor, of that she was immensely unsure. But it was familiar. There was an overwhelming sense of deja vu, and thinking back, the tone when he spoke her name sent a shiver down her spine, each vertebrae turning to ice, kept that way by the coldness of her heart.
It wasn’t long before it came to her. But it, no matter how traumatizing, wouldn’t frighten her any longer.
Before she was able to discontinue this in hopes of sparing them both, move him along to go play with the toddler girl, Flash was speaking again, grasping her attention with something as simple as an explanation. Persy was owed one, of course, and she might as well listen to whatever absurd clarification escaped his loose lips next. Leaning back in her seat and crossing her legs, she feigned an appearance of attention.
“Maybe in the future you’ll see me and think ‘I won’t mess with that guy, he’s only ever been nice to me’, you know?”
There was no point in choking away a quiet chuckle at his remark; he couldn’t have possibly been serious. This encounter as a whole, tainted by her uneasiness and his facade, was needless. Very rarely did the snake attack unprovoked; sometimes, though, the reasoning was unclear to the majority. Most were too small-minded to even attempt an understanding of her actions. It would be futile.
Longer than she wished, she thought of someone who did try to understand her. That incident had tilted her world upon its axis and bred vexation on its own. Perhaps there was no real right way to treat Persephone.
“I’d only ‘mess with you’ if you did something dumb, which you’re doing right now. Yeah, you helped me, thanks for that, I’ll definitely keep it in mind next time I set something on fire.”
More than likely, her method of speaking, laced with the toxicity of maliciousness, was uncalled for, a display of childlike rudeness. Flash, though, dared speak to her in the tone of a gentleman. A faux one, as they all were. No, she decided, that was entirely called for.
Don't talk like one of them, you're not. Even if you'd like to be. - Heath Ledger
Sta: 9 | Eva: 5 | Str: 7 | Wis: 7 | Arc: 5 | Acc: 7
29 Feb 2020, 23:28
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
It didn’t work. It was a shame too, because he thought he chose his words rather well. But it didn’t matter how good they were if they were falling on deaf ears. No point is ever accepted by nature of being unequivocally true. That was the dangerous nature of accepting truth as something that existed in some immaculate, inviolable state. Even though Flash learned this early in his life, he was still prone to feeling that his truth was the right one, and disappointed when others didn’t agree.
One of the times that Flash was questioning his oldest brother, he relayed a story, almost like a parable, of how transitive the nature of truth really was. Flash had once tried to repeat the story to one of his classmates at the Durham private school he went to, but since they were little kids, he was just told it sounded stupid. It never came out right when Flash tried to explain it, but it made sense to him when Val said it.
The basic principle was simple: everyone’s truth is different. One can attempt to know everyone, looking at little hints on their person, or what they do or don’t say, but their entire world is filled with truths unlike one’s own. To her, something he said was off, no matter how fair Flash thought he was being. He had to find the words she wanted to hear, ones that reflected the world as she saw it.
The only way to figure out what that might mean was to consider her words carefully. She seemed upset, as if something he said set her off. She said he was doing something stupid now, but what was he doing that was so objectionable? He hadn’t made any threats, tried his best to be polite, genuine, and honest with his intentions. It might have been the risk: the insinuation of future misdeeds. It was the weakest leg of his argument, in that it looked at her behavior from his point of view, and not hers. Terse, confrontational, persecuted.
”I’m sorry, Miss Persephone… I fear I’ve offended you. I only meant to say I hope we can get along. In my rambling it seems I implied you go around wreaking havoc for no reason at all.” Flash stood up again, as if suggesting he might leave if she decided the conversation was over. ”I’m not the kind of person who persecutes justified misbehavior. I just wanted to help.”
@Persephone Barret
One of the times that Flash was questioning his oldest brother, he relayed a story, almost like a parable, of how transitive the nature of truth really was. Flash had once tried to repeat the story to one of his classmates at the Durham private school he went to, but since they were little kids, he was just told it sounded stupid. It never came out right when Flash tried to explain it, but it made sense to him when Val said it.
The basic principle was simple: everyone’s truth is different. One can attempt to know everyone, looking at little hints on their person, or what they do or don’t say, but their entire world is filled with truths unlike one’s own. To her, something he said was off, no matter how fair Flash thought he was being. He had to find the words she wanted to hear, ones that reflected the world as she saw it.
The only way to figure out what that might mean was to consider her words carefully. She seemed upset, as if something he said set her off. She said he was doing something stupid now, but what was he doing that was so objectionable? He hadn’t made any threats, tried his best to be polite, genuine, and honest with his intentions. It might have been the risk: the insinuation of future misdeeds. It was the weakest leg of his argument, in that it looked at her behavior from his point of view, and not hers. Terse, confrontational, persecuted.
”I’m sorry, Miss Persephone… I fear I’ve offended you. I only meant to say I hope we can get along. In my rambling it seems I implied you go around wreaking havoc for no reason at all.” Flash stood up again, as if suggesting he might leave if she decided the conversation was over. ”I’m not the kind of person who persecutes justified misbehavior. I just wanted to help.”
@Persephone Barret
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
1 Mar 2020, 01:18
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
Remaining silent while her housemate spoke was, undoubtedly, one of the most challenging tasks Persephone had dared attempt. Perhaps someone else would’ve assumed that title was awarded to ruining the evening of ‘innocent’ party-goers, provided that was a difficult duty at all. Dare she call herself the bringer of karma, or would that be widely considered self-righteous? Hardly, the universe rarely did a fine job awarding the appropriate justice without some sort of motivation from those intelligent enough to distinguish the pure from the contaminated. Persy had learned this well over the course of the last three years, once her understanding of facades had advanced beyond belief. Everyone faked everything. Fact of life. Maybe someone desired to mask their vulnerability, while others decided to hide their lack there-of. Whatever the situation, it was greeted by well-established cover. No one was real. Persephone was no exception to this rule of thumb, she too announced her character in a web laced with lies.@Flash Holmwood
Disregarding these rules, tendencies of the majority, Persephone continued to feign perfect attentiveness as Flash announced his apology, admittedly impressed by the Slytherin boy’s acting skills. Every word which escaped his lips in such a polite manner, however, had a symbolic meaning beneath that. His vocabulary was formidable, spiced with a few phrases hinting a dose of formality. Beyond that, actually, Flash continued to masquerade a gentleman-like persona. Against her own will, his etiquette once again echoed in the voice of her own father, holding open doors and chivalrously assisting with groceries at the risk of tainting his ‘manhood’, as Alexandre often joked with a gentle smile. Shimmering in the light of the setting, no matter how dim. The grin was undeniably identical to the one Flash had exhibited mere moments ago.
Her melted eyes followed him as he stood, preparing to leave. If the boy hadn’t risked another line, clearly thoroughly planned, Persephone would’ve banished him with a wave of her hand, a warning disguised as a simple gesture. But, Flash dared roll the dice of fate and questioned his odds with a certain statement, two measly words finally grasping her true attention. Justified misbehavior, he’d said, a certain emphasis on the syllables that was oh so difficult to ignore. There was little to no chance that Flash was unaware of his actions, partaking in a trick as old as God in an attempt to regain her trust. Those kinds of foolhardy ploys were forlorn when used on Persephone.
Well, it couldn’t hurt to let it by once. It was the only educated thing he’d said since their introduction.
Still, walls were walls, and would be harder to break than that. Perhaps, at the very minimum, the blonde could at least imply he was welcome to remain in her company. As if that was a chore. Persy was a complete delight.
“I’m rarely offended, Flash. Just doing my part to maintain balance. I don’t need help, but what, exactly, motivates you to offer this to me? At the risk of, say, a concussion?”
Don't talk like one of them, you're not. Even if you'd like to be. - Heath Ledger
Sta: 9 | Eva: 5 | Str: 7 | Wis: 7 | Arc: 5 | Acc: 7
1 Mar 2020, 17:20
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
Why? Does she really want to know why, or does she want an excuse? An excuse to give him a concussion, as she so vividly put it. She seemed engaged in the conversation, even calling Flash by his name, as if acknowledging his right to be there. Despite that, her words were glutted with malice. She was still very unhappy with him, for what reason Flash had no clue. Likely, it was something unknowable. Maybe she hated people with blue eyes, or she had some secret vow to distrust all men. Quirks like that were hard to pin down when someone was keeping him at arm’s length, they often had more to do with memories, or trauma, rather than logic.
He could have ended it there without any fuss. He could have said something simple and vague and called the interaction a draw. Instead, he was drawn in by the challenge once again, even though the same impulse got him into a bad situation more than once already. He was being honest with himself: he was much more interested in talking to Persephone more than he was getting off scot free. Wasn’t this the ‘fun’ that Burnett told him he was supposed to be having?
”I wish I could give you an answer you’d like, but something tells me you aren’t as thankful as you say you are.” Flash paced back and forth down the aisle between the desks, watching her carefully, but prepared to dodge a projectile to the face if need be. ”Did I do something wrong?”
@Persephone Barret
He could have ended it there without any fuss. He could have said something simple and vague and called the interaction a draw. Instead, he was drawn in by the challenge once again, even though the same impulse got him into a bad situation more than once already. He was being honest with himself: he was much more interested in talking to Persephone more than he was getting off scot free. Wasn’t this the ‘fun’ that Burnett told him he was supposed to be having?
”I wish I could give you an answer you’d like, but something tells me you aren’t as thankful as you say you are.” Flash paced back and forth down the aisle between the desks, watching her carefully, but prepared to dodge a projectile to the face if need be. ”Did I do something wrong?”
@Persephone Barret
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
1 Mar 2020, 21:05
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
With a superiority complex such as her own, it was obnoxiously difficult to give credit where credit was due. Being manipulative, condescending, outright violent, it wasn’t a barbaric lifestyle. It was methodical, and Persephone often overlooked the efforts of her peers to partake in a similar strategy. Watching Flash, the boy was not violent, doing his damaging deeds through a more subtle method. The ability wasn’t beyond her, the act of choosing your words with such strategy as to course someone into thinking exactly as you wished, but deeper instincts informed her that his intentions were beyond that. She was, undoubtedly, sick and tired of listening to him talk like a gentleman. In the next passing moments, perhaps he would drop that act and be genuine. Although, this was much to ask of him, considering she hardly planned on doing the same. Honesty was a dangerous thing. It could get you killed. Regardless, the blonde would offer him this chance before exploding into bits.@Flash Holmwood
Still, being miles and miles away and not being able to push her own father from her mind. Without even realizing it, this brown-haired Slytherin was torturing her gracefully.
Her eyes downcast as a slow breath escaped her lips. “At this point, you must be aware I have no intention of hitting you. So what are you getting out of this conversation?” Directness was not her forte, but a fine-drawn approach clearly wouldn’t get the answer she desired.
It had been a great while since the girl had the luxury of partaking in an intelligent conversation. All chances of cordial interactions had been tossed away with that cup of boiling tea, with one swift motion everyone had lost interest in her. The fear factor that she’d assumed would satisfy her instead plagued her with loneliness. As event-less days passed, the malice glares became less frequent. Persy had vanished yet again, another nameless face. Especially, to the few that mattered.
But, regardless, Persy didn’t wish for friends, or even acquaintances. Instead, she longed to have the light shine on her once again. To mean something. Besides, weakness came along with relationships, platonic or not. Filling the silence, Persephone laughed quietly at the realization of this, the shift from grey to colorful. Soon enough, she would be drained of this yet again, and live her life in quiet grey.
Don't talk like one of them, you're not. Even if you'd like to be. - Heath Ledger
Sta: 9 | Eva: 5 | Str: 7 | Wis: 7 | Arc: 5 | Acc: 7
2 Mar 2020, 01:25
Igniting A Forbidden Flame
Flash walked forwards and back, at that point the class was completely empty. The silence that surrounded them started to become more evident as even the halls nearby became more and more vacant. Echoing footsteps grew more and more distant. It was a break in the class schedule, normally Flash would have gone to the courtyard with a group of girls he knew from Transfiguration, and they would talk about current affairs and what everyone is getting up to before the next class would start. He would usually meet them there, since he liked to make sure his notes were complete before he packed up. He wondered if they noticed he wasn’t there.
There was only so much time they could expect to be left alone before Professor Lian came back to prepare for the next class. He didn’t have all of the professors’ class schedules memorized yet, but he at least knew Transfiguration had a class right after his, since he had already once had to be kicked out for sticking around too long. The time it took was about twenty minutes, since Professor Lian was a particularly dutiful teacher. Flash took a peek at his watch, noting that they only had ten minutes left, since they had only started talking a bit after class had ended. It was plenty of time.
Still, nothing he said seemed to garner much of a reaction. Like a few others he had met, she was guarded. For the first few years when Flash started learning about the art of speaking, his classmates at the private school had molded to his words easily, as if they had spent their whole lives waiting for someone to come along and tell them what to think. Most wizards and witches, he found, were not like that at all. It was a difficult lesson to learn after having had so much success in the past, but he was getting used to it.
Then it occurred to him. My speech. It’s too proper. This isn’t Durham. This isn’t high society. It was all he had ever known, talking any less formally was a matter of bringing shame on his family name. His sister had made the point quite clearly-- if he acted rudely, or unsightly, he would be ignored. Excavated from the family unit, like carving a bruised slice off of an apple. Behaving any other way felt like uncharted territory, as though it was a no man’s land where he’d be gunned down if he tried to run through it. When he thought about the students at Hogwarts, and how wildly varied their backgrounds were, it only became more obvious.
”Getting out of it? An ally, I thought.” Flash stopped his pacing and looked at her thoughtfully. He had a few theories he wanted to test. ”I regret that… I mean… I’m sorry. The way I talk… bothers you, doesn’t it? You wouldn’t be the first person to complain.”
Instead of waiting for a response, he continued, ”I sound disingenuous, don’t I? At home we would have guests over all the time. Important people, people who could affect our livelihood. If I didn’t talk like this, I would be locked in my room instead, for however long they were there. Hours.”
It wasn’t something he did lightly. Flash didn’t talk about himself, not unless it would help his image, or he was asked directly. He hated to use it, he didn’t like the idea of something coming back to bite him later, and preferred to keep his personal life completely unknowable. Val had always managed it, and it was that part of him that made everyone powerless to stop him from achieving his goals. However, it was unlikely that Val never talked about himself at all. Flash didn’t know what information was safe and what wasn’t, so he hid everything.
It would deftly prove his theory, though, if he were right.
@Persephone Barret
There was only so much time they could expect to be left alone before Professor Lian came back to prepare for the next class. He didn’t have all of the professors’ class schedules memorized yet, but he at least knew Transfiguration had a class right after his, since he had already once had to be kicked out for sticking around too long. The time it took was about twenty minutes, since Professor Lian was a particularly dutiful teacher. Flash took a peek at his watch, noting that they only had ten minutes left, since they had only started talking a bit after class had ended. It was plenty of time.
Still, nothing he said seemed to garner much of a reaction. Like a few others he had met, she was guarded. For the first few years when Flash started learning about the art of speaking, his classmates at the private school had molded to his words easily, as if they had spent their whole lives waiting for someone to come along and tell them what to think. Most wizards and witches, he found, were not like that at all. It was a difficult lesson to learn after having had so much success in the past, but he was getting used to it.
Then it occurred to him. My speech. It’s too proper. This isn’t Durham. This isn’t high society. It was all he had ever known, talking any less formally was a matter of bringing shame on his family name. His sister had made the point quite clearly-- if he acted rudely, or unsightly, he would be ignored. Excavated from the family unit, like carving a bruised slice off of an apple. Behaving any other way felt like uncharted territory, as though it was a no man’s land where he’d be gunned down if he tried to run through it. When he thought about the students at Hogwarts, and how wildly varied their backgrounds were, it only became more obvious.
”Getting out of it? An ally, I thought.” Flash stopped his pacing and looked at her thoughtfully. He had a few theories he wanted to test. ”I regret that… I mean… I’m sorry. The way I talk… bothers you, doesn’t it? You wouldn’t be the first person to complain.”
Instead of waiting for a response, he continued, ”I sound disingenuous, don’t I? At home we would have guests over all the time. Important people, people who could affect our livelihood. If I didn’t talk like this, I would be locked in my room instead, for however long they were there. Hours.”
It wasn’t something he did lightly. Flash didn’t talk about himself, not unless it would help his image, or he was asked directly. He hated to use it, he didn’t like the idea of something coming back to bite him later, and preferred to keep his personal life completely unknowable. Val had always managed it, and it was that part of him that made everyone powerless to stop him from achieving his goals. However, it was unlikely that Val never talked about himself at all. Flash didn’t know what information was safe and what wasn’t, so he hid everything.
It would deftly prove his theory, though, if he were right.
@Persephone Barret
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15