Freya Thomas
Toeing the Line
Freya had been waiting all year for the lessons on Muggles to start, yet the professors had only mentioned her people in passing. Although it was February, and she had been at Hogwarts for quite some time, she still did not fully feel like a witch. She liked Hogwarts just fine, but Freya missed the silly things like swings and cooking and drain snakes.
The bright spot, what made her want to return, was Transfiguration. Though the professor was intimidating, and Freya was afraid to speak to her, she appreciated her deep knowledge of the subject and the mathematical terms required to understand its intricacies. The thought of missing out on understanding how magic was able to shape-shift using mathematics made Freya long for the school and its wide halls of mystery. The bathrooms may work a little too well, but Freya felt that she still had things to discover and understand.
It also helped that Mum and Dad told her that she couldn't drop out due to a "wasted opportunity." Freya spent a bit of time arguing that she was missing out on the opportunity to learn more about Pipeline Plumbing, but they did not seem to understand how desperately the company needed its apprentice. After a few stomps and many tears, the blonde found herself returning on the Hogwarts Express for another term.
It was perhaps the long winter that made her really miss home, and while her parents diligently responded to her letters, Freya just wanted her bed and to ride around in the truck and just be a "Muggle," whatever that was. She often wondered why this large group of people, who were so important to her, were rarely discussed or bothered with in the wizarding world. At the very least, Freya felt she needed to take it upon herself to learn more about the world she came from, from the wizarding perspective.
The library, where she spent her day this late afternoon on a particularly frigid day in February, had an adequate amount of resources, but Freya wanted more. As she sat in a desk, nose deep in a book entitled, Muggle Money: Why Are There So Many Types?, her eyes wandered over the the restricted section. Were there secrets about Muggles, about why it felt like they ignored, over there? Was there something that was going to make Freya hate Dad, Mum, Grandpa, and Grandma?
The crease in her brow deepened as she examined the entrance. Freya knew that the restricted section was, well, restricted, but it was just right...there. So accessible. If the Hogwarts staff really didn't want students to go in there, they would have hidden the books somewhere more secretive, wouldn't they? Freya wasn't small, but she was only eleven. They certainly wouldn't notice if she just had a little look, even if she wasn't the most conspicuous in her dress: plaid, long-sleeved shirt, overalls, and wand shoved in the front pocket.
As she motioned to rise, Freya ran her right hand through her hair, messing it up so that she looked like an unkempt doll. Her large bow sank lower, toward her ear, but she did not make efforts to fix it, for she was on a mission to solve the problem of inadequate information. After a few careful paces, she was beyond the barrier, and a few more led her to the first aisle.
Her eyes scanned the shelves, looking for anything that stood out as particularly Muggle-sounding. As she continued onward, they grew into small slits, focused on the task before her. She had to know if there was something wrong with her family, she couldn't bear it if wizards said that Dad and plumbing weren't good enough. Freya's mind was so enraptured in the challenging task at hand that she certainly would not notice anyone watching her careful shuffling down the line.
The bright spot, what made her want to return, was Transfiguration. Though the professor was intimidating, and Freya was afraid to speak to her, she appreciated her deep knowledge of the subject and the mathematical terms required to understand its intricacies. The thought of missing out on understanding how magic was able to shape-shift using mathematics made Freya long for the school and its wide halls of mystery. The bathrooms may work a little too well, but Freya felt that she still had things to discover and understand.
It also helped that Mum and Dad told her that she couldn't drop out due to a "wasted opportunity." Freya spent a bit of time arguing that she was missing out on the opportunity to learn more about Pipeline Plumbing, but they did not seem to understand how desperately the company needed its apprentice. After a few stomps and many tears, the blonde found herself returning on the Hogwarts Express for another term.
It was perhaps the long winter that made her really miss home, and while her parents diligently responded to her letters, Freya just wanted her bed and to ride around in the truck and just be a "Muggle," whatever that was. She often wondered why this large group of people, who were so important to her, were rarely discussed or bothered with in the wizarding world. At the very least, Freya felt she needed to take it upon herself to learn more about the world she came from, from the wizarding perspective.
The library, where she spent her day this late afternoon on a particularly frigid day in February, had an adequate amount of resources, but Freya wanted more. As she sat in a desk, nose deep in a book entitled, Muggle Money: Why Are There So Many Types?, her eyes wandered over the the restricted section. Were there secrets about Muggles, about why it felt like they ignored, over there? Was there something that was going to make Freya hate Dad, Mum, Grandpa, and Grandma?
The crease in her brow deepened as she examined the entrance. Freya knew that the restricted section was, well, restricted, but it was just right...there. So accessible. If the Hogwarts staff really didn't want students to go in there, they would have hidden the books somewhere more secretive, wouldn't they? Freya wasn't small, but she was only eleven. They certainly wouldn't notice if she just had a little look, even if she wasn't the most conspicuous in her dress: plaid, long-sleeved shirt, overalls, and wand shoved in the front pocket.
As she motioned to rise, Freya ran her right hand through her hair, messing it up so that she looked like an unkempt doll. Her large bow sank lower, toward her ear, but she did not make efforts to fix it, for she was on a mission to solve the problem of inadequate information. After a few careful paces, she was beyond the barrier, and a few more led her to the first aisle.
Her eyes scanned the shelves, looking for anything that stood out as particularly Muggle-sounding. As she continued onward, they grew into small slits, focused on the task before her. She had to know if there was something wrong with her family, she couldn't bear it if wizards said that Dad and plumbing weren't good enough. Freya's mind was so enraptured in the challenging task at hand that she certainly would not notice anyone watching her careful shuffling down the line.
Last edited by Freya Thomas on 26 Feb 2020, 06:22, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: change to rpg :)
Toeing the Line
Flash couldn’t be everywhere at once, so he was always glad when he turned out to be in the right place at the right time. His eyes were always looking around him, taking note of what everyone was doing. Most of the time the students were all lost in their own world, following straight forward, never veering from the path they saw before them. Those that veered were easy to spot, such as a first year in her tacky casual clothes walking back towards the forbidden section of the library.
Flash left his books on the table where he had been studying, the small vases and flowers still littered around from when he had decorated the library with Lark and Opeila. Because of that, he was in a good mood, and the thought of catching a naive student in the act of breaking the rules was even more appealing. The area was clearly marked off with a rope, and was only accessible by students with written consent from a teacher. That wasn’t all though, with that consent one needed to get the librarian to go fetch the book they needed for them. Young students weren’t supposed to venture there, period.
He trailed behind her quietly, having to make sure she intended to break them, and not just look at the forbidden books forlornly, trying to read the titles on the spine as Flash himself sometimes did. He wasn’t wrong, she quickly ducked under the rope and was exactly where she wasn’t supposed to be. At that time in the day, there was no one else nearby, and the caretaker wouldn’t be around to the library for their rounds in a while. Flash was there, though.
He slid over to the rope and put his hand on it gently, as if exemplifying its presence.
”Excuse me, Miss…?” Flash spoke out, in a soft, questioning voice. He was interested to see who she would end up being.
@Freya Thomas
Flash left his books on the table where he had been studying, the small vases and flowers still littered around from when he had decorated the library with Lark and Opeila. Because of that, he was in a good mood, and the thought of catching a naive student in the act of breaking the rules was even more appealing. The area was clearly marked off with a rope, and was only accessible by students with written consent from a teacher. That wasn’t all though, with that consent one needed to get the librarian to go fetch the book they needed for them. Young students weren’t supposed to venture there, period.
He trailed behind her quietly, having to make sure she intended to break them, and not just look at the forbidden books forlornly, trying to read the titles on the spine as Flash himself sometimes did. He wasn’t wrong, she quickly ducked under the rope and was exactly where she wasn’t supposed to be. At that time in the day, there was no one else nearby, and the caretaker wouldn’t be around to the library for their rounds in a while. Flash was there, though.
He slid over to the rope and put his hand on it gently, as if exemplifying its presence.
”Excuse me, Miss…?” Flash spoke out, in a soft, questioning voice. He was interested to see who she would end up being.
@Freya Thomas
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
Freya Thomas
Toeing the Line
She was so lost at looking at the books, trying to find something of use to answer her question, that Freya did not notice the boy trailing her. He was silent, like a jaguar searching for his prey, waiting for the perfect second to pounce. Little did the carnivore know, Freya was so lost in her mission of proper plumbing propaganda that she was an easy catch.
The voice, though soft, was enough to make her jump. Perplexed, she turned toward the direction of the voice, ruffling her bowl cut just a bit more swiftly. As she took in the sight in front of her, her eyes narrowed and her brow created its familiar crease, settling in for the ride of concentration. His hand rested on the barrier with confidence, though he seemed to be just as juvenile as she, without any more inherent power than she. In reality, however, the situation brought him a leverage over her that the clever girl could understand. Freya was a natural problem solver, but she would need to fully analyze just how to get herself out of this predicament.
His questioning voice trailed off, the silence carrying an expectation that she would complete it. Control, he had the control, and until she could take apart this puzzle, she would have to follow his desires. "Thomas," she mumbled as her pupils attempted to connect with his blue eyes. Though her eyes were just as blue, albeit less bright, they would be hard to make out due to how concentrated her look was.
She allowed a long pause as she took in the face, moving her focus from the eyes up to the spiky hair, then down to take in the athletic build. Freya hoped that the silence made him feel awkward, so that she could take back some of her power from the jaguar-boy. When she had deemed it long enough, approximately thirty seconds, Freya volleyed back the question: "And you?"
The ball was in his possession; hopefully he maneuvered it long enough that she could figure out exactly how to steal and score. There was nothing like an underdog victory to brighten one's day.
The voice, though soft, was enough to make her jump. Perplexed, she turned toward the direction of the voice, ruffling her bowl cut just a bit more swiftly. As she took in the sight in front of her, her eyes narrowed and her brow created its familiar crease, settling in for the ride of concentration. His hand rested on the barrier with confidence, though he seemed to be just as juvenile as she, without any more inherent power than she. In reality, however, the situation brought him a leverage over her that the clever girl could understand. Freya was a natural problem solver, but she would need to fully analyze just how to get herself out of this predicament.
His questioning voice trailed off, the silence carrying an expectation that she would complete it. Control, he had the control, and until she could take apart this puzzle, she would have to follow his desires. "Thomas," she mumbled as her pupils attempted to connect with his blue eyes. Though her eyes were just as blue, albeit less bright, they would be hard to make out due to how concentrated her look was.
She allowed a long pause as she took in the face, moving her focus from the eyes up to the spiky hair, then down to take in the athletic build. Freya hoped that the silence made him feel awkward, so that she could take back some of her power from the jaguar-boy. When she had deemed it long enough, approximately thirty seconds, Freya volleyed back the question: "And you?"
The ball was in his possession; hopefully he maneuvered it long enough that she could figure out exactly how to steal and score. There was nothing like an underdog victory to brighten one's day.
Toeing the Line
The girl had a stubborn kind of reaction. It certainly wasn’t what Flash had been expecting. He thought she might be shocked, or apologetic, begging him not to tell anyone what she had done. Instead, she answered him begrudgingly, as if he was wasting her time by asking. Not that Flash was intimidated by confrontation, it was always part of the social equation to expect the unexpected.
”Miss Thomas, I wish we could have met under better circumstances. My name is Flash Holmwood.” Flash tapped his fingers on the rope. ”Maybe you weren’t around for orientation, but I thought I would help you out. This section of the library is restricted. If the librarian or caretaker knew you were back here, you would get in a lot of trouble.”
She seemed to scan him, like she was analyzing him. Was she going to try to fight him on this? He was curious to see her try, what with her being in a remarkably bad position to argue. Though, the worse the position, the less one had to lose by trying anything. He couldn't allow himself to underestimate her without knowing what she was capable of. He didn't even know what house she was from, just half of her name and the fact that she broke the rules in order to see forbidden knowledge. A Ravenclaw, perhaps?
”It’s a good thing I found you instead. Unlike them, I can be convinced to look the other way.” Flash offered an olive branch, interested to see what she would do with it.
@Freya Thomas
”Miss Thomas, I wish we could have met under better circumstances. My name is Flash Holmwood.” Flash tapped his fingers on the rope. ”Maybe you weren’t around for orientation, but I thought I would help you out. This section of the library is restricted. If the librarian or caretaker knew you were back here, you would get in a lot of trouble.”
She seemed to scan him, like she was analyzing him. Was she going to try to fight him on this? He was curious to see her try, what with her being in a remarkably bad position to argue. Though, the worse the position, the less one had to lose by trying anything. He couldn't allow himself to underestimate her without knowing what she was capable of. He didn't even know what house she was from, just half of her name and the fact that she broke the rules in order to see forbidden knowledge. A Ravenclaw, perhaps?
”It’s a good thing I found you instead. Unlike them, I can be convinced to look the other way.” Flash offered an olive branch, interested to see what she would do with it.
@Freya Thomas
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
Freya Thomas
Toeing the Line
OOC: Sorry for the wait.
Freya still could not make great sense of what this boy was to do, as he spoke of the restricted section as though he knew something she did not. She knew it was restricted, of course; had he not seen her move past the guarded entryway? Did he think that she was dense for not understanding the purpose of a rope blocking a large amount of books?
She continued to stare at the boy, trying to make sense of what he was saying. He looked to be of her age; if he was older, he could not have been much more than a few years. He did not bear a badge of superiority, like the other students she had seen in the corridors, yet he still wore a look of presumptive power, as though he had a control over her. What that control was, however, was unclear to Freya. Was he not just a normal first year, like her? The only advantage he could possibly have was having more magical experience than she, as she was a Muggleborn...but she was proud of her heritage and refused to let anyone make her feel as though she had any less worth.
When he continued by saying that it was a good thing that he found her, as he could look the other way, Freya's brow furrowed deeper. This Flash truly was the jaguar she had projected previously, trying to hunt her as his prey. But why? And for what purpose? She needed him to elaborate. He seemed to possess a great threat, and one misstep could lead her into heaps of trouble.
"The other way?" She asked carefully, attempting to connect with his eyes with such concentration that only the pupils of her eyes would be fully visible. "And why, perhaps, do I need to convince you to look elsewhere?"
She did not mean this comment maliciously, only of curiosity, though it was possible to interpret differently due to the intense expression on her face. Freya's face of concentration often came off as ill-spirited or malicious, though she was not entirely aware of what the expression communicated. In her mind, she was merely asking a question to see the other person's perspective, so that she could solve whatever problem this Flash character deemed worth discussion.
Freya still could not make great sense of what this boy was to do, as he spoke of the restricted section as though he knew something she did not. She knew it was restricted, of course; had he not seen her move past the guarded entryway? Did he think that she was dense for not understanding the purpose of a rope blocking a large amount of books?
She continued to stare at the boy, trying to make sense of what he was saying. He looked to be of her age; if he was older, he could not have been much more than a few years. He did not bear a badge of superiority, like the other students she had seen in the corridors, yet he still wore a look of presumptive power, as though he had a control over her. What that control was, however, was unclear to Freya. Was he not just a normal first year, like her? The only advantage he could possibly have was having more magical experience than she, as she was a Muggleborn...but she was proud of her heritage and refused to let anyone make her feel as though she had any less worth.
When he continued by saying that it was a good thing that he found her, as he could look the other way, Freya's brow furrowed deeper. This Flash truly was the jaguar she had projected previously, trying to hunt her as his prey. But why? And for what purpose? She needed him to elaborate. He seemed to possess a great threat, and one misstep could lead her into heaps of trouble.
"The other way?" She asked carefully, attempting to connect with his eyes with such concentration that only the pupils of her eyes would be fully visible. "And why, perhaps, do I need to convince you to look elsewhere?"
She did not mean this comment maliciously, only of curiosity, though it was possible to interpret differently due to the intense expression on her face. Freya's face of concentration often came off as ill-spirited or malicious, though she was not entirely aware of what the expression communicated. In her mind, she was merely asking a question to see the other person's perspective, so that she could solve whatever problem this Flash character deemed worth discussion.
Toeing the Line
Flash’s smile faded, dropping to his natural state-- no expression at all. He realized as she answered that she not only knew that she was breaking the rules, but that she evidently didn’t care at all. He would respect her brashness if it didn’t simultaneously cause him great annoyance. Arguments with very little grounding in cause and effect were a bane to Flash’s measured approach. He hated that in order to grab the influence he wanted, he had to deal with these types so often. Troublemakers were a difficult brood to reason with.
He couldn’t let his exasperation show on his face however. It could well be that she was calling his bluff. While he could always tell on her as a means of finishing their interaction, it wasn’t what he really wanted. If she got detention for doing something wrong, the justice may have been served, but he would get nothing in return. In fact, at most he could expect to get her endured ire, and she could wish to get back at him for it. In this regard, being belligerent about the repercussion of one's actions was the best defense one could have against Flash’s prying.
Had she stumbled upon that tactic, or was she really that smart? Either way, Flash would need to shift his method of approach, his current one was doing him no favors. She squinted at him seriously, as if he was speaking some kind of foreign language and she was trying to translate in real time. That was his next goal-- to figure out what language she understood.
”Why…?” Flash bought a tiny bit of time by reiterating her question, even though the reason should have been obvious, the fact that it wasn’t only meant her values weren’t congruous with the rest of the student population. ”Breaking the rules results in a detention. I thought you might be interested in avoiding that, but it seems I was wrong.”
Flash’s icy eyes scanned the place they occupied, where she stood and her expression of scrutiny, coming to a quick conclusion.
”You care much more about what’s in here than you do about being caught, is it? What were you looking for, perhaps I could help.” So long as Flash was on the other side of the rope, he was not breaking the rules. Nothing in the rules said he couldn't ask someone on the other side to read something out loud, however. It was an interesting thought.
@Freya Thomas
He couldn’t let his exasperation show on his face however. It could well be that she was calling his bluff. While he could always tell on her as a means of finishing their interaction, it wasn’t what he really wanted. If she got detention for doing something wrong, the justice may have been served, but he would get nothing in return. In fact, at most he could expect to get her endured ire, and she could wish to get back at him for it. In this regard, being belligerent about the repercussion of one's actions was the best defense one could have against Flash’s prying.
Had she stumbled upon that tactic, or was she really that smart? Either way, Flash would need to shift his method of approach, his current one was doing him no favors. She squinted at him seriously, as if he was speaking some kind of foreign language and she was trying to translate in real time. That was his next goal-- to figure out what language she understood.
”Why…?” Flash bought a tiny bit of time by reiterating her question, even though the reason should have been obvious, the fact that it wasn’t only meant her values weren’t congruous with the rest of the student population. ”Breaking the rules results in a detention. I thought you might be interested in avoiding that, but it seems I was wrong.”
Flash’s icy eyes scanned the place they occupied, where she stood and her expression of scrutiny, coming to a quick conclusion.
”You care much more about what’s in here than you do about being caught, is it? What were you looking for, perhaps I could help.” So long as Flash was on the other side of the rope, he was not breaking the rules. Nothing in the rules said he couldn't ask someone on the other side to read something out loud, however. It was an interesting thought.
@Freya Thomas
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
Freya Thomas
Toeing the Line
The boy continued to be a mystery, offering threats though she had said nothing malicious. Freya did not understand what had brought him to such hostile responses, but his blank face revealed nothing. When he threatened detention, Freya curled her left lip and brow in confusion, knowing that she'd have to get herself out of this, fast. "I could, and though you wear robes of green, it seems that my own house would have benefitted to have you," she started, cautiously. "But I suppose I think, what benefit would it have for you if I got detention?"
She studied the boy once more, wondering if she could crack that blank expression and dig in to his true purpose. Freya did not have much time, however, as it seemed that he was curious enough to ask a follow up question. Though their houses differed, it seemed the two were equal in thinking, wanting to understand the other's motives.
His question brought a sense of shame that Freya had not expected, shame that she would risk a detention, risk the reputation of her house, for something that Hogwarts rarely talked about or valued, Muggles. It was with a quiet voice that she answered, "...plumbing." She considered adding detail, then hesitated once more, instead giving way to watery eyes of embarrassment. How peculiar it was that detention did not bring the surge of sadness, but instead something she thought of as her entire identity? But she did not trust this boy to say more, not with how he had already been acting. Therefore, though she normally felt pride in her family, she gave way to silence and shame, instead.
OOC: If my assumption on clothing is incorrect, please owl me. Also sorry it's short
She studied the boy once more, wondering if she could crack that blank expression and dig in to his true purpose. Freya did not have much time, however, as it seemed that he was curious enough to ask a follow up question. Though their houses differed, it seemed the two were equal in thinking, wanting to understand the other's motives.
His question brought a sense of shame that Freya had not expected, shame that she would risk a detention, risk the reputation of her house, for something that Hogwarts rarely talked about or valued, Muggles. It was with a quiet voice that she answered, "...plumbing." She considered adding detail, then hesitated once more, instead giving way to watery eyes of embarrassment. How peculiar it was that detention did not bring the surge of sadness, but instead something she thought of as her entire identity? But she did not trust this boy to say more, not with how he had already been acting. Therefore, though she normally felt pride in her family, she gave way to silence and shame, instead.
OOC: If my assumption on clothing is incorrect, please owl me. Also sorry it's short
Toeing the Line
Flash had underplayed his hand a bit to see if she had actually read the rules of the library, as it appeared she had not. Going into the forbidden section wasn’t just a detention. It was a lifetime ban from the Hogwarts library, a capital offense. Even students without a single studious bone in their body would have something to fear from that kind of punishment. Perhaps they would have let her off easy for not having known better, but that seemed unlikely.
In the end, though he could respect her intelligence in detecting the changes in his mode of conversation, he could only feel sorry for her as her eyes started to mist over. He hated seeing girls cry, he wasn’t used to it. He was supposed to be the nice guy, the one the girls all thought could do no wrong. How was he supposed to demand anything of a tearful 11-year-old, then?
”Come on out then. You won’t find any of those kinds of books back there.” Flash stepped aside, waving her along like a member of traffic control. ”I already asked around about muggle books. There’s practically nothing.”
He and Sylvain had read one of the books he had found together, but that had been a piece of fiction, probably left by a muggle alumni rather than actually being chosen by the staff. The memory, at least, made him happy, as the interaction had soured him completely. Why she had suddenly become more morose, or why she needed to know more about plumbing while studying magic he couldn’t know. The best he could do in that situation was come out of it with a clean reputation.
”If you’re wondering, they do the plumbing with magic.” Flash’s voice was sardonic, even though he ought to have been holding back to spare her feelings. He was bitter. ”Big surprise, right?”
@Freya Thomas
In the end, though he could respect her intelligence in detecting the changes in his mode of conversation, he could only feel sorry for her as her eyes started to mist over. He hated seeing girls cry, he wasn’t used to it. He was supposed to be the nice guy, the one the girls all thought could do no wrong. How was he supposed to demand anything of a tearful 11-year-old, then?
”Come on out then. You won’t find any of those kinds of books back there.” Flash stepped aside, waving her along like a member of traffic control. ”I already asked around about muggle books. There’s practically nothing.”
He and Sylvain had read one of the books he had found together, but that had been a piece of fiction, probably left by a muggle alumni rather than actually being chosen by the staff. The memory, at least, made him happy, as the interaction had soured him completely. Why she had suddenly become more morose, or why she needed to know more about plumbing while studying magic he couldn’t know. The best he could do in that situation was come out of it with a clean reputation.
”If you’re wondering, they do the plumbing with magic.” Flash’s voice was sardonic, even though he ought to have been holding back to spare her feelings. He was bitter. ”Big surprise, right?”
@Freya Thomas
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