International Women's Day Errand

Interacting with @Pericles Dralt
Current word count: First post (559) + Second post (419) + Third post (279) = 1,257

Breana's eyes glanced around at the new boy coming up to the table, who also had a couple of books on his person... at least, one book and a couple of personal stuff. She never really interacted with him, but she has seen him walking around the Common Rooms, and sometimes in the large hallways near the classes. If it weren't for that, she would've thought he'd be in the Slytherin house, with his posture emitting an almost regal look to the young boy. She couldn't help but peek a bit on the first letter he worked on. "Good to know a lot of us are writing to our moms." Breana thought, looking back to her letter as she tried to scrawl on the letter, trying to replicate the picture the book has of her mother. It's not an exact copy, but Breana figured her mother would get a laugh out of it. She then wrote down how cool her mother was with her achievements in Potions class, and also how Breana herself would hope to make her happy with her own achievements someday.

She looked back at the boy, now raising an eyebrow as she's curious with what he's doing. "Is he... poking the paper?" She thought. She also noticed how arranged the dots were, so they definitely weren't decorations. "Is that Braille...?" She said aloud, her thoughts slipping through her mouth. Breana covered her lips the minute she said it, looking up at the boy with an embarrassed expression on her face. "A-ah! Sorry about that, I-- er..." She scratched the back of her head. "My dad's bookshop had braille books before, so the dots looked kinda familiar... Uhm, sorry if I was prying..."

Interacting with @Mildred Wilson @Ruthie Greer @Griseldis Edelhardt @Lydia Cooper

She looked over at Ruthie as she asked if Willow made these and she quickly nodded. "I did! The ones that aren't pink and purple I made awhile ago, but for those ones I made them over the past couple days because I thought it might be cute if a lot of us ended up matching because of this event." She was proud of coming up with that idea, although she was now significantly low on pink and purple yarn it was worth the sacrifice to bring everyone together in a different way. The other prefect Griseldis approached her as well, doubling down on the compliments on her bracelets and a blush spread across her cheeks from all the praise. She honestly missed sending owls to her, but it was great that they were getting to interact in person for once. "Hi Griseldis! Thank you, I really enjoy making them and I want to spread the love today."

When Mildred complimented her she smiled warmly, "I drew a lot of plants at home growing up, so it's just kind of something I've developed over the years. I don't really do crafts, just drawing and friendship bracelets so this is a bit different for me but I enjoy it!" She didn't realize she could get even happier when Lydia joined the table, "Hi Lydia! It's so nice to see you again, it's been awhile." She finished working on the card for her mom and pulled out a light purple paper and began on her card for Mildred. Something about Mildred was easy to trust and like and she was hoping this would help solidify a friendship for the future.

She was drawing outlines of poppies all around the front of the card as a frame, accenting it with a pink ink that she found in Professor Equinox's crate which was was becoming more and more grateful for him bringing it. As Willow looked up from working on her card she realized just how many people had joined into the event. It made her heart happy realizing how many people want to come together and celebrate and learn about influential women. Her school never had anything like this, so it was a welcome change of activity. She opened up the card and began to draw a simple drawing of Mildred and Willow laughing together, she was never too great at drawing people but she hoped she could do them justice.

She worked in silence, mainly liking to concentrate on her art in front of her instead of talking because it would often mess her up in her process. She let the conversation buzz around her, time seemingly going quickly by as she finished off the details of her card. She lightly blew on it to help the ink dry before closing it and sliding it over to Mildred. "I hope you like it, I felt like poppies suited you for some reason."

Word Count: 524^{1st Post} + 290^{2nd Post} + 491^{This Post} = 1,305 words.
Errand complete, open to interaction!

((Interacting with @Breana Oliveire))

Upon realizing he was being spoken to, Pericles glanced up with a small smile perking into place. It was a calm curve, nearly neutral, though his eyes were more telling. The odd silvers flashed a flicker of interest, gleaming like a mirror. While she wasn't wearing their House colors, he had peripheral memories of the witch: he liked her hair, and was sure he recalled seeing the fellow eagle in a distinctly stylish hat. Her name was lost to him however. It wasn't that the lad did not care to recall it; rather, names only overheard had a way of escaping him, and would continue to elude until asked for outright.

Breana's nervous chatter did not seem to disturb nor disrupt Peri. He simply smiled on through it, patient, pondering, until the poor girl trailed off. When at last he spoke, it was in a mild manner with a cadence as carefully composed as his posture. "Please don't apologize. Curiosity is indicative of a malleable mind, my father says, and is irrefutably beneficial in moderation." The young pureblood crinkled his freckled nose with a boyish smile, harshly contrasting the formality of his father's words. Peri had faced a fifty-fifty possibility of being placed in either Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Evidently, wisdom had narrowly outdone ambition. A hand waved over the poked parchment before his shoulders shrugged. "It is braille, or at least, I certainly hope it is." The sheen of sheepishness that tinted his smile suggested this was not a show of snark. "I've never written it before now, but I tried following this book's key as closely as I could. I can only imagine being so lucky as to have a family-owned book shop. You could learn t'do anything that way...."

His airy words hung in the air as Peri stole a glimpse at the girl's own letter, then his eyes went wide beyond rectangular-framed glasses. "...like drawing. That looks really good." Teeth flashed under a fleeting crooked grin. Pulling the parchment glued to blue towards him, the boy unabashedly pried back: "D'you think you could sketch something for me, like a flower? I would pay your for your time of course."

((Word Count: 817+362= 1,179, completed but posting til end of interaction))

Interacting with @Pericles Dralt
Current word count: First post (559) + Second post (419) + Third post (279) = 1,257 [Stopped counting, but will still post until the end of the interaction.]

"Please don't apologize. Curiosity is indicative of a malleable mind, my father says, and is irrefutably beneficial in moderation."

She perked her head up and looked back at the boy, listening to him as he quoted his father. Breana has seen him before, but she wasn't sure if he was a first year or older with how refined and polished he presented himself so she was a bit intimidated to approach him until now. She was also stricken by how formal he was, especially when he's also wearing such fancy sort of suit. Breana looked up at his face, only noticing now how his eyes has an odd yet beautiful color of bright silver, as if looking at a well polished knife. She blinked her eyes a couple of times. "Why in high heavens were you thinking about his eyes like that?! Come on, Breana, focus!!" She thought to herself, bringing herself back down to the conversation.

"It is braille, or at least, I certainly hope it is."
"I've never written it before now, but I tried following this book's key as closely as I could. I can only imagine being so lucky as to have a family-owned book shop. You could learn t'do anything that way...."

She smiled, instantly being reminded of home."Ah, heh, yeah..." She said, her smile growing wide and genuine as she talks about the shop. "Though I gotta be sneaky whenever I want to read a book that's on sale. It's not exactly a good selling point if the kid of the owner can read anywhere like it's a library, or at least that's what my dad thinks." Breana blinked, surprised at the boy's reaction to her little scribble.

"...like drawing. That looks really good."

She instantly felt a hint of warmth surrounding her cheeks. Is she... blushing? Breana covered one of her cheeks with her hand, surprised that her face even did that, and looked down at her letter. "W-wha--? Er, really...? I-i mean, I just wanted to copy the picture... I didn't wanna offend the book cutting it up and a-all that..." She looked back at the boy. "Oh Merlin, even his smile looks like it's well polished... Breana get your head back in your body, for heaven's sake!!"

"D'you think you could sketch something for me, like a flower? I would pay your for your time of course."

"H-huh? You..." She looked down at her letter, then back at him."You want to pay me? For just a doodle? I-i mean you don't have to, I'm fine just helping someone out!" She smiled, looking down at the letter. "Erm... what was I going to say..." Breana muttered, before hitting her forehead lightly with the bottom of her palm. "Name! Doy!!" She shook her head, looking back at the boy as she laughed at her own forgetfulness. "Forgot to introduce myself. Call me Breez-- Er, I mean Breana! Breana Oliverie-- Oliveire, yeah... that's... me...." She said, flimsily holding out her hand for him to shake.

Interacting with @ Ruthie Greer
Mentioning @ Griseldis Edelhardt
Still open for interaction

Alan, while piecing together his masterpiece of cards for his Nan and Mother, managed to finish both were neatly crafted resembling their favourite colours. For his Mum, Alan had crafted a Blue coloured card on the front was cut out white letters spelling out "Thanks for being the Best Mum! Happy Women's Day!" on the back was a short little message which he kept covered as the young lad was a tad embarrassed. If one were to sneak a peek on the end of the card would say "Thanks Mum for putting up with me I appreciate all that you do for the family and I couldn't ask for a better woman like you keeping us all together." The card was decorated with bits of glitter, and small drawings of his Mums Patronus which he only ever saw once was a Fox used as a border for the front of the card.

His Nans card was quickly a no brainer as he had spent so much time with her growing up, similar to his mothers the front was the same except the card was purple "To Nan Happy Women's Day!" Similar to the border on the previous card, Nans Patronus being a horse surrounded the big words in the middle. On the back of the card If one were to look was written "Nan, you're an amazing person who's looked after me and kept me well fed since I was little, your pastries will always be the best, and I thank you for the continued support you always show towards all of us."

Satisfied with the progress made so far and glad he participated as he was about to grab more materials for two more cards, Ruthie came to him thanking Alan for his participation. The young lad turned and looked towards his friend offering a warm smile towards the first year "It's no problem Ruthie happy to support my friends and the cause it's incredible how well you organised this." Alan suggested after pondering with a grin across his face "Maybe something to help write to your mum next time hmm?" With reassurance that his designs were good, Alan said: "Thanks just those two have been a big part of my life, and I should give something back to them." Looking over towards what Ruthie was creating he said to her "Whatever you make as you said it's the thought that counts Ruthie you're terrific at what you have created here today and I'm sure you can show it off on to whoever you're thanking".

With that phrase in mind, Alan although already planning to make a card for Ruthie and Griseldis thoughts of what message to write for them eluded him but with is a phrase he went back to crafting immediately. When he was done, Alan slipped The First card towards Ruthie hoping the first year would notice while Alan began on the second card.

Current word count: First post 518 + Second Post 488 = 1008 will still post until end of interaction but consider my Errand complete!

~Open to Interactions~
WC: 646 + 565 = 1211. Errand Complete.
Interacting With: @Margo White
Mentioning: @Alaric Equinox

You would think that in Hogwarts, a castle occupied by the youthful witches and wizards that will develop into the wizarding world’s next aurors and department leaders, soon to grasp the society’s fate in their hazardous hands, there would be more astonishing pastimes than crafts for an unavailing holiday. Disappointment was a remarkably understandable emotion now, contrasting Persephone’s small window of comprehension, almost opaque on its own, that immersed her in blissful September. Many times [admittedly more than the first year would prefer to disclose], she yearned to readopt this vacancy, nothing more than a vessel for an awaiting demonic possession as opposed to being forced to partake in vain emotions, much like the disappointment in the popular activity choice by supposed feminists.

A rather unattractive card lay in front of her, taunting Persephone with its very existence, dripping in the whimsy of glitter she’d poured across the front because what could scream ‘women empowerment!’ better than the most archetypal feminine decoration known to mankind? Persy couldn’t remain in willful tranquility when faced with a disastrous holiday such as this [looking at you, Valentine’s Day], peering over her slouched shoulder to examine the victim’s interpretations of the pretentious day, their “contributions” to an unworthy cause one may call it. It was seemingly too simple to arrive at her final conclusion, summarizing the entire list of things crooked about this celebration: these girls [and...boys?] were desperate to live purposefully. In fact, this craving filled them with so much boiling ache that they sacrificed whatever dignity they possessed to a holiday that was hardly one at all, pursuing the flock of humanity like the true sheep they all were.

Drawing on the card the majority would assume the product of an infant, Persy wasn’t aware of the curious fellow snake that approached her, rudely interrupting what had been a peaceful abuse of these festivities. As opposed to adopting a facade stored on her dependable shelf of masks and responding accurately to the serpent’s inquiry, Persephone instead took her opportunity to speak her mind; not all of it, of course. Today she didn’t strive to be verbally assaulted or forsaken by her peers. The query didn’t attract Persy much more than that of the Professor who lingered nearby, a hawk upon its prey, but silence was a self-created prison, she supposed.

“Don’t you think…” The blonde didn’t award her interrogator with a glance, letting her voice be that of a siren’s, alluringly smooth, “that it would be more beneficial to ‘womankind’...” a smirk made itself known upon her insultingly malevolent emphasis on the word, more directed at the holiday itself, “to, maybe, kick a guy? I show no favoritism, but equality, equality you all preach.” A light chuckle escaped her lips, reiterating her comedic outlook. “People are just bad. Not just boys. If he’s sexist, it’s an issue with him, not women.”

Part of Persephone was aware that her explanation or verbal essay wouldn’t make much sense to someone not occupying her mind, familiarizing with her thoughts and their peculiar process. Regardless of the stupidity surrounding her like a virus, holding back wasn’t a priority. Facades were one thing, protectors and fortresses built to maintain safety, but to lie? The act of a petty villain, unless incorporating self-preservation. Hopefully, the response received wouldn’t be so inane that it warranted something worse than curt honesty.

Sounded like leaving things up to chance.

Their chance.

Reducio

Sticking around at least until this interaction is complete, thanks!

( Interacting with @Breana Oliveire )

The lad's scrutiny was soft, little more than an ongoing attentiveness, yet he hung on each word. Pericles was an only child, privately schooled all of his young life. He rarely interacted with others his age unless they had been brought along to some pureblood party. That he had been spoken to at all automatically placed him in an excellent mood, even if he approached the introduction with a tad too much formality and analysis. The girl's growing smile stretched his own. It quirked, however, when she mentioned she was limited at her father's store. He hummed thoughtfully, a gleam in his eye as she admitted she had to be sly with her reading. "There's nothing wrong with that," the boy assured with a speck of good-natured mischief to his tone, voice lowered conspiratorially. "Sometimes, the best books are the ones we have to be sneaky about. But surely he isn't too firm? I'd bet he's proud, knowing you want to learn new things, especially when it is his shop enabling you t'do so." While he hardly knew the man, and knew little about the witch herself, it only seemed sensible for a father to want their child to learn and grow.

Art had always escaped him. Try as his mother may to guide Peri through painting, he was rubbish at form. His end results always derailed from the subject he was supposed to recreate, resulting in a myriad of colors and shapes more in line to how a thing made him feel than what it was. While his mother always encouraged expression, he wanted to send her something nicer than scribbles or blobs vaguely representing a flower. "I insist." Poor Breana's blushing was interpreted as a general shyness: she seemed sort of skittish, which made Pericles all the more determined to talk with her. He abhorred the idea of someone so sweet being ignored or overlooked. Rifling through a pocket, the young wizard declared with an air of recitation: "The time and talent of an artist should never be taken for granted...." A pause, then he dropped the formal face, saying with a small smirk "My father didn't say that one- I've just made it up." With that, he produced the intended payment: a signature blue and gold chocolate frog box, albeit with the pointed lid dented from its stay in a pocket. The oddly economical boy had discovered others his age were dedicated to collecting the things, so he had started to amass them not for himself, but to pay people off for favors. "If this is enough...?"

As she struggled to recall something, Peri looked perplexed, watching with slightly arched eyebrows. Come the actual introduction however, he uttered a low "Oh!" He'd forgotten all about giving a name, too. As if to compensate for the lack of decorum, he seized her hand enthusiastically, smile doubling back. "Hullo, Breana! I'm Pericles Dralt, but most people just call me 'Peri'. I'm very pleased to meet another first-year Ravenclaw." His grip was gentle and the shakes few, though the grin that grew was warm with gratitude. On release, he pointed a freckled finger at her page. "Why were you drawing a woman from a book? Is it an important witch?"

Interacting with @Pericles Dralt
Current word count: First post (559) + Second post (419) + Third post (279) = 1,257 [Stopped counting, but will still post until the end of the interaction.]

Breana didn't notice how well-mannered the blonde boy was to the conversation, mostly on the fact that she's overthinking about how she's presenting herself and talking to him. Most of the people she met were as casual as she was, so talking to this fellow Ravenclaw was almost new territory for her, even if they're around the same age. She was a bit surprised that he agreed to how she sneaks around her father's shop. "O-oh?" She lowered her head a bit, as if to listen in more as the boy lowered his own voice, looking like they're sharing secrets to each other. "Oh, yeah, it is kinda fun to be sneaky about it..." She laughed softly, lifting her head back to talk properly. "And... I guess? It's just that... well the store is kinda our bread and butter, and Dad wants to keep it all professional and stuff... but he is happy for me, especially with the Hogwarts stuff!" She laughed, but then cleared her throat, hoping that she wasn't rambling earlier.

Breana blinked her eyes a few times, still baffled at the fact that the boy is still willing to pay her just from looking at a doodle that she did a second ago. "Wh-wha--? I-- er..." She stuttered, stopping as he spoke, his eloquent statement almost sounding like poetry that could belong in a book. "Did... did he just make that up on the spot?!" Breana thought, thoroughly impressed at how he just casually did it on the spot as he handed her the supposed payment. "Oh! A choco frog!" Breana beamed, stashing it in her robe's pocket. "It's more than enough, actually, but er... y-yeah, thanks, h-heh..." She grinned, trying to push her mind away on the fact that he gave her chocolates just like the scenes in those rom-com books she read.

"Nice to formally meet ya, Peri! So I guess we'll be seeing more of each other with classes and all that, huh?" She said, her eyes lingering a bit to their hands shaking, then quickly darting them away as she cleared her throat, her cheeks still sporting a bit of a rosy hue. "O-oh, this?" Breana said, slowly driving her mind to more important matters. She smiled, holding out the letter to him. "This is my mom, actually. She used to go to Hogwarts too, but now she left it all to be with my dad in the muggle world... She was a great student in her Potions class, so I got this book that's from her year here and drew this picture." She then reached over to the book she borrowed from the library and handed it over to him. "That's her with the pigtails..." She rested her head on her fist, looking back down at the letter. "She's a muggle-born, too, so there was some extra bias against her... But she still pulled through and became top of her class. If I can be half as good as her with my classes, I'd be happy..." Breana said, her smile now showing a hint of sadness. She looked up to her mother ever since she got the Hogwarts letter, but there's also the other edge of the sword where she felt the need to either be just as good or excel further than her mother.

Interactions: @Erin Ryan

Word Count: 814/1000

Oliver had a severe knot in his stomach, the longer he waited, the more butterflies spawned in his belly. He stood leaned against the table in the Great Hall, glancing nervously at all the students around him. The boy was such a loner that he couldn't say he knew a single person in the room beyond recognizing their face. He was wearing a puffer jacket which was not helping his figure, slim jeans and black vans. This was all a new style for Oliver, this year he had started copying the other boys in his year and above. Trying desperately to fit in a little more.

He stood with a book in his hand and a folded letter stuck down onto the front of it with tape. Notably the tape had a little dinosaur pattern on it. Earlier, Oliver had met Erin Ryan as he passed through the corridors and told her that she had left a book behind after class and that Oliver had taken it with him. Which was true, Oliver was holding her book right now. He had also told her to meet him in the Great Hall in a few minutes after he retrieved the book from his chamber. Oliver had planned this since Friday. It wasn't a coincidence that Oliver met Erin in the halls today, he had purposely walked back and forth the halls which connect the stairs to the dungeons (closest to the Slytherin common room) with the ground floor. Oliver's scheme was going to plan, now all he needed was for Erin to actually care about getting her book outside of class hours and come here.

The letter taped to Erin's book was something Oliver spent all of yesterday writing. It was International Women's Day, containing a small speech on the importance of Erin to Oliver and then a few rambling compliments. Every so often he'd open the folded paper and skim it quickly. Mid skim, he looked up to find his only friend in the school enter the room.

Oh cheeseburgers...

Oliver's stomach sank as he was hit with a wave of anxiety. He didn't know it but the reason why nobody was standing around him was because he stank. His nerves were popping off toots every few seconds and created a near force field effect around him. Little to his notice however. Oliver gulped down vomit that decided to rise and marched towards Erin Ryan. His mouth could be seen moving a fraction as he paced towards her. As he neared, Oliver's foot tipped off a bench leg and he instantly begun stumbling and arm spinning to retain balance. He played it cool though once he was up straight again and just looked back at the bench as if it just merely got in his way. Oliver didn't smell more than usual, he had left his stench cloud behind and didn't bring any gas with him. His forehead was sweaty though and his hands were a bit shaky.

"Erin! Here you go!"

Oliver was basically announcing to the entire hall as he handed the book over with two hands. As he passed it over, he flicked open the letter attached to the front cover and begun reciting off the text that he had strained himself with learning.

"Dear Erin!"

Oliver begun to say the words on the letter, so focused that no verbal interruption could stop him.

"I thank you for being my friend, you are a great pal and I am always happy when I get to sit beside you in class. You are really an awesome woman and I have a lot of respect for you! Thank you for sticking up for me throughout the year and keeping your word, I did not think you would. The t- uh, the... wait," Oliver leaned over to skim the letter he had given Erin, trying to remember the rest," oh yeah. The times we spent together this year were some of my best memories. I am more happy that my good friend is a strong, independent woman than I am happy that I don't get wedgied every Tuesday before Flying class. Thank you for reading, you are what every woman should inspire to be, happy International Woman's Day! Oliver."

Oliver was standing puffed chest as he recited off the letter, staring Erin in the eyes. As he spoke, Erin could see he was going word for word with the text he had written on the letter. He exhaled and wiped sweat off his brow, taking his eyes off Erin. His cheeks were extremely red and his nervousness begun to make his hands fidgety once again.

"Yeah... that's it... also your book is there, I uh, even went ahead and did your homework for ya," Oliver told with a weak smile, scratching the back of his head. He didn't really plan for this phase.

Interacting with @Oliver Hart

Oliver had told her that she had forgotten one of her textbooks, one that he had recovered. Believe it or not, Erin actually tried to be successful in her studies. In practice she was not a great witch, she was not even a good witch. She had the theory, the knowledge and even the practice but in practical terms she lacked the passion necessary to cast spells effectively or consistently. That all changed these past few months, her aptitude for casting skyrocketed but her ability to comprehend new ideas plummeted. Her mind was distracted, there was this white noise that resembled a roaring crowd. Her ability to contemplate and calculate was nearly non-existent, 

She did not even notice it, how much she had come to depend on Oliver these past few months, A deal was made between the two of them over the summer. A truce. He said the word friends, but she did not believe him. Battered, disgusted and ashamed when they made that deal, she took it as a truce between them. One she made good on, if nothing else she stood by the literal meaning of her spoken word like some sort of devil. No harm came to him, at least by her hand. She was not terribly inclined to let anyone else have their way with him either, not that she had to try hard as her reputation often preceded her.

An alliance she considered to be formed of convenience and exhaustion, she hardly recognized the fact that she had chosen the seat next to Oliver or that instinct dictated her defense of the Ravenclaw. However, she did without even realizing. Without even trying. The capacity for 'good moments' when such a concept could be grasped was indeed there. A yearning for companionship, human proximity a consistent plight of those that recognized the world with any emotional depth. She was a deep as a puddle but to her it was like the boundless ocean depths, this sense that came with doing no harm or perhaps even good. 

Of course she was far from 'good', hardly more than an animal wearing the skin of a young woman. Yet for a brief time she was able to enjoy the delusion that she was loved, that she could love and that there were people that appreciated her existence. 

When she arrived, she expected an exchange and then a parting of ways. She did not expect Oliver to be standing there, looking weird with red cheeks and nervous eyes. Her initial instinct was that she was drawn into some sort of trap, that she was lured by her errant textbook and the words of an ally. Not that she could blame him, she had been unkind but she was never one to curl up and die. She tensed herself "...Oliver?" There was a tone of warning in her voice, the inclination that he might want to think twice about whatever it was he was about to do.

That was not it at all. As her eyes watched his pudgy hands manhandle the note. 

As he started to read, a wave of embarrassment washed over her. What had she been thinking! It was followed by a sense of guilt, guilt that she doubted. And then an emotion that she could not identify. It was not sorrow, but there was a sadness. It was not confusion either, but there was an aspect of such. It caused her eyes to burn and her jaw to tremble. Her vision blurred and water escaped from her eyes, but she was more happy than she was sad but the sad juice just continued to leak out. She raised a forearm to her eyes and wiped the moisture away. 

She had never been thanked for anything before. Yes, she has heard the word, a polite platitude shared between people when you pass them the gravy. But there is a difference with... was this gratitude? "The hell man," she sniffled as she wiped her eyes again with her sleeve.