Head in the clouds

Truly, Iridia wasn’t sure what she was to be doing now. Class had just ended, Care of Magical Creatures, which she had absolutely loved, and now she was walking through the corridor with a book in her arms, a book that was open slightly as she read while she walked, mother had always gone on about how a read mind was a well mind, and that reading would ‘keep her sharp’, although truthfully, Iridia didn’t care if she wasn’t always sharp. She would much rather sleep right now, or hide away in her room where no one would disturb her, at least until it was curfew. However, she had to try not to hide herself away, or father would be furious that had done just that, and she didn’t even want to think about what her mother would say.

She shook her head at the thought. She couldn’t care to think about what her parents would expect from her when she sent her next owl. She knew they wanted her to make friends, connections, things that could help her as she got older, although truthfully, Iridia would much rather just to be left to her own devices. She wanted to just have fun, or what her idea of fun was, while she was at hogwarts, without the expectations that had been put on her from the very day she was born, but, unfortunately there was no escaping them, and she knew that, so, she told herself she would try making friends, in a few weeks, when she had gotten used to the place, and could go anywhere without actually getting lost, a thing that was very common for her, which did lead to her being late to classes on a few occasions.

Now, most would say that reading a book while trying to get around a busy hallway would be a bad idea, and usually Iridia would disagree with that, because she never had any problems with it, no one said hi to her as she walked between classes, and she couldn’t get herself into any trouble, or, at least, that’s what she thought. During that train of thought, and distraction, she felt herself bump into someone, or, more so crash into them. Her eyes widened as she felt herself fall, and her book fell to the ground in-front of her, and when she looked up, she felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment as she saw the boy with a bunch of…treats? In his hands, or, were, in his hands, it seemed most of them had fell due to their collision, and in her head she was groaning, screaming at herself for being so clumsy, so out of it.

“I-I am so sorry! Let me help you! I should have been watching where I was going!”

Her Pureblood raising took over her usual shyness as she was quick to pick herself back up, offering a hand to him as she glanced at the floor, she had to help, be polite, she had basically been raised for things like this. Her cheeks still a pink colour as she stared downwards. She couldn’t believe she had been so clumsy. Her mother had always warned her to stay aware of her surroundings, or she would find herself in awkward positions, and look where not listening had gotten her! She would be furious!

@Nicholas Lazarus

There truly was no real-world words to describe whatever sound escaped Nick's mouth the moment he bumped onto another student. A mixture of a yelp and probably a really good impression of a cat getting it's tail stepped on.

All he knew is that at one moment, he had his treats in hands, the next, there was a shower of pastries and he collided with the floor. Luckily he was pretty sturdy, nothing was broken other than his ego, he supposed.

"Ow..." Was everything he mumbled before he shook his head and looked at the girl he had just tackled. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you..."

He grunted as he got back on his feet, looking around for the absolute massacre of his snack all over the ground, not wanting to give the poor house-elves of the castle even more work to do, he quickly started gathering everything. "Are you ok? Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry- I was so distracted! I didn't even see you coming!" He chuckled embarrassed, his cheeks somehow just as bright as the poor girl he had hit.

Oh, if his father could see him now, a proper gentleman would be looking both ways when walking through a crowded corridor, it was a miracle he had only hit one person with his lack of awareness.

@Iridia Calathes

Iridia shook her head as she helped him pick up the pastries that had fallen onto the floor. She wasn’t too sure they were edible any more, especially because you never knew what could have been on the floor in the previous few moments, and with hogwarts being hogwarts, there was a vast number of things that could have been there. Lastly, she picked up her book, frowning a little as she dusted off flakes of pastry and filling from it, grandfather would be furious if she got the book he had sent her dirty, or if a page was ripped, she’d have to see about maybe getting some protective enchantments on it. She halted that train of thought as she shook her head once more at the boy’s question, and cleared her throat.

“No! No I’m okay! Maybe i’ll have a small bruise tomorrow when I wake up..but I assure you nothing is broken or painful. Although…I can’t say the same for your food, sorry about that.”

Iridia looked up at him, thinking to herself as she looked him over. She wasn’t sure but, she felt like she has seen him before. She was certain it was at one of those pureblood events her parents made her go to, and while she was trying to think back on all the bloodline history her parents made her learn, nothing was coming up. She groaned, well, in her head, as she realised she was going to have to figure this out herself.

So, with a deep breath, she spoke. Posture straight, voice elegant and proper as she spoke. Don’t mess up your words Iridia, remember what you were taught.

“My names Iridia, Iridia Calathes, I want to again apologise for my clumsiness, part if me thinks I should have been paying more attention instead of reading, I should have listened to mother in that aspect.”

@Nicholas Lazarus

mention: @Iridia Calathes

The boy had a second of silence, mourning all the amazingly tasty pastries he would not be able to have. But, oh well, it was not worth crying over spilled tasty snacks.

"Yeah i- I guess I can say the same- ow though." He said with a more joking tone when the girl mentioned bruising, he should expect a couple of bruises himself as well.

He dusted the crumbs from his own robes and of course, the ones still on his face before he threw the pastries away in the closest bin he could find. It was a bit of a waste of food, but nothing he could do about that, he was more than sure his father would be very disgusted at him if he ever found out that his son was eating food from the ground like a animal.

He turned back to the girl and blinked for a second, the stare he gave her looked almost unnerved, not because the girl was odd in any way, but because he genuinely forgot how to present himself in a polite manner that didn't sound awkward.

"Oh right- hmm I'm Nick! Lazarus I mean hm.. Just Nick is fine." He offered a hand for her to shake."it's fine... I suppose we were both distracted there, no harm done I think-"

Other than the sad, sad pastries he had to part ways with, but he could always get more during dinner anyways. "Hm what... What are you reading about?"

Iridia would give him a nervous smile, making sure there was no more rouge pastries on the floor, before she nodded her head in agreement, they both had definitely not paying attention, and there was no harm done. She listened as she introduced himself, before a quiet gasp, more of recognition, left her when he said his name. Of course! She should have realised, how could she not? She felt rather stupid in that moment. She had spent years studying different bloodlines! She would need to keep this quiet, or her mother would have her head. She shook her head at the thought. Before she took his hand and shook it, with a nod of her head at tue introduction.

“Oh of course! I should have realised, my mother would be furious if she knew I hadn’t recognised your family name. It’s a pleasure to meet you Nick, apologies for not recognising you, my head has been all over the place today..”

She said with a slight sigh, before she smiled at the topic change. She loved books, and talking about them, although her current read really wasn’t that interesting, especially not to her.

“Oh my book? It isn’t particularly interesting, it’s just an etiquette book my mother sent me. She said I had to keep on top of all my lessons, even if they were all basically finished, I wish she hadn’t sent me it, but if I read it quick enough I won’t have to worry about it for a few weeks until the next one comes by owl-oh sorry! Im probably boring you with this, what are your plans? I realise I probably disrupted whatever they had been.”

@Nicholas Lazarus

@Mention: Iridia Calathes

Nick blinked when she seemed so... Relieved? Of knowing him? Well, that was something he wasn't sure how to feel about.

"Oh hm.. that's alright! Don't apologize about that, I really really..prefer.. that people don't recognize me that way? If that makes any sense?" He chuckled again, shaking his head at her. "I prefer you just recognize me as... nick."

Then he looked back at the book she had in hands. "I think father has many of those types of books in his library. I suppose since he never sends me any of them he believe me to be a lost cause on the matter." And his father would be rather right, Nick was definitely not the image of class and composure.

"If you ask me, you were plenty proper though! Your mom shouldn't worry!" Then he blinked at her words again. He did that quite often, this poor girl will come to notice.

It was like watching the cogs of a poorly oiled machine scrape and groan into action as he tried to remember, whatever was he was trying to do before tackling this girl to the ground.

"Oh! Hm-" now he remembered. "I was actually going to walk around a bit, get some fresh air and stuff, you know a older student told me there's a really cool lake with a giant squid in it when classes first started and I wanted to go check it I could see it from the surface!" His smile grew bigger and bigger as he explained, in fact, if possible the boy looked like a little star himself, beaming like the brightest light just by babbling too long.

"Do you wanna come with me? I'm always up for company!"

Iridia understood why he would rather be known as just himself. The pressure of having to be perfect to make sure your family image and reputation was pristine, was something she knew well. Before she could reply, he kept talking, and she couldn’t help but continue to listen. She quite liked talking to him, and she smiled and nodded along. Although she did feel herself blush, mostly in pride, and maybe slight embarrassment when he said that she was ‘plenty proper’.

“Oh thank you…! I hope she will be if I owl her about this. And, I get it. I’ll be sure to remember you as yourself Nick, don’t worry. I understand what it feels like.”

Her eyes widened, more in wonder than anything, as he spoke about the giant squid. She seemed so excited, but also curious about it. She hadn’t heard of the giant squid before, but if it was true, then she really did want to see it! She loved magical creatures! She would give anything to see a giant squid! She wondered if it was magical, or if it was just a muggle sea creature, maybe there was some books on it, she would definitely need to go to the library later on, maybe before she went back to the common room before curfew.

“A giant squid? Oh I would love to see it. Are you sure I’m ok to join you? I don't want to disturb you if you were wanting some time alone!”

She was rather worried about that. She had already stopped him from doing something today, and she certainly didn’t went to disturb him anymore, especially if he wanted to spent some time alone. She could understand the need to be alone, as she herself did like to spent sometime just to herself.

@Nicholas Lazarus

@Iridia Calathes

Nick enjoyed talking, although a good portion of it was nonsensical babbling of whatever came to his mind on a whim. But he paused just long enough to hear her speak. Then, after a pause, he laughed.

"Alone??? You're kidding right?" He laughed like it was the funniest joke he was ever told. His pale cheeks went bright red all over again, this time with a beam of happiness. "Oh I've been alone my whole damn life! Believe me, this is the most amount of conversation I've had in months! I got plenty alone time for the year."

Then he grinned even wider. "I do like talking to you though, you're the most interesting person I've met in a long while!" To be completely fair he hadn't met that many people anyways.

Then he hooked his pinky finger to the rim of her sleeve as a way to pull her along with him. "Come on, the company is always welcome with me! I can tell you everything I know about that giant squid! You know- my dad used to study here when he was younger- it's funny I'm a Ravenclaw just like him- although my mom was a Hufflepuff!" And he was rambling all over again.

Surely, he hoped, the girl wouldn't mind it too much, although he was trying to pick up on any signs that she was not enjoying how much he talked.

Iridia was a little confused when he started to laugh at that, and she felt worried she had said something stupid, but before she could think more on it, and worry herself, he proclaimed that this had been the ‘most amount of conversation he had in months’, and she wondered if that was genuinely true. Although, the more she thought about it. Her parents had not mentioned the Lazarus family in months or, years. She had never seen Nick or his dad anywhere other than the one event she could remember, so maybe there was more to it. However, she remembered what he had said, and lost that train of thought, moving onto the next.

“Wait-me? I’m not sure I’m that interesting…I mean i think I am pretty boring compared to other people, especially you! You seem so fun, are you sure I won’t bore you to death?”

She asked him, a slight frown on her face st the thought. It seemed that Iridia worried a lot about how she was and acted. She wasn’t sure she really could be that interesting. But before she could comment on it further, Nick was already pulling her with him, and in the direction of the lake, which was a rather long trek from where they were.

But when he got back onto the topic of the squid, Iridia couldn’t but get excited as her eyes widened again when he said he would tell her everything he knew about the squid, and she felt herself smiling as she got giddy with excitement. She certainly didn’t mind his talking, she enjoyed it, and she was happy to be pulled along.

“Really?! My parents didn’t care much for the squid, but my father was a Gryffindor, and my mother was a Slytherin, so I’d say we have just collected all 4 houses between us and our parents! My mother said she liked to study in quiet hallways, and my father hated studying, he much preferred quidditch.”

Iridia couldn’t help but start to ramble, now that she was feeling less nervous, less uncertain about how to act. She was getting comfortable, and enjoyed Nick’s company

@Nicholas Lazarus