3 Jul 2020, 14:38
The Blackbird's Black Tea
Flash’s shoulders relaxed when Bridget thanked him. Had he been tense? The tea and the fresh air should have been relaxing, but it wasn’t too surprising that two Slytherins would inevitably end up talking about the things that have been happening. It was a shadow over their whole school, let alone the young snakes. Not talking about it would have been stranger, as though actively trying to be blissfully unaware of one’s surroundings. But it was still a dreary topic. If dwelled on for too long, Flash would certainly be inconsolable and morose for however long it took his brain to stop obsessing about it. Perhaps another trip to the magic room was in order after this. Who knew when he might be able to find something that might help.
Adorably, Bridget poked her finger in her tea to check the temperature, which vanished a good deal of Flash’s somber veil. He playfully imagined doing so himself in front of distinguished guests and his parents, wondering what sort of face of shock horror they might wear in response. Then he imagined dunking his whole hand in a fishing out a tea bag like he didn’t know a string was attached and holding his conquest up proudly for the president of a bank to see. Flash had to hide his bemused smile behind his hand so that Bridget might not think he was mocking her. His imagination just liked to… run wild from time to time.
She congratulated him on his survival, which likely was meant as sincere. That was the impression he got from her-- sincere, decisive, driven. It made him curious about what kind of person Thora Larkston was for the two of them to be so close. Had she also noted Bridget’s usefulness as a companion, or was it more like a situation where they found each other organically? Well, it wasn’t as though there wasn’t plenty of time to figure out. Well.. he hoped. It was true that his first year at Hogwarts had been… dangerous.
”I’m fortunate.” When he remembered that night, a spider had indeed latched onto him, but he had managed to shake it off before it could bite. If he hadn’t noticed it soon enough, he might have spent his first year very differently. How unfair the world was, with such small things mattering so much. That’s why it paid to always keep one’s guard up.
His thoughts began to slowly darken again, but he was brought back almost instantly by Bridget’s continued interest. For a moment, Flash was a bit taken off guard. Frankly, not many people asked him questions about himself. Well, they did, but often it was the kind of thing someone did to fill air, or to seem polite. But if Bridget was a sincere person, didn’t that mean she actually wanted to know more about him? But he was… well, no, Burnett had been trying to get Flash to share things about himself as well, but it was sometimes challenging for Flash. His first instinct was to be humble. Diminishing. In this case however, the questions were not too personal.
”Ah, yes, I think I would enjoy Quidditch. I like team sports. You’re a member of the Slytherin Quidditch team, aren’t you? What do you think of our team this year? Your team mates?” Flash admittedly hadn’t watched any of the Slytherin games in his first year, but he had put his name on the waitlist. He had been too caught up in trying to make a name for himself to enjoy spectating matches. It was only recently that he looked at the current roster. ”Besides that, I’m putting together a club next year. At least I hope so, it's, well, perhaps more of a gathering than a club. A place to talk… about one’s feelings, get things off their chest. For people that don’t have anyone to talk to.”
Flash fiddled with the handle on his tea cup, looking despondently into the dark water.
@Bridget Collins
Adorably, Bridget poked her finger in her tea to check the temperature, which vanished a good deal of Flash’s somber veil. He playfully imagined doing so himself in front of distinguished guests and his parents, wondering what sort of face of shock horror they might wear in response. Then he imagined dunking his whole hand in a fishing out a tea bag like he didn’t know a string was attached and holding his conquest up proudly for the president of a bank to see. Flash had to hide his bemused smile behind his hand so that Bridget might not think he was mocking her. His imagination just liked to… run wild from time to time.
She congratulated him on his survival, which likely was meant as sincere. That was the impression he got from her-- sincere, decisive, driven. It made him curious about what kind of person Thora Larkston was for the two of them to be so close. Had she also noted Bridget’s usefulness as a companion, or was it more like a situation where they found each other organically? Well, it wasn’t as though there wasn’t plenty of time to figure out. Well.. he hoped. It was true that his first year at Hogwarts had been… dangerous.
”I’m fortunate.” When he remembered that night, a spider had indeed latched onto him, but he had managed to shake it off before it could bite. If he hadn’t noticed it soon enough, he might have spent his first year very differently. How unfair the world was, with such small things mattering so much. That’s why it paid to always keep one’s guard up.
His thoughts began to slowly darken again, but he was brought back almost instantly by Bridget’s continued interest. For a moment, Flash was a bit taken off guard. Frankly, not many people asked him questions about himself. Well, they did, but often it was the kind of thing someone did to fill air, or to seem polite. But if Bridget was a sincere person, didn’t that mean she actually wanted to know more about him? But he was… well, no, Burnett had been trying to get Flash to share things about himself as well, but it was sometimes challenging for Flash. His first instinct was to be humble. Diminishing. In this case however, the questions were not too personal.
”Ah, yes, I think I would enjoy Quidditch. I like team sports. You’re a member of the Slytherin Quidditch team, aren’t you? What do you think of our team this year? Your team mates?” Flash admittedly hadn’t watched any of the Slytherin games in his first year, but he had put his name on the waitlist. He had been too caught up in trying to make a name for himself to enjoy spectating matches. It was only recently that he looked at the current roster. ”Besides that, I’m putting together a club next year. At least I hope so, it's, well, perhaps more of a gathering than a club. A place to talk… about one’s feelings, get things off their chest. For people that don’t have anyone to talk to.”
Flash fiddled with the handle on his tea cup, looking despondently into the dark water.
@Bridget Collins
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
17 Jul 2020, 18:37
The Blackbird's Black Tea
@Flash Holmwood
Bridget was relieved to see Flash snap out of his gloomy state. It really was a shame to darken this pleasant day with talk of curses, but she supposed it couldn't be avoided. Not forever, anyways. Not without it being clear they were skirting around the dreary topic. Now that they'd addressed it, though, perhaps they could stick to more light-hearted conversation.
So Flash was interested in Quidditch. She already very much liked him, especially for how easy he was to talk to, and the shared interest only added to that positive opinion. Enjoying and wanting to play Quidditch was certainly no rarity among Hogwarts students. It provided an excellent starting point for a way to get to know Flash better without any mention or the various tragedies they faced on a daily basis. "That's nice. Do you have a position in mind?" He didn't look like much of a Beater to her; she couldn't really picture him hitting metal balls at people with the intention of knocking them out of the sky, but then again, one probably couldn't imagine Bridget doing that either.
"And yes, I play. I'm a Beater. Rather in Erin Ryan's shadow, but I'm fine not having that reputation around the school anyways. Being a Quidditch player is one thing, but I'd rather no one automatically assumed I enjoy hurting people or something. As for my teammates, they make for a good team. The first week or two was pretty intimidating--Alexx and Erin are no joke--but we work pretty well together now. Everyone does their job and we've got some really good players. We definitely shouldn't have lost that game against Gryffindor..." Bridget realized she was starting to rant a bit. Even if Flash liked Quidditch, he probably didn't want to hear her give a whole presentation on it.
"Anyways, it's great that you're starting that club. I think it's just the kind of thing this school needs." She took another sip of her tea to hide the blush that had crept up after realizing she'd gone off on a whole spiel. Still, she didn't feel uncomfortable. Something about being around Flash just made his worries dissipate. "Will you be attending the Summer Camp?"
Phyllis Stanwood (iNPC) • Aislin Darragh (2nd gen) • Alejandros Espinosa (2nd gen iNPC)
25 Jul 2020, 02:06
The Blackbird's Black Tea
Bridget’s entire countenance seemed to become lighter at the mention of Quidditch. A softer smile, her stance becoming more comfortable… or was it just that she had grown used to Flash’s company by now? Well, her interest in Quidditch couldn’t have too little a part in it, as the shared interest sparked a flame in the conversation. First, she asked after the position he applied for. It wasn’t actually anything he had talked to anyone else about yet, he didn’t like to spread news of things he was doing that weren’t ‘a sure thing’. As it stood, he was actually interested in the position the Slytherin captain currently held, so it wasn’t exactly ready for the taking. There was a chance he could go his entire school career without any reason to be bumped up any further. He usually tried not to think about it too much, with it being such a long shot. He couldn’t lie when asked about it directly, though.
”I wanted to be a seeker.” Flash explained in a short sentence, but felt the need to continue. ”I thought my eyes might be good for something. I guess we’ll see if that ever happens.”
He smiled, knowing she would also understand. He wasn’t expecting Dan Palmer to step down any time soon. There wasn’t much of a reason to accept a more inexperienced player into one of the more important roles of the game when the captain was already doing the job. He applied anyway, it was a position that made sense to him. He wasn’t bothered by having everyone depend on him, it was a kind of pressure he dealt with already without being asked.
Flash was in turn deeply interested in what Bridget had to say about her team. One could say learning things about people in general was Flash’s favorite activity. It wasn’t only useful to hear things about the students on the Slytherin Quidditch team, it was also imperative that it be Bridget’s opinion of them. In that sense, it was like learning two things about everyone she brought up. Erin Ryan was perhaps a stand-out as a beater, and Bridget didn’t particularly want the fame of being a sports star.
It was funny, when Flash was in private school, being on the football team had been something of a status symbol. He himself mostly enjoyed the teamwork itself, but he would be a liar if he said he didn’t use his status and the recognition of others to his advantage a time or two. Good thing Bridget wasn’t asking about football. Though in that regard, if the cathartic violence and the reputation were both things that held little interest for her, what was the thing that made her act so enthusiastically at the sport’s mention? Pure love of competition, or pride in her skill?
Either way, she seemed to think the team as a whole worked well together. With the year drawing to a close soon, Flash wondered how much the team was likely to change in the year to come, if at all. He was certainly going to be paying much closer attention to Quidditch in the upcoming year.
”I’m wondering, if you don’t mind…” Flash nearly had to interrupt her, the way she talked so passionately about the topic. ”What is it you do like about being a beater?”
Once the topic of Quidditch had run its course, Bridget seemed unfettered by the ability to leave at her leisure. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was actually enjoying his company. He so often had to fight for peoples’ attention that he barely knew what to do with someone being open and genuine with him right out of the gate. She lauded his attempts at counseling the other students, and asked him about his summer. Pleased, Flash took another sip of his strong drink, awake and brimming with the possibilities for the future. Had his mood been so easily lifted, had she intended to do so?
”Yes, I’m going to attend the Quidditch final in London, though I don’t know about the other summer activities. Besides that, I think I’ll just sit in my tent and catch up on my reading.” Flash’s smile had grown into something completely natural, curling at the ends with enthusiasm for learning more. ”What do you think of the Hufflepuff team? Any opinions?”
@Bridget Collins
”I wanted to be a seeker.” Flash explained in a short sentence, but felt the need to continue. ”I thought my eyes might be good for something. I guess we’ll see if that ever happens.”
He smiled, knowing she would also understand. He wasn’t expecting Dan Palmer to step down any time soon. There wasn’t much of a reason to accept a more inexperienced player into one of the more important roles of the game when the captain was already doing the job. He applied anyway, it was a position that made sense to him. He wasn’t bothered by having everyone depend on him, it was a kind of pressure he dealt with already without being asked.
Flash was in turn deeply interested in what Bridget had to say about her team. One could say learning things about people in general was Flash’s favorite activity. It wasn’t only useful to hear things about the students on the Slytherin Quidditch team, it was also imperative that it be Bridget’s opinion of them. In that sense, it was like learning two things about everyone she brought up. Erin Ryan was perhaps a stand-out as a beater, and Bridget didn’t particularly want the fame of being a sports star.
It was funny, when Flash was in private school, being on the football team had been something of a status symbol. He himself mostly enjoyed the teamwork itself, but he would be a liar if he said he didn’t use his status and the recognition of others to his advantage a time or two. Good thing Bridget wasn’t asking about football. Though in that regard, if the cathartic violence and the reputation were both things that held little interest for her, what was the thing that made her act so enthusiastically at the sport’s mention? Pure love of competition, or pride in her skill?
Either way, she seemed to think the team as a whole worked well together. With the year drawing to a close soon, Flash wondered how much the team was likely to change in the year to come, if at all. He was certainly going to be paying much closer attention to Quidditch in the upcoming year.
”I’m wondering, if you don’t mind…” Flash nearly had to interrupt her, the way she talked so passionately about the topic. ”What is it you do like about being a beater?”
Once the topic of Quidditch had run its course, Bridget seemed unfettered by the ability to leave at her leisure. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was actually enjoying his company. He so often had to fight for peoples’ attention that he barely knew what to do with someone being open and genuine with him right out of the gate. She lauded his attempts at counseling the other students, and asked him about his summer. Pleased, Flash took another sip of his strong drink, awake and brimming with the possibilities for the future. Had his mood been so easily lifted, had she intended to do so?
”Yes, I’m going to attend the Quidditch final in London, though I don’t know about the other summer activities. Besides that, I think I’ll just sit in my tent and catch up on my reading.” Flash’s smile had grown into something completely natural, curling at the ends with enthusiasm for learning more. ”What do you think of the Hufflepuff team? Any opinions?”
@Bridget Collins
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 Jul 2020, 22:43
The Blackbird's Black Tea
@Flash Holmwood
So he wanted to be a Seeker. Bridget sympathized with his doubts of getting that particular position; as Captain, Dan got his first pick of the roles and could very well be first-string Seeker for the rest of his Hogwarts career. Still, it wasn't completely hopeless if you were willing to start out on the bench. "It's true that it'll probably be impossible to get first-string, but as second-string you could still get a chance to play." She purposely left out the part about that never having happened so far on their team. They'd only played three games so far, after all, so you couldn't say anything for certain from such limited examples. "Seekers tend to be the target of a lot of attacks, whether bludgers or fouls. Granted, we try to keep an eye out for if Dan's falling so we can catch him, as Seekers are such crucial players, but we can't do that every time. That would be when you'd be up to play."
The Slytherin took another swallow of her tea. His question was one she'd admittedly asked herself earlier that year wondering why exactly she was in that particular position when it seemed she was so unsuited for it. She knew the answer now, and while still not entirely comfortable with the way her strength paled in comparison to the likes of Erin Ryan, Emma Hill, and Quinn Healy, she was happy enough, not nearly so insecure. "Well, for starters, I knew I loved flying from my very first day being on a broom. And over the course of my first year it became apparent I was pretty good at it, too. I was pretty... reclusive my first year, and I wanted that to change, so this year I tried out for the Quidditch team. And, well, Erin was the only one trying out for Beater and obviously Slytherin needed more than one, so I went for that. I played softball before I came to Hogwarts, so I guess it made sense."
She paused, looking up at the sky. That was what she liked about Quidditch. The feeling of racing in the air, high above the ground, the wind in her face. "As for what I like about it, I guess I just like playing Quidditch in general." Besides, being a Beater really wasn't all that bad. Sure, she didn't want the reputation, but in a game where such violence was expected and nurses were on standby, it wasn't so terrible.
The topic smoothly shifted to talk of the summer, Flash stating that while he would be attending the summer camp, he intended to mostly keep to himself. That was understandable--sometimes you just needed to be alone, especially after how hectic the year had been. "I'm going as well. As for Hufflepuff, they've definitely proved their worth going undefeated this year. Their Chasers and Keeper are pretty new, so I'm not sure about them, but their Seeker, Serena Towers, is really good. They've got a strong group of Beaters, too. Since I haven't seen Durmstrang play, I can't really say how they'll match up, but from what I've heard of Durmstrang's rigor, it should be a good match."
She wondered how Hufflepuff felt about all this, whether they were excited or nervous. Playing in an actual Quidditch stadium in front of thousands was definitely a step up from their little Pitch for a few hundred students. "What about you? Any thoughts on the game?"
Phyllis Stanwood (iNPC) • Aislin Darragh (2nd gen) • Alejandros Espinosa (2nd gen iNPC)
3 Aug 2020, 19:14
The Blackbird's Black Tea
Bridget talked about the position he mentioned-- it was a rather notorious one, perhaps rather telling of anyone that wanted it. It was the one most eyes were on, the one that was most often targeted for attacks. Bridget seemed to emphasize it herself by talking about how they had to catch Dan all the times he fell. Flash hadn’t seen it himself, but bludgers certainly didn’t look very fun to be pelted with. For those who desired the position, the threat of pain was secondary to the chance for glory.
Well, at least for Flash it was. He was used to being a martyr for the team. Even while playing football he had managed to get himself hurt in the desperation to win. The victory itself was rarely the entire goal, more than that Flash just wanted to be valuable. When it came to sports, that sometimes meant wanting victory more than wanting to survive unscathed.
She seemed to encourage him with the thought of becoming second string, which was a somewhat realistic possibility. He was only a first year, after all, so positions could open over time as players shifted their interests to things besides sports, or graduated. He was keeping up with his fitness, but besides that he didn’t have anything left to do but wait and see.
He was interested to hear her talk about Quidditch though. A love of flying. Flash agreed, though he was well acquainted with flying from brooms they had at home when he was growing up. It must have been quite different coming from a muggle family and discovering the act of flight was possible. The reason she became a beater was to fill in for what the team needed.
It was almost funny how much Flash liked Bridget. He could see the strongest values he had reflected in her, yet she carried herself as though she were someone completely unassuming. To her, the way she thought and acted must have been second nature, common sense. He wondered if her peers ever disappointed her, if it was perhaps part of the reason she had been reclusive the year before.
”In that case, I look forward to seeing you fly.” Flash had just taken a sip of his tea, slowly nursing it as she talked. From his big smile it was easy to tell that he meant it.
As for her opinions on Hufflepuff, he hadn’t actually known they were undefeated. He had only sat in on their last game, which Willow had joined for. That game had been over very quickly, having a good seeker meant a lot in a game of Quidditch. Willow had done well in her first game as well, both blocking the Quaffle and saving her captain from injury. She was quite new at it though.
”The new keeper, actually, Willow Anderson… she’s a very good friend of mine. Like a sister.” Perhaps the words might have sounded off after his speech about allies, but that’s just how Hufflepuffs were. They said the word ‘friend’ very quickly and easily. ”I’ll be cheering for her. I know it will mean a lot to her if Hufflepuff wins. Well, Hogwarts. I think I would prefer being surrounded by all the happy faces of my classmates celebrating victory, but it’s not like I can do much beyond cheering.”
Flash lifted his cup again only to realize it was empty. With the water suspending it, the soggy paper bird sat lifelessly at the bottom of the cup. He could pour more hot water over it, it was a strong enough tea to endure more than one boiling, but he didn’t like weak, watered down tea. It was best to enjoy things while they were happening, instead of letting them wear thin.
”It looks like I’ve completed the errand.” Flash shrugged, placing his cup gently back on the saucer that it had been sitting on. ”One of my favorites so far, though perhaps it was the company.”
Flash was clearly cleaning up the area around him, putting materials aside for another student to use if they wanted to take his place. He made no rush of it, making sure to keep his attention on Bridget. Even if their get together was coming to a close, there was no point in hurrying.
@Bridget Collins
Well, at least for Flash it was. He was used to being a martyr for the team. Even while playing football he had managed to get himself hurt in the desperation to win. The victory itself was rarely the entire goal, more than that Flash just wanted to be valuable. When it came to sports, that sometimes meant wanting victory more than wanting to survive unscathed.
She seemed to encourage him with the thought of becoming second string, which was a somewhat realistic possibility. He was only a first year, after all, so positions could open over time as players shifted their interests to things besides sports, or graduated. He was keeping up with his fitness, but besides that he didn’t have anything left to do but wait and see.
He was interested to hear her talk about Quidditch though. A love of flying. Flash agreed, though he was well acquainted with flying from brooms they had at home when he was growing up. It must have been quite different coming from a muggle family and discovering the act of flight was possible. The reason she became a beater was to fill in for what the team needed.
It was almost funny how much Flash liked Bridget. He could see the strongest values he had reflected in her, yet she carried herself as though she were someone completely unassuming. To her, the way she thought and acted must have been second nature, common sense. He wondered if her peers ever disappointed her, if it was perhaps part of the reason she had been reclusive the year before.
”In that case, I look forward to seeing you fly.” Flash had just taken a sip of his tea, slowly nursing it as she talked. From his big smile it was easy to tell that he meant it.
As for her opinions on Hufflepuff, he hadn’t actually known they were undefeated. He had only sat in on their last game, which Willow had joined for. That game had been over very quickly, having a good seeker meant a lot in a game of Quidditch. Willow had done well in her first game as well, both blocking the Quaffle and saving her captain from injury. She was quite new at it though.
”The new keeper, actually, Willow Anderson… she’s a very good friend of mine. Like a sister.” Perhaps the words might have sounded off after his speech about allies, but that’s just how Hufflepuffs were. They said the word ‘friend’ very quickly and easily. ”I’ll be cheering for her. I know it will mean a lot to her if Hufflepuff wins. Well, Hogwarts. I think I would prefer being surrounded by all the happy faces of my classmates celebrating victory, but it’s not like I can do much beyond cheering.”
Flash lifted his cup again only to realize it was empty. With the water suspending it, the soggy paper bird sat lifelessly at the bottom of the cup. He could pour more hot water over it, it was a strong enough tea to endure more than one boiling, but he didn’t like weak, watered down tea. It was best to enjoy things while they were happening, instead of letting them wear thin.
”It looks like I’ve completed the errand.” Flash shrugged, placing his cup gently back on the saucer that it had been sitting on. ”One of my favorites so far, though perhaps it was the company.”
Flash was clearly cleaning up the area around him, putting materials aside for another student to use if they wanted to take his place. He made no rush of it, making sure to keep his attention on Bridget. Even if their get together was coming to a close, there was no point in hurrying.
@Bridget Collins
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
13 Aug 2020, 23:11
The Blackbird's Black Tea
@Flash Holmwood
There it was, the mention of a friend. She was glad to hear that Flash did have friends, or at least a friend--there was nothing wrong with having allies, of course, but in her personal opinion, friends made life significantly better. "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for her." After all, she hadn't known the name of Hufflepuff's new Keeper until Flash had informed her it was Willow Anderson, so watching her play benefitted her anyways. She liked knowing what to expect from her competition.
Bridget had finished her tea, and setting her cup down, noticed Flash had as well. She helped him clean up their table, whether for the next group or ease of clean-up by whoever had set up this errand, she didn't know, but it wouldn't have been right to leave their materials sprawled out.
It appeared their errand was drawing to a close. A shame, really, as she'd been enjoyed his company. It wasn't like she'd never see him again, though; in fact, as allies hopefully they'd be able to share new bits of information in the large, complicated puzzle that was Hogwarts as of late. The brunette stood up and pushed her chair in. "Thank you for inviting me. I'm glad I came." Bridget paused, unsure of how formal to be, but considering the title of 'ally' wasn't quite casual and, technically, they'd only just met, she offered her hand for a parting shake. "I'll see you around." With a little wave, Bridget turned back towards the castle, feeling that the errand had thoroughly exceeded her expectations.
Bridget Collins has exited the thread.
Phyllis Stanwood (iNPC) • Aislin Darragh (2nd gen) • Alejandros Espinosa (2nd gen iNPC)