Oh, for Flying Out Loud
@Anastasia Beckett
Backdated to Dec. 21
Flying, as always, had been an increasing frustration to Piper. Today's big fiasco was when Piper had managed to get her broom into the air (after literal months of attempts) and promptly fallen onto her face. By now, nearly everyone else in the class - even that girl - had lifted off, learned to land, and been able to fly circles in the air. Piper was still learning to keep her balance on a broomstick. Needless to say, when she had faceplanted on the ground in front of all the other students, she had been both ready to cry and ready to snap her broom. Everything was terrible, particularly when a few tactless morons began to laugh.
As a matter of fact, one student had approached Piper after Flying and suggested a certain book which explained in great detail the technique when flying on a broom. Piper had been very close to flat-out decking the anxious-to-help student, but restrained herself. The fact that she had come to Hogwarts and excelled in only four classes, however, made Piper want to curl up in a ball and never show her face to the general public again. And so, she had marched to the library. Not to pick up a stupid book on a practical skill, of course, but because the library was soothing. It was a place where obnoxious peers weren't allowed to make noise, and the area was meticulously clean. Calming. She could study something actually worthwhile in her half-hour break.
As Piper read over her textbook - A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration - her eyes skimmed the pages, but she wasn't really reading. Instead, she replayed the previous class over and over in her head. I am so stupid. She should have come up with some witty comeback for the laughing students. It sure would show them. Unfortunately, class was over and here she was, still obsessing over it. Sigh. Maybe it would be better to simply move on and focus in on her other classes. After a short rant about this one, of course. Thank Merlin Flying would be over next year.
"Flying is the absolute WORST subject of all time." Piper muttered. It felt good to say something, so she went up a notch (ensuring she wasn't too loud). "I can't even see why we need it. It's worthless. Only Quidditch players need it. And Quidditch is bloody terrible too. And Mondays. You know what's fun? Spellwork. That's right." And, quite oblivious to how comical she may have sounded, Piper nodded to herself and stuck her nose into her book. That was off her chest; now she could focus on the Transformation Formula.
Piper Clark (color=#4040FF)
"I do it because I can, I can because I want to, I want to because you said I couldn't."
Oh, for Flying Out Loud
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Interacting With: @Piper Clark
Mentioning: N/A
Hex Color: #FF4080
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The Gryffindor was in a foul mood. Even in past years, her birthday hadn't exactly been the most pleasant day, but that year was particularly bad. Most years involved letters upon letters with overly expensive and ultimately meaningless gifts, or for the ones spent at home, lectures about her failure to live up to what a Beckett ought to be and instructions on what she was required to do better in the coming year. She'd thought nothing could be worse than either of those. This year was worse. She'd made an effort not to mention it to any of her friends, and the ones that did remember, she'd made an effort to avoid.
Some girl was at the same table as hers and looked not to be in a much better mood than Ana. Ana did her best to ignore her since lately, it seemed all she was capable of was lashing out at undeserving people. Bored and trying desperately not to think about her parents or anything else, she began to flip through the pages of some tedious tome about some magical war or another. She wasn't retaining anything she read, which was annoying but to be expected considering how split her focus was.
She rather wished she had a distraction. Quidditch practice later that day was a good one, but that was still hours from now. As if the universe heard her request for a distraction, the girl across from her spoke.
Ana ought to have left well enough alone, just ignored it. The girl was frustrated and venting. Ana ought to have just held her tongue or moved to a different table. But, of course, she was Anastasia Beckett and Anastasia Beckett seldom did what she ought to.
"Are you a complete and utter half-wit?" Ana hissed, irritably. "Honestly, how ignorant does someone have to be to make such moronic statements?" Quidditch was the most dependable thing in her life and she was always ready to argue with anyone who dared speak about it as if it was anything other than the best sport ever.
Her dark eyes flitted up from her book and glared at the girl. She was blonde and from the look of her, a first-year. Though they were both sitting, Ana could tell she had several inches on the younger girl. She arched an unimpressed eyebrow as if to prompt the girl to speak and share whatever had happened to inform such empty-headed views and more importantly, what lead her to think such opinions were worth sharing.
Long story short, I survived
Stats - Strength: 5, Agility: 6, Control: 12, Stamina:7
Oh, for Flying Out Loud
@Anastasia Beckett
Piper's head snapped up at someone's poisonous voice. Talking to her. "Are you a complete and utter half-wit?" What? Oh. Piper's heart sank as she remembered her sudden words. Someone had overheard her. What had she done wrong? Piper frantically mentally reviewed her earlier statements, and finally put her finger on it. She had insulted flying and Quidditch.
This must be one of those Quidditch nuts.
The girl who had spoken with so much venom boasted blonde hair like Piper and looked much older. And was very intimidatingly taller. She had to be at least third or fourth year, and she was not happy. Piper had made a grave mistake but wouldn't - couldn't - back down now.
The familiar feeling of anger began to stir deep within Piper. How dare she be insulted for having opinions? "Honestly, how ignorant does someone have to be to make such moronic statements?" This was absolutely ridiculous. People disagreeing with her was bad enough, but flat-out calling her moronic? Piper would have made a quite inappropriate retort by now, but she bridled her tongue for two reasons: first of all, this person was much older and could probably make her life hell, and secondly Piper had no clever reply up her sleeve, much as she longed for one.
Still, the librarian was nearby and Piper had no time to rationalize all the way. "Well...I..." This was precisely why she steered clear of upperclassmen. It wasn't easy to target them, and they all were more advanced in spellcasting (thus able to hex her more easily). This one had unprecedented fury in her eyes. And Piper released the pressure of rage inside her. "You heard me." She stared the older girl into the eyes, trying not to let any of her fear show. She could imagine how ridiculous she looked (comparable to a Dachsund trying to intimidate an angry German Shepherd). "I. Hate. Quidditch."
Piper meant every word. She imagined all her spills in Flying class, and the idiotic Bludgers zooming about, and the stupid people wasting their time and lives and breath on stupid goals for imaginary points. Quidditch really was stupid. "And Flying class is an absolute waste of time. It's all worthless. If you are in love with that sort of thing, it's most unfortunate." Piper gave a great huff. And then both worry and regret filled her. She probably shouldn't have said that.
Piper Clark (color=#4040FF)
"I do it because I can, I can because I want to, I want to because you said I couldn't."