Convivial Vigil PV Closed

@Pericles Dralt

It was no lie that River had, even through her second year at Hogwarts, found the winding halls and corridors to be somewhat of a maze. Make one wrong turn, arise one wrong staircase, and suddenly you might as well be lost forever. She’d been quite lucky when navigating the grand castle, and became somewhat familiar with the paths between point a and point b. She had no worries that any guidance would be needed for making her way about Hogwarts, at least not anymore. Though, what she had been relieved to hear was that she’d receive support in learning of her new responsibilities as a prefect…
Prefect, River carefully tested the word out in her mind. She’d have heard it out loud if it wasn’t for her fear of waking anybody up. It had a nice ring to it sure, but at the same time it felt so far from what she’d ever imagined. Had one asked her, merely months ago, whether she was interested in the role of a prefect, she would happily decline and move on with her life, and somehow, she was here, a ravenclaw prefect.
Knowing what had brought her to take this responsibility was not easy. She wasn’t sure whether it was the wish to make other students feel like they had someone safe to come to with anything they’d like to talk about, access to the prefect bathrooms or being a part of the group of other prefects. Whatever it was, she was happy she’d been given the position, and planned to fulfill what it entailed.

Stepping quietly through the door of the common room, she listened, for any sounds at all, though none came. For a moment, there was quiet in the corridors, an occurrence one would not often experience in a school like Hogwarts. Catching River’s attention, a voice spoke up, breaking the fleeting moment of silence. The icy grey eyes of the girl fell upon the boy already standing beyond the doorway. The boy was familiar to River, she knew who he was but not much about him.
The pale, white-haired second year, with glasses on his nose. Pericles. A smile quickly made it to the girl’s face as she closed the door behind her, trying to avoid any loud creaks or squeaks. “Pericles, nice to see you” River said and moved up to him. “Yes, I believe I’m as ready as ever” she added. She was quite thankful that Pericles would be the one to help her out on her first patrol ever. He seemed, from what she’d observed, like a great person, and she’d been looking forward to becoming further acquainted with a fellow ravenclaw. “Whatcha reading there?” the redhead asked him, and nodded to the notebook he’d been holding. It wasn’t her place to pry, but it was the first idea to pop up in her mind as she attempted to not let the silence of the corridors blanket the two of them.
When the time came for the two eagles to get on their way for the patrol, she’d motion for him to lead the way. It wasn’t like she would know anything of how this should go. He probably had a very detailed plan or routine of these things, and she couldn’t help but be nervous to see how much information she’d need to process through the evening. Perhaps it would not be as intimidating as it might seem, she was soon to find out.

@River Dewlight

Prefecthood had suited Pericles well enough. He had a natural knack for finding trouble, but was often light-handed, and had yet to hand out any detentions to date. He enjoyed the simple aspects, such as guiding students from the Great Hall to the Commons. Even more so, he looked forward to nightly patrols, reveling in the opportunity to explore the school when it was at its quietest. It was easy to become distracted once the sun went down and the prefects were on the prowl, particularly when pairing up with a friend. The list he had written was for both of their benefits. Determined to be as helpful to her as possible, he reread his notes a third time through before River arrived on the scene.

Their regard for one another seemed mutual: Peri did not know her well at all, but recognized her, and his smile grew visibly brighter at the girl's greeting. "It's nice to see you too," came the polite return as he made to meet her halfway. The witch's kind and casual nature put him immediately at ease, dispelling some doubts right off the bat. When she inquired about the notebook, he breathed a light "Oh!", gesturing with it in the air before sliding it into a broad robe pocket. "I was looking forward to tonight. I've made us a list of things to remember when prefecting, just t'make sure I don't leave anything out. You've already done one thing." A crooked grin quirked into place as Peri complimented innocently, obliviously, "You're incredibly quiet. If I hadn't seen you leaving the common room, I wouldn't have known you were there at all!"

River motioned for him to take the lead, so he set off, moving at an unhurried pace so they may walk leisurely side by side. The young wizard was looking ahead now, contentment evident in his mild voice and hooded gaze. His gait was a languid stroll that spoke of certainty towards their task. "I'm glad you were willing to practice your patrol with me. Another important thing to keep in mind is that troublemakers tend to run in packs, so it's best to pair up when possible." It occurred to Pericles that he didn't know his fellow House prefects all to well. As a third-year, Cecily seemed so far ahead of him, and for whatever reason Phaedra made him horrifyingly shy. Things would be different with River, he decided. They had a great deal of ground to cover which meant plenty of time to talk. "I find the time goes by a lot quicker, too, with company. Let's start by taking the stairs all the way down to the Halls."

@Pericles Dralt

River was happy to see the boys smile as she entered the corridors. Her only slight worry had been that she’d be paired up with someone who’d rather spend their time elsewhere, without having to drag the new prefect around. Though she assumed most of the prefects would be alright people, considering the position they’d been granted. Pericles had always seemed like a good guy, but in some people you never know their true personality unless you take your time to get to know them. Perhaps the truth is uglier than it first seemed, or perhaps it turns out to be nicer, prettier than the initial impression.
The boy seemed relatively composed, organized, especially as he tucked his notebook away and told the girl what its use was for. The glasses only added to the impression of a put-together, wise exterior, then of course, what meets the eye is not always accurate.
River’s left eyebrow rose slightly in confusion as he began telling her about her successes so far. What could she possibly have accomplished in the short time she’d even had the perfect position? As he continued, her confused expression turned into one of amusement as a breathy laugh quietly slipped her lips. «Thanks, I’d say silence is a specialty of mine» she said, a tone of amusement to her voice as she shrugged. Finally, what so many had considered nothing but a negative trait, her ability to stay quiet would perhaps come in handy.

Running her fingers through her hair, River followed suit as Pericles began walking down the corridors, toward the direction of the stairs. Keeping a calm pace to manage keeping a conversation going through their patrol. Listening to Pericles as he spoke of his experience from being a prefect, River hummed in response to his statement of pairing up when possible. «Pack animals huh?», she mused and wondered how on earth she’d handle coming across rule-breakers on her own. One would perhaps expect a prefect to be good with handling conflict, the truth was that River would usually rather avoid it. She was always up for a challenge though, and she was sure her future experiences would allow for plenty of opportunities to challenge her confrontational issues. It wasn’t necessarily like she was afraid of confrontation, she’d just rather avoid it if possible. A waste of time if one could rather go on without addressing the problem. Of course now she’d have no choice but to take action, it was but one of the many expectations she now bore.

She crossed her arms over her chest as she thought of wandering the halls all alone in the dark of night. The castle was vast, and full of shaded nooks and crannies, «Yeah I can imagine the patrols must be a lot more interesting with a conversation-partner by your side». The ravenclaw had grown to enjoy her own company more than any others, but the idea of not having anyone there for the time being, brought a soft chill down her spine.

Walking to the stairs was a familiar route. It was one she made every day, quite self explanatory. She looked around at the walls as they made their way through the corridors out to the grand staircase. Most of the portraits were asleep, some snoring, others dreaming about whatever portraits tend to dream about. «It’s quite strange seeing the castle so… calm», she said thoughtfully, not taking her eyes off the portraits on the walls. «I mean, everything is completely different, a little unrecognizable even». The girl had never in her years at Hogwarts been outside after curfew. Well, at least none other time than that one trip to the forest, but she had no time to focus on the quiet of the evening then. She shuddered at the thought of that night.
There had always been some life out and wondering, or there would be some argument going on between the portraits. But now, there was nothing but silence. And River didn’t complain.

Reducio

Ahh! Finally I had the time to get this reply in, sorry for the wait

@River Dewlight

The only post-curfew activities Pericles got up to in his first year were prefect patrols. He was not much of a rule-breaker at Hogwarts, unless it involved snooping in mysterious affairs best left to adults. The patrols had introduced him to Hogwarts' night life: sneaky students, skittering house-elves, and that almost otherworldly ambiance. It was a novel opportunity to see the school this way, and even though they were doing so on business, Peri always derived a fleeting thrill from prowling about when the crowds slumbered. Some nights he wondered if he would "outgrow" that feeling, or if his more seasoned peers still felt the same way. Whatever the future had in store, in that particular moment, he was simply content to imagine River was enjoying the experience of a nocturnal stroll.

To talk of silence being a specialty of hers, Peri simply smiled on obliviously. The witch radiated an aura which felt familiar, yet had he placed it- let alone pieced it with her absence of canines- he had done nothing to indicate as much. He only grinned as they spoke of "pack animals" and the pleasure of company on patrols, assuring "Oh yes," then he lapsed into a span of silence. It was neither heavy nor awkward; his was the idle, passive quiet of one who wasn't compelled to fill silence at all times. As the stairwells shifted, he leaned against a railing and peered down into the dark, looking up again as their stairs arrived and enabled them to progress. He pondered the portraits and squinted down dark halls. "At some times," he eventually broke the quiet, "you'll want Lumos to make sure you don't miss anything out of place. At others, you'll want to acclimate to the shadows. That way you won't alert others to your presence." This didn't seem to be a concern of his tonight. While Peri didn't light his wand, he also wasn't speaking in soft whispers. His intent was for a night of mild introduction... assuming there weren't any students sneaking about.

«It’s quite strange seeing the castle so… calm.
I mean, everything is completely different, a little unrecognizable even»
Pericles wanted very much to be a "good prefect". He tried to follow the rules, to help his peers, and to take his patrols seriously. Yet staying utterly on task, without admiring the magic of it all, was a hard task to ask of a daydream-prone twelve-year-old. Beaming and nodding, he murmured airily "If you think this is strange, you should see outside! It's outright otherworldly." Then a thought struck, anchoring him from his drifting demeanor. The smile faded and eyes went round while they shifted to River. "D'you suppose- would you like to go to the Lake and back? It's one of my patrol regions anyhow." It was a part of his "job", though Peri spoke as if it were potential adventure, this stroll to the lake. "Dunno who has the courtyard, but Ruby Cazares of Slytherin guards the grounds at night. I feel lucky with the lake- though I do see too many students tossed into it."

@Pericles Dralt

The silent walk through the corridors was nothing but nice. It was comfortable, and new, River realized how she’d been in need of some change lately. It’s quite easy to get lost in the repeating routines of being a student at Hogwarts. So getting to see it from a new perspective was quite a refreshing feeling. Knowing that she’d get to patrol through areas of the castle more in the future caused the slightest of smiles to appear on her lips. She was sure this new position would grant nothing other than valuable experiences.

Eventually, Pericles spoke, giving some tips on how to approach certain situations. If there was one thing River considered herself good at, it was adapting. She was sure this would be no issue for her.
She kept her eyes on the staircases as they moved. Making their oath a little bit more complicated than it needed to be. Though, when did the staircases not seem to want to provide a challenge for those wandering the halls? Luckily they had become quite familiar at this point.
Rivers' attention peaked as Pericles mentioned going outside to take a look at the grounds during this late hour. If there was one thing River had a good relation to, it was night walks outside. She loved them. It was something she’d spent a lot of her time doing at home, especially in her time before Hogwarts. There was just something about the night that made everything so much more, peaceful. And if not peaceful, then more exciting. A single foreign sound could become something great, scary, exciting or even dangerous in the creative mind of a child.

“Yeah I’d love to take a walk outside”, she said, her excitement only just noticeable in her voice as she spoke. “Though I do hope we won’t need to go swimming for any students”, she added, and gave the boy a faint smirk. “Have you encountered the giant squid on any of your patrols?”, she asked as her curiosities of the creature popped up in her mind. Perhaps they’d even catch a glimpse of it tonight, though she wasn’t counting on it. She’d not been lucky enough to see it at all so far, but there have been many rumours and stories sent around among students. Of course it is always wise to keep a certain skepticism toward rumours.

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@River Dewlight

It seemed that the trek through Hogwarts was a comfortable one for Pericles. The first few nights of patrol could be disorienting, as one no longer had to weave through crowds, being jostled and bumped. It was as if they had been carrying cumbersome bags on their backs throughout the duration of their time here, and at last were free of them, moving easily from one destination to the next. Unhindered, the boy became alive at night, more cheerful and chatty, as though expending energy leftover from the sleepy state worn throughout the day. He habitually kept a palm on the balustrade as they traversed the stairs, cautious of any tricks or shifting they may have in store. "Never patrol in the same order at the same times," he had rehearsed quietly after a glance at his pocketbook. "You don't want to be predictable, especially to those who would be clever enough to try and determine your 'pattern'."

Despite the little list of rules he had concocted, Pericles didn't hesitate to invite River off the beaten path. He shared in a moment of childlike glee; where hers was hidden behind a polite composure, only hinted in her voice, his shone through the light in his eyes. The boy struggled with keeping his smile small, doing his best to maintain a "mature" face. It wasn't like they were breaking the rules per say, he was just showing her his patrol area. That was a responsible, sensible thing to do, and surely not an excuse to get outside for stargazing. Peri perked at her agreement, yet the jest seemed to soar over his head. "Ah..." he breathed softly, "...I should hope not. They tend to do most of their 'swimming' around lunch. It's much too cold for that now." Off they went, descending to the ground floor, prowling and whispering through the halls towards the grand entryway. "I see the squid sometimes," he had answered, yet it was clear the boy had become distracted, eyes fixed dead ahead as he internally enthused over going outside. "He likes to sun his tentacles on warmer days, but other than that, seems to keep to himself. Maybe we will get a glimpse tonight...."

There would be no sign of the squid, though there was plenty else to take in. Night life teemed in the absence of students. Passing through the great doors, River and Pericles were met with a clear view of the heavens, thousands of stars shining clear as crystal against the black blanket of sky. The moon was in a regal Waxing Gibbous stage of its cycle, broad and aglow with a mysterious edge of shadow. Wind rustled the trees while whispering around architecture. It was cool, around twelve degrees Celsius, but worth tolerating to see the spectacle. Pericles took his time here. They were but guests in the night, so he tread with wonder and caution in equal measure, no longer peppering River with tidbits of advice. At times he would whisper Look or There! with a light touch to her sleeve followed by a pointing finger. A thin layer of fog teeming over the dark lake gave it the effect of looking like a mysterious portal to another realm. They would linger at the top of a great grassy knoll to survey it for a short while (no drowning students, to their fortune). Off in the distance, a herd of deer could be spied grazing at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Once, they heard a howl resonating ominously from deep within the treeline. Owls swept out from the owlery in droves, free to hunt now that no one was awake to tie letters on their ankles, filling the air with the deep thrum of beating wings. Peri jumped when one shrieked a shrill warning at a passing bat, which had evidently tried to share its airspace.

The sky had seemed so endless. When they returned within the castle walls, where before the empty halls felt large, there was a distinct sense of stepping back into a safe mundane space. That long walk had satisfied Pericles, who resumed a calmer, dreamier state in its aftermath. He beamed briefly at River once they reentered, murmuring simply, "Thank you for agreeing to this. I was looking forward to patrolling with someone else." Though this sparked a question, one which he dwelled on for some time as the two began to climb the shifting stairs. It would come out of the blue when he finally supposed it was alright to ask. "River...?" Curious, cautious. "Why did you agree t'be a prefect? If you don't mind my wondering, that is." Politely veiling an amused grin, he added, "Aside from getting to see the school so empty."

{ Permission given to fast-forward through the lake instead of switching locations }

@Pericles Dralt

There was nothing more refreshing than taking that first breath of night-air. Sure enough their trip through the corridors had been quite nice, but now River felt a little jealous that she’d only gotten inside areas to patrol. Back at home she would go on night time walks frequently. It brought her this otherworldly feeling of peace and comfort. She truly enjoyed the time when the moon could be seen in all its might, surrounded by stars like freckles on the night sky. She realized how those walks were one thing she missed the freedom to do here at Hogwarts, though it did make them even more special when she was home.
Every time Pericles would point to something, or pull her attention to a specific part of the outdoors, she’d quickly look in a wish to absorb as much of it while she had the chance. Though there was no sign of the quid she did not fail to be very much entertained by their surroundings.

Eventually it was once more time to head back into the stone castle. River was relieved to know Pericles had enjoyed their patrol together. Her faint fear of being a burden of any sort lightened slightly as he spoke. “Of course”, she answered and looked up at the boy with a soft smile. "Really I’m very thankful you did this with me, the whole thought of walking about here all alone sounds quite intimidating”, she added quietly. A twinge curled in her stomach as she realized she’d actually admitted to being intimidated by something. For some reason her usual facade had slightly dropped since they first met up.

He asked a question. One that River had not expected to have to answer at this time. She looked down as her mind actually started thinking about her decision to apply for prefect. She didn’t think there was some deep answer to it. No secret reason to apply these extra responsibilities onto herself. “Honestly I don’t really know the reason I did”, she answered. “I guess perhaps I just felt the need to be more involved with the school as a whole”, she paused for a second, considering whether to let this almost-stranger in on whatever her brain decided to say next.
“I mean Hogwarts is where I’ve felt the most at home in ages. The people here, the professors, the classes. All of it makes me feel safe…”, she fought all instinct to stop talking and get defensive for no reason, before she began talking again. “So that’s why I wanted to be a source of comfort and safety for the others here, if that makes any sense. I want to contribute to this place continuing to be a safe-haven for others who might need it”. Her sentence came to an abrupt halt before visibly cringing “Jeez, that suddenly got real sappy. Sorry ‘bout that”, a slightly uncomfortable laugh escaped her lips as a fidgety hand ran though her unkempt hair. “Either way, what about you?”, she asked in hopes of changing the conversation from herself. “what was your reason to become a prefect?”.

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@River Dewlight

Contentment curbed the typical buzz of thought which plagued Pericles. On slow tedious nights, in which the castle lay uneventful, they flitted erratically like beeves in a hive. Now his mind was quiet, permeated only by the hum of satisfaction. The night air woke him with its chill, enthralled him with its wild activity, and enlivened him with its unpredictability. What was more, he was grateful to have shared knowledge and experience with someone else. A life raised more or less alone- his sister often away on adventures- led to a newfound appreciation for company. She was happy, so he was happy. The boy didn't seem to sense any regret radiating from River in the wake of admitting her intimidation. Aside from isolation, he had been raised in an ideal environment, where one did not need to water down their emotions or hide how they felt. He unabashedly agreed, admitting "It's clever to be cautious. Hogwarts is strange in the day..." his smile curved into a grin, "...stranger still once the sun sets." Then, on a quiet if genuine note, Peri added "I hope this helped. 'The Unknown' of it all made me nervous when I first started out, too, so I thought that maybe a sort of tour might take the edge off your first night."

They retraced their steps, despite the earlier advice on alternating one's patrol to avoid forming patterns. She could apply that on a different night. For now, the offer of information had come to a close, and Pericles ventured to peek past the bookish hows of prefecting to ask River about her underlying whys. The response was hung on: while he watched the path ahead, he was listening carefully, as if River just might answer a different question he'd kept to himself. Why had she become a prefect? Why had he..?

Then she called her reasoning "sappy", and he snapped out of whatever ruminative trance her voice put him in. While Pericles didn't laugh, a chuckle gleamed in his eyes and warmed the edge of his airy voice. "Don't apologize for being genuine," the younger eagle insisted in passing. But his question was bounced back at him, smoothing the smile away, making room instead for a thoughtful frown. Several seconds ticked by before Peri decided to attempt an answer. "I don't know," he accidentally echoed her. "I wish my reasons were the same as yours. That is- I do like being involved here at Hogwarts, and it does feel like something of a second home, a sanctuary... and, like you said, I want others to feel that way too. I think really, what I want is to make sense of it all." Judging from the muddled look he was wearing, Peri would need to make sense of his thoughts first. "When Professor Equinox offered me the position, it sounded as though he believed I'd become more assertive, or maybe, he thought I was the type to stick to the rules." His eyebrows pinched lightly in, smile turned contrite. "I'm certainly trying to." Peri wasn't at all what one would call a rulebreaker, but a number of them only seemed worthy of warnings, while others were tempting to ignore altogether.

"We have a rare chance to see things from another perspective, and I don't just mean wandering the grounds at night. I don't think I'll remain a prefect forever... not that I'll be handing off my badge any time soon. Only, this is an experience, not an occupation. I'll take what I can from it, and give back what I can offer. I think that would make me happy." Trying something new. Gaining a unique perspective. Growing, and giving back, in an exchange to benefit both himself and his school. All that introspective theorizing seemed to tucker him out though. Pericles fell silent for a beat, then jested near a whisper, "I think it's my turn to say sorry for being sappy." When they neared their Commons once more, the wizard would say in parting, "We should partner up again, though don't hesitate to ask if others will share a shift. The more prefects you pair with, the more sections of the school you'll see." Although the boy had offered to show River the ropes, he would leave the patrol feeling a little more certain himself.

Leaving the thread unless needed for another reply.