29 Oct 2021, 15:13
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
Proposal of Study Buddy Status with @Samantha Salwis
"Ah, and the wife and I thank you for being such a fine witness," he flashed a big smile. That was a fun memory, even if it was pretty crazy. He knew that it didn't mean anything official, but the feelings and the thoughts were there and that meant something. Hell, Haley Rose meant a great deal to him and he hoped that she was having a nice summer, as he was.
"So when we get back to Hogwarts this year, for our Second Year, and you're officially my friend, does that mean I can use your Ravenclaw smarts to come to whenever I have a question about my classes? I'm not the dullest, please don't get that idea, and I won't ever copy off you. That's not my kind of thing, but you know...maybe we could do study sessions. Pick a class and we could be official study buddies in that course?"
He threw the idea out there, hoping she'd pick a topic and agree to it. It wasn't so much either for the help in schoolwork but to guarantee them time together. Sometimes when two people wanted to be friends, busy lives got in the way. When you had a reason to see them, to spend time with them, then the friendship had time to blossom and flourish.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
1 Nov 2021, 09:06
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
@Simon Kincaid"Yes, you can always come to me if you have a question!" Samantha loved helping people with schoolwork, mostly because it made her look smart. "That sounds like a good plan!" She answered smiling.
She had never really thought about having a study buddy, she had always managed to do things on her own just fine. Especially with school she had no problems and barely needed help. But having a study buddy wasn't only about help, it also allowed you to spend more time together and be more motivated.
She thought about what class they could work together on. There were many options, but she already knew which one she wanted to pick. "Maybe we could be study buddies for history of magic? It is not that I am bad at it, it is just that I don't really like it and maybe if we are working on it together I will be more motivated." She had to add that she wasn't bad at it, because she didn't want Simon to think that she was stupid.
Between all her talking she had been eating her ice-cream. She wanted to take an other bite, but realized she had eaten it all. Sadly she looked at her empty hand, how had she finished it already? She had been talking way to much and hadn't really enjoyed her ice-cream. What a waste.
Simon had mentioned his aunt, but never his mom or dad, and Samantha wondered why that was. "You have talked about your aunt, but I haven't heard you talk or write in your letter, well seen you write as I can't hear you write, anyway, you haven't mentioned your parents, why is that?" She looked at the boy curiously with her big blue eyes. Samantha wasn't the most subtle person in the world and she hadn't thought about the fact that there might be a serious reason that wasn't something you would discuss in a ice-cream place.
11 Nov 2021, 19:02
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
Big information with @Samantha Salwis
"Nothing really to mention about them," he said initially, trying to think of a way to bring it up. It wasn't that he minded - living with Aunt Maggie WAS his normal. It was just when he told his history and what came of his parents or what little he knew of them he was often met with sympathy and that was never what he intended. His Aunt Maggie was a wonderful person to have as family; even if she was his only.
"Well, I'll start with my mum. She and Aunt Maggie were sisters." Right there started it off. Were sisters. Past tense. Might as well keep going. "They were very very close despite a three year age gap. It was hard when my mum got a letter to Hogwarts but my aunt didn't. No clue why some things work out like that. Maybe it's genetics or something and somehow you know, my mum got the luck of the draw? I dunno. Then just after graduation their parents got in a terrible accident and died. So my mum was in charge of my aunt. Then she got pregnant with me pretty soon after so she had a pretty heavy load at 17. A 14 year old sister to look after and a baby. She did beautifully though. She was a Gryffindor when she was at Hogwarts." Simon appreciated that they were meeting there in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley where he could openly discuss this sort of thing, instead of some muggle location where he'd have to use a hushed voice.
"She got sick though and she died when I was three. By then, Aunt Maggie was now 17 herself and so...she got a three year old me to tend to. She also did beautifully. I'm forever grateful for her." She had taught him so much, just about things like music and dance, faith and kindness. His Aunt Maggie was one of the most selfless people he knew and he aspired to be like her.
"So I never knew my grandparents and I don't remember my mum unfortunately. It's just me and Aunt Maggie. My dad...that's...a sketchy story. He uh.... Well, my mum felt something off about him and left before she even found out she was pregnant with me. After learning that, she still didn't tell him. She also never talked to my aunt about him so I don't even have a name. I've no idea who he is..." he paused.
He had some idea. A hint of an idea.
"Well, I know like one thing about him for sure," and he realized after he said those words that he shouldn't have said those words and he looked to Samantha. Those blue eyes were watching him as he rambled on and on and on. And here he was, feeling as if he needed to divulge that one thing. Would Samantha be alarmed? Would she not want to be his friend anymore? He felt he owed it to her to keep talking.
"He's a vampire," and this was said in a more hushed voice. "And I know that because my mum was a muggleborn witch but I'm a dhampir so...the only way for that to happen would if he's a vampire." And in a few days' time, Simon would think this very man would come stop at his house one evening. Simon watched Samantha's reaction closely, hoping that she wasn't appalled by what he just said.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
22 Nov 2021, 17:17
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
@Simon KincaidSamantha was a tad confused when Simon told her there was nothing to mention about his parents. How could that be? She could talk hours about her parents. There was a lot she could tell about them, how come it wasn't the same for him?
The young girl quickly noticed that Simon was talking in past time about his mom. She realized what that meant and her expression changed, she looked rather sad now. His grandparents died? "Terrible accident?" she echoed his words.
Dead, it seemed something that Simon had had a lot off. Samantha didn't know what to say or do. She had never experienced anybody dying close to her. All her grandparents were still alive and she hadn't even had a pet that died. She shifted uncomfortable on her chair, she had no idea what to say, which rarely happened to her. Luckily for her Simon kept talking.
"Your mom and aunt both sound like amazing women," she said, still a little uncomfortable. Samantha listened as Simon talked about his dad, who wasn't dead. His dad sounded very mysterious, no name, no information about his, he was like a ghost.
When Simon talked about the one thing Samantha's eyes widened, she wanted to know what it was. When he looked at her, she moved a little closer to him as it seemed like he was going to say something important, maybe even secret.
Simon continued talking in a hushed voice. The surprise was clearly visible on the young girls face. Simon is a dhampir? What did this mean? In her mind Samantha gathered everything she knew about dhampirs, which wasn't much to her surprise. She knew more about vampires, but a dhampir was something different. The only time she had read something about dhampirs was in the beginning of her first year. In the Hogwarts Headliner they had said something about dhampirs.
She was quiet for a few seconds, processing the new information. Why hadn't Simon told her this before? Was he ashamed? Was he dangerous? Was the article in the Hogwarts Headliner correct? Were dhampirs dangerous? Was her friend Simon dangerous? He had never tried to hurt her, right? She didn't know it anymore.
"Are you dangerous?" she asked. Samantha didn't look scared, she looked confused. She was trying to get her mind around this new information, but it was hard. She needed more information, before she could decide what to do next. She needed books, she could trust on books to give her information, but there were no books, so Simon needed to answer her question.
22 Nov 2021, 18:17
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
Questions with @Samantha Salwis
At first there was no reaction, as if she was collecting her thoughts. He felt a sinking sensation, one in which told him he probably shouldn't have told her that. This was exactly the reason he didn't tell people. It wasn't something that he should be talking about - even to a friend.
Then finally she was going to speak. That was much better than darting up from her chair, screaming, and running away for her safety. He listened as she asked a question and that feeling in his stomach dropped more. Dangerous?
Samantha didn't SEEM scared but still, she was concerned enough to ask. Maybe it was the Ravenclaw in her. Simon just watched her, not really knowing how to respond. "Dangerous?" he finally repeated her question back to her.
"Sam, was I dangerous before? I'm the same individual from two minutes ago before I said anything. I'm the same person who invited you to an ICE CREAM store for the sole purpose of ice cream and friendship." He was growing upset and he stood up. "Don't tell me you're going to be one of those people who believes all the deception that the Hogwarts Headliner dishes out. They stir up drama to stir up drama."
But he knew that article well, the one back from past November. It hit hard. Simon now stood there near their table, not sure he really wanted to sit anymore. He was annoyed at her for asking the question, but more so with himself for being the stupid halfbreed that he was and that the question had to be asked at all.
"It's getting late," he said, glancing over to where there was a clock up in the store. "I should probably be going." He wasn't feeling very good at that moment about their friendship, himself, or if she would tell anyone.
"Thanks for meeting with me," he whispered and then turned to head out of the parlour. Some fresh air would do him some good.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
23 Nov 2021, 15:02
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
@Simon KincaidWhen Simon echoed her words, she nodded a bit impatiently. Of course she meant dangerous, otherwise she wouldn't have said it. Samantha wasn't aware that Simon was upset, she had never been good at figuring out how somebody was feeling. She just thought that he was explaining his point of view.
It was only when Simon stood up that she realized that there was something wrong. She quickly followed his lead and stood up as well. "I never meant to say you are dangerous!" she said defensive. "You must have understood me wrong, it was just a question!" Why did he have to get so worked up about it? She just wanted information, so she could form a good opinion. Her mom always says that there were no stupid questions, and she should always ask things if she isn't sure.
The Hogwarts Headliner had been her only source of information about dhampirs and in all the books she had read about vampires, vampires didn't sound like the nicest people. But Simon was right, she had never thought he was dangerous before, so there was no reason to think he was now.
Samantha glanced at the clock when Simon said it was late. "It isn't late! We have more then enough time or you would need to be somewhere before lunch." They had agreed to meet at 11 am, so there was no way that "it's getting late". "Wait a minute," she realized this Simon wanted to go away, not because it was time, but because he was upset. When Simon turned to head out, she grabbed his hand and tried to stop him.
"Please don't go, I didn't mean to upset you, if I did that. I'm sorry if you understood me wrong and you are hurt now," she apologized, well not really apologized, but kind off. With her big blue eyes she looked at her friend, "Please don't go."
24 Nov 2021, 00:48
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
Hushed voice with @Samantha Salwis
"Maybe I misunderstood," he began and slowly sat back down to the table. He waited for her to take the seat across from him before continuing. "I don't know what I misunderstood though. I mean, if you didn't think I was dangerous before then you shouldn't think I'm dangerous now. Nothing's changed from the moment we first sat down together until now. I'm still the very same. Nothing's changed since we first met. Nothing. This is me, this is who I am."
It was difficult though and he sort of got that. It didn't help that several times now the school's newspaper was printing out all these horrible perceptions of what he was to its readers. "The Headliner..." he sighed. He was pretty sure that's where most of the school's population got the majority of their information, "while the content isn't necessarily false, it's also not particularly the truth either. It stirs up drama so the school will keep reading it. It portrays it as if we're monsters," he kept his voice low. No need to spark attention from others.
"I mean, I've never attacked anyone. A harsh word perhaps is the most I've done. I don't intend to hurt anyone either. I just..." he sighed. "I don't want you changing the way you think of me. I've portrayed myself no different than who I am, alright, Sam? All the rest...that's just genetics stuff. You've met the real me," and he reached his hand out across the table, hoping that she might take it as an offer to keep their friendship.
"I just don't really bring it up because of all the drama that's around right now about it. I don't like hiding it from others but it's a difficult thing to admit. You're like...the third or fourth person that knows."
*Edits made
Last edited by Simon Kincaid on 5 Dec 2021, 16:12, edited 1 time in total.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
3 Dec 2021, 17:34
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
@Simon KincaidThe pause that Simon took, made Samantha nervous. What was he going to do? Was he going to walk away or would he listen to her and stay? He started talking and slowly sat down at the table again. "Yes, you did!" she said eagerly, happy to use any excuse to prove she hadn't down anything wrong.
She quickly sat down in front of Simon as he was talking. "Yes, you are right. I never thought you were dangerous, but in the headliner it said that dhampirs are dangerous. So I just had to check, because I don't see you as the dangerous type and that would mean that the headliner is wrong."
Samantha had never considered the headliner being wrong on anything. After all it was a newspaper and those were suppose to always tell the truth. The headliner did it to stir up drama? That sounded very weird to the young girl, it didn't make any sense. It would be the same as telling her that prefects sometimes broke the rules. That wasn't how it was suppose to be. "Or maybe it is because the headliner doesn't know you, because you aren't like they described at all, you are no monster. Maybe if they knew you they wouldn't have published that article!"
Simon didn't seem like the type to attack anybody. Samantha considered him a friend, and her friends were nice and didn't attack people. "I mean I do think it changed the way I think about you, but not in a bad way. I think now that I know it will help me understand you better. Like maybe if you are allergic to garlic I could make sure that I won't have garlic near you. Or is the garlic thing just vampires?" She knew so little and she hated it. Her friend was a dhampir and she was clueless about it.
Simon reached his hand out across the table and Samantha looked at it for less then a second. What was she suppose to do? Hold his hand to show that she was fine with it? She was fine with it, why would she have to show it by touching him with her hands, which were sticky because of the ice cream? Samantha wasn't good at this emotional stuff. Still she didn't want to make Simon upset and squeezed his hand shortly, with the hand that was the least sticky, to show him it didn't matter to her that he was a dhampir. When Simon told her she was one of tree of four who knew, Sam felt very special. She felt important and was really happy. He trusted her enough, she must be an amazing friend.
"Have you ever met an other dhampir?" Samantha asked curiously. She wanted to know everything. How did Simon know he was dhampir? Who also knew it? Did she have to keep it a secret? What was different if you were a dhampir? Did his father still life? How old was his father? How old could Simon become? What is the difference between a vampire and dhampir? This and many other questions were on the girls mind.
"Can I ask you more questions? Or will you walk away again? I promise I don't mean to hurt you with my questions. I am just really curious and I want to know everything about being a dhampir! Is that okay?" She hoped it was, and otherwise she would have to read some book about dhampirs. Maybe she could buy a book now she was ar Diagon Alley, or maybe it was better to wait untill she returned to Hogwarts. After all the books there would be free.Edit to make sense with the changes from Simon's post
5 Dec 2021, 16:57
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
Trying to tear down the walls of @Samantha Salwis
"Honestly, it would be good if the Headliner didn't know. I just think that might...complicate things," he said. A LOT of people got the impression that beings such as dhampirs and werewolfs were dangerous from the articles and he really didn't want to personally throw himself out there to be the counterpart to their initial information. Sounded like a witch hunt - but in dhampir or werewolf or other being form.
"So for now, just keep it kinda low, you know?" he asked, hoping she'd keep his secret. He was pretty sure she would and she squeezed his hand softly but he could tell it really wasn't her thing and it made him smile. "Get up, let's walk and talk," he said. They had already finished their ice cream so there was no harm in heading to some of the other parts of Diagon Alley.
When Samantha would get up, Simon would come beside her and bring his arm around her. "You're not big on signs of affection, are you? Sorry. I have to show you how we dhampirs can be compassionate and loving souls." But really, he just wanted to be close with his friend. "Now first thing is first, change nothing about YOU because of ME. Got it?" he would hate if anyone tried to change who they were, even if it was just the preference in food that they ate. "And secondly, I'll try to answer anything you want answered as best as I can. I think I might have come across another perhaps but she too wasn't one to want to openly discuss it. It's a hard thing to admit." And he did his best to give her a short overview there in the ice cream parlour or some of the characteristics and abilities and whatnot.
"What I really need to learn more about is vampires. If the man I met was my father, then maybe perhaps someday our paths will cross again and I think I'd like to know a good deal about his kind just to have that information." Knowledge was a goo thing to have.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
18 Dec 2021, 11:32
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You
@Simon Kincaid"It's a secret? Who else knows about it? I won't tell anybody else, I promise." Samantha loved talking, but she would never share a secret of a friend with somebody else. She was very curious who the others were who knew. Of course, one of them would be his aunt, she also assumed Haley knew. After all, that was his "wife" and if she, a friend, knew it Haley would know it. But who else? Samantha didn't know who were Simon's other friends, because they didn't know each other that well.
After Samantha got up, Simon laid his arm around her. Her dad also did that a lot and it always made Samantha feel safe. However, Simon was not her dad. She didn't hate it, but she also didn't like it a lot. Simon noticed it and shared what he had noticed. Samantha hadn't really thought about it, but he was right. "Well, it depends on who it is and why." She giggled as Simon told her not to change anything about herself for him. "Yes sir!" she answered him, trying to look serious. She was very relieved that Simon still wanted to be friends with her and very glad about the fact that he was willing to answer her questions because she had a lot of them.
"You want to learn more? Don't you already know a lot?" If Samantha would find out she was a dhampir, she would read every possible book about the subject and ask everybody she knew about it. "I am sure they have tons of books about dhampirs at Hogwarts and otherwise we could buy a book, or we could ask a teacher who knows a lot about them?" Yes, we, she had decided she would help Simon figure out more about dhampirs. After all, she also wanted to know more. She had been confronted with the fact she knew almost nothing about them and she hate knowing nothing about something. She wanted to know every possible thing.
"We should look at Flourish and Blotts, if they have books about dhampirs they should have it there." the young girl said confidently while leaving the Ice Cream story behind.