The Fowlest of Curses PV Alec

"It is rather different than the rest, yes," came her agreement, brow shrugging along with acquiescence. "But really, I think the same could be said of all the roles. They are each rather distinct in their function and purpose." As he moved on to comment on the difficulty of the grip, however, she would shake her head a touch. "Really, it is not as difficult to keep hold once it is in your grasp. I am merely being over-cautious," she admitted, already moving to tuck the snitch back into her back in whatever hidden pocket from which it had been pulled in the first place. "It is not as though I have my broom at the ready to go on chasing after it should I accidentally let it slip between my fingers in this moment, and I should be loath to lose it."

Position returned to its prime place of prim propriety, Evelynn would settle a rather bemused expression upon her counterpart at his apparent surprise over the existence of all that which had yet to be said. "Of course there is more." The counter had slipped from her lips before she could rein it in and she felt a slight pang of guilt at the fresh wash of crimson that rose to colour Alec's cheeks. It was another reminder that as polite as she could be, there were still rough edges of her own in need of smoothing. "I mean to say—"

But where she might have received indignant backlash from others, he had delivered thanks for her time to educate. She cut herself off in favour of a small close-lipped smile, both demure and appreciative in its reflection, one that only deepened when he spoke up again to request she continue. How could she possibly refuse someone who was asking to be educated further?

"Well, likely the next most significant aspect of the game to understand would be the ways in which players commonly foul," her continuation an obvious affirmative to her having the time to go on. Shifting in her seat, she would take care to keep her skirt smooth down around her legs as she lifted one over the other to cross at the knee. "There are many who would consider it cheating. It is, really. Personally, I am not particularly fond of making use of back-handed tactics. However, given that they do not result in a player's dismissal from the game, but rather only a single penalty lap about the perimeter of the pitch, they are tactics that are frequently used when the benefit to do so outweighs the cost.

"Taking blatching, for example," she went on, flourishing a hand. "While a bludger at full force is frequently sufficient to unseat an unwary opponent, beaters are not the only ones who may inflict such a bane. The blow from a collision is just as capable. A blatch is when someone purposefully flies into another player, bracing for impact, with the goal of knocking them astride. The penalty is a lap. But that is merely if you are caught in the act, and the outcome may be that the opposing team finds themselves suddenly lacking their star player.

"Then there is the bl—"

The two of them had all of one second following the subtle rustle of the canopy before a flare of feathers shot a gust of wing-battered wind across them. For a brief moment, the sun was dotted out by the silhouette of a large avian as it dove silent as death upon the pair of them. Air stirred with every flap of its wings as it broke its dive and corrected its trajectory in the narrow space above their heads, one wing rudely cuffing itself across the back of studious Alec's head if the boy wasn't quick enough.

"Janus!" The exclamation was marked with with consternation, the prefect's tone flecked reproach. "That was terribly rude, even for you!" Then turning an expression of utter dismay towards the other Gryffindor, added, "I am horribly sorry... I do not know what came over him..."

A great barn owl had landed firmly upon the arc of the raised root, head disappearing into its shoulders as it ruffled its feathers and shuffled its feet. Given its nearly pure white colouration, it could easily have been mistaken for a snowy or arctic breed. Claws gouged at the bark, tearing it easily from the wooden flesh beneath as it attempted to settle itself, but a rolled letter casing tied to its leg would prevent it from finding the comfort that it sought.

Evelynn said she was being over-cautious with her holding up the snitch, just as soon as the ball had appeared in her hand Alec watched at it was put away. She mentioned how inconvenient it would have been if she let the snitch slip from her hands now. Alec believed her, even while at the same time liking his own theory better.

There was a certain expectation to stay focused and on top of his work when he was listening to other people. It would have been rude not to when someone like Evelynn who went out of their way to agree to teach and explain something to him. She had agreed to say more, talking about the most common ways to foul in the game, explaining blatching.

Though the third-year was listening to Evelynn speaking, he wasn't paying the least bit of his attention to his surroundings. Perhaps he was doing the mental filing required for understanding quidditch, storing the facts away neatly into sorted boxes in his head. There was also a low chance of him having zoned out. Whatever the case was, he didn't notice the owl appearing. Left to be confused as Evelynn stopped mid-sentence and seconds later would feel something hit the back of his head.

It didn't hurt, but at the time being as unexpected as it was, it offered quite the jump scare to make him jolt back from where he sat. His heart was racing wildly and Alec took a few seconds to let it come to a slow. Frowning Alec found himself getting to his feet as quickly as he could.

Alec could hear Evelynn apologizing and it would take a moment before he'd realized what had just happened. Alec shook his head from left to right. “It's-It's okay.” Alec managed to get out, looking away from the pair. It wasn't as if a random object had come falling from the sky and hit him on the head.

Reducio

The owl had done it, seemingly Evelynn's owl at that. Alec's bad luck extended towards owls? All right, now that was new. Clearly this was only more proof, not that he cared if an owl disliked him, but there had to be a reason the owl disliked him, and it was be because of his bad luck with animals. He didn't think it extended towards owls and yet the evidence was staring him in the face all the proof he ever needed for a lifetime

This was getting to be majorly inconvenient. How was he supposed to send letters if he shouldn't be around owls? Maybe he could have one of his friends send them if- Why was Alec still standing here? Bad luck! He should not be around the owl, remember? Hurry, quick, go. Hands behind his back, Alec was fidgeting as he mustered out another reply. “You've been helpful. I-um- I have somewhere to be now, I should go.” Alec's head turned glancing back at Evelynn and the owl, a look uncertainty would cross his face. Turning with with back to face her, Alec would begin to dart off in the opposite direction.

Did Alec have a clue as to where he had to be? Not in the slightest. Was it going to stop him? No, of course not! He wouldn't spare a second thought to it.

Feel free to send Evelynn running after him, if not, Alec has left the thread.
@Evelynn Decipio

Scepticism sewed its way into faint creases below her eyes as they settled on Mason. Although his mouth seemed to suggest he was fine after the cuffing he had received to the back of the head on Janus' arrival, the shaking side to side seemed to contradict and suggest otherwise. Not having really known Mason beyond exposure in class or passing in the common room, Evelynn couldn't be certain if this was normal behaviour. He had seemed rather sheepish on initial approach, she recalled. While he had become rather engrossed with the conversation at hand, there was the distinct possibility that he was reverting in some way.

"Hm.." Lips pursed with the hum, but it seemed to be one of dismissal. The thoughts of worry for his state of being were set aside. The incessant clicking of Janus' beak demanded her attention and she would turn it to him, sighing, "Yes, yes, I am aware you are still waiting. Be patient, please." Despite her assertions, however, she would reach for the burden, fingers working to loosen the binds.

"Anyway, as I was saying," she continued, thoughts jumping back to the conversation as though this were merely a pause of inconvenience and that could be set back into motion with the press of a button. "Then there is something called blurting. You do not see this often, mind you. I imagine this is likely due to the fact that the seekers tend to be among the swiftest fliers on a given team and it can be difficult to come abreast of them long enough to carry it out in the first place. Never-the-less, now and then, you might see somebody attempt to lock brooms with the seeker, or grab hold of their broom in an effort to slow them down or veer them off course. It is mo—"

Evelynn cut herself off, realizing only too late that she hadn't been the only one talking for a moment there. "Pardon?" A flurry of wings would signal Janus' figurative and literal release from current service, the letter now removed in its entirety. Not having been solicited to stay for further need, he would be quick to take his leave. Rather than watch him go, Evelynn had directed her attention back to Mason, keen to clarify what she hadn't quite heard. And blinked. His back was to her, and he was running. "Where are you..."

Brows rose. How very strange. Given that she was still prepped and in the midst of her own journaling and study, she wasn't about to pack up everything and chase after him. Even if she wasn't so burdened, that would hardly be the dignified thing to do. For all she knew, he had suddenly sustained a nosebleed and required a swift visit to the hospital wing. Or perhaps he had heard someone calling. She found herself watching after his departing figure, ruminating on the possibilities, no one answer ever seeming more likely than the rest.

Shaking her head to release herself from the situation, she returned her attention to her previous efforts. Before his arrival. She would simply have to inquire the next time she saw him.

Fin.