Dancing in the moonlight Finished

"The world's smallest violin
Really needs an audience
So if I do not find somebody soon
I'll blow up into smithereens
And spew my tiny symphony
All up and down a city street
While tryna put my mind at ease
Like finishing this melody
This feels like a necessity
So this could be the death of me
Or maybe just a better me."
Without noticing he hummed the melody smiling all along. Thymus snapped out of his humming when he noticed that Pearl was staring at him.
"Oh.. I like to dance, but I'm not very good at it.... your humming's really nice though! M-my older brother used to hum... we would always hum in sync until he moved away and.... I'm rambling aren't I? I'm terribly sorry.. It's a habit.... My brother would always start up a dance at our house with sea shanties... Heh... A-Anyways! Y-you're a Slytherin, right?"
"Oh I didnt know I was humming, sorry, umm..." He couldn't believe she had complimented him. "I love sea shanties, reminds me of home in scotland especially the rocky beaches, aye? Aye, I mean Yes I am Slytherin. Your a huffle or a raven yes? No worries, talk as much as you like."
"Good Lord.. I sound like a stalker..." She looked at her feet shyly. Thymus smiled slightly revealing his silver brackets.
She spoke up, "S-sorry about that... I just observe everything around me because at my house... Ah! I'm rambling again.... Do you guys play any instruments? I myself play a few..." She waited.
"Play instruments? Aye actually, I play violin and accordion, great instruments by the way... What instruments do you play? If you want we can play together sometime?"
Usually Thymus was very social but something was different around these two, he didn't know what... Now he knew! Pearl reminded him of Alice...
@Pearl Geode
@Zoe Pearthel

Listening to the two of them talk, Zoe listened intently, and her eyebrows shot up when she heard Thymus sing. His singing was impressive, and she actually recognized the song. She hummed along to The World's Smallest Violin and heard Pearl talking about instruments. Zoe didn't have much to say about this topic, since the only instrument she played was the violin, but only for a few years and then dropped it. She was decent when she played, got more into sports and outdoor activities. "Oh, I used to play the violin! Not so much anymore but..." Zoe told them and nodded when Pearl asked about her being a Gryffindor. "You're a Hufflepuff, right Pearl?"

Zoe turned her attention back to the locked window, determined to open it, if not with magic, with pure grit and logic. Her fingers slid around the hinges, trying to pry it open, and apparently may have used a little too much force. She heard a small crack, and in horror, she realized she had broken the lock. Sure that the two other first years had heard, she said with a laugh, "Well, at least it's open now, right?" The wind made the now unlocked window, fly open and cool air entered the room, making Zoe feel fresh. With her wand still in her hand, she pointed it to the broken window and said clearly, "Reparo!" The mending spell she had learned in Charms class had come in handy, repairing the window instantly.

"Say, what's your favorite class? Mine's Defense against the Dark Arts, and then Charms." Zoe asked the two, her hair swishing around from the wind.

Interacting w/ @Thymus Quercus Timerey@Pearl Geode
Word Count: 286 | Text Colour: #974450

This is a follow-up of a series of events that took place on the Hogwarts Express [Link 1] | [Link 2], effecting @Edith D'Ambrosio, @Oli Hayes, and @Kingsley Merritt. This is an optional Plot Hook for the players effected by a banned user. In this thread @Zoe Pearthel and @Thymus Quercus Timerey were effected.

There was something that none of them knew about Pearl Geode, she had been sick since her arrival in Hogwarts. She had spent most of her time in the Infirmary, waves of illness alternating with brief periods of wellness, one might have come to the forgone conclusion that the girl was being dramatic if it was not for the fact that there were symptoms.

The symptoms were to an extent familiar -- a darkening of her vasculature without a source of injury. There was no site of insult identified but there was this darkness to her blood. The blood seemed to have life, but not in the form of darkness or shadow but it moved within the vials it was collected in an unnatural manner and it still shunned the light but it did not dissipate in the same manner.

Nurse Polonius Frogge could more than likely attest to what they had tried to do for the girl thus far. It was not that her health was failing, it just seemed to come in cycles - these waves of illness. They were concerned that it might be contagious and if it was, how so? There were other students who were also taking ill, some had even fallen into a coma and while it seemed that these illnesses should be unassociated the timing was disconcerting. There was a boy who died of a dark curse and several others ailing from something terrible that turned their blood black and monstrous, but it was dealt with by his predecessor. The cure was simple enough, their affliction was photosensitive but that was not the case this time around as whatever clung to the girl was persistent. Her vasculature similarly pronounced even if hidden by long sleaves and tights, by scarves and voluminous layers.

She as being observed and rightfully isolated from the other students. Not by prison doors or chains but by the stern instruction of the house elves and infirmary staff whom had turned their heads for but a minute only to discover that the young girl had scampered off. They would of course find her chatting away in the Ballroom that was left barren between celebratory events which were semi common in spite of all the tragedy that was also suffered by those educated here.

A house elf would barge into the Ballroom and in a stuttering voice they would announce loudly "M-miss... MISS! Y-you cannot be here, you know this!" Donning gloves before he would take her hand he would continue without missing a beat, "p-please come with Canbry." There was a nervousness to his mannerisms, this jittering movement as if he had consumed six cups of coffee before finding her. "Did you t-touch anything? Did you touch anyone? D-don't lie to Canbry Miss. You know you are too sick to be wandering these c-cold cold halls." There was a lecture, something about her being sick, that she should not be touching. Even he would not touch her as he donned gloves before he took her hand.

"Canbry sorry, is s-so s-sorry Miss Pearthel and Mr. Timery," yes the house elf knew both of their names as most of the Hogwarts staff did. "Make sure y-you see Nurse F-frogge when you can, must be sure. Certain that neither Miss Pearthel and Mr. Timery are sick." Sick with what if asked the house elf would not answer as he departed as swiftly as he had entered the Ballroom, taking young Pearl Geode with him. That being the last time either would see the young girl.

Usually Thymus was very social but something was different around these two, he didn't know what... Now he knew! Pearl reminded him of Alice... His sweet little cousin that he would do anything for.
"Oh, I used to play the violin! Not so much anymore but..." Zoe told them and nodded. "You're a Hufflepuff, right Pearl?"
Pearl looked at Zoe. "Y-yeah, I'm in hufflepuff... A-and thymus.. I play clarinet and keyboard.."
"Good instruments," he smiled at her.
She turned her attention back to the window which she pulled open with her strength breaking the lock.
"Well, at least it's open now, right?" Zoe said before pulling out her wand. "Reparo!"
The window was fixed instantly.
"Impressive," he stated quietly raising his large characteristic eyebrows.
"Say, what's your favorite class? Mine's Defense against the Dark Arts, and then Charms." Zoe asked the two, her fiery hair swishing around from the wind entering through the window.
"I quite like flying at the moment, but potions is good too... The Defence against dark arts it's not shabby either..."
"U-uhm.. I like p-potions... A-and if you need help with spells, I know all the basics. For example, Alohamora..."
She mumbled something Thymus couldn't hear. BANG! the doors of ballroom flew open revealing a small house elf. It gave Thymus a small heart attack, but he was relieved and confused about the small house elf, why was he here?
"M-miss... MISS! Y-you cannot be here, you know this!" He said coming towards Pearl with gloved hands and a stuttering voice. ""p-please come with Canbry."
He jittered and stuttered in a weird hyper mannerism.
"Did you t-touch anything? Did you touch anyone? D-don't lie to Canbry Miss. You know you are too sick to be wandering these c-cold cold halls." He continued to talk and speak to Pearl, Thymus was beyond confuse, he spoke of things he didn't understand. He told her to not touch anything and something about sickness. Thymus couldn't keep up.
With his gloved hands he carefully took Pearl's hand.
"Canbry sorry, is s-so s-sorry Miss Pearthel and Mr. Timery," Canbry said directing his speech to Zoe and him.
"Na need tae apologize Mr Canbry, bit-"
"Make sure y-you see Nurse F-frogge when you can, must be sure. Certain that neither Miss Pearthel and Mr. Timery are sick."
Before Thymus could quiz the poor house elf and Pearl with his questions they left.
"Peely-wally? wi' whit? howfur? whin? dinnae titch anythin'? whit does mr canbry mean?"
Thymus spoke in a strong scottish accent because he was confused and stressed he jumped up and started to pass the room back and forth... He hoped that little Pearl would be okay... But he felt sick in his stomach... He had a feeling she wouldn't... Tears broke to Thymus's eyes, for the first time in a while... He held his head in a stressed way, it was enough to make someone go mad... Thymus still had yet to know that soon he would...
@Zoe Pearthel

After Pearl had gone, Zoe was left confused, and it didn't help when she noticed the tears spill out of Thymus's eyes. Shoot, he's crying! What do I do? Zoe thought, and her hand went to where her rose gold pendant would normally be, around her neck. She wore that necklace everyday, but she took it off at night, so this late night, her neck felt naked. Zoe liked fidgeting with it when she was nervous, and right now she was very.

For one thing, she couldn't know for sure that the house elf who had come to collect Pearl wasn't going to tell a teacher, or maybe even the headmaster! If he did, Zoe would surely get in all sorts of trouble, for leaving the dorms and going down a couple floors, to dance in the dead of night. And the fact that Thymus was crying shocked her, since she had thought he was a stoic kind of person. She understood, of course, but was surprised to see such an emotional reaction.

"I guess she was sick..." Zoe said, and then trailed off, uncertain of what to say. She walked over to Thymus, and gave him a pat on the head. Normally, she would have hugged him, but they had met barely fifteen minutes ago. "She'll be fine, I'm sure." The tremble in her voice probably didn't sell it though. "Maybe we should head back to our dorms. It's late, anyway. I'll walk you to your dorm."

Interacting w/@Thymus Quercus Timerey | Word Count: 260 | Text Colour: #974450

"Make sure y-you see Nurse F-frogge when you can, must be sure. Certain that neither Miss Pearthel and Mr. Timery are sick."
Before Thymus could quiz the poor house elf and Pearl with his questions they left.
"Peely-wally? wi' whit? howfur? whin? dinnae titch anythin'? whit does mr canbry mean?"
Thymus spoke in a strong scottish accent because he was confused and stressed he jumped up and started to pass the room back and forth... He hoped that little Pearl would be okay... But he felt sick in his stomach... He had a feeling she wouldn't... Tears broke to Thymus's eyes, for the first time in a while... He held his head in a stressed way, it was enough to make someone go mad... Thymus still had yet to know that soon he would...
"I guess she was sick..." Zoe trailed off.
Thymus stopped pacing around trying to get his thoughts together, pick up the pieces of himself. Why did he let this affect him so much? Zoe got up from her position at the windowsill walking over to Thymus, she gave him a gentle pat on the head. Thymus took a deep breath, getting a hold of himself. They had only meet a mere minute ago and she was kind to him...
"She'll be fine, I'm sure." Zoe said her voice trembling, they both knew the truth. "Maybe we should head back to our dorms. It's late, anyway. I'll walk you to your dorm."
"No... I'm fine..." He said returning to his original stiffened figure, his face expressionless, you couldn't tell that a mere moment ago that he was crying all except for the redness under his eyes. He turned to look at the kind Zoe.
"Thank you... We should head back to our dorms as you said.... Have a good night and sleep well Miss Zoe." He said bowing politely before briskly leaving the room sighing.
I only wanted to read a book... He disappeared into the shadows once again...
@Zoe Pearthel

As Thymus walked away, Zoe's mind buzzed with thoughts. She went back to the window that Pearl had opened. She seemed like a smart girl, knowing how to do such clever charms. Zoe wished she could have talked to her more, and even though she told herself that there was a chance she would, ultimately she knew she would never see that interesting blonde girl again. The ballroom, which was once filled with life and chatter, felt empty and almost eerie.

Shutting the windows to leave no trace that there was anyone there, Zoe left the ballroom. She made her way up to the fifth floor, carefully, not wanting to trip on the dimly lit staircase, and entered the dorms. Crawled up in her bed, Zoe being the glass half full kind of person, decided to look on the bright side - she made a new friend! Well, she wasn't sure Thymus considered her a friend but...

Even with her optimism, she couldn't help but feel sad and unnerved at how the whole situation played out. The thrill of sneaking out was still at the back of her head, but Zoe felt nervous for a reason she couldn't explain. Eventually, the thoughts dissipated, and sleepiness took over and she drifted off to sleep, her dreams haunted with the picture of Pearl.