Different upbringings PV Theodore Closed

While Theo wasn't one for knowledge for the sake of knowledge's sake, he was certainly one for getting out of the common room to avoid house politics type. Not that it was not something he was afraid of, but passive aggressive comments on family lineage and Wizengamot voting was not conducive to getting homework done to a degree that he deemed acceptable. 

Tracing his fingers over the spines of some of the books, he looked at the titles, passing over the ones he'd already read in his library at home and taking mental note of those that seemed intriguing, or odd. This was a meticulous process, seeing as there were just so many tomes. Eventually he finished his exploration and pulled out a herbology novel, barely glancing at the title, seeing that he recognised it from the shape and colour alone. 

Satisfied, he headed to the tables, ready to flip through the pages and appear to be doing study. Glancing around, he saw how crowded the tables are and promptly decided that he was not going to sit with, or near a group of chattering gryffindors. Instead, he spotted a lone boy out of uniform, pouring over some book that he couldn't quite read the title of. Squaring his shoulders, he walked towards the table and pulled out the chair furthest from the other boy, before sitting down.

"I hope you don't mind?" 
He arched a brow, but the question didn't really seemed to be phrased in a way that the other boy can deny him without seeming rather rude.  

Henry was pulled out of his thoughts as the moving of a chair caught his attention, before looking to the person who had moved it and spoken.

Henry was a nice boy, he didn't really have a choice with his family history and so he saw this as an opportunity to shove house prejudice up everyone's bottoms, and to accept this slytherin. He wondered whether the boy would be able to guess his house purely by his appearance since he didn't have his robes on. People of every house and age came into the library so it wasn't like it would be entirely obvious. The corner of his mouth turning up into a small smile, a little dimple showing on that cheek, Henry nodded twice and lowered his book.
"Not at all, it's a public space. What book are you reading?"

Henry, for his intelligence, can sometimes be immune to the wisdom of social cues. For example, this male probably wanted to read alone as he came to the library rather than a common room, yet here Henry was trying to strike up a small conversation. Henry wasn't quite oblivious, just had so much going on in his head sometimes that it was harder to think about basic things- like social skills, and so he just didn't.

The question earns Henry a tilted head and a glimpse of the cover of the dark blue book, sliver lettering on the cover and spine. Theo settles into a comfortable position and makes a little offhand gesture, almost as if saying 'oh, you know.' 

"Cryptobotany, Mysterious Fungi, Sentient Species, and Deadly Plants of the British Isles. It's old, certainly, but not so old that I expected you not to know it. It's almost a classic, if a nonfiction book may be called such things." 

He frowns imperceptibly, reaction so minuscule that if one was not looking for it, it wouldn't be found. He meets Henry's eyes, steadfast and unwavering, in a calculating and analysing gaze. Judging by the stack of books and general air around him, the boy was a Ravenclaw, but that wasn't certain. 

Tapping at the table, he nods at Henry's book. 
"What have you decided to start with today? I didn't catch the title, nor do I recognise the book."

He leans forward on his elbows, cold gaze gone, replaced with a far too innocent looking expression, that didn't sit on his face very well, like he was trying his hardest at being genuine and subsequently failing, quite harshly.

Henry's blank face was the response that Theo got in regards to his book title, before he shook it off and grinned.

"I'll make sure I read it sometime then, if it is such a classic. I presume it just be good to get that sort of title! Although, I do think that there's quite a few classic non-fiction books. Like the ones about physics or the past wars. Adolf Hitler's Mein Campf could be classed as a classic, if it wasn't for the situation that was occurring around it, because that many people know about it."

He shrugged, before answering the males question of his own book, Henry himself looking to the title to make sure he got it right.
"It's the Seven-Volume work on Harry Potter's life and the Second Wizarding War. It really is fascinating! Though I do wonder how they got so much information on Harry as a child if only Harry was there to witness it, surely he couldn't remember that much as a two year old. Though, with magic I don't doubt anything anymore."
He'd chuckle, shaking his head in amusement before he spoke again.

"I'm Henry, by the way. Henry Reed. First year, obviously. You?"

Theo doesn't want to immediately judge this boy, especially not by what he's reading, or how he introduces himself, but it's painfully obvious almost immediately that Henry wasn't raised in the wizarding world. What kind of person would be reading something like that after being brought up on stories of it, or just escaping the backlash of being on the losing side? Still, Theo was determined to not be defined by his family's viewpoints and works a more genuine smile on his face. He reaches out a hand for Henry to shake and introduces himself in turn, dropping a bit of the formality he'd keep up with anyone of the same blood status, if only for a few minutes, adding slightly to the contradictory quiet din with his soft voice .

"It is amazing what magic can do, especially when it comes to memories and their recovery, like with a pensive. I'm Theodore Gabhann. First year as well. Are you a Ravenclaw, Reed?"

He raises an eyebrow with his question, flipping his book open with his free hand, past the contents page and to a seemingly random page, probably because it most definitely was. He's a little caught up in his thoughts at the moment, contemplating what he's supposed to be feeling.

"I am, yeah."
Henry would grin, hopefully he'd actually start to settle into his house if people were guessing correctly which he was from. It must mean he's possessing at least some of the traits of a Ravenclaw, or it may be what he was wearing. Either way, he was pleased.

"It's nice to meet you Theodore. Do you have a nickname, like Theo? Or would you rather your last name, or just Theodore? I know everyone has preferences." He'd ramble slightly, remembering what his mother always told him about names and not to assume nicknames or what they would prefer just because you'd prefer it. It made Henry glad that there was really no proper way of making his name into a nickname, and he didn't really mind whether he was called Henry or Reed. Though, he was finding that people were fond of using last names here so he was Reed more often than not, which was fine with him.

One word that Theodore had said, had caught Henry's attention and so, in the true Ravenclaw fashion, the lad leant forward after the handshake and crossed his arms on the desk. He wasn't afraid of asking questions, since he was just so eager to learn.

"What's a pensive?"

Henry's excited chatter knocks Theo a little off guard. It wasn't really a question he'd had to answer before. Most people immediately used last names, then eventually moved to first, but here was this muggle-born wizard, immediately asking if he could use Theo's nickname. At least he had the courtesy to ask, though, Theo muses.

"I... suppose I'd prefer Gabhann, if only because that is what most people call me. First names aren't usually used right away. Formality and all."

He's trying his hardest to keep his declination as gentle as possible, without delving into a lecture on wizarding culture and terms of address. He had something else to lecture the other boy on. After all, he was reading on Harry Potter's adventures, and the pensive made a few appearances.

"A Pensieve is a shallow stone or metal basin, into which runes and strange symbols are carved and precious stones are fitted, used to review memories. They're filled with a silvery substance that appears as be a cloud-like liquid, from the collected memories of people who have siphoned their recollections into it."
He pauses, wondering how best to explain it all in simple terms, without describing the runes themselves or the inane details of the object. 

"Memories can then be viewed from a non-participant, third-person point of view. They're sometimes used in court hearings, and memories can be tampered with, but it is incredibly difficult to do so with out skill or experience. Some witches and wizards will pass on their memories to another person, but 
owing to the highly personal nature of extracted memories, and the potential for abuse, most Pensieves are entombed with their owners along with the memories they contain." 


His monologue seems to be almost out of a textbook, concise and with just enough information.

Henry'd pause for a moment, taking in the information. He repeated it to himself in his head, reminding himself to read some books about it in order to gain more information. He was pleased that Theo seemed really intelligent but not because it meant they could have intellectual conversations. Rather that he could educate Henry in the Wizardly World with his extreme knowledge, which is incedibly helpful in his opinion.

Henry leant forward, hands coming up above the table so he could rest his elbows on the wood, his hands holding his head up by his chin. Despite clearly not being well versed in the subject, Henry still injected his own questions to further push the topic and conversation onwards. Henry, overall, probably game off as over-eager but that was just the Ravenclaw in him. He wanted to know as much as possible, not to be better than everyone else but to be able to understand everything around him. Sometimes he got overwhelmed with the amount of new things he encountered in Hogwarts and had to slip back into a muggle novel to let his mind catch up.
"Are they common? It sounds incredible, being able to see your own memories, or someone elses. And how smart it was to give it further practical uses like in court. That'd certainly make sure witnesses gave the right account! Agh, if only it wasn't a secret and the uh, 'muggle' courts could have used it. There's so many mistakes made in the judging of people nowadays- people lying on the spot and criminals getting away with crimes. Wait, can't a Wizard just use their magic to get out of any situation like being put in jail?"