24 Nov 2018, 08:31
Daunting Messages
A girl of average height with brown hair tied into two plaits, pretty blue eyes, and a skin tone that was a variation of white had headed up to the owlery as soon as classes ended for the day. Her name was Ruby, and she was not in a good mood, as she was thinking about her parents and the Howler she would undoubtedly receive soon, but she wanted to see all the owls. They at the very least liked her, and she loved them. Ruby respected the birds, valued them, and treated them like they were her companions and equals, and they liked her a lot for that. She knew that they had feelings too. The owls always calmed her down and she loved animals, so this was one of her favorite places to be.
She was currently settled in a gaping wide hole in the wall, otherwise known a window, but it had no glass. None of them did in the owlery, so it got very cold in the winter. A few owls sat beside her, and one or two were even on her arm. Ruby breathed out deeply. My parents don't determine my future, I don't care, it's my own life, she told herself, but she didn't believe it.
Her parents, although they were purebloods, were against Slytherins and wanted Ruby to be a Gryffindor, but they would also settle for any other house except Slytherin. Ruby didn't understand it. They only seemed to care about the stereotypes and never gave the house a chance or considered that not everyone in it was how Ruby's parents thought they were. Ruby was tired of it. Her parents hadn't been around much at all while she was growing up, but as soon as she started at Hogwarts, they had sent her at least an owl a day, pestering her with questions, ranting about things involving Ruby and her personality, saying stuff that was specific to Gryffindor, and commanding her to tell them her house above everything else. Ruby had deliberately not answered a single one, as she couldn't deal with them without unleashing some anger on her parents. They finally threatened to send her Howlers every day instead if she didn't reply that day, which made Ruby panic a little bit and finally reply, answering a few of their questions with the least amount of information that she could. She had told them that she was in Slytherin, and to say she was nervous about what they would do because of that was an understatement.
A big problem with that was that Ruby had no clue what they would actually do, and that in itself was terrifying enough. At least she still had her cousins, who were practically like brothers to her and totally accepted her for who she was, swearing to protect her if anyone so much as laid a hand on her.
Ruby was resisting the urge to cry, which was something she hadn't felt in a long time. She knew that she wouldn't cry, but even so, she was frustrated with her parents and beginning to dislike them more and more.
A thing about Ruby was that even in the state she was in, her exterior was calm for the most part, and her eyes were churning with a mess of emotions. She still maintained her normal posture and air, which was constantly straight-backed and with an air of sharp intelligence, quiet confidence, and something strong, like ambition, passion, power, or all three. None of this was anything she was forced to do, but it came so naturally to her and was a habit now that she didn't bother to stop. Why should she?
Stamina: 10 | Evasion: 14 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 17 | ArcPower: 12 | Accuracy: 17
Perfectionist I & II, Fearless, Spell Spread, Nonverbal Magic
iNPC Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Preobrazhensky
26 Nov 2018, 01:11
Daunting Messages
If one had to write a list of things Theodore didn't hold in high regard, the list would be extensive and exhaustive. The list would probably take several years to go through, but most importantly to this particular scenario, Theo didn't particularly like owls. Still, a distaste wasn't enough to stop him from having hiked up the tall tower.
In his pale, freckled hands, there was a carefully sealed envelope, addressed with fancy, but barely legible handwriting. Though you probably couldn't read it without having years of practice deciphering Theo's almost archaic handwriting, it was obvious it was also for his guardian.
Like Ruby, Theo's parent's were purebloods, going centuries back- or at least they were before their deaths. Instead of being addressed to his parents, his letter was penned to his step-father, formal and also, like Ruby's letter, about his house. Unlike Ruby or her letter, Theo's family was filled with Slytherins and Ravenclaws, and celebration of the fact. Still, there was a little trepidation in his own sorting, the continuation of ideals that he didn't quite hold, and the sting of proving someone right about what type of person he was. Still, he knew he wouldn't allow anyone or anything to control his future, least of all his house or family.
He hadn't been expecting company though. It made sense, of course, the owlery was public and people did need to send letters, but usually, they didn't seem so contemplative, nor did they usually sit in windows with dizzyingly high drops. He handed off his letter to a school owl, staying quiet for a moment, before glancing to her Slytherin uniform. Normally, he'd leave her to what honestly seemed like brooding, but she was his housemate and she seemed to have something off about her under the air of sharp intelligence.
"The view is nice here, but I wouldn't sit in that window for much longer. Looks like it's going to rain soon."
In his pale, freckled hands, there was a carefully sealed envelope, addressed with fancy, but barely legible handwriting. Though you probably couldn't read it without having years of practice deciphering Theo's almost archaic handwriting, it was obvious it was also for his guardian.
Like Ruby, Theo's parent's were purebloods, going centuries back- or at least they were before their deaths. Instead of being addressed to his parents, his letter was penned to his step-father, formal and also, like Ruby's letter, about his house. Unlike Ruby or her letter, Theo's family was filled with Slytherins and Ravenclaws, and celebration of the fact. Still, there was a little trepidation in his own sorting, the continuation of ideals that he didn't quite hold, and the sting of proving someone right about what type of person he was. Still, he knew he wouldn't allow anyone or anything to control his future, least of all his house or family.
He hadn't been expecting company though. It made sense, of course, the owlery was public and people did need to send letters, but usually, they didn't seem so contemplative, nor did they usually sit in windows with dizzyingly high drops. He handed off his letter to a school owl, staying quiet for a moment, before glancing to her Slytherin uniform. Normally, he'd leave her to what honestly seemed like brooding, but she was his housemate and she seemed to have something off about her under the air of sharp intelligence.
"The view is nice here, but I wouldn't sit in that window for much longer. Looks like it's going to rain soon."
26 Nov 2018, 05:42
Daunting Messages
Ruby continued to stare out of the window a little more before Theodore came in. She reached out a hand and gave a treat to one of the owls on her arm so that it would let her pet it. She needed the comfort of some animals right now, but she knew she'd be over it soon.
She heard the boy coming before he entered the room and she saw him. She spared him a glance so she could analyze him, and then turned back to the window since he wasn't paying attention to her yet. She wanted to lean out the window to the point where she almost fell, she wanted to properly feel the wind in her face… but for one, there was a boy in the room who would notice, and the owl she was petting gently would also be disturbed and probably peck her if she moved.
She was pleased when she saw the Slytherin crest on his robes, and wanted to see about the possibility of a new friend in her house. Well, only if he was fine enough friend material and got along decently well with her when they spoke – presuming they spoke. It made it easier in some ways, knowing that he was a Slytherin and a fellow first year on top of that, judging by his looks. He was also a male, the same sex as the three cousins she was closest to. They were probably her favorite people, and certainly the closest people to her that she knew, even with the friends she had made in old schools. It probably helped that they were family too, but that was beside the point.
She looked at the boy properly again when he was spoke. He was the first to instigate conversation – that was always a bit of a good sign, in Ruby's opinion. “Yeah, I think it will, but I like it up here. I'll come down soon, don't worry. You don't come here often, do you? You look uncomfortable and like you don't really want to be here. With those signs, you wouldn't be here unless you had to, and judging from the letter in your hand, you have something decently important to post. What's your name, anyway?” Ruby silently hoped that she hadn't scared the boy away by saying one of her smaller analyses aloud.
Stamina: 10 | Evasion: 14 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 17 | ArcPower: 12 | Accuracy: 17
Perfectionist I & II, Fearless, Spell Spread, Nonverbal Magic
iNPC Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Preobrazhensky
26 Nov 2018, 22:24
Daunting Messages
Theo is more than used to analysis on his actions, some- or really most- far more biting than the simple observations Ruby had listed off, so they didn't phase him at all. In fact, it was almost impressive she'd picked up the very minute tells of his discomfort. He blinks at her, taking in the owl perched on her and the stillness of her body.
"Well, stay cautious while staying up here, I suppose. I'd hate to have you slip, and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have the time to cast a spell to stop yourself. As for your observations, No, I don't come here often. I don't like birds all that much, but that could just be an excuse not to write to my guardian that I haven't noticed is a lie to myself quite yet. "
He strides over, and sticks out his hand gentry for her to shake. He could act like an old timey gentleman, following some strange pureblood greeting ritual or whatnot, but he didn't care for treating people of other genders any different so, he waits for her to shake it.
"Theodore Gabhann. I presume it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss..?"
He trails off, waiting for her to respond. The girl does look vaguely familiar, if only for the fact he's pretty sure he's seen her around the Slytherin common room, but he supposes he may have seen her at some wizarding convention or another. Just from the way she holds herself, he's pretty sure she's a pureblood.
"Well, stay cautious while staying up here, I suppose. I'd hate to have you slip, and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have the time to cast a spell to stop yourself. As for your observations, No, I don't come here often. I don't like birds all that much, but that could just be an excuse not to write to my guardian that I haven't noticed is a lie to myself quite yet. "
He strides over, and sticks out his hand gentry for her to shake. He could act like an old timey gentleman, following some strange pureblood greeting ritual or whatnot, but he didn't care for treating people of other genders any different so, he waits for her to shake it.
"Theodore Gabhann. I presume it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss..?"
He trails off, waiting for her to respond. The girl does look vaguely familiar, if only for the fact he's pretty sure he's seen her around the Slytherin common room, but he supposes he may have seen her at some wizarding convention or another. Just from the way she holds herself, he's pretty sure she's a pureblood.
8 Dec 2018, 16:35
Daunting Messages
Ruby was a highly analytical person and was therefore constantly observing, calculating, and analyzing. She very, very rarely said any of these aloud, whether they were kind or unkind. Most of them were the complete truth, however, and the truth is not always kind. She was grateful that this boy didn't seem like the type who was easily scared away by little observations. Some certainly were, and some would be freaked out by it.
“I won't slip, don't worry. I'm far enough away from the edge.” She nodded to his comment about writing to his guardian. “Yeah, I can understand that… it was the same for me when I was writing a letter to my parents. I love animals, though. Sometimes I come here just for the owls.” She used her free arm to gesture at some of them and then fed the owls on her arm a final treat each and got them to fly back to their perches. She then hopped down from the window.
When the other Slytherin came over to her and stuck out his hand, she smiled and shook it. “Ruby Cazares. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Gabhann,” she replied. Gabhann… wasn't that a pureblood family, now that she thought about it? She looked him up and down again and realized that he was a fellow pureblood, but there was no need for her to mention that immediately.
Stamina: 10 | Evasion: 14 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 17 | ArcPower: 12 | Accuracy: 17
Perfectionist I & II, Fearless, Spell Spread, Nonverbal Magic
iNPC Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Preobrazhensky