O.W.L PV Ruby Cazares Finished

Ruby's kindness had surprised her. Koko wasn't used to such nice behaviour from anyone yet, though Ruby certainly was much more pleasant to be around than Rosalie Wreath. She could sense that Ruby was truly a nice person with something dark hiding in her past, but Koko could definitely relate. She might seem lonely at Hogwarts, but lonely wasn't the same as alone. "My favourite colours are black and white," Koko said quietly. However, Ruby's actual question was nagging at her relentlessly. She could try to avoid it for a while, but eventually she would be obligated to answer.

Koko's very pale fingers were clenched around a quill, bending the feathers into an awkward position. If it had been a feather on an owl, Koko wouldn't have done it, but it wasn't, so she snapped the quill in half. Taking a deep breath, she scooted over on the windowsill, leaning on the frame of the glass-less window. She sighed the breath out, letting her eyes close for a moment as she contemplated just how to tell Ruby enough about her past as to not make Koko feel utterly dejected, but also enough for Koko to feel as if she'd said enough.

"Well... you see... my parents died when I was only three years old, so I had to go to foster care... life wasn’t great there, but it was fine. I learned how to pickpocket and pick locks,” Koko said, cracking a small smile. “I did end up getting adopted relatively quickly, by a family who was... okay. My adoptive parents didn’t get along well. Nor did the mother like me very much. Neither did one of the twin boys. The other, Holmes, was a sweetheart who kept asking me questions that I can’t answer... he’ll be a ravenclaw, I bet. The father, Victor, liked me as well. He’s an inventor. I hate it when people call him eccentric... anyways... well... my only chance of having a mother is gone, and I suppose I’m still bitter about that... I shouldn’t be.” Koko stopped talking; she suddenly became aware that her small summary had turned into a vent, and she had luckily halted it before Ruby got overwhelmed. “Sorry about that,” Koko amended, trying to gain a cheery disposition, not that it was working. At least she’d gotten it off of her chest... a little bit. She still had so much more, so many more secrets. Family wise, friendship wise, or even relating to her hobbies, her little introverted self couldn’t tell anyone anything.

Finally realizing she’d forgotten to ask Ruby something, she inquired, “Was anyone angry that you were placed in Slytherin?” No matter how Ruby replied, Koko could relate.

“Black and white are nice too,” Ruby replied softly, practically feeling Koko's discomfort and almost sighing because of it, but instead she continued on with what she was saying. “There's something about them that make them seem so understated, that lets them go unnoticed. They're really building blocks that seem simple but are actually complex. They provide what we need – both in paintings and for helping us with other shades of colors, but also in the light and dark of human nature, the functioning of the world and the way we see it, the way we pursue things…” she trailed off thoughtfully, not really noticing or caring that she had rambled a little bit.

After a small moment of silence, Ruby watched Koko seem to be having an internal conflict and was about to say something when the other Slytherin snapped a quill and then spoke. Clearly, it was something that Koko didn't want to talk about, but probably needed to, honestly. Ruby listened patiently while the girl told the beginnings of her story, and stored away the information before considering her actions for a moment and closing the gap between the two of them. “Tell me if you don't like physical contact,” Ruby began, and then wrapped her arms around the girl, bringing her into a warm, firm embrace, “but I think you might need a hug, so I'm sorry.”

Ruby was slightly worried about initiating something like that – she wasn't usually so… openly physically affectionate towards people. I mean, sure, she had hugged people before, but she was more of a playful-punches, pranking, mess around together kind of girl, not "let me get all sweet and affectionate and give you hugs". It honestly surprised her, but the signs that Koko was in need of some love were definitely there. Ruby had seen enough of it, watched others do it, and analyzed it to perform the act of hugging to comfort someone in a seemingly natural way, even if she hadn't done it much before. Koko just needed someone, and Ruby was the only one here, so she supposed that she would have to be the one to help.

“I don't see why you're apologizing. If it's for "ranting", don't. Sometimes it can be best to let it out rather than torture yourself by keeping it inside all the time,” Ruby said with a small nod. Maybe I should take my own advice at some point… she thought briefly, and then it had passed.

Now, for Koko's question… of course people were angry with her being placed in Slytherin. Her own family, especially her parents, were. Even some close pure-blood families were… Of course, she wouldn't let that deter her, right? Besides, she had always known that Slytherin was where she'd end up. She belonged in Slytherin house, and as much as she could fit into Ravenclaw and/or Gryffindor, Slytherin was her top choice. Back to answering the question, but that just reminded her that she was starting to dislike her parents more and more – for many reasons – as the year progressed. “Yes. My parents and a decent part of my family as well as some… others.”

“I guess my question could be do you mind physical contact, or are you going to be mad at me for that?” Ruby added as an afterthought with a small smile. Hopefully, Koko would be fine with it…

”That,” Koko began dramatically, projecting her voice to make it echo around the circular room. She stood on the windowsill to perfect her pose. ”That is deep. A wonderful thought! And it’s so very true!” she added in reply to Ruby’s thoughts about the colors black and white. Koko then had sat down, wondering if her acting was too much.

She’d tensed noticeably when Ruby hugged her. It wasn’t exactly her being distrustful, or even disliking contact, but it was just the fact that she wasn’t used to it. She’d only been hugged by five people, not including her biological parents, in her entire life. And she wouldn’t even see two of them anymore... at least not for a while. She sighed, finally relaxing into the embrace. Her immediate reaction to the touch had mostly been a defense mechanism—who knew if someone would use a hug as a way to hurt you? It wasn’t realistic, but Koko wasn’t a realist. If she actually thought about, deep down she was a pessimist.

She hadn’t neccessarily meant to pry, but she wa a naturally inquisitive soul who science teachers always enjoyed. Koko noticed Ruby’s pause before answering her question, and she took note not to ask too many personal questions. Do unto others as you wish done unto you... The apparent golden rule. Koko wouldn’t like many people to ask her personal questions, or at least not too many. Finally, at Ruby’s reply, Koko was somewhat disappointed—she’d hoped that her newfound friend would have had better luck than she did.

”I have a friend who goes to Illvermorny, and he thought that I would be in a Ravenclaw. In fact, the entire reason he transferred to Illvermorny is so that he wouldn’t get into Slytherin,” Koko said quietly. She was talking about her friend Cyrus Darsel, who she hadn’t seen since the middle of summer. She missed him greatly.

”As for your question, it’s not that I mind physical contact; it’s more that I’m not very used to it. I don’t get hugs often. Don’t worry, I’m not angry.” Koko didn’t say it bitterly. In fact, her tone held a slight note of humour to it, one that was only there if she were planning a prank, or something to that idea. Smiling softly at Ruby, she added, ”Here’s mine: if you were stranded on a desert island and could only take three things with you—the island has an abundant supply of food and water, so no need to worry about that—, what would they be?” It was something she genuinely wanted to know, no matter how odd it might have sounded.

~ * ~

Ruby smiled at Koko's dramatics. It was nice to see the other girl having a bit of fun and possibly relaxing a bit. “I'm glad you think so,” she replied.

Ruby noticed the tension when she hugged Koko, and almost let go. Should she have done that? Why did she think it was a good idea? She herself hadn't even been hugged much or given others many hugs (besides a select few)… so what was she doing? She was beginning to get a little worried, and concerned that this might end the possible friendship that was growing, but then Koko relaxed and Ruby's doubts/concerns dissipated. After a good, natural amount of time, she released the other girl, hoping it had at least done something. She then waited for more comments or questions. She loved her own curiosity and inquisitiveness as well, as it got her closer to her goals and helped her learn more. To her, learning was one of the most important things in life, and she wanted to learn as much as she could.

She frowned slightly at Koko's friend's avoidance of getting into Slytherin. “Did he think he would end up in Slytherin? Why didn't he want to be there?” Did people regularly go to Ilvermorny to avoid their Hogwarts house? Why? Could anyone who was magical just decide to go to Ilvermorny, even if they weren't American? Perhaps some of these things were worth looking into… Did Koko's friend accept her for her house, then, or not?

“Well, I'm sorry that you aren't hugged enough…” she said genuinely. If she had been a Hufflepuff or something, perhaps she would have offered to fix that for her, but she couldn't bring herself to say that until they were at least firm friends. “To answer your question, I'd either bring books that could help me get out of there/build something to get out of there and tools to help with that, or some form of shelter and protection, like a tent, a knife, and my wand, or something… as nice as an island could possibly be, I wouldn't want to be stuck on it for an indefinite amount of time, because then I wouldn't be able to learn and research, which is not something I would be happy to live without. How about you?” She figured that asking "how about you" as well as those questions about Koko's friend had probably fulfilled her question requirement, if it hadn't exceeded it.

~ * ~

“Did he think he would end up in Slytherin? Why didn't he want to be there?”

Cy... He could be confusing. That hadn't been the only reason that he had transferred; he had family in America, and both of his parents were too busy working to take him to Hogwarts. That was one of the issues with being friends with a Half-Blood whose parents acted like Muggles--they weren't exactly as educated about the "school zones".

"I suppose it might be because other types of people came from Slytherin. Perhaps he was scared that he would become like any of the Death Eaters if he got into the House of the ambitious--which I'm sure he wouldn't have. He was more of a Hufflepuff, truth be told." Koko shrugged. She couldn't help what Cyrus had done, and she certainly didn't know all the aspects of why he had done it. Really, he was becoming an acquaintance. Koko hadn't even heard from him in months.

Her legs swung off of the windowsill, her heels clicking along the stone walls of the Owlery. "I would probably take wood, nails, and a hammer. It would depend on how much I wanted to leave the island. I could build a raft with the wood, nails, and hammer, but in a way I would also like something that I could use to help me learn more about my surroundings, like a book on how to build some contraption, or a book written about said island." Still, the Slytherin would hate to get stranded on an island, no matter how delicious the food was.

"If we're still asking questions, I would like to know whether you would rather be stuck outside in hot weather or cold weather."

~ * ~

Ruby's eyebrows furrowed slightly in thought as Koko explained more about her friend. Puzzled, she asked, “Why would he think that? Not all Slytherins are bad, and – clearly – being in this house doesn't automatically turn someone into an evil person. We're just kids who dream big and know how to get what we want and make our way in this world. I fail to see how that's a problem if our desires and morals are correct…”

Ruby cast a look outside, staring up at the sky, which was a light gray, full of clouds. Her gaze wandered down to the trees below, the few remaining leaves in shades of orange, red, and gold peering back at her. Most of them had ended up on the ground, covering a large part of the grass that was near any tree. It was slightly on the chilly side as it drew closer to the winter months, with the temperature outside currently around 5 degrees Celsius. Dragging her gaze away from the grounds and the people scattered across it, she looked at Koko once more.

She nodded understandingly to the other girl's reasoning about what to bring to this island. “Good thinking. It would be nice to stay for just a little while, though – to find out about the island, explore, enjoy it, learn everything that I could about it, and then leave.” A bit of true peace and quiet on a probably-beautiful island would be nice, too.

She thought briefly about Koko's question. “I'd probably prefer the colder one, assuming that I was equipped with the right clothes for that weather. The hotter one wouldn't be so bad either, though, but I find cold slightly easier to cope with. It feels better. As for a question, what kind of school or schools have you been to before this one, if any?”

~ * ~

It was very dreary outside. However, as the blonde Slytherin glanced out of the window, the clouds broke for just a moment and a ray of sunlight shone through. A ray of sunlight which Koko saw as a sign. She loved sunlight. It wasn't as if she despised clouds, but she definitely preferred sunlight. It usually brought the girl a very wonderful mood - and that would be proven true once again. Her lips parted slightly and took the form of a smile, and her golden eyes finally gazed back at Ruby. She had still been listening even though she had not been looking straight at the other girl.

"I went to a Muggle school in London for a few years, but then I transferred to one that Wizards went to. It was much less elaborate than this beautiful castle," Koko mused, her voice as light as an airy breath. She didn't talk loudly. What was the point in that? It only wasted one's breath; it did nothing more than that. It was something useless in Koko's tired mind.

"An island of paradise is a place that I would be quite inclined to stay on, assuming that I was given proper nutrition." Her gaze turned thoughtful. Yes, a deserted island of paradise would be a wonderful place to escape to. She could find some peace there, and she could probably learn things about creatures. Creatures interested the young girl greatly. There was something intriguing in them, such as how they could tell when a human was fearful, or how they always seemed to be there. Lurking.

Koko's fingers drummed on the wall behind her, the cold stone wall that she was leaning on. She enjoyed the sturdiness of it, the feel of certainty that she felt when leaning against something that would not fall. "As for Cyrus," Koko added, "His family - and my own - are quite biased. They believed that all Slytherins were destined for something terrible. It is a truly horrible stereotype, and it's one I hope I can overcome." A beath escaped from Koko's lips. "Do you have a class that you are looking forward to the most or that you enjoy the most?" she asked Ruby, her eyebrows rising just a fraction of a centimetre. It was just enough to be noticeable to the trained eye, an accent to her question, perhaps like some spice. Those little things did a ton in a conversation.

And, as Koko was beginning to wonder, would those little tidbits help her now?

~ * ~

Ruby nodded in response. She had been intrigued as to what Koko's schooling had been like prior to Hogwarts, and her guess was that Koko's school career was likely not quite as chaotic as Ruby's had been – between getting kicked out of schools and changing them pretty much every year or two, and rule-breaking/sowing social disorder, it was a complicated tale that had made for quite the collection of experiences. Ruby wouldn't bring it up if Koko didn't ask, though, and those were completely different stories that would be best to save for another time.

Koko voiced her shared opinion on the island of paradise seeming quite appealing under certain circumstances, and Ruby's imagination started running wild. She was thinking about what the island could be like – if there was secretly a more menacing aspect to it, if other people were actually hiding there, if the island had some form of magic linked to it. There were many deeper plots flying around in her mind, as well as imagining the details of the scenery, how big the island was, and how it was shaped.

She was deep enough in thought that she almost didn't notice that Koko had resumed speaking. She sighed. “Sadly, my family is that way, too, mainly my parents… I don't really understand why. About the classes – no, not really. I just love gaining knowledge of almost all kinds, regardless of the class.” Her gaze searched Koko's face for barely a moment, looking for telltale signs of certain thoughts or emotions, but she only ended up being slightly spellbound by the other girl's beauty. You see a pretty girl and suddenly lose partial control of yourself? Come on, pull yourself together. She willed herself to ignore it, even though Koko was captivating. “Do you have any plans for the future? Job aspirations, mainly?”

~ * ~

As Ruby spoke, Koko nibbled on her lower lip like an idiot. That, to her dismay, was not part of her plan. Not that it mattered. She began to wonder about Ruby's family - wondering what her parents were like, wondering what jobs they had, wondering what they did in the community. Would they be considered as 'good people'? Or would they be considered as something different? It wasn't Koko's place to wonder, yet she did.

She closed her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows slightly. "Yes, it hardly makes any sense," Koko murmured. Her fingers rested on the bridge of her nose, almost pinching it but not quite. She opened her eyes a small bit and gave Ruby a sideways glance. She enjoyed listening to smarter people talk. They talked in a way that made her want to listen, something that many people she knew couldn't do. She nodded when Ruby talked about classes, and she brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Yes, you seem like the type of person who would like that. That's a good thing. A lot of people don't have that." Koko smiled. "I enjoy most classes. I just like the aspect of learning."

A look of slight confusion crossed the blonde's face as Ruby voiced a question about future aspirations. Koko had barely thought about that. She had enjoyed thinking about the present or dwelling on the past rather than setting her sights on possible hopes in the future. But now that the question was brought to mind, she would begin to wonder about it. A sparkle entered her golden eyes as she thought about her passions and what she would want to do with her life later. "Hm... I enjoy mysteries, so I might want to work in the Department of Mysteries. I really don't know. I haven't thought about it too much. Have you?" Koko leaned back with a slight smirk on her face as she gazed at Ruby. "There would be a lot of careers willing to have someone like you, someone analytical." Curiosity shone in her eyes as she grinned. "Also, are you interested in any sports such as Quidditch or Duelling?"

~ * ~

Ruby watched the other girl’s movements as Koko reached up to touch her nose, clearly thinking and perhaps exhausted by the topic of conversation. Thinking about prejudices and judging people just by their house could be a pretty loaded subject, after all, especially if it was a loved one who felt that way about one’s house. Ruby was far from a stranger on that experience, too, and she was just as glad to not be dwelling on it further as the conversation progressed.

“So you’re like me with that, then. We’re both seekers of knowledge.” She smiled and let out a small laugh. “And they say Ravenclaw’s the smart house. Slytherin is the house of cunning and ambition after all, people should give us more credit. I’ve met several Slytherins already who are analytical and clever.” She smiled again. Conversation turned to future plans and Koko explained her interest in the Ministry of Magic’s Department of Mysteries. Ruby nodded as the other girl spoke, acknowledging her words. “That sounds really interesting,” she commented, her tone thoughtful. “I don’t really know what I’d do for work yet. I’m sure future years at Hogwarts will help me decide, we have so much time still.” But even as she said that, she knew seven years would go by quickly, and by the end of it she’d be an adult and a very different person, most likely.

Koko asked about Quidditch and Duelling and Ruby’s eyes lit up. “Definitely. I’m interested in them both, although I’d probably lean towards Quidditch right now. I’ve played it with my cousins more times than I can count, and I think it’d be fun to be a Chaser.” She was about to ask Koko’s thoughts on the same thing when it suddenly occurred to her that their conversation had been going on for a long time, and she still had other things she needed to do. “Well, I’d best be going now. It was nice to meet you, Koko. I hope we see one another again soon.” With a small smile and a wave, she would leave the Owlery, descending down the steps away from the other girl.

Thread left.

~ * ~