A Little Help?
Even though it was a very common quote, Oliver still felt a certain kinship with Katie when she gave the source. He didn’t know that many quotes, considering he didn’t usually read very often, but he liked sharing the ones he did have in his treasury. Words correctly used were worth more than gold, his grandfather always said.
Oliver had a sneaking suspicion that he might have just forgotten. He was decent enough at potions, so he would probably be able to do it easily enough, so he calmed himself. It would just be anohter paper. He was sick of writing and reading, but he would do what was expected of him. He was glad to have someone like Katie to help him for now, but he doubted he would have the courage to ask for her help again. He didn’t want to bother her any more than he had to, but since she had offered the help, he was willing to take it.
He nodded agreeably to her statement.
“Well, what’s the assignment? No harm in getting myself mentally prepared.” He smiled lopsidedly with a bit of an unapologetic air. He readjusted himself so that he was facing more towards Katie than his work.
Oliver had a sneaking suspicion that he might have just forgotten. He was decent enough at potions, so he would probably be able to do it easily enough, so he calmed himself. It would just be anohter paper. He was sick of writing and reading, but he would do what was expected of him. He was glad to have someone like Katie to help him for now, but he doubted he would have the courage to ask for her help again. He didn’t want to bother her any more than he had to, but since she had offered the help, he was willing to take it.
He nodded agreeably to her statement.
“Well, what’s the assignment? No harm in getting myself mentally prepared.” He smiled lopsidedly with a bit of an unapologetic air. He readjusted himself so that he was facing more towards Katie than his work.
' ' Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. ' '
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Strength: 9 Agility: 8 Control: 3 Stamina: 10
A Little Help?
As he turned to face her, Katie smiled amiably and turned to him. She set aside her HoM work, they were virtually done with it. Keeping it on her lap would be nothing but cumbersome at this point.
He smiled at her when she noticed the source. She returned it.
Katie shrugged at the mention of what the assignment actually was. She couldn’t recall, off the top of her head. So she unstrapped her saddle-bag (filled with her books and notebooks) and pulled out a green notebook labeled POTIONS in silver sparkle sharpie. Flipping to a page, she looked at the highlighted part that read “homework” in underlined print.
The notebook was visible as she flipped through. It was organized, and detailed, but she clearly had drawn a bubbling cauldron or two in the margins whilst bored in class. All highlights were in green, and the writing was in silver. The pages were black, with white lines. Her favorite type of notebooks were this type. Black page, white lines, silver pen. The color of the cover was different for every class. Purple was history of magic, pink was spells, and so on.
But she simply read her assignment aloud “write a chart of major magical ingredients and their most common purposes, from chapter two in the book. Secondhand sources aloud and encouraged, not required. Sound framiliar?”
He smiled at her when she noticed the source. She returned it.
Katie shrugged at the mention of what the assignment actually was. She couldn’t recall, off the top of her head. So she unstrapped her saddle-bag (filled with her books and notebooks) and pulled out a green notebook labeled POTIONS in silver sparkle sharpie. Flipping to a page, she looked at the highlighted part that read “homework” in underlined print.
The notebook was visible as she flipped through. It was organized, and detailed, but she clearly had drawn a bubbling cauldron or two in the margins whilst bored in class. All highlights were in green, and the writing was in silver. The pages were black, with white lines. Her favorite type of notebooks were this type. Black page, white lines, silver pen. The color of the cover was different for every class. Purple was history of magic, pink was spells, and so on.
But she simply read her assignment aloud “write a chart of major magical ingredients and their most common purposes, from chapter two in the book. Secondhand sources aloud and encouraged, not required. Sound framiliar?”
nervous, shy, and sweet as pie.
that's the way to reach the sky
Strength: 2 agility: 9 control: 14 stamina: 5
A Little Help?
What a pretty notebook. In fact, Oliver thought it was a bit too pretty. Maybe a little gawdy. Why go through all of the effort to get black paper, a color scheme for each subject, different gel pens, just for school when a simple white-paged notebook and quill would get the job done? If anything, it might be a bit distracting. Oliver generally disapproved of anything that had too much fuss and feathers for its purpose. He got it from his grandfather. Whenever Oliver’s mother attempted to convince him to re-do his house, he would always shut down any idea that wasn’t entirely practical. It kept everything cost-efficient and non-distracting.
But, he wouldn’t say anything. She was obviously not too encumbered by the elaborate nature of her note-taking process, so he wouldn’t stir up anything by bringing up his qualms.
The assignment sounded somewhat familiar, but he wasn’t sure if he was just hoping he knew what he was doing, or because it had actually been assigned in his class. But, he nodded anyway. “Yeah, it does. I think I remember now.” Even if he hadn’t been assigned it yet, all first years generally had the same curriculum, so he would just be getting some needed homework done early.
But, he wouldn’t say anything. She was obviously not too encumbered by the elaborate nature of her note-taking process, so he wouldn’t stir up anything by bringing up his qualms.
The assignment sounded somewhat familiar, but he wasn’t sure if he was just hoping he knew what he was doing, or because it had actually been assigned in his class. But, he nodded anyway. “Yeah, it does. I think I remember now.” Even if he hadn’t been assigned it yet, all first years generally had the same curriculum, so he would just be getting some needed homework done early.
' ' Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. ' '
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Strength: 9 Agility: 8 Control: 3 Stamina: 10
A Little Help?
“Oh, you do? Cool.” She said with a smile. “I wanted to work on some anyway.” She pulled out a pencil pouch that held 9-10 of the white pens for notes and all her highlighters. “Any work I get done now is work I don’t need to do later, right?” That had been her philosophy growing up, and Katie hoped her new friend and study buddy agreed with it, to some extent.
Katie ripped out a piece of paper for each of them, passing him a pen and grabbing one for herself. Then she propped the potions book up between them, completely oblivious to how frivolous he found her note taking strategy. But there was a reason for it.
While She was curious, and it helped her want to learn, she was also... creative. She moved from one topic to the next, imagining things and head in the clouds. Her organization was sorely lacking. It took a lot for her to stay organized. The color codes helped with that.
She, of course didn’t realize he was even curious about it, and so she just flipped through. “What do you think about starting here? The chapter is called ingredients...” it seemed as good a place as any.
Katie ripped out a piece of paper for each of them, passing him a pen and grabbing one for herself. Then she propped the potions book up between them, completely oblivious to how frivolous he found her note taking strategy. But there was a reason for it.
While She was curious, and it helped her want to learn, she was also... creative. She moved from one topic to the next, imagining things and head in the clouds. Her organization was sorely lacking. It took a lot for her to stay organized. The color codes helped with that.
She, of course didn’t realize he was even curious about it, and so she just flipped through. “What do you think about starting here? The chapter is called ingredients...” it seemed as good a place as any.
nervous, shy, and sweet as pie.
that's the way to reach the sky
Strength: 2 agility: 9 control: 14 stamina: 5
A Little Help?
Oliver knew a decent amount about herbs and ingredients, magical plants and such. His grandfather had taught him. The general feel of potions and mixtures came easily to him, especially since he had been taught the properties of the plants at such a young age. However, general feels of plants didn’t help him pass potions better. He was rubbish when it came down to all of the delicate measurements and times required for every assignment. He could whip up simple cures easily, but who would ever need all of the complicated Latin names that they were taught in Potions?
However, if Katie needed any help with ingredients, he would jump at the opportunity! It would be a good way to repay her for her time. However, if she asked him anything else, he would be useless.
The experience recalled to him when Grandpa Aldo would take him out to dig up chamomile from the woods to make tea when he had a sore throat. Or, the time they had made a salve to help a horse’s eye after she had run off into the woods. He missed his grandfather. He missed his family. He missed his home, in that stomach-churning way that made his eyes prick just to think about it. But, he shoved down any emotions that might disturb his companion’s mood.
The afternoon continued into a lazy haze of numbers and potions. It was productive, but not very memorable, save for the new companionship the two first years formed. Oliver, for one, had been changed significantly from the whole experience, and he would not forget Katie any time soon.
FIN
However, if Katie needed any help with ingredients, he would jump at the opportunity! It would be a good way to repay her for her time. However, if she asked him anything else, he would be useless.
The experience recalled to him when Grandpa Aldo would take him out to dig up chamomile from the woods to make tea when he had a sore throat. Or, the time they had made a salve to help a horse’s eye after she had run off into the woods. He missed his grandfather. He missed his family. He missed his home, in that stomach-churning way that made his eyes prick just to think about it. But, he shoved down any emotions that might disturb his companion’s mood.
The afternoon continued into a lazy haze of numbers and potions. It was productive, but not very memorable, save for the new companionship the two first years formed. Oliver, for one, had been changed significantly from the whole experience, and he would not forget Katie any time soon.
FIN
' ' Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. ' '
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Strength: 9 Agility: 8 Control: 3 Stamina: 10