Can you handle the spice? PV Closed

Colin decided it was time to actually try the food in the bubbling cauldron. Scooping out some of the food from the pot, Colin couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Avery and Maverick. He rolled his eyes as the chatter went on. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Even June, though she did seem a little distant until the cabbage was sorted out. He shot a side glance towards Maverick.

"Say, Maav!" he drawled the Gryffindor's name out not so slightly. "Did you ever take Lily to the ball like you said? I never saw you there..." Of course, the only person Colin ever saw at the fall ball was Clair! Of course, he'd heard rumours and stories about kids drowning all around where the boats were, or else being eaten by grindylows. Colin, if asked, could neither confirm nor deny any of those claims! "She's me sister ye know. I just want to make sure ye're not --- messing with her."

Colin picked up one of the thin pointy sticks that Avery had set out with the bowls. He remembered these from his picnic with Taizu and Kim and Bailey. Holding the thick end in his fist, he stabbed at random pieces of meat before grabbing them in his mouth. The aroma was certainly strong! Loads of herbs and spices that Colin had no hope of identifying! The taste was okay, though. Nothing too strong.

"Say, Clair! What do you think of it? I think it's pretty good meself!" He heard Astra say that her bowl was really hot. He turned towards his mate. "Ye okay lass? Only, yer face is almost as red as yer hair and it looks like yer eyes are going to fall out!" Colin smirked. "It's not too spicy, is it?" he said, giving Astra a hearty clap on her back.

@Maverick Castle | @Clair Fernandez | @Astra Norrick

He almost expected Castle to snatch the bowl from his hands, given his previously haughty demeanor and disdain for the ruckus that was going on, but to his surprise, the boy politely accepted the bowl with some words of thanks. His attitude towards trying the new, spicy food was also unexpectedly optimistic and open-minded. Had Avery originally judged the boy wrongly? Was there something that had simply triggered the boy when he first arrived, and now that his foul mood had lifted, he was actually quite decent and approachable?

"I agree!" Avery responded enthusiastically to Castle's belief that there was no harm in trying something new. "A lot of unfamiliar things seem daunting in the beginning, but once I'd tried them a couple times, they just became familiar," he said, thinking about flying on a broom, for example. "And then, I realized they could become things that gave me new meaning in life! So, I think your attitude is perfect."

Avery smiled as Castle tried a spoonful, and took the spice head-on without batting much of an eye. "Seems like you're a natural." Of course, even those who felt the spice and reacted strongly to it were brave souls for trying.

The small boy listened as Castle answered his question about how his semester was going. It seemed that the two of them shared at least one hobby. "That's really cool!" Avery responded upon hearing that Castle had joined the broom racing team. Which house's team it was, he still did not know, but that was fine. "Broom racing seems like a sport that requires even more mindset-switching than quidditch, since each zone can be so different. Do you think it's something that will become easier once you've had practice with all the possible zone types? Do you have a favorite or least favorite type?" Avery was not very acquainted with broom racing zones at all, and wondered what a broom racing athlete had to say about them. Perhaps some racers were better with things that required spell-casting, and others dexterity? Maybe better at dealing with difficult terrain, or complicated mazes?

As for how his own semester was going, Avery didn't have to think very much about it. "It's great so far!" he piped up with a bright smile, thinking about all the good things that had happened so far -- dating Vale being one of them. "Slytherin had a great start during our first quidditch match this year, and I just became first-string chaser. But, I know we still have to work hard to keep up! For me, it's too easy to start relaxing when I'm doing something well, so I really can't get lazy!"

If broom racing was the only school-related thing that was worth telling Avery about, were there other non-school-related things? Avery couldn't help wondering, and didn't want to let this go in case Castle was insinuating that he was willing to share more. "Are there any non-school-related things that have been on your mind, then? Of course, you don't have to come up with something to share if you don't have anything," -- or if Castle didn't want to.

It was then that Colin joined their conversation, asking Castle about Lily. Avery couldn't help but grin at Colin's protectiveness, and he almost laughed at his friend's unabashed assertiveness. Oh boy, wasn't Colin quite someone to deal with! He knew he'd hate to be on the boy's bad side. Still, what was a friend for if you didn't tease them a bit? "Hey, hey," Avery butted in, playing the devil's advocate. "What if Lily's the one trying to mess with our fine gentleman Castle? Did you ever think about that?" he asked with a mischievous grin, wondering what Lily was like, and if she was anything like Colin, since he had never met her.

IC Date: November 25, 2023 Time: Early evening Interacting with @Avery Chen, @Colin McCoire, @Vale Ashwood, @Maverick Castle Mentions @Atlas Anderson, @Clair Fernandez, @June Selwyn

Astra speaking: #136323 Thoughts: Italics Others speaking: #theirhex

Astra breathed a small sigh of relief as the cabbage was finally dispelled, clapping Colin on the shoulder and saying, "Nice work, mate!" It was quite nice work.

She noted a new person, one she'd seen in the snake common rooms and a couple classes, though she couldn't be bothered to remember which.

The conversation around moved to things Astra didn't quite know about, like a person named Lily who was apparently Colin's sister. Astra had only ever heard of Colin's twin brother, Liam, and to be honest she wasn't surprised that Colin had more siblings. He acted like a middle child in a big family. It wasn't a bad thing, of course. He just had that feel about him.

The influx of people was a bit overwhelming to the child, and she found herself sticking even closer to the only familiar face in the group. Well, the only familiar face whose person she actually knew. Castle didn't count.

In meeting Clair, Astra understood why Colin was so crazy about her. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. Pretty, and chill, especially compared to Colin’s craziness.

In response to Colin’s comments, she laughed a little and took another bite of the tasty but spicy food. “It's not too bad," she said with a grin (that may have looked more like a grimace to some). "I think. Tasty, but-" she coughed a little as a peppercorn got caught in her throat- "spicy."