The Lady Black PV - Falentra Black Closed

Lights dimmed around the Library now that it had hit 8 PM. It was always a sign in Faletras case for the Professors and Prefects to tell the students, in the nicest way possible, that it wasn't long now until they had to pack up their things and head back towards their dorms.

To the eye, this room wasn't the most attractive of places to look at, or the nicest of smells for the layers of dust from books in the highest of the aisles would greet your senses if you dared to inhale deep enough. In Falentras case, this wasn't an issue. She had visited this place too many times to let it affect her. She also thought the room was quite beautiful to look at, for it was neverending and held so much information; knowledge that nobody could possibly take in.
Huge glistening chandeliers held majestically from the ceiling above yet shed barely any light. Within the aisle held some small and simpler looking lamps on wooden tables, ones which lit the area more than the ones hanging above. Similar lamps hung throughout each aisle on the thick chunks of wood that separated each section for each class etc. It provided enough light for students to read the titles of the books they'd be looking for.

Each and every book here was old and that unique smell you always got when opening a fresh new book was something Falentra had missed. The soft paper with the sharpest of edges, once surely sharp enough to give you a clean paper cut had now become torn from usage and faint stains covered pages after pages, some so bad that certain words and paragraphs were unreadable. These bookshelves looked like they were ancient, and there were sure to be some hidden books that were worth a fortune due to their ages. It was surprising to see nobody had tried to take them in the past. But surely for most, it was just something that no student was interested in looking into, so no threat was seen for the most part. However, Falentra knew of certain books' expenses and it had crossed her mind in slipping one or two into her bag slyly. She just wanted to make sure the time was right before she even considered it.

Because of such an hour, the Second Year slouched her back ever so slightly and dragged her feet across the floor, a common sign of her becoming tired and somewhat lazy with even having to walk. Thankfully, many students weren't around this evening, but for those who were, she managed to swiftly pass her way through them without coming into contact, something she had seemed to already mastered.

Towards the back of the Library was where it was the quietest and there sat an enormous blue-hinted glass window right in the centre of the wall. Below sat a long wooden table which of course was free like any other evening, although tonight there sat a boy on the table beside it. It seemed he was on his own, and that he may have also fallen asleep. ''Really?'' She mumbled in annoyance to herself, then let a small sigh leave her parted lips before she quietly made her way over to the table and sat herself down, placing her bag on the chair beside her and the books on her table, trying her best in not disturbing the other.
It would have only been a minute later, if that, before she reluctantly shifted her gaze again slyly over to the boy, trying to get a better glimpse now that she was closer. He wore the same colours as she did yet had not recognized his face around the Common Room before. Was he a First Year maybe? Before she could answer her own question, she stiffened when seeing his eyes open for the first time. They were the darkest of browns, almost black. Quite mesmerizing to look at.
She continued to stare unintentionally, her eyes narrowing and her head shifting from side to side to try and get a better look at him. Her expression within this short time remained dreary, yet at the same time it looked as though she was judging him from another's perspective, and that she was. If she was staring this long she was surely supposed to say something, right? But her mind was completely blank. Her mouth opened slightly as though she was going to say something, but again nothing came out. ''Great job Falentra. You've just made yourself look a complete idiot. Yes, again you can't stop starin' until it gets creepy, can you?'' She mumbled continuously, cursing to herself while facing forward with her head buried in a book to avoid further contact.

He had been absolutely, utterly convinced that he was alone. The library was quiet, but there was still enough noise that it was possible to miss those close to you provided they weren't talking. In this case, it was the muttering that gave it away.

While it was impossible to say what was being said, or why, the distinctive sound of a voice somewhere within earshot made him perk up. Not literally, of course. But his head shifted, turning, and then he realized how dumb he was when he looked straight ahead and saw a girl sitting there.

Dark hair, dark eyes? It was hard to say, given the low light. What grabbed his attention, however, was her robe. You couldn't miss the green that marked her as a Slytherin. While he was unfamiliar with a good number of individuals in his house, there was still an immediate sense of comfort from seeing someone in the same garb as he himself sported.

But with her face in a book, he blinked, wondering why it was she was talking to herself. His mind immediately wandered; a test? A bad day? He wanted to ask but, well, that'd just be awkward. He wanted to avoid awkward at all costs. Perhaps that was why he hadn't been a Gryffindor - he wasn't brave enough to risk it. Not that he'd ever be a Hufflepuff; he wasn't the friendliest person on the planet.

Loyal? Assuredly. Friendly? Not so much.

With her trying her damnedest to avoid looking at him, he stared longer than he should, blinking carefully. After a moment, he decided it best to speak up. She didn't seem in the mood for company, which meant his presence might have been disruptive for her. While normally he'd have just gotten up and left, it was difficult for him to adjust his routine in that fashion.

He told himself it was simply a way to help improve his social skills - if you never had a conversation, you'd never learn how to hold one. Or maybe he just wanted to make sure he wasn't going crazy. Both options were on the table.

He'd definitely heard something, he just wasn't sure if that something was her.

"Are you alright?" He asks, voice raised just enough that she would hear him, but not so loud as to be disruptive to the environment libraries often cultivated. It was all the more he spoke, however, as he didn't want to disturb her too much.

Perhaps he was mistaken. He hoped he was. People who muttered in the back of a library weren't exactly welcoming - then again, he'd done the same before she'd shown up. That thought sobered him up a little.

Falentras head lifted slowly out from within the book she had her head nuzzled in, yet her posture remained forward and her eyes squeezed shut tight. He had definitely heard her, and probably was completely sure that she was now a complete nutter. ''Shit'' She cursed under her breath. Her fingers tightened against and sunk into the leather covering of the book; the thought of how she had to now make a conversation with the boy made her feel uneasy.

She knew she couldn't just ignore him. What if he was to throw more questions at her then? The thoughts continued to worry her, something she did not need. But from what she saw when she first entered, she assumed that he seemed pretty laid back and chilled, not really having as much of a worry as she would. Falentra always had her guard up and could never dream of letting her eyes shut for a minute power nap. ''Uh-...'' She paused and swallowed, clearing her throat before responding under her breathe, but still loud enough for him to hear her. ''Yup, all good.'' She kept it brief, small talk was her thing when it came to talking. It wasn't that she was intentionally acting rude, or coming across not interested. She just didn't have the best social skills, and she knew that well. So the less she talked, the less embarrassed she'd fell deep down.


By this point, her dark brown hues had not shifted from the book she had opened up to originally read. They just stared down, but from the view that Corvus was at, he would most likely just see her shaggy jet black hair covering her features. Falentra knew she was acting was utterly stupid and the view was probably anxious for those who witnessed. It was obvious she had to do something, change the subject at least.
Her shoulders lowered from there original stiffened posture, hoping that in time she could feel more relaxed. It was a start at least.''So what you doin' 'ere anyway? 'aven't saw you around before...'' She paused once again, thinking her words through before saying them. ''It's not often people come back and sit 'ere at this time of night. Normally just me.'' Quiet in her speech, she slowly turned herself to sit sideways on the chair, then raised her head so her eyes met his. They looked off to the side ever so quickly, a sign that the eye contact she was making with him made her nervous. She didn't like it in the slightest, although she did wait patiently for the boys' response. In the meantime, her fingertips trailed down the side of the smooth leather that held the book in its place. It was almost as if she was cradling it as a mother would with its child. She cared deeply for books for they held so much knowledge and the thought of seeing others treating them poorly triggered her more than it should. She felt as though she had a night job here keeping an eye out on those who messed around with them.

Her response was understandably terse - the kind of reaction he'd expect from someone who either wanted to be left alone, or simply hadn't expected to be spoken to. Both were likely, and from her body language he expected she was simply surprised and flat footed. No, that wasn't quite right.

Preoccupied? Yes. She seeemed preoccupied. When she confirmed she was, in fact, alright, he went back to his book. At least, until she spoke again, and it took him a moment to catch up with her words, distracted as he was. He almost said 'what,' but his brain caught up before his mouth could form the question.

"I like it quiet," he replies, in that same, whispered tone that was meant for a library. "And this seemed the best place to find it." Or, rather, it had.

And now he was talking to a stranger from his own House, unsure as to how and carry on the conversation from two separate tables. Did he move closer? Sit at the same table so they didn't have to raise their voices? Or should he continue to sit where he was at, in the hopes that the conversation would pass quickly?

His eyes, focused on her, found it easy to linger on her. It was her own lack of eye contact that made him comfortable doing so, as normally he'd be doing something quite similar - briefly meeting, only to furtively glance away.

"I'm... not bothered you, am I?"