28 Mar 2024, 22:53
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Date: to be determined | sometime in the afternoon after classes
Private thread with @Ash Benyamin
The towering dark oak doors as grandiose as they were never felt as if it were enough to communicate the treasure laying beyond the doors. Centuries of knowledge preserved, sitting on shelves in perfect shape even several hundreds of years later. The shelves nearly ceiling height, they took every inch of space they could get in order to make use of the space, filling it with several thousands of books. Alec estimated the height from ceiling to floor had to be about ten to fifteen feet tall(I am very aware I am not using the right measuring system, for what Alec would know. I just don't want to do the math right now); about half the average height of a giant. Around the library were tables to study at, already set up with parchment and quills. Every so often when wandering through the vast bookshelves one would find a cozy corner to sit at and read, with armchairs to get comfortable in as you study or get lost in a book. Every book imaginable that you could ever need right at your fingertips with simply the raise of a hand.
Ah... The library what a wonderful and mysterious place. Alec smiled as he entered the large dark oak doors. The smell of parchment and old books invaded his noise, an all too familiar scent that really wasn't all that unwelcome. All Alec would need to do was grab a few books for classes, two different ones he needed for potions for extra reading, and one on charms, Alec also had some history books on his personal list. He knew where to grab them, by now he could walk the library blindfolded and still find what he needed. Heading past row after row at a leisurely pace he took the sight of the library in. It'd been a long time since he'd really taken a good look at the library, admiring it for what it was how he had done when he first arrived. Finding a moment to take it all in was nice.
Alec came slowing to a stop as he reached the aisle he was looking for. He would do a bit of walking before he found the book he was looking for. Eyeing the book a shelf high up towards the ceiling he reached a hand out watching as the back made it's slow descent down until he could reach out and take it at last. One down, one more book to go and he would be done with his section. Book clutched tightly in hand Alec turned around eyes scanning down the rest of the aisle for the second book he was looking for. He would take a take a few seconds. Then he spot the book he was looking for. Easy grab, he wouldn't even have to wait for it to come to him! He rushed towards the book with a sense of urgency, practically running down the aisle. Easily grabbing the second book he silently celebrated the victory of finishing up with the potions book. Alec turned, two books now clutched tightly in his hand. He about to head to a different aisle for the other books he was looking for. Then he noticed a person not to far off from him. The person desperately struggling to reach a book, continually trying and failing. Then, Alec found himself encountered with a sight he'd never quite seen before.
If you can't reach a book with a raise of your hand in the general direction of the book you wanted the book would come towards you. He thought everyone knew this... For Alec he had never experienced a library without the accessibility and ease of access that magic and simple enchantments gave him when hunting down books. If he'd ever experienced a muggle library, perhaps he would have made a bit more a fuss about the everyday convenience that magic added to his life when it came to libraries. It had never once occurred to Alec to think about the fact muggles wouldn't have libraries like theirs. Alec used the library so regularly the questioning any of it had never once crossed his mind. Did muggle libraries not have something like this? Had this person never been to a library? Was it simply not working for them so they resorted to reaching for the book? A million different questions crossed through his mind at once. With all his question it left only one thing for certain, he planned to help this desperately struggling person.
Alec smiled softy as he made his way towards the stranger. His curly brown hair falling into his face as he walked towards them. He chuckled in a light airy way that seemed to hold a certain fondness to it for the stranger and their struggle, “you seem like you could use a little help.” Alec remarked, his eyes following the other's to look for the book they were trying to reach on the shelves, it turned out following someone's eyes to find the book they needed was harder than he'd anticipated. Instead he asked, “what book are you trying to reach?” maybe he could show them how to get the book by getting their book for them.
30 Mar 2024, 15:05
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Ash had been trying to reach the same took for the past 15 minutes and was inwardly cursing the person who had designed this beautiful, stunning library with all the books she could ever read or want to read, and then made the bookshelves way too tall for a grown up to reach the top shelf, let alone a short 11-year-old. She had already tried climbing the shelf twice, and both times had slipped and almost fallen. She was NOT going to break any bones before she even attended her first class at Hogwarts, but she also had to get her hands on that book. That book was quite literally how she was going to survive here.
At this point, she had resorted to staring at it, willing something to push it out, and have it fall to the floor. It wasn't even that high up, that was the most infuriating part. she would have only had to climb about 3 or 4 shelves up in order to reach it. If these shelves weren't so infuriatingly slippery, she would have scurried up there no problem, and grabbed it, but nooooo, they had to have the shelves be tall AND SLIPPERY. As one last ditch effort she reached up and started jumping. Not even close.
she was considering other strategies, when there was a voice behind her. "You seem like you could use some help." Ash looked around and up to see a student several years above her, carrying two books, and an expression on his face half confusion, half amusement. He scanned the shelf above her head, "What book are you trying to reach?"
"Oh, thank god!" she said, "Yes! I could. It's that book up there" she pointed out a thick brown book, 'The Basics of Hogwarts for the Muggle-Born Student.' she stared up at it, "You'd think they'd make it more accessible... anyway! Do you have any idea if they have a ladder on campus? If so, where can I get it, and can I potentially get you to help me carry it back here?" She looked from the book back to the older student, "I'm desperate... and I might have entirely missed my first classes, but I don't know for sure, because someone's rat may have eaten my schedule... that could have been for tomorrow..." she gave her best puppy dog eyes, "please?"
At this point, she had resorted to staring at it, willing something to push it out, and have it fall to the floor. It wasn't even that high up, that was the most infuriating part. she would have only had to climb about 3 or 4 shelves up in order to reach it. If these shelves weren't so infuriatingly slippery, she would have scurried up there no problem, and grabbed it, but nooooo, they had to have the shelves be tall AND SLIPPERY. As one last ditch effort she reached up and started jumping. Not even close.
she was considering other strategies, when there was a voice behind her. "You seem like you could use some help." Ash looked around and up to see a student several years above her, carrying two books, and an expression on his face half confusion, half amusement. He scanned the shelf above her head, "What book are you trying to reach?"
"Oh, thank god!" she said, "Yes! I could. It's that book up there" she pointed out a thick brown book, 'The Basics of Hogwarts for the Muggle-Born Student.' she stared up at it, "You'd think they'd make it more accessible... anyway! Do you have any idea if they have a ladder on campus? If so, where can I get it, and can I potentially get you to help me carry it back here?" She looked from the book back to the older student, "I'm desperate... and I might have entirely missed my first classes, but I don't know for sure, because someone's rat may have eaten my schedule... that could have been for tomorrow..." she gave her best puppy dog eyes, "please?"
5 Apr 2024, 22:02
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It seemed the other had been trying out several different strategies. Despite their best efforts they were still bookless. What a relief that Alec had come over in order to help out. Though he had a feeling they would have figured it out eventually with enough messing around to see what worked. They looked relieved he came by. They pointed to rather thick book, more like a tome than a book really, “that one?” Alec asked in confirmation, he was already reaching his hand out. When she made mentions about making the library more accessible Alec paused, she asked if there was a ladder on campus. She went on to ask if so where it was and could she have help carrying it back to the library. He had no clue what she was talking about. “A what?” He glanced back towards her confusedly, though this did little to aid him in figuring out what in merlin's beard she was talking about.
She was desperate, mentioning she might have entirely missed her first classes. Someone's rat ate her schedule? She made a face that reminded him of his little sister, and added a 'please'. Alec lowered his hand, turning to look at her fully. “You must be having a mighty rubbish day...” Alec continued on, bemused, “someone's rat eats your schedule and you can't even get the book you want.” He shook his head wistfully. Alec gestured for her to come closer, “let me let you in on a little secret,” he bent down to better meet her height, and put a hand to cover the side of his mouth the way one does when telling a secret, “getting the book you want is as easy as reaching your hand out towards it.” It took a little practice, perhaps she wouldn't have it work all the time or right away but she'd get it eventually.
Standing up straight Alec reached his hand out towards the tome she'd been pointing too. The tome began to wiggle it's way out from between the other books. As the tome found itself floating in mid-air, Alec could tell it was a well-loved tome, not a spec of dust from book-end to cover. Alec's eyes flitted towards the title. 'The Basics of Hogwarts for the Muggle-Born Student.' Either she was getting the book for a friend or his original assumption was correct. The book floated down until it was in reach and Alec grabbed it. He took a moment to inspect the book, then looked up at her. “Why don't you try? Just to make sure you've got it down.” Alec suggested as he handed her the book. He wanted to make sure she'd be capable of getting another book, he'd rather her not be totally helpless, if she could do it with enough tries even that would be good.
“I suppose some introductions are in order then,” with one crisis averted and hopefully any future book problems averted it'd be a good idea to make sure she had his name in case she needed his help in the future. He remembered how formal he used to be when introducing himself to people as a first year, these days he was much more relaxed. “It's Alec, and you?”
@Ash Benyamin