4 Dec 2020, 07:25
A Dance with Danger
@Lea Hirsch
As his own stagnant ability in magic held him back from venturing further in his goals, the flames of passion only fuelled Jackson’s desires into obsession. He wasn’t born with a photographic memory, but he sure had a damned good one. Every night, he relived the fights that he had watched, retracing every step and every decision, prying into the minds of the duelists as if they were but puppets upon the stage of his imagination. He saw patterns and eventually, strategy. But there was only so much that a child’s imaginative concoctions could produce, and to prove his hypothesis, he would need a reliable source.
Frost was out of the option. The Fourth Year was far too popular for a First Year from another house (not to add that Hufflepuff had thrashed Gryffindor in the duelling tournament) to approach. This left him with a peculiar choice; the other girl who was far younger than the other duelists, yet somehow held her ground against two older students.
Well, it wasn’t really a peculiar choice, considering it was his only choice.
His investigative journey began in the common areas of the school. He made a mental note of the areas which she visited as he also seized the chance to get a clearer depiction in his mind of her appearance. Within a few days, the brown curls of her hair became something which jumped out to him in crowds. He could see her amid the wreathing of students in crowded hallways. He felt empowered, yet the scars of shame etched themselves across his face every time she even seemed to glance his way. As if compelled by force to avoid her gaze, his neck would snap away in an unnatural fashion, horrified of what she might think of him if she were to discover the lengths he had gone to analyse her as the subject of his fascination.
One fine day however, he felt a new compulsion. A compulsion to confront her in friendly dialogue. A compulsion to break the thin glass that separated them forevermore. To put aside the quiet understandings of social distance before the blistering misunderstandings of his gestures tore their relations asunder. To find the courage within himself to cease all schemes and act. Perhaps his inner Gryffindor was finally showing.
It began as a friendly tap on the shoulder as Lea (whom she was so named) was leaving the library carrying relatively little on her. Jackson had missed his opportunity twice before, reasoning to himself that the books the girl carried would influence her desire to end the discussion with haste. And he had no intention of selling himself short on the only shot he was going to shoot.
“Hi! You’re Lea Hirsch? The Hufflepuff Duelist?” he began. Of course he knew who she was, but she didn’t know for sure that he did. Oh gods, the things she would think if she did. “I was watching your duel against Gryffindor the other day. It was really awesome!”
Though his brief utterance acted as a medium of praise and flattery (if not for basic respect for her accomplishment), he shifted his body physically to indicate that he had more to say and more to ask by leaving his stance open and inviting.
As his own stagnant ability in magic held him back from venturing further in his goals, the flames of passion only fuelled Jackson’s desires into obsession. He wasn’t born with a photographic memory, but he sure had a damned good one. Every night, he relived the fights that he had watched, retracing every step and every decision, prying into the minds of the duelists as if they were but puppets upon the stage of his imagination. He saw patterns and eventually, strategy. But there was only so much that a child’s imaginative concoctions could produce, and to prove his hypothesis, he would need a reliable source.
Frost was out of the option. The Fourth Year was far too popular for a First Year from another house (not to add that Hufflepuff had thrashed Gryffindor in the duelling tournament) to approach. This left him with a peculiar choice; the other girl who was far younger than the other duelists, yet somehow held her ground against two older students.
Well, it wasn’t really a peculiar choice, considering it was his only choice.
His investigative journey began in the common areas of the school. He made a mental note of the areas which she visited as he also seized the chance to get a clearer depiction in his mind of her appearance. Within a few days, the brown curls of her hair became something which jumped out to him in crowds. He could see her amid the wreathing of students in crowded hallways. He felt empowered, yet the scars of shame etched themselves across his face every time she even seemed to glance his way. As if compelled by force to avoid her gaze, his neck would snap away in an unnatural fashion, horrified of what she might think of him if she were to discover the lengths he had gone to analyse her as the subject of his fascination.
One fine day however, he felt a new compulsion. A compulsion to confront her in friendly dialogue. A compulsion to break the thin glass that separated them forevermore. To put aside the quiet understandings of social distance before the blistering misunderstandings of his gestures tore their relations asunder. To find the courage within himself to cease all schemes and act. Perhaps his inner Gryffindor was finally showing.
It began as a friendly tap on the shoulder as Lea (whom she was so named) was leaving the library carrying relatively little on her. Jackson had missed his opportunity twice before, reasoning to himself that the books the girl carried would influence her desire to end the discussion with haste. And he had no intention of selling himself short on the only shot he was going to shoot.
“Hi! You’re Lea Hirsch? The Hufflepuff Duelist?” he began. Of course he knew who she was, but she didn’t know for sure that he did. Oh gods, the things she would think if she did. “I was watching your duel against Gryffindor the other day. It was really awesome!”
Though his brief utterance acted as a medium of praise and flattery (if not for basic respect for her accomplishment), he shifted his body physically to indicate that he had more to say and more to ask by leaving his stance open and inviting.
Discord: Valentine#6117
5 Dec 2020, 00:17
A Dance with Danger
@Jackson Valentine
OOC: Thought the check would be interesting just to see if Lea had noticed him before (apparently not)Libraries were a perfect place to spend one's time- that, or the common room. It was rare that others would bother you, allowing quicker homework completion time, which provided more time for further research. That, and Lea had yet to feel comfortable talking to others here, something she still found strange due to being rather energetic and extroverted when back in her hometown.
The book would close, finding itself nestled into her backpack between other textbooks. Swinging it up and onto her back, she let her mind wander as to where she would go next. There were a few places- maybe the great hall to get a snack, outside, or the common room just because. A tap on her shoulder would bring her mind back, turning to figure out who wanted her attention.She had no clue who this person was. Not the strangest thing, although she would've expected to at least have seen him around- perhaps in one of her classes. But no, he was as much of a stranger as anyone could be.Observation (Wisdom) Roll [1d20]: 1 +10 = 11 (Critical Failure)
"Ye- yeah." Apparently being in a sport and doing well would get you recognized- who knew? Admittedly, she probably only did well because Frost was there, but winning had to count for something. Brown eyes darted off to the side for a moment before returning to glance at the person before her. "Oh- thank you."
The hufflepuff paused. It had sounded as though he had something more to say, although she couldn't be sure. After a few moments more, she spoke up, "Uh- was, was, there something you.. wanted?" The girl inwardly cringed, still oblivious as to why it had become scary to talk to anyone at this school. It had never been this challenging back home.
| Lea Hirsch - Hufflepuff Duelling Sta: 7 | Eva: 17 | Str: 0 | Wis: 12 | Pow: 10 | Acc: 15 |
Sta: 11 | Eva: 13 | Str: 13 | Wis: 4 | Pow: 0 | Acc: 20 Beauxbatons Quidditch - Katherine 'Kit' Felix |
5 Dec 2020, 01:38
A Dance with Danger
@Lea Hirsch
“Yeh,” he replied without missing a beat. “Where I come from, the girls I know are more interested in makeup and dresses than what’s really happening around them. It’s nice to see someone at last with more interesting hobbies, I guess.”
It was true. Society had evolved from how it had been decades ago. With social media asserting firm dominance over the lifestyles of any who had a connection to the internet, one’s presentation of themselves became a far greater facet of life. This led to a rise in popularity in unorthodox or outlandish hairstyles and hair colours, as well as an unhealthy amount of emphasis and obsession over looks. It was a society that was quick to judge and quick to criticise, one which acted on what little information it had to create caricature out of otherwise complex human beings.
Seeing a girl taking part in what was not only a sport, but a high risk sport, was something unheard of back in his school. It would invoke laughter, belittling, and yet just weeks earlier, Jackson had witnessed this girl beating a pair of older boys to pulp. What had occurred was nothing short of impressive.
“Why’d you join the duelling club? I suppose I’m just curious, if you’re comfortable sharing.”
“Yeh,” he replied without missing a beat. “Where I come from, the girls I know are more interested in makeup and dresses than what’s really happening around them. It’s nice to see someone at last with more interesting hobbies, I guess.”
It was true. Society had evolved from how it had been decades ago. With social media asserting firm dominance over the lifestyles of any who had a connection to the internet, one’s presentation of themselves became a far greater facet of life. This led to a rise in popularity in unorthodox or outlandish hairstyles and hair colours, as well as an unhealthy amount of emphasis and obsession over looks. It was a society that was quick to judge and quick to criticise, one which acted on what little information it had to create caricature out of otherwise complex human beings.
Seeing a girl taking part in what was not only a sport, but a high risk sport, was something unheard of back in his school. It would invoke laughter, belittling, and yet just weeks earlier, Jackson had witnessed this girl beating a pair of older boys to pulp. What had occurred was nothing short of impressive.
“Why’d you join the duelling club? I suppose I’m just curious, if you’re comfortable sharing.”
Discord: Valentine#6117
5 Dec 2020, 08:18
A Dance with Danger
@Jackson Valentine
Sorry that it's pretty short"O-oh." Makeup had never been interesting to her, but dresses were nice- on occasion. They were pretty, but not her preferred clothing choice. "...thank you?" It seemed like a strange compliment. Her hand would reach up to grab at the strap of her backpack, twisting it around in her grasp.
The question was more interesting, her smile growing slightly. "O-oh. I- wanted to learn.. learn more spells and get- get better at magic. And- and- I could practice more since I was falling behind a bit." Hopefully that was an acceptable answer. She probably could've added more if necessary, but it wouldn't have been useful. Plus, her voice had been getting softer throughout her sentences, any softer would have been challenging to understand.
"Umm... are you-uh- thinking of joining the duelling club? I- I've enjoyed it so far." It had been odd to know that she was trying to knock out classmates, but her parents would have wanted her to join a school activity and quidditch- or broom-riding, really- seemed challenging. "Wh-what house are you in?" Probably not Hufflepuff considering she'd never seen him before, but based on first impressions alone, her mind was blank. House would tell her where to look if he did join the duelling team.
| Lea Hirsch - Hufflepuff Duelling Sta: 7 | Eva: 17 | Str: 0 | Wis: 12 | Pow: 10 | Acc: 15 |
Sta: 11 | Eva: 13 | Str: 13 | Wis: 4 | Pow: 0 | Acc: 20 Beauxbatons Quidditch - Katherine 'Kit' Felix |
5 Dec 2020, 08:57
A Dance with Danger
@Lea Hirsch
“Gryffindor,” he replied. “The home of the brave and the people who never win anything.”
He almost pouted there and then in the hallway, but the stirring inklings of pubescent maturity were just enough to hold him back. However, he was hardly satisfied with her response, and he was intent on finding out why she would endure the pain of dozens of flippendos and the sickness that came with the Bogie curse.
“Would you really keep duelling just to get a little more practical training in? Did you feel that way when you were set on fire?”
He pursed his lips and gave her a moment to reconsider, before realising that something he was doing was causing her discomfort.
“Would you like to sit down somewhere and talk?” he offered with a pink smile. “I’ve never interviewed a champion duelist before.”
Still, the question hung in the open. There were many ways to attain more practical training, inclusive of but not limited to additional lessons, private sessions with the professors, and simple free-time practice. Being grievously hurt to the point of unconsciousness was never a prerequisite to improving one’s skills. Some people duelled for the thrill, others for the satisfaction of high stakes victory, while a select unfortunate few were just cruel sadists. What Jackson was sure about was that no one endured injury and occasional humiliation just for the sake of ‘practice’.
So, which was she?
“Gryffindor,” he replied. “The home of the brave and the people who never win anything.”
He almost pouted there and then in the hallway, but the stirring inklings of pubescent maturity were just enough to hold him back. However, he was hardly satisfied with her response, and he was intent on finding out why she would endure the pain of dozens of flippendos and the sickness that came with the Bogie curse.
“Would you really keep duelling just to get a little more practical training in? Did you feel that way when you were set on fire?”
He pursed his lips and gave her a moment to reconsider, before realising that something he was doing was causing her discomfort.
“Would you like to sit down somewhere and talk?” he offered with a pink smile. “I’ve never interviewed a champion duelist before.”
Still, the question hung in the open. There were many ways to attain more practical training, inclusive of but not limited to additional lessons, private sessions with the professors, and simple free-time practice. Being grievously hurt to the point of unconsciousness was never a prerequisite to improving one’s skills. Some people duelled for the thrill, others for the satisfaction of high stakes victory, while a select unfortunate few were just cruel sadists. What Jackson was sure about was that no one endured injury and occasional humiliation just for the sake of ‘practice’.
So, which was she?
Discord: Valentine#6117
9 Dec 2020, 17:46
A Dance with Danger
@Jackson Valentine
"Oh." She didn't really know how to respond to that- for one, the team that she'd been against had been Gryffindors. Was the comment of winning related to that or something else? Brown eyes glanced down at her shoes before glancing back up.
"I- I realize it, it wasn't the best decision for my, my previous reasons. Being on-on fire is painful, but I g-guess I hadn't realized I would be knocking others out? It-it's a school sport after all." Generally school sports didn't involve knocking someone else out. They did have an entire hospital wing here, though. Maybe she should've expected it more.
"Oh- sure." The girl would distract herself with looking for a good place, glancing back at the Gryffindor to make sure they were in agreement about sitting down. Assuming it was okay considering he had asked the question, she wandered over to an empty table, sliding into one of the seats. It was once they had both sat down that the duellist continued.
"I- I've gone through one duel now," he already knew that, "but I don't think I... want to quit be-because of the stakes? I like my-my teammates and... winning's nice." It sounded so selfish, but it also sounded a lot closer to the truth than her previous reasonings. She'd pause, snapping her fingers a bit as she tried to regain her thoughts.
"Why- why would you join, join duelling? Ah-assuming you wanted to." He hadn't actually answered the previous question, something she would only notice now.
| Lea Hirsch - Hufflepuff Duelling Sta: 7 | Eva: 17 | Str: 0 | Wis: 12 | Pow: 10 | Acc: 15 |
Sta: 11 | Eva: 13 | Str: 13 | Wis: 4 | Pow: 0 | Acc: 20 Beauxbatons Quidditch - Katherine 'Kit' Felix |
9 Dec 2020, 22:37
A Dance with Danger
@Lea Hirsch
"I can't imagine why you wouldn't," he chuckled softly at her comment about winning. "You're killer, you know that right?"
He meant it in earnest. Lea was the most nimble First Year he had ever seen. And she had kicked Ruka's ass. When asked, however, about his own motivations, Valentine sank back into his chair, air billowing out of his lips like a deflated balloon. He feigned not having thought about it, which was entirely untrue. He had, but his reasons were something which couldn't be discussed in an hour, not even a day.
"I do want to join," he began, wiping a drop a sweat off his brow. "With all my heart. I think it'll be a distraction from my old life. . . From before I was a wizard."
What he didn't add was that he just as much needed a distraction from his present life as a wizard. Ever since the day he had been informed of his untold power, his dreams and ambitions had been all but uprooted. He enjoyed playing chess. He studied the sciences. Now he was expected to study things he had always believed to have been a part of a fantasy. In short, it wasn't going very well.
". . . And I thought maybe I'd make some friends," he quickly added, the thought plunging into his mind abruptly as he considered it for the very first time.
"I can't imagine why you wouldn't," he chuckled softly at her comment about winning. "You're killer, you know that right?"
He meant it in earnest. Lea was the most nimble First Year he had ever seen. And she had kicked Ruka's ass. When asked, however, about his own motivations, Valentine sank back into his chair, air billowing out of his lips like a deflated balloon. He feigned not having thought about it, which was entirely untrue. He had, but his reasons were something which couldn't be discussed in an hour, not even a day.
"I do want to join," he began, wiping a drop a sweat off his brow. "With all my heart. I think it'll be a distraction from my old life. . . From before I was a wizard."
What he didn't add was that he just as much needed a distraction from his present life as a wizard. Ever since the day he had been informed of his untold power, his dreams and ambitions had been all but uprooted. He enjoyed playing chess. He studied the sciences. Now he was expected to study things he had always believed to have been a part of a fantasy. In short, it wasn't going very well.
". . . And I thought maybe I'd make some friends," he quickly added, the thought plunging into his mind abruptly as he considered it for the very first time.
Discord: Valentine#6117
31 Dec 2020, 07:12
A Dance with Danger
@Jackson Valentine
Sorry for the wait! Replies should be quicker (hopefully).She offered him a smile, before her head ducked down, feeling the need to move around. Do something- the student had already proved his knowledge and interest in the sport, so receiving a compliment felt rather grand. The feeling of not being in the right place also took hold, the uncertainty of whether Lea should've joined duelling in the first place.
Pushing it to the back of her mind, her curiosity and focus would shift to the Gryffindor. His wording was curious, taking a moment to try and unravel what it meant. "Are- you a-uh- muggleborn as well?" It seemed like the safest conclusion.
She sat up a bit at his last reason, rocking slightly as her legs swayed. That had been one of the reasons she had joined, as well. It seemed the only way to meet people since the girl had yet to figure out a reason or solution for her nervous, stuttering self. This had rarely occurred before, but now it happened every time she met someone.
"I'd th-think so. Y-you seem very curious and-and informed? about duelling. P-Plus you'd have yu-your team." It made sense that he might become fast acquaintances (or friends?) with just about any side of the duelling teams. "H-have you practiced? Out-outside of classes, I mean."
| Lea Hirsch - Hufflepuff Duelling Sta: 7 | Eva: 17 | Str: 0 | Wis: 12 | Pow: 10 | Acc: 15 |
Sta: 11 | Eva: 13 | Str: 13 | Wis: 4 | Pow: 0 | Acc: 20 Beauxbatons Quidditch - Katherine 'Kit' Felix |
3 Jan 2021, 00:23
A Dance with Danger
@Lea Hirsch
"Are- you a-uh- muggleborn as well?"
He nodded. Safe or not, Valentine honestly wouldn't have minded being mistaken for whatever bloods she presumed him to be. He was approachable in that way; indifferent to the judgment of others. At the time, he hadn't known that Lea had been from the world of the magically ignorant just as he was. But when he learned of it, the crease of his lips deepened into a subtle inward smile. It was comforting to know that he wasn't alone in his experience.
"I'd th-think so. Y-you seem very curious and-and informed? about dueling. P-Plus you'd have yu-your team."
He didn't know about that one. His team, as it was, already seemed like it was struggling to carry its own weight, much less his. Maybe Lea's expectations for house support were due to her own experiences with her fellow Hufflepuffs. It would certainly explain her performance.
"H-have you practiced? Out-outside of classes, I mean."
"I can't," he replied dryly. "Dueling isn't allowed outside of the dueling club, and unsupervised magic is not allowed outside of the school."
He droned robotically as if reciting a prepared script, his exasperation giving a red tint to his cheeks. It wasn't that he didn't want to practice. With the stiff system in place, there was simply no opportunity for him to do so. It was even worse that he was being lined up as a substitute for any player who wasn't able to attend the next tournament round at the last minute. Not being a fully-fledged duelist meant that he wasn't able to get the practice he required, but having an obligation to replace his housemates in the tournament meant he was being sent in like a sacrificial lamb with no preparation.
It hadn't yet dawned on him how much she was stuttering. Eventually, when he did realize it, he'd likely assume that she was suffering from some form of spontaneous stage fright.
"Are- you a-uh- muggleborn as well?"
He nodded. Safe or not, Valentine honestly wouldn't have minded being mistaken for whatever bloods she presumed him to be. He was approachable in that way; indifferent to the judgment of others. At the time, he hadn't known that Lea had been from the world of the magically ignorant just as he was. But when he learned of it, the crease of his lips deepened into a subtle inward smile. It was comforting to know that he wasn't alone in his experience.
"I'd th-think so. Y-you seem very curious and-and informed? about dueling. P-Plus you'd have yu-your team."
He didn't know about that one. His team, as it was, already seemed like it was struggling to carry its own weight, much less his. Maybe Lea's expectations for house support were due to her own experiences with her fellow Hufflepuffs. It would certainly explain her performance.
"H-have you practiced? Out-outside of classes, I mean."
"I can't," he replied dryly. "Dueling isn't allowed outside of the dueling club, and unsupervised magic is not allowed outside of the school."
He droned robotically as if reciting a prepared script, his exasperation giving a red tint to his cheeks. It wasn't that he didn't want to practice. With the stiff system in place, there was simply no opportunity for him to do so. It was even worse that he was being lined up as a substitute for any player who wasn't able to attend the next tournament round at the last minute. Not being a fully-fledged duelist meant that he wasn't able to get the practice he required, but having an obligation to replace his housemates in the tournament meant he was being sent in like a sacrificial lamb with no preparation.
It hadn't yet dawned on him how much she was stuttering. Eventually, when he did realize it, he'd likely assume that she was suffering from some form of spontaneous stage fright.
Discord: Valentine#6117
4 Jan 2021, 07:08
A Dance with Danger
@Jackson Valentine
A fellow muggleborn. It was always nice to know that there were others who hadn't grown up with magic, only beginning to learn about it the summer before their first year. Perhaps the intention was to not focus of blood statuses anymore, but there was still more of an understanding between her and those who had also not started off with magic.
Perhaps she was looking too far into it, though.
"O-oh, that's un-unfortunate." It made it harder to actually practice offensive/defensive spells since one couldn't duel. They were still able to practice utility spells, sure, but that was only half of the spells. The hufflepuff hadn't thought of this before, more grateful that she was on the team. On the other hand, it seemed as though there should have been a solution for the other students as well.
"M-maybe you, cou-could ask a... professor to- supervise?" It would help, assuming they agreed, but was certainly more of a hassle than being a part of duelling club and having available practice times. She didn't really know any other solutions, bringing in her shoulders more as she shrugged.
"Uh- was there.. a-any mo-more questions- you had?" It had started off as talking about duelling club- and while that was still technically the case, they had certainly gone off on a different subtopic. That was fine, but she wasn't sure if there was any more reasons he had wanted to talk to her about duelling.
| Lea Hirsch - Hufflepuff Duelling Sta: 7 | Eva: 17 | Str: 0 | Wis: 12 | Pow: 10 | Acc: 15 |
Sta: 11 | Eva: 13 | Str: 13 | Wis: 4 | Pow: 0 | Acc: 20 Beauxbatons Quidditch - Katherine 'Kit' Felix |